Manchester United 0-0 Reading

Manchester United suffered a frustrating start to the new Premier League season being held to a goalless draw at Old Trafford by Reading. United were unable to break down a highly organised Reading side who put up a dogged defensive display, with goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann their star performer.

The first day got even worse when Wayne Rooney was forced to leave the field at half time with a hairline fracture to his foot, caused in a challenge with Reading defender Michael Duberry where Rooney came very close to openng the scoring, sending a close-range shot over the bar.

Sir Alex Ferguson picked a Man Utd starting line up that did not include any of his new summer signings, choosing to begin the defense of the Premiership title with many of the old-guard. Surprisingly, Mikael Silvestre started at left back with Patrice Evra pushed up play in a left wing role and Wes Brown deputised at right back for the injured Gary Neville. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo looked very sharp, at the heart of most of the Reds attacking moves in the first half. United’s chances were mostly limited to long-range shots and Van der Saar was a virtual spectator as Reading set out to man-mark Rooney, Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs and didn’t bother with much attacking play at all. Giggs came closest to scoring with a left foot volley that hit the post.

Rooney’s injury resulted in the introduction of Nani for the second half, the new United signing from Sporting Lisbon showed some promising touches and linked up well with Ronaldo as Man Utd created more clear-cut chances. Nani went close with a fizzing shot that went narrowly wide and the Reading goalkeeper made saves from Carrick, Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and John O Shea who came on as a second half substitute to play as a makeshift striker! Reading were reduced to 10 men 17 minutes before the end when replacement striker Dave Kitson was sent off for a lunging challenge on Evra having come on tho the pitch only seconds before. United continued to push forward but could not break through the massed Reading defence and the game ended 0-0.

As a United fan who was sat in the Stretford End it is difficult to take many positives from the opening game, we did keep a clean sheet and Vidic had a towering performance at the back, but it is worrying that we couldn’t find a way through a Reading side that stuck to their defensive game plan throughout, and Rooney’s injury didn’t help, if he had been on the pitch I think United would have won. I remember last season’s opener against Fulham where we blew them away and were 4-0 up inside 20 minutes - there was none of that in this game. Let’s face it, United are the Champions and most teams will come to Old Trafford and play like Reading, it is up to us to break them down.