United On Fire

Portsmouth 0 Manchester United 1 (Fletcher 32)

A good win, considering the situation.  United in parts controlled this game, without creating too many chances.  Certainly neither goalkeeper were too troubled over the 90 minutes, but it was goal machine Darren Fletcher who won United the points once again.  2 in 2 games and showing what a valuable squad player he is.

United played with O’Shea at left back and Evra in midfield and it was the Frenchman who supplied the cross for the goal.  Fletcher’s goal was very similar to his one against Newcastle as he arrived in the box at just the right time.

Rooney and Tevez (back from a family bereavement) worked tirelessly up front and the amazing Anderson (days after returning from China) was in an excellent partnership up front.  What United lacked was just that little something extra that turns work into goals.  Without Giggs, Nani and Ronaldo amongst others this is to be somewhat expected but I hope Rooney and Tevez can turn workrate into that extra special like they did last season.

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Manchester United 4 (Ronaldo 3, 24, Tevez 26, Carrick 59) West Ham United 1 (Ashton 28)

A very early goal, combined with playing a team already on their summer holidays meant United moved to within 1 win of the title.   From the moment Ronaldo was allowed far too much room to take a shot and score in the third minute this was always going to be a United victory.  However, the stupid sending off of Nani threatened to change the game, and Nani will be heavily punished for his stupidity.

Whilst Ronaldo was sent off for a headbutt that was more of a eyebrow brush in the 2nd game of the season, Nani’s attempt was far more effective at hurting his opponent, and he was rightly sent off.  What was worse was the desperate attempts at play acting.  Last time he does that, one can only hope.

That black moment aside, this was a good result.  Ronaldo tucked his 2nd of the game and 40th of the season using his thigh, but a couple of minutes later Tevez scored a screamer that had his ex-fans clapping in appreciation.  Tevez has been a little underused and somewhat in the shadow of Ronaldo this season.  His performances against West Ham and Barcelona prove that he could still become a United great.

A couple of minutes later, it was the United fan’s turn to applaud an opposition goal.  A lofted ball into the box had both Dean Ashton and Rio Ferdinand backpeddling.  As Rio tried to get his head to the ball, Ashton decided he could make better use of his feet and managed to produce a magnificent overhead kick.  Unfortunately for him, he seemed to injure himself in the process.  Ashton has been tipped as a possible United signing, and whilst I don’t see it myself, he proved today was a good player he is.

Despite being down to 10 men, it was mostly cruise control for United, especially when another ex-Hammer got United’s 4th.  Carrick picked the ball up in midfield and was allowed far too much time to set himself for a shot.  There was a deflection that wrong footed the keeper, Green and the ball was in the net.  Despite conceding 4, Green was at fault for none of the goals.

The game ended 4-1 and United go to Wigan knowing that a win will see them win the league.   Wigan are clear of the relegation zone and whilst will still pose a threat, they don’t have anything to play for.  Mind you, we might still win it on Monday night when Chelsea face Newcastle.  Stranger things have happened.

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We’re in a bit of trouble, largely of our own doing.  People who laugh at Rafa Benitez for rotating his team too much can now look at Sir Alex Ferguson and smirk quite a bit.  What was that team that was put out?  I can understand the logic, the gamble if you will.  Fergie must have thought that given that even if we lose the title is in our own hands, it was worth resting Ronaldo and playing Fletcher and Silvestre.

Three out of the first four 1st choice defenders was probably a good move, but it was let down, firstly by Wes Brown giving the ball away in the first minute setting the tone for the rest of the half.  Then, the unfortunate loss of Vidic, providing that actually he isn’t a machine and does bleed if you knee him in the face hard enough.  He didn’t look pretty beforehand.

The goal was inevitable.  But then Chelsea decided that they’d do their own bit of imploding, gifting Rooney a goal and then fighting like children over freekicks.  I thought they were going to give us the title, but it turned the other way again.  It probably was a penalty.  Carrick had time to move his hand, I think.

So, we lose 2-1 and now need to win against West Ham and Wigan.  West Ham should be a win.  They are a bogey side, but usually at Upton Park.  Last season we lost at home, but West Ham needed the points and we didn’t care.  We should have and we could have sent them down.  We’d have more likely won away to the team they replaced, Sheffield United and have three more points and the league in the bag.

Congrats to Ronaldo for winning a meaningless personal award.  It will look very annoying if he can’t put a league winners medal next to it.

But it is the Champions League next.  Too close to call and likely to be another tense night.  No live blogging this time, I need to concentrate more on the game and not the laptop.  Come on you Reds.

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