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Giggs secures his tenth title medal
Wigan Athletic 0 Manchester United 2
RECORD-HOLDER Ryan Giggs
marked a lifetime's loyalty with
the best present possible as he
delivered another Premier
League title to Manchester
United.
United were in front but
needing calming despite Cristiano
Ronaldo's first-half penalty
when Giggs kept his nerve to
coolly slot home Wayne
Rooney's through ball.
A quarter of an hour earlier,
Giggs' had been introduced for
his 758th United appearance,
equalling a milestone left by Sir
Bobby Charlton that will surely
be eclipsed in Moscow on
May 21.
But all Giggs will care about
is adding to a medal collection
that continues to expand, containing
all ten championships
won under Sir Alex Ferguson,
part of an overall United haul
of 17, one adrift of Liverpool,
who Ferguson has vowed to
overtake.
Few would begrudge the Red
Devils their latest success, even
if the free-flowing attack that
has propelled them to glory by
a massive goal difference over
Chelsea, was strangely muted.
Certainly anyone still daring
to suggest Steve Bruce was
happy enough to do his old club
a favour clearly was not inside
a stadium where, contrary to
stated wisdom, the vast majority
wanted a home win.
And how Wigan did their
supporters proud as they controlled
possession for long periods
and enjoyed the majority
of chances.
Emile Heskey was a particular
thorn in the side of Rio Ferdinand
and Nemanja Vidic and,
with Antonio Valencia providing
flashes of inspiration from
the flanks, United were wobbling.
Had Chelsea known the strife
their rivals were in and taken
advantage in those tense early
minutes, United may have toppled.
Instead, Michael Brown,
Jason Koumas and Marcus
Bent all failed to convert half
chances and Chelsea, with
longer-term problems concerning
John Terry to deal with,
could not seize the early initiative.
Not for the first time in recent
weeks, Ronaldo had been
a subdued force until his moment
of destiny arrived and allowed
him to equal Alan Shearer's
Premier League best haul
of 31.
But, with the pressure starting
to increase, Ronaldo was
the coolest man in the stadium,
sending Chris Kirkland the
wrong way after Boyce had
clipped Wayne Rooney.
Rooney's presence in United's
starting line-up was a surprise.
Like Ronaldo, he toiled for
long periods without having an
impact but as Paul Scharner let
the ball slide under his foot,
Ferguson's decision to select
the England man was fully justified
as he was onto it in a
flash.
A posse of Wigan players,
Boyce among them, surrounded
referee Steve Bennett to
complain, although in truth
they had a more plausible argument
when Paul Scholes
barged Wilson Palacios over by
the touchline a couple of minutes
later.
As the tenacious midfielder
had already been booked for a
foul, Bennett would have been
fully justified in giving the afternoon
a dramatic twist by
pulling out a red card.
Instead, the official, opted to
issue a final warning, which
merely reinforced the belief
that United would be champions.
United certainly began the
second-half as if they believed
it.
Kirkland denied a thunderous
Ronaldo free-kick and goalbound
efforts from Rooney and
Carlos Tevez.
It formed past of a frenzied
period which should have seen
United awarded a penalty for
Titus Bramble's ill-advised
lunge on Scholes and Rooney
booked as he launched a volley
of abuse at Bennett for a freekick
awarded against him.
At least for the sake of United's
nerves, the action was taking
place around the Wigan
goal but by the time Giggs was
introduced, the Latics had revived
and Emile Heskey planted
a header on the roof of the
visitors' net.
But United were not to be denied
and ten minutes from
time, Rooney provided the
killer pass for Giggs to wrap up
another title and allow minds
to wander towards the Luzhniki
Stadium in ten days' time.
8:51am Monday 12th May 2008
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