Thursday 12 April 2012
Wigan 1 United 0
Wigan 1 United 0
United's lead at the top of the table was trimmed back to five points after a shock 1-0 defeat at Wiganhttp://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/Match-Reports/2012/Apr/wigan-athletic-v-manchester-united-match-report.aspx?pageNo=1.
The reigning champions failed to take another step towards a record 20th title in a controversial encounter but, in truth, the relegation-haunted hosts deserved to take something from the game with two major talking points set to dominate the post-match discussion.
Assistant referee Dave Richardson flagged to rule out a Victor Moses header in the first half and denied the Reds a blatant penalty with 18 minutes left when failing to spot Maynor Figueroa clearly handling a Phil Jones cross. Shaun Maloney's excellent strike five minutes into the second half was enough to hand Wigan only a third league win at the DW Stadium all season and wreck United's 100 per cent Barclays Premier League record against Roberto Martinez's men.
The Latics dominated much of the first half and were aggrieved not to be ahead at the interval. On the half-hour mark, Maloney's corner was headed home by Moses but the effort was disallowed for a foul by Gary Caldwell on David De Gea. The defender was obstructing the Spanish keeper after getting goal side of Jonny Evans but there was relief that an offence was spotted by the assistant referee Richardson.
Phil Dowd did seem a little quick to award free-kicks in general, with the home players going to ground pretty easily - particularly Franco Di Santo - and a booking for Evans after the slightest of touches on the former Chelsea forward was extremely harsh.
De Gea palmed over a James McCarthy shot and Moses had a hopeful penalty shout rebuffed when driving the ball against Jones as the Reds struggled to make any impression. Ryan Giggs forced a corner after a long-range one-two with Michael Carrick but the first attempt of note from the Barclays Premier League leaders came in the closing stages of the half when Wayne Rooney, who dropped into midfield, steered a tame shot well off target.
Sir Alex Ferguson's frustration on the touchline was evident and, no doubt, he will have had plenty to say to his troops inside the dressing room. Tom Cleverley replaced Ashley Young but there was still no real urgency in the visitors' play and Wigan continued to look the likelier scorers.
So it was no surprise when, after Jones furiously contested the award of a corner, the set-piece was worked too comfortably between Maloney and Jean Beausejour, with the ex-Celtic man skipping past Rooney and firing an unstoppable curler wide of De Gea.
Although Rooney shot over the bar from long range, there was no major response to the setback. The manager took action by introducing Danny Welbeck and then Nani, but it was at the expense of strikers Javier Hernandez and Rooney, and Ali Al-Habsi remained a bystander. There was a real let-off for the hosts when Jones' driven centre was clearly handled by Figueroa but the protests were waved away and the defender was in the right place at the right time to clear soon afterwards when Giggs' cross evaded Welbeck in the middle. Caldwell tugged at Welbeck's shirt in the box but escaped the attention of referee Dowd as United grew ever more desperate for a break.
Nani's ambitious volley flew over with 10 minutes remaining but, with Jones struggling to shake off a knock, it needed a De Gea save to keep out Moses after he tricked his way past Rio Ferdinand. Moses passed up another opportunity to clinch the points from a Mohamed Diame pass as Sir Alex's side held on.
Al-Habsi made his first save on 83 minutes to keep out Welbeck's shot from an angle but there was no real pressure on the Oman international's goal and the clock ticked down as Figueroa received treatment following a clash with Jones, that saw the right-back booked. Two speculative drives from Carrick were all United could muster before five minutes of injury time was played out. 'We shall not be moved' sang the travelling fans at the end but there is no doubting this is a blow in light of Manchester City's win against West Brom and there's still plenty of work to be done in the title race.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Athletic Club 2 United 1
The quest for European glory is over for another season after United were unable to overturn a first-leg deficit against Athletic Club, who won 2-1 in Bilbao to earn a resounding 5-3 aggregate victory.
Having lost 3-2 at Old Trafford last week, the Reds' second-leg task was always going to be tough. The job was made all the more difficult when Fernando Llorente, such a handful in the first game, smashed home a stunning volley on 23 minutes.
The Basque side, seventh in La Liga, then produced a masterclass in possession and pressing and deservedly doubled their lead on the night when Oscar de Marcos beat David De Gea with a deflected shot in the 66th minute.
Wayne Rooney's wonder goal gave United a glimmer of hope for the final ten minutes, but in truth it was too little too late for the Reds. Sir Alex's men, outplayed over two legs by a side packed with talent and potential, were out of Europe and could have no complaints.
The manager had made three changes to the team that lost the first leg at Old Trafford. Rio Ferdinand replaced Chris Smalling in defence, while Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley both came into the centre of midfield to play alongside Ryan Giggs, who was given licence to push forward and support Wayne Rooney in attack. Ashley Young and Ji-sung Park occupied the wide positions. Marcelo Bielsa, meanwhile, made just one change to his Athletic side that left Old Trafford victorious last week: defender Fernando Amorebieta, suspended for the first leg, took the place of Mikel San Jose in the heart of defence.
Despite the fact it was United in need of goals - two of them, at least - it was Athletic, buoyed by a raucous home support, who made the early running with some quick, incisive passing and excellent movement in attack. The impressive Markel Susaeta, who had been one of the star performers seven days earlier, saw his deflected free-kick hit the side-netting on three minutes before another effort hit a United player and dropped kindly into the hands of David De Gea.
United kept Athletic on their toes on the break and goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz had to be alert after nine minutes when neat interplay between Rooney and Cleverley led to a shot from Young that was bravely blocked by Javi Martinez.
The Reds breathed a sigh of relief soon afterwards when Llorente slid a pass through to the tricky Iker Muniain in the area and his low drive smacked against the post. De Marcos then fired the follow-up over the bar when it looked easier to score. You always felt that should Athletic net the opening goal the tie would be all but over. Unfortunately, that was exactly how things panned out. After De Marcos had seen a shot saved by De Gea, a lovely cross-field pass over the top from Amorebieta was brilliantly volleyed home by Llorente into the far corner on 23 minutes. The home fans celebrated like it was a Champions League final-winning strike and it certainly felt like a clincher of some sort, with the Reds now needing to find three goals in order to qualify.
United weren’t about to give up despite the uphill fight and Giggs was unlucky to see a close-range header deflected over the bar after a cross from the left from Young five minutes later.
As the half wore on the Reds kept up the pressure but could find no way through a stubborn Athletic defence. The home side lost Llorente five minutes before the break to injury – the striker had been a doubt before the game – with Gaizka Toquero replacing him.
Athletic Club showed no signs of letting up after the restart, with de Marcos blasting a shot just wide. Right-back Andoni Iraola almost added a superb second soon after when, after being found on the edge of the area, he tricked his way past a cluster of Reds before clipping his shot just past De Gea’s left-hand post.
He then went close to turning provider in Athletic’s next attack when he burst down the right and crossed to the unmarked Toquero, but the substitute spurned the opportunity and blasted over. The Reds were struggling to create any chances at the other end and, with another vital Barclays Premier League clash looming at Wolves on Sunday, Sir Alex opted to withdraw Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick. Chris Smalling and birthday boy Paul Pogba entered the fray.
No sooner had the substitutes come on, United went further behind as Athletic Club sealed their spot in the Europa League quarter-finals on 66 minutes. Iraola went on another marauding run down the right and although his cross was half-cleared by Smalling it fell to the feet of de Marcos, who brought the ball under control before blasting low past De Gea via a slight deflection off Jonny Evans. Cue more jubilant celebrations around the Estadio San Mames.
It nearly got worse for Sir Alex’s men when Susaeta screwed a shot just wide and Toquero headed over the bar. Instead, Rooney reduced the arrears with a consolation goal – a lovely curling effort from 25 yards that was sportingly applauded for its quality by the home fans.
No doubt Wayne would have traded a superb goal for a significant one as his effort couldn't alter the fact that United had been well beaten by the Bilbao club over two legs. Now Sir Alex will have to ensure there's no hangover for the pursuit of a 20th English title and that lessons are learned for next season's return to Europe.
United 1 Fulham 0
United took three points to go back to the top of the table but were made to fight all the way by obdurate Fulham, who defended manfully throughout and ensured a nervous night at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney's first-half strike proved just about enough but Sir Alex's side were unable to add to the goal and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense in the closing stages with Danny Murphy, so often the scourge of United in the past, perhaps unlucky not to earn a penalty after going down inside the area towards the end.
Although the Reds dominated the early exchanges, the first genuine effort did not arrive until the 11th minute when Ryan Giggs met a Rafael cross with a goalbound header but Mark Schwarzer caught it impressively. With Giggs being asked to play the Paul Scholes role in his fellow veteran's absence, his probing passes were regularly dealt with by the Cottagers' defence.
Gradually, Fulham came more into the game and Moussa Dembele's menacing dribble led to him dragging a shot wide before Clint Dempsey ran at Jonny Evans but shot too close to David De Gea. The Londoners continued to put their bodies on the line at the other end, making a series of fine blocks, and, with the team growing in confidence, Dempsey forced a spectacular diving catch out of De Gea.
Predictably, the Reds responded to the wake-up call through Antonio Valencia but his shot was blocked by John Arne Riise after a one-two with Danny Welbeck. The breakthrough was almost provided by an unlikely source when Patrice Evra's ambitious overhead kick dropped wide and fellow full-back Rafael also had a decent chance but shot tamely at Schwarzer with his left foot.
After a penalty shout for handball against Stephen Kelly was turned down by referee Michael Oliver, the deadlock was broken three minutes before the interval. Ashley Young's dangerous cross went over Brede Hangeland's head and under Riise's studs. Evans pounced to show great awareness to tee up Rooney and the striker gleefully smashed home, immediately acknowledging the Northern Irishman's part in the goal.
Relaxed, the Reds started the second half in complete control but were unable to find another way past Schwarzer. Giggs' excellent pass released Valencia but the Australian keeper saved well, with Riise getting to the rebound first to stab it behind to safety.
Aaron Hughes survived a nervous moment when dealing unconvincingly with a Rafael centre before a trademark curler from Young brought the best out of Schwarzer, who dived to parry. Damien Duff made a vital block as Fulham continued to smother many of the United attacks and Sir Alex decided to shake things up in attack by replacing Welbeck with Javier Hernandez.
The champions kept knocking on the door but Giggs dragged a left-foot attempt well wide and Schwarzer made a superb double stop to keep out Young following a cross from Valencia. When the ball came out to Giggs, Hangeland made yet another vital intervention to keep the visitors within touching distance.
With Rio Ferdinand and matchwinner Rooney substituted as the clock ticked down, the capital club were able to ensure it was nervous finale as Old Trafford grew ever more tense. And there was an almighty scare when substitute Murphy went down under Michael Carrick's challenge towards the end of normal time but Oliver waved 'play on' instead of pointing to the spot. Fittingly, Evans capped an inspirational individual performance by heading away Riise's long throw-in to provide the last act of a game that, while draining, could prove vital in the final reckoning.
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