Southgate feels cheated by Ronaldo's dive
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate accused Manchester United
winger Cristiano Ronaldo of cheating after he earned his side a
controversial penalty at the Riverside Stadium.
Television replays showed that Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer made
no contact with the Portuguese international in the 19th-minute
incident which saw referee Chris Foy give Louis Saha the chance to
fire his side ahead.
Asked if Schwarzer felt he had been cheated, Southgate replied:
"Yes, it is as simple as that. It is very difficult for the referee
because it happens very quickly, but how many times are we going to
see it? The lad has got a history of doing it and in the end, that
has cost us the game. If you go behind to a goal against a team
like United, it is a mountain to climb. Our goalkeeper has done
everything he can to get out of the way. There was clearly no
contact, I did not think so at the time and when you see the
replays there is nothing there. For me, it is never a penalty. I do
not know what you do. That is for people who are better qualified
than me to deal with. I am not interested in talking about him,
really. He plays the way he obviously thinks is the right way.
Thats fine, but on the day, that has given us a mountain to
climb."
Sahas spot-kick was cancelled out by substitute James Morrisons
66th-minute strike but Darren Fletcher headed home a Ryan Giggs
cross two minutes later to extend Uniteds lead over Chelsea at the
top of the Barclays Premiership to six points.
Asked about the incident, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I
thought it was a clear penalty to be honest with you."
After being shown a replay, he added on PremPlus: "He is trying to
evade it, isnt he? But would he have scored? I think he would have.
Anyway, it is a penalty kick."
Ferguson was delighted with the three points on an evening when his
side perhaps should have killed off the game long before they
did.
Ronaldo, who was booed at virtually every touch after the penalty
incident, repeatedly carved the Teessiders open, although they
rallied after the break and might have snatched a point in a late
flurry.
The win extended Uniteds unbeaten run in the Premiership to 11
games and made it eight away games in the league without
defeat.
Ferguson said: "Today was a very important result for us. It is not
an easy place to come to, as we have experienced in the past, but
they (United players) showed a great resolution today. Even when
they equalised they came straight back at them and they wanted to
win it. That is important. It is not an easy place and it was a
very difficult game. It was hard for the referee with the crowd but
it is a good result."
A clearly angry Southgate was nevertheless happy with the efforts
of his players.
He added: "It was always a very tough game for us. They are the
best side, at the moment, in the league and it is made a lot harder
when you go behind to a goal like that as well. We started the game
quite brightly, we were well in it when they scored and that
knocked our confidence a bit, and when you go behind to a team like
United, it is a very difficult ask to come back."
Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney expressed his delight at United opening
that six-point lead.
The England striker said: "Its gone to six points and Chelsea have
the game in hand. As weve said before, wed rather have the points
than the games in hand," said Rooney.
"We had to work hard out there today. It was probably our toughest
game of the season. I think we deserved the three points."
Rooney told PremPlus that United are in shape to maintain their
serious title bid.
"Were playing well," he added. "If we keep playing like that, Im
sure well be up there near the end."
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