 |
|
NEWSFLASH
Blomqvist stalls on deal
Jesper Blomqvist may turn down Manchester United because he
does not want to play second fiddle to Ryan Giggs. The Swedish
international winger is mulling over a move to Old Trafford after United
agreed terms with his club Parma...
See News for further details |
NEW LOOK SITE!
Although Alex Ferguson will be happy with the points after the disappointing recent run,
it was in truth a far from vintage United performance. But as the pundits are fond of saying,
title winning sides are the ones who can collect the points when they are playing badly.
For the increasingly poor Villa the defeat increases the likelihood of them being sucked into
a relegation fight.
The evening started with a Villa player being greeted with a chorus of booing; the individual
concerned could only be Villa Park bad boy Savo Milosevic, restored to the starting line-up after talks with Brian Little two days ago. In truth this was no sudden conversion on Little's
part, more a move forced on him by the absence of the injured Dwight Yorke.
The first half was about as poor to watch as you can get at this level. Neither side really threatened and goalmouth action was almost non-existent. Both teams appeared to place heavy reliance on the off-side rule and the ponderous forwards seemed equally willing to oblige.
There were no fewer than fifteen off-side decisions in the half. The only real shot in anger came from Stan Collymore, but his powerful run and shot went harmlessly into the arms of Schmeichel.
The second half could only get better and it was Villa who came out the brighter. Joachim
sent through Taylor and Schmeichel had to deflect the ball to safety, via his own crossbar.
Minutes later it was again Joachim who created an opening, his pass finding Milosevic who
in turn set up Taylor; his header lacked the power to really trouble United's keeper.
It was hard to see how a United side bereft of ideas were going to find a way past the Villa defence. The game changed on a piece of good fortune, a Villa clearance rebounding off one of their own players into the patch of Andy Cole. His path to goal was clear but he took too much time when confronted only with Bosnich and eventually he shot wide.
But as the match looked increasingly like it would end in stalemate it was Villa who crumbled.
The win, only United's second in the league this year, ends a barren spell at Old Trafford.
The fact that depsite the poor run of form they find themselves seven points clear of their
increasingly inconsistent rivals leaves only the brave and foolish betting against the Premiership title remaining in Manchester for another season.
|
Sign My Guestbook
View My Guestbook
Email: denham@iol.ie
