In response to the idiotic billboard in downtown Manchester featuring a photo of the now ex-Red Carlos Trollvez...18x Prem League Champs 3x Champions League Winners 11x FA Cup Winners...enough said. Go home, pretenders!
Michael Owen celebrates his winner with Carrick, Vidic, and Valencia
Wayne Rooney marks the win with Michael Owen (poor Trollvez has to look on...#32)
Manchester United showed why they are champions with victory over Manchester City
By Rob Kelly Football Last updated: September 20th, 2009
After 96 minutes of brilliant, breathless football at Old Trafford on Sunday, the TV cameras panned straight to Michael Owen, whose last-gasp goal had just won one of the most pulsating Manchester derbies in history for Manchester United. Emblazoned across his face was a beaming smile, while tumbling down from the stands chants of “United, United” filled the air. The only surprise was that the home supporters chose not to sing another terrace favourite, “That’s why we’re champions”, for this truly was the stuff of champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men may have left it late to put their nouveau riche neighbours in their place, but their second-half display showed Manchester City that they still have some distance to go before they can consistently challenge United’s hegemony. Despite the errors in defence, despite Craig Bellamy’s 90th-minute equaliser, United still kept pushing, kept believing and kept their composure. It is what champions do.
In many ways, it was an imperfect display from United, because while they thrilled in attack, in defence they were surprisingly sloppy. Ben Foster and Rio Ferdinand were directly culpable for City’s first and third goals respectively, while John O’Shea should not have let Bellamy cut inside for the second, brilliant as it was. It will be a concern to Ferguson, but he will have no such worries about his team’s character for despite the cracks in defence, in attack United were flawless, led by the old maestro Ryan Giggs.
The Welshman was seen by some as a controversial selection as last season’s PFA player of the year, but on Sunday he showed his enduring class with an electrifying performance that made a mockery of those doubters who thought displays like this were now beyond him. Giggs at times was simply unplayable, and his crossing, passing and vision were too much for City to deal with. Some going for a 35 year-old.
Darren Fletcher deserves huge credit, too. Arsene Wenger moaned about his combative approach when United beat Arsenal last month, but in reality the Scottish midfielder is a fine player who is finally getting the recognition his exceptional improvement warrants. Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp asked after the Manchester derby if there was a player more improved in world football than Fletcher. I don’t know about the world, but in the Premier League he can justifiably lay claim to that title.
Giggs and Fletcher deserved to be on the winning team, but it was hard not to feel sorry for City’s players, who added so much to a magnificent contest. Feeling sorry for Bellamy is not something I am usually predisposed to, but he was superb on Sunday and took both of his goals with aplomb. He must be wondering how he left Old Trafford with nothing to show for a startling display. The same can be said of the imperious Shay Given, who thrived as United swarmed forward in the second half, repelling attack after attack after attack. Of all Mark Hughes’s signings at Eastlands, Given is surely the most astute.
But in the end, Given was beaten six minutes into stoppage time as United’s self-belief and Owen’s sure touch propelled them to the sort of late victory that they have perfected down the years. It was a stellar match, won by a stellar side who showed just why they are champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men may have left it late to put their nouveau riche neighbours in their place, but their second-half display showed Manchester City that they still have some distance to go before they can consistently challenge United’s hegemony. Despite the errors in defence, despite Craig Bellamy’s 90th-minute equaliser, United still kept pushing, kept believing and kept their composure. It is what champions do.
In many ways, it was an imperfect display from United, because while they thrilled in attack, in defence they were surprisingly sloppy. Ben Foster and Rio Ferdinand were directly culpable for City’s first and third goals respectively, while John O’Shea should not have let Bellamy cut inside for the second, brilliant as it was. It will be a concern to Ferguson, but he will have no such worries about his team’s character for despite the cracks in defence, in attack United were flawless, led by the old maestro Ryan Giggs.
The Welshman was seen by some as a controversial selection as last season’s PFA player of the year, but on Sunday he showed his enduring class with an electrifying performance that made a mockery of those doubters who thought displays like this were now beyond him. Giggs at times was simply unplayable, and his crossing, passing and vision were too much for City to deal with. Some going for a 35 year-old.
Darren Fletcher deserves huge credit, too. Arsene Wenger moaned about his combative approach when United beat Arsenal last month, but in reality the Scottish midfielder is a fine player who is finally getting the recognition his exceptional improvement warrants. Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp asked after the Manchester derby if there was a player more improved in world football than Fletcher. I don’t know about the world, but in the Premier League he can justifiably lay claim to that title.
Giggs and Fletcher deserved to be on the winning team, but it was hard not to feel sorry for City’s players, who added so much to a magnificent contest. Feeling sorry for Bellamy is not something I am usually predisposed to, but he was superb on Sunday and took both of his goals with aplomb. He must be wondering how he left Old Trafford with nothing to show for a startling display. The same can be said of the imperious Shay Given, who thrived as United swarmed forward in the second half, repelling attack after attack after attack. Of all Mark Hughes’s signings at Eastlands, Given is surely the most astute.
But in the end, Given was beaten six minutes into stoppage time as United’s self-belief and Owen’s sure touch propelled them to the sort of late victory that they have perfected down the years. It was a stellar match, won by a stellar side who showed just why they are champions.
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