Reading 3-4 Manchester United Match report
TEXT COMMENTARY
90
FT: READING 3 MAN UTD 4
Manchester United move three points clear at the top of the Premier League after a thrilling victory over Reading in a match that saw all seven goals scored in the first half. Hal Robson-Kanu gave the home side the dream start just eight minutes in after a mistake by Jonny Evans. The lead lasted barely five minutes, as Anderson levelled with an angled drive that Adam Federici really should have saved. Soon after, United were in front, Jay Tabb's ill-judged tackle giving the visitors a penalty that Wayne Rooney converted. Reading were not done, though, and first Adam Le Fondre and then Sean Morrison headed home from Nicky Shorey corners on the right, with United's defence hardly covering themselves in glory. Sir Alex Ferguson's side looked capable of scoring every time they attacked, and they netted twice in four minutes to regain the lead, Rooney netting his second and Van Persie then converting his 10th of the season. The Dutchman will feel aggrieved he was not credited with a second just before the interval, but a goal was not awarded even though replays clearly showed his shot went over the line by some distance before it was hacked back into the field of play. The second half was dull in comparison to the first, with Van Persie uncharacteristically spurning one golden opportunity gifted to him by Reading's goalkeeper, who miscontrolled a routine back-pass. So the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday is set up perfectly, with United knowing if they avoid defeat they will stay top of the pile.
90
SET-PIECE DANGER
Morrison meets a Shorey corner with a downward header, but that's easy for Lindegaard to tip over the crossbar. Morrison heads over again from the ensuing corner, taken from the other side.
90
STOPPAGE TIME
There will be a minimum of three minutes of added time.
88
SMALLING FIRES OVER
Reading have worked tirelessly in this second half, but they just haven't had the quality to trouble the visitors. United threaten with Smalling down the right, but his driven shot goes over the bar.
84
READING SUBSTITUTION
The opening goal-scorer, Hal Robson-Kanu, is taken off and Noel Hunt comes on in his place.
81
READING BOOKING AND SUBSTITUTION
Jay Tabb is booked for a mis-timed tackle on Ashley Young. McAnuff, who has been excellent today, makes way for Garath McCleary.
78
SAFE-ISH HANDS FROM LINDEGAARD
Lindegaard just manages to hold on to McAnuff's low angled drive, with expectant Reading attackers on hand waiting to net the rebound.
77
NEW BALLS, PLEASE
Jay Tabb shoots over from distance. Referee Mark Halsey is not happy with the ball and asks for it to be changed. They change these footballs after every seven goals, apparently, like they do after every seven or nine games in tennis.
73
MAN UTD SUBSTITUTION
United make their second change, with Welbeck replacing Van Persie. RVP does shake Sir Alex's hand, so he will definitely be playing in their next league match.
70
READING SUBSTITUTION
Reading replace Jason Roberts with Pavel Pogrebnyak.
68
VAN PERSIE MISSES A SITTER
Goodness gracious me. Federici makes a monumental blunder, miscontrolling a back-pass, and gifts Van Persie what appears a sure-fire goal. The Dutchman moves the ball on to his left foot but is unable to hook the ball home into an empty net and, off balance, skies his shot over the crossbar. That's some let-off.
66
WIDE FROM VAN PERSIE
United carve the visitors open with a slick passing move down the left. Young and Evans combine, but the final pass is just behind Van Persie, who hooks his shot wide of the post.
65
ROONEY TOO UNSELFISH
Evra makes a great run down the left and Rooney passes up the chance of a first-time shot and instead looks for Fletcher. The flag goes up for offside.
63
QUIZ ANSWER
Earlier, we asked you to list the four highest-scoring games in Premier League history. Here they are: Portsmouth 7 Reading 4 (Sep. 29, 2007), Tottenham 6 Reading 4 (Dec. 29, 2007), Tottenham 9 Wigan 1 (Nov. 22, 2009), Man United 8 Arsenal 2 (Aug. 28, 2011).
60
OFFICIALS HAVING A NIGHTMARE
I'm sorry, but that linesman (Mr Betts) is having a howler. After not giving United a definite goal, he denies Reading the clearest corner you will ever see.
58
LINDEGAARD VERY UNSTEADY
Lindegaard hopelessly fumbles another Shorey corner and Reading subsequently want a penalty for a tackle by Evra on McAnuff. Replays show the Frenchman got the ball. Le Fondre manages a shot on target, but even United's hapless stopper is able to save that one.
54
RAFAEL FAR FROM PLEASED
I wonder what the near future holds for Rafael He walked straight past Sir Alex Ferguson after being taken off, grabbed his coat in a huff and chuntered away on the back row of the dug-out. Fergie certainly made the right call. Had Rafael stayed on he was a sending-off waiting to happen as he could not come to terms with Reading's lively wing play.
51
TOP OF THE SHOTS
If the linesman had given that Robin van Persie goal as he should the Dutchman would be the Premier League's leading scorer right now. As it stands, he is tied on ten with Liverpool's Luis Suarez and Michu of Swansea.
49
McANUFF FIRES OVER
McAnuff makes inroads down the centre of the pitch, but his 25-yarder is always rising and comfortably clears the crossbar.
48
IT'S QUIZ TIME
There has been one game in Premier League history with 11 goals, and three with ten. Can you name the sides involved in all those games and the scores Answer in a few minutes.
46
HERE WE GO AGAIN
United get the second half under way.
45
HT: READING 3 MAN UTD 4
Well, what a cracking half of football that was. Alan Hansen will be shaking his head in the Match of the Day studio at the dodgy defending that has been on show from both sides, but for the rest of us it was 45 minutes to savour. Reading went in front after a poor clearance from Jonny Evans allowed Hal Robson-Kanu to fire home with just eight minutes gone. United then took the lead with two goals in three minutes, Anderson's shot beating Adam Federici at his near post and Wayne Rooney slotting home a penalty after a foolish tackle by Jay Tabb on Evans. Two goals in four minutes then put Reading back in charge. Both came from Nicky Shorey right-wing corners, with Adam Le Fondre and Sean Morrison finding the net with headers. But United showed their attacking class and Rooney again and then Robin van Persie restored their advantage, with seven goals coming in the first 34 minutes. Van Persie was then denied a clear goal when the linesman adjudged his shot had not crossed the line. Replays proved otherwise.
45
MAN UTD SUBSTITUTION
Anderson has gone off with an injury. Phil Jones is his replacement.
44
LINDEGAARD VERY SUSPECT
Lindegaard almost makes a hash of a shot from Robson-Kanu which comes through a ruck of bodies and again the visitors count their blessings as they ultimately clear their lines.
42
BALL WAS OVER THE LINE
Having seen the replay, the ball was a good two or three feet over the line. Goal-line technology anybody
40
VAN PERSIE DENIED
Van Persie is sure he has scored with a close-range effort, but linesman Lee Betts says a Reading defender cleared the ball before it crossed the line.
38
EASY FOR LINDEGAARD
Reading win a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Shorey's shot evades the wall, but that is nothing more than catching practice for Lindegaard and, guess what, he did actually catch this one after his earlier aberration.
35
GOAL: READING 3 MAN UTD 4
Robin van Persie puts United back in front after more wonderful build-up play. The Dutchman collects a back-heel from Rooney, with Shorey playing him just onside and slots effortlessly into the corner of the net.
32
MAN UTD SUBSTITUTION
Rafael's 30-minute nightmare is over. He is taken off, with Chris Smalling taking his place.
31
GOAL: READING 3 MAN UTD 3
Wayne Rooney levels for United, slotting home from around the penalty spot after a fine low cross from Evra, who was put clear by a wonderful back-heel by Young.
26
A MENACE IN THE AIR
Morrison is one of the best headers of a ball from set-pieces anywhere. It's no surprise to see him net again and he's definitely as dangerous in the opposition box as Nemanja Vidic was in his prime.
24
GOAL: READING 3 MAN UTD 2
Sean Morrison heads Reading in front with a bullet-header from another Nicky Shorey right-wing corner.
20
GOAL: READING 2 MAN UTD 2
Adam Le Fondre levels against the club he supported as a boy, being allowed the freedom of Reading to head home a right-wing corner.
18
SUCH A RASH CHALLENGE
That really was headless from Tabb. Evans had his back to goal and was going nowhere. In his eagerness to get to the ball the Reading man simply barged his United counterpart in the back.
16
GOAL: READING 1 MAN UTD 2
Evans is clumsily bundled over in the box by Tabb and United have a penalty. What a needless challenge. Rooney scores from the spot.
14
GOAL DETAILS
United were behind for five minutes, but the home side will be looking at their own fallibilities. Young was left in acres of space on the left, he slipped the ball inside to Anderson and although the Brazilian struck his shot well, there is no way he should have beaten Federici from so narrow an angle.
13
GOAL: READING 1 MAN UTD 1
Anderson levels for United.
12
BEHIND AGAIN
This is simply a stunning turn of events. Or is it United have trailed in 14 of their 22 games this season.
9
GOAL DETAILS
What a shocker! Evans made a mess of clearing McAnuff's cross from the left and Robson-Kanu hooked a left-footed shot into the net, helped by a slight deflection. Lindegaard had no chance.
8
GOAL: READING 1 MAN UTD 0
Hal Robson-Kanu gives Reading the lead!
7
SLOW STARTERS
Reading have failed to score in the opening 15 minutes of any Premier League match this season. They'd like an early goal, of course, but priority No.1 is not conceding.
5
FEEBLE EFFORT FROM YOUNG
Anderson finds Young on the left edge of the box and the winger tries to cut in on his right foot and find the top corner. His shot ends up nearer the corner flag.
3
IT'S GOING UNITED'S WAY
Results have gone United's way this afternoon, with Chelsea and Arsenal both losing and Manchester City being held by Everton. A win today would see the Red Devils move three points clear at the top.
1
HERE WE GO
Reading emerge from their huddle to kick off. They are attacking the goal to our left.
TODAY'S TEAMS
Reading: Federici, Cummings, Mariappa, Morrison, Shorey, Robson-Kanu, Leigertwood, Tabb, McAnuff, Le Fondre, Roberts. Subs: Taylor, Pearce, Pogrebnyak, Hunt, McCleary, Guthrie, Harte. Man Utd: Lindegaard, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Fletcher, Anderson, Carrick, Young, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: De Gea, Jones, Giggs, Smalling, Hernandez, Welbeck, Cleverley. Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
TEAM NEWS
United make three changes to the side that beat West Ham. Rio Ferdinand comes in for Chris Smalling and Darren Fletcher and Ashley Young replace Tom Cleverley and Javier Hernandez. Reading are unchanged from the side that lost at Aston Villa.
PREVIEW
The visit of Manchester United is not quite what the doctor ordered with your manager's future uncertain and your club mired in the relegation zone, but perhaps the leaders rolling into Reading is just what the Berkshire side need to inspire them. After all, successive trips to fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa over the past seven days have failed to bring any points to help manager Brian McDermott's cause. The former Arsenal player revealed this week that his United counterpart phoned up and offered some useful advice when he asked for it in January. There will be no compassion this evening, however, and if Manchester City pick up a point at home to Everton earlier in the day, United will be kicking off in second place. With their Champions League qualification already in the bag, there is also no meaningful upcoming European fixture to distract the 19-time champions as Reading might have hoped when they surveyed the fixture list earlier in the season. In all honesty, everyone else expects this to be a cakewalk for United, with the visitors scoring a hatful of goals against Reading's porous defence, but not Sir Alex. Not publicly, anyway. Away games are getting more difficult, he said in yesterday's press conference. Norwich [United were beaten 1-0 at Carrow Road in their last away outing] was a good example of that. They fought like tigers and were really motivated. It was a difficult day for us. We are expecting another difficult game like Norwich. The job Brian McDermott has done there is excellent. It took him a little bit of time to get his ideas across but in the second half of last season came from nowhere to win the league. Today's game kicks off at 1730GMT, so join us around 30 minutes beforehand when we should have the confirmed team news, which will be followed by a match commentary.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
One Reading player who might have mixed emotions about scoring against Sir Alex this evening is leading scorer Adam Le Fondre, who revealed yesterday he is a lifelong United fans and won't be able to resist trying to swap shirts with Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie after the match. Le Fondre has three goals to his name this season, but only one from open play the other two have been penalties. Van Persie, by contrast, has had no trouble scoring any which way, as witnessed by the winner against West Ham on Wednesday which took a wicked deflection off James Collins and looped over Jussi Jaaskelainen into the net. That took RVP's tally for the season to nine goals, just one behind Liverpool's Luis Suarez, and with the Dutchman also weighing in with four assists (second only to Wayne Rooney's six), he has had a huge impact since his summer move from Arsenal.
HEAD TO HEAD
There have only been four meetings between these sides in the league, with United winning twice and the other two games finishing all square. The last league match between them at the Madejski Stadium took place on Jan. 19, 2008. United ran out 2-0 winners with late goals from Wayne Rooney (77 mins) and Cristiano Ronaldo (90+3). The two clubs have also met eight times in the cup competitions, the only Reading success being a 2-1 win in an FA Cup third round second replay in January 1927.
FORM GUIDE
Reading are next to bottom with nine points from 13 games. They have been beaten at Villa and Wigan since recording their first win of the season against Everton in their last home game on Nov.17. United are top, one point clear of Manchester City, with 33 points from 14 games. They have beaten West Ham and QPR since losing at Norwich in their last away game on Nov.17, which was their third reverse of the season.
EARLY TEAM NEWS
Jimmy Kebe is again very doubtful with Reading with the groin problem that has kept him out for three weeks. Danny Guthrie is expected to recover from a thigh problem, but Alex McCarthy and Jem Karacan are still out. Nani (hamstring) and Antonio Valencia (hip) are both ruled out for United through injury but Paul Scholes is available after suspension and Ryan Giggs (hamstring) has also been declared fit. United captain Nemenja Vidic, who has been dogged by a succession of injury problems, is back in training after knee surgery and could even face Cluj in the Champions League in midweek.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Taking charge of today's game is Mark Halsey, who has been a member of the elite panel of Premier League referees since 2001. The Lancashire official has shown just 12 yellow cards in six top-flight games this season but has produced two straight red cards, to Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone against Norwich and Liverpool's Jonjo Shelvey against Manchester United. Halsey also showed a straight red to Leeds' Luke Varney at Millwall earlier in the month, a surprising turn of events considering entering this season he had gone 57 matches in all competitions without dismissing a single player. His assistants today are Dave Bryan and Lee Betts, while Andre Marriner is the fourth official.
