Manchester United 1-0 Middlesbrough

A weird night really, united never really seemed to ever hit the heights that we know that they can and yet created enough chances to have scored as many as the mickeys had unfortunately scored at the barcodes the day before. In fact the chances seemed to come and go that regularly you did start to wonder whether it might become one of those nights.
The line up reverted to what we have become used to for most of the first half of the season. Park came in on the left with Fletcher partnering Carrick in midfield and Berbatov returning alongside Rooney.The defence had a changed look though with no Rio and Evra again, Evans deputising for him O'Shea continuing at left back and Rafael Da Silva coming back at right back.
The first half started slowly but the chances did start to come, Ronaldo missed two great chances to score. Middlesbrough were having their moments but without threatning Van Der Sar. Vidic was the next to have a decent chance as he had a clear header but put it wide. The next chance fell to the right foot of Rafael who you felt sure would blast it into the net, but instead blasted it over the ball. The best move of the half saw Ronaldo and Rooney involved in the move that ended with a rasping shot from Rooney that Boro goalie turned over the ball. The last chance saw Carrick inexplicably take a touch after having it put on a plate for him by Ronaldo and the chance was lost.
So even though the passing and movement in the first half had never hit the heights United could have beeen 3 or 4 up. Fergie made no changes at half time but Middlesbrough now started to get more of a foot in the game possession and chance wise and had a great chance that Tuncay couldn't convert. Fergie decided to change things immediately after that chance, bringing on Scholes and Gary Neville. It has to be said that a lot of fans were a bit nonplussed that Neville was brought on for Da Silva, but credit to Fergie he got it right and Neville made a big impact both defending and going forward. Needless to say Scholes made the impression you would expext. His cross field ball for Ronaldo later in the half was the pass of the night.
United now took control of the half and with just over 20 minutes finally broke the deadlock. Carrick was the man who put the cross in that for once the Boro defence couldn't deal with and the ball ended at the feet of Berbatov who made no mistake. How it stayed at only 1-0 is a mystery as Park had 3 chances, one of which it was harder to miss. Another vital 3 points and that game at home to Chelsea is going to be huge.

Ronaldo out of sorts says Paul Wilson, he isn't wrong.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/dec/30/manchester-united-cristiano-ronaldo
He is right about the title chase as well, i would be unbelievably gutted if that 18th title went to Anfield instead for their 19th. I get the feeling that Fergie and the team fancy the Champions league this season when what surely matters to most of us is equaling that 18 title mark.

Ronaldo to have a break?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article5421109.ece

Rooney confident the goals will come, i wish i shared his confidence
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/rooney-confident-of-hitting-goal-trail-to-haul-in-top-two-1218050.html

All,s well at the Bridge i see
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/4043978/Luiz-Felipe-Scolaris-Chelsea-showdown-leaves-Didier-Drogbas-future-unclear.html
And with rumours that Abramovitch might want to sell the club too.

How will the January transfer window go what with the credit crunch and recession about to really turn up the heat on clubs finances.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/dec/30/premier-league-transfer-window

A bad year ends for Aussie sport
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/australia/4043914/Panic-spreads-through-Australian-media-after-series-defeat-to-South-Africa.html

More suspicion of the big brother state
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/dec/31/privacy-civil-liberties

Simon Jenkins thinks we it would be wiser to hand out money to the people to spend, instead of giving it to the banks who will just use it build up their books again after their incompetence was shown up by the credit crunch.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/31/simon-jenkins-comment-debate-banks

Israel carries on on the road to nowhere
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-rejects-ceasefire-deal-1218982.html

Where will the Madoff trail end up and what is he going to say asks the indy
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/madoff-so-wheres-the-money-bernie-1218247.html

The resurrection of Stalin in Putin's Russia
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/4015983/The-sinister-resurrection-of-Stalin.html

A new film starring Daniel Craig about the Bielski partisans shows there was nothing black and white about the second world war on the eastern front.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5420709.ece