Watford 1 - 2 Manchester United
Saturday 26th August 2006
Watford, London
Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't the only one feeling the bruises on Saturday night, with Watford hustling and bustling (and knocking people over!) all ninety minutes. It wasn't the first time United came up against a team that are satisfied to battle it out tooth and nail, and it certainly won't be the last.
For all Watford's spirit, however, they lacked the class necessary to take a giant of the game, such as Manchester United, down to the ground.
United never really had the chence to get their fast, free-flowing football up and running, but once they had managed to get their second goal, there was never a moment where you thought Watford would get back into the game.
It was the unlikely source of Mickael Silvestre that led the goal charge. A fast-flowing move saw Ronaldo set up Louis Saha, but the Frenchman chose the unselfish option of passing to his fellow countryman, who was screaming in from the left. A neat cut-back and Silvestre took one touch to steady himself, before smashing the ball home into the far corner.
United rested on their laurels a little, and failed to create any meaningful chances before a Cristiano Ronaldo header from a corner that Ronny should have done better with.
The cat was put amongst the pidgeons when Watford equalised - one of their unknowns managed to bamboozle Mickey Silvestre and knock the ball to the back-post for a simple tap-in for Francis.
Giggsy finally managed to rap the game up on 52 minutes, with a fine strike sent past goalkeeper Lee after a back-pass error from Watford.
