Sunday, May 22, 2011
Man Utd 4-2 Blackpool Match Report
United 4 Blackpool 2
United were able to celebrate lifting the Barclays Premier League trophy in style after ruthlessly relegating battling Blackpool.
Ian Holloway's side produced a monumental effort but the Reds made a mockery of talk of fines for fielding a weakened line-up by completing a 4-2 victory after Park Ji-sung's opener was overturned by Charlie Adam and Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Anderson levelled and an Ian Evatt own goal put the Reds in front again. Michael Owen grabbed the fourth with a typically clinical finish.
In the very first minute, Paul Scholes lost possession and Adam worked his way past Jonny Evans to cross perfectly for Keith Southern, only for the midfielder to get his side-foot finish all wrong with the goal gaping.
After the early reminder of what this match meant to the visitors, United mustered a decent attempt when Rafael's left-foot volley forced Matthew Gilks into a save but another dangerous Adam centre almost picked out Taylor-Fletcher soon afterwards.
The end-to-end opening continued with Dimitar Berbatov collecting a Darren Fletcher pass and turning Evatt with ease, only to see his shot pushed away by Gilks. The Bulgarian was heavily involved in the first goal as his prodded through ball was misjudged by Evatt and Park got goal side of the defender before expertly lofting his finish over Gilks and into the net.
The Seasiders looked to be on the ropes but Adam served notice of his threat with a cheeky long-range attempt that flew over the bar. United still looked to be in control and Berbatov spurned a chance to double the lead when firing against Gilks' legs after more defensive hesitancy.
Adam survived a penalty shout when flooring Park inside the box and Mike Dean was also unmoved when Berbatov was barged to the deck by Alex Baptiste.
A disputed free-kick award proved the Reds' undoing when Nemanja Vidic tangled with Taylor-Fletcher. The hosts felt offside had been given when Dean whistled but the decision went in Blackpool's favour and Adam took full advantage. The Scotland international's free-kick curled away from Edwin van der Sar and found the net via the Dutchman's left-hand post.
It was the first goal the Reds have conceded at home in the first half all league season and provided Holloway's side with a timely boost.
After Chris Smalling replaced Rafael at the break, the visitors enjoyed a good spell of pressure at the start of the second half. When Vidic was guilty of a blatant foul on the edge of the area, Adam opted for pace on this occasion and his free-kick was swatted away by Van der Sar.
There was concern for Patrice Evra when he appeared to hurt an ankle but the Frenchman was able to continue and saw Berbatov head Nani's corner over the top.
With 57 minutes on the clock, David Vaughan broke forward and played a one-two with Jason Puncheon before crossing for Taylor-Fletcher to touch home off the far post and celebrate what looked a crucial goal in front of the away fans. The Seasiders were in dreamland but the lead only lasted five minutes. Anderson intelligently picked out Park on the left and made his way into the box to sweep home the South Korean's accurate cross.
With Michael Owen on for Park, the Reds upped the tempo and Berbatov forced a spectacular save out of Gilks from an Evra centre with Scholes' volleyed rebound blocked by Evatt. Although Adam advanced forward to crash a shot over the bar, the game was starting to be played deeper and deeper in the Blackpool half with the visitors defending for their lives to keep out a Scholes shot and Vidic header.
Nani really should have scored when heading a Smalling cross wastefully off target but it only proved a stay of execution as the substitute defender played the ball into the box again a couple of minutes later and Evatt, who had an afternoon to forget, turned it past Gilks for 3-2.
Evatt almost atoned by storming through at the other end, only to be denied by Van der Sar with the Dutchman making a superb, brave save on his final Premier League appearance. But United were finishing the stronger, just as they did at Bloomfield Road, and Anderson's through ball allowed an onside Owen to sprint clear and finish emphatically to pile on the agony for the visitors.Evans had to make one saving block but the end of the game mostly belonged to Berbatov. Desperate to win the Golden Boot outright, the Bulgarian could only find the side-netting from an angle and then flashed an acrobatic volley over the bar.
Substitute Brett Ormerod wasted an opening for Blackpool by sending a half-volley wide with Owen even closer at the other end by flashing a shot across the face of goal and Berbatov passing up a last chance of a 21st Premier League goal of the season.
There was still time for Ormerod to clip the woodwork in injury time but it wasn't enough for Blackpool, who were cruelly sent down on a dramatic final day.
Owen Hargreaves To Leave United This Summer :Sir Alex Confirms
All over: Owen Hargreaves limps off against Wolves
Manchester United have called time on Owen Hargreaves' career at Old Trafford and will not offer him a new contract.
The decision almost certainly brings an end to the midfielder's playing days after a terrible time with knee problems.
The 30-year-old managed only 39 appearances during nearly four seasons at United and his tendinitis injuries were a source of frustration for Sir Alex Ferguson as well as the Canadian-born former England international.
But the United manager has refused to write off the rest of his career.
'This has been a difficult decision knowing how hard the lad has worked to win back his fitness,' said Ferguson. 'But we have made it in the hope he will be able to resurrect his career elsewhere.'
The news will come as a bitter blow to Hargreaves, who burst on to the international stage in the build-up to the 2006 World Cup and was a one of England's best players in Germany.
His performances encouraged Ferguson to fork out £17million in the summer of 2007 to sign him from Bayern Munich, where he won four German titles as well as a European Cup medal in 2001.
But his football nightmare began at the start of his second season with United when tendinitis, which first struck at Munich, deteriorated badly.
Not even the skills of famed Colorado knee specialist Richard Steadman could find a cure.
Sir Alex Ferguson: "Edwin van der Sar almost postponed retirement "
Edwin van der Sar will retire after Saturday's Champions League final. Photograph.
Edwin van der Sar approached Sir Alex Ferguson this week to say he was thinking of scrapping plans to retire at the end of the season. In his programme notes for Sunday's match against Blackpool, the Manchester United manager writes that Van der Sar, who announced in January that this would be his last season in football, almost changed his mind.
Van der Sar, 40, has been in outstanding form, and last month was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the third time in his United career. That, and United's 19th title, made him considered continuing in 2011-12, but he will sign off against Barcelona at Wembley on Saturday – 16 years after he played his first Champions League final, for Ajax against Milan.
"Edwin decided he wants to go out at the top, though he did have a wobble last week," Ferguson wrote. "He came to see me and told me he was thinking about changing his mind.
"I had to tell him to be quick about it because we are in the middle of concluding a deal for a new keeper. He came back a couple of days later to say he would be sticking with his original decision to go, which I think at his age is the right thing for him to do."
In his own unobtrusive way, Van der Sar has been one of Ferguson's best signings. United's attempts to replace their last great goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, were often disastrous: they used 10 keepers between 1999 and 2005, when the signing of Van der Sar solved the problem at a stroke.
In his six years at United, he has won four Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup and the League Cup.
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