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  • Vidic (45), Rooney (63), Berbatov (87)
  • Date:2009-01-11
  • Kick-off:16:00
  • Venue:Old Trafford
  • Attendance:75455
  • Referee:Webb, H

Live Commentary

90mins

Howard Webb calls an end to a deserved win for Manchester United.

90mins

Didier Drogba heads wide in a final attack for Chelsea.

90mins

There are three minutes of added time as Michael Ballack heads Frank Lampard's corner over the bar.

89mins

Chelsea have been very disappointing this afternoon and have been well beaten.

87mins

Dimitar Berbatov has a free header from Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick and powers the ball past Petr Cech.

86mins

Juliano Belletti fouls Cristiano Ronaldo twice in the same move and is booked.

85mins

Franco di Santo is on for Joe Cole.

84mins

Chelsea give the ball away and Cristiano Ronaldo almost makes them pay but his shot goes inches wide.

82mins

Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick is deflected and Petr Cech has to punch it over the crossbar.

81mins

John Terry is booked for a high challenge on Ji-Sung Park.

80mins

Michael Carrick is on for Ryan Giggs.

78mins

Michael Ballack goes down under a challenge and glares at the linesman when nothing is given.

76mins

There doesn't seem to be much shape or balance to Chelsea in the second half.

74mins

Didier Drogba misses the ball from eight yards out and is roundly jeered by the United fans.

73mins

United look more likely to score on the counder attack than Chelsea, who are having the ball but no cutting edge.

71mins

Chelsea have a free-kick but Frank Lampard sends it into the arms of Edwin van der Sar.

70mins

Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka don't seem to be communicating at all.

69mins

Ji-Sung Park is booked.

68mins

United don't look like they're going to give up their lead and Chelsea must pick up the pace of their play.

67mins

Patrice Evra limps off and is replaced by John O'Shea.

66mins

Wayne Rooney is booked for a late challenge on Michael Ballack.

64mins

Juliano Belletti replaces Jose da Silva Bosingwa.

63mins

More poor marking from Chelsea as Wayne Rooney volleys Patrice Evra's pass past Petr Cech from six yards out.

61mins

Ronaldo wins his side a free-kick but it's straight into the wall and out for a throw-in.

59mins

United clear the corner but John Obi Mikel's delivery back into the area is straight into the arms of Edwin van der Sar.

58mins

Chelsea have a corner off Gary Neville.

56mins

Didier Drogba has a shot but it's so wide it goes out for a throw-in.

55mins

Ronaldo sends the ball dangerously across the penalty area but it evades everybody.

54mins

Cristiano Ronaldo wins a corner off Jose da Silva Bosingwa and it's taken quickly.

52mins

Chelsea seem a little off the pace in their build-up play.

51mins

Edwin van der Sar is still to make a save.

49mins

Cristiano Ronaldo beats Ashley Cole and sends in a cross but it's straight at Petr Cech.

47mins

Chelsea have started the second half positively as they look for the equaliser.

46mins

Nicolas Anelka has replaced Deco.

46mins

The second half gets underway.

45mins

The whistle goes for half-time.

45mins

United take the lead from Ryan Giggs's corner thanks to Nemanja Vidic's far post header.

45mins

United think they've scored from the corner but the flag is up as the corner wasn't taken properly.

45mins

Two great chances for Manchester United but Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher mishit their shots, but they have a corner.

43mins

John Terry puts in a great block to deny Ji-Sung Park.

41mins

Michael Ballack should have done better as his cross evades everyone in the area.

40mins

Groans from the crowd as Cristiano Ronaldo gives the ball away.

38mins

Manchester United clear the corner and Chelsea are having a little spell of pressure.

37mins

Chelsea have a corner after patient build-up play.

35mins

The crowd is a little quieter now as the pace of the game has dropped.

33mins

Michael Ballack takes a tumble in the area but is ignored by Howard Webb.

31mins

Gary Neville fouls Didier Drogba and gives away another free-kick.

31mins

Dimitar Berbatov's weak effort is straight at Petr Cech after good build-up play from Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra.

29mins

The game is warming up as Gary Neville fouls Deco.

28mins

Ricardo Carvalho and Cristiano Ronaldo are both booked after an argument following a Manchester United corner.

27mins

Jose da Silva Bosingwa is booked for a late challenge on Wayne Rooney.

26mins

Frank Lampard has a shot which is blocked by Jonny Evans.

25mins

Wayne Rooney concedes a free-kick for a foul on Jose da Silva Bosingwa and argues with Howard Webb.

24mins

Cristiano Ronaldo whips in the free-kick but it's deflected wide for a corner.

23mins

Manchester United have another free-kick 25 yards out after a Joe Cole foul.

22mins

Ryan Giggs sends in the free-kick but it's fisted away by Petr Cech.

22mins

United have a free-kick on the edge of the area after Ashley Cole handles the ball.

21mins

Ashley Cole has done well so far to contain the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo.

19mins

Jose da Silva Bosingwa overruns the ball in a promising Chelsea attack.

18mins

Didier Drogba is on his own up front and is a little isolated when Chelsea break.

17mins

Jonny Evans concedes a free-kick and John Terry comes forward but it comes to nothing.

15mins

It's been a cagey opening 15 minutes.

14mins

Michael Ballack's low free-kick hits the wall and United can clear.

13mins

Darren Fletcher gives away a free-kick on the edge of the area.

12mins

Manchester United's passing game hasn't really got started so far but they've had more of the play.

10mins

Defenders are on top at the moment.

9mins

Chelsea seem happy to let Manchester United have the ball in the early stages.

7mins

Petr Cech drops a Ronaldo effort but a defender is there to clear the danger.

6mins

The corner is cleared but Manchester United build again from the back.

5mins

Ji-Sung Park does well to win a corner off Jose da Silva Bosingwa.

4mins

Frank Lampard is booked for a late challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo.

3mins

There's a great atmosphere inside Old Trafford as you would expect.

1mins

Chelsea have the first meaningful attack but Frank Lampard's effort bobbles wide.

1mins

The game is underway.

0mins

The teams are in the tunnel as the atmosphere builds ahead of one of the games of the season.

Match Preview

Chelsea travel to Old Trafford on Sunday to take on Manchester United with both sides struggling to hit top form, but still hot on the heels of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

United go into Sunday's on the back of a narrow defeat in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Championship outfit Derby, despite sending a strong squad to Pride Park.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his side were fortunate to get away with a 1-0 defeat, with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney having started on the bench. The star duo are all but certain to start against the Blues, with Ferguson admitting that the clash will be crucial for both clubs.

He said: "It will be a big game. They've done very well away from home, but not so well at home, so it's been interesting from them this season.

"If we can get within a couple of points of Chelsea and we've games in hand, then we're in a great position."

The Blues need to up their game after a recent run of below-par displays, which included a 1-1 FA Cup third round draw at home to League One Southend United last weekend.

Their squad has been depleted by the recent sale of Wayne Bridge to Manchester City, while Scott Sinclair has headed out for a loan spell with Birmingham City.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is also shorn of the services of key midfielder Michael Essien due to a long-term knee injury, but skipper John Terry should hand his side a massive boost after returning following a three-match suspension.

Petr Cech, Jose Bosingwa and Michael Ballack should all return after sitting out last weekend's cup action, while Scolari faces a tricky decision over whether to start with both Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in attack.

Blues forward Salomon Kalou has warned that his side cannot afford a defeat at Old Trafford, saying: "This game is crucial because if they win on Sunday they have the chance to build a lead over us as they have two games in hand as well.

"It is important to keep the gap, because if you allow United to get in front it's always difficult to catch them.


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Match Report

Manchester United turned up the heat on leaders Liverpool after a 3-0 destruction of fellow title challengers Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Goals from Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov moved United into third place.

But ominously for Liverpool, United will overtake them if they win both games they have in hand on the Merseysiders.

The first 45 minutes of the game indicated that a goalless draw would be on the cards.

But as the opening period moved into injury time, the game suddenly exploded into life.

It was sparked by one of the cleverest moves that will be seen in the Premier League this season.

United won a corner on the right. Rooney trotted over and tapped the ball out of the quadrant before nonchalantly walking away.

Over strolled Ryan Giggs and his walk turned to a canter and then a sprint when he touched the ball infield and crossed to the near post where Cristiano Ronaldo headed in from close range.

The assistant referee's flag went up to indicate the corner had not been taken correctly, but the intelligent move should have been rewarded with a goal.

Giggs then stepped up again to drive the second corner into the centre where Berbatov headed the ball to the back post for the unmarked Vidic to nod the ball home from six yards.

United's second goal came in the 63rd minute and from a superb move.

Patrice Evra turned the ball to Ronaldo as he raced down the left.

The Portuguese star back heeled the ball into Evra's path, who continued his run before crossing into the centre of the Chelsea penalty area.

Berbatov produced the faintest of headed flicks and Rooney audaciously tucked his right-foot shot between Chelsea defender Ashley Cole's legs and into the net from six yards.

With three minutes to go, the Red Devils rubbed salt into Chelsea's gaping defensive wounds.

Ronaldo hammered a free-kick from the left and Berbatov met the ball at the near post with his right foot from four yards to net the third.

Ronaldo, Berbatov and Rooney could easily have added to their side's tally as Chelsea suffered their first away defeat of the season in the Premier League.

Chelsea hardly threatened the United goal with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's most difficult moment coming when he claimed Ashley Cole's 15th minute shot in his midriff.

Manchester United

Chelsea

Corners

63

Fouls

1414

Goal attempts

1410

Shots off target

34

Offsides

30

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