Fulham Vs. Manchester United Match Report

United booked a return trip to Wembley after a sublime display at Craven Cottage earned them a 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Fulham.

After a slow start, the Reds soon clicked into gear with Carlos Tevez putting Sir Alex’s men 2-0 up in the first half with a close-range header and right-foot rasper. Wayne Rooney curled home a third after the break, before Ji-sung Park added a fourth nine minutes from time as the rampant Reds sealed an FA Cup semi-final spot in style.

With Internazionale and Liverpool both looming, Sir Alex was expected to make wholesale changes to the side that had earned a hard fought victory at Newcastle three days earlier. As it turned out, the United manager made just two, bringing in Anderson, in place of the rested Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tevez who took Dimitar Berbatov’s position up front with the Bulgarian dropping to the bench. It was the first time since Boxing Day that Tevez had started alongside Rooney and it didn’t take the duo long to create United’s first opening of the game after just three minutes.

Rooney pounced on a poor clearance from Brede Hangeland and lifted the ball into Tevez’s path. The Argentine set himself and as the ball dropped fired a powerful low drive goalwards. Only an excellent palmed clearance from Mark Schwarzer prevented the ball from nestling in the far corner, while the rebound just eluded Rooney as Fulham cleared their lines.

Nemanja Vidic, a tower of strength all afternoon, had to literally clear off his own line on 14 minutes when Simon Davies’ lofted pass was flicked towards goal by Andy Johnson as Edwin van der Sar rushed to meet him. The Dutchman got a slight touch on the ball, but he had Vidic to thank as the Serbian raced back to maintain parity.

A minute or so later Clint Dempsey rose above John O’Shea to meet Bobby Zamora’s right wing cross, but van der Sar was on hand to make a smart save.

United had begun the game in much the same vein as they did at St. James’ Park – second best. But whereas the Magpies had made their most of their early possession, Fulham failed to make theirs count and were made to pay on 20 minutes when the Reds took the lead.

A Michael Carrick corner was flicked on by Rooney towards the far post where Tevez was waiting to sneak a header past Paul Konchesky on the line from the tightest of angles.

The goal brought a reassurance and a confidence to United’s play which had been missing for the opening quarter of the match. The increasingly influential Rooney chanced his luck from the centre circle three minutes later, but his Beckham-esque effort dropped onto the roof of Schwarzer’s net. The striker then had a goal ruled out for offside, despite the 23-year-old looking level with the last defender.

A minute after Davies had thrashed a volley over van der Sar’s goal, Rooney should have netted United’s second when he connected with Park’s low centre from the right wing. Unfortunately, the ball rebounded off Schwarzer’s right-hand post and away from danger.

Carrick saw a finely struck 25-yarder clasped by Schwarzer, but the Australian keeper was powerless to prevent United doubling their lead in the 35th minute. Having collected a pass from Fletcher on the halfway line, Tevez jinked inside before firing a right-foot rasper into the top corner for a glorious second goal.

It was a bitter blow for the home side who had started so brightly, but they still posed a threat to United’s backline and almost struck an immediate reply when Andy Johnson found himself through on goal after a tangle with Rio Ferdinand. Thankfully, the Reds’ skipper recovered in time to make a vital last-ditch tackle as Johnson looked to pull the trigger. Soon after van der Sar dived at the feet of Zamora to win the ball after the Fulham striker had got in behind John O’Shea.

Just before the break, the United defender found himself in the thick of the action at the other end after being found by an exquisite pass from Michael Carrick following an excellent passage of play from the Reds. But O’Shea’s powerful shot was repelled by Schwarzer as the visitors threatened to put the game beyond Fulham.

Jonny Evans replaced Rio Ferdinand at the restart as a precaution after the captain went over on his ankle in the first half. The change did little to disturb United’s rhythm with Rooney and Tevez continuing to torment the Cottagers. And it was the former this time who got his name on the scoresheet five minutes in the second period, curling a brilliant effort round John Pantsil and past the outstretched arm of Schwarzer from just inside the area.

A three-goal cushion allowed Sir Alex the luxury of making some changes ahead of the crucial Champions League clash against Jose Mourinho’s men with Richard Eckersley and Danny Welbeck replacing John O’Shea, who was feeling his hamstring, and Rooney.

United weren’t about to sit back though and Ji-sung Park went close to grabbing a fourth, twice in quick succession. First, he saw a daisycutter well held by Schwarzer, before the Australian parried a low drive from the Korean soon after.

Park would not be deterred, however, and he finally found a way past Schwarzer on 81 minutes and calmly curled a right-foot effort into the net. Wembley here we come!
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Fulham Vs. Manchester United Highlights Video Clip

Fulham [0 - 3] Manchester United
20' [0 - 1] C.A. Tevez
35' [0 - 2] C.A. Tevez
50' [0 - 3] W. Rooney

0-1 C.Tevez 20'

0-2 C.Tevez 35'

0-3 W.Rooney 50'
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Newcastle United Vs. Manchester United Match Report

United re-established a seven point lead at the head of the Premier League table, but were pushed all the way by a pepped-up Newcastle United side at St James' Park.

Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov struck goals in either half to seal the points, but not before Peter Lovenkrands had fired the hosts into an unlikely early lead. With Chelsea and Liverpool both winning on Tuesday, this was a potentially massive win in United's bid for a third successive Premier League title.

The Magpies were at United from the very first whistle and, with Jonas Gutierrez and Obafemi Martins on song, set out with an open gameplan devised to catch the visitors cold, which they duly did.

For all the praise lavished upon Edwin van der Sar for his long run without conceding a goal – which stretched back to November – the Dutchman was guilty of a handling error as the hosts took an unexpected lead on nine minutes.

Gutierrez cut in from the left wing and aimed a speculative shot towards the far corner. The Argentine’s effort dipped in front of van der Sar, who could only palm it out to Lovenkrands for a simple finish.

United’s response was unflustered, with passes fizzing around the snow-kissed St James’ Park turf with accuracy and incision. Rooney tested Steve Harper with a left-footed curler, but a lightning-quick break from the hosts ended with Martins drilling a shot just past van der Sar’s upright. The Nigerian scored against United on the opening day of the season, and he was proving a real thorn in the Reds’ side. Nemanja Vidic picked up the game’s first yellow card for halting Martins’ surge into the area after 19 minutes.

A minute later, United were level. John O’Shea and Ji-sung Park swapped passes on the right wing before the former fed Rooney inside the Newcastle area. The England striker beautifully accepted the ball, rolling his body to lash a left-footed shot high past Harper, albeit via a tiny nick off defender Steven Taylor.

For all the cool, calculated nature of United’s rise to the Premier League summit, this was a game more in keeping with the see-saw United-Newcastle matches which have become a highlight in past seasons. The thin layer of snow quickly evaporated on a pitch scorched by two sides intent only on attacking at speed.

The Magpies continued to unsettle United’s usually unflappable backline, with Gutierrez just as eye-catching as he was in the season opener at Old Trafford. Corners and crosses were peppered into the United area, brazenly asking questions of a defence most opponents are too timid to even bother.

Five minutes before the interval, however, Nemanja Vidic somehow failed to send United into the interval in the lead. Criminal defending allowed Michael Carrick’s corner to curl across the six-yard box, but the Serb had to stoop to get any contact with the ball. He ended up in the netting, but the ball flew wide.

A game geared around nothing more than attacking intent took on a hint of needle around the interval as Steven Taylor cuffed Ronaldo around the ear as the pair chased a loose ball. The Newcastle defender then continued marauding into Michael Carrick, and was booked by referee Steve Bennett.

The official cautioned Rio Ferdinand for his venting his thoughts on the Taylor incident, and there was more feeling in the challenges all-round immediately after the break. Vidic came off worst after one, an errant elbow from Martins which left the Serbian nursing a swollen cheekbone.

Another Taylor, midfielder Ryan, was heavily involved as United took the lead on 56 minutes. The Newcastle new-boy sold Harper short with a chested back-pass which allowed Park to poke the loose ball across to Berbatov for a simple tap-in.

United continued to force the issue. A stunning break saw Rooney and Ronaldo break against five defenders, cut through them and then feed Berbatov, 25 yards out, but Harper was able to turn the Bulgarian's powerful shot over the bar.

Another opportunity came and went when Ronaldo picked up a raking pass from Carrick and Harper half-saved, sending the loose ball as far as Rooney. Having shifted the ball onto his right foot, just outside the area, he could only curl his shot just over.

As long as the lead remained at one goal, of course, there was always danger. It was a nervy, tense finish, but ultimately a successful one as United continue to swat aside all comers in the Premier League, having now posted 11 straight league wins.
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Newcastle United Vs. Manchester United Highlights Video Clip

Newcastle United [1 - 2] Manchester United
9' [1 - 0] P. Løvenkrands
20' [1 - 1] W. Rooney
56' [1 - 2] D. Berbatov

1-0 P.Løvenkrands 9'

1-1 W.Rooney 20'

1-2 D.Berbatov 56'
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Carling Cup Celebration in Changing Room

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