Darren Fletcher's deflected first-half strike
was enough to give Manchester United victory over
Portsmouth. Pompey went close after only 12
seconds when Papa Bouba Diop's shot whistled past the post, before
Wayne Rooney shot straight at David James from 12
yards.
United began to look dangerous down the flanks and from Patrice
Evra's cross, Fletcher bundled in via Sol Campbell. Pompey's best
efforts came after the break but Jerome Thomas and Papa Bouba Diop
saw their shots saved comfortably. <!-- E SF -->
Portsmouth might have lacked any real cut and thrust but boss
Harry Redknapp will take some consolation that their performance
was better than the one that saw them thumped 4-0 by Chelsea in
their opening game of the season last week.
Redknapp brought in on-loan left-back Armand Traore in a move
designed to shore up the defence. But with United restoring striker
Carlos Tevez and Anderson to their line-up, Pompey were always
likely to be stretched.
Yet it was the hosts who almost struck first when Bouba Diop
rode a challenge before cracking a shot from 15 yards which zipped
off the wet turf and was inches wide of the post.
Soon, though, United began to dictate the play, pulling
Portsmouth - and particularly Bouba Diop - out of position. Wayne
Rooney made space in the box but hit his shot straight at David
James, and shortly after the England keeper kept out a swerving
Paul Scholes free-kick. Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch were playing
their first game together at Fratton Park and they almost combined
to get Crouch in, but Evra nicked the ball of the former Liverpool
man's toes when he about to shoot.
Back came United and when they worked the ball inside Diop, for
the second time in a few minutes, Evra crossed from the left and
Fletcher's effort went scrambled in off Campbell as Sylvain Distin
failed to hook it off the line.
United might have led 2-0 at the break, but Rooney fired a shot
just wide after he had superbly made space with an excellent first
touch and turn on the edge of the box.
An hour of the game had been played before Portsmouth forced
Edwin van der Sar into his first save, beating away substitute
Thomas's vicious drive. The slicker passing, more incisive movement
and more dangerous play continued to come from United after the
break, as it had in the opening 45 minutes.
However, the visitors seemed content to sit on their lead as the
half wore on and as Pompey crept forward, Van der Sar had to be
alert to keep out Bouba Diop's swirling shot. But with the game
compressed into he middle third, and Pompey short of ideas, chances
were few and far between.
Despite playing within themselves United always seemed more
likely to add to the scoring but Carlos Tevez shot wide from
distance and then lofted a free-kick into the arm of James. The
result leaves Portsmouth rooted to the foot of the table, while
United move up to third.
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp:
"I thought I was a very even game up until they scored. The way the
first half went, I was well pleased. "We have three or four players
who haven't played for a while and missed a pre-season and I had to
throw them in and take a chance on them. "The work rate was much
better today and you couldn't fault the effort. I thought we played
okay."
Manchester United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson:
"We played some excellent football tonight. This is a difficult
place to come, so it is a bonus to come here and win. "We tried to
play a system where the players would be comfortable. We wanted to
have Anderson playing centrally, close to Carlos Tevez. "We let
Paul Scholes control the game, and used Darren Fetcher's
energy."
Portsmouth: James, Kaboul, Campbell, Distin,
Johnson, Diop, Davis (Utaka 66), Diarra, Armand Traore (Thomas 56),
Crouch, Defoe.
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Lauren, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Sahar.
Booked: Diop, Defoe.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic,
O'Shea, Fletcher, Anderson (Possebon 76), Scholes, Evra, Rooney,
Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Neville, Fabio Da Silva, Rafael Da Silva,
Gibson, Campbell.
Booked: Brown, Fletcher.
Goals: Fletcher 32.
Att: 20,540
Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Player Rater man of the match: Man Utd's Darren
Fletcher 7.09 (on 90 minutes).
