Well to Visit.....Glory...Glory...
Monday, May 9, 2011
Barclays Premier League Football League Table 2010/11 on the Official Site of the Premier League
Barclays Premier League Football League Table 2010/11 on the Official Site of the Premier League
Manchester United 2 - Chelsea 1 (Result Detail)
Scorer: Hernandez (1) Scorer: Vidic (23) | Scorer: Lampard (68) |
| Attendance: 75,445 | FT (18:03 ) |
Manchester United celebrated like champions at Old Trafford after a 36-second opener from Javier Hernandez and a Nemanja Vidic header took them to the brink of the Barclays Premier League title.
One point from the final two matches against relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers next Saturday and Blackpool on the final day of the season will be enough to seal a championship which will take them past the mark Liverpool have been on for so long.
Sir Alex Ferguson felt victory over closest rivals Chelsea was worthy of a couple of bows to the Stretford End as he knows, as do all United's rivals, the prospect of them not getting over the line now is unthinkable.
Built up as the title decider for a week, so important Ferguson selected a shadow side for a Champions League semi-final, these matches are so often a disappointment.
Not this one. Not when United were ahead so quickly.
Carlo Ancelotti must have been devastated to concede quite so simply so early in the match.
Ryan Giggs began the move, stroking a short pass forward for Park Ji-sung, who turned out to be one of United's most effective players.
The South Korean knew Hernandez would be right on the shoulder of the last defender. He could not legislate for that defender failing to cut out the pass.
POWERED HOME
Ancelotti made his feelings known about that in the aftermath as he berated David Luiz from the touchline. Hernandez was not hanging about to consider it, darting forward before burying his 20th goal of the season into the bottom corner.
Old Trafford erupted and then watched spellbound as their team produced an awesome display of attacking power.
Wayne Rooney was agonisingly close on two occasions, Hernandez should have tucked home Park's far-post cross despite Luiz's touch. Park himself brought an excellent save from Petr Cech.
From the latter effort United gained the corner that brought their second as first Salomon Kalou, then Branislav Ivanovic was slow off the mark.
Kalou's crime was to allow Park to race past him and play a short corner with Giggs.
The Ivorian was then beaten too easily as Giggs nipped to the byline before dropping a cross into the heart of Chelsea's box where Vidic strode past fellow Serb Ivanovic and powered home from close range.
Chelsea did create opportunities themselves. Edwin van der Sar made an excellent save to repel Kalou and Didier Drogba went close on a couple of occasions.
But those chances came against the backdrop of a game set up exactly as the Red Devils would wish, which made the otherwise outstanding Rooney's decision to react to the baiting he was receiving from the visiting fans all the more puzzling.
Having expressed his concern about United being on the wrong end of a refereeing decision, Ferguson could at least console himself his side had established a winning position before Howard Webb turned down their penalty appeals for what seemed a clear Frank Lampard handball to block Antonio Valencia's cross.
BETTER OPPORTUNITY
With no comeback in sight, Fernando Torres became the third Chelsea replacement after an hour.
The change brought the reaction Ancelotti was looking for though as Ivanovic climbed highest to reach a Ramires cross and headed down for Lampard, who prodded home from close range.
United should have snuffed the visitors' lingering hopes out immediately though as Hernandez nicked possession away from Ramires and seemed to have presented Rooney with a tap-in, only for Alex to slide across to make a crucial goal-line clearance.
Rooney then spurned three chances to seal the contest, firing the first wide, inexplicably failing to even shoot with the second, before finally having an effort deflected over by Alex.
Hernandez missed an even better opportunity when he nodded Valencia's teasing cross over from six yards.
It was all happening at the wrong end for Chelsea though, apart from a Torres effort that never threatened.
Indeed, the visitors were resigned to their fate long before the final whistle, with United knowing they could be celebrating history at Ewood Park next Saturday just as Manchester City are taking the field for their first FA Cup final in 30 years.
Man Utd legend Neville: Mourinho ideal man to succeed Ferguson
08.05.11 | tribalfootball.com
Manchester United legend Gary Neville says Real Madridcoach Jose Mourinho would be a good choice to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson.
Neville, who has hung up his boots to start work as a TV pundit, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programmethat finding a replacement for Ferguson is the toughest challenge facing the club.
He said: "That is the most difficult question for Manchester United - the day when he is not manager any more."
The 36-year-old does not think that day is imminent, though.
"He just feels the job is never complete. As a United fan the job at United is never complete - it just goes on forever."
But Neville added on Mourinho: "I really like this manager. I think he's a fantastic manager.
"His team get results and he does what he has to do to get results.
"This guy has won European Cups. He's a serial winner. He knows how to win games.
"There are many good managers out there and it won't be just him on the cards (to replace Ferguson) I am sure."
Le Saux convinced Chelsea can beat Man Utd
08.05.11 | tribalfootball.com
Chelsea hero Graeme Le Saux is backing his old club to beat Manchester Unitedtoday.
Le Saux insists that Carlo Ancelotti’s men have come into form at just the right time.
He said: “I see Chelsea beatingManchester United.
“They’ve gained ground in the last five games, winning them all, and the momentum is with Chelsea. United have lost a bit of momentum.
“If Chelsea win, they know they are in the driving seat. They will go top of the league. It’s suddenly a role reversal. Chelsea have nothing to lose. They know that if they score more goals than Man United they are top.
“United will be thinking a draw’s a great result, so Chelsea’s approach will be far more positive, which is why I think they will win.”
Man Utd boss Ferguson raps Chelsea owner Abramovich: Sacking Ancelotti would be astonishing
08.05.11 | tribalfootball.com
Manchester United bossSir Alex Ferguson cannot believe the sack talk swirling around Chelsea counterpartCarlo Ancelotti.
Today's game is tipped in some quarters to decide Ancelotti's job future.
Ferguson insisted: “I don’t understand where that comes from. You can’t understand a lot of things that happen in football today and that would be an astonishing decision.
“The guy has won two European Cups, Italian titles, the double at Chelsea – you can’t question that record.
“The rumour mills have been working overtime and he’s held his dignity well. I don’t see why there should be a question about his position.
“Obviously the European Cup has been highest on their agenda for the last few years. Our knocking them out affected that ambition.
“But I said months ago that Chelsea would be our biggest threat in the League and I’ve been proved right.
“They’ve got the experience and in the last seven or eight years they’ve been our main challengers.
“They won it last year when our legs had definitely gone in the first-half against them, but we’ve given ourselves a chance by resting players for this match and we have the confidence.”
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
United need just one more point to seal the title after they claimed a 2-1 win over Chelsea in their huge showdown at Old Trafford.
Javier Hernandez took just 36 seconds to break the deadlock as he seized on a David Luiz error to net his 20th goal of the season.
Skipper Nemanja Vidic headed home a Ryan Giggs cross in the 23rd minute as United deservedly doubled their advantage although Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou both went close for the visitors before half-time.
Chelsea threatened an unlikely comeback after Frank Lampard's 68th-minute header restored hope but a relieved Sir Alex Ferguson saw his side cling on for a priceless triumph.
The defending champions needed a win to leapfrog United on goal difference but Carlo Ancelotti's men are now six points behind with just two matches remaining.
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