With faint hope of retaining their championship, the main goal for Manchester United in their latest league match was to resurrect their recently bleak form. Shockingly knocked out of the Champions League, lagging in the Premiership and crushed in a derby with Manchester City, United desperately needed to pick up their play against Tottenham if only to gain some confidence heading into their FA Cup semi-final match with Arsenal. They did.
h3. Wing Wizards
Were it not so well executed a move, you could almost call Ryan Gigg's remarkable opening goal a cheeky effort. Rather than control a low cross from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Welsh winger ran onto the pass and sweetly backheeled the ball into the net. A great goal and the 29th minute tally was all that was needed to dispatch a Tottenham side that never seriously threatened United keeper Roy Carrol's net all game--incumbent goalie Tim Howard was benched for this game, presumably due to Sir Alex's ire over th the disaster against City last week.
With Gigg's having impressed on the left, it was left to Cristiano Ronaldo to provide his own brilliance on the right flank. Having made his appearence off the bench in the second half, the Portuguese winger lashed in an unstoppable arcing shot, from clear outside of the area, to put the game beyond Tottenham on the 89th minute. It was a goal that was twice as dazzling considering the gale-force winds that caught many an aerial ball on today's gusty Old Trafford pitch.
The last goal came shortly before the final whistle. Giggs played in David Bellion for a cool finish that marked the young striker's second goal in United colours. Two goals in four minutes and the score now properly refelected the tireless domination with which United overpowered Spurs.
Can you believe that this result marks Manchester United's first league win since January?
h3. Beat Arsenal
Long after this season is dusted, nobody is going to remember the Rio Ferdinand drug scandal, the Ferguson-Magnier horse racing row or any other crises that plagued Old Trafford's boot room. But they will remember if Arsenal went undefeated in the Premiership and claimed the FA Cup. To that end, there can be only two concerns following this result against Tottenham:
# Beat Arsenal in th league on March 28th.
# Beat Arsenal in the FA Cup on April 3rd.
At this point, that is all this remaining season can boil down to for Manchester United.
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