United 2-0 City

Manchester United moved a step closer to retaining the Premier League title after beating rivals Manchester City.
Cristiano Ronaldo's deflected free-kick put United ahead after wrong-footing keeper Shay Given, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.
Carlos Tevez struck the City woodwork before powering in a 20-yard strike off the post to extend United's advantage.
Robinho wasted City's best chance when he shot wide from eight yards as the home side eased to victory.
United had gone into the game having seen Liverpool draw level with them at the Premier League summit with a win at West Ham on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez's side were hoping the pressure would produce a wobble from the Old Trafford side but, instead, United's pace, power and passing was too much for City.
United have a habit of timing their good form for the end of season run in and, even though this was their 62nd match of the season, they showed little sign of letting the league title slip from their grasp.
The hosts quickly set about City and Ronaldo teed up Ji-Sung Park, who dragged his angled shot wide of the far post.
United had slipped into their slick passing game and it did not take long for their pressure to be rewarded with a goal after City midfielder Vincent Kompany lost possession.
United broke and a back-tracking Stephen Ireland fouled Berbatov to leave Ronaldo to score from the type of 25-yard free-kick he excels at.

Robinho tried to respond for City when the ball broke kindly for him just outside the United area only for the Brazilian to shoot wide.
Too many of City's passes were going awry and left their defence straining as they gave United the chance to continually launch attacks.
Tevez almost made them pay when he shifted inside and curled a strike which came off the angle of the woodwork.
But the Argentine made no mistake when Berbatov sublimely controlled a long Darren Fletcher ball and squared the ball for him to smash in a shot off the inside of the post.
City came out with more ambition after the break and Robinho had a great chance to pull one back.
He latched on to a Nigel de Jong through ball and showed excellent control only to shoot horribly wide from eight yards.
That was a rare chance for a City side who were unable to exert any concerted pressure on a resolute United defence led by the towering presence of Nemanja Vidic.

United were even able to step off the gas and conserve some energy ahead of playing again on Wednesday against Wigan.
Martin Petrov did force United keeper Edwin van der Sar into a full-length diving save to turn his shot round the post, while at the other end Tevez again hit the post, this time with a close-range header.
The only slight on United's win was the angry reaction of Ronaldo to being substituted but they now need four points from their remaining three games - with the others against Arsenal and Hull - to clinch the title.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Vidic, Evans (O'Shea 71), Evra, Ronaldo (Scholes 58), Fletcher, Giggs, Park (Rooney 58), Berbatov, Tevez.Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Neville, Carrick, Nani.
Booked: Fletcher.
Goals: Ronaldo 18, Tevez 45.
Man City: Given, Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Bridge, Elano, Ireland, Kompany, De Jong (Petrov 73), Robinho (Evans 89), Caicedo (Bojinov 63).Subs Not Used: Hart, Zabaleta, Fernandes, Berti.
Booked: Ireland.
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DERBY 1-4 UNITED - Review

Manchester United strolled into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a comfortable victory over Derby.

Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park had early efforts saved before Nani rifled a right-foot shot in from 20 yards.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal belatedly ruled out after a consultation between the match officials before Darron Gibson volleyed home from 18 yards.

Ronaldo nodded in a third before Miles Addison headed in for Derby but Danny Wellbeck's late curler secured the win.

United dominated from the kick-off and Gibson, one of seven changes to the side that beat West Ham last time out, demonstrated their intent in the opening minute with a powerful forward run, but his rising drive cleared the bar.

Fletcher was the first to test out Stephen Bywater with a stinging drive from the edge of the box after a neat interchange of passes with Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

Nani then turned Rams skipper Paul Connolly inside out down United's left before delivering a deft chip to the back post, but Park's header was palmed away by Bywater.

Derby had half chances of their own, but Rob Hulse fired a volley on the turn just over and directed a header wide before Kris Commons forced United keeper Ben Foster into a low save from a 30-yard free-kick.

But the goal that United's domination deserved duly arrived just before the half hour mark.

The ball was worked across the edge of the box to Nani, via Fletcher and Giggs, and the Portuguese winger cut back in from the left and hit a powerful drive beyond Bywater with his right foot.

Ronaldo thought he had doubled the lead when Foster's quick throw-out was flicked into his path by Giggs and the Portuguese forward raced clear and tucked the ball home.

But as Ronaldo wheeled away in celebration, the assistant referee learned from referee Alan Wiley that Giggs had touched the ball in the build-up and he belatedly, and correctly, raised his flag for offside.

United's second goal, just before half-time, also had a touch of controversy about it.

Gibson lashed in a low volley from 20 yards after Ronaldo's free-kick had hit the wall, but United's Rafael Da Silva, technically in an offside position, had to hurdle the ball before it flashed past Bywater.

Ronaldo scored a legitimate goal immediately after the restart though, powerfully heading Giggs' corner over Gary Teale and into the net.

And United would have added a fourth but for an outstanding double save by Bywater.

Giggs again put Ronaldo through with another neat flick, but the Rams stopper palmed his low shot away and then kicked Fletcher's fiercely hit drive to safety.

Derby refused to be beaten though and deservedly pulled one back when Robbie Savage's quick free-kick found Commons on the right and his centre was headed home by Addison just before the hour mark.

Teale began to make more of a nuisance of himself down the Derby left in the final 30 minutes as the Rams found a renewed confidence, but all too often the final ball into the box was lacking.

The midfielder did test Foster with a low shot that the United keeper turned round the post and from the corner, Addison found himself in space, but headed agonisingly wide.

United had the last say though when Fletcher and Giggs combined again on the edge of the box before the former flicked a pass out to substitute Danny Wellbeck on the left and the 18-year-old curled a first-time shot beyond Bywater.

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Derby v United - Preview

Derby County tested United in both legs that was just when they first appointed Nigel Clough as their new manager. Since taking charge he has quickly changed the fortunes of the clubs, as now the Rams are in top form. Clough is a manger without much experience but has helped the club from spiralling towards relegation.

Kris Commons, who scored that marvelous strike in the first leg of the League Cup, will also be a threat against United on Sunday.

“We’re more confident this time round,” Commons said. “Before it was just a dream to try and beat them. Now we know it is half-dream, half-reality.”

Man Utd on the other hand are likely to field a side packed with both youth and talent and will do their best have to prevent a hungry, in form Derby side.

Derby County

Bywater

Connolly - Albrechtsen - Addison - McEveley

Barazite - Green - Savage - Teale - Commons

Hulse

Man Utd

Foster

Rafael - Vidic - Evans - Evra

Park - Scholes - Fletcher - Giggs

Tevez - Welbeck

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SAF expects an improvement from United on second Derby visit

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his players he expects a significant improvement when Manchester United play Derby County in the FA Cup tomorrow compared with their last visit to Pride Park. On that occasion United lost 1–0 in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final, with an enraged Ferguson describing it as his team’s worst performance of the season and singling out the usually reliable Paul Scholes and Nemanja Vidic for criticism in the dressing room.

The damage was only superficial, with United winning the second leg 4-2 at Old Trafford, but Ferguson was as angry as at any other stage this season. The manager felt his side “could have lost by four goals” and, in particular, he was disappointed by the contribution of his more experienced players in an experimental line-up.

“Maybe, in some respects, what happened is a good thing because we’ll know what to expect now,” Darren Fletcher, the midfielder, said yesterday. “We’ve played against them a couple of times and it won’t be a shock to us this time. I’m sure it’s going to be a similar type of game. They’re going to come at us at 100 miles per hour and it will be a good atmosphere but I’m sure we will be ready for them this time.”

United will, however, have to try to navigate a way into the quarter-finals without Wayne Rooney, while Derby are having a mini-revival under the management of Nigel Clough, with three wins in succession since dropping into the Championship’s relegation places.

“I’m really surprised that they’re struggling,” said Fletcher. “They did well against us. They looked impressive and showed that, on their day, they can raise their game and cause problems for anyone. I’m sure their manager is looking at them and saying, ‘Why can’t you perform like that in the league?’ But this is a one-off cup game and they will see it as the chance of a big scalp to knock out Manchester United.”

Rooney is still recovering from the hamstring problem that has kept him out of United’s past six games as well as England’s friendly against Spain this week. He has resumed full training but Ferguson believes it would be safer to bring him back in Wednesday’s league game against Fulham at Old Trafford and, with a Champions League tie coming up against Internazionale later this month, he is not prepared to take any risks.

“We would never jeopardise anything,” said Mike Phelan, Ferguson’s assistant. “We have numerous players in the squad that we can use and Inter Milan is always in your mind.”

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Clough hopes 4 another win over United

The Derby County manager Nigel Clough is hoping for another shock result against the Premier League champions in tomorrow’s FA Cup fifth-round tie.

Just over five weeks ago, Clough, who had been appointed to manager the Rams the day before, watched from the Pride Park stands as Derby beat Manchester United 1-0 in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

It was a weakened United side that played that night, and although Derby were defeated 4-2 in the second leg at Old Trafford, they still caused Ferguson’s side problems – Clough’s side scored three in total against a United defence that has not been penetrated in the league since 8 November.

Although Ferguson has conceded the FA Cup is low on his list of priorities as his team chase five trophies, Clough is convinced he will not want to be embarrassed again.

“We showed we could cause them problems over the two matches, and certainly we did down here,” said Clough. “Defensively in the first half at Old Trafford we weren’t very good and that is why we lost the tie at Old Trafford. But going forward we created chances, scoring three goals in the two games, which is a rarity against United these days.

“Certainly, I think the home leg will have a bearing, even though there are bigger competitions in their eyes, given the Champions League and Premier League.

“I think they will be a bit more cautious. If they had come here and won two or three nil, he [Ferguson] would probably think he could put the same side out and do it again. But there will be a little doubt there, and in the players’ minds as well we hope.

“All we have to do is relax and play. There’s no point getting too nervous, too het up, and think we’re playing Manchester United, the best team in the country, the world. We just have to say ‘Hold on a minute’, calm ourselves down and play our stuff as well. It’s very important we do that.

“We’re preparing exactly the same for them as for anybody, the same as it will be for Blackpool on Wednesday – which I hasten to add is a more important game for us.”

The Rams are without the suspended Jay McEveley, whilst Luke Varney is sidelined with a groin strain.

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