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3 October 2007, by Sean Gillen

Lively Nani sets up winner for 100% United

Manchester United 1-0 Roma

Portuguese international Nani played a crucial role in the winning goal as Manchester United continued their winning run with a victory over Italians Roma at Old Trafford.

The former Sporting man was recalled to the team to play on the flanks with countryman Cristiano Ronaldo, and produced a lively display, culminating with an assist for Rooney’s second-half winner.

Roma arrived in Manchester keen to avoid a similar fate to their last visit, in which they were beaten 7-1 in April. As a result, the Italians produced a far more sturdy performance, and the match was evenly contested.

Nani and Ronaldo were deployed as the wide men in a 4-4-2 formation for United, and while having a somewhat inconsistent evening, Nani often looked the brightest player for the hosts in the first half.

Portuguese duo combine

The two combined well when Nani’s perfect cross from the right found Ronaldo, who headed over, before Nani brilliantly beat his man, this time on the other flank, before his cross was smashed off target by Rooney.

Roma, who included Vitorino Antunes on the bench, were largely reduced to long-range efforts, although their smart build-up play often looked like causing United problems. Both Francesco Totti and Alberto Aquilani fired wide for the visitors early in the second half as the match became more open.

Ronaldo had already seen an effort ruled out for offside when United finally broke the deadlock with twenty minutes left with a superb team goal. Ronaldo laid the ball off to Michael Carrick, who found Nani thirty metres from goal.

The summer signing from Sporting showed great awareness to quickly slip the ball through to Rooney, and the England striker made no mistake with his finish, firing across Curci and in off the post.

Ronaldo hurt

Neither Ronaldo nor Nani finished the game, for different reasons. Nani was substituted to a strong ovation from the 73,000 strong crowd, while an elbow to the face saw a bloody Ronaldo leave before the final whistle.

Man Utd:
Kuszczak, O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Nani (Giggs, 79), Saha (Tevez, 66), Rooney (Anderson, 84)

Roma:
Curci, Cicinho, Mexes, Juan, Tonetto, De Rossi, Aquilani (Pizarro, 61), Giuly (Esposito, 79), Perrotta, Mancini (Vucinic, 74), Totti

Goals:
[1-0] Rooney, 70