Manchester United showed no mercy for their former captain Roy Keane as they crashed his side, Sunderland 4-0 at the Stadium of Light.
United started without some of their key players, but they proved too much to handle for the Black Cats. Sunderland started the game decently and had a few chances, but couldn’t threaten United’s keeper. Experience tells that it would mean deep trouble for Sunderland, as United would be ready to pounce on when they started to control the rhythm of the game.
The Red Devils didn’t need to wait long, as Wayne Rooney scored the opener on 20th minute from a wonderful pass by Wes Brown. Rooney then turned provider on 30th minute… his cross found Louis Saha and the French didn’t waste the chance to make it 2-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo then sealed the game for United just before the half time whistle to make it 3-0.
The game was still very much under United’s control at the 2nd half… Alex Ferguson even had the luxury to substitute Ronaldo on 59th minute with Park Ji-sung, who was playing his first competitive game of the season after his operation.
Louis Saha’s 86th minute penalty was very much icing on the cake. Manchester United claimed the top spot of EPL and would stay there for at least a few days as Arsenal had only managed a draw with Portsmouth in a later match.
Ronaldo scored twice in the match, including a late penalty to give Manchester United all 3 points against Everton at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo scored the opening goal of the match with a superb strike on 22nd minute before Everton equalised just minutes later through Tim Cahill.
As the game was heading to the final whistle, Everton’s Steven Pienaar needlessly brought down Ryan Giggs in the box and presented United with the penalty, which was calmly converted by Ronaldo.
Frankly, a draw should be the fair result… MU players were not at their best, and Everton gave a good fight. Ronaldo made the difference.
AC Milan Brazilian playmaker Kaka was named as FIFA’s World Player of the Year on Monday (Dec 17) ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
World Player of the Year is picked from a poll by the coaches and captains of 165 national teams (they can’t vote for their team mates). This is Kaka’s 2nd major personal award in a month after winning the European Player of the Year.
Ronaldo is on a goal scoring spree… he scored his 12th goal in 9 games at weekend match against Derby County. Manchester United won the game in the end with 4-1.
Manchester United have benefited from Ronaldo’s great form. They already qualified for the knockout stage in UEFA Champions League, thanks to a Ronaldo’s injury time goal against Lisbon.
MU also closed their gap with Arsenal in English Premier League to one point after the league leader unexpected slip against Boro. Ronaldo’s three goals in the last two EPL matches played important role as well.
AC Milan playmaker Kaka has been named European Player of the Year for 2007, with Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United in second place.
The Brazilian, 25, was the Champions League’s top scorer last season with 10 goals as he led his team to the title, beating Liverpool in Athens in the final.
He wins the Golden Ball after amassing 444 points in France Football’s survey of 96 journalists from around the world.
Each was asked to vote on a shortlist of 50 players and Ronaldo came a distant second with 277 points.
United winger Ronaldo, 22, was also in sensational form last term, scoring 25 goals in all for the Barclays Premier League club and Portugal.
Barcelona’s 20-year-old Argentina forward Lionel Messi came third in the vote after emerging as a world-class talent for club and country.
The same trio - Kaka, Ronaldo and Messi - have also been shortlisted for FIFA’s world player of the year award which will be announced in Zurich on December 17.
Ronaldo scored an injury time goal to give Manchester United a 2-1 home victory against his former club Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo scored the only goal of the match when the team met in September.
Video of Ronaldo’s injury time goal… a superb freekick…
Ronaldo struck the net twice to give Manchester United a 2-0 victory against visiting Blackburn.
Ronaldo has been quiet in recent weeks; the combination of Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney up front has been making the headlines. Rooney in particular was in superb form, and United fans were probably a bit worried when they knew that the England striker was not starting the game because of a twisted ankle.
Their worries were compounded as Blackburn started the game very well… they came close in scoring twice (one of it hit the top bar) as United were lacking a bit of momentum at the beginning.
The mood of the game changed completely in 2 minutes of madness as Ronaldo scored twice in quick succession. The first goal came in 33rd minute when he rose above everyone else to head in a Ryan Gigg’s corner. The 2nd goal was just a minute and a half later when Ronaldo combined with Louis Saha and Tevez in a lighting counter attack and scored his 2nd.
Blackburn managed to regroup their team and continued to play well; but their hope of getting back to the match was dashed when David Dunne was sent off early in the 2nd half.
Manchester United went on top of the table, at least for a day as Arsenal will be playing on Monday against Reading.
Ronaldo (and MU) must had thought that his goal had secured all 3 points for Manchester United at the clash of the season so far against league leader Arsenal, but William Gallas spoiled United’s celebration with an injury time equalizer.
Both teams are level on points, before or after the match. Arsenal is on top with better goal advantage, and with a game in hand.
Arsenal dominated possessions in the first half, but couldn’t make the possessions into anything dangerous. In fact, it’s United that showed more effectiveness with their attacks; they came close twice with Ryan Giggs before getting their opener on the 44th minute with a Gallas’s own goal… but Rooney would probably take credit for that.
Cristiano Ronaldo believes Manchester United will retain their Premier League title and win a third European Cup after a solid start to the season.
The Portuguese winger has scored six goals to help United to second in the domestic table and to win their opening three games in the Champions League.
And the 22-year-old said: “I believe we will win the Premier League and the Champions League this season.
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez is beginning to look like a deadly strike force as they contributed 3 out of the 4 goals in Manchester United victory.
Nani scored a stunner in the 3rd minute for United before Jeremie Aliadiere equalized for Boro just minutes later… but it’s all about United dominating the game after that.
Rooney took back the lead for United on 33rd minute, thanks to a blunder from Stewart Downing.
Tevez then scored United’s 3rd and 4th goal in the 2nd half after some great play with Rooney. The 3rd goal in particular was a real gem.
Ronaldo played well too despite not scoring… he has to let the other boys shine once in a while.