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10-man Manchester United rout West Ham in EPL
Published on Sun, May 04, 2008 at 16:38, Updated at Sun, May 04, 2008 in Sports section
Tags: Soccer, English Premier League , London
BULL'S EYE: Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals for United in the EPL match against West Ham.
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Ferguson's team has a goal differential of 53, having scored 68 and conceded only 15.
Ronaldo brought his goal tally to 40 this season with goals in the third and 24th minutes. Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick also scored for United, who played with 10 men from the 37th minute after Nani was sent off.
For Ronaldo's first goal, he took a goal kick from Edwin van der Sar, then dribbled from the sidelines into the box to score, with his shot deflecting in off West Ham defender George McCartney.
His second was more fortuitous. Owen Hargreaves crossed the ball into the box and, as it landed on his raised thigh, Ronaldo turned to divert the ball into goal.
It was Ronaldo's 30th league goal and 40th of the season. He was taken off in the 64th minute for Darren Fletcher.
"Cristiano has had a fantastic season and he develops all the time," Ferguson said.
Carlos Tevez made it 3-0 in the 26th against his former club, dipping in a shot from outside the box.
West Ham pulled a goal back in the 38th through an acrobatic backward scissors kick from Dean Ashton.
Manchester United had Nani sent off in the 37th minute for headbutting West Ham defender Lucas O'Neill, who was shown a yellow card.
Despite the man disadvantage, Michael Carrick made it 4-1 for United with a long range shot that deflected in off O'Neill.
United striker Wayne Rooney watched the match from the bench. He and defender Nemanja Vidic were not in the squad because of injury.
Fulham's third straight win came after Brian McBride headed in a free kick from Jimmy Bullard in the 52nd minute and Erik Nevland made it 2-0 in the 87th.
Fulham are at Portsmouth on the final day of the season - and Pompey will have one eye on the FA Cup final on May 17.
Reading meanwhile haven't won - or scored - in their last six games but play last-place Derby in the final game of the season.
Reading could have climbed out of the relegation zone with a win against Tottenham, but Robbie Keane scored the winner for Spurs in the 16th minute after taking a cross from Darren Bent.
"Now it's win or bust next week, we have to get a result to give ourselves a chance," Reading manager Steve Coppell said.
Wigan made sure they will remain in the Premier League on a bittersweet day for manager Steve Bruce, who used to manage Birmingham. Bruce left Birmingham after seven years to join Wigan in November when the Latics were 19th. Wigan are now 14th.
Antonio Valencia scored both goals for Wigan, in the 52nd and 63rd.
Chris Riggott and Tuncay Sanli scored for Middlesbrough over Portsmouth. Riggott, who was making his first senior appearance for the club since November 11 after being recalled from a loan spell at Stoke, scored the opener in the 40th minute.
Sanli doubled the lead in the 53rd.
Blackburn rallied from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1. Roque Santa Cruz equalised in the 45th minute on a rebound and then scored in the 77th with a header. Jason Roberts scored Rovers' second goal in the 47th.
Derby had gone 1-0 up when Kenny Miller ran onto a goalkick and scored past Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel in the 19th.
Former European Cup champion Nottingham Forest were promoted from League One to the League Championship - the division below the Premier League - with a 3-2 win over Yeovil. Swansea have already earned automatic promotion by winning the division on April 19.
Doncaster will play Southend and Carlisle will play Leeds in the playoffs for the final place in next season's League Championship.
Bournemouth were relegated along with Gillingham. Luton and Port Vale had already been relegated to play in League Two.
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