United On Fire

Ah, it was very nice writing the title of this post.  I’ve been away for the long Easter weekend, checking out the excellent Eden Project.   I was actually driving during the first half of this game and it was very funny listening to Liverpool fans Alan Green and Mark Lawrenson on Five Live “enjoying” the first half.  We stopped off to see my aunt and therefore missed the second half and the subsequent Arsenal Chelsea match up.  Observing radio silence on the way home, I watched the second half “as live” via Sky + and then watched Match of the Day 2 to watch the highlights and see Chelsea winning.  Chelsea fans didn’t deserve to win that game with their “You don’t know what your doing” chant.

Key points from the game.

• An early booking for Mascherano for a poor tackle on Scholes.  Mascherano then proceeds to spend the rest of the half moaning at the ref.
• United carve up the Liverpool defence on a number of occasions but Rooney is no Van Nistelrooy and doesn’t take his chances.
• Wes Brown gets a  rush of blood to the head, stays up field after a pass, then heads into the penalty area after our lone striker is sent wide.  Rooney plays a great ball in and Brown heads the ball goalward.  Reina manages to punch Brown in the back and miss the ball. 1-0!
• Torres picks up a booking for complaining too much about Ferdinand not getting a booking for fouling him.  Mascherano marches 30 yards, shrugs of Alonso and “asks” the ref what the booking was for.  Referee Bennett, clearly of the show not tell school, shows Mascherano exactly why the Spaniard was booked and gives the Argentine a second yellow.
• Mascherano completely loses it and has to be “assisted” off the field.  Liverpool end the half in complete disarray and give United fans a special Easter comedy to watch.
• Liverpool actually have a spell in the second half of some good play, but Ferdinand and Vidic completely contain the Liverpool attack.
• Anderson blasts one wild shot over the bar too many, and Giggs runs into a Liverpool defender once too often and are replaced by Tevez and Nani (a bold substition; but Fergie “knows what he is doing”)
• Ronaldo, clearly thinking his is offside, tamely shoots when 1-1 on Reina.  From the resulting corner, Ronaldo beats his marker and heads home for his 34th of the season.  Once again Reina comes for the ball and misses.
• Rooney and Nani combine well and the young Portuguese star shows Anderson just how to lash home a ball.  The shot was so quick that Reina didn’t bother to move for it.

In the end, a very comfortable win and the main talking point is the sending off, which was just very silly and childish from Mascherano.  United would have won anyway.  Chelsea beat Arsenal so United are 5 points clear at the top.  Arsenal’s title hopes appear to be over after no wins in five games.  United still have to go to Stamford Bridge where a draw will probably be enough to bring United the title.

It was announced today that Rio Ferdinand has been named England captain for the upcoming France friendly.   Good news for the man.  Whether Fernando Torres will have been let out of the England captain’s pocket before the game kicks off is not certain.

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