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Premier League: Ronald puts United 6 points clear from Arsenal
Tue. March 25, 2008 03:07 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. -
(SomaliNet) Extending his top scorers bid to 34 goals in English Premiership, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Manchester United to surge six points clear from Arsenal and five-point over Chelsea in the Premier League title race.
United disappointed 10-man Liverpool in a 3-0 defeat on Sunday.
Wes Brown and Nani also scored at Old Trafford where Liverpool played the entire second half a man down after Javier Mascherano was sent off for two yellow cards.
Chelsea leapfrogged Arsenal into second place by beating them 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, with both goals coming from Didier Drogba.
Bacaray Sagna had given Arsenal a 59th minute lead.
In a nervy opening first half at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo had chances before the Red Devils went ahead.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina almost palmed the ball into his own goal in the 33rd minute and fumbled again a minute later to allow United to take the lead.
Rushing out to punch away a cross from Rooney, Reina was beaten to the ball by Brown, who headed it over the line.
It got worse for Liverpool in the 44th minute when Mascherano was sent off for arguing with referee Steve Bennett over a foul by United defender Rio Ferdinand on Liverpool forward Fernando Torres.
Just beforehand, Torres had been booked for dissent.
A clearly angry Mascherano initially refused to leave, with members of the Liverpool coaching staff attempting to calm him down before manager Rafa Benitez eventually persuaded him off the field.
Mascherano was shown his first yellow in the 10th minute for a foul on Paul Scholes.
Ronaldo scored his 25th Premier League goal after 79 minutes -- moments after Reina pushed another of his attempts on to the crossbar. The Portugal winger headed in his goal from a corner by Nani.
United made it 3-0 nine minutes from time through Nani, who played a one-two with Rooney before shooting into the corner.
Liverpool have yet to beat United in the league under Benitez and have lost their last three games against the Red Devils. They last won at Old Trafford in April 2004.
United manager Sir Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports:"It was a really good performance - a performance of maturity.We've seen a team mature over the last six months and today they hit their high peak."
Asked to comment on Mascherano's expulsion, Ferguson replied: "He has been booked and kept badgering the referee. We've talked about dissent and I think that was dissent."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez saw it differently. "Clearly he didn't say anything. Ryan Babel was close to him, he didn't say anything, he was asking what happened.
"In these big games, to lose a player in this situation...it's strange because Javier Mascherano is a good professional and was really surprised with the sending-off."
Ferguson still expects a hard batle for the title. "It's going to go right to the end, Chelsea and Arsenal are going really well. We've beaten a strong Liverpool side playing good football." -AP
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