A second-half Dimitar Berbatov goal earned Manchester United a crucial three points in their title race catch-up against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Monday night.
A win was vital as United started the game ten points off the Premier League summit with three games in hand.
But the champions could not convert their first half dominance into goals, with Cristiano Ronaldo putting their best chance just wide.
After the re-start, United again dominated before finally breaking the deadlock in the 69th minute when Berbatov volleyed home from close range after Michael Carrick's left-wing cross had bounced back off Boro defender David Wheater.
The home side made hard work of dispatching Boro and missed a glut of chances.
Berbatov, who replaced Boxing Day's match-winner at Stoke Carlos Tevez after he returned to Argentina on a "family issue", was one of the guilty culprits in the first hour of the match.
But he was not the only one with Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo, Rafael, Nemanja Vidic and Park Ji-sung all squandering chances.
Credit must go to Boro, especially goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, who put in a disciplined performance which very nearly paid off with a point.
Turnbull was in the action early on turning aside Rooney's 18-yard low curling effort and then palming Ronaldo's resulting cross away from the lurking Berbatov.
0 comments:
Post a Comment