Mathematicians will say the title race is not over so technically, United still have a few yards to negotiate before we can say for certain that the 20th has arrived. Interestingly, but for last season's almighty collapse, we would all be in agreement that United are virtually Champions. Those last 6 games have planted just about enough doubt in our minds to ensure that we were still desperate for City to drop points against Chelsea yesterday---even with a 12 point lead.
The important difference between last season's United and this one is quite simply that the current one is a winning machine. Saturday was all set up for a banana split and a dropped two or three points for United. I mean, think about it, Liverpool were the highest placed team to go to QPR and win. Such is the curse of going to the team that is bottom of the league. There is every chance that the players will take their foot off the gas as 20th team should pose no threat that you cannot deal with. Our 12 point lead was, for us, an added ingredient to the whole complacency possibility.
Credit to the players though, they went about their job professionally and ticked off one of the trickier ties among the lot left in the season. Special mention to Rafael Da Silva who scored a Roberto Carlos-esque screamer to take the wind out of QPR's sails just when they were growing into the match. The boy is quickly maturing into a world class right back and it won't be long before he takes over from the likes of Dani Alves in the FIF Pro XI for that right back spot.
Ryan Giggs got the second with composure and precision that tells of his experience in the game. No surprises there. The man has his place as Manchester United's Legend of Legends.
With three months of the season left, and 33 points to play for, United need just 22 points to be crowned Champions for a record 20th time. Incredibly, we can have it sewn up within the next month as all fixtures in there are well within our means and yet City's are a tad too awkward. It's not to say that we'll have an incredibly easy month because the reality is that in this league, you never know when your number is up. Take for instance the Norwich game coming up: We've got Real Madrid in the Champions League three days later and yet the Cannaries are one of three teams that have beaten us in the league this season. Given that they know their way past United, it would be foolhardy to take our eyes off them at a time when City are desperate for us to drop at least a point.
Ultimately though, we couldn't have asked to be in a better position at the start of the season. We'll take it from here.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!Labels: REVIEWS
