Man Utd 5-1 Fulham- Rooney inspires
demolition
Manchester United roared out a statement of intent at Old Trafford
with a 5-1 hammering which devastated sorry Fulham.
Saha leaps to score United's first
After Liverpool and Arsenal slipped at the first hurdle on the
opening day, the Red Devils were in no mood to make it a hat-trick
of big-name fallers and struck four times in the opening 20 minutes
to get their latest title challenge off to the best possible
start.
Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney netted either side of an Ian Pearce own
goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo adding another to complete that
spellbinding start.
In the end though, the Red Devils settled for just one more, with
Rooney - at loggerheads with the FA over the three-match ban he
must now serve - signing off with a well-taken second.
In Saha, Rooney and Ronaldo, the Red Devils boast three of the
quickest players in the Premiership, in both thought and
deed.
Ferguson has boldly predicted Saha will score a minimum 20 goals
this season if he remains injury free.
It is a big if, yet one the United boss has gambled on in opting
not to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy.
On the ground where he scored twice on his Premiership debut for
Fulham five years ago, Saha took just eight minutes to open his
account, rising highest to nod home Ryan Giggs' left wing
cross.
Coleman must have been alarmed by the slack marking which provided
Saha with his opportunity and it was not long before he was wishing
the season could start all over again.
Set free by Giggs, Rooney found his initial run on goal blocked
but, after finding Ronaldo, the England striker continued his run
and panicked Pearce into turning Saha's low cross into his own
net.
Saha was heavily involved in the third too, meeting a Gary Neville
cross with an acrobatic volley Antti Niemi did well to keep out,
only for Rooney to sidefoot home the rebound.
All that was left now was a goal for Ronaldo, which duly arrived in
impressive fashion just two minutes later.
The predictable boos for the Portugal winger from the visiting end
when his name was read out seconds before kick-off had been drowned
out by the enthusiastic cheers from home supporters in a
Premiership record 75,000 crowd.
Playing with Rooney for the first time since their altercation in
Gelsenkirchen, Ronaldo drifted intelligently to the far post when
his young team-mate collected the ball by the left touchline.
Rooney's cross was outstanding, the finish unstoppable as Ronaldo
drilled a half volley into the roof of Niemi's net.
Understandably perhaps, some of the fire began to go out of
United's play, although Scholes rapped a post with a vicious
30-yard drive; the rebound almost bouncing in off Niemi's
head.
Saha went close either side of the interval, by which time Fulham
had at least grabbed an early consolation when Heidar Helguson's
shot cannoned in off Rio Ferdinand's shoulder.
But, clearly, the potential for humiliation was all too much for
Michael Brown, who should have been sent off for an appalling stamp
on Giggs yet somehow escaped with a yellow card which brought an
angry reaction from the home bench.
On his last appearance for club or country before the middle of
next month, Rooney drove home his second from Wes Brown's cut-back,
then set up Ronaldo for what would have been United's sixth had the
winger not drilled his shot just wide.
Rooney bemoans ban after star show
Wayne Rooney described himself as 'devastated' with his three-match
ban from the Football Association for his red card in a pre-season
friendly.
He said: 'I was devastated with the ban, especially with the start
we've had today.'
Rooney also dismissed the suggestion there was any lingering
tension between him and Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo
following the Englishman's red card when they were on opposite
sides in this summer's World Cup.
The two combined well today with Rooney setting up Ronaldo for
United's fourth.
'People say things who don't know the pair of us and we let our
football do the talking today,' Rooney said.
He added: 'It was a good start for us - getting four goals in the
first half an hour was good for us because we could afford to
relax.'
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is confident his team can survive
while Rooney serves his ban.
He told Sky Prem Plus: 'Unfortunately, we don't have him for the
next three matches but we'll cope with that.
'That's why we've got a squad of players.'
Ferguson confirmed United are still pursuing Bayern Munich's
England midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
'We're trying hard but Bayern Munich are very stubborn and
resistant - and I can understand that - but we'll do our best,'
said the Scot.
Ferguson believes his side - featuring young talents like Rooney
and Ronaldo - are ready to mount a serious title challenge.
'The younger players are getting better so I'm happy about that,'
he said.
Ferguson added: 'It's probably our best start to the season. The
making and taking of the goals was excellent. Throughout the match
we played with great confidence and belief.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=199091&cc=4716
