Source: Telegraph
Manchester United 5 Portsmouth 0: match report
As processions go, this took some time to get going but Manchester United climbed to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable victory over Portsmouth.[LNB]Wayne Rooney had talked about taking United to the summit as a mark of respect on the 52nd anniversary of the Munich disaster and, with new England captain Rio Ferdinand watching from the stands due to his suspension, they did just that.[LNB]With the now regular anti-Glazer chants ringing in their ears, United were in complete control from the start but so deep was Portsmouth's defence, they struggled to break through.[LNB]Despite their problems, the visitors had the better of the opportunities, with Edwin van der Sar having to make a decent save from Anthony Vanden Borre and Jonny Evans hacking off the line from Nadir Belhadj after a fine passing move.[LNB]Dimitar Berbatov wasted a great chance, slicing wide from five yards after he was picked out by Gary Neville's cross but five minutes before the interval, United made the breakthrough.[LNB]Antonio Valencia took a corner quickly to Darren Fletcher and the Scot floated in a cross that Rooney headed past David James from three yards out.[LNB]Nani is full of confidence just now and when the Portuguese embarked on a trademark dribble in first-half added time, he burst into the area and attempted to cross, only for the ball to bounce off Vanden Borre and past James at the near post.[LNB]After the restart, the protests grew louder and louder and James somehow kept out Valencia's drive after the Ecuador winger was played in by a clever chip from Berbatov.[LNB]But just before the hour, United made it three when Rooney laid off for Michael Carrick and the England midfielder's shot looped up off Richard Hughes and flew in off the underside of the bar.[LNB]Berbatov made up for his earlier miss when he held on to the ball for an age in the Portsmouth area before Tal Ben Haim allowed him the space to slot the ball into the bottom corner. More embarrassment came when Patrice Evra clipped in a cross from the left that was thumped into his own net by Marc Wilson.[LNB]
