Premier League: Manchester United v Swansea City

Ashley Young scores United's second goal

Manchester United 2 Swansea City 0

Manchester United maintained the status quo in the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Swansea City but it might not prove enough to have their fans rocking all over the world.

United began the match knowing that they needed a win to keep pace with title rivals Manchester City who had gone three points ahead after their 2-0 victory over Newcastle United earlier in the afternoon.

United went into this match with a -10 goal difference compared to City – the last of which had come in the 1-0 loss ion the Manchester derby on Monday - and against a Swansea side who had kept 13 clean sheets this season, the fourth-best record in the league this season.

United, who were looking to maintain a record of scoring in 48 consecutive Premier League matches at Old Trafford, wasted little time in firing in the crosses for Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez in the opening 15 minutes but, despite being hailed as an attractive side to watch, Swansea had not managed to keep those clean sheets by adopting an open-door defence policy, if one can forget the 4-4 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

Brendan Rodgers has fashioned a balance between a good passing side and one that can close down and frustrate the opposition. Swansea’s own forays into the United half were few but they were playing with the freedom of a team who had already assured their first-season target in the Premier League – making sure they would be there for at least a second one.

For them, 12th place was the right place at the right time, rather like Paul Scholes after 28 minutes. Antonio Valencia left Neil Taylor behind with ease as he got to the byline and then picked out a good cutback for Michael Carrick. He side-footed the ball first time towards the goal and Scholes standing almost nonchalantly in the penalty area flicked it in from three yards.

For a moment it appeared as if something was wrong because Scholes did not celebrate at all, instead running straight back to the centre circle. Good start but he knew that many more were needed.

That message passed its way through to some of the younger members of the side and Ashley Young doubled United’s lead five minutes from the break. Young - who had earlier shown again his inability to defy gravity, or something more malevolent when within the confines of the opposition penalty area – displayed the more acceptable side of his talent when Rooney's shot was blocked and came to Young.

He was to the left of centre spot and 15 yards out from where Young curved a spearing, low shot around Michel Vorm and into the bottom-right corner.

United looked to be on for a third goal in the 53rd minute when United broke from their own penalty area after Swansea corner. Valencia, sprinting down the right wing, put Rooney clear on the right of the box and he cut the pass across the goal to Young, who had an open goal at the far post but for the last-ditch intervention of Nathan Dyer who had raced back 80 yards to get the slightest of touches save the goal.

Swansea came within a touch of scoring on the hour-mark when Joe Allen's mis-hit shot was redirected by Danny Graham, but David de Gea made a good save with his feet and, as the ball slithered between his legs, the goalkeeper snaffled it before Sinclair could grab the chance.

Rooney then delivered a couple of collector’s items with his first yellow card in the league this season and then a miss from eight yards out. The odds about United not scoring in the second half would have been short but the ones about them overhauling City with every minute that they did not score, which added up to 48 minutes. Even if Sir Alex Ferguson’s famously slow watch might have argued otherwise.

United will go into their final match against Sunderland with the first goal of keeping up the pressure on City.

They may find themselves eight goals short of achieving anything else.

Paul Wheeler

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