Manchester United
Tomasz Kuszczak: 6.5 - Rarely troubled. Made some smart saves when called upon.
Wes Brown: 6.0 - Did not have so much to deal with. Allowed Maloney some time to fire a shot off in the second half. Filled in quite well after Ferdinand was substituted.
Patrice Evra: 7.0 - Another steady performance from the Frenchman. Supported his front-men well and was reliable in defence.
Rio Ferdinand: 6.5 - Under-employed in a game with little for him to deal with. Ferguson allowed him a 30 minute rest.
Nemanja Vidic: 6.0 - Was a little rash in the tackle that got him booked and challenged immaturely on Harewood - it allowed Maloney Villa’s best chance.
Paul Schloes: 7.5 - Provided a fine defensive barrier in unison with Carrick and his clever passes are irreplaceable. Another top-class display.
Michael Carrick: 8.0 - How he failed to make Capello’s England team is a mystery. Such an effective user of the ball when he has it - and wins it often enough with perfectly timed and read tackles.
Ryan Giggs: 8.0 - A vintage performance from the captain. The vision he has acquired over the years rubs off on his younger team mates. Made things happen whenever he had possession. A slight tweak kept him out of the final five minutes.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 9 - A game full of accurate passing, dangerous shooting and fine individual skill… Par for the course then for the league’s most valuable player. A goal and three assists sends out a dangerous message to Roma.
Wayne Rooney: 8.5 - A superb brace for United’s Man-of-the-Match. His position was constantly changing - deep, long, short - it meant that he could slingshot his wider colleagues into goal-threatening positions. A different player for United than England - infinitely more effective and capable.
Carlos Tevez: 8.0 - Has become a pertinent member of this side - he effortlessly linked with his colleague and capped a fine, intricate and guile-filled performance with a goal typical of his character - tenacious and determined.
Subs:
John O’Shea: 6.5 - Had practically nothing to contend with.
Anderson: n/a
Owen Hargreaves: 7.0 - Added a different dimension to United’s attack when he was introduced as an auxiliary right-back. Constantly overlapped, using his superior energy levels.
Aston Villa
Scott Carson: 5.5 - Was not at fault for the goals and made some decent saves.
Nigel Reo Coker: 4 - Floundered out of position at right back. Caught in possession and the wrong side of the ball.
Wilfred Bouma: 3 - The ball struck him in the build up for Ronaldo’s goal - about as meaningful a contribution as he managed all evening, besides getting booked.
Martin Laursen: 5 - Could not compete with the suppleness in United’s attack. Not his type of game as it was bereft of aerial battles.
Olof Mellberg: 5 - Struggled to have an impact in the way he would have likes. Suffered with the movement and lack of definitive shape from United. Quite often, was left marking no body.
Stilian Petrov: 5 - Made one clever turn to get Vidic booked, otherwise found no place for his subtle skill. Allowed United to get away with way too much in midfield.
Gareth Barry: 5.5 - Could not make any positive contributions in attack, but made some nice interceptions.
Gabriel Agbonlahor: 5.5 - Wasted the one opportunity to come his way.
Ashley Young: 6.5 - Lively and willing - not many more of his team mates were.
Marlon Harewood: 6 - Caused problems for Vidic, but none of them near the United goal. Never ound himself in a genuine goal-scoring position.
John Carew: 6 - He made early problems for United with his shooting and crossing. His injury depleted Villa and caused them to change trajectory.
Subs:
Shaun Maloney: 7.0 - Villa’s most potent attacking threat. Unlucky with a fine whipped effort from the left but wasted his side’s best opportunity.
Salifou: n/a
Isaiah Osbourne: n/a
Tomasz Kuszczak: 6.5 - Rarely troubled. Made some smart saves when called upon.
Wes Brown: 6.0 - Did not have so much to deal with. Allowed Maloney some time to fire a shot off in the second half. Filled in quite well after Ferdinand was substituted.
Patrice Evra: 7.0 - Another steady performance from the Frenchman. Supported his front-men well and was reliable in defence.
Rio Ferdinand: 6.5 - Under-employed in a game with little for him to deal with. Ferguson allowed him a 30 minute rest.
Nemanja Vidic: 6.0 - Was a little rash in the tackle that got him booked and challenged immaturely on Harewood - it allowed Maloney Villa’s best chance.
Paul Schloes: 7.5 - Provided a fine defensive barrier in unison with Carrick and his clever passes are irreplaceable. Another top-class display.
Michael Carrick: 8.0 - How he failed to make Capello’s England team is a mystery. Such an effective user of the ball when he has it - and wins it often enough with perfectly timed and read tackles.
Ryan Giggs: 8.0 - A vintage performance from the captain. The vision he has acquired over the years rubs off on his younger team mates. Made things happen whenever he had possession. A slight tweak kept him out of the final five minutes.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 9 - A game full of accurate passing, dangerous shooting and fine individual skill… Par for the course then for the league’s most valuable player. A goal and three assists sends out a dangerous message to Roma.
Wayne Rooney: 8.5 - A superb brace for United’s Man-of-the-Match. His position was constantly changing - deep, long, short - it meant that he could slingshot his wider colleagues into goal-threatening positions. A different player for United than England - infinitely more effective and capable.
Carlos Tevez: 8.0 - Has become a pertinent member of this side - he effortlessly linked with his colleague and capped a fine, intricate and guile-filled performance with a goal typical of his character - tenacious and determined.
Subs:
John O’Shea: 6.5 - Had practically nothing to contend with.
Anderson: n/a
Owen Hargreaves: 7.0 - Added a different dimension to United’s attack when he was introduced as an auxiliary right-back. Constantly overlapped, using his superior energy levels.
Aston Villa
Scott Carson: 5.5 - Was not at fault for the goals and made some decent saves.
Nigel Reo Coker: 4 - Floundered out of position at right back. Caught in possession and the wrong side of the ball.
Wilfred Bouma: 3 - The ball struck him in the build up for Ronaldo’s goal - about as meaningful a contribution as he managed all evening, besides getting booked.
Martin Laursen: 5 - Could not compete with the suppleness in United’s attack. Not his type of game as it was bereft of aerial battles.
Olof Mellberg: 5 - Struggled to have an impact in the way he would have likes. Suffered with the movement and lack of definitive shape from United. Quite often, was left marking no body.
Stilian Petrov: 5 - Made one clever turn to get Vidic booked, otherwise found no place for his subtle skill. Allowed United to get away with way too much in midfield.
Gareth Barry: 5.5 - Could not make any positive contributions in attack, but made some nice interceptions.
Gabriel Agbonlahor: 5.5 - Wasted the one opportunity to come his way.
Ashley Young: 6.5 - Lively and willing - not many more of his team mates were.
Marlon Harewood: 6 - Caused problems for Vidic, but none of them near the United goal. Never ound himself in a genuine goal-scoring position.
John Carew: 6 - He made early problems for United with his shooting and crossing. His injury depleted Villa and caused them to change trajectory.
Subs:
Shaun Maloney: 7.0 - Villa’s most potent attacking threat. Unlucky with a fine whipped effort from the left but wasted his side’s best opportunity.
Salifou: n/a
Isaiah Osbourne: n/a
