2R hail MU performance over Tottenham

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney teamed up to share their thoughts on Manchester United's win tonight over Tottenham.

Manchester United came from behind tonight at Old Trafford, to emerge eventual victors over visitors Tottenham Hotspur in a seven-goal thriller.

The comeback denied Harry Redknapp of his first ever managerial win at Manchester United's home stadium, and created history in that the game was the first time in over two years that the Red Devils have come back from a two-goal disadvantage.

Scoring five goals in the space of 22 minutes - all in the second half - United nullified and voided Spurs' lead, securing themselves the top spot of the Premier League by a three-point margin with a game in hand over title chasers Liverpool.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were amongst the scorers for the hosts, both players netting themselves a double, with Dimitar Berbatov adding the cherry to the cake after 79 minutes.

"It was a good comeback," Rooney told Setanta Sports.

"We played too slow in the first half, we had to quicken the game up.

"Going in 2-0 down at half time we knew that if we got that first goal it would get the crowd up, spurring us on further. Fortunately we got some opportunities and took them.

"[Sir Alex told us to] quicken our game up and make sure we score. If we score one goal, then you never know, you always have that chance to go on and win, and we've done that."

Ronaldo then chimed in with his take on the game, citing the introduction of pint-sized Argentine striker Carlos Tevez as the major turning point of the game.

"It's a great result," the winger started.

"To score five goals in the second half is brilliant. We said after the first half that if we scored one, we could score three or four.

"Carlos Tevez changed the game when he came on, he really started to press the defenders.

"We are at the top of the league now. It's great."

Quizzed over the importance of the game, Wazza agreed that United will now be favourites to take the title once more, but wants to make sure that the heads stay focused within the camp.

"It was very important that we won this game," Rooney went on.

"Obviously we're in a great position now - three points clear with a game in hand - but we need to make sure that we take advantage of our situation.

"Now we have a little bit of a margin going into the final stages, and that fills the squad with belief and confidence."

Cris doing free style in Rio's new online magazine

MU 2:0 Portsmouth

Another nervous evening's work at Old Trafford, but goals at either end of the 90 minutes from Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick gave United three points against Portsmouth, putting clear daylight between champions and challengers in the Premier League title race.

A procession of chances came and went in-between the two strikes, meaning much of the evening made uncomfortable viewing even though United - and in particular the front pairing of Rooney and Ryan Giggs - often had Portsmouth chasing shadows.

After Sunday's FA Cup semi-final marathon against Everton, Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes for the second successive game, with a string of big-name players returning. Two of them - Giggs and Rooney - combined sumptuously to put United ahead inside nine minutes.....More

Cris Interview

Best goal I have ever scored

It was, the disarmingly modest Cristiano Ronaldo said with a smile, a "fantastic goal, truly fantastic, the best I have scored". The Manchester United forward admitted he was already looking forward to watching on DVD the 40-yard strike which won his team last night's game at Porto. Sir Alex Ferguson described it as "magnificent" and "sensational" and admitted: "I would have to go a long way back in the memory bank to find another one like that."

He was equally effusive about Rio Ferdinand, identifying the defender's return from injury as the cornerstone for his team's first clean sheet in six games as they set up a semi-final against Arsenal. "The fact it's an all-British semi-final gives it a different type of spice," said Ferguson. "It's two good football teams and it should be a terrific encounter. We're already looking forward to it. It's a different situation to what we're used to because we haven't had a two-legged affair against Arsenal but we will look to win at Old Trafford, maybe a 1-0 win. It will not be easy but if we can win the home leg and then build on that for the second leg.

"The encouraging thing for us is that we have been leaking a lot of goals recently but now we have Ferdinand back we have got back to the position that got us here in the first place. We've got back to our foundation of not conceding goals. We had stability at the back tonight and we really restricted Porto to no real chances. I thought we controlled that part of the game really well."

United could now play Arsenal on four separate occasions in the final month of the season, twice in the Champions' League, once in the Premier League and, potentially, in the FA Cup Final.

"This win will give us confidence," said Ronaldo. "In the last five games we did not play great and I hope this will change that. It's going to be a fantastic semi-final. Arsenal play fantastic football and it will be a tough game. We know each other well, I just hope we win the tie and go to the final."

Ronaldo had played a more central position than usual and Ferguson was entitled to think his tactics had worked perfectly. "He's the quickest player we have and we felt in that role he would stretch their two center-halves. The goal was obviously sensational and he was always a threat, always willing to attack their defence. He's probably played better in a lot of games but he was isolated a lot of the time and yet his contribution was still very good. We wanted to start the game quickly, to show our intent that we wanted to win, but no one could have expected that kind of goal."

Reds marvel at Ronny's goal

United players were queuing up to praise Cristiano Ronaldo's wonder-goal after the sixth-minute strike secured a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Portuguese winger's rising right-foot rocket from long range (UEFA measured it at 39.6 yards) put the visitors in the driving seat by stunning the Porto players and supporters.

"It was an unbelievable strike," Michael Carrick told MUTV. "Just when we needed that spark and a bit of brilliance, Ronny's done it again."

Wayne Rooney enthused: "It was a wonderful goal from Cristiano to win us the game. It was brilliant and on such a big night for him too."

John O'Shea added: "The strike was sublime. He’s well capable of that and he nearly stuck another one in the bottom corner with a couple of minutes to go."

Ronaldo's goal was also heralded in both dug-outs. Porto's assistant coach Jose Gomes said his team could take heart from losing to such a shot: "We can be proud. We lost to the best team in the world, by a goal scored by the best player in the world."

Sir Alex Ferguson commented: "I’ll need to go into my memory bank to recall a better European Cup goal than that one. That was fantastic, a great, great strike. We wanted to show our intent but to get that sort of start, well, nobody can expect that sort of goal."

MU 1:0 Porto; Cris supergoal send MU through to semi-final

United will face Arsenal in an all-English Champions League semi-final, after the Reds became the first English team to beat Porto in the Estadio do Dragao.

It took something special: a quite breathtaking 40-yard strike from Cristiano Ronaldo which, allied to a first clean sheet in six games, took the holders into the final four. Indeed, it would have been the Reds' defensive resolve which would have pleased Sir Alex Ferguson most, as the return of Rio Ferdinand brought an assuredness to the champions and restricted the dangerous hosts to but a handful of opportunities.

Following last week's 2-2 first-leg draw, Porto went into the match with a crucial away-goal advantage. That was tellingly overturned inside six minutes of an imposing second encounter. Had Sir Alex been asked to draw a blueprint of his perfect start, it wouldn't have been too far removed from what actually transpired.....More

Cris at Porto

Manchester United have landed in Porto. The arrival of the British delegation was the sound of songs of some English fans, who were at the airport. Has to see the ace, and some even had kind of a response to the silence of the European champions.

With Rio Ferdinand to lead the delegation, a fan took a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo to launch a challenge to the Portuguese: "Cristiano, you have tomorrow." The player of Manchester United and has listened with a smile.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that Manchester United will overcome Porto in the Champions League quarter-final second leg as they bid to retain Europe's top competition.

The Dragoes appear to be in the driving seat, on paper at least, having earned two away goals in their draw at Old Trafford in the first leg and they now have home advantage.

Furthermore, 12 British clubs have travelled to the Estadio do Dragao in European competition and not one has come away with a win.

However, the 24-year-old winger is confident that the Red Devils will make it 13th time lucky. He is certain nothing will stand in his way of attaining the quintuple.

"We will win because Manchester United are the better team. I feel good and I'm ready," Ronaldo is quoted as saying by Fox Sports.

"I think we have a better team than Porto but we have to respect them. I want to finish the season by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League. My team-mates are thinking like me."

MU 2:2 Porto

An off-colour and tired-looking United were held to a 2-2 draw by an impressive Porto team, blowing this last eight Champions League tie wide open and leaving it all to do for the Reds in Portugal next week.

At first it looked like the Reds would get absolutely nothing from the game after a poor start and going a goal down after five minutes. Wayne Rooney equalised shortly after, then with five minutes remaining Carlos Tevez thought he’d given United victory. But it was snatched away in the 89th minute. It’s all do at Estadio do Dragao.

Sir Alex made four changes from the team that won so dramatically on Sunday in injury time; Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Ji-sung Park all coming into the team. But just two days after those spectacular late scenes against Aston Villa, it was already a physically demanding task. And Porto came flying out of the traps and caught the Reds off guard.....More

Champion League pre-match press conference

The euphoric nature of United’s 3-2 Barclays Premier League victory on Sunday has set the Reds rolling again in the hunt for all trophies.

There’s no rest for United as FC Porto are due at Old Trafford on Tuesday for a Champions League last-eight tie, but Sir Alex Ferguson insists the adrenalin and belief is still coursing through the veins of supporters, players and manager alike.

“There is a definite adrenalin lift for Tuesday,” he said at his pre-match press conference. "You have to say that that winning goal has galvanised the club.

“That goal was exactly what you’re at this club for. Manchester United is the one club in this world that can guarantee you that. There wasn’t a soul in that ground who didn’t think it was possible. Not a soul. They expected it.....More

MU 3:2 Villa; CR double

It’s not called the Theatre of Dreams for nothing.

Seventeen-year-old striker Federico Macheda, making his first-team debut, became an instant Old Trafford hero when he scored a sensational injury-time winner to send United back to the top of the table.

Macheda, thrown on for the final 30 minutes, capped a superb performance with the sort of goal usually scored by the likes of Rooney or Ronaldo. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, the young Italian's first touch took the ball between his legs, wrong-footing his marker and allowing him space to curl a superb shot past Brad Friedel and into the far corner.

Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo had put the Reds in front on 14 minutes before goals from John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor turned the tide. Ronaldo equalised with 11 minutes to play but Macheda stole the headlines with what could prove a title-winning strike......More

I can't imagine myself out of the World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo, captain selection of Portugal, said that the way to zero tie against Sweden in the Stadium of the Dragon:

"I think we did everything to win, the team played well, the players ran, helped each other. Yesterday in training, we scored ten goals. Today we could not. Football is like that. As I said before, we did everything possible and impossible to mark. Sometimes the ball does not enter. I am sad by the result but pleased by the display. Today, what counts are the points, but we continue to believe. Penalty? The game is over, the referee does not marked, it is not worth talking about it. I still can't imagine myself out of the World Cup. The friendly game? It is always complicated, but it is a compromise. "

Portugal 0:0 Sweden

Portugal face an uphill struggle to reach the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ after wasting a host of chances in a 0-0 draw with Sweden.

After today's games, group leaders Denmark have 10 points from four matches, the same haul as Hungary, who have played a game more. Portugal are third, four points off the pace. Portugal dominated the first half and came close to scoring in the 17th minute when Tiago almost made the most of a bad back pass to Sweden keeper Andreas Isaksson.

Tiago then supplied Cristiano Ronaldo on the right, only for the winger's attempt to chip Isaksson to go wide. Sweden had another escape in the 24th minute when Duda's cross from the left wing hit the post after deceiving the keeper.

A flowing move on 43 minutes involving Ronaldo, Tiago and Raul Meireles ended with Simao Sabrosa's volley going just wide and Portugal suffered another blow moments later when defender Jose Bosingwa limped off injured.

Danny continued Portugal's poor finishing in the second half when he failed to hit the target after an excellent pass from Tiago. The visitors, missing striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic through suspension, seemed to settle for a draw.

Sweden's best chance came on 55 minutes when Johan Elmander forced Eduardo Carvalho into a close range save but they rarely threatened. Playmaker Deco came on as a substitute after 62 minutes and had two good chances to break the deadlock for Portugal, watch a low drive saved by Isaksson and curling in a shot that flew inches wide.

MU 0:2 Fulham

United's abberation against Liverpool became a blip as Fulham inflicted another shock defeat for the champions at Craven Cottage.

The damage caused by Danny Murphy's first-half penalty and Zoltan Gera's late goal on the break was compounded by red cards for Paul Scholes, for handling a goalbound effort, and substitute Wayne Rooney for two bookable offences. With Nemanja Vidic already banned, the Reds now have three players unable to face Aston Villa on Sunday 5 April.

Sir Alex Ferguson made five changes to the side that suffered a demoralising home defeat to Liverpool. Jonny Evans replaced the suspended Vidic; the other four adjustments recalled Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes to the midfield and brought Dimitar Berbatov into attack alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.....More

MU 1:4 Liverpool; really bad day

It had looked rosy when Cristiano Ronaldo converted a first-half penalty, but an uncharacteristically nervy display at the back allowed Liverpool back into this match; and the subsequent 4-1 defeat means the Reds’ lead at the top is chopped to four points, albeit with a game in hand.

Ronaldo put United ahead but three defensive mistakes led to Liverpool goals, and Nemanja Vidic’s second-half sending off, which preceded the visitor’s third goal, put paid to taking any points. In truth, this wasn’t a great day at the office, it never quite clicked into place. But one thing is certain: this defeat must be used to propel the Reds’ forward in the title race. The team responds well to set-backs, and this is only minor stumble.....More

CR Interview

MU 2:0 Inter, Cris goal

United reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the third successive season – but the holders were made to work by a spirited Inter side.

After Nemanja Vidic had headed the Reds into an early lead, the Italian champions provided several nervy moments until Cristiano Ronaldo netted the all-important second goal five minutes after the restart.

It was a cushion United never looked like relinquishing and most of the 75,000 fans in attendance went home satisfied after another thrilling European night at Old Trafford.

So, the defence of the trophy continues and we’ll wait with baited breath to see who the Reds face next when the draw for the last eight is made on March 20.

As so often on the big occasions, Sir Alex Ferguson had looked to his experienced men to guide his side through, naming Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs in midfield – the latter starting in his old-fashioned left-wing role.....More

Cris in tunnel in bust-up

Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in a furious half-time tunnel bust-up with Newcastle’s Steven Taylor last night. The Portuguese winger was fuming with the England Under-21 skipper after a clash seconds before the break. Taylor looked lucky to escape a red card, after appearing to hit Ronaldo in the side of the face and leaving the United ace stretched out on the turf. Ronaldo felt he was clobbered by Taylor, who got only a booking from ref Steve Bennett, and let fly with a verbal blast at the Toon’s style. It was claimed he said: “Your style of football is s**t". Taylor hit back and snapped: “Well you are ugly!”

MU 2:1 Newcastle

United re-established a seven point lead at the head of the Premier League table, but were pushed all the way by a pepped-up Newcastle United side at St James' Park.

Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov struck goals in either half to seal the points, but not before Peter Lovenkrands had fired the hosts into an unlikely early lead. With Chelsea and Liverpool both winning on Tuesday, this was a potentially massive win in United's bid for a third successive Premier League title.

The Magpies were at United from the very first whistle and, with Jonas Gutierrez and Obafemi Martins on song, set out with an open gameplan devised to catch the visitors cold, which they duly did.....More

Email Cristiano

MUTV’s Email the Players programme allows fans to quiz their favourite United stars, and Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest Red in the hot seat.

The Reds winger speaks candidly on a wide range of subjects, including who had the greatest influence on him as a player when he was growing up, which of his goals he ranks as the best, his best mate at the club, and which subjects he liked best at school.

“I was quite good at science when I was at school,” he said. “But my favourite subject had to be sports.”

And on the greatest influence on his career, Ronny added: “My family, my dad, and playing football with my brother in the street - they inspired me to be a good footballer.”