Premier League – Narrow Victory in Luton

Manchester United traveled south to the outskirts of London for a Premier League match against Luton Town FC at Kenilworth Road earlier today. Luton, colloquially known as the Hatters, have been a tough nut to crack in their own stadium this season. They are very much in the relegation battle, but have taken teams like Liverpool, Man City, and Arsenal to the very brink already. They would have been more than happy with a draw in this match, as every point is vital for them as we edge closer to the business end of the season. United’s away form has improved of late, but they are still in 6th place heading into this match, needing to keep pace with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

The match got off to a flying start for the Red Devils, with striker Rasmus Højlund putting United ahead 1-0 just 37 seconds into the match. The United defense cleared a long ball over the top in the general direction of Højlund, and it should have been easily collected and recycled by the Hatters back line. However, the first touch from the defender was a very poor one, and it allowed Højlund to run on to the ball in behind the Luton defense. He took a touch to play it forward, another touch to take it around Hatters keeper Thomas Kaminski, then buried a low shot into an empty net from about 12 yards out. It was a bit lucky to be sure, but credit to Højlund for continuing to run and press. You have to be lucky in this game sometimes, but you also have to be in a position to take advantage of that luck when it breaks your way. Højlund is now the youngest player to score in 5 straight Premier League matches, and this goal was also the fastest away goal for United in over 30 years. I am very happy he has found his form, like we all knew he would.

Højlund and United were not done, either. They won a corner around the 7 minute mark, and the ball was played in aerially by left back Luke Shaw. Luton only half-cleared the cross though, and it fell to winger Alejandro Garnacho on the right side of the penalty box near it’s edge. He lashed a shot towards goal, and it took a deflection off Højlund’s chest before bouncing over the line. Kaminski had no chance, Højlund was just in the right place at the right time. Luck again played a role in this goal, but the chest control and re-direction of the ball seemed to be intentional from the big Dane. Højlund now had a brace, and it was again the fastest brace in the history of the Prem from United! No matter what we do looking ahead, Højlund needs to be leading the attacking line.

There was a hiccup for United about 7 minutes later though, when Luton took the opportunity to get themselves on the score sheet too. They looked like they were going to get ripped apart early on, but they regained some composure and pulled one back on 14 minutes via striker Carlton Morris. Midfielder Tahith Chong (a former United academy player) tried to get a shot away inside the box, but it deflected off the foot of center back Harry Maguire and up into the air. Morris was first to get his head to the ball, and it was too close to keeper Andre Onana to be kept out. It was a little bit of a soft goal to concede, but it was a reminder that losing focus for even a few seconds can lead to punishment. All credit to the Hatters for endeavoring and not falling apart after being down 2-0 early on.

That Luton goal set the tone for the rest of the half though. Worryingly, United seemed content to sit back and defend while Luton ran at them. Morris went close to getting another one on 36 minutes, and frankly the Red Devils were fortunate to get to half time with a lead. Midfielder Casemiro was on a yellow card so he was replaced with Scott McTominay at halftime, with Maguire going off as well. He was replaced by 36 year-old center back Jonny Evans.

The second half continued similar to the end of the first half. United would have the odd spells of possession here and there, but it was mostly Luton on the ball and they were creating chances. Paradoxically however, United’s chances were the better ones. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes and winger/forward Marcus Rashford both failed to score from good positions, and then Garnacho really should have finished the game off on 67 minutes after he was put through on goal by Rashford. Indecision struck him at the worst time however, and his effort was blocked by a retreating Hatters defender. United looked very promising on the counter-attack every time they went forward, but the finishing was poor. Højlund could have had a hat-trick as well, but he was denied from point blank range by Kaminski.

The score remained the same, and it made for a very tense finish for both sides. Luton were really piling on the pressure, and they had all the chances as the game drew to a close. Every time they got close though, a United defender was there to make a key block, or Onana was on hand to make a save. United were not doing enough to keep the ball at the other end of the pitch though, and I feared a late equalizer from Luton. Midfielder Ross Barkley had a header clip the cross bar towards the end of stoppage time, and while it raised the pulses of the fans, it ultimately did not go in. The final whistle blew shortly after that, and United won 2-1.

Once again, a win is a win. Can’t complain about three points on the road in the Premier League too much. However, this was much more difficult than it needed to be. At 2-0 after 8 minutes, this never should have been close. Yet again though, ETH had his men sit back and defend the lead and it nearly cost us three points.

I was browsing a Reddit thread on this topic in mid-week and an interesting theory was put forward – that there is a disconnect between what ETH wants his players to do, and what he believes they are capable of doing. He might think that we simply don’t have the players in midfield to possess the ball with ease. McTominay is not Prem-caliber defensive mid, Casemiro has aged a lot, and the possession abilities of injured center back Lisandro Martinez are sorely missed. Kobbie Mainoo has been the only midfield player showing any degree of consistency, but it’s unfair and unwise to rely on an 18 year-old to be your best midfield player. Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount were supposed to help with this issue, but Eriksen is about the same age as Casemiro and Mount has been injured more than he’s been fit this season. ETH may think that this defensive/counter-attacking style of play is the only style that’s sustainable for us over the course of 90 minutes. There was a little bit more possession today as opposed to last week, but again Luton had plenty of chances to find their equalizer. The solution to this problem is reinforcements in midfield over the summer, but we are still quite a ways off from being able to bring in fresh blood. United fans may be stuck with this nerve-wracking style of play until the end of the season.

Still, great games from Højlund, Garnacho (minus his finishing), Mainoo, and Evans. Evans needs praise in particular, not only for continuing to play at his advanced age, but his ability to consistently prove doubters wrong. I include myself in that category. I did not think there was much he could do for us any more at this level, but he was a rock today when he came on at halftime. A quick message as well to England manager Gareth Southgate – get Mainoo in this team! He’s a brilliant midfielder and he would fit in well in the middle of the park with the national team.

United remain 6th after this result, but they are a scant 5 points off Aston Villa in 4th place. United next play on February 24th at Old Trafford against Fulham. Another three points must be secured to keep the pressure on the clubs above us.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Squeak By Fulham in London

Manchester United traveled south to London for a fixture against Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League earlier today. Fulham don’t have a good record against United in the past few seasons, but the Red Devils’ miserable current form would encourage any team that they could sneak a result.

This match was rather laborious, like some of the results pre-Manchester Derby. United would establish some possession, but it would be fairly harmless possession with Fulham dug in deep. It’s all on the tape for opposition managers, and Fulham’s manager Marco Silva had clearly watched his fair share of it. It’s obvious to everyone and anyone that United struggle to break down teams that sit in the low block. Silva put 9 to 10 men behind the ball, and United couldn’t do anything about it for long stretches of the match. Credit again to keeper Andre Onana for making some key saves on the rare occasions that Fulham ventured forward, but United were once again ineffective in attack.

The key substitution from manager Erik ten Hag was to bring on winger Facundo Pellistri on 63 minutes, with the match still being 0-0. Pellistri has generally impressed when he comes on as a substitute, as his quickness with the ball at his feet is a struggle for tired to defenders to keep up with. United still struggled to forge clear openings for a bit longer though. Then, something changed. It must have been some kind of signal from ETH, or perhaps a pre-planned tactic, but in the final 10-12 minutes or so United really poured on the pressure going forward. Our attackers and midfielders were doing everything they could to either win the ball high up the pitch or get the ball into dangerous areas and create chances.

United were rewarded for their pressure in stoppage time. Pellistri had managed to dribble and wriggle his way into the box with the ball, but it was eventually won and cleared by a Cottagers defender. His low clearance was poor however, and due to the press from Pellistri and having men forward, it fell straight to midfielder Bruno Fernandes on the edge of the box. Bruno tried to find Pellistri with a pass, but after some deflections in the area it came straight back to Bruno. He took a touch to get the ball onto his preferred right foot and let off a low shot that trickled through the entire defense and then rolled in past keeper Bernd Leno. The pressure forced a mistake and United capitalized. That is how ETH likes his teams to play, and the lads executed the plan perfectly. United won 1-0 and secured three points away!

There’s two different ways to look at this match, and each has a degree of validity. The optimist would correctly point out that United have won three straight away matches in the Prem for the first time since 2020. Another positive was the performances of Pellistri, Onana, center back Harry Maguire, and right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka (back from injury!). ETH is now also the joint-fastest United manager to secure 50 wins, and his substitutions were very good today. The final 10 minutes or so was very aggressive and direct football from United, and it was great to see the players endeavoring so hard to try and find a winner.

The pessimist would say that this was more of the same poor play that has plagued United all season. They looked lost in attack for good portions of the match. Yes they turned it on at the end, but a better team than Fulham would have scored at least 1 or 2 goals on us before we came alive and started playing better. Winger Antony dos Santos was yet again wasteful in possession and the team improved significantly when he was taken off. ETH seems to want to stick by him, but there’s going to need to come a point where he realizes that a temporary benching may do Antony some good. It’s true that forward Marcus Rashford was injured pre-match and didn’t play, although it’s unclear how much he would have helped today anyway given his continued poor form.

A victory is great, and I will never complain about a winner in stoppage time. But there’s no way to know if this win actually means something or not. We’ve seen many false dawns with this United team this season, so a narrow victory over mediocre opposition means very little if they go out and lay an egg in the next match. And that next match is a big one, as United will fly to Denmark to take on FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday. Three points are desperately needed, as United are third in the group and need all the help they can get to catch Galatasaray in 2nd.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United in Turmoil – But How Do They Fix It?

United’s last two matches have been nothing short of piss-poor. That’s strong language coming out of the gate for this post, but every word of it is true. United were defeated in the Manchester Derby by Man City at the weekend 3-0, and then they were similarly drubbed by Newcastle United in the League/Carabao/EFL Cup by the same score yesterday. There were very few positives to take from either match. They were uninspiring in attack and porous in defense. Just bad football all around. Yes, City and Newcastle are good sides, and losing to good sides isn’t the worst thing in the world, but the absolutely listless manner in which we are losing is unacceptable. It’s not even close!

Rumors are flying everywhere about the status of the club and what the real source of the problems are. Unfortunately, without being present in the locker room for training sessions and matches every day, there is no way to suss out the real problem(s). Any and all media speculation, including from me, should be taken with a grain of salt. Every major sports news outlet claims to know what the problems are based on the aforementioned rumors, but no one aside from the players, manager, and club staff really know what’s going on.

Let’s approach this from the point of view of trying to get better. Okay, it’s been a crap start to the season. United are 8th in the Premier League table, they are out of the League Cup already, and they are second from bottom in their Champions League group. A decidedly poor start by the standards of this club. But alright, let’s acknowledge the poor start and then move on by asking the key questions – how do they fix it? How do they go about improving results on the pitch?

Some have called for the sacking of manager Erik ten Hag. While it’s true that his tactics have been stale and confusing at times this season, and he could stand to change things up a bit, I don’t think firing ETH will really change things in the long run. It’s the simplest way to change things, but will it really do anything? I doubt it. For one, who do you replace him with? There are no obvious candidates with the proper coaching pedigree available right now. For two, his tactics last season were largely successful. Is he really the biggest problem? Or is it that the players aren’t listening to him?

The majority of commenters online are laying blame at the feet of the players these days. It’s hard to disagree with those comments at times. It’s true that injuries have forced some of them to play out of position, but that’s not an excuse to not try hard. There’s no denying that our forwards – Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Højlund, Antony dos Santos, and Alejandro Garnacho – have all been extremely poor this season. There is just one measly Premier League goal amidst all that talent, and it was scored by Rashford in a losing effort against Arsenal. The attack is just so static and uninspiring. No one makes runs into the box. No one tries to play a dangerous ball into the box. They just bring the ball into the attacking third and then stop! Is that at the instruction of ETH? Is it the players not understanding what ETH wants? Worst yet, is it that they simply don’t care to try? Are they upset with ETH over something and don’t trust him anymore? I think no matter what the real problem is, it can’t be denied that at least part of the problem is that the dynamic of the locker room has shifted for one reason or another. I think there is a negativity surrounding the relationship between ETH and the majority of his players that wasn’t there last season. However, whatever the problem, there is no excuse not to work hard. Every single one of these first-team players is making hundreds of thousands of pounds every week to play this game. It’s the absolute least they can do to run their asses off every match! Every single player who claims to love playing for United needs to come out and show that.

Of course, yet another entity to blame is ownership. My gripes with the Glazer family are well-documented on this blog, and as owners of this club ultimately a lot of the blame is on them. The structure of this club is absolutely garbage, in the sense that it’s unclear who is in charge of what tasks and what goals each person is trying to achieve. Manager of Man City, Pep Guardiola, recently took an indirect swipe at United when he suggested that the reason for City’s success is that everyone at that club is on the same page and has the same goals. Their manager, sporting directors, and owners are all aligned on what they want and need to do. Now, Pep can be a little bit flippant at times and there’s a lot more to success than just being aligned, but I have to admit that he has a point. The owners need to set the tone of what the club needs to be, and the manager/sporting directors/players all have to align with that. The Glazers are not doing that, put mildly. There’s no accountability from them, and that trickles down to every level of the club. If they don’t really care about results and are only in it for the money, that attitude can and will permeate. Glazers Out, now and forever.

It has been reported by several outlets that the Glazers will eventually be selling 25% of this club to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a British billionaire who grew up supporting United. It is also rumored that Ratcliffe and his people will be taking over football operations and will be re-building the structure of the club. If that’s true, he has a mountain of work ahead of him. We have players that need to be sold, more that need to be brought in, and serious renovations are needed at both Old Trafford and Carrington training ground. The leaky roof on our beloved stadium is the perfect metaphor for this club’s current issues – a once great entity that has fallen into disrepair due to mismanagement and neglect.

In short, there is no simple solution to the club’s problems and no instant fix. We need an over-arching and holistic solution that no one seems to be interested in providing. There’s also very little to feel optimistic about. The Glazers need to sell, ETH needs to improve his tactics, and the players need to try harder. We didn’t get to this point accidentally. This is what happens when businessmen (and not football men) are allowed to own a club. Financial investment is a major aspect of the modern game, and United have fallen far behind on that front. We’re a joke right now. Every other club in Europe is laughing at us, and rightly so. Many of them aren’t even laughing as loudly as they once were, because at this point the tepid mediocrity isn’t even funny anymore. It’s just sad.

United have an away trip to Fulham in west London up next on November 4th. Any kind of positive result would be welcome, but I’m not holding my breath.

Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Flatten Chelsea and Qualify for the Champions League!

Manchester United played host to London side Chelsea FC in the penultimate match of the Premier League season earlier today at Old Trafford. United and manager Erik ten Hag knew they needed just one point from this match in order to finish in the top-4 and qualify for the Champions League next season. Contrarily, Chelsea and interim manager Frank Lampard came into the match with very little to play for. It has been an absolutely dismal season by their illustrious standards, as they find themselves in the bottom of half of the table and floundering in 12th place. Lampard fielded an exceptionally young side for this match, probably in an attempt to get some of the younger players experienced going into next year. Given that United have been nearly unbeatable at the Theatre of Dreams this season, most expected the Red Devils to get the result needed and seal the last available CL spot.

The first half was an odd one, but nevertheless overall positive for United. They got the first goal just 6 minutes in, thanks to a well-placed header from midfielder Casemiro. United won a free kick on the left wing, which was played into the box by fellow midfielder Christian Eriksen. No one was near Casemiro when he got his head to it, and after a quick VAR check for offside the goal was permitted to stand. Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had no chance. It wasn’t a technically complicated goal, just poor marking by the Chelsea defense and a good quality ball over the top by Eriksen. Casemiro has now scored in consecutive matches, while also rediscovering some of his magnificent form in his role as a defensive midfielder from earlier in the season.

Chelsea dominated the next 30-35 minutes after that though. They created a litany of chances, but I have to sit back and laugh at their comically poor finishing during this period of the match. Several players missed gilt-edged chances, including winger Mykhailo Mudryk and striker Kai Havertz. Chelsea were doing extremely well to get the ball forward and at getting it into dangerous areas, but they really should have finished some of their chances. They were doing everything right in terms of opening up the United defense, but they couldn’t hit the back of the net to save their lives! This period of play was a microcosm of Chelsea’s awful season: good play in the build-up and chance creation, but atrocious finishing. There was another concern for United when winger Antony dos Santos went down injured after a fairly innocuous-looking challenge, and he was stretchered off and replaced by striker Marcus Rashford. Well wishes to Antony on a speedy recovery.

The Blues’ misery was further compounded however deep in first half stoppage time. Casemiro brought the ball forward and played a sensational no-look, chipped pass out to his right and into the feet of winger Jadon Sancho. Sancho was in a bit of space and looked like he might shoot, but he wisely played it across to the unmarked striker Anthony Martial who tapped in for 2-0 with Kepa stranded. An excellent passing move that was truly against the run of play! Well done to Casemiro and Martial, but special credit to Sancho for making the right decision. He has consistently had struggles with making the right decision at the right time this season, as he usually dawdles on the ball and the chance goes begging. This time though he got it exactly right! 2-0 United at half time, with Chelsea likely demoralized given their opportunities to score.

The second half was much more dominant from United. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes went close first, striking the angle of the crossbar/post after center back Victor Lindelof did well to win the ball high up the pitch. Chelsea were not strong on the ball, but they did well to keep United from scoring again for about 30 minutes or so. However, United did get the decisive 3rd goal on 73 minutes from the penalty spot. Bruno was dancing on the left side of the penalty box, and he beat Chelsea right back Wesley Fofana with a nutmeg. Fofana then stuck a leg out though and tripped Bruno, and of course Bruno went down as if he’d been shot. Referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot, and there wasn’t much complaining from the Chelsea players. Bruno stepped up and sent Kepa the wrong way with a low finish to his right. 3-0, and United were now confidently on their way to the top-4!

They weren’t finished however! Just 5 minutes later, Fofana played a ball across his own box that was wayward, and it allowed Bruno to pounce on the ball. He crossed it back towards Rashford in the center of the area, and his touch took it past the last Chelsea defender. Kepa did well to stick out his left leg and save the initial shot, but the rebound fell straight to Rashford. He took it around Kepa with ease and had a tap-in from about a yard out. 4-0! Utter domination in the second half and a thorough beat down of a (usually) competitive rival. A special shoutout to Rashford on scoring his 30th goal in all competitions this season! He is the first United player with a 30 goal season since Robin Van Persie exactly ten years ago.

Chelsea got a consolation goal on 89 minutes from forward João Félix after a fine run and finish which ruined keeper David De Gea’s clean sheet, but it was nothing more than a consolation. This was United’s day through and through. Realistically they could have have had 5 or 6 goals today. Substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho struck the crossbar late on, and substitute midfielder Scott McTominay had a close-range effort saved by Kepa in stoppage time. Atwell blew his whistle shortly after that and United were through to the Champions League next season!

United also moved into 3rd place for the time being, two points ahead of 4th placed Newcastle. There is still one match to play for all teams on Sunday, but the heavy lifting has now been done. 5th-placed Liverpool can no longer mathematically catch them, and the Scousers can look forward to spending their Thursday nights playing in the Europa League next season. It would be nice if United beat Fulham in their remaining match next Sunday to lock up 3rd place, but 3rd vs. 4th matters little in this context. Top-4 was the goal for ETH and the lads at the beginning of the season, and they’ve locked it up with a match to spare. The club can look forward to the revenue generated from these European matches, along with being more easily able to attract top-level talent in the summer. Given how this season started for United with consecutive losses, to be where we are is nothing short of a magnificent achievement for this manager and group of players.

United’s final match of the season is not until June 3rd when they play in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City at Wembley. Due to the importance of the fixture, it will be interesting to see how ETH manages the last Prem game on Sunday. Fulham have naught to play for similar to United, so will he rest all of his usual starters? Will he keep them out there to continue momentum? Either way, the match against City will be extraordinarily difficult. United and Inter Milan are the only two clubs standing between them and the Treble.

I will do a match report for Fulham and the FA Cup Final, and I think I will do another post about the prospective sale of the club early on in the close season. This season is already much, much better than the last one though. Thank you, Mr. Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff!

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Win to Close in on the Top 4, City Win the Title, Forest Safe

Manchester United travelled to the south coast of England earlier today for a Premier League match with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. It was a warm and sunny occasion in which United were looking for three points in the final push for the top-4. Fortunately for United and manager Erik ten Hag, the Cherries and manager Gary O’Neil were already safe from relegation coming into the match, which meant they had little to play for.

The match itself was far from a classic, aside from a few major events. Midfielder Casemiro scored the one and only goal in this match just 9 minutes in, and what an acrobatic goal it was! Fellow midfielder Christian Eriksen played a high arcing ball over the top of the Bournemouth defense from about 25 yards out, with Casemiro running onto it. A Bournemouth defender got a touch to it first, but the bounce fell straight to Casemiro. He contorted his body to get his right foot to it, and he swept it home without the ball touching the ground. Cherries keeper Neto had no chance! It wasn’t quite an overhead kick, but it was very close to being one. The goal was important, but it was a very good game for Casemiro overall as well. Excellent passes, he kept possession well, and was on hand to break up attacks when needed.

Bournemouth did have their chances, most notably on 33 minutes when keeper David De Gea dove to his left to keep a shot from striker Dominic Solanke out. De Gea also did well to tip a powerful and rising shot from midfielder David Brooks over the bar on 47 minutes. That was the pattern of the game – a half chance every ten minutes or so. Solanke was the danger man for Bournemouth on the day, but he couldn’t convert any of the chances presented to him. United used the high press very effectively as the match wore on, and they forged some chances of their own just after the hour mark from striker Wout Weghorst and midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Neto was equal to all attempts on goal, though. Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore forced another fine save from De Gea on 84 minutes, but that was the last good chance of the match from either side. After some solid defending in stoppage time, United were winners on the day 1-0!

The Red Devils will need to be more clinical with their finishing next season. They did enough to get the win today, but this was a match they should have won by 3 goals at least. Credit to De Gea for having a good day between the sticks, and his normally worrisome distribution was aided by a lack of pressing from the Cherries. He also won the Golden Gloves today, awarded to the keeper (and back four) that keeps the most clean sheets over the span of a Premier League season. The situation with De Gea’s contract will be an interesting one to watch over the summer.

Excellent matches from defenders Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. They’ve been rock solid during this final stretch of the season, even though the goals have dried up a little. Sometimes a manager has to rely on his defense towards the end of these long and grueling seasons, and they’ve all stepped up exceptionally well. The return of center back Lisandro Martinez next season will only further bolster an exceptional position group.

United’s win, coupled with Liverpool’s draw at Aston Villa today, means that United only need one point from their final two matches to qualify for the Champions League next season. They are well and truly on the door step, and both of their remaining Prem matches are at the fortress of Old Trafford. If they can secure just a single solitary point against either Chelsea next Thursday or Fulham on the final day, the top-4 will be guaranteed. There is also still a chance they finish 3rd ahead of Newcastle, but that won’t be a disappointment if it doesn’t happen. The top-4 is essential, while 3rd would just be icing on the cake.

Some other major events happened today too! Nottingham Forest’s victory over Arsenal at the City Ground ensured that Forest will be staying up and remaining in the Prem next season. This is huge financially for a club like Forest, and it was the principal and primary goal for them to achieve. Well done to manager Steve Cooper and all of Forest’s players for giving the city of Nottingham something to cheer about!

Arsenal’s loss also unfortunately handed the Premier League title to Manchester City, who now cannot be caught mathematically. This is City’s third successive League title and their 7th overall. For many the title comes with an asterisk though, as City are currently being investigated for numerous violations of Financial Fair Play rules, but their supporters won’t care about that. City are the best team in England, and likely also the best team money can buy. Only United (FA Cup final) and Inter Milan (Champions League final) stand in their way for an historic Treble now, something only United has achieved in the past (1999). It is breathtaking to watch them play, but the feeling is soured knowing they’re funded entirely by an oil state who doesn’t care about playing by the rules!

Even though the title has been decided and the top-4 is almost decided, there is always the relegation battle at the bottom of the table to consider. Forest are safe, which means that Everton, Leeds United, and Leicester City are staring down the barrel of relegation. Everton are currently just barely outside the bottom three, but both Leeds and Leicester will know they can leapfrog the Toffees if they can scrap some points from their respective remaining matches. Bottom dwellers Southampton have already been relegated mathematically, which means that two of the three aforementioned clubs will also be going down. On an interesting aside, this season is the first once since 2017/18 in which all three promoted clubs from the previous season will be staying up. Well done Fulham, Bournemouth, and Forest!

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

FA Cup: United Through to the Semifinals After Fulham Implode

Manchester United played host to west London side Fulham FC today in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. If United had all players available they would have been heavy favorites, but the absence of regular starters Casemiro (suspension), Christian Eriksen (injury), and Raphael Varane (injury) would have been encouraging to Fulham and manager Marco Silva. Fulham have historically struggled at Old Trafford, but Silva knew that today would likely present an opportunity for an upset. Fulham have been in good form generally this season, which is a testament to the job Silva has done with them given that they were only promoted from the Championship last season. Meanwhile, United manager Erik ten Hag and the players have made it clear that they are pushing for another trophy this season, so he named as strong a team as he could possibly select.

The first half was almost all Fulham. They were more dominant in possession almost the entire opening 45 minutes. United were simply being over-run in midfield. The absences of Casemiro and Eriksen were very noticeable. Fulham’s best player by a mile was midfielder João Palhinha. He won tackles, played some excellent passes, and was able to carry the ball through United’s midfield routinely. There was a lack of energy by the Red Devils today, too. They looked tired. Perhaps the grueling fixture list this season was finally taking it’s toll a bit. Still, despite their dominance, Fulham were having trouble creating clear chances. United’s back line, marshalled by center back Lisandro Martinez, was the only unit of the team playing with any degree of ferocity.

United really struggled going forward as well. Forward Marcus Rashford was isolated on the left hand side, midfielder Bruno Fernandes’s passing was more wayward than accurate, and winger/midfielder Jadon Sancho didn’t look like he knew where he was supposed to play. No matter how much ETH shuffled the forward line, they really struggled to make Fulham keeper Bernd Leno earn his paycheck in the first half. Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer forced him into a fairly routine save on 40 minutes, but that was about as dangerous as things got for the Black and Whites from London. So while Fulham were the better of the two teams, it was 0-0 after 45 minutes.

All of Old Trafford and most of the people watching would have expected a second half response from United. This is because ETH has proven himself to be an effective reader of the game, and also an effective motivator. United needed to up their intensity a bit, but instead what we got was Fulham taking things up a notch instead. They won a succession of corners that really put United under a lot of pressure, and they finally got their break-through from talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrović on 50 minutes. Fulham forced a corner after a series fine saves from keeper David De Gea, at first to deny left back Antonee Robinson and then again from winger Willian. For the goal, it was former United midfielder Andreas Pereira playing the ball in over the top, and it was flicked on into the path of Mitrović by Fulham center back Issa Diop. Mitrović stuck his left leg out and fired home from about 5 yards out, despite what appeared to be a foul on Rashford in the build-up to the goal. Fulham were good value for their lead, and a VAR check confirmed there was no foul on Rashford. An argument could be made that he was indeed fouled, but again the bigger issue was United letting Fulham outplay them for 50 minutes. 0-1 to the Londoners.

Things kept going Fulham’s way for another 20 minutes or so after that as well. United’s response to going down was rather tepid, and Fulham kept pushing. De Gea did well to athletically save a headed effort from Mitrović on 66 minutes, and Mitrović saw another header go wide just seconds after that. United were truly under the cosh and lucky not to be down by 2.

The entire nature and complexion of this match changed on 72 minutes. United broke forward and got into a promising position for the first time in a while, with the ball finding Sancho in a forward position after a good run and pass from substitute winger Antony dos Santos. Sancho took the ball around Leno, but his shot from 12 yards was cleared off the line by Willian at the near post. A corner was given by referee Chris Kavanagh, but there were calls from United supporters and players alike for a VAR check on the clearance. Upon review, it was clear that Willian stuck his arm out and used his hand to clear the ball! As Kavanagh made his way to the pitch-side monitor to check for a penalty, Silva said something to either him or the 4th official on the touchline. Kavanagh took issue with it, and he showed Fulham’s manager a red card! He then checked the replay and awarded the penalty, while simultaneously sending off Willian for a deliberate handball in the box. As if the situation wasn’t bad enough for Fulham, Mitrović then decided to get in the referee’s face as well, and the confrontation escalated to Mitrović actually shoving Kavanagh! There is no professional sport where can you deliberately contact the referee and get away unpunished, and this sport is no different. Kavanagh instantly went back to his pocket and showed Mitrović a red card too! Absolutely wild.

In the span of about 40 seconds, Fulham saw their manager, striker, and winger all sent off. They were down to 9 men for the final 20 minutes or so, with United also having a penalty awarded to them for the handball. Bruno stepped up to the spot and casually sent Leno the wrong way, making it 1-1 to United! The Red Devils smelled blood, and it was apparent that Fulham were shell-shocked by the mad decisions of Silva, Willian, and Mitrović. United were ahead just 2 minutes later, with left back Luke Shaw operating in acres of space before he crossed back into the middle. Sabitzer was on hand to flash down and back-heel the cross into the goal, with Leno unable to keep it out. Talk about a wild swing! United went from 11 vs 11 and down a goal to up 2-1 versus 9 men in the span of about five minutes. Well done to Sabitzer for opening his goal scoring account today as well!

Fulham’s heads were gone after that, and they didn’t have the numbers to cause United problems going forward. Once it was 2-1, United never looked like conceding another goal. They kept possession and created more chances going forward as well. They got their third deep into stoppage time, with Bruno firing home decisively from about 12 yards out after being found by substitute midfielder Fred. A good goal from Bruno to seal the deal, but United were definitely aided by their numerical advantage. The final whistle blew and United won 3-1, having earned themselves a second Wembley trip this season.

Make no mistake, Fulham gave this game away. Up until 72 minutes, they were the better side and looked like they would be the ones moving on to the semis. United looked fatigued, the tactics from ETH weren’t great until the subs started coming on, and Fulham were more or less bossing the game. I have been watching this sport for 20+ years, and I don’t think I’ve seen a bigger implosion and mental collapse from a team than what I saw from Fulham today. I don’t know what was said by Silva to warrant his sending off, and I am even more in the dark as to what he was complaining about. Kavanagh hadn’t even awarded the penalty before Silva started mouthing off to him. Willian’s decision to use his hand was also mystifying, but he probably thought it was necessary to prevent a goal. The biggest mystery here though is why Mitrović felt the need to start remonstrating with the official. Mitrović has a reputation for being a hot-headed and aggressive player, but his decision to get into the ref’s face and then shove him was pure recklessness. Fulham had the game in hand, and even with a penalty to United it was still 1-0 with 10 men at that point. Had Bruno missed the penalty, Mitrović still could have helped his team get a result. He has to be smarter there. He has to realize the big picture of the situation and stay out of the referee’s face, no matter how upset he was. But it was 3 red cards shown to Fulham in the span of about 40 seconds, and all 3 were probably deserved. A total and complete mental implosion from Fulham FC today.

ETH knew his side got away with one today, and he rightfully praised De Gea’s timely saves in the second half to keep United in the match. Sometimes you have to be lucky in this game, and that is precisely what happened today. For 72 minutes, United were second-best. I am still frankly in a degree of disbelief that the colossal mental collapse of Fulham. United were better once they were down to 9 men and it was 1-1, but that is to be expected at this level with the quality United have. Credit to Kavanagh for holding his nerve today, although I would like to know what Silva said to him that earned him a red. A manager being red-carded for dissent is not unprecedented, but it is exceptionally rare. Fulham will be absolutely kicking themselves today. Well done to United for immediately taking advantage of the situation and getting their second goal just moments after the first one went in.

United do not have another match until April 2nd, as we have hit the March international break. Players that have been called up to play for their countries will go and do so, with some others getting a little bit of a break. England face Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier on March 23rd, with another qualifier against Ukraine on March 26th. United’s next match is in the Premier League away to Newcastle, and they will be returning to Wembley for the FA Cup Semifinals against Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of April. I do think some of our players need a break, so some of them having the next two weeks off to recover will do them wonders.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

FA Cup: United Come From Behind to Beat West Ham

Manchester United played host to fellow Premier League side West Ham United earlier today at Old Trafford in the 5th Round of the FA Cup. The Hammers are usually a tough match-up for United, especially in single-game elimination tournaments like the FA Cup. There was also some concern that United’s players would be on a bit of an emotional hangover, having won the League Cup at Wembley on Sunday. West Ham have struggled in the Prem this season under former Red Devils manager David Moyes, but he knew that his players could potentially pull off an upset today. ETH rotated his players for the first time in weeks, opting to rest or bench some of the regular starters. Even with a rotated side though, the men in red were still expected to win fairly confidently.

United had all of the possession in the opening 20 minutes or so, with the best chance coming when midfielder Marcel Sabitzer forced a low and diving save from West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola from about 19 yards out. Winger Alejandro Garnacho then had a go on 12 minutes from the edge of the box, but Areola was again able to palm it out of harm’s way. While United continued to maintain possession throughout most of the opening 45 minutes, it was mostly harmless possession. The ball was constantly being played between defenders near the center circle, and they struggled to create clear chances due to West Ham’s defensive formation. West Ham’s best chance of the half came on 23 minutes when striker Michail Antonio was released by a long ball over the top. He was through on goal and carried it well towards United keeper David De Gea’s goal, but he took a bit too long to make his decision. De Gea was able to scramble out and close down the angle before stopping the shot with his trailing hand. Antonio probably should have scored, but credit to De Gea for his alertness and positioning. There were a few half-chances for both sides after that, including a questionable clearance from De Gea, but no goals were scored and it 0-0 at halftime. The difference between the two sides was negligible.

ETH brought on midfielder Casemiro at the start of the second half for fellow midfielder and yellow-card recipient Scott McTominay. While Casemiro would go on to greatly affect the match, the first chance of the second half actually fell to West Ham. Striker Tomas Soucek managed to out-muscle center back Victor Lindelof in the air and get his head to a cross on 50 minutes, which De Gea again had to dive for to keep it out. Casemiro eventually found striker Wout Weghorst for a shot on the break after the De Gea save, but Weghorst’s shot was wide and high of the goal.

West Ham were in front on 54 minutes however, when Hammers winger Saïd Benrahma hit a curling effort into the far corner of De Gea’s goal from 12 yards out. But there was more than a fair amount of controversy to this goal. In the build-up, the ball almost certainly went out of play on the left wing. It should have been a throw in for United, but no whistle was blown and West Ham continued play. The ball was in the back of the net about 10 seconds later via Benrhama, and everyone inside Old Trafford thought the goal would be disallowed. VAR checked and the goal stood, but I don’t know what the VAR official was looking at. The ball went out, plain and simple. It was close, but it was out. Now, it must be said that United’s players switched off when they saw the ball go out. That is inexcusable. Always play until the whistle! That’s a tenet in every sport. It’s true the goal shouldn’t have counted, but you can’t rely on refs to get every call spot-on. Right back Diogo Dalot was particularly guilty of stopping, which meant he was out of position. Good finish from Benrahma, but it never should have counted.

ETH made a double change in response to the goal, bringing on striker Marcus Rashford and center back Lisandro Martinez. Bringing on the big guns, as it were. Martinez got off to a rocky start however when Antonio beat him down the left wing and found himself through on goal yet again. The angle didn’t help him though, and De Gea was forced into another diving save to keep the score 1-0. Antonio probably made the wrong decision by shooting instead of crossing it as well. United thought they had their equalizer on 72 minutes when a free kick from midfielder Bruno Fernandes was turned in to the goal by the head Casemiro, but after a VAR check it was ruled out for offside. This call was probably correct, but what’s annoying is that VAR got this call right but not the obvious out of play in the build-up to the West Ham goal. The inconsistency is maddening.

United kept pushing forward though, undeterred. They were finally rewarded for their attacking mentality on 77 minutes when a corner from Bruno was accidentally turned into the West Ham net by their center back Nayef Aguerd. Weghorst did well to get his lanky frame into the mix of bodies near the goal line, and it struck Aguerd’s head as he was falling back down. Areola had made the decision to try and collect the cross, but he got nowhere near it. Even though Weghorst didn’t get a touch on the ball, he and Bruno should still get the credit for it. Weghorst was an absolute workhorse today in his center-forward position, and he did everything except score today. His ability to hold the ball was of paramount importance to ETH’s second half tactics. 1-1!

The last thing most United fans would have wanted though was 30 minutes of extra time, given the already very congested fixture list this season. United knew they needed to find a winner before the final whistle, and the supporters in the Stretford End were in full voice to support them. It was all United after they got the equalizer. Wave after wave of attack. West Ham simply couldn’t get on the ball. The winner finally came just as clock struck 90 minutes, and it came via the right foot of Garnacho. A shot from Weghorst on the edge of the box was blocked away by the West Ham defense, but it bounced into the air and fell straight to Garnacho in space on the left side of the box. He took a touch to kill the momentum of the ball, and struck a curling effort into the far corner of the goal that Areola couldn’t get to. Garnacho had been a general nuisance on the left wing for most of the match, making direct runs at the West Ham defense that they always seemed to have to scramble away at the last moment. Great poise and patience from the 18 year-old not only on the finish, but to keep going at the opposition over and over again until they caved. Old Trafford erupted into celebration and United knew they were on their way to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.

But they weren’t finished though! Deep in stoppage time, West Ham gave the ball away inside their own box, thanks again to the pressing of Weghorst. The ball broke directly to substitute midfielder Fred, who finished sweetly with a shot along the ground for 3-1 and a definite cap on the evening. The match was already won given that goal came in the 95th minute, but to come back with such confidence and style says so much about this team. Fred is also having himself a goal-fest this season by his standards, when in previous years he was used more defensively. Kudos to him for being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes, that’s all you need to do.

The final whistle blew without any further action and United were through to the FA Cup quarterfinals! They remain in contention for a Quadruple of trophies this season, although the Premier League title would be a long shot. West Ham defended well and took advantage of one of their chances, but ultimately United were just too good for them in the final 20 minutes or so. Antonio will be kicking himself tonight for the chances he missed. In any event, amazing games from Weghorst, Casemiro, Garnacho, and De Gea today. Great substitutions yet again from ETH as well. Casemiro gave us solidity in midfield, and the runs by Rashford off the ball meant more room for Weghorst to operate in. And again, the mentality of the players must be applauded. This team doesn’t quit. They always believe they can win it. It’s an odd feeling that I personally haven’t experienced in quite some time. Even when West Ham scored, I still felt like United were going to win. We needed to up the intensity a bit and get the right players on the pitch, but that’s exactly what we did. It’s getting repetitive at this point to say, but ETH is an absolutely brilliant manager.

United were given another home tie for the QFs, hosting London side Fulham FC. Fulham are in good form this season so it won’t be easy, but United will again be favored by most. Next up for United however is an absolutely massive trip to Anfield to play Liverpool in the Premier League next Sunday. Liverpool have not been in the best form this season, but we would underestimate them at our own risk. United-Liverpool is arguably the fiercest rivalry in English football, and they will be up for it.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Fulham Fall in Fergie Time — Ronaldo Shoots His Big Dumb Mouth Off

Manchester United traveled south to London for the final Premier League match before the winter break against newly-promoted Fulham FC at Craven Cottage. United have traditionally been dominant over Fulham, but manager Marco Silva is a capable tactician and they are a confident team when at home. Manager Erik ten Hag picked a strong if somewhat rotated team for this match, knowing that a win would cement the Red Devils’ grip on fifth place going into the break.

Fulham were probably the better side in the first ten minutes, but United grew into the game and got the first goal somewhat against the run of play. Casemiro won the ball back inside the center circle and United sprung into attack very quickly. The ball was played forward by Christian Eriksen into the feet of Anthony Martial, who turned quickly and brought the ball forward towards the Fulham penalty area. He played it left to Bruno Fernandes, who hit the ball first time on a return low and across the face of the Fulham goal. Eriksen had continued his run and was unmarked as he tapped home for his first United goal! The goal was a typical one from United under ETH: win the ball high up the pitch via press, get it into the forward playmakers quickly, and work the ball into the goal via precise passing.

Fulham responded well to the goal though, encouraged by their raucous home crowd. They slowly but surely established the majority of the possession, and managed to fashion a few half chances as the half matured. United had the best chance for the next goal though, once again via Eriksen. This time though his shot from close range was just wide of the left-hand post. Halftime saw the match finely poised at 1-0.

Fulham continued their ascendency however and were rewarded for their possession and chances created just after the hour mark, and it was a familiar face to United that did it. Substitute winger Daniel James was the first to get to a cross into the area, and he poked it home past keeper David De Gea with almost his first touch. Poor marking from United, really. Respect to James however for not celebrating after scoring. He had some good games for United and there are many at the club who wish he was still playing for us. He was a good super-sub for the club for sure, but his game was a little one-dimensional during his time at United and he sometimes went missing from matches. Well done to him in the end for keeping at it in west London.

As more substitutions were made and the players grew more tired, the pace of the game slowed down significantly. Fulham were possessing the ball but not really making any inroads, while United seemed somewhat content with the occasional counter-attack or fast break to create a chance. It must be said that United did squander a fair few chances throughout the match, in both halves. This match had the word “draw” written all over it.

But for all the tactical issues today, this team never stops trying. Time and time again this season, they find a way to get a late goal. Such a goal was needed today, and they got one in thrilling fashion after a lovely move down the left hand side. The ball was played forward in short and quick passes to get around the Fulham press, before it found substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho on the left wing. He played a long 1-2 with Eriksen, then showed amazing acceleration to reach Eriksen’s return pass and poke it home first time into the far corner of Fulham keeper Bernd Leno’s goal. Fulham players and fans were in shock while the lads in red celebrated wildly. What a run from Garnacho. He has elite quickness in short bursts and the Fulham defender had no chance. A very “Manchester United” goal in the sense that it was scored in Fergie time by a graduate of our youth academy. Garnacho is going to be a star in this league for sure!

A few things though – yes a win is a win and we will celebrate as such, but this match should have been over in the first half. We still can’t finish consistently and had to rely on a moment of genius to win a match instead of killing it off early. It’s true that some usual starters were out today, but Fulham were there for the taking in the first half. It was also worrying that in our midfield of Casemiro, Bruno, and Eriksen that we can’t maintain possession for long spells against a side like Fulham. Perhaps that was by design tactically today, but I would have liked to see us “defend from the front” a bit more by possessing the ball and not letting Fulham camp out in our half. Against better sides, that is a recipe for losing. Still need a striker in January who can finish off all these chances we create.

United go into the winter break comfortably in 5th place, just three points off 4th place with a game in hand. Considering where we were after the first two matches, I am generally happy with the direction the team is heading in. Glazers Out still of course!

***

Speaking of needing a new striker, current striker Cristiano Ronaldo has now certainly played his last match for Manchester United and will be gone after the World Cup. His dramatic saga this season has been documented on this blog, and the latest chapter in this rather moronic story is Ronaldo going on a British talk show to talk about how he has been “disrespected” by the club and how he feels he is being “forced out.” He took shots in the explosive interview at United’s directors, ETH, and even former teammate Wayne Rooney. Ronaldo did not play in today’s match, but did play in the loss against Aston Villa last weekend.

Ronaldo has always had an ego, but he has now become arrogant and petulant. He seems to think he his owed a place in the team routinely based on his contributions in the past, but that is simply not how football works. He has not been good this season, plain and simple. He is either unwilling or unable to fit into ETH’s tactical system. If he is not scoring goals, he simply does not contribute much to this team. Routinely, the team plays better when he is not in the lineup. Ronaldo does not seem to be able to accept that reality.

This interview has tarnished his legacy. He has forgotten that no one man is bigger than Manchester United, even a player with that stature of Ronaldo. His exit was already pretty likely even before he went on television and started spouting off nonsense, but it seemed that he and ETH had at least temporarily made nice. Ronaldo was even named captain for a match a few weeks ago. He clearly doesn’t feel that was enough, though. Whatever favor he sought to gain by explaining his side of things, I think ultimately this will not be viewed positively. He comes across like a child stomping his feet in a grocery store because his parent won’t let him run around the store. No one is forcing him out except for himself. He’d be an amazing super sub when United need a goal, but he isn’t willing to accept that role.

Goodbye, Ronaldo. We’ll forever be grateful for the trophies but you’re done now, mate. Enjoy the big paycheck from the MLS or the homecoming if you go to Portugal. Just keep your mouth shut about the club that helped mold you into what you are today.

A Good Start in the League Cup

Manchester United hosted Aston Villa today at Old Trafford in the opening fixture for both clubs in the competition known as the League/EFL/Carabao Cup. The tournament changes names all the time, so for the purposes of this post it shall be known as the League Cup. This was a rematch of last week’s fixture at Villa Park in the Premier League, which United lost to Unai Emery and company. Emery always has his team ready to play United, and his sides always give us trouble no matter what. This was the penultimate fixture for United before the winter break and start of the World Cup.

The opening 20 minutes or so were largely forgettable, with neither side really being able to create any dangerous chances. United had the ball in the back of the net around the half hour mark via Bruno Fernandes, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside in the buildup. Villa had a few half-chances as well, although they struggled to get clear shots on goal.

The second half couldn’t have been more different though, as a whopping six goals were scored by both sides in the second 45 minutes. Villa were on the front foot first via striker Ollie Watkins, who put the ball away nicely after Villa won the ball in midfield and ran directly at the United goal. Reserve United keeper Martin Dubravka, on his debut for the club, probably could have made himself a bit bigger to cover his near post and keep out Watkins’s shot. However, the goal probably should have been disallowed for a hand-ball in the buildup. VAR and the refs missed it though, and Villa were ahead 1-0.

The Villans were immediately pegged back however just one minute later when a long ball over the top from United’s defense caught Villa napping, and Bruno was in on goal all by himself with Anthony Martial in support. Villa’s defense couldn’t get back in time, and it was the simplest of square passes from Bruno to Martial, who slotted it home for 1-1. It’s good to see Martial scoring again, but he must remain healthy for United to have the best chance of success in the second half of the season. Wrap him in cellophane and stick him under a heater this winter!

Villa again went ahead on 61 minutes, this time with even more fortune than last time. They had managed to work the ball towards the goal, but a cross was required from a very tight angle to get the ball across the face of Dubravka’s goal. Unfortunately, the pass had a lot of pace on it and Diogo Dalot’s attempted block directed the ball straight into the back of the net from close range. Scoring an own goal is one of the worst feelings in professional sports, but Villa were definitely lucky to see it go in.

The Red Devils were undeterred though, and kept plugging away in attack. They were rewarded 6 minutes later when winger/forward Marcus Rashford slotted the ball home past Villa keeper Robin Olsen. The ball could have easily gotten away from him, but he sorted out his feet just enough to get the shot away. He had missed just wide of the post a few minutes earlier, so he probably felt a sense of great relief once he equalized.

From that point on, it was almost all United. Center back Harry Maguire saw his powerful header from a corner saved off the line, while Bruno had several shots go just wide of the target. United did their go-ahead goal after a poor clearance from Olsen fell straight to substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. He spotted Bruno in the center of the area and played the ball to him quickly. Bruno got the shot away, and a deflection off Villa center back Tyrone Mings wrong-footed Olsen saw the ball go into the back of the net. Great awareness from Garnacho, and finally United got a bit of luck of their own with Bruno’s finish.

Garnacho only got better as the match went on. The diminutive Argentine went on a lung-busting run down the left wing and almost had a goal of his own, if not for a save from Olsen. He was then instrumental in creating United’s fourth goal on the day when he played a lovely floating cross into the area from the left wing. His pass found the run of midfielder Scott McTominay, who did well to control the pass and stick it in as stoppage time began. United won the match 4-2 and secured their progression to the 4th Round of the League Cup.

Many in England often question the importance of the League Cup, but today manager Erik ten Hag and the players on the pitch were very clearly taking it seriously. I think there was a little bit of extra juice in the legs today too, having been beaten by this side at the weekend. I will never complain about United wanting to win a trophy, but I just worry that the lads expended a lot of effort today and that could negatively affect them later in this long and fixture-filled season. As long as reinforcements arrive in January, this team will do well.

A hearty congratulations to Rashford, Maguire, Luke Shaw, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno, Dalot, Fred, Casemiro, Antony dos Santos, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Garnacho, and Raphael Varane on their call-ups to their respective national teams for the World Cup! Even if England doesn’t do well, I will be sure to cheer for United’s contingent of players. Left back Tyrell Malacia may still be called upon by the Netherlands, who announce their squad tomorrow. Also happy that the rest of the players who were not called up get a month of rest when normally they would be playing.

Just one match left now, an away trip to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday. We need to finish this first half of the season with three points! Almost more importantly though, I am hoping for no injuries for any player going to the World Cup.

Glory Glory Man United!

High Drama on the Premier League Final Day

Going into the final matchday of the Premier League season, there were plenty of important positions in the league table to be decided. First and foremost among them were who would win the Premier League title. Mathematically, only Liverpool or Manchester City could win it. City were ahead by a point, meaning that Liverpool had to get a better result against Wolverhampton Wanderers than City in their match against Aston Villa. In a coincidental twist, former Liverpool captain and King Scouser himself Steven Gerrard could help his old club win the title today as manager of Aston Villa. There was also a final Champions League place to be decided between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and the final relegation spot hadn’t been decided either. Leeds United were looking to stay up at the expense of Burnley.

Tottenham ended up shellacking Norwich, with striker Son Heung-min solidifying his position as the Golden Boot winner, earned by scoring the most goals in a Premier League season. Arsenal did win as well, but it didn’t matter as they had to better the result from Tottenham. Tottenham will be in the Champions League next season, with Arsenal in the Europa League. Leeds were also able to snatch a late winner in their match, relegating Burnley to the Championship after their loss to Newcastle. Man United supporters would have preferred Leeds to go down given the bitter rivalry between the clubs, but United are in no position to gloat. Their largely inconsequential match against Crystal Palace ended 1-0 in favor of Palace, with new manager Erik ten Hag in attendance. United did end up qualifying for the Europa Conference League next season, which no one is really thrilled about given it’s the least important European tournament. It almost would have been better to have no European football next season. Ten Hag’s facial expressions in the stands during the match tell the whole story – he knows he’s got a mountain of work to do.

But the highest of the high drama was centered on the title race. It’s always thrilling when it comes down to the final matchday of the season, and today was no exception. City conceded two goals to Aston Villa, while Liverpool were held to a 1-1 score line for most of their match. Had Liverpool scored at that moment (around the 65 minute mark in both matches) they would have been in the driver’s seat for the title. But never count out City’s talent. They scored three goals in 5 minutes to take a 3-2 lead over Villa, with German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan being the main spark in the attack. Liverpool then went ahead against Wolves via Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, but City were able to hold on to the ball effectively and Villa never got another sniff of the goal. With both clubs getting a win, City won the title by precisely 1 point. Not the narrowest margin of all time, but it certainly does not get much tighter than that.

City’s title-clinching win means that Liverpool will not be the first English club to win the Quadruple (all four major trophies in the same season), and that is important because Liverpool fans would have been insufferable had they done so. No one in the red half of Manchester wants City to win the Prem, but at this point they are the lesser of two evils. I’d rather see the trophy at the bottom of the North Sea than in the hands of the Scousers. Congrats to manager Pep Guardiola and City, I suppose.

But today was great stuff. The Premier League always brings the drama, and it’s great for the growth of the English game on a world-wide scale. We have a title winner, all European places decided, and three teams have been relegated. The final issue to be decided (domestically at least) is which three teams will be promoted to replace the relegated Norwich, Watford, and Burnley. We know that Fulham and Bournemouth will be two of the teams promoted, but on May 29 the playoff final between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest will determine that coveted third promotion spot. Whoever wins will not only earn the prestige of playing in the Prem, but also close to £150 million in TV revenue for the club.

Liverpool also have one more match to play, the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28. Should be a tasty match, given the attacking talents and their respective European pedigrees. On that day, all United supporters will be Madridistas for about 2 hours or so. I will have posts both for that match and the playoff final!