Christmas Report

It was always going to be a hard act to follow but David Moyes has now had 6 months in the hotseat and the report is United are looking like there old selves, still 8 points behind leaders Liverpool but they have games against Chelsea and City there is realisation if United keep winning we could be within a win of the top spot which would certainly give heart to the fans.

The season started with a routine win at Wembley against wigan in the Community Shield and the league started with a impressive 4-1 win at Swansea where RVP and Welbeck scored spectacular goals. A draw at Old Trafford followed against Chelsea but then came a sticky period where defeats away at Liverpool and Manchester City and a Home defeat to West Brom saw the club plummet to mid table. A mini recovery ensued with the help of Januzaj two goals at Sunderland, the club was getting back on track when two successive 1-0 defeats at Old Trafford against Everton and Newcastle pushed the club back and so called fans and media turning on United like a scorned partner.

The club dusted themselves and 2 successive wins against Aston Villa and West Ham has seen the club remain 8th but only 8 points of the top spot rather than 13 points a few weeks ago.

The cup scene has seen United play some of there best football and Champions league knock out stage was relatively easy enough with impressive wins against Leverkusen including a record 5-0 away win. A second round meeting with Greek side Olympiakos should help United gain a last 8 position.

The Capital one League cup has seen United progress to the Semi Finals where wins against Liverpool, Norwich and Stoke has seen United one step away from another Wembley appearance. An early new years games against Sunderland could see a potential Manchester Derby in the final. The FA cup has seen United at Home to Swansea and the potential to progress is very much in United's favour.

Giving the Despair in early December, the end of the month has seen united still on for the Quad!.

A lot of players have been used as Moyes gets used to the new squad but there have been some impressive displays from certain players. Wayne Rooney summer distractions seem a long time ago and his displays have certainly helped United through a sticky period and kept the team going forward. De Gea in goal has been a rock at the back and looks the perfect keeper and his domination of the box and shot stopping has seen him progress to one of the best keepers in Europe.

Some players have stepped out of the shadow with Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck putting in consistent performances and Valencia and Rafael down the right looks as threatening as the days of Neville and Beckham. Jonny Evans looks to have cemented the centre half position and now looks the solid centre half as Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic demonstrated over the last few years.

There is still room for improvement, Old Trafford has seen a disappointing return and fair to say our best performances have been away from home. The fact we have scored twice as many goals on the road speaks volumes but once the home form is sorted we can only charge up the table.

Room for improvement but United are improving and Moyes looks to have got the team playing the United Way.

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Manchester United 2

Hard to say at this stage whether one point gained or two dropped but now falling 9 points behind leaders Arsenal and with tricky games against in form Everton and Newcastle, there isn't much scope to drop any more points certainly before the end of the year.

It was an absorbing game with both going for the win and United lined up with an attacking formation with RVP still injured Kagawa doing the link between midfield and forward departments. Cleverley made a rare start in the middle with Jones and Valencia and Welbeck adopting the wide roles it looked full of attacking intent.

The game saw both teams going for the jugular particularly Kagawa enjoying a fine spell on the pitch but it was spurs who took the lead. A free kick by Kyle Walker was thumped under the jumping wall and deceived De Gea in goal and Spurs took the lead. United's goal led a charmed life for 10 minutes when a penalty appeal was waved away and Lennon and Soldado both should have scored but United gathered themselves and duly equalised. Jones won an important ball and the ball was delivered into the box Walker made a hash of it and Rooney steamed in to give United an equaliser. United finished the half stronger but honours were justifiably even.

The second half was much the same with both teams craving a win and Sandro set the ball rolling with a 25 yard shot which flew into the net and Spurs once again in front. However, the lead was only a few minutes when Welbeck was clean through and was taking out by Lloris and a penalty and yellow card was the punishment. Rooney despatched the penalty down the middle and United back in the game.

United tried hard to press home and Young and Hernandez were introduced but unfortunately combination of good spurs defending and the linesman flag kept United out.

A good game but ultimately like last weekend only a point gained. United are getting hard to beat but not exactly getting the win ratio up.

Man of the match had to be Wayne Rooney, back to his old self and unselfish running and ruthless finishing.

Bayer Leverkusen 0 Manchester United 5

Mission accomplished. When Moyes took over his main targets were League title and Champions league progression. The League is looking ok but still behind the pace of the North London club but the champions league has been a relative smooth passage and United are through to the knockout stage with a game to spare.

As it turned out it was United's best performance of the campaign with a ruthless destruction of Germany's second best club side!

There were many star performers but Giggs, Rooney and Valencia were on top form ably assisted by Kagawa.

Leverkusen were on top early on but Kagawa set the ball rolling with a great tackle in midfield and his lay off to Rooney wide left saw the striker cross the ball and Valencia sneaking in the back to direct the ball off the post for the lead.

United were not finished and a Rooney free kick was played into the dangerous area and unfortunately Leverkusen decided to give United a 2 goal advantage although Smalling tried to put some claim on the goal.

The second half saw United pile on the misery and Giggs and Rooney were the architects of this mauling for the Germans. Goal number three duly arrived when a corner was met by Rooney whose shot was parried out but the lethal Jonny Evans was on hand to guide the ball in for his first of the season.

Rooney was again involved in number four when he received another good ball by Kagawa and his lofted the ball over the keeper and defender for Smalling to tap into a empty net. Great team work and a simple goal.

The best was kept for last when Giggs received the ball from Anderson and as quick as a flash he drifted the ball into the path of Nani who beat the keeper and with a difficult angle somehow produced a fine finish also his first of the season and hopefully get his season going. 

The net result was United have gone through to the knockout stage and a draw against Shakhtar will ensure top spot. Also it was United biggest away win in the champions league and Giggs nearing his 40th Birthday turned in a wonderful performance in the midfield with Phil Jones and Kagawa drifting between the midfield and striker berths.

Also Evans and Smalling looked comfortable at centre half and De Gea pulled off some crucial saves. All round a wonderful display despite the set back of the dodgy plane landing earlier.

Next up Tottenham away. 

Cardiff City 2 Manchester United 2

It was the first meeting between these two clubs in almost 40 years and the game did not disappoint in terms of a spectacle.

The talking point after the game was the non red card for Wayne Rooney for his kick out very early in game. A similar incident in a England shirt saw him gain a red but on this occasion he merited only a yellow. He was lucky to get away with but as often the case minutes later he rubbed the noses in it further by scoring the opening goal of the game.

Again United started very well but seem at the moment not to kill off the opposition and that is what is frustrating some United fans. United were eventually punished when ex-United Frazier Campbell pounced on a opportunity and put the ball past De Gea for the equaliser.

This seem to spur United on and there rewards was a Rooney corner that was met by Evra and United had the lead on the stroke of half time. Evra scored a few goals like this last season and it seems Cardiff hadn't watched the videos when dealing with United corners.

The second half saw Cardiff apply more pressure on United and we seemed settled on holding for the slender lead but that was shot to pieces in injury time when a free kick was whipped and some slack defending saw Cardiff equalise in stoppage time.

There was time for United to respond and somehow Rooney made a hash of a through ball to Welbeck who had the goal at this mercy.

The centre of midfield came in for some stick with Cleverley and Felliani failing to command the area and Cardiff seem to have the upper hand in the second half.

A draw on balance was a fair result and the unbeaten run continues for United.

Next Up Bayer Leverkusen.

Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0

Sunday saw a good old fashioned encounter between these two clubs. The fixture has been neglected over the last few years mainly due to Arsenal not pushing for the title but there is a real chance this Arsenal team could clinch the title in a league they have pretty much dominated this season.

The old ground was rocking in anticipation and the Stretford End was in good voice as was the rest of the stadium and there was a real sense of occassion for this much anticipated clash. United made several changes with Chris Smalling returning at Right Back and Phil Jones in the central midfield position. This game saw two young men rise in stature.

The first was David DeGea who made a string of fine saves and his overall dominance to any high ball that came into the box. HE made some vital clearances and one in particular took out Vidic and put him in hospital. There are not many that can put Vidic in hospital!

Phil Jones also had a fine display in a United shirt he continually won ball in the midfield and rarely wasted a ball. HE also made some forward runs and was a thorn in the Arsenal team. When Vidic was taken off, he stepped back to Central defence and was as equally effective and pretty much blunted any Arsenal attack that came his way.

The first half saw United play some great football as Arsenal looked strangely subdued. It was United that made the first and only breakthrough when a Rooney cross was viciously whipped in and Vermaelan cleared for a corner, the subsequent corner by Rooney was met by RVP and his header flew over Gibbs head on the post and United had the lead on 27 minutes. Rooney and RVP tormented the Arsenal defence with there movement and these two are now the looking the real deal. United had several chances to kill of the game with Rooney going close and Smalling near the end of the game but his effort didn't trouble the scorers.

The second half saw Arsenal dominate possession but rarely threatened the goal apart from a couple of crosses which were not converted despite the best attentions of Giroud and Bendnter. It was a vital 3 points as United pushed the difference to 5 points and with City and Tottenham losing United climbed to the dizzy heights of 5th position and are in a good position to move up the table. 

Man of the match had to be Phil Jones for his overall play and adapting to change of positions so quickly.

Next up for United after the International break is Cardiff City away. 

Real Sociedad 0 Manchester United 0

The unbeaten run still continues but United possibly have made qualification a tad touchy with 2 games to go. United are still top but face a trip to Leverkusen and then a nervy final home game against Shakhtar.

Whilst other premiership clubs seem to be finding there free flowing football, United are still trying to find there feet this season and this game summed up the season. They didn't play bad but hardly inspiring either.

This Sociedad team were there for taking and unfortunately two of the inform strikers Hernandez and RVP didn't quite find there shooting boots. Hernandez missed a guilt edged chance from 5 yards with the goal gaping following good work from Kagawa. RVP hit the post twice first when he met a Young cross and hit the same post again when a penalty was saved and deflected onto the post.

The penalty was harsh on Sociedad but if you give the ref a choice then you are asking for trouble. Two players seemed to have come in for harsh critic and Ashley Young for taking a dive again and Fellaini for his 2 yellows and a ultimate red card. Fellaini is struggling at the moment and it's a bit early to write him off  his early performances for Everton were the same then he grew into the role and team and I do expect him to take time and develop himself into a top player. It was good that gigs was beside him to nuture him and I only expect better things.

United again looked strong at the back and with a water tight defence then surely we can attack with more vigour. Rooney had an off day but given his run of games he was due one and hopefully back to form against Arsenal.

Not a great night for United but another learning curve for Moyes and his boys. Next up Arsenal at home.

Fulham 1 Manchester United 3

Sometimes in football things just click and Saturday afternoon on the Thames saw United put in a convincing first half that United fans excited about what was to follow. The second half saw a different display but the result still remained a united win.

The first 25 minutes saw United rip open Fulham apart and the partnership of Rooney and RVP was at it's most merciless best.

United took an early lead when Rooney breached the offside line and his cool cross was met by Tony Valencia who had the task off driving it into the net for a lead, Rooney again then played in RVP whose shot was smashed in at the near post. Fulham had a chance when a delightful Parker pass found ex-United Berbatov but Rafael was quick and smart to read the danger and put out for a corner. RVP then returned the compliment to Rooney and he found himself with a tap in and United 3-0 up in no time.

The game for United slowed down with the injuries to Evans, Rafael and Cleverley and all replaced at half time, the fluency of the first half was replaced by the more solid look and protect and hold. Fulham did breach the net once with a deflection of Rooney and Darren Bent went close when he hit the cross bar but United held on comfortably and the 3 points were in the bag and a second successive away win to get the season going. The game ended on a bad note when Sascha Riether decided to take his frustration on Januzaj exposed leg, it was not seen by the officials but the FA have taken up the case!

United remain 8th but only 3 points behind second placed Chelsea! despite the bad start things are starting to look up but more worryingly that City and next league opponents Arsenal look like they are just clicking into gear. November is a big month with so many big games and none more than the Arsenal at Old Trafford 10th November.