Monday 29 February 2016

U21s: Middlesbrough 1 United 2

It wasn't one of their best displays of the season, but United did just enough to come from behind and beat a Middlesbrough side who looked tricky opponents before going down to ten men in the second half.

United ought to have been in front in the third minute when a fine move was finished off by Joe Rothwell: inexplicably, the linesman flagged for offside and the goal was ruled out even though the Reds midfielder was clearly a good yard or two onside. After that, although Rothwell went close with an ambitious volley and Andreas Pereira drew a fine save from Fryer, United found a well-organised Borough side difficult to break down.  

It was Middlesbrough who started the second half strongest and Joel Pereira had already seen a lot of action when Cooke pounced to score after following up on a parry from the Reds keeper.

United rarely looked like getting back on terms until their first penetrative move of the half brought a result in the seventieth minute.  Weir (above) was brought down by Burn when through on goal and the referee pointed to the penalty spot and showed the Borough player a red card. Pereira wasn't in a mood to look a gift horse in the mouth and he duly rifled home from the spot to bring the Reds level.

United began to make the extra man count and, when Rothwell's slide rule pass found Weir on the left, his teasing cross was turned into his own net by McGinlay.  

With Sunderland losing 1-0 to Leicester, this win could prove crucial in determining the destination of the Under 21 Premier League title.  United now stand two points clear with a game in hand.





Sunday 28 February 2016

United 3 Arsenal 2

Only the most optimistic of Reds fans looked at this game and expected a victory.  Against an Arsenal side going for the league, with aching limbs left over from Thursday night and nine home grown players in the matchday eighteen, many would have settled for a draw.  United's players didn't though and, in a thrilling match, they produced probably the best result of the season.  Once again, it was a game in which the name of Marcus Rashford took a starring role.

United's makeshift defence had looked a little vulnerable in the early stages, with Varela and Carrick both picking up yellow cards and De Gea forced to make a point-blank stop to deny Monreal.  Then the Marcus Rashford show picked up from where it left on Thursday.  The kind of United passing move in the last third of the field we've seen all too seldom this season saw the youngster open the scoring when he pounced on a defensive error from Monreal, before his neatly placed header beyond Cech made it two only three minutes later.

United had then looked comfortable against a clearly shellshocked Arsenal, but another United youth product intervened six minutes before half-time, Danny Welbeck getting his head to Ozil's free kick to halve the Reds' lead.  If we assumed this would lead to a turnaround after half time, we were wrong.  In the second half Rashford found himself on the right and, seeing Ander Herrara advancing through the middle, set him up for the Basque to send a deflected shot behind Cech.

Arsenal came back again reduced the lead when Ozil followed up to score after De Gea had again done well to deny Welbeck.  From there it was a matter of soaking up Arsenal pressure and seeing the game out.  With Fosu-Mensah and Weir both making their debuts from the bench, it was an even less experienced United side that saw the game out. but see it out they did. 

It was understandable that some would raise questions about a potential turning point in United's season following those FA Cup and Europa League games against unconvincing opposition.  Here, however, the Reds were up against genuine title contenders and a mix of character, spirit and youthful endeavour saw them send the Old Trafford crowd home happier, surely, than they've been all season. 





Friday 26 February 2016

Marcus Rashford: Living the Dream

Many were surprised at how confidently Marcus Rashford seized his first team opportunity in the Europa League game against Midjytlland. They shouldn't have been.  Rashford is familiar with unexpected baptisms, having made his debut for United's youth team when he was still at school, called up due to a rash of injuries at academy level.  Before that, he'd featured in the AEGON Cup for the Reds when still only fourteen.

He grabbed his opportunities then in the way he's just grabbed his first stab at a place in United's first team: confidently and with both hands.  He's a player with explosive pace who, at the age of eighteen, has already shed some of his earlier rawness to show impressive technique and the kind of balance and poise that all fast strikers need.

A genuine Mancunian, Rashford only made his debut for the Under 21s earlier this season so to say his elevation to the first team was premature is an understatement.  Had Will Keane not picked up an injury at Shrewsbury on Monday, he would surely have been playing at Blackpool in the Lancashire Senior Cup rather than scoring twice for United in front of the Stretford End.

There are, of course, many more conditionals attached.  Had Anthony Martial not declared himself unfit, had James Wilson and Ashley Fletcher not been out on loan...

But then football, like life, is all about taking your chances when they come along.  Now comes the next stage for Rashford: dealing with the inevitable over-the-top media reaction while keeping your feet on the ground.  Adnan Januzaj, of course, received pretty much the same heightened response from a press that built him up then couldn't wait to knock him back down.  For now, though, no one would surely begrudge Marcus Rashford a few moments to bask in the sheer pleasure that comes from having lived out the dream of so many United supporters.


Thursday 25 February 2016

Europa League: United 5 FC Midtjylland 1 (Aggregate 6-3)

A spirited performance from a patched-up United team overcame Midtjylland's early goal to progress to the last sixteen in the Europa League.  It was a nervy match for much of the night but the Reds finished comfortable winners after a superb performance from Memphis Depay and two goals from unexpected debutant Marcus Rashford.

Rashford was only playing following another pre-match setback for United as Martial was withdrawn with a hamstring injury.  Despite this United looked by far the better side from the start, although things looked bleak when Midtjylland added to their first leg lead when the excellent Sisto scored following a teasing run into the box after 27 minutes.

It was a wake-up call that the already adventurous Reds didn't really need on this occasion.  Memphis looked a particular threat on the left and it was no surprise when excellent work from the Dutchman brought United level five minutes later, his cross being turned into his own net from Bodurov.

Bodurov wasn't the only defender looking nervous for the Danish champions and, after Schneiderlin's header had hit the post, United had another chance to draw level on aggregate when Romer's rash challenge brought down Herrera in the area.  Sadly, Mata's penalty was turned about the post by keeper Anderson.

There will have been concerns around Old Trafford that this penalty miss might see heads drop among United's players.  They needn't have worried as United took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and drew level when Mata's cutback from the by-line found Rashford in the area and the youngster capped his debut with a goal in front of the Stretford End.

It doesn't get much better than that for a United debutant, unless of course you score two, which is exactly what Rashford did, turning home Varela's cross to put the Reds in front with fifteen minutes to go.  From there it was easy as Midtjylland saw their dreams of a famous victory picked apart before their eyes, Hansen's handball in the area giving United a second penalty.  This time Herrera took it and made no mistake.

It was left to Memphis to round off his finest performance yet in a United shirt when he drilled a shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.  It was true that the later stages of this game illustrated how the Reds had made this tie more difficult than it had to be by losing that first leg: for all their spirit, Midtjylland were clearly ordinary opponents.  Nonetheless, a five goal win will do no harm to the Reds' confidence and certainly not to Marcus Rashford's, who may well have found himself playing in the Lancashire Senior Cup yesterday, but instead played an enormous part in saving United's season.




Wednesday 24 February 2016

LSC Quarter-Final: Blackpool 0 United 1

A tight Lancashire Senior Cup Quarter Final ended with a young United side overcoming Blackpool thanks to a single McTominay goal.   

With a heavy schedule at the moment and so many Under-21 players standing by on senior duty, Warren Joyce fielded a very inexperienced side that included several players beginning the process of stepping up from the Under- 18s.  Against a Blackpool side featuring several first team players, this was always going to be a difficult and demanding task and the United youngsters showed impressive determination to come through it.

On a weather-ravaged Bloomfield Road pitch, the young Reds struggled to get any sort of passing game together in the first half.  Although United did well to stifle the forward advances of the home side, the wide player were struggling to get forward in support and the Reds' own attacking forays coming to nothing.

Chances continued to be at a premium in the second half but, with Mitchell (right) pushing forward on the left the Reds began to show more penetration and it was little surprise when his work gave United the lead.  The winger cut into the box, his pace leaving his marker for dead, and his short was parried by the Blackpool keeper only into the path of McTominay, who just had to tap in.

Although the game itself wasn't easy on the eye, it offered valuable experience for United's players.  The Reds now face a semi-final against Oldham with the winners to face Everton in the final.

Monday 22 February 2016

FA Cup: Shrewsbury 0 United 3

Many had suggested that this was the worst possible game for the Reds following the embarrassing events of last Thursday, but it turned out to be anything but, an opportunity to secure an easy victory against opposition that offered little other than stout and resolute defending.  Once United broke them down, there was really only one result.

The Reds dominated possession from the start but, as is often the case in games like this, the eventual breakthrough came with a scrappy goal from an unexpected source.  Shrewsbury had rarely allowed United's forwards any time around the box but, when Chris Smalling found himself in space, his unconvincing attempt at a shot bounced into the ground and looped over the keeper.

There was nothing scrappy about United's second goal, Mata's well-placed free kick on the edge of the area in first half stoppage time good enough to beat any keeper at any level. 

Shrewsbury inevitably tried to come out and play in the second half.  Just as inevitably this left gaps for United to exploit and they did so when Herrera's ball picked out Lingard whose clinical finish made it 3-0.  

Cruising to a comfortable win, United were able to introduce some of the youngsters on the bench as second half substitutes.  Sadly, this brought the one piece of bad news on the night when the luckless Will Keane pulled up with what looked a bad groin injury after hitting the post.  

Keane's enforced withdrawal meant the Reds had to see out the game with ten men.  This proved to be no obstacle to their progress to the quarter finals, where the far more formidable challenge of West Ham lies ahead.

Saturday 20 February 2016

U21s: city 1 United 0

United's surge to the top of the Premier Under-21 League has been very much founded on excellent home form.  However, it will be performances in away games that will dictate the destination of the title: this was the first of six games on the road in the eight game run in.  In it, United improved as the game went on but rarely looked capable of pegging back their rivals' early goal.

Although Weir had an early chance cleared off the line, city dominated the early stages and took the lead when Smith-Brown carried the ball forward before drilling his shot past Pereira from the edge of the box.  Warren Joyce will be disappointed that his side allowed the defender so much space, but it was sadly reflective of our performance in the first half hour: the Reds often struggled to get on the ball and frequently gave it away when they did.

United began to threaten more in the later stages of the half and a superb cross from Fosu-Mensah was close to finding the head of Keane in the area.  This greater sense of purpose continued into the second half but they encountered a well-organised city side willing to defend their lead stoutly while always carrying a threat on the break.

These were, in short, opponents who looked well set up to hold on to a 1-0 lead and that's precisely what they did.  The result leaves United top and two points clear of Sunderland, who play away at Liverpool tomorrow.





Thursday 18 February 2016

Europa League: FC Midtjylland 2 United 1

United once again managed to make ordinary opponents look good as they limped to a hugely disappointing first leg defeat in Denmark.  

There was a setback for United before a ball was kicked in earnest when David De Gea limped off in the warm-up, adding significantly to injury problems that had already seen 13 of his team mates sidelined prior to the trip to Denmark.  Romero came in as a late replacement and, with Midtjylland looking an early threat on set-pieces, he had to be on his toes to save from Hansen's header early in the first half.

The United keeper was also involved in the bizarre series of events leading up to the opening goal.  With the Reds defence apparently entirely absent, Kadlec found himself though on goal, but struck his shot straight at Romero's legs.  United then broke and, within a minute, were in front: Lingard got free on the right and crossed for Memphis, who appeared to stumble in the box before scrambling the ball over the line.

United had got away with some poor defending then, but they didn't a minute before half-time when confusion between Herrera and Carrick in their own half let in the impressive Sisto, whose shot took a deflection off Smalling before finding the net.

United began the second half on the front foot and Lingard was unfortunate to see his shot strike the bar as the Reds pressed to regain their lead.  Soon, however, a flakiness in the centre of United's team became more and more evident and Midtjylland began to create the better chances. Romero was forced to make a superb save from Onuachu's header but he could do nothing when the same player drilled past him from the edge of the box to give the home side what turned out to be the winner.

The Reds of course have a chance to overturn this deficit at Old Trafford next week, but make no mistake: this was another deeply disappointing performance from United and, had Romero not seized his rare starting opportunity so convincingly, the margin of defeat might well have been wider.





Wednesday 17 February 2016

NIcky Butt's Appointment Places United's Academy in Good Hands

The news that Nicky Butt has taken over as head of United's academy should be welcomed by all United fans.

It's not just that Butt is one of our own and a figure steeped in the history of the club, a winner of six Premiership medals and a link back to successful United sides of the past - it should also put to bed any fears that the modern United is abandoning its commitment to youth development.

Such rumours have certainly been stoked by elements of the media eager to gloat on what they see as the festering corpse of a once great club.  They were clearly nonsense and anyone inclined to believe them should ask whether they really think a board featuring Alex Ferguson and Bobby Charlton would really preside over such a policy.

Evidence for the abandonment theory had emanated largely from the failure to replace Brian McClair last summer.  Now the reason for this appears clear.  Butt has continued his development within the club and been given responsibility for the UEFA Youth League team since then and United clearly feel that he's gained the experience that he didn't have at the time of McClair's departure.

Of course, he'll find the pressure on him in the role.  Critics this season have pointed to the youth team's poor form and early exit from the Youth Cup as evidence of a waning academy.  Yet United are thriving at Under 21 level, with a team featuring players like Fosu-Mensah who've been brought through early from the Under 18s, while Cameron Borthwick-Jackson - a member of Butt's Under 19 side - has acquitted himself brilliantly since his elevation to the senior 
side.  

United have always prioritised development over results at youth level, which is why we only won the FA Youth Cup twice under Fergie's tenure and have rarely performed better than moderately in the Academy league.

No doubt Butt will still find the media vultures still circling as he takes charge, but he's a man with the character to deal with such nonsense and, as a youth team graduate himself, there is no doubt he'll continue to ensure that the Reds continue to nurture and develop young talent in the best possible way.

Monday 15 February 2016

U21s:United 1 Reading 0

Not for the first time this season, a win for the Under 21s helped ease some of the grimness of a bad weekend for Reds fans.  A third win in eight days was secured thanks to a disciplined performance and an own goal.

In a scrappy first half, Reading had the best of the chances, going closest when Novakovich's shot struck the post.  United's best chance came when a shot from Willock (right) from outside the area stung the hands of Hearne.

Willock tested the keeper again in the early stages of the second half, Moore doing well to turn away his looping shot on the half-volley.  It offered a sign of a more dangerous Reds effort after the break and they duly took the lead when Riley's cross found Weir in the box.  His effort hit the post but the rebound caught the leg of defender Long and cannoned into the net. 

United looked much the better side for the remainder of the game, Weir a constant threat going forward and Riley offering surging runs up the left.  A stout performance from a makeshift Reds defence and some solid handling from Pereira in goal kept Reading chances to a minimum.  With Sunderland also winning tonight, United remain top by two points with a game in hand.



Saturday 13 February 2016

REPORT: Sunderland 2 United 1

It seems incredible that, until recently, United personnel were still talking up their chances of winning the league.  As it stands, it's hard to see the Reds even being in the Champions League places and this game spelt out many of the reasons why.  They were listless and unconvincing throughout, failing to create more than a handful of chances against the team with the worst defensive record in the league.  At the other end, United labour to plug gaps in a defence that, partly through injuries, looks nothing like as tight as it did in the autumn.

We started in the worst possible way, going behind in the third minute when Khazri's low free kick made its way through the crowded area to sneak in at De Gea's far post.  Defoe almost made it two when he managed to skew the ball wide off his knee under close attention from Smalling.

The lead allowed Sunderland to defend in numbers and United toiled to create an opening, with the home side looking threatening on the break.  Indeed, it wasn't until after the half hour mark that the Reds got a shot on goal.  On that occasion Mata hit his shot straight at the keeper but he made a more significant contribution a few minutes later when he again tested Mannone, who this time could only palm the ball out for Martial to score from a tight angle.

By that point United's defensive injury crisis had struck again.  Darmian was forced off after a strong challenge from Khazri and, with Varela having picked up an injury for the Under 21s this week, Donald Love entered the game for his senior debut.

United continued to play erratically after the break and, not for the first time, they were grateful to De Gea for saving with an outstretched leg to deny N'Doye on the hour mark.  The keeper also had to be on his toes to tip over a Kone effort later in the half.  

However, when Kone rose in the box with eight minutes left, De Gea was only able to help the ball into the goal as it squirmed under his body.   It was, sad to say, a deserved winner for the better team on the day and yet another reason for United to take a cold, hard look at themselves as the season enters its closing stages.










Friday 12 February 2016

Will Keane: Can United's Forgotten Man Finally Break Through?

Will Keane has been named in the United squad for the trip to Sunderland tomorrow.  It's just reward for two fine performances this week, first a five goal haul against Norwich on Monday, followed by a very different experience of playing the lone striker role in a tight game against city last night, with the Reds won 1-0.

Few would have given Keane a chance of returning to the United senior squad until recently.  His sole first team appearance came more than five years ago, after all.  An injury on international duty meant he missed the entire 2012-13 season and the spectacular rise of James Wilson in the academy during that time appeared to call time on United's career.

This season he went on a season-long loan to Preston and many assumed that would lead to a permanent move away from Old Trafford.  However, tremendous form for the Under 21s since he was called back from his loan just over a month ago means Keane, now 23, has a chance of resurrecting a United career that had looked dead in the water.

Thursday 11 February 2016

U21s: United 1 city 0

A crowd of more than 5500 at Leigh Sports Village saw United win a close game against their city rivals and move to the top of the Premier Under 2 League.
After the 7-0 hammering of Norwich on Monday night, this was always likely to be a sterner challenge for a less experienced United side and so it proved, but a disciplined and well-organised performance was enough to see the game out after Joe Rothwell gave the Reds the lead early in the game.

After a competitive start with little between the sides, United made the most of a rare clear-cut chance to take the lead after 15 minutes.  Fosu-Mensah played a long ball from right back for Keane to run onto.  The forward, who netted five times against Norwich, turned provider on this occasion, holding the ball up before picking out Rothwell (above), who finished whose low shot gave city keeper Gunn no chance.

With little room in midfield, chances continued to be at a premium in the first half, although Pereira was forced to tip over a header from a corner and Josh Harrop's free kick drew a fine save from Gunn later in the half.  

City began to look more threatening in the second half, although it said much about the quality of United's defending that Pereira still remained largely a spectator for much of the half.  He had to be on his toes to deal with a dangerous cross from Garcia in the closing minutes and, in stoppage time, made a superb reflex save from the same player, who had carried the visitors' main threat all night and had just seen a shot blocked by Regan Poole, making his first start in a United shirt following his arrival from Newport.

The Reds now lead the table by two points with a game in hand and how face Reading, also at Leigh, on Monday night.




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Monday 8 February 2016

U21s: United 7 Norwich 0

Louis Van Gaal and Ryan Giggs were both at Old Trafford to see a rampant United Under-21 team beat Norwich.  They'll surely have been impressed with a brilliant performance from the Reds youngsters, which included five goals from Will Keane, though they'll have been concerned to see both Januzaj and Varela limp off with first half injuries.

With both Memphis Depay and Phil Jones in the starting line-up, United made a lively start and it didn't take long before they took the lead, Keane hammering home in the area after a cut-back from Pereira.  Keane added a second in the first half when a superb run down the left from Memphis finished with the forward scoring from a simple tap-in.

Memphis was again the supplier when he secured his hat-trick just after half-time, exploiting an error in the Norwich defence before Keane scored with an even easier tap-in.  Pereira scored the fourth from the penalty spot following a handball in the area. Keane then grabbed his fourth and United's fifth in glorious style, beating two defenders before cheekily lobbing the keeper.

Substitute Fosu-Mensah scored the sixth, overlapping from the left-back position to leave the shattered opposition defence floundering before sliding his shot under the keeper.  Keane still hadn't finished, though, seizing on a James Weir pass to stroke calmly home for the Reds' seventh.  

Even by the Under 21s' standards, this was a sublime performance, against a side that had inflicted a rare defeat on the Reds at Carrow Road earlier in the season.  United continue the defence of their title when they host Manchester city at Leigh on Thursday.  






Reaction to Chelsea: Sometimes Louis Just Can't Win

I read much of the social media reaction to United's draw with Chelsea yesterday with some mirth and a small dollop of dismay.

Admittedly many shared my own view, welcoming the spirit in which United approached the game, tempered by inevitable regret that we just weren't able to see it out.


Others seemed to see it differently and it was hard not to detect in their reaction a clear sense of double standards.   Lingard, having had many of the United Twitter contingent calling for his head at half time, would not of course been on the pitch to score his wonder goal had they had their way.  At full-time many of the same observers were lambasting Van Gaal for having the temerity to do what they'd been asking him to do and take him off.

Interestingly, their rationale appeared to be that, in bringing on Memphis for Lingard, we'd taken off a player more suited to defending a one goal lead, replacing him with one more likely to go out and attack.  The manager had done, in other words, what they'd been asking him to do all season.  

And that's to leave aside the inevitable conclusion from anyone paying attention to the game that Lingard, before he came off, was clearly tiring.   'So bring on Herrera instead' they might have screamed.  But that would have meant taking Mata out of his central role, something else they've been screaming at Van Gaal to do all season.

I do think that, with regards to certain sections of the United support, the Reds boss is in a position of damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.  I've certainly been critical of him myself this season, but I'll applaud any United manager when he attempts to win and win in the right way.  That's unquestionably what he did yesterday and, when he does that, he deserves far more from us than nit-picking on the sidelines from those who don't have to answer to anybody for their erratic and inconsistent views.

Sunday 7 February 2016

Chelsea 1 United 1

United produced a spirited performance at Stamford Bridge, only for Lingard's stunning goal to be cancelled out by Diego Costa in stoppage time.

The much-debated 'freedom' aspect of United's play was certainly in evidence in the first half, the only disappointment being a failure to carve out much in the way of clear-cut chances until Darmian's fizzing cross across the box just before half-time failed to find a connection.  

Shortly after, there were screams for a penalty from the more excitable elements within the Chelsea line-up when Blind's elbow deflected Terry's shot wide.  It was probably the Dutchman's proximity that brought a shake of the head from referee Oliver but there's no question they sometimes get given.

Prior to that eventful end to the half, Martial had produced United's best effort, his curling shot forcing a fine save from Courtios.


United came out purposefully in the second half.  Jesse Lingard (above) had already drawn another saved out of the Chelsea keeper when he produced arguably United's goal of the season so far.  The ball fell to him with his back to goal and the youngster controlled it and swivelled before firing his shot high into the Chelsea net.

By that point Zouma had been forced off the field with what looked an horrific injury.  Nonetheless, Chelsea were able to reorganise quickly and put United on the back foot for the remainder of the game.  Pedro and Hazard were both introduced and United were only able to stay in front thanks to two outstanding saves from De Gea.

It looked like we might have weathered the storm but the pressure produced a rare error in the United back line when Blind stepped out to allow Diego Costa to sneak in behind and finish with a low shot from the left.  It was arguably an equaliser Chelsea's response had deserved but the Reds will be gutted to have allowed the three points to slip away at such a late stage of the game.








Words Betray United's Real Problem: Lack of Focus

When asked if they can still win the championship this season, the default answer from Van Gaal and his players is consistently a defiant 'yes'.  The latest in a long line of such forecasts comes from Michael Carrick, here.

It's a very telling response.  No doubt its intention is to convey an impression of self-belief to the outside world: no matter how unconvincing we've looked this season, it wants to say, within the camp we're still convinced we can do it. 

Only it really betrays something else: a sense that no one really believes it, least of all the manager and the players themselves.

Any club that truly aspires to be champions at this stage of the season inevitably gives a far more cautious response to such a question: witness the guarded, taking-one-game-at-a-time answers given by Ranieri or Pochettino.  It's not so much that they're concerned at how foolish they'll look if their proclamation turns out to be ill-founded (otherwise known as 'Doing a Brendan Rodgers'); it's more that, cliched as it may be, keeping a focus on that next game is really all that matters in football.

Any manager worth his salt knows this.  If you make the target something too far off in the distance, something too difficult to grasp, you risk taking your eyes off the more immediate aim: three points in the next game.   

Van Gaal, whatever faults may have been detected in his make-up of late, is too experienced a manager not to know this too.  That's why a response like 'yes, we can still win the league' not only really means its opposite, it's also indicative of far too much concern about what other people think.  Most of all it betrays a lack of focus that's been United's real problem all season.

Wednesday 3 February 2016

United 3 Stoke 0

It all seems so simple.  Get the wide players in the three behind your main striker playing ten yards further up the pitch, a bit of movement further up the field and, hey presto - the United way.  Or at least something a lot closer to it than anything else we've seen at Old Trafford this season.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson deserves praise too. I was impressed by the way Cam has played within himself since his, let's face it, premature elevation to the senior side.  He's played with great sense and caution, not doing anything out of the ordinary and ensuring he didn't let anyone down.  

Here, he let himself off the leash enough to provide the cross from the first goal.  And what a cross it was - a teaser whipped across the six yard area that, in previous games, probably wouldn't have found a colleague far enough up the pitch to connect with it.  This time, Lingard was on hand to head home and the Reds never looked back.

Rooney, so clearly back to his old self, was magnificent, his movement around the box a constant threat to the Stoke defence.  For the second goal, he took Mata's pass from a speedy United break and found Martial in the area.  The Frenchman - who had another fine game - curled his shot past Butland to double United's lead before half-time.  That embarrassing run of goalless first halves had been brought to an end in some style.

From there it was plain sailing.  Early in the second half, Mata picked up the  ball in space and, rather than go through the middle himself, picked out Martial on the left whose cross found Rooney at the far post.  3-0 to United and a rare opportunity this season simply to lay off and close out the game without any problems.


Tuesday 2 February 2016

The Guardiola Guarantee? There's No Such Thing

Given the response to city's forthcoming appointment of Pep Guardiola, you'd think he was bringing the Premier League and Champions League trophies along with him as of right.

Of course, Guardiola is a top class coach and he may well be a huge success at city, but it's hardly guaranteed.  He's enjoyed success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, of course, in both cases inheriting a top class group of players that somebody else had bought or nurtured.  I mean, I suspect even David Moyes might have a chance if he found himself in charge of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.

The latter two of those three, by the way, were brought through by one Aloysius Van Gaal, as indeed were Bayern players like Muller.  Van Gaal also made the crucial signing of Arjen Robben for the German club when many thought he was mad to take a punt on him.  Both clubs, of course, also won their respective leagues under the Dutchman.

All of which I think is important to consider.  If, and it's still an if as far as I'm concerned, we believe that Van Gaal will not now make the impact on the English game we'd hoped for, a question remains as to why we assume that 
Guardiola will do better.  

Of course he'll be inheriting again a very good group of players but he may also find himself in charge of a side that's just won a double or (God forbid) treble under a manager his club have just ditched.  That brings a hell of a lot of pressure and remember it was the pressure that went with coaching  Barcelona that led to Pep leaving Catalonia in the first place.

Sadly, it says more about Manchester United at the moment that so many of our fans are taking to social media to pronounce Guardiola a success even before it's happened.  We're doing what we always said we'd never do: showing more interest in what's going on at that lot across the city.  As John Terry found out in Moscow, what looks like greener grass from afar can turn out to be no more than a hastily applied daub of green paint.

Under 21s: Everton 2 United 0

The Reds' winning run in the Under 21 Premier League came to a disappointing
Ex-Red Sam Byrne helped Everton to their win
halt at Everton's training complex.  Everton dealt far better with the windy conditions and ran out deserved winners.

Holgate gave the home side the lead after 32 minutes when he got on the end of Dowell's cross.  Although United threatened to equalise through efforts from Riley and Redmond, Everton defended their lead well and might have extended their lead when former United player Sam Byrne (right) tested Pereira in the Reds goal with a rasping shot.

It was Byrne who provided the cross for Dyson to head home and secure a win for the Blues with ten minutes left.

It was a rare setback for United in their pursuit of Sunderland at the top of the league and they'll be looking to put things back on track when they face Norwich at Old Trafford next Monday.