Well, if the Premier League really is a marathon, we’ve just got to that last bit with Manchester United and Chelsea level at the front. It has turned into a sprint at the death, and we’ll see which team has the energy left to get themselves over the line, or fall over embarrassingly 5 yards from the end.
If both teams win, we’ll need a photo finish, but luckily United would win it then. Chelsea have to better United’s result. The last time this happened was 40 years ago and then it was United and City. United fell over losing to Sunderland away, but picked themselves up to win the biggest prize of all, the European Cup. The last time the league was won on goal difference was 1989 when Arsenal beat Liverpool in the last game of the season. I still remember the goal by Michael Thomas. That was something else. Arsenal needed to win by two goals and did so, but only in the 88th minute.
All, we can do now is cross our fingers and hope that United are able to do the business. Wish them luck.
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Chelsea got through their visit to Goodison Park, so the plan still stands. Beat Blackburn in the late kick off Saturday and then go to Stanford Bridge, win and win the league. I’ve got a feeling we’ll sneak this game away to Blackburn, they’ve been fading a bit.
Vidic and Nani return from injury and I expect Vidic to start and Nani to be on the bench, of even replace Park in the starting line-up. Scholes has been a bit off the pace and for a strong physical game against Mark Hughes’s team, I’d like to see Hargreaves, Carrick and Anderson add fire to the midfield. Scholes and Giggs can come off the bench to help it if we need it, but can no longer be seen as first choice.
Let’s go for it from the off, and don’t have a poor first half like we did against Arsenal.
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At short notice, work has sent me on a training course next week (someone else canceled). Which means unfortunately, I’ll miss both the Middlesbrough and Roma games. Thankfully, as the Roma game is somewhat under control what with the 2 goal advantage, I feel confident that they will manage without me. Sometimes, life sucks.
On the bright side, the course is in Barcelona. Life doesn’t suck that much after all.
My work colleague in the Barca office has said he will see what he can about getting me tickets for the Barca Champions League clash, but I don’t hold out much hope. And the chance of finding a bar not showing the Barcelona game and showing United instead is even lower.
Anyway, enough about midweek. Tomorrow we face Middlesbrough away, and it has always been a tricky fixture for some reason. In fact, this season, Middlesbrough have made a speciality of beating the big times whilst losing to the lower placed sides.
I had a bad dream last night that United lost (but it was to Watford) and the defence consisted of Brown, O’Shea, Silvestre and myself. Disaster as I got sent off as well. The referee was a nightmare. But enough about my noctural imagination. If Fergie does go for a defence including Silvestre and O’Shea we could be quite a bit of trouble. I just hope that Sir Alex goes for a full strength team and rests the big guns against Roma on Wednesday.
The championship race became much clearer today as Arsenal drew (5th home draw in a row) to Liverpool, making it a more or less 2 horse race with Chelsea who saw off City quite easily. The gap is 2 points and there is all to play for.
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Nearly a whole year ago, United were coming of the back of a splendid 4 goal win in the league and waiting to face Roma in the Quarter Final of the Champions League. That game finished 2-1 to Roma but it didn’t matter because in the return leg, United put on one of their best ever European performances and slaughtered them 7-1.
What is the difference between now and then? Well, firstly Blackburn, whilst conceding as many goals as Aston Villa, put up a really hard fight and it wasn’t until the 61st minute that Paul Scholes scored an equalizer to turn the game. The Villa game, conditions aside, was a stroll in the park by comparison. Secondly, Totti will be missing for Roma, and he is their main player. Finally, Nmanja Vidic dislocated his shoulder in the Blackburn match which had major repercussions later in the season, with tiredness being the cause of the sem-final loss and only just bringing home the title.
I think the result will be different tomorrow night, the team are in a much stronger place, and one striker aside could not be stronger squad wise. With this in mind, I think we are well placed for the Champions League as well as the Premier League.
The only thing I’m not sure about is whether the dreadful scenes in the crowd will be repeated. I hope not.
I will, hopefully, be Live Blogging again for the game (see the Bolton one I did) so come back from 19:45 to see what I think of the events as they happen.
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Villa are the sort of team you always want to play near the end of the season. Villa are 7th but with little chance of getting a European spot and have no win in four games. In short, they have nothing to play for. The last sort of team you want to face now is a team on the edge of the relegation battle. When playing Arsenal or Chelsea, you know it will be a battle and will be up for it. When you face a team at the bottom, subconsciously you think it will be easy but those teams have a lot to play for. Look at the Derby game, and they are virtually down.
Of course saying that, all teams seem to raise their game against United and with the Roma game coming up on Tuesday rotation will have its part to play too. It’ll be two from four in central midfield after the unfortunate Darren Fletcher got injured playing for Scotland. I’m sure he would have started against Villa. My random number generator has picked Scholes and Hargreaves this time.
I think Rooney will be rested (he played for England) but Ronaldo will play (he didn’t play for Portugal). I’d like to see Tevez start and get on the scoresheet this time round.
Prediction: 3-1 to United (Wes Brown hattrick)
Image Arsenal vs Aston Villa, by Jaime Ramírez Garrido
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