skip to content
football.co.uk
Full time and a comfortable win for United which sees them move 5 points clear at the top. Everton though now must focus on their midweek ciup replay against Mersey rivals Liverpool
Two minutes are to be added on.
Park wriggles his way past two defenders on the right side of the area and fires a shot in low, but Howard saves with his legs.
Arteta's cross into the box is headed into the air by a United defender, Lescott then goes down under a challenge Rio Ferdinand but referee Halsey says not penalty. It looks a good decision on the replay.
Not long to go now, United look pretty comfortable but Everton have a reputation for scoring late goals so you never know....
Berbatov breaks forward and lays it off to Tevez. Ronaldo is in space to his right, but Tevez elects to shoot instead and sees his effort go straight at Howard.
Ryan Giggs comes on in place of Darren Fletcher
It's official, Edwin van der Sar has now broken the Football League record for not conceding a goal, it's 1104 minutes now since an oppositon player has scored past him.
Ronaldo's free-kick hits the ball and loops towards goal, but Howard does well to tip it over.
Tevez does well to steal the ball off Arteta and storm forward, he is well tackled though by Phil Jagielka before Steven Pienaar fouls Park on the edge of the area. Free kick to United in a dangerous position.
Marouane Fellaini comes off for Victor Anichebe.
Not much goalmouth action to speak of so far in this half, Everton will need to push on if they want to get back into the game.
Mikel Arteta has another free-kick from fully 30 yards, but Van Der Sar easily saves.
Wes Brown comes on for Gary Neville.
Tevez collects a low cross, turns and shoots, but his effort goes just over. It's a good start to the second half so far.
Tim Cahill fires a decent over just over from 25 yards.
Michael Carrick is tripped in the box by Joleon Lescott but the referee says no penalty - on the replay it looks more of a spot kick than the one in the first half. Let off for Everton.
Mikel Arteta fires a free-kick well over for Everton.
We are underway again here at Old Trafford.
There's the half time whistle, after defending well for 40 minutes Everton might feel aggreived at going into the break a goal down. It's an uphill task now for The Blues.
RONALDO easily converts from the spot to give United the lead.
Michael Carrick bursts into the box and gets tripped by Mikel Arteta, PENALTY to United.
Everton have a decent spell of pressure, Baines again has a cross well cleared before Marouane Fellaini is called offside from Phil Neville's chip into the box.
Not much goalmouth action so far. Everton are defending well and will no doubt be the happier of the two teams.
Baines again gets free on the left but his chipped cross is easily claimed by Van Der Sar, the Everton left-back has impressed so far.
Ronaldo flicks the ball to Michael Carrick in the area who chests the ball down before firing in a volley that hits the side netting. Decent effort from the England midfielder.
Baines looks threatening again for Everton down the left. He has another decent cross well cleared by Vidic for a throw.
Ronaldo looks in the mood, he has another effort on goal pushed over by Howard.
So close for United! Ronaldo hits a low shot form the edge of the area which smacks off the inside of the post, Tevez looks to pounce on the rebound but he is flagged for offside.
Tevez bursts into the right side of the penalty area and delivers a decent cross which is headed away by Tony Hibbert , great defending that by the Everton man,
Mikel Arteta whips in the free kick but it is claimed by Van Der Sar.
Leighton Baines goes on a good run down the left and is fouled by Ji-Sung Park. Free kick to Everton in a dangerous position
Ronaldo is clean through on goal but the linesman's flag goes up. It looked a close decision on the replay, let off for Everton that.
Leon Osman's drifting corner is easily claimed by Edwin van der Sar, quiet start here so far.
Great save from Howard, Ji-Sung Park's knock down is collected by Tevez whose goalbound shot is saved by the American's feet.
Carlos Tevez whips in a low cross from the right which looked to be sneaking in before Howard got a vital touch.
A long ball from Tim Howard puts Tim Cahill in on goal but the offside flag stops the Aussie in his tracks.
Cristiano Ronaldo has an early free-kick for United, but it hits the wall and bounces out.
We are underway here at Old Trafford.
For Everton David Moyes sticks with the same side that drew with Arsenal last time which means Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill have both passed late fitness tests.
United are still without Wayne Rooney so Carlos Tevez continues upfront with Dimitar Berbatov, Gary Neville will captain the side opposite his brother Phil
Manchester United are producing ominous form for their title rivals to match as the Premier League run-in hots up, despite having one of the longest injury lists in the country. United spanked West Bromwich Albion 5-0 on Tuesday evening at The Hawthorns and enter the weekend at the summit of the Premier League. Dimitar Berbatov and World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo are rediscovering their best form, making up for the loss of Wayne Rooney to injury. While United's forwards are capturing the headlines, Sir Alex Ferguson's patched up defence has set a new Premier League record of going 1,032 minutes without conceding a goal. The United boss said: "It's a fantastic achievement for the defence and it's all down to the experience they're gathering together as a back four." Ferguson will hope be able to call upon Park Ji-sung, Nani, Rooney, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown after injuries, but Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Jonny Evans, Rafael and Danny Welbeck are set to remain sidelined. Everton were hit with a sucker-punch from Robin van Persie on Wednesday, as an injury-time goal from the Dutchman saw the Blues lose a 1-0 lead against Arsenal. After notching two impressive draws at Anfield in the space of the week, the mood around Goodison Park is upbeat. The form of makeshift striker Tim Cahill will be particularly pleasing for Toffees manager David Moyes, as the Australian spearheads an injury-hit forward line coming up with vital goals. Cahill limped off in midweek against Arsenal, but is expected to recover from an ankle knock to feature. The sides drew 1-1 in October on Merseyside and the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea will be hoping for a similar favour from Everton this weekend. However, the Blues have failed to win at Old Trafford since 1992.
advertisement
Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar set a new clean sheet record as Cristiano Ronaldo ensured Manchester United moved five points clear at the top of the table with a 1-0 win over Everton. The 38-year old Dutch goalkeeper passed the previous best of 1,104 minutes set by Reading's Steve Death and went on to complete his 12th consecutive Premier League game without conceding. Van der Sar's total now stands at 1,124 minutes, but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be more excited by the result than the record. United secured the points with Ronaldo 's 14th goal of the season - a 44th minute penalty. The win took the Reds five points clear of Liverpool and Chelsea, who meet at Anfield on Sunday. Referee Mark Halsey awarded the penalty after Mikel Arteta caught Michael Carrick 's ankle as he raced on to a Carlos Tevez flick inside the Everton box. Ronaldo stepped up to blast his right-foot spot-kick almost straight into the back of the net with Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard diving to his right. Everton must have felt a sense of deja vu as last season's Old Trafford meeting between the teams was also decided by a Ronaldo penalty when Steven Pienaar upended Ryan Giggs. United deserved their victory, but it was hard-fought against an Everton side which is one of the hardest to break down in the Premier League. United had been denied three times before breaking the deadlock - twice by Howard and once by a post. In the 13th minute, Ronaldo's cross from the left was headed away by Joleon Lescott . The ball fell to Ji-Sung Park just inside the Everton box and he found Tevez six yards out, but the Argentinian's snap-shot was brilliantly saved by Howard from point-blank range. Eleven minutes later, Ronaldo's well-directed toe poke from 20 yards out hit the foot of an Everton post and Howard produced another fine stop soon after to tip over the Portuguese winger's dipping drive from 20 yards. The Red Devils should have had a second penalty three minutes after the interval when Carrick was again brought down in the Everton box, this time by Lescott, but Mr Halsey waved away the appeals. Van der Sar was called into action on the hour to keep out Arteta's fierce 35-yard free kick, but Howard was again the busier goalkeeper in the second half, twice denying Tevez.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
football.co.uk web