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1995/96: No Champions League, Cantona returns and kids do well
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Manchester United continued their wretched run against the top teams in the Premier League this season, capitulating to a 3-0 defeat at home to local rivals Manchester City. The Blues led after forty-three seconds and, despite United looking vaguely competitive for around thirty minutes before half-time, their lead was never in danger, and they coasted through the second half after Dzeko scored an easy second goal from a corner. Yaya Toure emphasised the visitors’ total superiority by angling a third past a helpless De Gea shortly before full-time. In today’s Talking Points, we break down the tactics employed by David Moyes that led to the club’s latest embarrassment.
Following the rediscovering of Manchester United’s attacking instincts in the Champions League, Moyes boys looked to continue the positive vibes against a struggling West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground.
With the news Robin van Persie is likely to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, it was an opportunity to get Juan Mata central and Wayne Rooney as the point of the attack. Neither dissappointed with Rooney producing a stunning 58 yard volley to open the scoring before Mata controlled the game with superb movement, vision and passing. Strong performances from Jones, Carrick, Fletcher and a resurgent Fellaini provided plenty of positives to be taken from the game.
Here we reflect on the talking points of the game and invite debate/opinion from both sets of fans.
Manchester United were humbled at home by a rampant Liverpool who won for the first time at Old Trafford in five years. Steve Gerrard scored two penalty kicks and Luis Suarez rounded off the home side’s misery when he latched on to a mis-hit Daniel Sturridge shot. United only really tested Simon Mignolet’s goal just before the break, when Wayne Rooney’s goal bound effort was saved.
United looked rigid and flat in comparison to their rivals, who stroked the ball around with ease for most of the match. The home side were chasing shadows for most of the game and found it difficult to defend against the counter attacking play of Liverpool. Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling would take turns to drop deep and help influence play, with the youngster often found at the tip of the diamond.
We discuss the talking points from the game and welcome comments from both sets of fans.
Manchester United suffered defeat in Athens at the hands of Greek Champions Olympiakos after a woefully inept performance. The visitors are down 2-0 from the first leg and have it all to do at Old Trafford in three weeks’ time. Alejandro Dominguez’s instinctive reaction to a shot from Giannis Maniatis ended up in the back of the net past David De Gea.
Dominguez was unlucky not to have scored earlier, when his mazy, unopposed run was blocked by a last-ditch Nemanja Vidic tackle. Chris Smalling, deployed at right back, looked awkward and uncomfortable as he stumbled and bumbled his way up and down the touchline. He wasn’t alone, with United only registering their first shot on goal in the 89th minute of the match.
The home side doubled their lead in the second half when Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell scored a curling left-footed shot from outside the area to again leave the Spaniard helpless. Cleverley and Valencia were replaced by Welbeck and Kagawa who didn’t have any significant impact, whilst forwards Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie were anonymous. Here we discuss the talking points from the game and welcome comments from both sets of fans.
Author: Rob
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Manchester United went to South London on Saturday evening, and emerged with a creditable 2-0 win against in-form Crystal Palace. In another era – i.e. the one that ended last May – this would’ve been considered the archetypal ‘routine’ away win in the Premier League, but almost amazingly, this was United’s first away win of 2014. How quickly times change. On the day, a penalty from Robin van Persie and an excellent first time shot by Wayne Rooney – both goals coming after some excellent play by Patrice Evra – made the difference on Saturday. As always, we look forward to hearing from everyone in the comments.
In a quite amazing game of football, Manchester United conceded a 94th minute equaliser against a Fulham side, who had led for most of the match. Darren Bent headed home the winner following a parry from David De Gea. Steve Sidwell, who played a major part in the equaliser, opened the scoring when no one picked up his run from midfield and he latched onto Lewis Holtby deep cross.
United then dominated proceedings, despite Fulham nearly scoring on the counter attack just before half time, and were finally rewarded for their efforts when Robin van Persie converted a wayward Juan Mata shot. Two minutes later United were in front, following a left footed strike from Michael Carrick, that took a deflection before leaving a flat footed Stekelenburg helpless.
The home side looked like they’d wrapped up all three points, until Steve Sidwell pounced on soft header from Nemanja Vidic, trying to find Michael Carrick, before playing in Kieran Richardson’s who released a thunderous drive, which was parried away from United’s Spanish keeper into the path of Darren Bent, who headed home to give the visitors a valuable point.
Here we discuss the talking points from the game and welcome comments from both sets of fans.
Manchester United lost to Stoke City for the first time in the league since boxing day 1984, a fixture so long ago, Mark Hughes started up top alongside Frank Stapleton. The defeat heaps more misery on David Moyes, who was defiant after the game exclaiming that United were ‘unlucky’ to lose the match. The visitors lost Jonny Evans early on and Phil Jones just before half time, which meant that Michael Carrick had to shift to centre half alongside Chris Smalling. Wayne Rooney was forced to drop deep in midfield and was unlucky to not find the back of the net from a late freekick following a glorious save from Begovic.
Here we discuss the talking points from the game and welcome comments from both sets of fans.
Author: Bricki
Follow Bricki on Twitter – @Bricki
After being knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of Swansea only a week before, United were looking for their first win of the year. The Premier League Fixtures provided a quick opportunity to atone for that loss with the Swans visiting Old Trafford again. Rooney and Van Persie were still absent and Evans was also ruled out. Chris Smalling looked to put his image issues behind him with a solid performance and Danny Welbeck lead the line with support from Januzaj, Kagawa and Valencia. Tom Cleverley was taken out of the firing line with Darren Fletcher coming to provide some steel in the middle of the park.
After a dull first half from both sides with only a Januzaj free kick off the bar providing any sort of excitement, it would take some inspiration from Moyes at half time to dig out a result. A few tweaks of the line up resulted in United starting the second half well, goals from Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck resulted in the first 3 points of 2014.
Here we look at the talking points of the game at Old Trafford and invite comments/opinion from both sets of fans.
Author: Bricki
Follow Bricki on Twitter – @Bricki
The second game in three days brought another 3 points for the reds in what was at times, a war of attrition. Norwich made life difficult for United and on another day may have taken something from the game. The introduction of Danny Welbeck at half time brought some much needed pace and urgency to a forward line that failed to create much. It was Welbecks quick reaction and calm in front of goal that secured a 1-0 win.
The lack of Wayne Rooney, out with a groin strain left United without the man who had made us tick in recent weeks. We can only hope he will be available for the visit of Spurs on New Year’s day.
Here we look at the talking points of the game at Carrow Road and invite comments/opinion from both sets of fans.
