Apr 25 2009
Manchester United Battle Back to Win 5-2 Against Tottenham - Crucial Victory for United in Terms of the Title Race
Despite Tottenham being 2-0 up at half-time today; Manchester United still managed to win the game 5-2, scoring five second half goals to make the win look comfortable on paper. Despite winning by three goals though; United’s win today was anything but comfortable, and were it not for a terrible decision by Howard Webb to award Manchester United with the penalty that provided them their first goal, then Manchester United may not have had the momentum to bring themselves back into this one.
Cristiano Ronaldo took his penalty very confidently in the 57th minute, and when Wayne Rooney scored the equaliser 10 minutes later; Manchester United was provided with a real rush of confidence, and really started playing like the champions that they are. 3 goals in 12 minutes followed, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney each adding another to their personal tallies, and ultimately it was Dimitar Berbatov that completed the scoring, grabbing a goal against his former employers. Berbatov’s goal wasn’t particularly pretty, it was a goal nonetheless though, and the Bulgarian will no doubt be very pleased to have scored his 9th Premier League goal of the season.
United needed a win today really after Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over troubled Hull City, and in winning the game by a three goal margin; Manchester United have now brought their goal difference to +38, enjoy a 3 point lead over Liverpool, and still have a game in hand to play.
If Manchester United and Liverpool both keep winning, then May 16th will be the day United will be able to secure the title, and could do so with a mere point against Arsenal at Old Trafford. Either team could still slip up yet though, and there’s a very real possibility that the title race could yet go right to the wire.
At half-time today, Manchester United was playing badly and looked as though they’d suffer defeat; it should be known by now never to write off Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United though, and ultimately it was Ferguson’s men that took all 3 points today, and did so in front of an Old Trafford crowd of 75,458.
Bringing on Carlos Tevez at half-time definitely did the trick for Manchester United today, and in the second half of the match all of United’s four key forward players combined well, and made sure that a victory was secured.
Manchester United wins again, and Harry Redknapp continues in his quest to win a game at Old Trafford. Redknapp has always been on the losing end when visiting Old Trafford in the league, and although he took a 2-0 half-time lead today, still he was unable to manage a team to victory against the champions, and once more he was defeated.
In September 2001, Manchester United fought back from 3-0 down to enjoy a 5-3 win at White Hart Lane, and this game was certainly very similar in the way that it turned out. Both teams were very different back in 2001 to what they are today, the end result is still very similar though, and although United didn’t win the title back in the 2001/02 season; they’ll be hoping to do so this season, and with just five games left to play for United, they definitely have it all to play for.
Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea all won today; United is the team at the top though, and United will be hoping that it will still remain that way come the end of the season. The top spot has changed hands several times in recent weeks, and could yet change several times more before the end of the season; it’s in United’s own hands to win it though, and 10 points from the next 5 games is now what is required for Manchester United to secure a record equalling 18th top level title.
