28 August 2006, by Sean Gillen

United maintain perfect start

Watford 1-2 Manchester United

Manchester United maintained their perfect start to the new Premiership season with an unspectacular victory over newly-promoted Watford at Vicarage Road.

The win was United’s third during the opening week of the campaign, and Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo was again impressive in the face of more boos and whistles from the home crowd.

As well as impressing on an individual level, Ronaldo has shown a great improvement on his team-play in the early stages of the new season. The 21-year-old has been accused in the past of being too individualistic in games, whether playing well or not. He is now showing signs of being able to produce quiet yet effective team performances, and this was evident against Watford.

Watford started well, and gave United problems in the opening five minutes, with Marlon King failing to make the most of a headed chance. However, the visitors soon settled, and Ronaldo should have given his side the lead from close range when he headed wide from a Ryan Giggs corner on 10 minutes.

They did not have to wait long to take the lead, however, as a nicely worked goal put the Red Devils one up on twelve minutes. Louis Saha found the overlapping left-back Mikael Silvestre inside the Watford penalty area, and the defender hit a sweet left-footed finish across Watford goalkeeper, Richard Lee, into the far corner.

United continued to look comfortable without dominating, and Saha’s clever flicked header at the near post drew an excellent save from Lee. Watford then stunned the visitors with a 34th minute equaliser when Damien Francis tapped in from close range, after United’s defence failed to deal with an Ashley Young cross from the right wing.

Ronaldo goes close

United regained control shortly afterwards, and Ronaldo’s run ended with him dragging a left-footed shot wide from the edge of the box. Ronaldo went close again from long range and Saha swung a shot wide as United struggled to find a rhythm to their attacking play, and the sides went in level at half time.

It took United less than two minutes in the second half to create a goalscoring chance. Ronaldo’s trickery enabled him to deliver a pinpoint ball onto the head of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the Norwegian was off target.

United regained the lead just one minute after almost going behind, when a well-worked free-kick saw Henderson somehow miss the target from two meters out. Darren Fletcher then pressurised Watford midfielder Matthew Springs into under-hitting a backpass to his goalkeeper, which Ryan Giggs intercepted before rounding Lee and firing into the empty net. Giggs became United’s seventh different goalscorer this season.

Watford threatened with several high balls to edge of the United box, but it was the Red Devils who had the better of the chances during the remainder of the game. Giggs shot straight at Richard Lee from a tight angle and Ji-Sung Park was blocked by the Watford ‘keeper before Louis Saha missed when one-on-one with two minutes left on the clock.

The battling victory sees United two points clear of second-placed Everton at the top of the Premiership. The Red Devils resume their title challenge on September 9th at Old Trafford against Tottenham Hotspur.

Watford:
Lee, Doyley, DeMerit, Shittu, Powell, Young, Francis, Mahon (Bangura 75), Bouazza (Spring 31), King, Henderson (Stewart 65)
Yellow Cards: Mahon (40)

Man Utd:
van der Sar, Brown, Silvestre, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick (Richardson 75), Giggs, Saha, Solskjaer (Park 59)
Yellow Cards: Richardson (79)

Goals:
[0-1] Silvestre, 12
[1-1] Francis, 34
[1-2] Giggs, 52