MU 2:0 Wigan, Won 10th Premier League title

Manchester United won its 10th Premier League title in 16 years Sunday, getting a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo and another goal from Ryan Giggs to beat Wigan 2-0 on the final day of the season.

Ronaldo put United ahead in the 33rd minute after Emmerson Boyce pulled down Wayne Rooney in the 32nd, and Giggs scored in the 80th off a pass from Rooney to ensure that the defending champions retained their league title.

Giggs, who has played in every Premier League-winning campaign, came off the bench in the second half to match Bobby Charlton's club-record 758 games. The former United great celebrated Giggs' goal in the directors box at the JJB Stadium.

Charlton, a survivor of the 1958 Munich air crash that killed eight of his teammates, came down to the field to embrace the current team after Wigan had formed a guard of honor as they returned after the final whistle.

Giggs raised the trophy with artificial flames flickering behind and fireworks exploding around the stadium.

United finished the 38-game season with 87 points, two points more than Chelsea, which was held to a 1-1 tie by Bolton. If Chelsea had won, United still would have won the league title on goal difference.

The two teams face each other on May 21 in the Champions League final in Moscow.

Cris strike worth £50k

Betfred boss Fred Done was in seventh heaven when Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 30th league goal of the season against West Ham, even though it cost him £50,000!

At the start of March, lifelong United fan Fred pledged the cash to the Manchester Children's Hospital if the winger managed to reach the landmark, and he is elated that the charity will benefit from Ronaldo's re-writing of the record books.

"I am absolutely delighted that Ronaldo has managed to reach such an amazing landmark, and even more delighted to be paying the £50,000 to the Manchester Children's Hospital," said Fred. "If the money helps just one child and a family then the whole thing has been well worthwhile."

Cristiano was equally delighted to have inadvertantly aided the hospital, through his stunning goalscoring form. "I've got 30 goals and the money goes to the hospital now so I'm very pleased," he told Sky Sports. "It's a wonderful moment for me. My team-mates have helped me a lot."

MU 4 : 1 West Ham, Cris netted his 40th goal

Manchester United moved to within one win of the Premier League title with a comfortable victory against West Ham.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored from 12 yards after three minutes and bundled home his 40th goal of the season from close range in the 24th minute.

Carlos Tevez added a brilliant third from 25 yards before Nani was sent off for head-butting Lucas Neill.

Dean Ashton pulled one back with an overhead kick, but Michael Carrick drove in a fourth after 58 minutes.

The victory means United will retain the title with victory at Wigan next Sunday, thanks to their vastly-superior goal difference compared to rivals Chelsea.

United were helped by a desperately listless West Ham side that never gave the slightest hint they would repeat last season's win at Old Trafford that preserved their Premier League status.

And any fears boss Sir Alex Ferguson may have had about a hangover following their Champions League semi-final victory against Barcelona on Tuesday were dispelled by a vibrant performance.

If United were craving a fast start and an early goal, they could not have wished for more generous defending on the part of West Ham that gave them the lead after three minutes.

Ronaldo escaped the attentions of Neill, and the rest of the Hammers' defence stood off as he raced into the area and beat Robert Green with a deflected shot.

West Ham were almost allowed a route back into the game three minutes later when United keeper Edwin van der Sar was uncertain and Patrice Evra had to clear off the line from Bobby Zamora.

And the visitors had appeals for a penalty waved away when Wes Brown handled under pressure from Zamora, but referee Mike Riley gave a foul against the West Ham striker.

United doubled their lead after 24 minutes when West Ham failed to deal with Owen Hargreaves' long cross and the ball went into the net off Ronaldo's thigh at the far post for his 40th goal of the season.

Tevez made it three against his former club two minutes later when he sent a vicious swerving drive high past Green from 25 yards.

West Ham looked dejected and beaten, but Ashton gave them a measure of hope with a spectacular overhead kick after 28 minutes.

And the lifeline was extended further 10 minutes before the interval when Nani inexplicably head-butted Neill after a minor fraces - an offence made worse by the Manchester United winger hitting the ground holding his head in a desperate attempt to avoid punishment.

Ashton injured a muscle in scoring his spectacular goal and it was no surprise when he went off early in the second half, to be replaced by Carlton Cole.

West Ham were in no mood to take advantage, however, and desperate defending allowed Carrick to stride forward unopposed to send in a deflected shot from 25 yards for United's fourth after 58 minutes.

It was now damage limitation for Alan Curbishley's side and an opportunity for United to improve their goal difference even further.

And United substitute Darren Fletcher almost added a fifth with 20 minutes left, only to see his angled drive come back off an upright.

The rest of the game was played out in a carnival atmosphere as Old Trafford anticipated another title triumph.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Hargreaves, Brown, Ferdinand, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Scholes (O'Shea 72), Park (Giggs 61), Ronaldo (Fletcher 64), Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Anderson, Kuszczak.

Sent Off: Nani (37).

Booked: Ronaldo.

Goals: Ronaldo 3, 24, Tevez 26, Carrick 59.

West Ham: Green, Pantsil, Tomkins, Neill, McCartney, Noble, Parker, Mullins (Sears 75), Boa Morte (Solano 52), Ashton (Cole 56), Zamora.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Collison.

Booked: Neill, McCartney, Zamora.

Goals: Ashton 28.

Att: 76,013

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo 8.77 (on 90 minutes).

You ain't seen nothing yet

Despite scooping the PFA and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year awards, Cristiano Ronaldo still hasn’t hit top form, according to his manager.

Sir Alex admitted the winger has been “sensational” this season, but promised fans there's still more to come.

“I expected him to win the Football Writers’ Association award,” Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio on Friday morning. “His form this season has been absolutely sensational.

“He’s become a real top-class player. And remember, he’s only 23 years old. When he gets to 25 or 26 we’ll see the finished article.”

Ferguson says Ronaldo’s development into one of the world’s best players stems from the Portuguese player’s strong work ethic and self-belief.

“In his early days he tried to hit his shots a little too hard but he’s improved as a result of his own practising. He scored 23 goals last season and now, with three games left, he’s got 38. Hopefully he’ll reach 40 goals by the end of the season.

“Some players are just born confident and Cristiano certainly has that. When you look back to his debut against Bolton in 2003 he lit up Old Trafford. He had such a big impact and you could see the confidence he had, even then.”

CR doubles up in English awards

Cristiano Ronaldo has retained the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award.

Having retained the Professional Footballers' Association award last weekend, the winger become only the second player to win both the FWA and PFA awards in successive seasons, after former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry (2002/03 and 2003/04).

The United winger saw off the challenges of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, who finished second and third respectively.

FWA chairman Paul Hetherington said: "Ronaldo's award is no surprise after his brilliant form this season and incredible goal-scoring record and he is, of course, essentially a winger.

"Cristiano was an overwhelming winner and, given his age, he has the potential and ability to dominate this award for years in an unprecedented way."

Ronaldo will be officially presented with his award on May 15, when the FWA holds its annual dinner.

Cris's 2008 Honours
FWA Player of the Year
PFA Player of the Year
PFA Premier League Team of the Year
Barclays Player of the Month - January
Barclays Player of the Month - March

My 1st final

Cristiano Ronaldo says United’s fans played a starring role in the Reds’ Champions League victory on Tuesday night.

Old Trafford was a cauldron of noise for Barcelona’s visit, as supporters rallied behind United and cheered the lads to Moscow.

“The fans were absolutely fantastic,” Ronaldo told MUTV. “They did a great job and sang for the whole game. It gave the players motivation and helped us get a massive result.”

Ronaldo flung himself to the ground at the final whistle, apparently almost overcome with emotion.

“The feeling is great,” he said. “It will be my first Champions League final and I feel very good. It’s great for me and my colleagues.

“The final is in three weeks and we have time to work and keep our concentration. But the most important thing now is the league.”

MU 1 : 0 Barcelona ... going to Moscow

Cristiano Ronaldo has warned Chelsea and Liverpool that a fired-up Manchester United will be waiting for them as champions in Moscow in three weeks' time.

The winger played his part at Old Trafford last night as United beat Barcelona 1-0 in the semi-final, second leg to set up the first all-English final on 21 May.

By that time, Ronaldo believes his side will have secured the League title.

He said: "Just because we are now in the Champions League Final does not mean we will lose focus on the first prize we can win.

"What we achieved against Barcelona was wonderful but we have two games before we go to Moscow - against West Ham and then Wigan - and our aim is to win both of those.

"Only after that will we really think about the Champions League Final. But it will not matter to us whether we play Chelsea or Liverpool. We have believed all season that we can win in Moscow and going through against a great side like Barcelona gives us more confidence that we can do what we set out to do.

"First, as I say, comes the games we need to win to stay champions of England, and beating Barcelona will give us more confidence to get the job done in the Premier League."

Paul Scholes scored the only goal of the tie after 14 minutes and will now make up for the pain of missing the 1999 final against Bayern Munich through suspension.

United's Korean midfielder Ji-Sung Park believes the disappointment of losing at Stamford Bridge on Saturday is now all the motivation the players need.

"We proved that we have what it takes to be champions, no matter what competition it is," he said. "Obviously playing against either side will be very hard but we have the resolve as well as the talent to win."

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar agreed with Ronaldo and claimed that a double is a real possibility.

He said: "Some people were questioning whether things might go bad for us after we lost to Chelsea.

"We have shown we have the mental strength. We got to the final. We achieved that. It is a great feeling. "We have a lot of individual qualities, such as Paul Scholes showed in the way he scored that fantastic winner, but being a team is also important and above all we are a team who believe we can have big success this season."

Player of the year

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year.

The 23-year-old wins the award for the second successive season after another outstanding campaign that has seen him score 38 goals in all competitions.

"I feel very happy. It is a great moment, it is an honour, a pleasure," said the Portuguese star.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas picked up the young player of the year award.

Ronaldo beat off competition from Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, 20-year-old Fabregas and Gunners team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.

The Portugal international was also in the running to scoop the young player of the year award, a feat he achieved last year, but was pipped to the prize by Spain international Fabregas.

Torres, Micah Richards, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young were the other nominees.

Ronaldo did not attend the event, as he is busy preparing for Man Utd's Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Barcelona on Tuesday night, but was presented with the award by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

"When you work all season to play good, to do something for the team, to do your contribution for the team and then at the end of the season the PFA give you this award, it is a great moment, it is an honour, a pleasure," said Ronaldo.

"It is a great motivation to carry on like that, to work more and get better.

"I feel very good but it is not just my award, my team-mates have helped me a lot this season.

"They give me good passes to score goals - and I score - but it is a good moment for me."

Ronaldo revealed he voted for Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, but believes the right man walked away with the award.

"I voted for Adebayor because I think he has had a great season as well," he said.

"But you have many players who have had a good season - Torres, Fabregas, many players. But I think I deserve to win!"

Of his award, Fabregas said: "I'm very proud. It's a very prestigious trophy.

"Football is a collective game and you prefer to win trophies with team-mates but it's always nice to have this type of award.

"I dedicate it to my team-mates because without them I would not have won."

BBC broadcaster and former England and Blackpool full-back Jimmy Armfield received the merit award for his services to the game.

I'm going to score in Manchester

Cristiano Ronaldo has warned Barcelona that he will atone for his Nou Camp penalty miss in next week's semi-final decider at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese winger blazed a second-minute spot kick past the post as United and Barca fought out a goalless first leg draw, but he insists he will score when the teams reconvene in six days' time.

"Today I didn't score," he told Sky Sports. "No problem, now I'm going to score in Manchester. Nil-nil is a good result. Of course, if you score a goal it is better for us. We didn't score, but 0-0 is good.

"It was a tough game, Barcelona played very well and kept the ball a lot. But I think we defended very well and we played well too. I think 0-0 away is a good result."

Aside from Ronaldo's penalty miss - and the decision not to award a second spot kick for a foul by Rafael Marquez - the 23-year-old winger is still confident that United can book a berth against either Chelsea or Liverpool in Moscow.

"Now we're playing at home, and I think we're going to win," he said. "The team feels good confidence, we played very well, we play at home now and we have a great chance."

MU 0:0 Barcelona, CR miss penalty

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a second-minute penalty as Manchester United were forced to settle for a goalless draw in their Champions League semi-final first leg with Barcelona.

The Portugal international was handed a golden early opportunity to score the crucial away goal in the Nou Camp that Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, and his side would surely have coveted.

Instead, Victor Valdes was not even called upon to make a save as Ronaldo side-footed wide of the goal.

A draw was just about the fair result in a match that never threatened to reach the heights promised of a meeting between two of Europe's most entertaining sides.

Barcelona were limited to a handful of opportunities, none of them clear-cut, while United, usually an irresistible attacking force were, by their standards, woeful on the counter-attack.

United could barely believe their good fortune when they won a penalty 85 seconds into the match, not that the award was fortuitous, but more that Milito, the Barcelona centre-back, could have been so foolish.

Ever ambitious, Ronaldo had tried his luck from fully 40 yards with a free-kick that took a deflection off the defensive wall and Paul Scholes swung in the resulting corner from the right.

Ronaldo flung himself at the ball and met it with a header and Milito, only a yard in front of him, instinctively flung up his arms and handled the ball.

Few would have bet against United’s leading scorer stepping up and slotting his 40th goal of the season, but he looked unusually nervy as he sidled up to the spot and sidefooted timidly wide. At first view it appeared he had missed the goal by a good few yards, but slow motion replays suggested the effort clipped the outside of the post.

That escape spurred on Barcelona to come at United, but for most of the first half the visitors kept the Spanish giants at arm’s length.

Gianluca Zambrotta fired in one cross from the right that necessitated a timely clearance from Wes Brown, playing in the centre of defence alongside Rio Ferdinand after Nemanja Vidic was ruled out through a stomach complaint.

Carlos Tevez fouled Yaya Toure in a dangerous position right on the edge of his own area, but Rafael Marquez smashed the setpiece straight into the wall.

Samuel Eto’o then found some space, but Wayne Rooney, who covered acres of ground during the course of the match without ever appearing threatening, hacked clear from inside his own area just as the Cameroon international was about to shoot for goal.

Just before the half-hour United felt, quite rightly, that they should have had a second penalty. Andres Iniesta played a careless ball across his back four which was easily cut out by Ronaldo, who raced by Marquez but was impeded by the experienced Mexico international.

One penalty to the visiting team at the Nou Camp borders on shocking, a second would have been a sensation and it was no surprise referee Massimo Busacca waved play on.

Brown made a desperate diving lunge to block an effort from outside the area from Eto’o while Marquez was booked just before the interval for tripping Ronaldo, a caution that will rule him out of the second leg at Old Trafford next Tuesday.

Barcelona continued to up the tempo after the restart and Edwin van der Sar was forced to tip a speculative 30-yard effort from Zambrotta over the bar.

Brown's slip two minutes later gifted Barcelona their clearest opportunity of the evening. He gave the ball straight to Eto'o who chose to ride a challenge from Ferdinand which, had he gone to ground, would probably have merited a penalty. Instead he continued but could not find the angle to pick out the unmarked Messi in the centre.

Moments later Messi and Iniesta set up Eto'o with some delightful interplay but the striker sliced wastefully wide.

United threats were rare, and when Michael Carrick did make some space for himself he blasted into the side-netting with players begging for the ball in the centre.

Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal striker, replaced Deco with 11 minutes to go and almost made an immediate impact. The France international cut inside from the left flank and tested van der Sar with a ferocious right-foot strike which the goalkeeper beat down with a little difficulty.

Van der Sar made another diving save from a long-range Henry free-kick two minutes from time, but this one was more for the benefit of the photographers behind his goal than out of necessity.

Cris set for record United deal

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly on the verge of signing the biggest contract in world football with Manchester United, worth £40 million.

The Portuguese winger, 23, will see his weekly salary rise from £100,000 to £150,000, and will put pen to paper before he leaves for Euro 2008.

A source from Manchester United told The Sun: "This will be the biggest contract in the club's history. Given Ronaldo's achievements over the past two years, it's easy to understand why.

"There is no doubt he is the best player in the world and we want to make sure he is happy at United. There is only one place for him and that is Old Trafford."

Ronaldo has had an incredible season so far. He has scored 37 goals for the club in all competitions and recently surpassed George Best's single-season record for a midfielder.

He is also a contender for the Golden Boot, given to Europe's top goalscorer every season. His only realistic competition is Sevilla's Luis Fabiano.

The news will no doubt come as a relief to United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, as the midfielder has been surrounded by interest and speculation all season.

His new contract puts him well ahead of team-mate Wayne Rooney's weekly salary (£112,000), and means he will now be better paid than Chelsea's Michael Ballack (£130,000) and John Terry (£120,000).

Carrick hails resolute Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo showed why he is probably the best player in the world with his twice-taken penalty against Arsenal, according to Michael Carrick.

After beating Jens Lehmann emphatically the first time, Ronaldo was ordered to retake his spot-kick and showed superb poise to put his second effort in the same place – low to Lehmann's right.

That brought United level after Emmanuel Adebayor’s opener early in the second half, and gave the Reds the platform to claim a vital victory through Owen Hargreaves’ free-kick.

Carrick told MUTV: “Ronny dealt with the pressure very well. It was a terrific penalty and that’s what top players do under pressure. They raise their game and produce the goods.

MU 2 : 1 Arsenal

United moved powerfully towards retaining the title with this tremendous victory against old rivals Arsenal on an afternoon of high drama at Old Trafford. Owen Hargreaves scored the winner with a fabulous free-kick after Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out Emmanuel Adebayor's opener early in the second half. But every man in a red shirt, not just those on the scoresheet, played their part in this priceless triumph.....More

Duo win March awards

Sir Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo have been named Manager and Player of the Month for March.

The duo received their awards on Friday after what was a near faultless performance from the Reds over the last four weeks. Sir Alex's monthly prize was the 21st of his career.

United won every one of their five league games in March (keeping clean sheets in every match), netting 13 goals. Five of those strikes came from Ronaldo, who bagged his fourth Player of the Month honour.

The Portuguese winger claimed both goals in the 2-0 win over Bolton and scored again in the 3-0 home thumping of Liverpool. A 4-0 triumph over Aston Villa finished the month, in which Ronaldo netted a contender for goal of the season, cheekily back-heeling the ball past Scott Carson for the opener.

Ronaldo’s goals have not only seen him break George Best’s record of 32 goals in a season from midfield, but now leave him odds on to win the Golden Boot Award.

The 23-year-old is currently six goals ahead of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash against Arsenal has 27 league goals to his name.

On the March
United won all five league games in March, scoring 11 goals

1-0 v Fulham (A)
1-0 v Derby* (A)
2-0 v Bolton** (H)
3-0 v Liverpool* (H)
4-0 v Aston Villa* (H)

*Goal(s) scored by Ronaldo

MU 2 : 2 Boro, 2R scored again

Wayne Rooney rescued a point for United after Afonso Alves' double had looked set to give Middlesbrough a shock win at a wintry Riverside Stadium.

Rooney converted from close range with 16 minutes left after good work by substitute Ji-sung Park to ensure the Reds extended their lead over Chelsea at the top of the table to three points.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 37th goal of the season had given United an early lead, but Alves produced two superb finishes in each half to put Boro in command in an end-to-end game.....More

Cris not wrong

Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Cristiano Ronaldo’s showmanship and insists the Portuguese winger would never disrespect his opponents.

Roma’s combative midfielder David Pizarro claimed the United star is “arrogant”. He was quoted in the English press, saying: "Despite the fact that he is a great champion, he is arrogant. This is the ugliest thing for a player. In the return leg, I will have something to say to him."

Sir Alex feels that Ronaldo’s flicks and tricks should be understood as an expression of talent rather than needless flamboyance. The same way a quick player uses his pace to the fullest, or a tough-tackling midfielder won’t pull out of a 50-50 challenge. Ronaldo’s skill is the only way he knows how to play.

“He just tries to express his talent,” said the United boss. “The boy has the confidence and courage to do it and, as far as I'm concerned, he can carry on doing that. People pay £40-£50 to see him play. That may be annoying to an opponent because he’s prepared to take the ball to them and show his talent.

“But at the end of the day he is a winner. You can’t kick him out of the game because he will always get up and play. The most important message he is giving out is that this is a great player that isn’t afraid to take the ball and beat men. That’s what he’s saying. And in whatever fashion he does it, I don’t care.

"It’s about having the ability and expression in his play to be able to do it. We encourage it with all the players here. In the modern day it’s a breath of fresh air to see players that won’t be intimidated by opponents. I say keep on doing it.”

Ronaldo’s fellow countryman, Nani, was accused by Arsene Wenger of disrespecting Arsenal’s players by juggling with the ball during United's 4-0 FA Cup win at Old Trafford earlier this year. At the time Sir Alex sympathised with Wenger, but has since watched the footage again and says there was nothing wrong with it.

“I looked at the video again, and I don’t see that Nani was showboating,” he said. “He was under pressure and he kept the ball up. I’ve seen many players do that. Thierry Henry did it against Southampton in a cup final if I remember correctly. We don’t encourage our players to humiliate opponents - that’s important. But fans want to see players show talent like his. It’s great to see players developing their game so that they can use skill in a big game. We don't want that to change.”

Cris does the double

Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted ManUtd.com's Player of the Month for March and also picked up the Man of the Match award against AS Roma.

The 23-year-old winger was in sparkling form once again last month, scoring six goals in six starts. But he was up against stiff competition for the official website's monthly accolade. Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez have all been consistently good in recent weeks.

Tevez ran Ronaldo closest for the title. The striker scored only once in March (against Aston Villa), but his energy and selfless hard-working attitude have endeared him to Reds supporters. However, it was Ronaldo who ran away with the result, notching a colossal 48% of the vote.

And the Portuguese winger began April exactly where he left off in March. Ronaldo put the Reds in front against Roma on Tuesday just before half-time with a towering, powerful header. His performance, as a lone striker for much of the match, has given United an excellent chance of making the semi finals for a second year running.

March Player of the Month
Cristiano Ronaldo 48%
Carlos Tevez 31%
Wayne Rooney 11%
Paul Scholes 4%
Rio Ferdinand 3%
Michael Carrick 2%
Wes Brown 1%

Man of the Match v Roma
Cristiano Ronaldo 40%
Rio Ferdinand 33%
Paul Scholes 13%
Wayne Rooney 11%
Michael Carrick 2%
John O'Shea 1%

We have great chance this year

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that United have a big chance to win the Champions League this season after an impressive 2-0 win away to AS Roma in the quarter final first leg on Tuesday.

United made a significant stride towards the semi finals, with Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney scoring two potentially crucial away goals.

“I think we have a great chance this year,” says Ronaldo. “The team is playing fantastic football and we are more mature than last year.

“We know the Champions League is different to the Premier League. This is a great competition and of course we want to win it this season.”

Ronaldo, who opened the scoring at the Stadio Olimpico with a powerful header five minutes before half time, says it was a pleasing performance from the defence right through to the front players.

“It was a very good performance,” he told ITV. “It was a tough game, Roma played very well but I think we deserved to win.

“I feel happy to have scored the goal to help the team. We’ve got the second leg at home in a week and we will play to win for our supporters as we did here.

“The defence was terrific. The shape, the way they squeezed Roma. It was a fantastic performance, they did a really good job.”

MU 2 : 0 Rome, CR perfect header

Sir Alex Ferguson last night paid Cristiano Ronaldo what must be the supreme compliment in his eyes. As a centre-forward, the Manchester United manager remarked that Ronaldo reminded him of himself. It was said with a warm smile on a night in which Manchester United virtually guaranteed qualification for a Champions League semi-final in which they will almost certainly have to overcome Barcelona, who won 1-0 at Schalke.

"It changed the game," Ferguson reflected. "It was a fantastic header, although after that we rode our luck in the second half, particularly in the first 15 minutes. Roma had some good chances but failed to take them and those are the breaks you need in football.

"Ronaldo has played as a striker before, against Portsmouth he scored twice, and his balance and courage mean he can play anywhere in the last half of the pitch. His spring surprised the defender; I thought he believed Ronaldo would not get there. It was a real centre-forward's header. It reminded me of me.

"But the decisive moment was to bring on Owen Hargreaves and play Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo through the middle. I should have done it earlier and after that we were much more dangerous." The only blot on the evening was a serious-looking knee injury to Nemanja Vidic that will be assessed in the morning.

Ferguson's other tactical surprise was to ignore Ryan Giggs, who was due to make his 750th appearance for Manchester United last night, and use Ji-Sung Park on the left flank.

"I just felt Ryan put in a lot on Saturday on a very heavy pitch and I was going to use him at a moment where I felt I needed him. But once we were in front it put a different complexion on the whole evening."

As Ferguson remarked, a 2-0 victory away from home is "an absolutely outstanding result". After each Champions League result, the French sports daily, L'Equipe, prints a number that signifies the percentage of teams that go through after a certain result. After a 2-0 win away from home in the modern Champions League, that number is 100. No team has ever overturned a result like this, especially at Old Trafford. Ferguson, however, was taking nothing for granted. He said: "We have to earn the right to be in the semi-final. We know Francesco Totti is an inspirational figure and he will be back but we also know what Old Trafford can be on a big European night and we will be ready for him."

Although the job is not yet finished, United's thoughts will turn to their probable semi-final opponents, Barcelona. Striker Bojan Krkic, 17, struck the all-important away goal in the 12th minute to give the Spanish giants a slender victory over Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

MU 4 : 0 Villa; Cris 1 goal 3 assist

Cristiano Ronaldo put in a virtuoso performance, scoring with an audacious back-heel and then setting up three more as Manchester United thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Roma...More

CR7 - Shades of Best

Sir Alex Ferguson admits Cristiano Ronaldo reminds him of George Best.

The Portuguese winger rewrote Best’s club record for goals in a season from midfield when he notched his second against Bolton last Wednesday.

It took Ronaldo’s 07/08 tally to 33, a figure he added to on Easter Sunday in United’s 3-0 win over Liverpool.

“There are certainly similarities [between Ronaldo and Best], “ Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio.

“When George played as a winger I don’t think he ever stayed still. He roamed from side to side – he played on the right, the left and through the middle.

“I’ve looked at Best’s goals and a lot of Cristiano’s are similar. He starts from wide positions before cutting inside. The boy’s in tremendous form right now."

Ronaldo may have eclipsed Best’s tally, but United’s club record for goals in a season still belongs to Denis Law. In the 1963/64 campaign, Law found the net an incredible 46 times.

“Denis was a fantastic player – he was my hero – but I didn’t know that,” Sir Alex said. “That even beats my record! I scored 45 in 51 games for Dunfermline back in 1965/66.”

Cris miss out Greece friendly

Manchester United's Portuguese stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani were ruled out on Monday of Wednesday's friendly with European champions Greece it was announced by the Portuguese Football Federation's doctor.

Ronaldo is suffering from pains in his left leg while Nani - who along with his compatriot scored in the 3-0 Premiership win over Liverpool on Sunday - has pulled a muscle in his right leg.

Portuguese coach Felipe Scolari opted not to replace them for a match that is a repeat of the Euro 2004 final in Lisbon which Greece won.

MU 3:0 Liverpool ; Cris scored his 34th goal of the season

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 34th goal of the season Sunday in Manchester United's 3-0 win over 10-man Liverpool in the Premier League.

Wes Brown and Nani also scored at Old Trafford for Man United, which leads the standings with 73 points. Liverpool, which played the entire second half a man down after Javier Mascherano was sent off for two yellow cards, stayed in fourth place with 59 points. Chelsea's match against Arsenal later Sunday will also shape the title race. The Gunners will need to end Chelsea's 78-game unbeaten league streak at its Stamford Bridge home or risk being overtaken by the Blues in the standings.


Before the match, Arsenal had 67 points, and Chelsea 65. In a nervy opening first half, 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 a second yellow card, 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 in the 79th, just 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 in the 81st through Nani, who played a one-two with Rooney before shooting into the corner.

Liverpool has yet to beat United in the league under Benitez and has lost its last three games against the Red Devils. It last won at Old Trafford in April 2004.

Oh Captain My Captain

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted it was 'an honour and a pleasure' to captain United for the first time against Bolton Wanderers.

The 23-year-old also scored both goals in the 2-0 victory, taking his goals tally to 33 for the season.

"It's always good to be captain at this massive club," he said. "For me it's an honour and a pleasure. But my responsibilities are the same. I do not change my game or personality just because I'm captain."

Sir Alex Ferguson felt Ronaldo took the added responsibility in his stride. "Cristiano looks for that kind of responsibility, I think he’s very comfortable with it," he MUTV. "Not everyone wants to be captain, but he carries the mantle very well."

Ronaldo's second goal was another superb long-range free-kick - his fifth of the season - and Sir Alex says the winger's success is purely down to practice. "It’s another marvellous free-kick. He has a technique, but practice is the most important aspect of getting shots on target," he said.

Yet again, Ronaldo's technique for striking dead balls came into question and, when asked if he had christened his style, he replied: "I like to hear people say 'the Ronaldo rocket'. Of course, I am joking!"

Goalscoring 'Genius'

One man might not make a team, but Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo seems hell bent on single-handedly retaining Manchester United's Premier League crown this season.

His latest two-goal salvo against Bolton last night not only saw United move three points clear at the top of the table but took his goal tally to 33 in all competitions for the season.

The Portuguese winger, who was made captain for Bolton's visit, has eclipsed George Best's 40-year-old record of 32 goals from a United winger in a season, and he shows no signs of letting up in his mission to score 30 league goals this term.

Ronaldo is one goal off equalling Ruud Van Nistelrooy's 24-goal league haul and has eight remaining Premier League matches left in order to set a new club record starting with the contest against Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

While United have not struggled in front of goal this season - they have scored 86 in all competitions - Ronaldo is the only United player to have scored in their last four matches, scoring the match winners in United's triumphs over Lyon in the second leg of the Champions League and their 1-0 win over Derby.

Ronaldo's latest goal heroics, which included another trademark freekick, has seen him lavished with praise from rival managers with Bolton manager Gary Megson leading the tributes to the 23-year-old.

"The second goal was genius," said Megson of Ronaldo's 30-yard free-kick. "I honestly don't know how he does it. Even my lads were talking about it."

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp echoed Megson's view when he said: "The kid's a genius.

"He's built like the Incredible Hulk with skill like you've never seen. He's a special talent. Kaká is a brilliant player but I wouldn’t swap him for Ronaldo - a wide player who will get you 20-odd goals a season."

Despite another star performance, Ronaldo was keen to attribute United's victory, which moved them ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea in the race for the title, down to a strong team effort.

He said: "It is not just about my work and my goals, my team-mates help me a lot in my career. At the moment I feel very good about my form.

"The team is the most important thing. When you win and when you score it is great. I feel very happy."

Ronaldo's goal exploits
Goals (33)
Premier League(24)
FA Cup(3)
Champions League (6)

Feats & Streaks
Doubles(9)
Hat-Tricks (1)
Free-kicks (5)
Longest scoring streak (6)
Longest streak without scoring (4)

# Ronaldo has had more shots on goal (104) and more shots on target (59) in the league than any other player this season.
# He has scored five goals against Newcastle, the most against any team this season.
# His longest streak without scoring this season is four games, his first four of the season.
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MU 2:0 Bolton; Cris claims Best goal record after double

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese midfielder, was hailed as a footballing "genius" after he eclipsed George Best as the highest-scoring winger in Manchester United's history and helped the Red Devils edge closer to another English Premier League title.

Ronaldo took his United scoring tally for the season to a remarkable 33 goals in all competitions after netting twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's side defeated Bolton 2-0 at Old Trafford.

United, who host fourth-placed Liverpool on Sunday, are now in a strong position to defend their Premier League title after opening up a three-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal with eight games to play.

Ronaldo surpassed Best's record of 32 goals in a single season, set in 1967-68, with two first-half strikes, the first an opportunist finish from 12 yards, and the second a stunning 30-yard free-kick.

"The second goal was genius," said Gary Megson, Bolton manager.

"I honestly don't know how he does it. Even my lads were talking about it."

Ferguson was equally glowing in his praise of Ronaldo, who was made captain for the night in the absence of Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney.

"He didn't make a big issue of it," said Sir Alex when asked how Ronaldo reacted to being handed the captain's armband.

"He looks comfortable with the responsibility that comes with the role. It was a marvellous second goal."

A worthy successor

Ferguson also regarded Ronaldo as a worthy successor to the legendary Best.

"It speaks volumes of the boy's ability (the record)," the Scot said.

"It's amazing that he can do that playing in the position he does. Nobody can do that in this day and age.

"The free-kick was marvellous. He does put in the practice and he has this technique."

Bolton failed to improve their chances of survival as they sit deep in relegation trouble after losing their last five Premier League games.

MU 1:0, Cris scored the only goal

Alex Ferguson has hailed the courage of Cristiano Ronaldo in the wake of another match-winning performance.

Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game, and his 31st of a quite remarkable season from his ninth of 11 opportunities overall in a vital 1-0 victory at rock-bottom Derby.

It was a case of persistence is a virtue from the Portuguese star as chances came and went before he finally broke the brave Rams’ resistence in the 76th minute.

It was also a case of Ronaldo picking himself up after last week’s FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old expressed his frustration after the Portsmouth game as he felt he was afforded little protection by the match officials.

At Pride Park, Ronaldo was bullish as he kept plugging away until he eventually grabbed the winner after earlier striking the post, whilst also seeing Roy Carroll pull off a number of fine saves.

“In the first 20 minutes we should have been four or five up, and that would have made it much, much easier for us,” said Ferguson.

“You have to admire the second half from Derby. They made a real battle of it.

“But the name of the game is to win, and we have to thank Ronaldo again. It was a fantastic goal because it wasn’t easy to take

“The ball bounced up off the turf and he had to get up and over it and make sure he kept it down. It was a really good finish.

“It was probably his hardest chance of the match because he had a lot of tremendous chances throughout the game.”

Ferguson added: “Everybody trusts him now, and what you have to admire about the boy is that his courage is beyond question.

“I don’t know how many fouls he has on him every game. Last week there were three in the first seven minutes, and seven in total, yet no-one was booked.

“So he has the courage to get up and get on with it.

“He made a comment last week that he is getting a bit frustrated with it all, but he has to trust the game.

“People want to see footballers like him, and I think we have to give him encouragement, and we do that.

“We tell him to keep doing what he is good at, not to stop. That is what we would hate to see.”

MU 0:1 Portsmouth in FA Cup; Cris : Refs don't protect us

Cristiano Ronaldo feels he is not given enough protection from referees and fears suffering a serious injury.

The winger was denied a clear penalty against Portsmouth in the FA Cup quarter final defeat at Old Trafford. That incident, coupled with persistent fouling throughout the game, highlights an oft-felt view that the Portuguese is not protected by referees.

"It's very frustrating, the referee was unbelievable," he told MUTV. "He didn't want to give the penalty, he didn't want to give yellow cards - I'm very disappointed.

"Refs don't protect skilful players. I think about the Arsenal player (Eduardo) and I'm scared sometimes to do skills because some players do unbelievable fouls and the ref protects the defender, not the skilled player! It's very disappointing and I'm thinking a lot about changing my game. When referees don't give penalties, yellow cards or reds, it's difficult to play."

Sir Alex Ferguson was left aghast that referee Martin Atkinson did not award a penalty for Sylvain Distin's clear bodycheck on Ronaldo in the seventh minute. Ronaldo added: "He (Distin) didn't try to take the ball. It's a joke."

But it wasn't just refereeing decisions that disappointed the 22-year-old. "We lost today and everyone is disappointed because we were the best team," he said. "We created ten chances while Portsmouth created just one. It's frustrating to lose like that.

"We controlled the game, but we didn't score. Carrick had one cleared off the line, Patrice hit the post... we had a great chance to win the FA Cup but we need to think now about the Premier League and the Champions League. These are the priorities."

No English team please

Manchester United picked up a 1-0 home win against Lyon thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo strike to progress to the quarter-finals 2-1 on aggregate.

With Arsenal having qualified by beating Milan, and Chelsea and Liverpool also on pole position to join them, the chances of them meeting an English team are almost even.

However, that is not something Ronaldo wants just yet.

“I would prefer to play a foreign team [in the quarter-finals]. Then an English team in the semi-finals or the finals, that would be fantastic,” he said.

"The team is more mature, and the big focus is to win the Champions League. But we also want to win the Premier League, and the FA Cup.

"We have the opportunity, we have the players and we have the squad."

He is also the top scorer in the competition along with Lionel Messi, having scored six goals already. Kaka was the star of last season's tournament, something that won him the Ballon d'Or.

“If I am top scorer, that would be wonderful, and if I get the chance, I will look forward to it. But, I am not thinking about that - I am thinking about getting my game,” he concluded.

Carry on scoring?

Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to carry on scoring as Manchester United's bid for the treble gains momentum.

The Portugal winger took his tally for the season to 30 goals in all club competitions with the winner against Lyon.

United secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in the process thanks to his sixth strike in the competition.

With two months of the season remaining, there is the remarkable possibility he could smash the 40-goal barrier, given his scoring ratio.

United have 10 league games to play in their bid to retain the title and at least another two in Europe.

The FA Cup is also on the agenda with a home quarter-final tie to come against Portsmouth on Saturday.

Ronaldo has scored 12 goals in his last 12 appearances and took advantage of Lyon's failure to clear Anderson's effort with a clinical finish in the 41st minute.

Ronaldo said: "My colleagues help me a lot. The most important thing is to win games and trophies.

"I feel fine, I am in good shape and getting vital goals. I want to score more and help the side.

"Maybe we did not play that well against Lyon but we deserved the victory.

"Sometimes you do not play your best but you win. That is the important thing and we are through to the next round."

Midfielder Darren Fletcher has lauded Ronaldo for bringing his "magic" to the Champions League stage.

"He can't stop scoring and is a world-class player," said the Scotland international.

"This season he has gone on and beaten his record from last year already.

"He is an incredible player, an incredible talent. On these nights you love having him in your team as he brings a bit of magic to the game."

Now Ronaldo is looking forward to the next challenge that lies on the horizon this weekend.

He added: "We will need to be strong against Portsmouth as they are a good team and difficult to beat.

"But we have a good chance as we are at Old Trafford where we must win our home games."

Cris's 30th completes perfect 10 for MU

Cristiano Ronaldo's 30th goal in 30 matches this season sent Manchester United into the last eight of the Champions League at the expense of French champions Lyon.

The Portuguese winger's close-range strike just before half-time secured a 1-0 win that sent Sir Alex Ferguson's side through 2-1 on aggregate.

The win also represented a little bit of history with United's tenth straight Champions League victory at Old

Trafford equaling the competition record for consecutive home wins set by Juventus in 1997.

It left Ferguson happy, but also a little frustrated that United hadn't given the scoreline a proper reflection of the match.

"We should have made more of our chances and possession," said the Scotsman.

"We made it difficult for ourselves," he growled.

Ferguson, who could emulate the 1999 win with a treble trophy haul as United are still in contention for the domestic double with the title and FA Cup in their sights, lauded Ronaldo for his scoring achievement.

"It is fantastic. It takes a rare player to do that and it is a great contribution.

"There was no target set for him at the beginning of the season, but that is what we look for in our young squad.

"Ten wins in 10 home matches is a marvelous achievement, and I would put that down to apart from the players that the pitch has improved.

"The squad is very strong now and you can see that in our midfield which changes all the time and will be different for the FA Cup match this weekend (against Portsmouth in the quarter-finals)."