Manchester United
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Darren Fletcher
Louis Saha
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Sweet strikes from Darren Fletcher, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave Manchester United all three points as they beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 at The Valley.
Super-sub Solskjaer completed his return to score his first goal in three years because of injury to seal the result for The Red Devils, but a lot of the hard work had already been done.
United were dominant on the night, hitting the woodwork three times and maintaining their perfect Premiership record for the season with two straight wins to fire themselves to the top of the league.
The Red Devils have now scored eight goals in two games and continued their amazing record at The Valley, where they remain unbeaten since December 1955.
Both managers were forced to make changes from the opening day of the season for a wet and windy night in South London, which marked Iain Dowie's first home game in charge of The Addicks.
Fletcher, Park Ji-Sung and Mikael Silvestre came in to United's starting line-up with Gary Neville ruled out through injury and Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes suspended.
Jonathan Fortune came into the centre of defence for Charlton in place of Djimi Traore, who was sent off in the defeat at West Ham United at the weekend.
The slick conditions saw the game get off to a pacey, but scrappy affair, with Cristiano Ronaldo booed from the outset in his first away game for The Red Devils since the World Cup.
But it was Ryan Giggs who was chosen to pair up with Saha at the front as the 21-year-old continued to torment on both wings, switching with Park.
For all the tempo and energy on display from both sides, there was little goal-mouth action in the first 15 minutes with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's snap shot from a Darren Ambrose chest down the only chance of note.
The game really burst into life when Herman Hreidarsson was guilty of blatant obstruction on Ronaldo, which was greeted by cheers from the home fans.
Rio Ferdinand surged up from the back to retrieve the ball and give the Icelandic defender a taste of his own medicine at the same time.
The incident briefly raised the intensity of the game, but was soon calmed down by the referee without the need for any further action.
Ferdinand was again involved on 23 minutes when picking out Park in the box though. The Korean swiveled and seemed certain to score, but could only find the centre of the goal and a grateful Scott Carson.
After 25 minutes Ronaldo was brought down by Luke Young on the edge of the area after a clever back flick. Giggs stepped up to fire the resulting free-kick in, but it rebounded back off the inside of the post, as United took the ascendancy in the game for the first real time.
The conditions remained testing for both sides though and a slip from Patrice Evra and a poor clearance from Mikael Silvestre almost let Hasselbaink in for a clear shot on goal, but the left back eventually got back to clear the ball over the bar.
Silvestre then made a strong challenge on Hreidarsson as the ball was running out for a corner. Charlton's protests were muted, but it looked like a good shout for a spot kick.
United were looking ragged and indecisive at the back, but their passing game was working well up front but for a lack of finishing to their incisive attacking play.
Hreidarsson was booked on 33 minutes for a second poor challenge, this time on Park and his protests saw Wes Brown booked just five minutes later for an innocuous slide on the Icelander in slippery conditions.
While Ronaldo looked a constant torment it was Giggs who drew the best save from Carson, with a right footed curler guided round the post by the young England keeper.
But the Portuguese winger would not be silenced for long as Saha teed him up for a shot just outside the box which hammered against the bar beyond the outstretched Carson.
The home team were desperate to reach the break and alleviate some of the pressure and United finished the half in domination at 0-0.
The game got back underway with a fast start for the home team, a speculative shot from Ambrose just after the restart had Edwin Van der Sar in no-man's-land as it brushed the outside of his right post.
But United's reply was immediate a hopeful Park cross in from the right found Darren Fletcher in the box in the 49th minute. He twisted and turned Talal El Karkouri before smashing the ball past a helpless Carson from close range to make it 1-0 to United.
United had their backs up and looked to try to seal the game, with Ronaldo boosted by some stellar support from the away fans looking ever-dangerous.
The winger dazzled Matt Holland with a string of his trademark step-overs before whipping the ball into Park, who slid in to hit his outstretched right-footed volley against the woodwork for the third time in the match.
But Charlton were still in the game and a corner from the right looked certain to find Hreidarsson before the outstretched arm of Wes Brown cleared the ball from danger. The use of the arm was not deliberate, but the referee could easily have awarded a penalty to get the home side back into it.
A frustrated Dowie decided to change the game though and counter United's free-flowing football. He brought Marcus Bent on for Hasselbaink in the 65th minute to try to increase the pressure on Van der Sar's goal for the last 25 minutes.
But it was not until the 74th minute that the Bents combined to create a good opening for Charlton. A hopeful clearance from the back was glanced on by Marcus to Darren, but under pressure, he blasted his shot high and wide.
Sir Alex Ferguson noted the changes though and shuffled his pack about accordingly to cope with the added pressure. Michael Carrick came on for Park in the 76th minute to make his official debut for the club, as Giggs dropped back into midfield to make it a 4-5-1 formation.
Left to his own devices Saha added strength to his claim to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy as United's most prolific striker.
A ball in from the right found Saha surrounded by four Charlton defenders on the edge of the box, but they backed off and the French international swiveled and fired a fearsome strike in the bottom right-hand corner of Carson's goal to make it 2-0.
Amdy Faye came off for Dennis Rommedahl in the 82nd minute, but it seemed too little too late for the Addicks, as Giggs was replaced in the team and as captain by the returning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
A break in the closing minutes found Carrick in acres breaking into the box, but the £14 million man crossed unselfishly to Solskjaer who seemed certain to score before Carson dived back across to make a great last ditch save for his side.
Charlton were beaten and with Carson left stranded after a Saha cross the super sub Solskjaer sealed his return with a cool finish to make it 3-0 to the visitors on 90 minutes.
With the Addicks soundly beaten, the Reds could return to Manchester to reflect on a fantastic display of attacking football in testing conditions.
We on fire leh meh hear all the Man.u haters now,Chelski lose today and Man.u had a convincing win.NEXT