CHALLENGED to win each of their nine remaining Premier League matches by their manager Alex Ferguson, Manchester United set about their quest with relish swatting aside Roy Hodgson’s team with an ominous performance.
This was United in the kind of mood where they are blood-thirsty without even really having to work for it, as Fulham meekly accepted what they always knew was coming their way.
Back on top, two points clear of Chelsea, who have a game in hand, and Arsenal, United have won three straight matches in the Premier League without conceding a goal and have a striker in Wayne Rooney, whose wonderful combination of effort and sheer hard work appears to know no bounds.
The stats make horrible reading for those at Stamford Bridge and the Emirates. Without really breaking sweat, this was the fourth time in his last six United matches that he managed two goals, he has managed 17 goals since the turn of the year and 24 in his last 22 matches.
No wonder that former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon claimed yesterday that the Bernabeu club are "obsessed" with taking the England forward to Spain.
He produced two typically neat finishes, also playing a key part in the build-up to both his goals, as well as hitting a 60-yard pass to Ji-Sung Park that allowed the South Korean the space to cross for Dimitar Berbatov to score the third.
Ferguson feels that, with eight Premier League matches and potentially five Champions League games left, Rooney can surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous haul of 42 goals in a season.
It was a performance that contrasted sharply with the display of Berbatov, who wasted a host of opportunities before scoring his tenth of the season late on. But for someone with an ego as large as Berbatov’s, it was quite an admission to acknowledge that he is more than happy to be Rooney’s straight man.
"I think Wayne can certainly get over 40 goals. He still has plenty of games left so I wish him luck and we will all help him get over the 40 mark," Berbatov said.
"I think at the moment he is the best in the world and he is still so young so he has plenty of chances to get even greater. Like I’ve told him many times ‘just stay healthy and you can achieve everything’.
"If we win it doesn’t matter if I don’t score, as long as we are champions at the end of the season. I like making assists as much as I like scoring. I was just as happy making the second goal for Wayne as I was scoring the third myself."
Having been on the bench for a major European game again as he featured only as a substitute in the 4-0 win over AC Milan in midweek, Berbatov is certainly a part of Ferguson’s blue-print for flat-track bullying at Old Trafford.
But he could have improved that status if he had taken even half of the great chances that were created by in-form Nani. The Portuguese enjoyed himself up against Stephen Kelly and again gave the midfield, with Antonio Valencia impressing yet again on the right, a nice balance.
Berbatov passed up a string of headers and Fulham’s best threats came when Clint Dempsey drove over after Gary Neville was robbed by Simon Davies and Bobby Zamora volleying over after he was picked out by Danny Murphy. Rooney forced a couple of saves in the opening period but ended any jitters United might have had by getting on the end of Nani’s cross and finding the corner of the net just 30 seconds into the second half.
Still chance after chance was wasted and Nemanja Vidic had to be alert to get back to deny Zamora after the striker was found by a Brede Hangeland pass.
But with six minutes left, Berbatov did his stuff by surging into the area and pulling back for Rooney to put the game beyond doubt before the Bulgarian headed in from Park’s cross with a minute remaining.
With 33 shots on goal, United could have expected more than three but despite the conservative nature of some of their performances this season, they still enjoy a four-goal advantage over Chelsea in goal difference.
A year ago yesterday, United were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool at Old Trafford but Ferguson’s men will be looking to do more than avenge that loss next Sunday. It is certainly not a good time to be coming here, as Chelsea may decisively discover on April 3.
MATCH RATING: *** – A real stroll for the champions. Fulham were neat enough but there was always a feeling that United’s breakthrough was a matter of time.
REFEREE: Mike Jones (Cheshire) 8 – Nothing major for the official to rule on and went unnoticed throughout.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, March 15, 2010
