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.