Champions League: VAR at the Center of A Controversial Defeat in Denmark

Manchester United traveled to Denmark last Wednesday for a Champions League group stage match against FC Copenhagen at Parken. This was a replay of the match a fortnight ago which United won 1-0 at Old Trafford. The Red Devils needed a victory to get out of 3rd place in the group and help secure progression to the knockout stages.

A full match summary would easily be close to 3000 words given it’s chaotic nature, so I am not going to fully summarize this one. United scored the first two goals via striker Rasmus Højlund, who continued his fine form in the Champions League this season. He hasn’t shown up in the domestic league yet, but he’s been on fire in the Champions League. The game changed however when forward Marcus Rashford was controversially sent off on 42 minutes. The Red Devils showed some signs of mental weakness yet again, and Copenhagen got two goals in quick succession before halftime. More on the decision to send off Rashford (and other suspect referee/VAR decisions) below.

Despite the lads collapsing a little bit at the end of the first half, United took the lead again on 69 minutes when midfielder Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to give them a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately though, Copenhagen scored again in the 83rd minute to level the score, and then got a winner on 87 minutes. Playing with ten men for over a half probably got to the team towards the end, which may explain the collapse. It was a devastating blow to United’s hopes of moving on to the knockout rounds. They are bottom of Group A with a daunting trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray next, and then they host group leaders Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the final group game. Needless to say, I am not optimistic.

Now, a couple of things before I dive into the refereeing decisions – there’s no excuse for this team to concede two goals just before half time. Can’t have it. This team is still mentally fragile, and that is something manager Erik ten Hag must work on. The tactics weren’t terrible in this match and United were not aided by the officials, but the defending simply has to improve.

That said, VAR is making this sport unwatchable. It seems like in every match that’s played, there’s at least one controversial decision made by a VAR official that affects the outcome of the match. Rashford’s red card was – simply put – not a red card until the referee was alerted to review it by the VAR official. United’s penalty to give them the lead was also (candidly) not a penalty. And it’s not just United that are getting screwed by VAR, even though it seems like VAR has been overtly harsh on us this season. Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp, managers of Arsenal and Liverpool respectively, have both been publicly critical of this particular instant replay system in recent weeks. Arsenal had a goal given against them against Newcastle that should not have been given due to a foul, which even the Premier League officiating council has since admitted was the wrong decision. There’s a just a laundry list of incidents that have caused a mountain of controversy this season, and the problem is present in all different competitions.

If the goal of VAR was to reduce the controversy of the game and ensure that correct decisions are made, then VAR and the application thereof has failed spectacularly. There’s no clarity in what the standard of proof is, and subjectivity is reigning supreme when subjectivity was supposed to be eliminated altogether. No one knows what a “clear error” is, and no one seems to know how far back VAR officials are looking when it comes to confirming or negating a given referee’s decision.

Perhaps the biggest issue with VAR however is that it has taken the excitement of scoring a goal out of the game. It used to be that as soon as the ball hit the back of the net you could wheel away and celebrate, but not anymore. VAR has made everyone stop and pause. VAR makes everyone wait. You can score, but then you have to wait for the VAR check to happen before you can really celebrate. The unsteady application of the review system has made everyone, particularly United fans, extremely cynical. When Bruno scored the winner last weekend against Fulham, I expected the VAR official to go and find some random rule or incident that would have disallowed the goal. Further, these reviews often take as long as 4 or 5 minutes, which totally kills the momentum and flow of a match. It’s much more difficult to enjoy football with the way VAR is currently done, and that’s going to lead to fewer spectators, which in turn will lead to less money coming in.

It behooves the Prem and other domestic leagues to review their VAR rules and when it is supposed to be applied. There also needs to be a clear standard of proof as to when a referee’s decision should be overturned or confirmed. This problem must be fixed in order to make the sport watchable again. Instant replay is a good idea in general, but of course the actual replays are not the issue. It’s the human application and interpretation of what the replays show. These inconsistencies must be fixed by the powers that be.

As far as United goes, I think they should throw in the towel on Europe this season. I don’t want us in the Europa League, as it will only detract from the remaining domestic campaign. Center back Jonny Evans was also injured at the end of the first half, which makes our back line even thinner than it already was. Well done to Højlund and left back Diogo Dalot for having good matches, but the collective mental collapse after Rashford’s red card was unacceptable. Bad decisions are going to happen with or without VAR, and professional players should be able to cope with that mentally.

United play newly-promoted Luton Town at Old Trafford on Saturday in the Premier League. Last but not least – this is my 350th post on this blog. Thank you all so very much for reading! I hope I have been able to spur your interest in this fantastic sport.

Glazers Out!

Euro Qualifier: England Earn a Massive Result in Italy

The Three Lions of England kicked off their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 earlier today when they travelled to Naples, Italy for a match with the reigning European Champions at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. These two nations are easily the two best ones in Group C, so this match was a massive one as the winner would firmly be in the driver’s seat to win the group. England manager Gareth Southgate selected a similar team from England’s last match at World Cup 2022, which raised some eyebrows from the pundits. It could be argued that Italy and manager Roberto Mancini were under more pressure to get a good result today, given that they were at home and (rather hilariously) failed to qualify for last fall’s World Cup.

While Italy created the first two half-chances from set pieces in the opening minutes, it was England who were in the ascendancy for the majority of the first half. Midfielder Jude Bellingham tested Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from distance after an excellent run, but the big keeper was able to palm the shot over his crossbar. England won a corner a few minutes later though, and they found themselves ahead thanks to a scrambled finish from midfielder Declan Rice on 13 minutes. Winger/forward Bukayo Saka played a high and looping cross towards the back post, which was controlled well by striker Harry Kane. Kane got a shot away, but it was blocked by the Italian defense only for it to rebound straight to Rice. Rice took a touch to steady the ball, but then showed good instincts to knock it into the goal from about 6-7 yards out. Well done to England for converting a set piece, but Italy were at sixes and sevens. They had three men covering England center back Harry Maguire, and as a result their defenders were out of position when the rebound fell to Rice. Maguire is a big threat in the air, but it’s farcical to use three men to mark him when Kane is also in the box. Poor marking, but England were nevertheless up 1-0 and good value for their lead.

As noted, England had a ton of possession in the first half, and they could have had a second goal if not for a poor decision made by England midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Italy gave the ball away in a bad position straight to Phillips, but Phillips elected to shoot from distance. The shot was powerful but it went wide, and he probably should have opted to play in Kane on a run just ahead of him. If he played the ball in to Kane, Kane likely scores.

Kane did get the opportunity to write his name in the history books when England were awarded a penalty on 44 minutes. Another corner from Saka hit an Italian defender’s arm as it was played towards the back post. Initially the referee only gave a corner, but VAR was consulted and Serbian referee Srđan Jovanović pointed to the spot. After a slight delay, Kane stepped up and calmly put the ball into the right side of the goal. This goal was historic because it meant that Kane is now England’s all-time leading scorer, having surpassed former England forward Wayne Rooney. More on Kane below, but England were 2-0 up and looked to be in cruise control. They really should have had 3 just before halftime though, when Kane found winger Jack Grealish with a low cross. Grealish was only about 5 yards out and in acres of space to shoot with Donnarumma out of position, but he shanked the ball wide of the far post. He really should have scored! But if you told me England would be 2-0 up against the Italians in Italy at half time, I would have happily taken it.

The second half was much different though. I am not sure what Mancini said to his men in the locker room, but clearly it had great effect as the Italians were suddenly filled with energy. While England had been bossing the midfield and winning all the second balls in the first half, that very much switched to the Azzuri in the second. While England defended fairly well for the first 10 minutes or so of the second half, the Italians pulled them apart on 56 minutes to tally a response. Italy had the ball in the final third and it was at the feet of midfielder Nicolò Barella. Maguire stepped up to challenge Barella, but his tackle was poorly timed and Barella was able to get a pass to attacking midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini just outside the box. Striker (and debutante) Mateo Retegui had slipped himself in behind Maguire in space, and Pellegrini found him with a sublime reverse pass through the legs of Rice. Retegui took a touch to steady the ball and fired home with a splendid shot high into the opposite corner from 12 yards out. The whole goal was the result of Maguire being out of position and England losing the ball in midfield as well. Rice could have done better to intercept the pass as well, but credit to the Italians for taking advantage of England’s sloppy passage of play.

The final 30 minutes and stoppage time of this match were nervy ones for both sets of supporters in the stadium. The Italians continued their dominance, with England struggling to get out of their own half. Every time England cleared the ball up the pitch, it came right back at them. Southgate needed to change things, but he seemed content to leave his original 11 on while Mancini was rolling the dice with subs like he was at a craps table. Italian substitute winger Wilfried Gnoto was a particularly troublesome threat for England. His bouncing cross into the area on 77 minutes was inches away from meeting the head of a fellow attacker, and he was constantly making runs at England right back Kyle Walker.

Things really kicked off just moments after that though, when it appeared that an Italian defender handled the ball in his own box while under pressure from Kane. This time there wasn’t even a stoppage or a VAR review though, so Italy got the ball back up the pitch quickly. They were in a very promising position in their attacking third when England left back Luke Shaw delivered a challenge on Retegui. Jovanović stopped play to award a foul, and was immediately surrounded by both sets of players. Jovanović had been having trouble maintaining control of the match in the second half, with several questionable calls against England (and probably against Italy too). England were furious that VAR hadn’t stopped play to check the handball, while the Italians were screaming for Shaw to be booked and thus sent off. Shaw had been booked just minutes earlier for time wasting, but that was one of the aforementioned questionable decisions by Jovanović. After a what was almost 30 seconds of indecision, Jovanović did indeed show Shaw a second yellow and sent him off. England would have to play the final 10 minutes and stoppage time with ten men. Southgate sent on left back Kieran Trippier to replace show, replacing winger Phil Foden who had just come on about five minutes before that.

England defended the ensuing free kick well, and Southgate quickly sent on further defensive reinforcements with the introductions of right back Reece James and midfielder Conor Gallagher. It must be said that even though they were down to ten men, England somehow improved in the final moments of the match. They were getting blocks and tackles in, and Kane had started winning the ball high up the pitch again. They didn’t create any scoring chances, but they didn’t need to. They just needed to win throw-ins and fouls as often as possible, because each one would take precious time off the clock. After a less-than-expected five minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle went and England were victorious on Italian soil for the first time since 1961!

So while it was a game of two halves in which England nearly choked it away, the most important thing is that they held on to win. England under Southgate have a history of scoring first in big games, only to choke away a victory later on. They did that against these very same Italians in the summer of 2021 at Wembley when they lost in the Euros final. But that was vitally not what happened today. Despite going down to ten men after some chaotic and one-sided refereeing, they held their effing nerve and didn’t concede again! This team can score goals and they play some beautiful football at times, but they need to learn to be ruthless at the end of big matches. The players showed real grit and determination today, and that is refreshing in a big match such as this one. Interestingly, it could be argued that England should have had this match put away at halftime. If Grealish scores his big chance, it’s 3-0 to England the second half is very different. Credit to the players, and credit to Southgate for making the right subs.

Special commendations to one Mr. Harry Kane. As mentioned above, the 29 year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker became England’s all-time leading goal scorer with his spot-kick goal today! He now has 54 England goals to his name, and he is far from being done. While it’s true that his trophy cabinet is a little on the empty side, there is no questioning his dominance as a center forward. The statistics speak for themselves – Kane is the best pure goal-scorer to ever put on an England shirt. Not only does he have the record for most goals scored, he also has the record for most goals scored in competitive matches. He scores important goals. He came close to breaking the record last fall against France in that now-infamous quarterfinal, but he missed his penalty over the bar. Finessing it past Donnarumma today was a bit of redemption, though. A big penalty scored with relative ease in a very important match. He will look to extend his record over this qualifying campaign and help England qualify for Germany in 2024.

England will fly home after this match and prepare for their next qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. This was a fantastic start to the 2024 qualifying campaign, and Ukraine will provide another tough test. They are probably the 3rd-best team in Group C talent-wise, and the players will want to give their war-torn home nation something to be happy about. Shaw will be unavailable for selection due to a red card suspension, but that’s actually fine by me. Shaw has played for Manchester United a lot this season, and he needs some mandated rest.

Three Lions on the Shirts!

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!

Premier League: Southampton and the Refs Hold United to a Draw

Manchester United hosted Southampton FC earlier today at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Manager Erik ten Hag was looking for three points to maintain United’s top-4 run, while Southampton and manager Ruben Selles were looking for any kind of positive result to get them out of the relegation zone.

Before diving in to the match details, a quick shoutout and praise for Match of the Day presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker. He has been taken off air by the BBC for publicly criticizing the frankly inhumane immigration policies recently enacted by the Conservative Party in the UK government. The hypocrisy by the BBC here is off the scale. The author of this blog stands in solidarity with Lineker. Also kudos to former England strikers current MOTD pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer for also standing in solidarity with him and declining to appear on yesterday’s MOTD episode.

The opening 30 minutes or so of this match were fairly tepid from both sides. The play was disjointed and sloppy in midfield, which led to a choppy and staccato flow. Striker Marcus Rashford forced a close-range save from Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu on 16 minutes, but it was a comfortable save in the end. Southampton went close on 24 minutes after United gave the ball away in their own area, with keeper David De Gea being forced into a close-range save of his own after Southampton winger/forward Theo Walcott got his head onto a cross.

The real action started on 34 minutes, when United midfielder Casemiro was shown a red card for a tackle in his own half. Initially, referee Anthony Taylor issued only a yellow card. But the referee in charge of VAR on the day, Andre Marriner, decided to stick his nose into the decision as well. After Taylor was sent over to the pitch-side monitor for another look, he changed his mind and issued a red card to the big Brazilian. The whole decision was utter nonsense, though. The foul in question was a yellow card at most. Casemiro made contact with the ball first, and then the follow-through of his momentum caused him to collide with the Southampton player. Casemiro was visibly distraught by the decision, and rightly so. A red card here is inconsistent with previous decisions made by Marriner and Taylor themselves. It’s a foul and maybe a yellow, but that was it. United were down to 10 men with a minimum of 56 minutes left in the match! More on Marriner and Taylor below.

United forged the next best chance of the half right after the sending off, when midfielder Bruno Fernandes hit a very sweet free kick cross into the box. Center back Raphael Varane was lurking at the back post and he got good contact on the ball, only to be denied by sprawling save from Bazunu. United then should have been awarded a penalty, or at the least granted a VAR review, on 43 minutes when it appeared that Saints center back Armel Bella-Kotchap handled the ball in the box. He was on the ground when Rashford played a low cross in the direction of striker Wout Weghorst, and Bella-Kotchap certainly appeared to use his left arm/hand to knock the ball away from Weghorst. No foul, no whistle, and no VAR check. Absolutely maddening the inconsistent application of VAR in this match. There were no further major chances in the first half, and the teams went to the locker rooms with the score 0-0. Curiously, there was only one minute of stoppage time at the end of the half, despite the VAR review earlier on being well over five minutes of real time.

Due to the extra man advantage, Southampton grew into the game significantly in the second half. Midfielder James Ward-Prowse struck the crossbar on 54 minutes from a free kick about 27-28 yards out. De Gea was nowhere near it, and it just clipped the top of the bar. Walcott then found himself through on goal about ten minutes later, only to be denied for the second time in the match by a strong hand from De Gea. The Red Devils’ best chance of the half came on 68 minutes, when a long-range shot from Bruno beat Bazunu, only for the ball to rebound back off the far post and out of play. Bruno hit it very cleanly, but replays showed that Bazunu got the very tip of his finger to the shot. It would have gone in if he hadn’t touched it ever so slightly.

Southampton’s dominance quickly resumed though, with right back Kyle Walker-Peters striking the far post from just inside the edge of the box after a short corner from Southampton. He was in a ton of space and he was clearly aiming for the far corner, but his shot was just off target. Southampton were in the ascendancy though at that 73 minute mark or so, and in response ETH brought on wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri for more venom in attack. The game slowed down considerably after that, though. Saints were still dominating possession, but their attacking moves usually fizzled out without too much of a threat to De Gea. Taylor again missed an obvious foul on Garnacho which led to a (hopefully not serious) injury for the Argentine youngster. After 7 minutes of what was originally supposed to be just 4 minutes of stoppage time, Taylor blew his whistle and the match ended 0-0.

It’s true that Southampton played well and generally took advantage of having an extra man out there for the majority of the match. I’m not faulting them for playing into a competitive advantage. But what on earth are Taylor and Marriner up to? This was one of the worst refereeing performances I have ever seen in the top flight of English football. I normally don’t like blaming refs for bad results, but these mistakes and inconsistencies were egregious and inexcusable. The dubious (at best) Casemiro red card will be the headline, but there was also the missed handball, multiple missed fouls on United players, and the weird amounts of stoppage time at the ends of both halves. Truly atrocious refereeing from Taylor and Marriner today. More frustratingly, Marriner officiated a match yesterday where several much more egregious tackles than Casemiro’s were made, yet he took no action for any of them. What constitutes a foul? What needs to happen for VAR to be consulted? Why is a certain kind of tackle a foul (and a red card!) today, but the same/worse conduct is not even a foul yesterday? Taylor and Marriner had absolute shockers today and they are the reason the result came about as it did. United will now be without their best midfielder for the next four domestic matches as well, just to add insult to injury. Something must be done about the standard of refereeing in this league, as there is far too much money in it for the refs to be this awful week after week. No one tunes in or goes to Old Trafford, Anfield, or Stamford Bridge to see the referees!

Despite the adversity, United did well to hold on today. After all, it’s hard to win when the opposition has 13 players on the pitch and your side only has 10. Southampton ended the match with 17 attempts on goal, but still couldn’t score. United may have even came away with a nervy win had Bazunu not been in ridiculous form. They kept fighting, but by the end of the match it was plainly obvious that the players were tired. Good games from Bruno, De Gea, and midfielder Scott McTominay deputizing for Casemiro, but a bad game from right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He gave the ball away twice and both times it led to good scoring chances for Walcott. Credit to ETH though for criticizing the refs in his post-match interview, even though it will likely lead to a hefty fine for him from the FA.

United remain 3rd in the Prem with this draw, a scant two points ahead of Tottenham in 4th but with a game in hand. The only thing to do now is carry on and get ready for the Europa League trip to Spain on Thursday when United play Real Betis in Sevilla. They have a strong advantage in that tie with it being 4-1 on aggregate, but defensive discipline will still be the order of the day. Casemiro will be eligible to play as it’s a European tie, but I’d like to see more rotation from ETH. Pellistri needs a start in this team to show what he can do on the right wing.

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!

Europa League: United Rally to Beat Barcelona

Manchester United played host to Catalan giants Barcelona CF earlier today at Old Trafford in the qualification round for the Europa League. This was the second match of the two-leg tie, with the Red Devils earning a 2-2 draw with the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou last week. This tie was finely poised, and both managers (Erik ten Hag and Xavi Hernandez) knew there was all to play for. Both managers also named strong starting squads for the fixture, indicating they wanted to go and win it.

Before getting into the summary, a quick but sincere Rest in Peace to BBC commentator John Motson, who died today at the age of 77. Anyone who watched a World Cup tournament on the BBC between 1986 and 2018 heard him call a match, and for many fans he was the voice of English football in their childhoods. I’ll always remember his iconic “Beckham can raise the roof here with a goal” call in 2002, just before Becks hit a trademark free kick against Greece (at Old Trafford!) that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. He’s a true legend of football and sports broadcasting, and this author will never forget the influence of John Motson.

The match got off to a strong start for United, with midfielder Bruno Fernandes forcing a save from Barca keeper Ter Stegen just 4 minutes into the match, after a lovely cross-field pass from fellow midfielder Casemiro. Bruno was working with a tight angle and it was a good save from Stegen, but he probably should have scored it given that he was virtually unmarked. In a turn of negative fortunes tho, it was Barcelona who got the first big break of the match when Bruno was adjudged to have fouled Barca left back Alejandro Balde in the area. This penalty decision was softer than the blankets on my bed! Bruno did grab the arm of Balde, but Balde theatrically spun around and fell to the ground intentionally afterwards. Bruno didn’t need to grab his arm so that’s one thing, but the referee and VAR official have to be more astute in these situations and see that the contact is minimal while the fall is exaggerated. Ugh, whatever. Balde isn’t the first player to dive on light contact, and he won’t be the last.

Barca’s all-world striker Robert Lewandowski stepped up to the spot to the take the penalty. After a brief delay for VAR to (futilely) review the decision, he tried to fake out United keeper David De Gea by dawdling on his run-up to the ball. He tried to make De Gea dive early by faking like he was going to strike the ball, but De Gea held his nerve. Lewandowski got a powerful shot on target and De Gea actually managed to get a hand on it, but the force behind the ball was too much and it deflected into the net. A very frustrating goal to concede for a number of reasons, but it was 1-0 to Barcelona on 18 minutes.

The goal seemed to rattle United a little bit, and they had to hold on for the rest of the half to ensure it stayed 1-0. It must be said that the starting tactical setup and line-up for United was probably not the one needed today. Striker Wout Weghorst was likely told by ETH to use his size and strength to hold the ball up and in turn set up runs behind the defense for players like winger Jadon Sancho and forward Marcus Rashford, but it was clear that Xavi and Barcelona had anticipated that. Weghorst was being closed down every time he was on the ball, and as a result the Red Devils lacked fluidity in attack. Rashford was isolated on his own on the left wing and Sancho was being forced to drop deep to pick up the ball. To make matters worse, Barca nearly got a second goal in first half stoppage time when De Gea clumsily gave the ball away in his own box. If not for a few lucky bounces and last-ditch block by Casemiro, it could have very easily been two goals for Barca and the tie would have almost been over.

Fortunate to only be down one, ETH realized a change in tactics was needed. Weghorst was taken off, with winger Antony dos Santos brought on in his place. Rashford was moved inside to the central striker role, with midfielder Fred moved up slightly in midfield. He also must have gave the lads a proper bollocking at half time, because they upped their intensity as well. The improvement in the second half was nearly instantaneous, as they got their equalizer on 46 minutes from Fred. United won a throw in the attacking third, and it was thrown into the left channel by left back Luke Shaw. After some half-hearted clearances by Barca, the ball was finally won by Sancho. He played the ball along the ground to his right and into the feet of Bruno, who instantly found Fred off to his right and on the edge of the box. Fred took a touch to control the strong pass, and it bounced up into the air nicely for him. It rolled down his leg and off his extended right foot, and Stegen could not get over to it as it rolled into the corner of the goal. 1-1, and 3-3 on aggregate! Fred had a rather tepid display in the first half, but he played like a man possessed in the second. ETH pushing him a little further forward proved to be a prudent decision.

Old Trafford was rocking once United equalized, and it created some real momentum for the opening 15-20 minutes of the half. Antony almost got United’s second just after the restart when he was played through on goal by Casemiro’s long ball over the top, but he elected to try and pass to Rashford instead of shooting and a Barca defender got a block in. The pressure was on the visitors now, though. Xavi tried to change things with some substitutions, but Barca looked rather toothless in attack in the second half. Left back Jules Koundé forced a spectacular flying save from De Gea, but that was the best chance they crafted for most of the second half. United center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane were in their usual excellent form today.

United got their vital go-ahead goal on 73 minutes, with Antony finding the back of the net this time. Martinez played a long ball forward down the left side, which Shaw did well to get to and keep in play. His optimistic back heel pass found Bruno, who shrugged off a challenge and dribbled into the penalty area along the end line. His angle for a shot was bad, so he hit it diagonally backwards into the feet of substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho’s low shot was blocked by the feet of a Barca defender, but the rebound fell to Fred on the edge of the area near the middle of the box. His shot was also blocked away however, but this time it fell to Antony on the right side of the box. He hit it first-time very sweetly with his weaker left foot, and the dip of shot saw it bounce under Stegen and into the far corner for 2-1. Antony is a polarizing figure among the United faithful, but there’s no denying the quality of that strike. He normally struggles with that left foot of his, but all credit to him for finding an excellent finish at a critical time.

Barcelona re-established their familiar possession game in the final 15 minutes plus stoppage time, but some additional subs and stoppages for injuries slowed the game down significantly. United were definitely taking things as slowly as possible so as to burn off more clock, and Barca were really struggling in the final third. As is sometimes the case even for the best sides, the final ball was just not falling for them. They would open up a gap with their passing routinely, only for the key final pass to be too long or cleared away. It was a very nervy final 15 minutes, made all the more nervy by Varane making a goal-line clearance in the 4th minute of a lengthy stoppage time. De Gea was stranded out of position and Lewandowski had the ball at his feet with a clear view of the net. Normally, that means a goal for a striker of his caliber. But Varane got back and booted it clear just in the nick of time, and Barca had no more chances after that. The final whistle blew and United had beaten La Liga leaders Barca 2-1, 4-3 on aggregate!

The significance of a win like this one against such quality opposition cannot be overstated. Barca are a European powerhouse and United outplayed them for almost the entirety of the second half. This is our biggest victory in Europe since 2016, when we upset Paris St. Germain in the Champions League. Great games today from Fred, Antony, Casemiro, Garnacho, Martinez, Varane, and Bruno, but the lion’s share of the credit needs to go to ETH. The first half tactics didn’t work, but his ability to read the flow of a game and make the correct changes is at the elite level. His managerial skills are not limited to tactics and substitutions though, he has changed the core mentality of the club. This man does not know the meaning of the word “quit”, and he has instilled that mentality into this team. What a manager this bald Dutchman has turned out to be!

United have qualified for the Europa League Round of 16, and their opponent will be determined on Friday morning via a draw. But there can’t be too much celebrating this win, because on Sunday, Wembley Stadium beckons. United will face Newcastle in the League Cup final, which is the club’s first chance for a piece of silverware since 2017. It’s not the most important trophy in the world, but it still would represent another important milestone achievement in the young tenure of ETH. This club is used to winning to winning trophies, and we need to start winning them again.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Fight Back to Earn a Draw Against Leeds

Manchester United hosted fierce rivals Leeds United today at Old Trafford in the Premier League. The Red Devils came into the match in scintillating form at home, having won 13 games in a row in all competitions. Leeds were on the other end of the spectrum in terms of form, sat near the relegation zone and having just fired their manager Jesse Marsch. Coaches Anthony Hudson, Michael Skubala, and Chris Armas were managing as an interim trio today. I was wary of a “new manager bounce” happening today. Whenever a manager is fired, there is a tendency for players to to up their level of intensity in the next game so as to impress the new man in charge. Their form has been bad this season, but a change in manager can sometimes be just the thing a team needs to rejuvenate themselves. In a scheduling oddity, this is the first of back-to-back Premier League matches against the Yorkshire side. It’s not often you get a War of the Roses in consecutive matches!

My concerns about a new manager bounce were well founded, as Leeds were ahead just 56 seconds into the match thanks to lively forward Wilfried Gnoto. Leeds had elected to press United high up the pitch in the opening minute, and it paid immediate dividends when midfielder Bruno Fernandes lost possession just inside his own half. After that Gnoto played a 1-2 with striker Patrick Bamford which created space for a shot. Gnoto took a touch before shooting, and the United back line were too far off of him to get a block in. Gnoto hit a well-placed and low shot from about 18 yards out that keeper David De Gea couldn’t get across to. A well-taken goal by Gnoto, but United were not mentally in the game at kick-off and were made to pay immediately. 0-1 to Leeds.

United responded fairly well however and began to grow into the game, having weathered the shock of going down so early. They were trying to get the ball out wide to wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, as Leeds had clogged the midfield with players. Garnacho should have had an equalizer around 20 minutes or so when he won a long ball that Leeds keeper Illan Meslier failed to collect. Meslier had left his goal open, but the shot from Garnacho was blocked by the head of a Leeds defender standing in the goal. Garnacho really should have done better, and it was a the highlight of a frustrating day for him. There were a few other half-chances created by United, most notably when Meslier was forced into saves from midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, but Leeds held firm and it was 0-1 to the visitors at halftime.

United’s misery was compounded just after the re-start, when Leeds got a second goal via the boot of United center back Raphael Varane. It was the same tactics from Leeds as the opening moments first half – pressure high up the pitch to win the ball in a dangerous area. This goal should not have counted though, as there was a clear handball by Leeds in the build up to the goal. After the Leeds player controlled the bouncing ball with his hand, he played the ball forward and it eventually found winger Crysencio Summerville on a run towards the end line. He hit a cut-back cross to his right, and Varane accidentally turned it into his own net in an attempt to clear it. The defense looked a bit scattered again on this goal, but again it never should have stood. Referee Simon Hooper and his VAR official got this completely wrong, and there’s no two ways about it. Complete shocker that the goal was allowed to stand.

Manager Erik ten Hag knew that a change was needed, now that his team were 2-0 down and not really looking like scoring. He brought on winger/midfielder Jadon Sancho for ineffective striker Wout Weghorst, and United improved dramatically. Rashford was moved from the right wing to the central striker position, with Sancho slotted in on the left wing. Winger Facundo Pellistri was also brought on for more power in attack. These changes proved to be prescient, as United got their first goal of the evening from a Rashford header on 62 minutes. Pellistri was found on the right side of the area from a pass by midfielder Sabitzer, and Pellistri did well to play the ball towards to right back Diogo Dalot in the right channel. Dalot played a peach of a cross over the top with his first touch, and Rashford was able to power a header past Meslier for 2-1. Rashford now has himself a 20 goal season, and more importantly United were right back in it!

The home side were level just 8 minutes later, despite a clear foul on Rashford in the box that the referee failed to award in the interim. It was the substitute Sancho who got his goal after a 3 month absence from the score sheet. He played some lovely combination passes with left back Luke Shaw down the left wing, and ran into the box after laying off the final pass for Shaw at the end line. Shaw’s cutback was blocked by the heel of a Leeds defender, but the rebound fortunately fell straight to Sancho on the left side of the area. He hit a powerful shot towards the opposite corner of the goal from 10 yards out, and Meslier could not keep it out. It’s great to see Sancho on the score sheet again. He has struggled with his physical and mental health this season, but ETH has done well to guide him back into the team. He’s a sensational talent when he’s on form, and we are going to need him down the stretch. Meslier should have done better to keep it out as he got his hands to it, but the teams were level for the final 20 minutes. United kept their pressure on, and seemed the more likely of the two teams to find a winner. Midfielder Fred came closest, but Meslier was equal to every United attempt on goal. After five minutes of stoppage time, Hooper blew his whistle and the match ended 2-2.

United did well to fight back and earn the draw, but its clear that midfielders Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are deeply missed when not in the team (suspension and injury, respectively). United were not able to hold the ball in midfield for large portions of this match, which is a credit to the tactics of the Leeds interim coaching staff. They employed two banks of 3 players each to just sit in the center of the park, and United were stuck playing long passes out wide. American midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie were expertly making a nuisance of themselves in the center of the pitch. Fred also had one of his worst games in recent memory. He always seemed to play the wrong pass and was caught out of position several times. Most teams would struggle when missing two starting midfielders, but Fred should be more than capable of playing well against a team like Leeds. Neither he nor Sabitzer are true defensive midfielders, and it seems without a competent defensive midfielder, this team just doesn’t function properly. Credit to the Leeds coaches for frustrating United with their tactics, but credit as well to ETH for realizing his tactics weren’t working and adjusting accordingly. Not the best result today, but certainly not the worst one either.

United remain 3rd in the Premier League table after today’s result, and they are three points clear of 4th-placed Newcastle. Newcastle have a game in hand though, which could mean United drop into 4th if Newcastle win their match. As stated above, United next play Leeds away at Elland Road on February 12th in the Premier League. Fortunately, I don’t think they’ll be caught by surprise again like they were today. They’ll be expecting Leeds to press, and I have full confidence that ETH will have a plan for that. Hopefully he goes with a front three of Sancho-Rashford-Pellistri to start off, as they were very effective against the Leeds back line once they were all on the pitch.

We All Hate Leeds Scum! Glazers Out!

Premier League: A Nervy Win Over Crystal Palace

Manchester United hosted Crystal Palace earlier today at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Palace and their manager Patrick Vieira have caused some problems for United this season, holding them to a rare draw at Selhurst Park just a few weeks ago. While they struggle against other sides, Palace seem to be rather astute at causing problems for United. A matchup like that will happen sometimes, both in this sport and others. They have a strong defensive shape and they’re always up for this fixture.

Before the match started, Vieira and United manager Erik ten Hag laid wreaths at the center circle in commemoration of the lives lost in the Munich Air Disaster, which happened 65 years ago this week. On February 6, 1958 a plane carrying the entire Manchester United team crashed just after takeoff during an ice storm in Munich, Germany. 23 people were killed, including 8 first-team players and 3 members of the coaching staff. I hope no club ever has to endure the tragedy this club endured on that day. We will never forget the Flowers of Manchester!

Things were lively almost from the get-go, with United being awarded a penalty just six minutes into the match. The hand ball in the penalty area happened around the four minute mark, but referee (and certified blind man) Andre Marriner was told to consult with VAR. He only awarded the penalty after a lengthy review and several protests from United players. While ultimately the correct decision was made as the Palace defender clearly had his arm raised in an unnatural position, this was not the last incident involving Marriner today. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes stepped up the spot deployed his trademark skip-hop to finesse a low shot into the left corner of the goal, sending Palace keeper Vicente Guaita the wrong way. It took a bit of time to get done, but it was 1-0 United on 7 minutes!

United kept the pressure on, and Guaita was forced into a double save on 13 minutes. He jumped high to push away a header from striker Wout Weghorst, and then had to get down low to deny center back Raphael Varane’s follow up on the rebound. Forward Marcus Rashford got his first shot on goal on 27 minutes, but Guaita was there again to deny his shot from a tight angle. Winger Antony dos Santos also came close to getting a second goal for United on 33 minutes, only for his well-placed shot from outside the box to be unintentionally blocked by two other United players. Palace were struggling to create solid chances at their end given United’s dominance on the ball, but winger/forward Jeffrey Schlupp forced a save from United keeper David De Gea on 42 minutes with a low and powerful shot from just outside the box. At half time it was 1-0 to United, but everyone in the stadium knew that one goal would not be enough to win this game. The Red Devils needed a second goal to really put it away.

Palace were a little better after the re-start, while United continued to struggle to find that second goal. ETH made a key substitution on 59 minutes that changed United’s attack, and it paid off almost right away. Winger Alejandro Garnacho was brought on for Weghorst, with Rashford moving in from the left wing to play as the central striker. United had the ball forward on 62 minutes, with defensive midfielder Casemiro laying the ball off back to Garnacho on the edge of the area. Garnacho spotted left back Luke Shaw in a forward position in space in the box, so he played it out to him. Shaw played it back in immediately with a low cross, and it was straight to Rashford who re-directed the ball home past Guaita for 2-0. An astute tactical change from ETH, and a fine team goal from the lads. Rashford now has 19 goals in all competitions this season, and he is absolutely on fire.

Normally at 2-0 on 60+ minutes the result would be in hand for United, but a bit of Vieira-inspired shithousery got Palace back into the game. Vieira was a master shithouser in his playing days, and it seems to have rubbed off on his team. A harsh challenge on Antony on the right wing caused some pushing and shoving between the sides, and during the fracas VAR captured images of Casemiro with his hands around the neck of Palace midfielder Will Hughes. A yellow card was given to Schlupp for his antics, but Casemiro was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for the chokehold on Hughes. Not going to make any excuses for Casemiro as it was rather stupid of him to act so aggressively, but the Palace players initiated the handbags with the tackle on Antony out-of-bounds. I am not sure the punishments were handed out by Marriner equally, as it were. It’s also still unclear when VAR is supposed to be used, as there have been several incidents this season where United should have been awarded a free kick (or even a penalty) for a foul but no VAR check was ever initiated.

In any event, United had to play the final 25 minutes plus stoppage time with only 10 men. That’s tough in any scenario, but I still felt they would hold on given their lead and Palace’s ineptitude in attack. But the cat was well and truly among the pigeons on 76 minutes, when Schlupp got one back for Palace. De Gea had just got done making a fine save from midfielder Idrissa Gueye’s header, only for the resulting corner to lead to their goal. The initial ball over the top was only half-cleared by United, and it fell to midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré just inside the penalty area. He played the ball back in low towards goal, where it was deflected/re-directed home over the head of De Gea by the outside of Schlupp’s left foot. A good finish, but United should have done better to clear the ball. The goal set up a nerve-wracking ending for the home side. United had to go from cruise control to battle stations in a matter of moments!

Fortunately, ETH knew what to do. He brought on every center back United has, plus handed a debut to midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. The goal was stability at the back. United didn’t need to score again, they just needed to hold on. Center back Lisandro Martinez had been having a very good game already, but he ascended to another level of play in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time. Whenever a clearance, block, or tackle was needed, he was there. The commentators were saying his name so much towards the end I almost thought there were two players named Martinez on the pitch. All hail The Butcher of Amsterdam! Man of the Match in my book.

Palace created a few half chances in those final minutes, but really couldn’t find that clear goal-scoring opportunity. Credit to United for a bit of shithousery of their own. They were very effective at keeping the ball in the Palace half of the pitch, and won a series of throw-ins and free kicks that took a ton of time off the clock. Despite being down to 10 men, they held on and won 2-1!

It was uglier than it needed to be at the end, but three points is three points. I am proud of the resolve the team showed, and very impressed with the tactical astuteness of ETH. I think without his timely substitutions and adjustments today the result is different. I’m fairly disappointed in Casemiro though. United had the game sealed away after his rash antics during the scuffle, and the lads really had to hold on with him gone. He’s easily one of our best players and now we are without him for the next three domestic matches. I think he needs to be footing the bill at the next team dinner! Also a bit of a shocker from Marriner/the VAR official today. No matter though, United have now won 13 home matches in a row, the longest victory streak at home in over a decade. ETH is the man!

Some additional good news is that Newcastle only drew with West Ham today, which means United are now in sole possession of 3rd place with a two point lead. They are three points behind rivals Manchester City, but City have a game in hand. League leaders Arsenal were also shocked today by Everton, which means United are 8 points back of first place. The title is still a long shot, but Newcastle’s draw helps the Red Devils significantly in their quest for the top 4. Next match is at home to fierce rivals Leeds United on February 8th.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

League Cup: We’re the Famous Man United and We’re Going to Wember-ley!

Manchester United played host to Nottingham Forest earlier today in the 2nd leg of the League/Carabao/EFL Cup semifinals at a rain-soaked Old Trafford. Given that United were up 3-0 on aggregate goals from the first leg, it was going to take a near miracle for Forest to advance to the final. They had to win by three goals today, and United have not lost by more than three since the opening weeks of the season. With that in mind, manager Erik ten Hag tried to rotate his players a little bit especially in midfield, but was prevented from doing so by injuries to midfielders Christian Eriksen (out until late April) and Scott McTominay (out until mid-February). The fixture list is rather congested for United at the moment, so any rest that can be given for certain players would be very helpful. Forest manager Steve Cooper probably told his team pre-match that they had nothing to lose, which was true. No one expected them to win, so they could play a bit more freely. Getting the first goal today would be vital. If Forest could go out and steal one fairly early, the tie would open up significantly.

As expected, United were dominant in possession for most of the opening portion of the match. Forest were happy to sit back and defend, which they did effective well in the first half. It was a pattern of United setting up a chance only for the Forest defense to clear the ball or make a key block. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was particularly in the mood with the way he was spraying passes all over the pitch. For all their possession and passes though, United were struggling to get a shot on goal. Emboldened, Forest eventually took some chances to go forward and try to get their goal. Winger Brennan Johnson probably should have scored when he found space on the right side of the United penalty area, but his shot was straight at United reserve keeper Tom Heaton. Forest winger/forward Emmanuel Dennis had a good chance to score too, but his shot was accidentally blocked by the legs of teammate Sam Surridge. United’s best chance came via a header from striker Wout Weghorst, which deflected off the post of keeper Wayne Hennessey’s goal around the 40 minute mark. Despite the attacking intent from both sides, the first 45 ended 0-0. United had more chances, but Forest had probably the two best ones.

The second half was much different. I’m not sure if Cooper intentionally changed his game plan or not, but Forest were much less tenacious after the restart. They were somehow even more content to sit back and try to keep a clean sheet. United’s dominance continued like it did in the first half, but they still couldn’t quite break through. But then ETH made a triple substitution that had United fans salivating. Forwards Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, and winger Jadon Sancho were all brought on around 63 minutes. All of a sudden, our attack was much more fluid and dynamic. Normally Sancho plays on the wings, but ETH had him playing as an attacking midfielder through the middle, with Martial and Rashford ahead of him. Bruno was shuffled out to the right wing as well.

It took United about ten minutes after the triple change to get their opener, having been frustratingly denied a clear penalty for a foul on Weghorst in the box. It was a wonderful bit of play from defensive midfielder Casemiro to set it up. He redirected a loose ball into the path of Martial, who dribbled the ball forward with Rashford to his left in support. A Forest defender was in Martial’s way, so he laid the ball off to Rashford inside the penalty area. Rashford attempted to get a shot away from about 10 yards out, but a last-ditch tackle saw his effort deflect back towards Martial. Martial pounced on the ball and finished (somewhat awkwardly) with his left foot, putting the ball just beyond the reach of a diving Hennessey. It wasn’t the prettiest finish, but it was an effective one nonetheless. Great to see Martial back out on the pitch and scoring goals. When he’s not injured, he’s ETH’s first-choice striker. There was a bit of luck with the bounce falling to him, but in football a team oftentimes creates their own good luck with good play. 1-0 to United on 73 minutes and 4-0 on aggregate!

Even though the tie was over, United pressed their foot down on the gas pedal and got themselves one more just three minutes later. Sancho played a pass out to the right channel, where it was received by Bruno. Bruno put in an out-swinging cross with the outside of his right foot that found Rashford near the end line, about 3-4 yards from Hennessey’s post. There was no angle for Rashford to finish, but he was able to find midfielder Fred unmarked at the back post. Fred turned home Rashford’s bouncing cross with his upper leg from point-blank range, with Hennessey taken out of the play completely. Also not the prettiest finish, but it was a very well-worked team goal from the Red Devils. 2-0 on the day, 5-0 on aggregate!

Bruno flashed a shot across the face of goal shortly after that, and Forest substitute midfielder Danilo forced a fine save from Heaton. The rebound from that save should have been scored by Surridge for a late consolation goal, but he blasted it over the bar. The final whistle blew after minimal stoppage time and United were able to celebrate making it to a Wembley final for the first time since 2017. They will place Newcastle United in the final on February 26th. Let’s go win some bloody silverware, lads!

A few thoughts on this match and the January transfer window for United:

• A solid victory, but it is a little concerning that United couldn’t score against Forest without bringing on the big guns. Our players need rest! Fatigued muscles are more likely to get injured.
• Bruno, Casemiro, Rashford, Martial, and Sancho all had good games. I very much liked Sancho playing as the No. 10 behind the strikers! ETH was right to give him a bit of a break to help his mental health struggles, and hopefully today was a sign of what’s to come from him. He got a very warm reception from the Old Trafford faithful, and that will boost his confidence.
• It was also interesting seeing center back Victor Lindelof playing as a defensive midfielder for the final 10 minutes or so. He also looked good in that position, although it must be said that Forest looked very tired by that point in the game. He may be able to deputize for Casemiro as a substitute in future games when the result is in the bag.
• The referee was garbage!
• The loss of Eriksen to injury is a big one, but I am happy how the club responded by acquiring midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich in the closing hours of the January transfer window. There seems to be a newfound urgency and efficiency to our transfers that has not existed for quite some time. Credit to ETH and the football directors for getting the much-needed reinforcements. Sabitzer was not able to play today due to getting his paperwork and visa squared away, but he will be key for the rest of the season.
• Generally pleased with the transfer window overall. Three players were brought in on loan, which means we didn’t pay a dime for them! We had specific needs coming in, and we addressed those needs with players that fit into ETH’s system. They aren’t superstars, but they’ll do what needs to be done to help the team win. Time will tell on Sabitzer and backup keeper Jack Butland, but Weghorst has already put in some very solid minutes at center forward.

United next play host to Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League. Hopefully some revenge is on the players’ minds after Palace forced a 1-1 draw away a few weeks ago.

Glory Glory Man United! We’re the boys in red and we’re on our way to Wember-ley!

FA Cup: Los Tres Caballeros Lead United to Victory

Manchester United played host to Championship side Reading FC (pronounced Redd-ing for those who don’t know) this evening at a rainy Old Trafford in the 4th Round of the FA Cup. United were heavy favorites to win this match, and there was likely a temptation from manager Erik ten Hag to rotate his players given the absolutely flooded fixture calendar. However, he fielded a pretty strong side, which indicates that he is taking the tournament seriously. Reading, managed by United club legend Paul Ince, were looking to shock the footballing world by pulling an upset. He and his starting striker Andy Carroll (a former Liverpool player) probably would have loved nothing more than to knock United out of the tournament. Ince was given a sporting round of applause by the United faithful as he made his way to the bench before the match began.

United were dominant for almost the entirety of the first half. The tempo of the game was slow due to Reading setting themselves up in a low defensive block (5-3-2) and letting United have space near the center circle. They were happy to concede possession and park the proverbial bus. United were creating chances, though. Midfielder Christian Eriksen and forward Marcus Rashford both went close via free kicks, while winger Antony dos Santos was finding a lot of joy down the right wing, combining well with right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Reading could not get out of their own half.

It looked like United had their opener via Rashford around 40 minutes in or so when his header sneaked over the line of keeper Joe Lumley’s goal. The ref initially pointed to the center circle to signal a goal, but a VAR check determined that striker Wout Weghorst was offside in the buildup to the goal and it was disallowed. Terrible decision, really. It seems like the offside rule has been written in pencil so it can be erased and re-written every week. Weghorst never touched the ball and it came off a Reading defender before Weghorst actually touched it. The goal should have stood. To make matters worse, Reading almost stole a goal right before halftime when left back Tyrell Malacia dawdled too long on the ball. It was stolen by Reading winger Junior Hoilett and shot towards goal, but fortunately keeper David De Gea got in the way just enough and the chance went begging. So, a very eventful half, but it was 0-0 at halftime and Reading were definitely the happier of the two sides.

The second half began much like the first, United dominant in possession and determined as ever to get themselves a goal. Reading were able to hold firm until 54 minutes when United finally got their opener. Antony found himself in possession on the right wing, standing still on the ball with AWB to his right and a number of United players ahead of him in the box. Defensive midfielder Casemiro’s late run into the box was spotted by Antony and he played a sublime pass into his feet. The big Brazilian showed some very deft feet and coolness under pressure when he lifted a shot over the sliding Lumley from about 7 yards out and into the back of the net. Brilliant pass, brilliant finish, and crafted in Brazil. Olé! And more importantly, 1-0!

United struck again just four minutes later, and again it was a Brazilian connection that saw the Red Devils double their advantage. Substitute midfielder Fred made a simple pass to Casemiro, who was about 35 yards away from goal. No Reading defender came out to challenge him, so he launched a curling effort towards goal that bounced right before the line and beyond the reach of Lumley. Casemiro smiled sheepishly in celebration, almost embarrassed that he scored! It was an absolute worldie from Casemiro as he capped off an absolutely splendid performance. His body language before shooting seemed to say, “Well, why not?” I would encourage him to continue shooting from distance too! 2-0.

Reading’s misery was further compounded when Carroll was sent off for a second yellow on 65 minutes. He made a rather rash tackle on Eriksen, and he knew right away he was in trouble. The referee showed no hesitation in booking him again, and Carroll was already walking towards the bench by the time the ref got his red card out. Reading would have to play the final 25 minutes and stoppage time with ten men.

United capitalized on this advantage right away. A corner from Malacia was played short to midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who stood on the ball for a second or so while deciding what to do with it. In the meantime, he and Fred made eye contact, and Fred stole down towards the goal. No reading defender went with him, and he re-directed the cross from Bruno home for 3-0 via the backheel from about 3 yards out. It was poor defending from a tired-looking Reading back line, but take nothing away from Fred. He is not known for his finishing, but it takes a real confidence to finish with a stylish backheel like that! 3-0, and you felt the match was pretty much over.

Reading did get a goal back however, and it was from a corner. United had made a lot of substitutions with the third goal going in, and oddly enough the lack of Carroll up front actually seemed to make Reading a little bit more fluid and dynamic in attack. They got their goal on 72 minutes thanks to a strong header from center back Amadou Mbengue, who was unmarked from a corner. He powered his shot dead center from close range and De Gea guessed wrong with his dive. Set piece marking is practiced in training all the time, so it was a disappointing goal to concede. Still, United kept running forward as the clock crept towards full time, with substitute wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri making a real nuisance of themselves. Garnacho went closest to finding a fourth for United, but his effort was saved comfortably. The final whistle blew without too much further drama and United won 3-1!

Casemiro. Antony. Fred. United’s Brazilian contingent were in full flight today, and they are gelling with each other at the right time and in all the right ways. Casemiro appears to be the signing of the season so far. The man reads the game like a book and can tackle, pass, head, and bring the ball up the pitch. Today he bagged himself a brace in the FA Cup. Is there anything the man can’t do? Absolutely brilliant day from him. Very impressed with Antony’s improvement in recent weeks too. I feared he was too one-dimensional in the beginning of the season. He doesn’t like to use his right foot and it’s obvious to anyone who watches him play for five minutes. He is at his best when he has an attacking fullback to play 1-2s with on the wing, since he never goes to the byline and crosses. I think the rise in his play is linked to the rise in play of AWB. The number of times he cut inside only to find AWB with a reverse pass down the wing must have drown Reading mad. And of course, can’t forget about Fred. Our most-capped Brazilian quietly put in another masterclass today off the bench. His goal was a bonus, but the way he controls play and wins the ball back are his best attributes. So happy for Los Tres Caballeros!

United next have the return leg of the League Cup semifinal at Old Trafford against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, February 1st. Given that United have a 3-0 aggregate lead, I expect a rest for Rashford, Bruno, Casemiro, and several other normal starters. Eriksen appears to have picked up a rather serious injury too, which is a worry as he can be just as instrumental to the midfield as Casemiro is. Here’s to hoping it’s not serious! The draw for the 5th Round of the FA Cup takes place on Monday, January 30th.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!