Manchester United 5 – 0 Portsmouth
Premier League: Manchester United 5-0 Portsmouth (15h00) 06/02/2010
40′ W. Rooney [1 - 0] – 45′ A.V. Borre (o.g.) [2 - 0]
59′ M. Carrick [3 - 0] – 62′ D. Berbatov [4 - 0]
69′ M. Wilson (o.g.) [5 - 0]
Portsmouth’s hat-trick of own goals complete Manchester United rout
No easy games in the Premier League? Pull the other one. Manchester United rattled in five against the basket case they call Portsmouth to regain the commanding heights in the Premier League, from where Chelsea will again strive to dislodge them tomorrow afternoon.
United won with plenty to spare. In reality, the outcome was never in doubt from the 40th minute, when Wayne Rooney opened the scoring with his 21st goal in 24 league games. Suffering Pompey have managed just 19 between them all season, and fell apart in adversity in the second half. The poverty of their defending was such that for three of the goals the last, decisive contact came from their own men.
Rooney again took most of the plaudits, and Dimitar Berbatov contributed the best goal, but the dominant influence in a one-sided contest was Michael Carrick, whose metronomic distribution from midfield kept the game flowing United’s way. Since the embarrassing blip that saw them eliminated from the FA Cup by Leeds and beaten by the neighbours in the first leg of their Carling semi-final, they have recovered well reeling off four consecutive wins to hint at one of those irresistible charges of old.
England’s new captain, Rio Ferdinand, was a notable absentee, suspended for violent conduct, but he was never going to be missed in this one. Of greater concern for Sir Alex Ferguson and his team will be Ferdinand’s continued unavailability for the more demanding test away to Aston Villa on Wednesday. United’s hope is that Nemanja Vidic, missing again , will be ready to return at Villa Park.
As was evident when they outplayed Arsenal last weekend, the defending champions are brimming with confidence and in bristling form. What a contrast with the league’s back markers. Portsmouth have given football a new breed: after the caretaker manager, the caretaker owner. Unfortunately for poor old Pompey, it is a misnomer, since none of the four they have had this season appears to care much for a club in alarming freefall.
What of the manager? Exposed as a “brothel creeper” by media guardians of moral rectitude, Avram Grant has good reason these days for that hangdog mien. Like Terry Venables when he managed the house of cards that was Leeds United, the lugubrious Israeli isentitled to complain that the job is not as advertised in the brochure.
Since the end of last season Pompey have lost Glenn Johnson, Peter Crouch, Sol Campbell, Sylvain Distin, Younes Kaboul, Niko Kranjcar and Asmir Begovic. Their replacements belong in the Championship, which is probably no bad thing, since it is where the club is heading. Their leading scorer, Aruna Dindane, has supplied just four in the league. Small wonder Grant is left bemoaning the fact that enough chances are not being taken.
The claim was validated by opportunities that might have seen Portsmouth two goals to the good before Rooney scored. The first saw Anthony Vanden Borre’s strong shot turned behind by Edwin Van der Sar, the second brought a goalline clearance from Johnny Evans after Nadir Belhadj had beaten the goalkeeper from distance.
For Grant and his charges that was as good as it got. Rooney headed in Darren Fletcher’s right-wing cross from three yards and the floodgates were open. When you are down and almost out, luck turns against you, and the own-goals followed. Vanden Borre nudged in a centre from Nani just before half-time, Carrick’s 25-yarder was deflected upwards and in off the crossbar by Richard Hughes and Marc Wilson smacked a Patrice Evra cross past the careworn David James.
Between these came a gem from Berbatov, who turned the bewildered Tal Ben Haim into a human corkscrew before scoring with a low shot on the turn from the edge of the D. “A magnificent goal – absolutely brilliant,” Ferguson said. The United manager took the opportunity to substitute Rooney, Berbatov and Fletcher midway through the second half with the trip to Villa in mind.
Portsmouth are at home to Sunderland on Tuesday in what Grant accepts is a must-win relegation scrap. “Play up, Pompey”? Why not. Stay up, Pompey? No chance.