Wayne Rooney scored an equaliser as Manchester United hit back for a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough on Sunday, which left them three points clear in the Premier League. After second-place Chelsea’s 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Saturday, the Red Devils needed to win at the Riverside and took a 10th-minute lead through Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United beat Roma 2-0 away and Barcelona won 1-0 at Schalke in their Champions League quarterfinal, first-leg matches on Tuesday to take big steps towards a semifinal showdown. Goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney either side of half-time gave United victory at the Stadio Olimpico as the English champions continued to torment Roma.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney gave Manchester United a clinical 2-0 win at AS Roma on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal. Portugal forward Ronaldo soared inside the area six minutes before the break to head home a Paul Scholes cross after Rooney had skipped away from Philippe Mexes.
English football’s big guns were shot down in flames on Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup quarterfinals in two of the famous old competition’s most remarkable upsets. Between them Chelsea and United have won four of the last five Premier League titles and boast some of the world’s finest players.
Harry Redknapp pulled off a unique FA Cup hat-trick against Manchester United as Sulley Muntari’s second-half penalty sealed a 1-0 victory that sent Portsmouth through to the semifinals for the first time since 1992. Redknapp, who had previously guided Bournemouth and West Ham to FA Cup wins against United, saw his team win at Old Trafford for the first time in 51 years.
Arsenal left it late to stay top of the Premier League as second-placed champions Manchester United closed to within a point on Saturday. The Gunners were seconds away from being knocked off top spot at the Emirates Stadium when Nicklas Bendtner cancelled out an early Philippe Senderos own-goal to secure a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa.
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/ 18 February 2008
Liverpool tackle Italian giants Inter Milan in their Champions League second round clash on Tuesday desperately needing a victory to prevent their season falling apart. Liverpool will be one of two English clubs who entertain Milan’s finest this week as Arsenal attempt to recover from their 4-0 FA Cup mauling by Manchester United.
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/ 15 February 2008
There is little doubt Cristiano Ronaldo is the Premier League’s greatest entertainer. Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres are his only rivals for flair and, with 27 goals already this season, Ronaldo is way ahead in the striking stakes, never mind all the counterattacks, dribbles and step-overs he also provides.
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/ 12 February 2008
English Premiership champions Manchester United will once again square off against Premier Soccer League giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the 2008 Vodacom Challenge championship. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday he is going to bring the best available squad for the tournament.
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/ 9 February 2008
Support within English football for controversial plans to take Premier League matches around the world appeared to be growing on Friday as influential figures including Arsene Wenger and Roy Keane voiced their backing. But the prospect of opposition from Fifa also loomed large after the world governing body said it would examine the proposals.
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/ 31 January 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League on goal difference from Arsenal after a 2-0 win at home to Portsmouth. The Gunners had briefly been at the head of the table after their 3-0 victory against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
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/ 30 January 2008
The continuous rise of Angola into an African force could reach a new level on Thursday in a top-of-the-table Africa Sup of Nations Group D showdown with leaders Tunisia. A draw will ensure the Palancas Negras of a place in the knockout phase of the biennial tournament for the first time.
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/ 29 January 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson believes experienced midfielder Paul Scholes could play an important part in Manchester United’s bid this season to match their treble achievement of 1999. The 33-year-old former England midfielder is expected to feature in Wednesday’s league match at home to Portsmouth.
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/ 27 January 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals on Sunday to help Manchester United beat Tottenham 3-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and United celebrated some more when neighbour Manchester City was ousted by Sheffield United 2-1. Robbie Keane gave Spurs a 24th-minute lead at Old Trafford, but Carlos Tevez equalised in the 38th.
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/ 22 January 2008
Thousands of kilometres separate Tamale Stadium in northern Ghana from Old Trafford in England. But as Angola striker Mateus ”Manucho” Goncalves prepares for an Africa Cup of Nations Group D first-round showdown with South Africa on Wednesday, Manchester United will inevitably be on his mind.
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/ 20 January 2008
A Wayne Rooney-inspired late show enabled Manchester United finally to overcome Reading and hold on to pole position in the English Premier League title battle on Saturday. At St James’ Park, Kevin Keegan’s second stint as Newcastle manager got under way with a subdued performance that ended in a goalless draw with Bolton.
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/ 15 January 2008
When world football supremo Sepp Blatter implored the South African national team to ”wake up” after poor results last year, he could not have been referring to Sibusiso Zuma. Only last weekend Zuma demonstrated again that he is razor sharp when it comes to putting the ball in the net.
It was a case of as you were at the head of the English Premier League as the top three sides all enjoyed a winning start to 2008. Leaders Arsenal remained two points in front with a 2-0 New Year’s Day victory over West Ham at the Emirates Stadium. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Manchester United stayed hot on Arsenal’s heels after a 1-0 success at home to Birmingham City.
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/ 31 December 2007
The turn of the year can be both an inspiring and a daunting time for English Premier League clubs as they reach the end of a congested holiday-fixture programme and contemplate the challenges that lie ahead in the second half of the season. Someone who opts for the positive outlook is Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager.
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/ 30 December 2007
Arsenal reclaimed first place in the Premier League as Arsene Wenger’s side routed Everton 4-1 to take advantage of Manchester United’s surprise 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday. The Gunners moved two points clear of United thanks to Eduardo’s double strike and late goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Tomas Rosicky.
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/ 28 December 2007
Louis Saha expects Manchester United’s superior squad to give the champions a decisive edge as the Premier League title fight hots up. Sir Alex Ferguson rested Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs, Anderson and Patrice Evra against Sunderland on Wednesday but United still coasted to an emphatic 4-0 victory that took them back to the top of the table.
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/ 27 December 2007
Champions Manchester United begin the second half of their Premier League title defence at the top of the league on Saturday but manager Alex Ferguson will be hoping for better luck at West Ham United. United were imperious in a 4-0 thrashing of Sunderland on Wednesday to move a point above Arsenal.
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/ 26 December 2007
Arsenal have enjoyed Christmas Day at the top of the Premier League standings — and are hoping that history repeats itself and keeps them top at the end of the season. The club at the top at Christmas have won the league for the past three years — Manchester United last season and Chelsea in 2005 and 2006.
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/ 25 December 2007
Arsene Wenger is already counting down the days until the end of the season as Arsenal try to hold onto their position on top of the Premier League. Wenger’s side lead Manchester United by one point and the Gunners boss knows that the last four teams to be in pole position on Christmas Day went on to win the title.
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/ 9 December 2007
Ryan Giggs’s 100th league goal saw Manchester United on the way to a 4-1 win against bottom-of-the-table Derby County to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. Victory at Old Trafford, where Carlos Tevez scored either side of halftime, left second-placed United a point behind the Gunners
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/ 7 December 2007
Even if Brian Barwick picks up the telephone to make the call almost every England fan is clamouring for, the Football Association might not end up with José Mourinho as the next national manager. But the FA’s chief executive would get detailed insight into what it will take to make England succeed from one of the most successful and intelligent managers.
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/ 4 December 2007
Cristiano Ronaldo made up for missing out on the European Footballer of the Year award by scoring both goals as Manchester United moved to within three points of leaders Arsenal with a 2-0 win against Fulham at Old Trafford on Monday. Ronaldo proved too good for Fulham, who saw their woeful Premiership away record stretch to 24 games without victory.
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/ 25 November 2007
Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the English Premier League with a dramatic 2-0 win over Wigan, while Manchester United slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat at Bolton on Saturday. Steven Gerrard’s stunning strike put Liverpool on course for a stylish 3-0 win against Newcastle.
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/ 4 November 2007
Arsenal preserved their place on top of the Premier League after William Gallas’s late equaliser earned a dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Saturday. Gallas’s late intervention ensured Arsene Wenger’s side stayed ahead of United on goal difference and extended their unbeaten run this season to 18 matches in all competitions.
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/ 3 November 2007
The table-topping clash between Arsenal and Manchester United took time to ignite but delivered a dramatic finale on Saturday when home captain William Gallas scored in stoppage-time to secure a 2-2 draw. Chelsea took advantage of the stalemate at Arsenal, a 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic allowing them to make ground on the top two.
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/ 28 October 2007
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez fired Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League on Saturday, as Chelsea served warning that their own title challenge is still alive after the departure of Jose Mourinho. United’s 4-1 demolition of Middlesbrough at Old Trafford continued a rich vein of form for the champions, who have won eight consecutive matches in the league.
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/ 23 October 2007
European giants Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal can all take a huge step towards qualifying for the Champions League knockout phase if they win their respective matches on Tuesday. All three have a perfect six points from their first two matches and another victory will leave them virtually assured of progression.