As hangover cures go, this match wasn’t the best remedy, but a 1-0 win over Birmingham City and three more valuable points toward the defence of United’s title was exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson had prescribed.
Carlos Tevez got the game’s only goal – producing a dummy in his celebration – but ended up being carried off with an injury after Louis Saha replaced him late on, although he didn't look in too much pain.
After the disappointment of defeat to West Ham three days previously, this was a game United could not afford to lose, but although the Reds got off to a good start, the lack of a second goal made it a nervous finish.
Sir Alex once again sat in the stands, completing his two-game touchline ban, and watched as his side made a far more positive start than the sluggish opening at Upton Park.
United were again without Wayne Rooney, who is still suffering from a virus, leaving Carlos Tevez paired with Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. And it was the Portuguese attacker, in such excellence goalscoring form this season, who registered United’s opening shot on goal after just three minutes. Cutting into the box from the left flank he fizzed in a low shot which Maik Taylor saved low at his feet.
The Reds continued the bright opening when Tevez went even closer after six minutes. Following neat work between Anderson and Patrice Evra down the left, the Frenchman, under pressure from Blues defender Stephen Kelly, crossed for Tevez, whose glancing header beat Taylor but rebounded off the post.
Ronaldo is such an omnipresent threat that it makes little difference where his starting position is. Although not the sort to relish having his back to goal, when facing Birmingham’s defence the visitors looked petrified. He went close with a volley from the edge of the area after excellent chest control, but his shot dipped over the bar.
Birmingham were forced deeper and deeper as the Reds surged forward in search of an opening goal. But the threat wasn’t just from Tevez and Ronaldo. On 20 minutes Nani, having temporarily swapped flanks with Ji-sung Park, turned in-field from the left wing and blasted a shot millimetres wide of the upright.
United’s relentless pressure finally reaped its reward. After 25 minutes Tevez played a one-two with Ronaldo, whose return pass was a sublime backheel that put his team-mate clean through on goal, before applying a tidy finish past Taylor. Bizarrely, the Argentina international celebrated with a dummy in his mouth.
Some supporters in the stands may have been nursing hangovers from the New Year celebrations, but the game also had a similarly sluggish feel to it. Birmingham appeared incapable of penetrating United’s defence, while the Reds seemed prepared to do all that was required, without overexertion. The second half began in much the same vein. And, likewise, Ronaldo was the main protagonist in United’s attacks. He went close to his 19th goal of the season when Park crossed from the right and Ronaldo forced a save out of Taylor with a powerful downward header.
Ronaldo and Tevez both had opportunities to double United’s lead with in a 20-second spell that should have garnered a Reds goal on the hour mark. First Tevez did exceptionally well to hold of two Blues defenders before blasting his shot off the post. Receiving the rebound eight yards out, Ronaldo danced his way across goal but saw his shot blocked.
Although a 1-0 victory over Birmingham at this stage of the season is a perfectly good result, the only concern was that it is by no means a secure scoreline – the threat of a scuffed finish or a set-piece strike is always present in the Premier League. Sir Alex attempted to counter that threat by replacing Tevez with Louis Saha and Park with Owen Hargreaves.
Mikael Forssell came off the bench for Alex McLeish’s men and caused the Reds defence a few problems, but United managed to stave off the visitors threat to hang on for the win. Nine points from a possible 12 over the Christmas period. Most importantly, the Reds are off to a winning start in 2008.
Team Line-ups
United: Kuszczak; O’Shea, Ferdinand (c), Vidic, Evra (Brown 85); Park (Hargreaves 76), Carrick, Anderson, Nani; Ronaldo, Tevez (Saha 72).
Subs not used: Heaton (GK), Pique.
Booked: Brown
Birmingham: Taylor; Kelly, Ridgewell (c), Jaidi, Queudrue; Muamba, McSheffrey (De Ridder 67), Larsson, Nafti (Palacios 82); O’Connor, Jerome (Forssell 67).
Subs not used: Doyle, Parnaby.
Booked: Ridgewell, Nafti, Palacios
Attendance: 75,459
After the disappointment of defeat to West Ham three days previously, this was a game United could not afford to lose, but although the Reds got off to a good start, the lack of a second goal made it a nervous finish.
Sir Alex once again sat in the stands, completing his two-game touchline ban, and watched as his side made a far more positive start than the sluggish opening at Upton Park.
United were again without Wayne Rooney, who is still suffering from a virus, leaving Carlos Tevez paired with Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. And it was the Portuguese attacker, in such excellence goalscoring form this season, who registered United’s opening shot on goal after just three minutes. Cutting into the box from the left flank he fizzed in a low shot which Maik Taylor saved low at his feet.
The Reds continued the bright opening when Tevez went even closer after six minutes. Following neat work between Anderson and Patrice Evra down the left, the Frenchman, under pressure from Blues defender Stephen Kelly, crossed for Tevez, whose glancing header beat Taylor but rebounded off the post.
Ronaldo is such an omnipresent threat that it makes little difference where his starting position is. Although not the sort to relish having his back to goal, when facing Birmingham’s defence the visitors looked petrified. He went close with a volley from the edge of the area after excellent chest control, but his shot dipped over the bar.
Birmingham were forced deeper and deeper as the Reds surged forward in search of an opening goal. But the threat wasn’t just from Tevez and Ronaldo. On 20 minutes Nani, having temporarily swapped flanks with Ji-sung Park, turned in-field from the left wing and blasted a shot millimetres wide of the upright.
United’s relentless pressure finally reaped its reward. After 25 minutes Tevez played a one-two with Ronaldo, whose return pass was a sublime backheel that put his team-mate clean through on goal, before applying a tidy finish past Taylor. Bizarrely, the Argentina international celebrated with a dummy in his mouth.
Some supporters in the stands may have been nursing hangovers from the New Year celebrations, but the game also had a similarly sluggish feel to it. Birmingham appeared incapable of penetrating United’s defence, while the Reds seemed prepared to do all that was required, without overexertion. The second half began in much the same vein. And, likewise, Ronaldo was the main protagonist in United’s attacks. He went close to his 19th goal of the season when Park crossed from the right and Ronaldo forced a save out of Taylor with a powerful downward header.
Ronaldo and Tevez both had opportunities to double United’s lead with in a 20-second spell that should have garnered a Reds goal on the hour mark. First Tevez did exceptionally well to hold of two Blues defenders before blasting his shot off the post. Receiving the rebound eight yards out, Ronaldo danced his way across goal but saw his shot blocked.
Although a 1-0 victory over Birmingham at this stage of the season is a perfectly good result, the only concern was that it is by no means a secure scoreline – the threat of a scuffed finish or a set-piece strike is always present in the Premier League. Sir Alex attempted to counter that threat by replacing Tevez with Louis Saha and Park with Owen Hargreaves.
Mikael Forssell came off the bench for Alex McLeish’s men and caused the Reds defence a few problems, but United managed to stave off the visitors threat to hang on for the win. Nine points from a possible 12 over the Christmas period. Most importantly, the Reds are off to a winning start in 2008.
Team Line-ups
United: Kuszczak; O’Shea, Ferdinand (c), Vidic, Evra (Brown 85); Park (Hargreaves 76), Carrick, Anderson, Nani; Ronaldo, Tevez (Saha 72).
Subs not used: Heaton (GK), Pique.
Booked: Brown
Birmingham: Taylor; Kelly, Ridgewell (c), Jaidi, Queudrue; Muamba, McSheffrey (De Ridder 67), Larsson, Nafti (Palacios 82); O’Connor, Jerome (Forssell 67).
Subs not used: Doyle, Parnaby.
Booked: Ridgewell, Nafti, Palacios
Attendance: 75,459
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