IN 2007 AGAINST WATFORD

The last time Watford played Manchester United in the Premier League was in 2007, precisely January 2007. The win for Manchester United that day was comprehensive. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, you guessed right a penalty. A deflected Kieran Richardson shot, remember him, made it two nil after the hour mark. Henrik Larsson got the third just after coming in as a substitute to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Eyebrows were raised when United bought Henrik Larsson on loan from Helsingborg in early january 2007.

The previous season he had won the champions League with Barcelona after coming in as a substitute late in the game. He set Eto’o for the equalising goal and also set up Juliano Beletti winning goal.

This was one of sir Alex Ferguson masterstroke’s that season. United had not won the league for three consecutive seasons and the media had already said Ferguson was past his best. He should have retired in 2003 as he had planned.

Arsenal had won the 2004 premier League on a canter even managing to go the whole season unbeaten.

Then the Russian money had arrived at Stamford Bridge and young Jose Mourinho was hired from Fc Porto. The 2005 and 2006 premier league campaigns by Manchester United were dismal. Chelsea won on both occasions, infact in 2006 they finished fifteen points ahead of United.

When the 2006-2007 season began the questions on many people's mind were how Rooney and Ronaldo will play together considering Ronaldo's role in Rooney's sending off in the 2006 world cup quarter finals.

But starting from the first game against Fulham  where they combined with deadly effect the fears were unfounded.

So against Watford it was no surprise when they combined for the fourth goal taking Manchester United six points clear and later to the first title in 4 seasons.

Here is how the main media houses in the UK reported.

 

Despite a slow start, United took the lead through a Ronaldo penalty, but it was a ten-minute second-half spell which gleaned an own goal and one apiece for Wayne Rooney and substitute Henrik Larsson to secure all three points.
Sir Alex made five changes to the team that beat Portsmouth 2-1 in the FA Cup on Sunday, most notably promoting United’s two-goal hero Rooney….. manutd.com

Gabriel Heinze
Kieran Richardson
Cristiano Ronaldo
Tomasz Kuszczak
Nemanja Vidic
Wayne Rooney
John O'Shea
Gary Neville…… sky sports.

Manchester United have the air of a team in complete control of their own destiny, so a side of Watford's limitations were always going to struggle in a contest their manager Aidy Boothroyd had likened to "Muhammad Ali against Jimmy Krankie"....... the guardian.

Manchester United produced a dominant second half display to see off Watford.
A Cristiano Ronaldo penalty midway through the first half put them ahead after Jay DeMerit had pulled back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the area.
Watford nearly equalised when Chris Powell's cross hit the post but when Lloyd Doyley deflected in Kieran Richardson's cross it was all but over.
Substitute Henrik Larsson sidefooted home his first Premiership goal and Wayne Rooney scored with a fine lob….. bbc sport.

Let's hope yesterday's win is a good sign for things to come just like in 2007.