Despite a 4-0 win over Stoke United finished the season one point behind Chavsea.
The league title will get decided on the final day after United beat Sunderland 1-0 a few hours after Chelsea had defeated Liverpool 2-0
Four Premiership titles in a row wasn’t to be as Man Utd beat Stoke quite comprehensively at 4-0 but weren’t aided by Wigan who needed to beat Chelsea.
Goals in the first half from Darren Fletcher and an ever-reliable Ryan Giggs plus a Higginbottam own goal and Park header in the second half ensured that the Red Devils did their bit to keep the title chase alive but Wigans’ capitulation against Chelsea meant it was not to be.
After Liverpool predictably rolled over and capitulated against Chelsea the title race will go down to the final day of the season as Nani’s 1st half winner helped them to a 1-0 victory against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
United went into the match knowing that nothing but a victory would do to keep their faint title hopes alive. The starting line-up certainly signalled their intent with Wayne Rooney back in the squad to partner Dimitar Berbatov. The experience of Scholes and Giggs started in midfield.
Two clinical penalties from Ryan Giggs and a great finish from Nani helped United return to the Premier League summit as they beat the in-form Tottenham 3-1 at Old Trafford. The victory puts United two points clear of Chelsea who face Stoke on Sunday.
United were again without Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand while Neville was replaced by Rafael in defence.
United yet again left it late (yet again!) to really rub it in Man Citys’ nose as a goal in extra time from Paul Scholes gave the champions all three points. The crucial win took them to within a point of Chelsea who play later on in the evening.
With United struggling in the previous match Wayne Rooney returned to the squad yet a groin injury kept Rio Ferdinand out. Jonny Evans was drafted in to take his place.
As expected the first half started with a lot of intensity but few real clear-cut chances for both sides with United having slightly more possession.
United’s attempt to capture a record 4 league titles in a row took another damaging blow as they were held 0-0 at Blackburn Rovers.
With man of the moment Wayne Rooney out injured, United lacked sparkle and guile required to break down a determined Rovers side at Ewood Park.
Antonio Valencia missed a great chance late in the first half, and Berbatov likewise with 10 minutes remaining, but otherwise the visitors were restricted to long shots and half-chances.
Chelsea took advantage of Wayne Rooney’s absence to move into the Premier League summit with a controversial 2-1 win over Manchester United.
Goals from Joe Cole and Didier Drogba meant United and Chelsea swapped positions in the league with United looking tired from their midweek excursion in Europe.
A late effort from sub Federico Macheda meant United fought until the end and yet on another day, United might have had one of the three debatable penalty appeals going their way.
Bayern Munich did a 1999 Champions League role reversal with a dramatic 2-1 victory against Manchester United with Ivica Olic scoring with the last kick of the game. Franck Ribery’s deflected second half free-kick had leveled Wayne Rooney’s early effort in the Champions League quarter-final first leg match at the Allianz Arena.
Olic’s extremely late goal and an ankle injury to the in-form Wayne Rooney will give United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sleepless nights ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg and the crunch weekend game against Chelsea.
It took Martin Demichelis only 12 seconds to take out Nani, bringing .him down near the corner flag From the free-kick, United got the perfect start.
A Dimitar Berbatov-inspired brace moved United back to the Premier League summit and was the perfect response to Chelsea’s 7-1 drubbing of Aston Villa earlier in the afternoon.
In the absense of Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand it could have been a difficult game for Sir Alex Gergusons side but Berbatov took on the challenge. He was in masterful form, playing as a lone striker as he scored twice in United’s 4-0 victory against Bolton.
For over thirty minutes of the game Bolton worked hard and made a game of it. This all changed when J Lloyd Samuel inadvertedly placed Ryan Giggs’ 38th minute cross into his own right-hand corner of the net.
From this point on it was Berbatov and Nani that lead the show and staked their claim for a starting role in the important Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
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Manchester United came from behind to retain their slender lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 victory to all but kill Rafa Benitezs “guarantee” of 4th spot this term.
Park Ji-Sung produced the winner after an hour, after Wayne Rooney’s 33rd goal of the season had brought them on level terms with Fernando Torres’ fifth-minute opener.
With Chelsea drawing with Blackburn a few hours later it meant United went two points clear of Arsenal and four points of Chelsea (who have a game in hand). It was a nervy game for United but Liverpool have stood still as a team since their victory in the corresponding fixture last season.
Wayne Rooney (who else?!) fired United back to the top of the Premier League as his brace inspired a 3-0 win over Fulham.
The previous day United had been knocked off the top spot by Chelsea beating West Ham comprehensively 4-1 but Rooney struck 30 seconds after half-time at Old Trafford (much as he did mid-week against AC Milan) and took his goal tally to 32 in the closing stages of the match.
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