Manchester United 2 - Pompey 0
It's fair to say that just about nobody expected Pompey to get any kind of positive result at Old Trafford.
It was the bonus game, but the only real prize on offer was in attempting to keep the goal difference in check.
So on the day the latest budget was announced by chancellor Alistair Darling, news of a 2-0 defeat for Pompey no doubt brought the same kind of reaction to the announcement the price of a pint of lager has gone up again: Unwelcome, but not entirely unexpected.
In truth, it could easily have been a 5-0 or 6-0 hammering and the worst possible preparation for Monday night's showdown with Newcastle after Pompey were given the run-around in a first-half that frequently threatened to turn into a rout.
But as the second half wore on, Pompey might just be wondering if they could have nicked an unimaginable bonus point.
When Wayne Rooney slammed home from close range inside the opening 10 minutes, Pompey's vocal band of travelling fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst.
But it was not until eight minutes from time that substitute Michael Carrick wrapped things up with a fine angled finish that does not change too much in the grand scheme of things.
Pompey have their survival destiny in their own hands and a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United will have little bearing on that.
But in a game where they certainly held their own in terms of possession, Pompey definitely had United worried as Sir Alex Ferguson toned down his dance of fury from the weekend to a more sedate and concerned foot tap.
United were clearly worried and edgy at times in the contest.
Their attempts to defend the Premier League title look destined for success after Liverpool and Chelsea both lost ground this week.
But after Pompey's famous smash and grab in the FA Cup quarter-final last season, you could understand why they were perhaps that bit more concerned than usual.
Paul Hart was forced into two changes to the side who fought out a 1-0 win over Bolton at the weekend as both Niko Kranjcar and Younes Kaboul were ruled out through injury.
Kranjcar's ankle injury meant he was sidelined, while Kaboul – who has been a revelation at right-back in recent weeks – was kept out with a thigh strain.
That meant returns to the starting line-up for Richard Hughes and Nadir Belhadj – who made such an impact from the bench against Bolton at the weekend.
Hart kept faith with the 4-5-1 formation with David Nugent moving to the right flank and Belhadj coming in on the left-hand side.
While United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was criticised for his team selection at Wembley that saw his men knocked out of the FA Cup by Everton, the big guns were back for this one with Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Edwin Van der Sar and the rest back in the starting line-up.
Despite a bright start that saw the visitors knocking the ball around with confidence, Pompey found themselves behind inside 10 minutes from United's first real threat on David James' goal.
Anderson sprayed a glorious pass out to the left wing to find the marauding Giggs who had escaped the attentions of Glen Johnson to roll the ball inside for Rooney to slam home with ease.
Although Pompey voiced complaints Giggs had been offside as he made his run, Hermann Hreidarsson appeared to play him on from the opposite side of the pitch and United had the lead.
It could have been worse for Hart's side just a couple of minutes later and it was Pompey who were almost the architects of their own downfall.
James fielded Rooney's attempt but bowled out to Hayden Mullins, who was caught on his heels and allowed Anderson to nip in and fire a low shot at goal that had the keeper beaten, but grazed the outside of the post with James rooted to the spot.
While Pompey's build-up play was bright and their passing was crisp for the most part, they rarely looked like threatening Van der Sar's goal.
United's defence kept Peter Crouch at arm's length, who often looked isolated despite his attempts to hold up play.
David Nugent looked full of running and perhaps the only man to go beyond Crouch with some purposeful movement, but it appeared he threatened one time too many for the liking of Nemanja Vidic who caught the Pompey man with a horrible high lunge that eventually ended Nugent's evening at half-time with a dead leg.
As the Pompey fans made themselves heard and taunted the home support with a rendition of 'Everton', it was the United fans who were on their feet again soon afterwards, though, and they should have been celebrating a second goal on three separate occasions as the Blues defence came under growing pressure.
First, Belhadj stooped to head away from the goal-line to deny substitute John O'Shea's header as the Irishman nodded goalwards from a corner.
And moments later James pulled off a tremendous block to deny Giggs after sloppy work from Hreidarsson gifted Rooney possession on the edge of the Blues box.
As Pompey fans breathed a collective sigh of relief, another poor defensive lapse – this time from Sol Campbell – saw his mis-directed header drop to Ronaldo in acres of space and bearing down on goal.
As he fizzed the cross over to Giggs, the United stalwart seemed certain to score as he dinked his effort over the keeper, but the ball somehow squirted wide of the post and Pompey escaped.
With the storm weathered, Pompey began to look more dangerous after the break, although they failed to muster a serious effort at Van der Sar's goal.
Twice they threatened to get in behind with both Johnson and Jermaine Pennant skipping to the by-line but unable to find Crouch with the right quality of cut-back.
The England striker turned in a fine display in his lone role, but his efforts for the team gave him just one real sighter at goal as his header brought a comfortable save from the Dutch goalkeeper from Pennant's free-kick.
But it was left to Carrick to have the final word of the evening as he latched on to Paul Scholes' perfectly-weighted throughball to fire beyond James and seal the victory.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
