Well what more could we have asked from United yesterday? Personally it was all about the three points given that we were not top of the table at kick off. Instead, the champions treated us to another nervy but still superb performance in which we handed out another thrashing to a Premier League team.
For starters, I think its fair to say that we've missed Mr Own Goal for a while---I mean given the frequency with which we were getting them a couple of months ago, it was a drought since our last came at Villa. Giggs broke his arm in that game after providing an assist for Mr. OG, and we've been missing him since. He broke that jinx on his return yesterday by providing yet another assist from Mr, OG and what a goal it was this time.
I think the one we got yesterday will give Diaby a run for his money for own goal of the season. That's over 11 times this season now that United have had the opposition score a goal for them---and I have to say I like the feeling.
Make no mistake about it, Bolton gave us a game yesterday and I shiver when I think of what if we hadn't got that all important first goal or what it EVDS hadn't kept out Bolton twice---the second save a sure candidate for save of the season. (that's 2 nominations that the game has won).
It's why I thought that Nemanja Vidic played his best game for us this season yesterday. Without Rio, I thought Evans was not enough cover for him to deal with the aerial threat of Davies and Elmander and pretty much every Bolton player. That he dealt with just about everything in our box justifies the fact that he is my Man of The Match.
Sir Alex gambled by leaving out Wayne Rooney but it paid off. Berbatov was a magician upfront alone. He helped himself to a brace and hence made us forget about Wayne for the moment. He didn't do it all on his own though, Nani and Valencia were a nuisance to the Bolton defenders all evening and the former helped himself to two assists. If Nani can maintain the consistency he is developing this season, it would make us a wing based attacking team and that is quite difficult to handle for any opposition.
Gibson got the fourth goal---another example of the lad's ability to be in the right place at the right time and hit the ball well enough. We've taken another important step towards a fourth consecutive title and adding another piece of history to this magnificent football club. Six games now separate us from that achievement. The next is a shortcut to achieving that. Whether our players take it is what we'll find out soon. Given that Chelsea had got 12 goals in two games before this one, it was nice seeing us claw 4 back. That leaves us with a goal difference that is two inferior going into the titanic clash next Saturday.
In the meantime, there is the little matter of a Champions League quarterfinal tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening!
Build up to follow!Labels: REVIEWS