Carrick happy to score in

Michael Carrick was delighted to put the seal on a crucial victory for the Reds against Portsmouth which put Sir Alex's men three points clear of Liverpool at the league summit.

The substitute latched onto a fine through ball from Paul Scholes to drive home United's second goal which had somehow evaded them for the previous 73 minutes. The Reds had earlier gone ahead through Wayne Rooney's ninth minute strike, but United had to wait until the 82nd for final confirmation of a vital three points.

"The longer it went on at 1-0 the more they started to come into it," Carrick told MUTV. "They had a couple of oppportunities after the break and Edwin had to make a couple of good saves.

"We played some great stuff at times in the first half and some of the link-up play was brilliant. We had a number of chances to go further ahead and that would have put the game to bed. So it was a bit frustrating in that sense. We still played well and from a personal point of view it's always nice to score. It was a quite an important goal at that point so I was pleased to get it."

Despite being in the title race driving seat following Liverpool's dropping of two points against Arsenal on Tuesday night, Carrick maintains there is still hard work to be done between now and the season finale.

"Liverpool's draw was a big boost and we're in a decent position now," says the midfielder. "Hopefully we can keep the momentum going between now and the end of the season and put the league to bed as quickly as we can. There are big games coming up thick and ast and we need to be at our best in all of them."

United 2 Portsmouth 0

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.

Darren Fletcher, back from injury and on the lung-busting form of recent weeks, won the ball and it was quickly ferried forward to Anderson, whose excellent pass allowed Giggs to spring the visitors' offside trap. Waiting in the centre was Rooney, who finished with aplomb after a perfect rolled cross from his veteran colleague.

Amid the joy and release of any early tension, attentions switched to skipper Gary Neville, who sat stricken in his own half after sustaining a foot injury. After consultation with the club's medical staff, the club captain was promptly replaced by John O'Shea.

With the prospect of a three-point lead looming, United were clearly intent on also boosting a goal difference which had been overtaken by second-placed Liverpool in recent weeks, and the chances came thick and fast.

It was O'Shea who came closest to doubling the Reds' advantage before the break, as he headed Giggs' left-wing corner past James, only for Nadir Belhadj to smuggle the ball off the line and away to safety.

Next, a mis-timed header from Sol Campbell allowed Ronaldo to break down the right and cross low across the area for Giggs. His delicate chip beat James, but also drifted just past the far post. The 35-year-old held his head in his hands, aware that a glorious chance had just gone begging.

It looked like Giggs had made amends a minute later by feeding Rooney to round James and score, but a linesman's flag belatedly - but correctly - chalked it off. Quite how half-time came and went with United only one goal ahead was a mystery.

The fact that so many chances had come and gone seemed to increasingly play on United's minds as the second half unfolded. The Reds' cause wasn't helped when O'Shea suffered an injury after a clash with Belhadj, who appeared to stand heavily on the Irishman's foot. With the injury count rising but the goals tally stuck on one, a nervous atmosphere began to brew within Old Trafford.

The tension was never higher than around the 70th minute, when Pompey mustered two particularly threatening forays forward. Peter Crouch, who ploughed a lone furrow without much joy but with plenty of effort, first volleyed wide, then saw his header well saved by Edwin van der Sar.

Rooney saw another shot well saved by James after latching onto van der Sar's long punt, but a priceless second goal did finally arrive with eight minutes left. Carrick, thrown on at the expense of Anderson, came up with the goods and Scholes, fittingly on his 600th United appearance, was the architecht.

Just as he has done umpteen times in his 15-year senior career, the midfield magician exploited a gap before the Pompey defence were able to plug it by slipping an inch-perfect pass into the run of Carrick, who finished clinically into James' bottom-right hand corner.

With the three points assured, United began to press forward with more abandon, striving to make up further goal difference. Ronaldo had a goal chalked off and also fired over while Rafael was denied by James, leaving the Reds still three behind Rafael Benitez's men on that count.

More importantly, however, the telling gap between champions and chasing pack is now three points, with a game in hand still to make up.

Defeat hurts, but Reds move on

Nemanja Vidic turned in a Man-of-the-Match display at Wembley and scored in the penalty shoot-out, but that is of little consolation to the Serbian as the Reds crashed out of the FA Cup.

“We're disappointed because this is a trophy we wanted to win,” he told MUTV. “We played some good football and created chances, but in the end it came to penalties – and that’s just a lottery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. In the Champions League final we won… but today we didn’t score our penalties. You have to congratulate Everton.”

Vidic dispatched his spot-kick with aplomb, even though it wasn’t enough to prevent a 4-2 shoot-out loss, but he says dealing with the pressure of converting from 12 yards is “nothing new”.

“I practise in training and I also took penalties for Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow,” he said. “It’s nothing new, but there's always the possibility you'll miss, especially in games where there is pressure. I scored, but it’s not about me scoring. The team didn’t win. We need to forget this game now.

“We must take it and recover for the next game. It’s going to be hard, but we have Wednesday’s match against Portsmouth and we need to be focused. It helps that some players were rested. They are going to be fresh and I hope we have a good game at Old Trafford.”

Vidic was proud of the performances of four teenagers in United’s youth-inflected starting line-up. And he says it's the result, rather than the performance, which was frustrating. “We played well, so we don’t need to be disappointed about that,” he added. “We played offensively and tried to score. We had young players in our team, they showed some quality. We know they are capable of doing that. We just didn’t take our chances."

United 0 Everton 0 (2-4 on pens)

United are out of the FA Cup after a brave semi-final showing from a very young Reds team, losing 4-2 on penalty kicks at Wembley.

Ironically, it was Phil Jagielka, the man whose foul should have given United a second-half penalty, who scored the winning spot-kick after the two teams could not be separated in 120 minutes of entertaining football. It's Sir Alex's first FA Cup semi-final defeat and ends the chance of an unprecedented quintuple. However, Sir Alex's team selection suggests he has his sights set on the league and Europe.

It had been something of a gamble and there were raised eyebrows when United’s team-sheet was submitted an hour before kick-off, with eight changes from the side that beat FC Porto four days previously. The absentees all stayed in Manchester, though reports that a broken metatarsal would rule Wayne Rooney out for the rest of the season proved woefully wide of the mark.

The average age of the starting team was just 22, the line-up including four teenagers, and seven players aged 25 or under. Sir Alex insisted he couldn’t ask many of his players involved in a taxing battle in Portugal to go again on a heavy Wembley pitch – only Anderson, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic from the team that started at Estadio do Dragao survived. Few, however, could have predicted the boss’ team.

United’s fixture schedule is so hectic that Sir Alex had little choice than to shuffle the pack. Rafael and Fabio started for the first time together (in fact, the first time they’ve been on the pitch together in a competitive Reds match). There was also a first start for Federico Macheda – of recent Premier League match-winning fame. He started up front with Carlos Tevez. Danny Welbeck was deployed at left midfield, Ji-sung Park on the right, with impressive duo, Darron Gibson and Anderson, in the centre.

It would be difficult to argue that, individually, each of the starting eleven had not earned their Wembley opportunity through their performances this season; and it’s in keeping with the youth-first policy in the domestic cups this term. What the selection does suggest is that maximum importance is being placed on clinching the title.

The youthful Reds started very well in a very open game, with Macheda looking exceptionally lively up front. There were few signs of nerves in front of a record FA Cup semi-final crowd of 88,141, and United went closest to scoring first on 22 minutes, when Welbeck’s glancing touch from Rafael’s cross was deflected wide by Joleon Lescott. It coincided with a sustained period of pressure on Everton in the middle of the half.

Welbeck was again wide of the target five minutes before the break in one of United’s best moves of the half. After neat football down the left flank, Macheda slid a wonderful pass between Tony Hibbert and Phil Jagielka, but Welbeck’s shot was wayward. Although the critics will have been queuing up for a chance to criticise the manager’s team selection, the players did him proud in an encouraging 45 minutes, which, although lacking in goalmouth action, saw United control possession.

Everton started the second half with much greater intensity, Tim Cahill forcing a brilliant low save from a previously inactive Ben Foster shortly after the break. Everton were resurgent, and their fans urged them on. It was proving a test of character as much of talent for United’s youngsters. They responded well. With the game becoming stretched, the Reds countered and Park fired just wide of the post.

The Reds had regained control in what was becoming an engrossing game. Gibson was strike, fizzing a shot towards the top corner from 25 yards which Tim Howard tipped over. But the breakthrough should have arrived on 68 minutes when Welbeck was blatantly brought down by Jagielka in the box. Somehow Mike Riley adjudged the challenge to be fair. Sir Alex and the United players were understandably furious because that could, and should, have been the Reds’ chance to win it.

Anderson went close with a long-range effort as the game edged into the final fifteen minutes, while the increasingly involved Welbeck curled a shot just over the bar. Both teams patently wanted to end this tie inside 90 minutes. United made the best of the opportunities, but neither side could find the breakthrough as the match headed into extra time, with Dimitar Berbatov replacing Macheda.

Extra time offered few major incidents as both teams seemed settled on deciding this tie on penalties. Neither side could find the breakthrough, largely down to both team’s immovable defences. Jagielka and Lescott impressed, while Ferdinand was solid and Vidic was absolutely immense all afternoon.

It’s the fourth time United have been forced to spot-kicks in the last year (the Champions League final, Community Shield and Carling Cup final being the others), but this would be the first time the Reds tasted defeat. Cahill fluffed the first kick, blazing well over, but Berbatov also missed. Baines made it 1-0, an advantage upheld when Howard saved Ferdinand’s kick. Phil Neville converted, as did Vidic to make it 2-1. But Everton edged closer to the final when Foster could only get a finger tip to Vaughan’s kick. Anderson scored to level, but Jagielka grabbed the decisive goal to win the shoot-out 4-2.

Ronaldo stunner thrills Ferguson

Ferguson's side will now meet Arsenal

Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Cristiano Ronaldo's wonder strike that delivered Manchester United a Champions League semi-final showdown against Arsenal.

Ronaldo's early 40-yard strike earned Ferguson's side a 3-2 aggregate victory as United became the first English side to win in Porto.

"It was unbelievable. A magnificent hit," Ferguson said. "It took them by surprise and the keeper had no chance.

"To do it at that point gave us a real platform to go into the game."

Ronaldo struck after six minutes and Ferguson, who became the first manager to reach a sixth Champions League semi-final, said the early goal was a huge bonus.

"We wanted to start the game quickly with good tempo ... but to get a start like that, no-one can expect it, no-one can expect that type of goal," added the United boss.

606: DEBATE That was our best performance since the first leg of the Inter Milan tie BilalBham

Ronaldo himself described the goal as the best of his career, admitting he could not wait to watch it again.

"It is the best I have scored," he said. "It was a fantastic strike and I can't wait to see it again on DVD. I am very happy with it."

Porto rarely looked like breaking through as United kept their first clean sheet since 11 March, having conceded 11 goals in their last five games.

And Ferguson, who was taking charge of his 150th Champions League clash, admitted Rio Ferdinand's return after a three-game absence had made a huge difference.

"Rio coming back was a major part of our success," said the United boss.

"He and Nemanja Vidic have a partnership that goes back three years. They have a great understanding of the game and there is a good balance between them.

We are two good footballing sides, so it should be a terrific semi-final against Arsenal Sir Alex Ferguson

"We defended very, very well and that was the key to it really, because if we get back to that foundation of not giving away goals then we can do well.

"They had to chase. That early goal had them on the back foot. I don't think they made any chances in the match."

United have now stretched their unbeaten run in the Champions League to 23 games, winning a second leg away from home for the first time since the 1999 semi-final triumph in Turin against Juventus.

"We tried to change and spread the team around the field and hope Manchester would make some mistakes," Jose Gomes, who replaced suspended Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira, said.

"We feel very bad. You can understand our emotions. We feel that wasn't a very just result. They scored one goal and it was scored by the best player in the world."

United's semi-final with Arsenal will be the first time they have met English opposition in a two-legged European tie.

Arsenal beat United 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season, and Ferguson is predicting another classic encounter.

"It would be tough no matter who we played but the fact it is another English side gives a different type of spice to it," said Ferguson.

"We are two good footballing sides, so it should be a terrific semi-final. Our game earlier in the season was fantastic. It was the way football should be played and we will look forward to it.

"The first leg is at home, so 1-0 would be perfect for us. But it is not going to be easy."

Boss: Defence was key to victory

Sir Alex Ferguson cited the welcome return of a solid foundation as United claimed a slender but significant victory in Portugal.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic earned much of his praise as they played 90 minutes together for the first time since the Reds overcame Inter 2-0 in the previous round of the Champions League - also the last occasion when United kept a clean sheet.

"I think the stability at the back, the recognition of Ferdinand and Vidic together is always a great start for your team," said Sir Alex in his post-match interview.

"There was a lot of good concentration at the back, the team defended very, very well and I think that was key to it really. If we can get back to that foundation of not giving goals away, then we can do well."

United had an aggregate lead to defend from as early as the sixth minute at Estadio do Dragao, thanks to a glorious goal by Cristiano Ronaldo - arguably one of the best of his illustrious career to date.

"It was unbelievable, a magnificent hit, absolutely fantastic," enthused Sir Alex.

"The shot took them all by surprise, coming from 30 yards or whatever it was. The goalkeeper had no chance really."

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."

Video: You can watch the goal and other match action now on your PC with MUTV Online or on your mobile phone at wap.manutd.com/vids.

More to come from Kiko

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Federico Macheda has "something special", while the young Italian striker's team-mates have accepted he is now a genuine option up front.

Rome-born Macheda clearly has an eye for the spectacular. Having come off the bench to score a stunning winner on his debut against Aston Villa, he followed it up with an instinctive touch to provide a 2-1 victory at Sunderland.

"He has got something special about him, the boy," admitted Sir Alex. "He's just got that instinct that goalscorers have. He has good movement and he's quick.

"He isn't fazed by anything, and he got involved as soon as he came on, he had a really good 20 minutes for us."

'Kiko' may still be in his teens, but Macheda offers a real threat as back-up to United's regular forwards.

"It's great to be able to bring on a young lad like that," says Scholes. "He scored with his first or second touch, he looks like a great goalscorer and there's hopefully more to come from him."

Reds goalkeeper Ben Foster likes the confidence Macheda has shown. "It's a fantastic story," he said. "It was an unbelievable goal last week and he’s done it again.
"He’s saying it was a deft touch into the corner but I don’t think many of the lads are believing him!

"But I'm really pleased for him. He’s thoroughly deserving of his chance because he's been doing it in the Reserves all season."

From relative unknown to overnight hero, it's a lot of attention to be heaped on his young shoulders. But he is an assured and confident young man and has the right people with the right intentions surrounding him.

"I think the players will help there," adds Sir Alex. "I had a chat with his family this week, so he'll be ok I'm sure."

"He's quite a level-headed lad, actually," adds Foster. "I don’t think any of the lads will let him get carried away – Gary Neville puts his foot down with anything like that."

Sunderland 1 United 2

A week ago, few outside of Old Trafford had heard of Kiko Macheda. After two vital winners in the space of six days, however, the 17-year-old Italian has been catapulted into a starring role in United's ongoing Premier League title defence.

While last Sunday's winner against Aston Villa was a piece of last-gasp artistry, this input at the Stadium of Light had a touch of fortune about it, but it was still enough to procure three priceless points after Kenwyne Jones had cancelled out Paul Scholes' opener.

Three points was all the Reds deserved, it has to be said, for a performance which was occasionally slapdash, but largely dominant against a Sunderland side severely lacking in confidence after a poor recent run of form.

Sir Alex Ferguson made a host of changes to the side which contested Tuesday's pulsating draw with Porto, with the return of Jonny Evans and Dimitar Berbatov from injury providing a welcome boost. Cristiano Ronaldo, involved in 20 of the Reds' previous 22 games this year, dropped to the bench for a well-earned rest. Scholes was included alongside Michael Carrick in midfield, and the veteran schemer ensured United were ahead by the interval.

Only a heroic block from Calum Davenport stopped the midfielder's 20-yard blockbuster testing Craig Gordon after nine minutes. Shortly afterwards, Scholes again found space in the area but opted to find Rooney, whose cross sailed over.

Djibril Cisse saw his shot deflected over as the hosts briefly rallied, but United looked by far the more likely to make the breakthrough. A minute later, Nemanja Vidic powered Rooney's corner goalwards, only for Danny Collins to scuff the ball off the line. From the ensuing scramble, the Serb sent an acrobatic overhead kick a yard wide of Gordon's goal.

The Reds weren't to be denied for long, however, and Scholes opened the scoring after 19 minutes. Berbatov held the ball up superbly before feeding Rooney, and his left-wing cross was clinically helped into the top corner by the experienced head of the diminutive midfield magician.

That took Scholes' career haul to 98 Premier League goals, but of far greater importance was laying the foundations for United to chalk up another three points. Having surrendered leads against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Porto with varying degrees of consequence in recent weeks, the need for a second goal was immediately apparent.

Plenty of possession ensued for United, but with few chances to show for their dominance. Inevitably, one or two jittery moments would follow as Sunderland grew in confidence; Djibril Cisse saw a shot palmed over by Foster and Jones headed straight at the England international, but the greatest scare came from a man in a red shirt.

Carlos Edwards shifted space away from Vidic before drilling in a cross from the right wing, and Evans could only watch and hope as the ball deflected off his shin, against Foster's far post and out to safety. Ji-sung Park then flashed an effort fractionally over Gordon's top corner, but United's interval lead remained a precarious one.

Within moments of the restart, Rooney thundered a magnificent 25-yard effort just past the top corner. The Reds would shortly be ruing that missed opportunity, and the concession of another sloppy goal. Tainio did well to fashion space down the left, and Foster failed to reach his teasing cross - giving Jones the chance to convert from close range.

The inevitable disappointment was scarcely tangible in United's approach, however. Scholes was within inches of restoring the champions' lead as his 20-yard snapshot arced agonisingly wide, while Tevez was thwarted by a combination of Gordon and his desperate defenders.

As time wore on, Ferguson decided to shuffle his pack with the introduction of Ronaldo and, shortly afterwards, Macheda at the expense of Park and Berbatov. Within a minute, the Italian had made another stunning impact.

Carrick's errant shot was heading wide as it entered a muddled cluster of home and away players, but spun away from Gordon and into the corner of the goal via Macheda's left instep. Deliberate or not - and he, a striker by trade, will tell you that it was - United had re-assumed a vital lead.

The goal took the wind out of Sunderland's sails. United, in desperate need of the three points to again overhaul Liverpool at the top of the table, clung on for grim life, seeing out the final 15 minutes in relative comfort - albeit with breath held, peeping between fingers for those packed into the away end.

Another nerve-wracking 90 minutes down, another three points. Watching United just wouldn't be the same without going through the wringer.