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 | Sunderland 0 - 3 Manchester City (253)
31/08/2008
Stephen Ireland gave City the lead right on half time, latching on to Michael Johnson’s deflected cross and sliding the ball past Craig Gordon, the Sunderland goalkeeper. (First half highlights here.) But it was Shaun Wright-Phillips who stole the show after the break, making it 2-0 by tapping home Jo’s pin-point cross at the back post before collecting Michael Ball’s long-range pass to flick the ball beyond Gordon and inside the far post. |
|  | Manchester United 1 - 2 Zenit St. Petersburg (519)
29/08/2008
In a bright, fluid opening Carlos Tevez tested Malafeev with a shot from distance which the keeper easily dealt with. At the other end Zenit, who left Arshavin on the bench, were looking far more threatening, Dominguez sending a free-kick just wide. Tevez was proving the most industrious United forward, wriggling free along the touchline and setting up Rooney, only to see the chance snuffed out. In the closing stages of the first half Zenit’s midfield began to take control of the game and just before the break their pressure bore fruit, Pogrebniak heading home a corner after Denisov flicked the ball on at the near post. After the break Arshavin was introduced, but it was new signing Danny who stole the show with a fine solo goal, beating Rio Ferdinand before firing low past Van der Sar. United hit back from a corner, Rooney (who had another quiet game) found Tevez at the back post, who cut back to Vidic to force the ball home. With their tails up United pressed for an equaliser with a host of good chances, while an Arshavin-Danny counter-attack almost saw Zenit add a third. In the dying stages Paul Scholes had a moment of madness, palming Brown’s cross to claim an equaliser. Scholes was shown a second yellow card and will now miss United’s Champions League opener. |
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 | Portsmouth 0 - 1 Manchester United (962)
25/08/2008
Paul Scholes tested David James just before the twenty minute mark at Fratton Park. Darren Fletcher broke the deadlock just after the half-hour, bagging his second goal in two games, after great work by Evra who was fed by a fine through ball from Tevez. Four minutes before the break, Wayne Rooney went close to doubling United’s lead. United continued to dominate in the second half but failed to turn their possession into a second goal and the best Pompey could manage was a long range effort from Papa Bouba Diop saved by Van der Sar. |
|  | Manchester City 3 - 0 West Ham United (426)
24/08/2008
City were unlucky to go into the break deadlocked, after they had pressed West Ham throughout the first half. The Hammers were reduced to 10-men after Mark Noble was sent off for a second yellow card. (First half highlights here.) Early in the second half the match was held up for ten minutes as Micah Richards was stretchered off in a clash with Tal Ben Haim. Eventually City took the lead, Daniel Sturridge firing in the opener after Upson’s poor clearance. Elano bagged the second after a cut back from Ireland, and the same two players combined again as Elano made it three. |
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 | Aston Villa 4 - 2 Manchester City (388)
17/08/2008
After a goalless first half, John Carew was in the right place to head home Gareth Barry’s cross. But City hit back, Luke Young tripped Michael Johnson in the box, and Elano rolled home the penalty. Star of the show was than Gabriel Agbonlahor who netted a magnificent seven minute hat-trick with goals in the 69th, 74th and 76th minutes. Vedran Corluka netted a late consolation for City. |
|  | Manchester United 1 - 1 Newcastle United (379)
17/08/2008
Manchester United came out the traps quickly against Newcastle, but they found Shay Given in inspired early form to deny them a goal. The Irish goalkeeper first saved Frazier Campbell’s header off the line with his head, before making a smart double save from Rooney and Scholes. Incredibly, it was the Toon who then took the lead, Obafemi Martins scoring a sweet header from Milner’s corner (what happened to Fletcher?). But the champions responded quickly, Giggs fired in a left wing cross which was turned home by Darren Fletcher. In the second half Frazier Campbell came close when he turned smartly and forced Shay Given into a save. But Newcastle proved themselves to be a hard nut to crack, and they also rode their luck when Vidic’s header came back off the bar. Keegan’s side saw out the final stages without too much bother, with United’s season starting on the back-foot. |
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 | Manchester United 0 - 0 Portsmouth (Pens. 3-1) (421)
10/08/2008
Ryan Giggs had the first real chance of the Community Shield midway through the first-half, but David James saved well at his near post. Nani also came close after a fine run through the Pompey defence. Darren Fletcher was the chief culprit of missing chances however, failing to slide home a simple chance from Tevez’s fine run and cross. (First half highlights here.) Early in the second period Darren Fletcher was unlucky to hit the bar with a fine chip that beat James. Later in the half both Nani and Tevez had shots on the Pompey goal, both were well saved by James. As penalties loomed, Frazier Campbell was the next to go close, blazing over when well placed. (Second half highlights here.) Diarra blazed over for Pompey first up and and following successful pens from Tevez, Defoe and Giggs, Mvuemba then saw his pen saved by Van der sar, Carrick scored and Glen Johnson screwed his pen over the bar to give United the win. |
|  | Glasgow Celtic 1 - 1 Manchester City (246)
06/08/2008
Man City took the lead through a classic, pacey goal from Martin Petrov, but Celtic earned a share of the spoils thanks to Paul McGowen’s goal following a free-kick. McGowen could have won it, but his last-gasp shot hit the bar. |
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 | Huddersfield 1 - 2 Arsenal (438)
06/08/2008
After 75 minutes without a goal, Huddersfield took the surprise lead thanks to Berrett’s deflected shot. The Gunners hit back almost immediately, the wonderfully named Sanchez Watt pulling Arsenal level. And Arsene’s youngsters went on to claim another pre-season win when Nacer Barazite’s shot was too hot to handle, trickling into the net. |
|  | Manchester United 0 - 0 Juventus (330)
06/08/2008
Juventus started brightly at Old Trafford, Camoranesi had an early shot deflected wide, before teeing up Del Piero who quickly found himself charged down by the United defence. (First half highlights here.) In the second half Momo Sissoko was jeered by the crowd before firing a shot straight at Van der Sar. |
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 | Peterborough 0 - 2 Manchester United (513)
04/08/2008
In the battle of Ferguson senior and Ferguson junior, it was Darren’s Peterborough who were the better team in the first half, creating the better chances and forcing saves out of Kuszczak. But the champions went into the break with the lead, Darren Fletcher’s right-wing cross was disappointingly chested into his own net by debutant Martin. After the break United’s youngsters began to take a grip of the game, and they increased their advantage when sub-Darron Gibson, who was on the pitch for less than a minute, struck home a stunning half-volley from distance. |
|  | Manchester United 1 - 0 Espanyol (329)
02/08/2008
Manchester United had to wait until the last ten minutes to get the crucial breakthrough, Ryan Giggs was the architect with Frazier Campbell slotting home the winner. |
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 | Aberdeen 0 - 2 Manchester United (1515)
12/07/2008
Michael Carrick bagged the first after Rooney had been brought down in the box. Wayne Rooney scored the second with a fine header from a cross by Darren Fletcher. The game was in honour of the “Gothenburg Greats” who secured a Cup Winners’ Cup triumph 25 years ago when Alex Ferguson managed the SPL side. |
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 | Manchester United 1 - 1 Chelsea (Pens. 6-5) (3437)
21/05/2008
There were a lot of nervous faces when the players came out at the Luzhniki stadium. United settled the quickest with Ronaldo showing some great skill to beat Essien. Scholes and Makalele clashed heads just after the twenty minute mark with both veteran midfielders receiving a booking, United’s ginger midfielder was left with a bloody face. United’s greater purpose was rewarded in the 26th minute. Scholes and Brown worked the ball down the left, and the United right back crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo to head into the bottom corner giving Cech no chance. The goal brought the game to life with both goalies called into action, Ballack saw a header saved and then Cech saved from Tevez and Carrick. Chelsea came back into the game and pulled level on the stroke of half-time, Frank Lampard tapping in after a shot from Essien was deflected into his path. |
|  | Middlesbrough 8 - 1 Manchester City (1794)
11/05/2008
Sven’s likely last match at City was a disaster from the 16th minute, after Dunne saw red and Downing converted the penalty. The England man got a second in the second half while Afonso Alves got a hat-trick and there were further goals for Adam Johnson, Fabio Rochemback and Jeremie Aliadiere. Elano got a consolation for City. |
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 | Wigan 0 - 2 Manchester United (1932)
11/05/2008
United were nervous in the opening stages at the JJB, Ronaldo saw his free-kick beaten away by Kirkland midway through the first-half and minutes later Tevez couldn’t quite reach a cross from the Portuguese winger. United did take the lead in the 33rd minute, Boyce fouled Rooney in the box and Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty for his 31st league goal of the campaign. United dominated the early exchanges in the second-half, Kirkland saved another free-kick from Ronaldo and then a header from the Portuguese winger, Rooney was the next to be defied by Kirkland. With ten minutes to go Ryan Giggs was given the freedon of the Wigan area to stroke home the second and confirm that the Premier League title will return to Old Trafford. |
|  | Liverpool 1 - 0 Manchester City (855)
04/05/2008
In a poor opening, Ryan Babel failed to direct his header on target to test Joe Hart in the Man City goal. Hart did earn his money on the half hour, tipping Gerrard’s curling shot round the post. Early in the second half, Fernando Torres shot wide of the post after being played in by a great ball from Gerrard with the outside of his foot. And minutes later Elano came so close to giving City the lead when his free-kick hit the post. But just before the hour mark Fernando Torres did get the opener, taking on Dunne and beating Hart at his far post. Minutes later Dirk Kuyt headed against the bar. |
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 | Manchester United 4 - 1 West Ham United (4444)
03/05/2008
It took Manchester United under three minutes to go ahead against West Ham, Cristiano Ronaldo collecting the ball on the right touch-line, cutting inside and leaving Neill on his backside, before scoring at the near post for number 39 of the season. United then asserted their authority in the 24th minute, Hargreaves finding Ronaldo at the back post for his 40th of the campaign. (Both Ronaldo goals here.) And the game was effectively over 120 seconds later when Carlos Tevez smashed home number three past a flapping Green. The Hammers struck back however in stunning fashion, Dean Ashton planting an overhead-kick in the top corner. And the Hammers got a further incentive after Nani got himself sent-off for headbutting Lucas Neill in a skirmish on the edge of the box. (The four first-half goals can be seen on this video and highlights can be watched here.) Any fears that the Hammers could get back in the game were dispelled by Michael Carrick who had the freedom of the park to run into and was aided by a deflection off Neill. Darren Fletcher came close to adding a fifth when he hit the post after Giggs had played him in. |
|  | Manchester United 1 - 0 Barcelona (637)
29/04/2008
An unfamiliar Manchester United team started nervously in the opening stages, with Barca looking the more dangerous, but as United looked to build a meaningful attack, Zambrotta misdirected his clearance to Paul Scholes, and the ginger wizard rolled back the years to smash home a stunning curling shot into the top corner. But Barca kept pressing forward, led by the mercurial Messi, who forced Van der Sar into a smart save after a weaving run. Towards the end of the first half the pressure intensified on the United goal, Deco putting a shot just wide of the post. Early in the second period, after Ronaldo had shown signs of attacking threat, Valdes saved well from Tevez after the Argentinean had played a one-two with Ronaldo. Despite dominating possession, Barca could not find a way past a resolute United defence. |
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