THE INDEPENDENT - RONALDO KEEPS THE 'MIRACLE' ALIVE
It does not come naturally in many parts of the country, but there are reasons to feel sorry for Manchester United. They are playing like champions, they have enough points to be clear at the top of the Premiership in most seasons, yet they are so far behind Chelsea, the leaders are just blue miniatures on the horizon.
Frustrating is not the word for it, but they continue to perform like they believe a miracle might be in the offing. This was their 15th win in 19 Premiership matches and they have accrued 49 of the 57 points available since they last lost in the League, to Portsmouth on 30 October. And a fat lot of good it is doing them, because, like anyone looking for a good time in London, there is always Chelsea.
Cristiano Ronaldo proved the match-winner, but at the end of the game United were precisely where they started, 11 points behind the runaway leaders. On a sunny day, there was an end-of-term feeling to the match that was helped by opponents who, until a final flurry, looked resigned to their fate. In the corresponding game, 17 months ago, Fulham secured one of the results of the season with a 3-1 win at Old Trafford; yesterday they only looked likely to secure a repeat when they dared to attack the home goal.
The second half had such a soporific air about it that the climax came as a shock. First Fulham charged out of their shell in the 81st minute with a drive by Lee Clark that hit the post. Carlos Bocanegra followed up, but was thwarted by Howard's save and when the full-back tried again his shot was blocked by his colleague, Steed Malbranque.
Howard also saved from Cole, but the action was by no means confined to one end and United could also have scored three times in the closing minutes.
On each occasion they were thwarted by Van der Sar, who blocked a shot from Alan Smith, saved spectacularly from John O'Shea and then raced back to his line to stop Smith's lob from a full 60 yards.
The ending was as thrilling as it was unexpected, and it was made irrelevant almost immediately, because as United traipsed off the pitch the result from Stamford Bridge flashed on to the scoreboard. So much effort, to stay exactly where they were; you can almost hear the cries of sympathy emanating from London, Liverpool and Leeds.
THE OBSERVER - BRIGHT SPARK RONALDO LIFTS DULL ENCOUNTER
A warm Mancunian afternoon gave the encounter a curious end-of-season air,. Unfortunately, for the record Premiership crowd of 67,959, the teams reflected the mood.
Perhaps it is understandable at the end of a 10-day period in which United have exited Europe and all but relinquished hope of over-hauling Chelsea in the league. At least, though, in Cristiano Ronaldo, they had a player capable of lifting the moribund encounter that was settled by his solitary goal.
The majority of combatants and the crowd, may have been erring towards holiday mode, but Roy Keane, at least, can never be accused of going through the motions when there is a football match to contest. The United captain busied himself around midfield, cajoling his team-mates into action and, along with Ruud van Nistelrooy, was responsible for most of the home side's brighter early moments.
After eight minutes, the Dutch striker broke strongly through the middle of the park, laying the ball wide to Ronaldo whose left-wing cross was flicked just beyond the post by Wayne Rooney. Minutes later, Keane rode a couple of challenges in characteristic fashion before unleashing a 20-yard shot that was deflected behind for a corner, an attacking sequence that ended with Paul Scholes glancing Quinton Fortune's deep cross just off target.
But it was all perfunctory stuff. Gabriel Heinze lifted proceedings momentarily with a spectacular 25-yard volley hit at full speed that sailed just over the bar after he had connected with a Fulham clearance, but it was not until 20 minutes had gone that the game's pulse could finally be detected.
And it was Ronaldo who brought it to life. First, he treated us to a couple of his trademark tricks with a run that was brought to a crude conclusion by Papa Bouba Diop. Two minutes later, he gathered the ball following an interchange between Keane and Rooney, cut in, attacked Liam Rosenior and, from the edge of the area, fired an unstoppable right-foot shot into the corner of the goal with a devastating flourish.
THE SUNDAY TIMES - HOWARD SEES UNITED THROUGH
Fittingly perhaps, for a team whose title hopes are all but dead and buried, Manchester United can be slow to kill off their opponents. It doesn’t matter much now, given that 11 points still separate them from the league leaders, but Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday could have done without his players’ untidy completion of a win that should have been secured much earlier.
They did not so much make a meal of this one as serve up a five-course feast. Coasting on the back of a first-half goal by Cristiano Ronaldo, and camped in the visitors’ half almost from start to finish, they somehow contrived to forget about the need to double their lead, and ultimately had their goalkeeper Tim Howard to thank for ensuring that they did not slip to their second consecutive league draw.
A remarkable climax to the match bore no resemblance to anything that had gone before. In those frenetic final few minutes, Lee Clark struck a post and Carlos Bocanegra’s connection with the rebound prompted an instinctive block by the United keeper.
It was Howard’s first save of the afternoon, but not his last. When Andrew Cole wriggled free of Rio Ferdinand, his angled shot went through the defender’s legs, and came off the American’s. The upshot was that United had extended their unbeaten league run to 20 matches, but the parallel with their concession of a late equaliser at Craven Cottage in December was unmistakable.
Ferguson said: "We have only scored two goals in those games, and when you look at the chances we have had, it is almost farcical, laughable. It was a nice sunny afternoon and we made it so difficult for ourselves."
Ronaldo was the exception, revelling in the warm conditions and offering a degree of entertainment that was gratifying in the circumstances. It is a measure of Chelsea’s dominance this season that, before Easter has even arrived, an end-of-season atmosphere is pervading games such as these.
THE SUNDAY TELEGARPH - UNITED HANG ON AFTER RONALDO SOLO
Manchester United managed to prolong the suspense until stoppage time in a match that reflected their season of largely unfilled promise.
The gulf in class between the sides is more apparent in their league positions than this scoreline, but too often United have failed to punish inferior opposition in the Premiership and they almost paid the price again yesterday.
Fulham tripped up United with a late equaliser at Craven Cottage earlier this season and lightning almost struck a second time. In a frantic, bizarre climax, United were spared embarrassment by the woodwork and their goalkeeper, Tim Howard. But then they would also point to near misses as John O'Shea and Alan Smith were denied by Fulham's Edwin van der Sar.
A draw would have been hard to swallow for United considering their dominance. Whatever their shortcomings in Europe, they remain a force too much for most domestic opposition.
However, they squandered possession and openings, unable to capitalise on Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular first-half goal and his consistent threat. The 20-year-old winger tormented Fulham with his trademark stepovers and his impudent flicks.
United, starting the match in third place after Arsenal's 1-0 lunchtime win at Blackburn, are now intent on holding that second place and with it automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage.