United grind on towards title

Man United 1, Everton 0

ONE Cristiano Ronaldo penalty from two decent appeals, another clean sheet for goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar and a seventh successive Premier League victory.

All in a day’s work for a side cantering its way to a third successive title.

Liverpool may have since closed what was a five-point gap to two following their 2-0 home win over Chelsea. At the present rate, though, sporadic bursts of form from within the rest of the big four aren’t going to be nearly enough to result in a challenge for anything better than second spot come May.

If teams can barely even grab a goal against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men – who never slipped into top gear in an attacking sense against Everton – then it is tough to see how their march can be stopped.

It is now 1,122 minutes since United conceded a goal in the Premier League, the last being a Samir Nasri strike for Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on November 8 of last year.

“Edwin brings absolute calm and assurance to the players in front of him,” said Ferguson of his resolute 38-year-old goalkeeper.

“You have to give great credit to Edwin but there have been some great performances. Nemanja Vidic is an absolute warrior, he’s been unbelievable.

“The important thing is to keep our record of winning and keep our form going.”

United were up against a side still recovering from two hard-fought 1-1 draws against their Merseyside neighbours Liverpool, who they face again on Wednesday evening in an FA Cup replay.

Perhaps David Moyes and his men had one eye on that game even as they played out a tight tussle at Old Trafford.

In the end, Ferguson’s men did as much as they needed to against a visiting side without a striker to its name but with resolution aplenty, particularly in the midfield where willing workers abounded.

There was only ever one side going to win this one, though, and United could easily have had two penalties awarded to them by referee Mark Halsey.

The first appeal, which was granted, was a good spot, as Michael Carrick went down after being clipped by the back leg of Mikel Arteta a minute before half-time.

Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake, sending his kick straight down the middle.

The second, eight minutes after the break, was if anything a much clearer foul as Jolean Lescott barged into Carrick from the side. Then again, the Everton centre-half could point to a claim of his own later on as Rio Ferdinand took hold and appeared to pull him to the ground.

The final outcome, a seventh 1–0 victory of the season for United, wasn’t one that Moyes was arguing with too much.

“I thought our energy levels were down against but that is understandable,” he said, ahead of a loan swoop for Manchester City’s Brazilian misfit frontman Jo.

“There were times when I could have done with having players up front.”

Tim Cahill was again tasked with taking up a striking role on his own, as a result of injuries which have robbed the Everton boss of front men Yakubu, Louis Saha and James Vaughan.

United, who brought in Darren Fletcher to the starting line-up with Ryan Giggs dropping to the bench, began the game on the front foot.

The ever-busy Carlos Tevez forced Tim Howard into a good early save with his legs from close range and there were a number of other dangerous moments supplied by the home team before Ronaldo toe-poked against the inside of a post on 26 minutes with Howard beaten.

Cahill had the visitors’ first effort on goal soon after. And, with the industrious Steven Pienaar setting in Leighton Baines in behind full-back Gary Neville on three occasions, Moyes could have expected at least one dangerous ball in, but it didn’t happen.

As the game ambled towards half-time, Tevez’s flick fell into the path of the onrushing Carrick and as he burst into the area, Arteta’s untimely intervention helped bring about the only goal of the game.

Lescott’s barge on Carrick aside, the second half began tamely and didn’t ever get going. Tevez flashed a shot wide when he should have hit the target, but that was about as good as it got.

Everton argued for their own spot-kick on 83 minutes but Halsey wasn’t convinced, before Carrick bravely blocked an Arteta shot and Park nearly doubled the United advantage but for Howard saving with his legs.