Premier League 2007-08 - Turning Points
The Author
Hey, my name is Liam, and I first published 'Premier League 2007-08 - Turning Points' on 12th May, 2008, within the English Premier League section.
One of the most thrilling seasons in the 16-year history of The Premier League ended on Sunday with Manchester United lifting the trophy for the 10th time. All matches were live on our site, go to watch live football or keep up to date with the live football scores.
United committed a projected £67.9 million to sign this quartet of players and it has proven to be sound business. Eyebrows were raised about the potential £17.3 million and £20.4 million Sir Alex Ferguson shelled out on Nani and Anderson respectively, but the young Portuguese and Brazilian have been revelations in their first season. Tevez’s knack of scoring vital late goals was invaluable.
But in August the sun was shining, the birds were singing and Manchester United could not buy a win. The champions started the season with draws at home to Reading and away to Portsmouth. But worse was to follow on 19 August when they were beaten away by local rivals Manchester City. It was United’s worst start to a campaign since the first Premier League season back in 1992-93. It left them in 16th place, with City leading the table with a 100% record under new coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and their proud owner Thaksin Shinawatra.
United could not have asked to play Chelsea at a better time than September. Their 2-0 victory at Old Trafford was Avram Grant’s first game in charge with the Chelsea players clearly still in shock at the departure of Jose Mourinho as manager.
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZLq-MwtTX4
After losing to City, United won six of seven domestic and European matches by 1-0 scorelines. With goals hard to come by in those early stages of the season, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic’s seemingly impregnable partnership in central defence was essential and remained so for the course of the season.
United faced two testing games away to Liverpool and at home to Everton in the space of a week before Christmas and emerged bearing six points. Tevez’s strike was enough to see off Liverpool while a late winner from Cristiano Ronaldo earned United a vital 2-1 win against Everton.
Watch it here: http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1668119j9fjfr9q
Not content with hammering Newcastle 6-0 at Old Trafford in January, United visited Tyneside the following month and gave them a battering in a 5-1 win. If any games encapsulated the swashbuckling side of United this season, it was these two.
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bly3qA6YxQ
Portsmouth, and David James, did not know what hit them when Ronaldo scored twice in the space of three minutes at Old Trafford, but it was a breathtaking free-kick that lived long in the memory and remains a strong contender for goal of the season.
Watch it here: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=7082033532232023059&q=Ronaldo+free+kick+Portsmouth+&ei=PDMkSMqRFIGEjQK83vWiDA&hl=en
The Argentina forward made a handsome habit of scoring at critical times and few goals were as important as his stoppage time one against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. The goal earned United a 1-1 draw and vital point.
Watch it here: http://www.indavideo.hu/video/Tottenham_Vs_Man_Utd_-_Tevez_1-1
There were widespread fears that Manchester City fans might ruin the minute’s silence to commemorate the air disaster but the event passed off peacefully. They may have lost at home and away to City, but several of United’s players have admitted that the desire to mark the 50th anniversary of Munich with silverware spurred them to even greater heights.
Watch it here: http://video.i7i.us/play.php?q=mGVkjzBE4NM&t=munich-remembered-2008
It was the young goalkeeper’s debut for United but did he seem fazed? Not one bit, producing a string of fine saves to keep a surprisingly impressive Derby team at bay, but Ronaldo scored the decisive goal.
Ronaldo equalled and then surpassed George Best’s record of 32 goals in a season for a winger with a brace in the 2-0 win against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford in March. A new legend was born.
Watch it here: http://www.indavideo.hu/video/Man_Utd_Vs_Bolton_-_Ronaldo_2-0
United were already ahead and comfortably the better team than Liverpool when Javier Mascherano lost his head and was duly given his marching orders. But it might have been a lot closer than 3-0 had the Argentina midfield player still been on the pitch in the second half.
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvLhVajRcCg
United trailed 2-1 to Middlesbrough when, with 16 minutes remaining, Wayne Rooney added to Ronaldo’s opener to earn a precious point.
Watch it here: http://videos.sapo.pt/MAIFuO6dMAAQmwUuHluz
A minute or so after Arsenal missed a glorious chance to take the lead, Owen Hargreaves stepped up to curl a stunning free-kick into the corner and secure all three points.
Watch it here: http://videos.sapo.pt/bpRl3Z4fHV6SyEiLUS3Z
Just when Avram Grant looked like he had got away with his dodgy team selection, Heskey stepped up to score a dramatic equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The two points dropped handed United the initiative and would be essential in the final reckoning.
Watch it here: http://videos.sapo.pt/MPHjykIKnozaDZ4ZLfy4
Of all the decisive late goals Tevez has scored this season, none was probably as important as his 88th minute strike against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. In many respects it was the goal that won United the title.
Watch it here: http://www.indavideo.hu/video/Tevez_vs_Blackburn
The Portugal winger notched up his 40th goal of a remarkable season in the 4-1 win against West Ham United at Old Trafford.
Watch it here: http://videos.sapo.pt/BIt5r6RzRZV6aVc3GSvk
Giggs equalled Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 758 appearances for the club in the final league game of the season against Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium. Scholes was another who proved that age is nothing but a number and time and again was the hub of United’s midfield.
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