Presidential

Pretty comfortable win in the end yesterday. Everton lacked a cutting edge, occasionally they'd go forward with purpose but had nothing in the penalty area, set pieces were there only real chances, First half we were excellent and looked like we'd go on to score a few more but we lost a bit of momentum second half, credit to Everton. The penalty was non-controversial and nearly all the papers agree. The exception being the News of the World, here's there rather odd description of it:

The first contact occurred just outside the area but the second — and the more crucial — was just inside. Carrick cartwheeled and Mark Halsey, who did Everton few favours, pointed to the spot.

"Cartwheeled"? Last time I checked trying to stay on your feet after being caught by an outstretched leg in the box is not in the dictionary definitions of "cartwheeled". Even Alan Hansen on MOTD thought it was a penalty. That's how cast iron it was. And "did Everton no favours"? There was one penalty claim they had, which would have been very harsh had it been given (and Cahill (if I remember correctly) should have been penalised for a raised foot in the build up anyway). But there was only one other contentious decision and in that one he did do Eveton a favour, by not giving what was a nailed on penalty for us in the second half, an incident which, again, the NOTW is the only paper to call Carrick into question on:

There was no suggestion that Carrick had duped Halsey but he certainly tried in the second half ... when he cannoned into Joleon Lescott after realising he was running the ball out of play.

That is really just a terrible misreading of a game of a football.
In their summary of the incident The Times make a good point:

Carrick collected a Tevez flick and, rolling the sole of his boot over the ball to caress it past Arteta, breached Everton’s box. Arteta stuck his leg out behind him and tripped his opponent, who stayed on his feet for a few strides before falling just as Tony Hibbert seemed set to make a tackle.

Mark Halsey, well positioned, pointed to the spot and it seemed a sound if unusual decision. Players are criticised for going down too easily and had Carrick simply toppled when clipped there would have been less debate. Surely Carrick did not deserve to be penalised for trying to remain upright.

It is a point I often make, that you have to go down at a touch because otherwise you won't get the decision, Ronaldo goes down under slight touches and gets criticised for it, but there isn't any real choice as far I'm concerned.
Ronaldo gets some overdue praise today, and the NOTW just about makes up for the penalty stupidity with this:

Cristiano Ronaldo waited for Tim Howard to stop clowning on the goal-line and promptly smashed in the spot-kick. His celebrations seemed to blow away a few myths. You know the ones.

Mentally, he is already wearing the white of Madrid. His agent has already given a nod and a wink to Bernabeu bigwigs.

All those awards have gone to his head, by the way. Yep, that Ronaldo — his heart just ain’t at Old Trafford.

Well, you could have fooled me, Everton and the rest of the Premier League yesterday.

Ronaldo has exactly the same drive, determination and hunger as every one of this formidable squad. And that is saying something.

The Telegraph say that "Cristiano Ronaldo is undergoing a renaissance", though, as I've said on numerous occassions, he has had a good season anyway - he's now second top scorer in the league - a point Ronaldo made after the game:

“I’m very happy with my season but the most important thing is the team,” he said. “We are top of the league and the lads are playing well. Sure, I’ve scored a few important goals, but I just need to carry on.”

The Observer give praise to Everton:

Manchester United now know what Liverpool found out twice last month. Everton are no pushovers. Like their title rivals, United were way below their best and found Everton's defensive shield hard to dismantle

while David Moyes praises us:

"Looking at them close up made me drool – it was difficult to keep thinking up ways to stop them."

There doesn't seem to be one good source of comments from Sir Alex, this report from The Mail is about the best, rounding up comments from everyone, including these on our new defensive record:

'It's an unbelievable record. I'm so pleased for Edwin. He works hard for his age,' quipped Ronaldo.
Ferguson said: 'It's a fantastic record and you have to give Edwin a lot of the credit. He's had different defenders in front of him in different games, and that's where his experience and calm manner is such an asset.'

To finish, The Observer has Rio Ferdinand interviewing Gordon Brown. I have no idea why. Here's one exchange, with Gordon Brown randomly asking about Darren Fletcher, Scottish solidarity I suppose...

RF: The team the manager picked yesterday [when United beat Chelsea 3-0 at Old Trafford] – I don't know if you saw it, but no one in the world would have picked that team. But he's a genius, he's unbelievable. You would have picked Scholes or Carrick, definitely; both of them were on the bench.

GB:And he picked Giggs and Darren Fletcher. Is Fletcher a good guy?

RF:Yeah, really nice guy. He's done really well this year, he's probably been our best player. He' really up and down, works hard for the team. Typical Scot, isn't he? [Laughs.] Works hard.