United Top the Christmas Tree

Santa arrived early for Manchester United, as Aston Villa gifted Cristiano Ronaldo two second half goals which was sandwiched in between by a Christmas cracker by Paul Scholes, to consolidate the Red Devils position at the top of the leader board. But the Villans gave United a scare on twelve minutes, as Olof Mellberg’s touch to Chris Sutton, braised the Villa striker’s head and hit the foot of Edwin Van Der Sar’s right hand post. United replied with a Patrice Evra kow drive which was comfortably stopped by Gabor Kiraly, on just under the half hour mark. After Ryan Giggs had turned the Villa defence inside out, the Welsh play maker, laid a square pass to Ronaldo, who fired a low shot inches wide of Kiraly’s right post, on thirty eight minutes. But as Villa stood still, thirteen minutes into the second half, Ronaldo strived forward and picked up a rebound, before shooting the ball into the centre of the net, to give United the lead. A piece of brilliance by Scholes, increased their advantage, as he latched onto a looping ball, and from outside the penalty box, rifled his effort into the roof of the net, in the sixty third minute. The introduction of Wayne Rooney, helped create further United opportunities, the first after Rooney had laid the ball off to Ronaldo, who had his effort deflected wide from close range, with seventy five minutes played. Then on eighty two minutes, Rooney found Ronaldo unmarked again, whose strike crashed the back of the net, but was ruled offside. But Rooney gained his reward, after his neat build up play, found Gary Nevile, whose low cross opened up the Villa defence, and Ronaldo had the simple task of rolling the ball into an empty net, in the eighty fifth minute, to round off a comprehensive United victory, which left the Aston Villa manager, Martin O’ Neill, with much to ponder afterwards, as he commented:

“Well in the game up until the first goal, well in it. Taking the game to Manchester United, and I thought that we were giving as good as we got. Disappointing to lose the goal in the fashion that we did do because we were attacking in their half and we’ve lost possession there, and of course it picks up, Ronaldo goes a fair distance and scores from the second attempt. But obviously a major turning point in the game, the turning point, I should say.”

“We lost a wee bit of shape just after that, which I suppose with the young boys in the side, you might do. They punished us with a terrific second goal and chasing the game from then on in.”