United Give Birmingham the Blues

By David Hobbs
February 5 2005

United complimented Tuesday's 4-2 victory over Arsenal with a comfortable 2-0 win at Old Trafford against former Red Devil Steve Bruce and his Birmingham City side. Skipper Roy Keane gifted his side the lead, netting his 50th goal for United and Wayne Rooney sealed the triumph with a lob late on.

United Give Birmingham the Blues

Manchester United 2
Keane 55
Rooney 78

Birmingham City 0

Manchester United complimented Tuesday's 4-2 victory over Arsenal with a comfortable 2-0 win at Old Trafford against former Red Devil Steve Bruce and his Birmingham City side.

Skipper Roy Keane gifted his side the lead, netting his 50th goal for United and Wayne Rooney sealed the triumph with a lob late on despite both sides coming close in front of goal.

The Reds are now just 8 points behind Chelsea, who entertain United's neighbours Manchester City tomorrow. 

Birmingham proved resilient and restricted United's strike force of Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha to just a handful of chances.

Sir Alex Ferguson was without Mikael Silvestre for the clash due to suspension and John O'Shea moved from the bench into midfield. Frenchmna  Louis Saha was also promoted to the starting line-up as Paul Scholes was given a rest.

Mehdi Nafti, on loan from Racing Santander, made his first start in a Birmingham jersey while winter signings Robbie Blake and Walter Pandiani partnered up-front.

United showed positive pieces of play in the opening stages as Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a double in midweek, came close with a free-kick and Ryan Giggs, who also scored in midweek, struck inches past Maik Taylor's goal.

Loan star Walter Pandiani lashed Roy Carroll's crossbar with a thunderous volley later on and Ronaldo also made the bar eat leather with a spooned cross.

A timid first half came to a much-need end and both sides returned brimming with gun-powder after the interval.

John O'Shea, who is in a rich vein of goalscoring form, tested Maik Taylor from distance, so too did Wayne Rooney, but were both denied.

At the other end, Gary Neville used his experience wisely to hook the ball away from danger after Julian Gray's surging run and cross.

The solid Birmingham defence caved in as Roy Keane cut through like a hot knife through butter to thump his 50th goal for Manchester United. The skipper had been waiting some time for the land-mark.

Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, constant menaces all afternoon, both rifled shots at the impressive Taylor and itched to kill the game off. Quinton Fortune was introduced in place of Louis Saha to bolster the midfield and attack with twenty minutes to go.

United killed the game off moments later but could have secured the win earlier as Maik Taylor got the better of Roy Keane in a one-on-one situation. Wayne Rooney to advantage of a mis-placed Taylor to lob home.

Substitute Clinton Morrison nearly pulled back a mere consolation but couldn't direct his flick-on from Pennant's free-kick. 

Final Score: Manchester United 2 - 0 Birmingham City
Att: 67,838

Manchester United: R Carroll, G Neville, R Ferdinand, W Brown, G Heinze, C Ronaldo, J O'Shea, R Keane, R Giggs (82 P Neville), W Rooney (82 L Miller), L Saha (68 Q Fortune)

Birmingham City: M Taylor, M Melchiot, K Cunningham, M Taylor (81 O Tebily) , J Clapham, J Pennant, M Nafti (72 D Carter), D Johnson, J Gray, W Pandiani, R Blake (72 C Morrison)

Refereed By: D Gallagher