'O' Shea got the ball' Correct, after he had got the man = penalty.

Paul Forster, Middlesbrough, England

United play entertaining football but will always give the opposition a goal. This is where United may not have the success in Europe. They have great players but has Fergie got the best out of them on the European stage. Raffa at Liverpool may not have the calibre of player or the entertaining play of United but he does grind out results in Europe. This asks the question to both managers and supporters. European cups at the cost of free flowing football and the excitement, never knowing what is going to happen at each game. The Liverpool teams would suffocate the opposition and the crowd with a strategy similar to the Italian football of the sixties. With football becoming increasingly more expensive then it is very difficult to entertain and win at the same time. If Raffa was to manage United I’m sure there would be more European silverware there but less of the unknown for the fans to worry about

ARTHUR BROCKLEBANK, Liverpool, England

I watched three matches yesterday all on some sort of arabic TV station. Arsenal, Liverpool and Man U. Man U were definitely the poorest and most ordinary of the three big teams. It's strange why Man U are at the top of the premiership whilst Arsenal are ending the season empty handed because they appear technically and visually much better than United. The goal scored by Tottenham in the last kick of the game to gain a draw was ludicrously unlucky for Arsenal fans.

d whittaker, Eastbourne, East sussex

First Point: United were denied a good goal (Soljskear) and a booking for him that was totally wrong. There is nothing in the rules to say that once the ball has left the goalies hands it cannot be attacked.

Second: Jim, Aussie, says Chelsea's terrible injury list during Xmas. It was Terry for two matches and Czeck for maybe five. United have had most of the 1st team back four out for months. In Chelsea's case they have spent half a billion pounds so, unless the manager is no good, they should have ample reserves.

Ramon Bernardo, London, England

This is yet another sycophantic match report in favour of the big clubs.There are not many journalists who have the courage to be honest and write an accurate report in fear of upsetting Sir Alex and the Man Utd hierarchy.Similarly,all our premiership referees operate under the same fear.It stinks,and it is one of the reasons why a lot of football fans are feeling alienated from the once beautiful game.

John Donovan, Ingleby Barwick,

How on earth can any report on this game have any credibility if it doesn't even mention the clear and blatant penalty. Oh sorry iot wasn't the player with the mesmeric feet who came within several feet of a Middlesbrough player.

If I were Mr Lovejoy's employers I would be looking at his ability to report on football games.

Ron, Doncaster, UK

Does this journalist even understand the rules of the game?

"and again when he took Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name for a legitimate challenge on Schwarzer. "

If you don't know the rule on kicking the ball whie the keepers kicking it then you probably shouldn't be a sports journalist

Definate penalty at the end too, clearly one of the 'pack up at half time and write the report on the train home school of journalism'

Amazing how Ronaldo isn't so effective when the ref doesn't buy all his diving isn't it?

James, Manchester,

it is amazing how so very successful managers sometimes make elementary mistakes that can cause the loss of the premiership title for a great club such as United. Sir Alex should have taken Rio off the field immediately firstly to protect him from his injury deteriorating and secondly to recompose his defence which would have avoided the equaliser.
I am afraid that Chelsea will again make it to the top. It is not the club I do not like - it is the cocky manager and the .....owner for reasons I cannot put on paper.
Sir Alex has brought fame to United and has created high hopes for this year which are crumbling very fast because of such mental lapses

Demetris Pantazis, Lefkosia, Cyprus

A game that Man U should have lost - amazing that there is no mention of the key moment when the penalty was not given for Boro. Maybe the writer didnt stay till the end

Justin, Brighton, Sussex

Surely the main talking point from the game has to be the penalty that wasn't given (not the author's vote for Didier Drogba). Also Pogatetz - were we watching the same game? - he was Boro's best player.

Eric Sandelands, Stokesley, North Yorkshire

We all know that if the penalty appeal in injury-time had been at the other end the ref would have awarded it!

John Priestman, Huddersfield, England

Unbelievably biased reporting against the Boro yet again. 'In control and cruising' is that why the match stats said Boro had over 60% of the possession in the first half? No mention of the nailed on penalty which could of given Boro all 3 points (no more than would of been deserved after some of the awful decisions given against them during their last 3 encounters), and if Scholes shouldn't of been booked for his challenge on Rochembach then the same could equally be said of the 50/50 header that Cattermole was booked for.
But then, Mr Lovejoy was obviously watching a different game to the one I watched, that is if he watched it at all!

Karen, INgleby Barwick, England

What a completely biased report this is!..No doubt Ronaldo is one of the best in the world but he was poor yesterday..Boro were magnificent yesterday and you give them no credit at all..And why no mention of the stone-wall penalty Boro should have had at the end? You are probably another Man utd fan who has only ever seen them on Sky..Pathetic!

Paul Stacey, Middlesbrough,

What an incredible piece of journalism. Should this not be in the fiction section?

Bravo.

Paul, York,

Typical. Again united get away with a stonewall penalty not given against them. Why no mention of this impotant fact?

A great performance by 'Boro. Now for the Blues to step up.

Richard Clinton, West Bromwich, England

The Times deserves every word of every critical comment. The O'Shea foul at the end was a nailed-on penalty. How can your reporter fail to mention it?

Matt S, North London,

Glad to see Boro playing out of their skins in their FA Cup final match. Hope they play just as well and put as much effort into their next match against Spurs? How can a team who played with this much effort be 7 places from the bottom? Just shows how teams raise their games for the big matches.
and O'Shea got the ball!

Jonathan Lord, Manchester, UK

Joe - had you down for better than this. Got to agree firmly with Dave's comments above. Your line about 'nothing to complain about' betrays where you're coming from with this slanted report. Not good enough.

Terry Leather, Leeds, UK

The usual type of report, whenever a team goes to Old Trafford and gets a good result and Boro usually get good results there. It's always a matter of Manure playing badly and never the opposition doing well and getting a deserved win/draw Boro fans are sick of it. It should have been a better result had the referee had some bottle and given a nailed on penalty which Lovejoy chooses to ignore...unbelievable.

Derek Hartas, Redcar, Nth Yorkshire

The usual report when a team goes to Old Trafford and does well and Boro always do well there. It's never a case of the opposition playing good it's always Manure playing badly Boro fans are sick of hearing it. Well done Boro it should have been a result better if not for another referee bottling it.

Derek, Redcar, Nth Yorkshire

Joe Lovejoy's take on the non-award of a stonewall penalty to Boro would have been interesting as he seems to think the referee was above reproach. Perhaps he didn't stay to the end of the game? Or perhaps he would have had to admit that Man U were lucky in the end to get a point?

Pam Slater, Long Newton, England

No need to mention the blatant Boro penalty not given at the end in your match report, obviously. Why would anyone want to read about how a lowly north east side would have beaten Europe's best team at home had it not been for rank bad - and biased - refeering when you could have another nice long paragraph about the genius of Cristiano Ronaldo? Did you miss the second half? Certainly reads like it.

Dave Watton, Middlesbrough, UK

What a bias report in favour of man utd middlesbrough thourghly deserved the draw if not more and not one mention of a clear cut penalty in injury time but name me an offical who would've been brave enough to give a penalty against the home side at old trafford in injury time.United have had there fair shake of decisions against boro this season and if this draw is to cost them the title i for one will see it as justice.

mark lightfoot, limavady , northern ireland

About time Boro got revenge after all Ronaldo's antics in the previous games, that penalty in the FA cup quarter finals still riles all the Boro faithful

martin, wellington, new zealand

I suppose everything balances out in the end. Chelsea's terrrible defensive injury list during Xmas and January, and at their lowest point, defenseless against Liverpool at Anfiield when they lost Carvalho at the last minute.
Now it looks like it's ManU's turn. Chelsea v ManU at the Bridge. Can't wait...

Jim Valassis, Sydney, Australia