Sir Alex Ferguson Warns Cristiano Ronaldo Over His Petulance

The Manchester United boss has had to lay down the law to his star man.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he has spoken to Cristiano Ronaldo about his on-field petulance and insisted he will not accept such behavior.

The Portuguese striker has cut a frustrated figure at times this season and was guilty last weekend of conceding possession and then remonstrating, whilst Aston Villa went up the other end of the pitch and scored.

Speaking to the News of the World, the Scot insisted he would not put up with such poor behavior and admitted he had spoken to his star player about the issue.

“No, I don't accept that he will give goals away because of the player he is. I speak to him about it. I don't accept that from anyone,” explained Sir Alex.

“In European football, in particular, you give the ball away and it takes a long time to get it back. It has always been a big part of our strategy and philosophy in Europe - keeping possession of the ball.”

The United boss also revealed that he believes Ronaldo’s frustrations stem from the fact that he feels he is not getting enough protection from referees.

“It's really important. He's not immune from that. He always feels he's not getting the proper protection and I think that maybe in quite a few cases he is right, and a few cases he is not right,” said Ferguson.

“It's hard when a player who wants to entertain all doesn't get everything his way. You can't get everything your own way. He understands that, and there's not a problem with that.”

Sir Alex insisted that his No. 7 was aware of his faults but that he needed to remind him from time-to-time, although the 67-year-old stopped short of revealing exactly what he has said to Ronaldo.

"It's just a frustration that he feels that he doesn't get the decision and he gets upset about it. I think obviously he doesn't enjoy that and he knows he's letting himself down more than anything.

“He holds his hands up, I have had to remind him about that but I'm not getting into what has been said.”

Wonderkid Federico Macheda Rattles Sbragia's Sunderland

Following a disappointing display midweek Manchester United struggled to get past a dogged and determined Sunderland side. They needed the magic touch of Federico Macheda, who scored the winner after being on the pitch for only 46 seconds. The story book tale continues.

Sunderland 1-2 Manchester United

Having been knocked off the Premier League summit by Liverpool earlier this afternoon Manchester United travelled to Sunderland's Stadium of Light knowing that a win would take them back to the top of the league. Despite suffering back to back Premier League losses Manchester United have won 12 of their last 14 league outings and are undefeated in 13 top flight games against the Black Cats. Sunderland, for their part, need to start collecting points quickly if they are to avoid the drop.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was in an aggressive mood, fielding a front three of Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. Cristiano Ronaldo was left to warm the bench alongside recently disappointing Patrice Evra.

The Champions were right at Sunderland from the outset. Rooney, playing on the left of the trident, picked the ball up on the edge of the Sunderland box and sent his curling effort just wide of keeper Craig Gordon's far post. There was barely a minute on the clock.

Sunderland won a free-kick a few minutes later, it was taken by Andy Reid and seemed to be a fairly routine catch for Ben Foster but the young England stopper spilled and was scrambling to recover. Luckily for United fans Foster managed to smother the ball before it crossed the line.

Just as Sunderland were starting to settle into the game the Champions took the lead. After having a Nemanja Vidic header cleared off the line minutes earlier Rooney found himself attacking down the right flank in the 19th minute. Wazza floated a sublime cross into the box for Paul Scholes, the veteran midfielder made contact and his glancing header flew into the top corner leaving Gordon with no chance.

The Red Devil's defence was looking far from solid despite the return of Vidic, the Serbian international got mixed up with Foster on a back pass and almost gifted Carlos Edwards a goal. Unfortunately for the Black Cats the Trinidad and Tobago man couldn't quite connect with the loose ball as it trickled agonisingly past the United goal.

Despite their league position the home side were showing a wealth of ambition, Anton Ferdinand sent in a cross for his defensive counterpart Calum Davenport whose header rolled inches wide of the United post. Minutes later and former Manchester United trainee Phil Bardsley drove down the right flank and found Kenwyne Jones with his low cross, the powerful forward could only direct his effort inches wide of the post.

Sunderland were all over the visitors, Djilbril Cisse controlled the ball on the edge of the box following a scramble in the area. The Frenchman smashed the ball goalwards and Foster did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Moments later and Edwards showed good footwork to beat his marker on the right and drilled in a low cross that catches a boot and rattles the inside of the far post. Foster was static and Sunderland were ruing the approaching half time whistle as they were dominating the game.

As the half drew to a close Park Ji-Sung drove in from the right and unleased a curling drive that only just missed the top left hand corner of the goal. It was a wonderful effort.

It remained one-nil to United at half time, the second half started with a fine strike from the outstanding Rooney. The ball broke to the England international on the edge of the box and striking the ball first time it rocketed just shy of the top right hand corner. Gordon was an observer.

Ironically, just as the Red Devils were looking comfortable Sunderland pulled level in the 55th minute. The equaliser was scored by Jones and it was a straight forward goal for the Black Cats. Teemu Taino nut-megged Gary Neville and drove to the byline, the Finn whipped in a lovely cross with his left foot and Jones rose high at the back post. Foster flapped at the effort and the rebound was rifled home by Jones. One-one at the Stadium of Light.

The equaliser invigorated the visitors, Tevez picked up the ball 30yards from goal and laid the ball off to the approaching Scholes who lashed the ball goalwards. The English maestro caught the ball wonderfully and it zipped towards Gordon's bottom right hand corner, Scholes had just cut across the ball and it swerved wide of the post at the last moment. Unlucky.

Tevez was involved again moments later as he was played through by a cute ball from Berbatov, the Argentinian rounded the keeper but Bardsley was in to block his first effort on goal and persisted in tracking the energetic forward to deny him a sniff with his second effort. Great defensive work from Sunderland.

Sunderland were still showing ambition, a throw in from the right was allowed to bounce by the United defence and Cisse attempted a wonderful overhead strike, the Frenchman caught it beautifully and rippled the side netting. Replays showed it was incredibly close to sneaking in the near post and Foster hadn't reacted at all.

United threw on Federico Macheda with 15minutes left to play and 46seconds later the young Italian gave the Red Devils the lead! Michael Carrick unleased an effort towards the bottom left hand corner from 20yards and Macheda was alert enough to redirect it towards the bottom right hand corner. It seemed to be deliberate and Gordon was left stranded, two-one to United. It was Macheda's first touch of the ball!!

It was a knock out blow for the Black Cats and they failed to muster any kind of threat after falling behind for a second time. Despite a spirited display Sunderland remain in a perilous position whilst Manchester United reclaim their place on the summit of the Premier League, defensive problems still plague the side.

Ferguson makes Ronaldo plea

Sir Alex Ferguson has told Cristiano Ronaldo: "You can't get everything your own way."

The Manchester United winger has cut a frustrated figure at times this season and was guilty of giving the ball away in the lead-up to goals for Aston Villa and Porto in the last week.

Ronaldo was the key figure in United's march to the Barclays Premier League and Champions League double last season but manager Ferguson has made sure the Portuguese star knows what is expected.

He said: "No, I don't accept that he will give goals away because of the player he is, I speak to him about it. I don't accept that from anyone.

"In European football, if you give the ball away it takes a long time to get it back.

"He always feels he's not getting the proper protection from referees and I think that, maybe, in quite a few cases he is right, and a few cases he is not right.

"It's hard when a player who wants to entertain doesn't get everything his own way. But you can't get everything your own way. He understands that and there's not a problem with that. It's just a frustration that he feels he doesn't get the decision and he gets upset about it.

"I think, obviously, he doesn't enjoy that and he knows he's letting himself down more than anything. He holds his hands up. I have had to remind him about that but I'm not getting into what has been said."

Manchester United 1-4 Liverpool

Liverpool hauled themselves back into the Barclays Premier League title fight with a decisive crushing of 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Merseyside giants battled back from a goal down to defeat the leaders in clinical fashion, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard turning the match on its head before the break, with Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena easing Liverpool well clear before the end.

In contrast, it was an day to forget for Nemanja Vidic, who gifted Torres the equaliser before being sent off against Liverpool for second time this season as Benitez's side reduced United's lead at the top to four points, albeit having played a match more.

It represented Liverpool's biggest win at United since 1936 and could yet trigger an amazing title race revival.

Liverpool were the ones who needed the win and there appeared an extra sharpness about them from the start, especially Torres who gave the Red Devils defence a torrid time.

Once Jamie Carragher had recovered his composure after being unsettled by a sudden switch to right-back because of Alvaro Arbeloa's late withdrawal, they had the edge in vital areas, the hosts no better than their nervy first-half display against Inter Milan in midweek.

Indeed, it was a surprise when United went ahead.

Pepe Reina read Carlos Tevez's through ball for Park Ji-sung well enough but came out too quickly for his own good. When the South Korean nicked the ball away, the Liverpool keeper could not stop.

And though Reina pleaded for leniency, referee Alan Wiley correctly pointed to the spot.

Ronaldo is not the type of player to waste such opportunities and duly dispatched his 17th goal of the season.

Had Sir Alex Ferguson's men been able to hold their advantage for a decent length of time, the visitors might have panicked. But five minutes later Liverpool were level thanks to a rare mistake from Nemanja Vidic.

The Serbian has been virtually foot perfect this season, so much so that he is favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

But first Vidic let Martin Skrtel's long punt forward bounce when he could have headed it back into the Liverpool half quite easily. Then, he failed to deal with the loose ball, allowing Torres to nip in and streak clear, beating Edwin van der Sar with clinical efficiency.

Conceding one goal was amazing enough for the Red Devils, yet before half-time Liverpool had scored again.

Hull City were the last team to score more than once against United in Premier League combat - and that was four and a half months ago.

But when Torres tried to send Gerrard racing into the box and Patrice Evra mis-timed his tackle, the Liverpool skipper was able to convert his penalty with the same confidence Ronaldo had shown earlier.

Gerrard's glee was obvious. And Liverpool's lead was fully deserved, condemning Ferguson to his first interval rallying call in league combat at Old Trafford all season.

The Scot injected a greater sense of urgency into his team, even if there was no improvement in their retention of the ball.

Carrick in particular was having a pretty bad day, twice putting his side in danger with wayward passes.

United at least managed to generate some momentum, with Tevez almost getting on the end of a Wayne Rooney knock-back and then rolling a shot on the turn just wide.

Ferguson waited until less than 20 minutes remained before he made the introductions of Dimitar Berbatov, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

It is the kind of strength Benitez does not have and one of the major reasons why Liverpool have found themselves on the wrong end of a 14-point swing in fortunes since United returned from their Club World Cup campaign in Japan just before Christmas.

What Liverpool have managed to do this season is beat Chelsea and United, against both of whom they have now registered 'doubles'.

Any hope United had, evaporated within a minute of Ferguson's spectacular triple substitution as another woeful first touch, again from Vidic, left the Serbian little alternative other than to haul down Gerrard.

For the second successive match against Liverpool, it brought Vidic a red card and he was still making his way down the tunnel when Aurelio curled home a superb free-kick.

And Liverpool were not finished as Andrea Dossena lobbed Van der Sar in the final minute to complete a memorable win.