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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Man Utd 3-2 Reading </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><DIV class=mvb><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=416 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom><DIV class=mvb><SPAN class=byl>By Howard Nurse </SPAN></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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<DIV class=cap>Solskjaer set Man Utd on their way</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manchester United gave manager Sir Alex Ferguson an early birthday present with victory over Reading at Old Trafford.
Ferguson, who is 65 on New Year's Eve, saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put United ahead from a Cristiano Ronaldo cross.
Ibrahima Sonko soon headed Reading level from Nicky Shorey's free-kick after Edwin van der Sar's flap.
Ronaldo restored United's lead after Solskjaer hit the post and he volleyed in his second before Leroy Lita pulled one back for Reading.
<DIV class=avinline>Ferguson was presented with a silver trophy before kick-off to mark his 65th birthday. </DIV>
He could add that to his eight titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, a European Cup, a Cup Winners' Cup, an Inter-Continental Cup, a Super Cup and five Charity Shields.
Not surprisingly, Ferguson restored the in-form Ronaldo to his starting line-up, and he again looked United's most dangerous attacking player as he took his tally to 12 league goals.
He went close early on when he was released by Wes Brown but his shot from an acute angle was blocked by Royals keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
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<DIV class=cap>Ferguson enjoyed a birthday hug from Fred the Red</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Hahnemann had to be alert after fumbling a header from Ronaldo and managed to keep out Solskjaer's shot on the turn from close range.
United's frustration subsided when Solskjaer lost Sonko and headed in his eighth goal of the season from Ronaldo's perfect cross on 33 minutes.
Reading were behind for only five minutes when Sonko headed home after Van der Sar had come out to punch Shorey's free-kick but failed to get a touch.
Ronaldo headed a Carrick corner against the bar as United looked for a swift response to Reading's equaliser.
It almost came eight minutes after the break when Wayne Rooney made space for himself on the left side of the box before flighting a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Substitute Ryan Giggs poked the ball into the side netting from another Ronaldo cross as United inched closer to a second goal.
The inevitable happened on 59 minutes when Rooney sent Solskjaer into the left side of the box and when his shot squirmed off the far post, Ronaldo was on hand to stab in the rebound.
The Royals lost the influential Graeme Murty with a groin injury and introduced Sam Sodje who amazingly only lasted nine minutes before being sent off for two bookings inside four minutes.
The second looked harsh when he was penalised for pulling Rooney back when the linesman appeared to be flagging for an offside.
United extended their lead to 3-1 when Giggs picked out Ronaldo who appeared to be offside when he volleyed the ball past Hahnemann for his sixth goal of the festive period.
Giggs and Carrick went close to adding to United's tally before Lita pulled one back for Reading with slide-rule precision from the left to cause
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Solskjaer set Man Utd on their way</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manchester United gave manager Sir Alex Ferguson an early birthday present with victory over Reading at Old Trafford. Ferguson, who is 65 on New Year's Eve, saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put United ahead from a Cristiano Ronaldo cross.
Ibrahima Sonko soon headed Reading level from Nicky Shorey's free-kick after Edwin van der Sar's flap.
Ronaldo restored United's lead after Solskjaer hit the post and he volleyed in his second before Leroy Lita pulled one back for Reading.
<DIV class=avinline>Ferguson was presented with a silver trophy before kick-off to mark his 65th birthday. </DIV>
He could add that to his eight titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, a European Cup, a Cup Winners' Cup, an Inter-Continental Cup, a Super Cup and five Charity Shields.
Not surprisingly, Ferguson restored the in-form Ronaldo to his starting line-up, and he again looked United's most dangerous attacking player as he took his tally to 12 league goals.
He went close early on when he was released by Wes Brown but his shot from an acute angle was blocked by Royals keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Ferguson enjoyed a birthday hug from Fred the Red</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Hahnemann had to be alert after fumbling a header from Ronaldo and managed to keep out Solskjaer's shot on the turn from close range.
United's frustration subsided when Solskjaer lost Sonko and headed in his eighth goal of the season from Ronaldo's perfect cross on 33 minutes.
Reading were behind for only five minutes when Sonko headed home after Van der Sar had come out to punch Shorey's free-kick but failed to get a touch.
Ronaldo headed a Carrick corner against the bar as United looked for a swift response to Reading's equaliser.
It almost came eight minutes after the break when Wayne Rooney made space for himself on the left side of the box before flighting a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Substitute Ryan Giggs poked the ball into the side netting from another Ronaldo cross as United inched closer to a second goal.
The inevitable happened on 59 minutes when Rooney sent Solskjaer into the left side of the box and when his shot squirmed off the far post, Ronaldo was on hand to stab in the rebound.
The Royals lost the influential Graeme Murty with a groin injury and introduced Sam Sodje who amazingly only lasted nine minutes before being sent off for two bookings inside four minutes.
The second looked harsh when he was penalised for pulling Rooney back when the linesman appeared to be flagging for an offside.
United extended their lead to 3-1 when Giggs picked out Ronaldo who appeared to be offside when he volleyed the ball past Hahnemann for his sixth goal of the festive period.
Giggs and Carrick went close to adding to United's tally before Lita pulled one back for Reading with slide-rule precision from the left to cause
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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