United Beats Fulham...Barely

Manchester United 1 - Fulham 0
Scorer
Manchester United: Rooney (42)


Team: De Gea, Rio (Smalling 74), Evans, Rafael, Evra, Carrick, Giggs, Young, Valencia, Rooney (Scholes 78), Welbeck (Hernandez 73)

Jesus F Christ, don't our players know that football is played until the referee whistles for fulltime? We played some exceptional football for 85 minutes then crumbled in the final 5. Had it not been for some piss poor refereeing and our opponents being simply crap in front of goal, this would have been a draw or even worse.

We set the tone early in the game and Fulham never really registered as an attacking force. All the pressure came from us and Fulham were content to park the bus and take us on the counter.

The first half was a bit disappointing. We spent most of the time probing the Fulham defense, unable to really unlock the door until Rooney's surprising goal on the 42nd minute. A lapse in concentrate from a solid looking Fulham defense allowed Evans to get on the end fumbled clearance to lay off for Rooney to poke home at close range.

The second half was a much better affair. After the initial scouting of the wall Fulham built in the first half, we were able to take more precise measures to tear it down. There was alot of sublime passing to penetrate the first, second and third lines of defense, resulting in clear chances to add to our lead. Schwarzer in fine form and he denied Young and Valencia from running up the score. And when the Australian was beaten, Hangeland stood in the way of our progress.

Everything was going swimmingly until the final 5 minutes. Somehow the panic button of not getting a cushion of a second goal set in, and after playing so confidently for 85 minutes, United proceeded to crumble like a house of cards before our very eyes.

We got ridiculously sloppy with the ball and couldn't retain possession. Our players were diving into silly challenges and giving away stupid freekicks in dangerous areas. And we almost gave away a stonewalled penalty when Carrick brought Murphy down in the area. For some inexplicable reason, the referee waved play on. How the fuck we got away with that is still bothering me (in a good way).

The sound of the referee's whistle was possibly the sweetest sound that came from Old Trafford this year. We should have cleaned the floor with this Fulham team, yet we allowed them to hang around and nearly gotten punished. Coupled with Shitty's draw yesterday, we find ourselves sitting on a 3 point cushion. Lady Luck certainly played her part in this weekend's fixtures, from Crouch's wonder goal, to our referee swallowing the whistle.

United Thumps Wolves Into Submission

Wolves 0 - Manchester United 5
Scorers
Manchester United: Evans (21), Valencia (43), Welbeck (45), Hernandez (56, 61)


Red Card
Wolves: Zubar (39)


Team: De Gea, Rio, Evans (Smalling 75), Rafael, Evra (Fabio 63), Carrick (Pogba 57), Scholes, Valencia, Welbeck, Rooney, Hernandez

After a diastrous and completely unsuccessful raid in Spain, the Red Devils set off for another raiding party, determined to set things right, at least, on the domestic front. Wolves were the unfortunate victims of that humiliating defeat at midweek.

The United warparty came to Molineux and started with a vengence. Evans opened the floodgate with a neat volley that set off preceedings on the 21st minute.

Zubar then got himself sent off with a couple of silly challenges, the first on Rooney and later with Welbeck.

The Wolves defense has been porous for the last couple of weeks, went on to crumble before our eyes. Valencia and Welbeck both found themselves on the scoresheet before the break.

Hernandez helped himself to a brace in the early goings in the second half. We were all over Wolves and it really looked like a record scoreline was on the cards. However United slowed the pace down. Their midweek adventures seemed to have taken a toil. Rooney in particular looked winded for most parts and the attacks dwindled down.

Wolves could have gotten a couple of consolation goals, but were thwarted by the ever-improving De Gea. The score ended at 5-0.

After exiting Europe, United went on to announce to the rest of England that they are still the force to be reckoned with. We may be the has-beens on the larger stage, but in our own small pond, we're still the champions. It is still a long way till the completion of the season, but we're giving a good account on the domestic front.

Until we meet Shitty at the end of April, the rest of the games look very winnable. Of course that being said, our propensity to fuck up before then is also quite legendary. In any case, that very fixture looks likely to be the title decider.

Bilbao Gives United A Lesson In Football

Athletic Bilbao 2 - Manchester United 1
Scorers
Athletic Bilbao: Llorente (23), Oscar (65)
Manchester United: Rooney (80)

Team: De Gea, Rio (Smalling 63), Evans, Rafael, Evra, Carrick (Pogba 63), Cleverley, Giggs (Welbeck 67), Park, Young, Rooney

It's heaven and earth in terms of technical skills, and irregardless of which measuring system you used, the teams were just miles apart. Right from the kickoff, we were ran off the pitch. I don't think anyone on our team would even start for them, that's just far apart the gulf in talent is.

They were just tearing us apart at will. If they were any more clinical, it would be a cricket score. And that's the English champions against a team that is at 7th place in La Liga. Maybe it's just as well we're out of the Champions League. I shudder to think what the eventual scoreline would be if we faced a Barcelona or Real Madrid.

I don't think there is anymore to add. I don't think there is anymore I CAN add, so pardon me while I go lie down.

Oh yah, Rooney scored a consolation scoorcher.

Rooney's Double Delight

Manchester United 2 - WBA 0
Scorer
Manchester United: Rooney (35, pen 71)


Red Card
WBA: Olsson (66)


Team: De Gea, Rio, Evans, Jones, Evra, Carrick, Scholes (Pogba 72), Welbeck (Cleverley 77), Young, Rooney, Hernandez

Strange week. Midweek was all doom and despair, but come Sunday, it's all turned around. Both Shitty and ourselves played concurrently and by the full time whistle, we've pulled clear at the top of the Premiership table. We beat WBA with Rooney goals, while Shitty conceded a late one at Swansea.

I'll be the first to admit I wasn't really concentrating on the game. I spent half the time trying to keep awake, and the other half of it watching the ticker of the other game. At times it was easier to watch paint dry than to watch us struggle to find any rhythm going forward. Thankfully West Brom was in a cooperative mood. Barring a near miss at the beginning of the game, they rarely threatened.

Inevitably, it was the man on form, Rooney, who gave us the lead in the 35th minute. Hernandez's shot from the right turned into a fine cross for Rooney who was the quickest on the scene to stab the ball into the net.

Hernandez, Welbeck and Young struggled to find the net despite a generous amount of freedom given by the West Brom defenders. Eventually, Young was fouled in the box and Rooney was once again called upon to set things right.

It turned out to be a comfortable victory. WBA had been on quite a run before coming into this fixture, but for some reason never rose to the occasion. We weren't exactly on song either, but managed to get the job done.

What's absolutely crucial now is that we keep the foot on the pedal and go out to win the remaining 10 games. Our lead is a miserly 1 point with an inferior goal difference. Shitty will be stinging from this defeat and you can be sure they would be as eager to retake the top spot as soon as possible.

United Endures Another Terrible Night In Europe

Manchester United 2 - Athletic Bilbao 3

Scorers
Manchester United: Rooney (22, pen 90)
Athletic Bilbao: Llorente (44), Oscar (72), Muniain (90)


Team: De Gea, Evans, Smalling (Carrick 55), Rafael, Evra, Park (Anderson 60), Giggs (Rio 75), Jones, Young, Rooney, Hernandez

No doubt the scoreline would raise some eyebrows, but for anyone who caught the game, it was a scoreline that utterly flattered us. Only the extraordinary heroics of De Gea kept it salvagable. Bilbao were truely the better side by a country mile and the tie should have been over tonight.

Right from the whistle, you'd be excused if you thought you accidentally walked onto the set of The Walking Dead season 3, with the men in red playing zombies. It was all Bilbao right from the onset but somehow against the run of play, we took the lead midway in the first half. It was some brilliant work by Giggs and Hernandez that paved the way for Rooney to score.

Sadly, that was the only time in the game where we did well. The spark was snuffed out competently by a rampant Bilbao and it wasn't any surprise when they equalized at the end of the half with a sweet header from Llorente. Prior to that, they had a couple of legitimate penalty appeals turned down.

Most of the attacks came down Evra's side. At some point, you'd be left wondering if the entire Bilbao team had taken a crack at him, and just to maintain the status quo, can anyone tell me: what is the point of Evra? He's been having a terrible year and due to the lack of replacements, we just keep on playing his sorry ass.

De Gea had to perform miracles in the second half just to keep Bilbao at bay, but you can only part the red sea so many times. Bilbao got their just deserves with a delightful finish from Oscar.

Muniain added a third in injury time after he was the first to pounce on another brilliant De Gea save. He deserved the goal after a superlative performance.

The tie should have been dead and buried, but we found a lifeline with an unlikely penalty. On the replays, it looked like the Bilbao player had handled the ball outside the box, but the referee pointed to the spot anyway and Rooney restored some element of punctured pride by putting away the spot kick.

We are left with an uphill task of having to score at least two goals in Spain to keep our floundering European hopes alive.

In all honesty, it's been like playing Jenga when it comes to watching United this season. Every successive game watched is like taking another piece of the off the puzzle. Right now it seems like the tower is teetering to and fro, wobbling towards the inevitable collapse.

United Steals Ponts At Spurs

Tottenham 1 - Manchester United 3
Scorers
Tottenham: Defoe (87)
Manchester United: Rooney (45), Young (60, 69)


Team: De Gea, Rio, Evans, Jones, Evra, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 61), Young, Nani (Park 80), Welbeck, Rooney

Are you kidding me? Based on the first half performance, we couldn't come close to the Spurs goal, let alone go into the break with one. Spurs were everywhere and how they didn't get one at the half was completely beyond me. It defied logic and common sense.

We couldn't get a sniff of the ball and on the very few occasions we had it, we couldn't hold on to it. They were everywhere and at some point in time I swear they were playing with 14 men on the pitch. I haven't seen United this dominated for a long long time, possibly since Barcelona.

Yet against all odds, we took the lead. And did it right at the death of half time. Rooney headed in an unlikely goal from a Young corner.

The second half was more of the same. Much much more of the same. It seemed that it was just a matter of time before Spurs drew level. De Gea was called upon to make a spectacular save when Livermore's shot was deflected off at close range by Saha. It's possible one THE saves of our season, in more ways than one.

And as Spurs started to turn the screws, we popped up and suckered punch them again. This time it was Ashley Young who provided the goal with a speculative effort from a narrow angle after no one wanted to clear Nani's cross.

The goal took the wind out of the North Londoners' sail. They were deflected and shocked by the goal and Young made the most of the opportunity to score his second with a spectacular curler. For all their good play, Spurs were defeated and looked it.

You can't help but feel that the better team lost today. In fact Giggs was feeling so sorry for them that he gifted them a consolation on the 87th minute, placing a backpass in the path of Defoe. It brought the scoreline to something more respectable.

With this victory, we've conclusively knocked Spurs out of the title race, making it offically a two horse race now. Someone must be keep Lady Luck really happy, and at the rate things are going, I'm beginning to think we may just take the title this season, despite running the race with one leg tied behind our backs.

To whoever is humping Lady Luck, please continue whatever you're doing.