United Secure Runners-Up Slot

Man of the Match
By Chris O'Brien
May 8 2006

Manchester United ended the season with a 4-0 drubbing of Charlton Athletic that secured automatic qualification to next season's Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo, Louis Saha and Kieran Richardson all found the net, but Ruud Van Nistelrooy's absence looks set to take the headlines.

Watched on by some 73,006 spectators, Manchester United drew the curtain on another Premiership season with a resounding 4-0 win, ending Alan Curbishley's tenure as Charlton boss in dissappointing fashion.

All the talk prior to kick-off was about reports suggesting that Ruud Van Nistelrooy's career at Old Trafford was all but over. Sir Alex Ferguson has since confirmed that a series of "incidents" during the week's training sessions had affected team spirit, and the Dutchman 'did a runner' prior to kick-off today after being told he would not start the game.

However, all the speculation was soon forgotten as the game got underway. Feeble attempts from the stadium announcer to introduce a pre-match shouting competition fell on deaf ears prior to kick-off, but as soon as United begun attacking the Scoreboard End, a partisan atmosphere began in all four corners of Old Trafford. This was boosted by the news that long-term absentees Paul Scholes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were amongst the substitutes.

The Red Devils flew straight out of the blocks as they looked to secure automatic qualification to next season's Champions League. Giuseppe Rossi, the exciting young striker, forced a save from Stephan Andersen in the early exchanges as the hosts stamped their authority on proceedings. Moments later, Kieran Richardson unleashed an almighty blast from some 40-yards out which rattled the crossbar with Rossi’s rebound blocked by the away defence. It was all one way traffic.

The deadlock was broken on nineteen minutes with Louis Saha, anxious to continue his late season rally, latched onto a Ryan Giggs corner to bundle the ball home as United's early pressure told.

The Welshman was again involved with United's next attack, with his cross finding Cristiano Ronaldo who turned superbly and fired home to double the advantage.

United's dominance continued and the result was put beyond doubt some ten minutes before time. Saha's cross caused panicked within the Charlton defence and Jason Euell showed his predatory instincts at the wrong end, bundling the ball into his own net to rub salt into the Addicks' wounds.

Paul Scholes was introduced at the interval, replacing John O'Shea, and the home fans were delighted to see the former England international return from his worrying eye condition. Now something of a club veteran, Scholes slotted straight back into his midfield berth and his creative passing saw a neat through-ball fed through to Richardson, but Andersen did well to block the effort.

Richardson is an unlikely candidate for a place in England's World Cup squad, announced on Monday, but this performance would warrant a plane ticket to Germany. The youngster capped off a man of the match performance with the winning goal, firing home from long-range after dispossessing the visitors in midfield. His shirt came off and out came the only yellow card of the game.

With the game over, Ferguson could afford to introduce Solskjaer to the fray and he came through the final half hour well. Nemanja Vidic was also brought on as the game petered out. An easy win for the Red Devils, and the fans showed their appreciation for the runners-up slot and a League Cup win as the players did the traditional lap of honour. Wayne Rooney made his way out of the oxygen to hobble around the field, but a certain Netherlands striker was no where to be seen.

Roll on the summer and the World Cup.

Full Time - Manchester United 4-0 Charlton Athletic
Attendance - 73,006

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Neville (Vidic 62), Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Ronaldo, O'Shea (Scholes 45), Giggs, Richardson, Saha (Solskjaer 61), Rossi.
Substitutes Not Used: Howard, Fletcher. Booked: Richardson.

Charlton Athletic: Andersen, Sankofa (Fortune 45), Sorondo, Perry, Powell, Holland, Kishishev, Euell (Ambrose 61), Hughes, Bartlett, Darren Bent (Sam 45).
Substitutes Not Used: T.B.C