Rooney Spares United's Blushes

Manchester United 1 Sheffield United 0

Wayne Rooney's 93rd minute spot kick sent Manchester United into the draw for the FA Cup 4th round after another dismal display that had the fans voicing their dismay at the final whistle.

United put their Premier League pursuit on the back burner to concentrate on the FA Cup as they welcomed Sheffield United to Old Trafford for the 3rd round.

It has been too long since United lifted the oldest club cup competition when they defeated Millwall in 2004. Since then Arsenal has gone on to take over the record of most wins so a run to the final is long overdue for the Red Devils.

Van Gaal and his players had spoken of their desire to win the cup in the build up to the clash so it was interesting to see how they approached it starting with a tie which on paper they should have, like the weather, stormed through.

The side that van Gaal decided to put out had a strong look to it: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Rooney and Martial.

With Young in the 'red zone', there was another chance for youngster Borthwick-Jackson to join a recalled Darmian in the back four and Fellaini received the nod in midfield with the duo of Carrick and Schneiderlin being given a rest.

Recalled loanee Will 'Mike' Keane joined the squad on the bench with other youngsters Lingard and Pereira. Memphis was once again made to bide his time as he was named as a substitute.

It was a rain lashed Old Trafford that welcomed the two sides who last met at this stage of the cup on the same day in 1995 when United prevailed 2-0 at Bramall Lane.

United got the match underway with hopes of seeing off the League One side without any nerves or jitters that have blighted their season.

The travelling fans of around 8,000 made themselves heard around the Theatre of Dreams which had plenty of empty seats.

United passed the ball well in the opening minutes without creating a clear chance on goal. Fellaini was too slow with his distribution from midfield when he had plenty of chances to spread the ball wide to increase the tempo of the move, but his lack of intensity gave the away side time to readjust.

After a quarter of an hour, it seemed that United's tactics were to bore the opposition to death, maybe the weather dampened the proceedings but even so this was awful from the home side.

De Gea was called into action when he tipped over a drive from Sammon but the Sheffield striker was penalised for a hand ball in the build-up.

Rooney then ballooned an effort high over the bar, then in the next attack, he failed to evade two defenders as Mata desperately waited for a cross.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Has the FA Cup Runneth Dry?

The FA Cup 3rd round begins this weekend and it's a competition that evokes good memories for Manchester United fans even though they haven't won it since 2004 it has always held a special place in the club's illustrious history.

On a personal note, the cup brings up a feeling of warmth from my younger days in a time when if United wasn't involved in the final then you rooted for the underdog and sometimes they prevailed against all odds.

In 1973, as a youngster I watched Sunderland defeat the mighty Leeds United, and yes, they were a big side then. There I was eating a meat pie stood outside Granada Rentals in Manchester watching the match through the shop window after I had been dragged out shopping by my mum and elated that the cup holders Leeds had lost in what was then a huge shock.

The romance of the cup has never left me since that day and even though it doesn't hold the same appeal as days gone by, it is still the FA Cup, the oldest club competition in the world of football and should be taken seriously by all clubs and fans as it is a chance for the 'David's' to take on and defeat the 'Goliath's' of football and become giant killers.

It is true that the coverage of the final by the TV networks doesn't exactly mirror the past and it did kind of lose its appeal when the finals were moved to Cardiff when Wembley was undergoing its transformation, but none of that can detract from the sense of anticipation when the draw for the rounds is being made. I still remember the excitement that it brought when myself and my school friends huddled around a smuggled in radio at school waiting for United's number to be drawn with hopefully a home tie.

I distinctly recall on FA Cup final day in 1983 United played Brighton at Wembley and the coverage started on TV early in the morning and ran right through to the kickoff, which was the cup final tradition in those days.

The BBC and ITV had cameras in the team's hotels, not to show staged interviews, but to follow the players around and get a sense of what they were feeling in the build-up to the final. I can still see the United captain Bryan Robson being interviewed as he was shaving in his hotel room.

This all day coverage brought the fans unique access to their heroes and gave us a glimpse into the world of a footballer and you know what it made us realise that apart from the money and fame the players were also fans like us.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Man United Win At Last

Manchester United 2 Swansea City 1

Manchester United started the year in a positive mood with a hard fought victory over Swansea City at Old Trafford.

Goals from Martial and Rooney, the first time they have scored in the same match, ensured that United kick started 2016 with a much-needed win and a valuable 3 points.

United's first match of the year and it couldn't have been against a trickier opponent than the team from South Wales, who have held a certain jinx over the Red Devils and van Gaal.

Swansea had won four out of the last five meetings between the two sides in all competitions and were the team that welcomed van Gaal to the English game when they beat his side at Old Trafford in his first match in charge.

So, in United's current predicament of not having won in the last eight games of 2015, the Swans would certainly provide a stern test for United.

Van Gaal decided to make one change from the side that performed to a level that deserved more than the point they obtained in the goalless draw against Chelsea and that was to recall Jones into the defence in place of Darmian.

United's starting XI consisted of: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Jones, Blind, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Mata, Herrera, Rooney And Martial.

Swansea got the game underway at a rain-soaked Old Trafford but the weather didn't dampen the home fans voices as they got behind their players from the start. It was Herrera, who almost worked his way into a shooting position within the first minute only to be denied as he readied to pull the trigger.

The home side started the match as they had left off against Chelsea on the attack with Blind and especially Young providing openings down the wings.

The visitors sat back looking to attack on the counter, which they did when Ayew found some space but failed to make good use of the ball. Something that United would have to be wary of.

Swansea set up to put pressure on United whenever the home defenders had the ball which seemed to unsettle Smalling and his defenders who tended to rush the play out of their own half.

At the other end, United lacked ideas as to how to break through the back four as they tried to play their way through the middle when the width provided by Blind and Young would have been the better option to get behind the defence.

A cross delivered from Young fell to the unmarked Rooney at the far post, but his weak effort hit the side netting. Having only scored a handful of goals in 2015 that was a perfect chance for the captain to start the new year with a bang.

With thirty minutes on the clock, it was the same old familiar story of United being unable to break their opponents down and produce the goals that would not only lift the players but also the atmosphere within the Theatre of Dreams.

De Gea was made to work as he caught an effort from Routledge at full stretch. Martial was bundled off the ball on the edge of the box and it was the quick thinking Herrera, who took the kick quickly and played in Mata. His first effort was blocked then the keeper Fabianski saved the poor follow up shot far too easily.

Another cross from Young looped into the area and was met by the head of Rooney. Unfortunately, he was surrounded by three defenders and even though he did well to rise above the rest he failed to find the power needed.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Man United's January Transfers

Man United's January Transfers

It's that time of year again as the January transfer window opens. So much speculation will surround Manchester United as they will be linked to every Tom, Dick and Harry Kane, but who will Louis van Gaal and Ed Woodward buy to strengthen a squad that has struggled over the past few months?

While we await the answer to that question here is a look back at players United have signed in January down the years.

Lou Macari: 1973-1984 app: 400 goals: 97

The diminutive Scot arrived at Old Trafford in 1973 from Celtic for a fee of £200,000. Bought by manager and fellow Scot Tommy Docherty he became an instant hit, which continued throughout the seventies and into the eighties. He scored in his first game for United against West Ham United in a 2–2 draw.

Nearly signed for Bill Shankly's Liverpool but, fortunately, his head was turned United's way with a little help from Paddy Crerand.

Originally bought as a striker, Macari eventually found his niche in midfield. In a team that included Coppell, Pearson, Hill and Buchan, they soon brought United back into prominence after suffering relegation in 1974.

Doc's Army was a team famous for it's attacking play and kept the tradition of playing attractive football that the fans had been fed on from the Busby days.

He continued in an attacking midfield position under Dave Sexton and reached the FA Cup final in 1979 only to lose in the last minute to Arsenal. When Ron Atkinson took over from Sexton, Macari spent so long on the bench he gained the nickname of 'The Judge'. In 1984, Macari left United to enter the world of management.

Probably most famous for the shot that rebounded off Jimmy Greenhoff's chest before entering the Liverpool net to win the FA Cup for United in 1977. Still a fan's favourite with his honest no-nonsense views on everything United.

Joe Jordan 1978-1981 app: 126 goals: 41

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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United's Year Draws To A Close

Manchester United 0 - 0 Chelsea

How the mighty have fallen.

If someone had said at the start of the season that by the time United host Chelsea in the last match of 2015 one would be stuck near the bottom and the other would have failed to win in their last seven games that person would have been locked in the madhouse and the key thrown away, yet here we were.

Down the years, this fixture has had an important bearing on the outcome of the Premier League with each side battling it out in some classic encounters. However, it was more about honour this time round than points. The bottom line was that for both teams this was a match that neither could afford to lose.

Louis van Gaal's United had the lost the previous four matches, three in the league, and in doing so raised question marks over the Dutchman's tenure as manager of the Red Devils. Chelsea's free fall from last year's glory saw them dispense with the services of their 'special one' as they sat in the precarious position just above the bottom three.

For such an important match van Gaal made a handful of changes from the depressing defeat away at Stoke on Boxing Day and his starting XI consisted of: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Young, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Herrera, Rooney and Martial.

Out went the dismal duo of Jones and Fellaini along with Carrick and Memphis and in came Darmian, Schneiderlin, Rooney and Schweinsteiger, whose steel had been sorely missed during his three-match ban.

United's intent to silence their detractors was there for all to see as early as the second minute when Mata let fire with a blistering strike from the edge of the area that rattled the visitors crossbar.

It was Chelsea's turn to come close when Terry tested De Gea with a header from a corner that the Spaniard acrobatically turned away. Five minutes in and already it was turning out to be a post- Christmas cracker.

Schneiderlin was the next to come close after Rooney had played the ball delightfully into his path, but his effort bent agonisingly wide.

After fifteen minutes it was all about the home side as they controlled all parts of the pitch in a way that hadn't been seen for many weeks, they just needed a goal to cement their commanding possession rate, but that's easier said than done based on their shyness in front of goal this season.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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United Lack Fight On Boxing Day

Stoke City 2-0 Manchester United

In a week that hasn't exactly seen much Christmas spirit aimed towards Louis van Gaal no amount of mince pies and wine will be able to hold the critics from the door as once again United succumbed to defeat in the most demoralising and depressing fashion.

It was imperative that van Gaal stopped the rot and quickly. So, with that in mind, he chose a side that had the huge responsibility of possibly saving his job. The starting XI he went for was: De Gea, Young, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Memphis and Martial.

Van Gaal produced a surprise by dropping Rooney to the bench and bringing back Herrera. The move could be with one eye on the Chelsea match on Monday or just down to form. With Schweinsteiger serving the final match of his ban Carrick was preferred to continue in the middle ahead of Schneiderlin. Jones was chosen again to partner Smalling at the back with Young continuing his role as the right wing back.

Martial had the opportunity to keep his goal scoring on the rise as he would spearhead the attack with the support of Memphis and Mata.

It was a blustery Britannia Stadium that welcomed both sets of fans looking to blow off their Christmas day festivities and get right behind the two teams. The main concern for the away fans had to be the form of Stoke's mercurial player Shaqiri.

United got the game underway with Fellaini starting the match playing in the number 10 position with Herrera lying deeper in the midfield, which bearing in mind the conditions wouldn't suit any high balls up to the Belgian.

The hosts started the brighter of the two sides as United struggled to get into a rhythm. Once they did get some movement going it was Herrera, who had the first effort from distance that didn't really trouble the keeper.

It was clear from the outset that like most teams playing United this season Stoke were not afraid of a Red Devils team that was clearly short on confidence.

United were guilty of providing the opposition far too much time on the ball and the home side seemed to enjoy running at the visitors with Shaqiri especially in the mood against Blind on the right wing.

Memphis almost sneaked a curling free-kick past Butland at his near post in the 18th minute, then up at the other end within a minute the Dutch winger badly messed up a back header that was so awful it allowed Johnson to set up Bojan to put Stoke in the lead.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Pressure Mounts On United

Pressure Mounts On United

It never rains but it pours.

Rain lashed Old Trafford couldn't provide a hiding place for Louis van Gaal and his side as the Canaries flew in and stole all the three points to pile the pressure on the Dutchman's broad shoulders.

It should have been a welcome return to the comfort of Old Trafford for United. Unbeaten at the Theatre of Dreams in the Premier League this season they hosted newly promoted Norwich City who started the day in the bottom three so they couldn't possibly have posed a serious threat to United's aspirations.

Wait a minute! That's exactly what everyone said last week prior to the away match to another promoted side Bournemouth and we all know too well what happened there. It is the first time in 69 years that United have lost back to back matches against promoted sides.

This time round, things looked a lot rosier for the home team prior to the match with the return to the side of Smalling, Jones, Young and Rooney, who made a landmark 500th appearance for the Red Devils.

The starting XI was composed of: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Jones, Blind, Carrick, Mata, Fellaini, Memphis, Rooney and Martial.

The expectations from all quarters were high in a fixture that United had won at Old Trafford by the same scoreline, 4-0 on the last three occasions the teams had met.

United started the match in an attacking frame of mind and with Young filling in at right wing-back it provided an option the team haven't had in the last few matches with his forays down the right wing offering width to the play.

The home side thought they had taken the lead as early as the ninth minute after some nice interchanging play on the left-hand side of the visitors penalty area that ended in Rooney sticking the ball in the net only to be ruled offside. However, the intent was there from the home team for all to see.

Carrick was the holding midfield player which was a fairly easy job as Norwich lacked conviction going forward which allowed Fellaini and Mata to be involved in every attack.

As Norwich had clearly come to defend and wait for the counter it was an opportunity for United to push numbers forward to look for that confidence boosting opener.

If anything, United became a little over ambitious in attack with some players rushing the forward pass rather than taking the time to deliver a quality final ball.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Should van Gaal Face The Chop?

Should van Gaal Face The Chop?

This week social media was alive about whether Louis van Gaal had burnt his bridges at United and many wondered if he would become the latest managerial casualty after a poor week of results, but it was elsewhere that the hatchet fell as Chelsea decided that enough was enough and sacked, Jose Mourinho, to fire fresh speculation that the special one could end up at Old Trafford.

However, there is one problem with that scenario and that is we already have a manager and a proven one at that. Sure, the results haven't been going exactly to plan, but to pull the plug on van Gaal's tenure half way through the season could have worse repercussions for United's present campaign.

Sitting in the top four and within only two wins from the top doesn't count as a disaster just yet. If results are not forthcoming quickly, then the manager's position will become unattainable come the summer, but to call for his head now could be a recipe for disaster.

Once his squad is back to full strength and he can be allowed to add to it in the January transfer window then there is no reason why the team can't put a run together and challenge for the Premier league, FA Cup and Europa League. We have never been a team to back away from a challenge in difficult circumstances and now is not the time to start down that road.

Some may not agree with van Gaal's philosophy, but at the end of the day he got us into this, therefore, he should be given the chance to get us out. There is only a handful of managers with the pedigree to manage a team the size of United and van Gaal is certainly among them.

Everybody makes mistakes and granted many have been made. The biggest being United's elimination from the Champions League, even the great Ferguson experienced that same fate, but he had the backing of all the fans to continue in the position and so should van Gaal, for now.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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United Plucked By The Cherries

AFC Bournemouth 2 Manchester United 1

Man United's week went from worse to disastrous as they fell to their third defeat of the league season to a revitalised Bournemouth.

With the amount of players missing United were ripe for the picking by The Cherries and that's exactly how it transpired on the south coast.

After the woes of Wolfsburg, it was supposed to be back to the bread and butter of the Premier League for United and a trip to take on and overpower Bournemouth, but his season has already proven that there are no easy matches and this was in evidence last week when Bournemouth beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Prior to this match, United were still in the mix at the top of the league and desperately needed a win to not only boost their ambitions of becoming champions for the first time since 2013 but to make a statement of intent to their many critics. This meant that the pressure was on for van Gaal and his team to turn things around.

However, with the huge disappointment of exiting the Champions League van Gaal had the difficult task of revitalising his players for the upcoming busy festive period a task made harder by even more players on the sidelines and a three-match ban for the influential Schweinsteiger.

Anybody who thinks the German star got banned on purpose to continue his tradition of a winter break must be very cynical indeed.

The side that van Gaal chose had a mixture of experience and youth as his hand had been forced due to the length of the injury list endured in recent weeks.

The first start for Borthwick-Jackson in defence alongside a back four including McNair, Blind and Varela gave the visitors an unfamiliar look at the back.

That unfamiliarity bore fruit as early as the second minute when the home side took the lead direct from a corner through Junior Stanislas that looped over David De Gea and evaded Martial on the line. A goal that had a breeze and little bit of luck behind it. They all count in the end.

At least United rallied and responded with a few chances and then a goal of their own before the half hour mark. After Memphis had done the hard work Fellaini was able to prod the ball home almost in a kneeling position. United will take the goals any way they can come these days.

As the match progressed it became all too clear that McNair and especially Borthwick-Jackson were in for a torrid time. The pace that is needed for the Premier League was lacking from the youngster at left-back and his positional play had a lot to be desired, especially when chasing back after trying to help with the attacks.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Man United's Champions League Nightmare

Wolfsburg 3 Manchester United 2

Disaster in Germany as Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League as they were beaten by a vibrant Wolfsburg and will now enter the Europa League as the third placed team in their group.

Going to Germany with the majority of the first team under doctor's orders meant that van Gaal had to call on all his vast experience in European competitions to guide the Red Devils through the group stage. In the end ıt turned out to be not enough and wıth another poor showing from United they were resigned to the fact that they are just not good enough to feast at the table of the European elite.

The nineteen man squad had an unfamiliar ring to it with many players venturing into Europe for the first time in their fledgling United careers. Included in the mix was Nick Powell, who must have enjoyed being back in the fold for the first time in sixteen months.

The starting XI that van Gaal chose as the players to get the job done was as follows: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Varela, Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Mata, Lingard, Memphis and Martial.

Varela was handed his first start for United at right back following his league debut as a substitute against West Ham at the weekend. Fellaini retained his place in the side despite a rather mixed performance on Saturday, but there was a return to the starting lineup for Memphis to once again try and warrant his place in the team.

United got the match underway inside a very noisy Volkswagen Arena.

The home side had a great chance as early as the third minute when former Chelsea player Schurrle found himself open inside the area, but he inexplicably fired his shot way over the bar. An early let-off for United and a sign that they were not going to get an easy ride.

United's first effort on goal came from a Mata shot which Fellaini got in the way of but luckily for him he was adjudged offside to spare his blushes.

The opening goal came on ten minutes when Mata was involved again as his defence-splitting pass fed Martial who confidently ran into the area and planted a shot past the keeper to give United the all important lead.

However, it was a lead that only lasted three minutes as the home side immediately attacked and were rewarded when Naldo got in front of the defenders to volley home the equaliser. A soft goal and a rare lack of concentration by the usually tight United defence.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Goal-Shy United Held By Hammers

Manchester United 0 West Ham United 0

Man United's bubble was burst by the Hammers. United were dealt a hammer blow by West Ham as they were held to a draw at Old Trafford.

This was the sixth goalless draw in a season that is rapidly raising concerns about United's ability to score goals.

With two more players admitted to the Carrington casualty department van Gaal had to reshuffle his pack once again. Rooney and Rojo joined the ever growing list of injured players this week, which makes the upcoming transfer window all the more crucial for the strengthening of the squad.

United aimed to protect their unbeaten home record in the league this season against a West Ham side with a proven pedigree away from home, having already collected the scalps of Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea. Quite clearly this was in no way going to be a pushover for the Red Devils.

The United starting XI wasn't much of a surprise given the players available to the manager: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, McNair, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Mata, Lingard and Martial.

McNair kept his place at the back and birthday boy Martial was given the main strikers role with Fellaini chosen ahead of Memphis to assist in the attack. So the home side would start with the much talked about plan B experiment devoid of any out and out wingers.

Varela became the latest player to be called up to the first-team squad and the defender was to start from the bench.

The absence of Rooney and with Carrick substitute, Smalling was was handed another opportunity to impress as the captain of the side.

The home side got the match underway at a windy Old Trafford and immediately went on the attack with Lingard pressing hard and both Darmian and Fellaini trying their luck with long-range effort/s.

Darmian delivered a perfect cross which Fellaini met at the far post with a firm header that was only just deflected over the bar, but despite his protests, no corner was given. This was followed by a dreadful mistake by Blind as he carelessly gave the ball away as he came out of defence. The mistake gifted Moses a one on one chance with De Gea which the Spaniard managed to block superbly. A case of King David denying Moses after he had parted the red defence.

On the quarter hour mark, the ball fell to Martial on the edge of the six-yard area and his turn and shot looked goal bound until a defender managed to get a leg in the way and divert it for a corner.

Darmian and McNair looked the most impressive in the opening exchanges as their foraging runs down the wings and crosses caused problems for the away defence.

There was a scare at De Gea's near post as a low cross was misjudged by the keeper and it hit his body then rebounded off another player onto the post and to safety then West Ham hit the post again following a corner. These were clear signs that United had to be on their toes in defence and take the chances at the other end when they came up.

Fellaini was by far the busiest player for United popping up here, there and everywhere but on thirty minutes he was lucky to escape a booking for a stamp on an opposing player's ankle. That is one side of his game that frustrates the most the needless free kicks he gives away due to his, at times, reckless style of play.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Where is Man United’s Flair?

Where is Man United's Flair?

Champions are not only remembered for winning, but also how they won. So if United are crowned champions come May let's hope memories are short as their style of play is laboured to say the least.

Boring has never been a word associated with the Red Devils, but this season United have been tagged with the negative label and if they continue to pick up points in the way that they have been doing, then the moniker will stick.

Sure, they are sitting in a prime position having played less than attractive football and it's only a matter of time before the team turns on the style and start to thrash opposing sides, but is that going to happen with the present squad and the stifling system imposed on them.

Manchester United has been blessed down the years with teams that were renowned for their attacking prowess. Sides that the fans knew could turn a match to their advantage with a moment of brilliance that would have the faithful on their feet in awe of what that had just witnessed.

So many times in the past United would simply press and bludgeon the opposition into defeat through pure determination and grit. A never say die attitude by players who understood the meaning of defeat not just for themselves, but also the club and more importantly the fans.

Whilst the team have sorted out the defensive frailties of the last few seasons, it's up front where the problems are paramount and need addressing quickly before it's too late.

In releasing the majority of the forward players van Gaal, it has to be said, has left the attack threadbare and opposing teams no longer fear United as they did in the past.

Maybe the manager has a master plan which involves new personnel arriving in January that will add to the goal plus column in United's season if not, then we can expect a struggle for goals for the remainder of the campaign.

With only two recognised strikers in the first team, the Reds have struggled to find the net. You only have to look at the lack of goals to understand that all is not right in attack.

Rooney has underperformed so far this season and has been poor in the games he has played to such an extent that you have to question his inclusion in the side at times.

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Manchester United Views is a Manchester United blog written by Miles Dunton, with lost of blog posts all about Manchester United. Check out his full blog at http://milesduntonmufc.blogspot.co.uk/.

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Wife of Manchester United’s Anthony Martial Mistakes Arsenal’s Emirates for Old Trafford

It has not been a good week for the wife of Anthony Martial. She dropped a huge clanger on photo sharing social media site Instagram by mistaking Arsenal`s Emirates Stadium for Old Trafford. She added to the post three muscle-flexing emojis alongside the wrong picture. It was quickly taken down after she realized her mistake.

The clanger happened during Manchester United game against Watford at Vicarage Road. Martial is the most expensive teen player in the history of the game and was absent from the trip. He is currently out injured after he suffered a foot injury while playing for France against England. It did not stop his partner posting a message of good luck on the social media site. Maybe next time she will be a bit more careful in what she shares.

It is not the first time that a player's wife has mistaken something wrong. In 2010, Wayne Bridges wife mistook John Terry as her Husband and ended up sleeping with the former England captain. It was an affair that did much damage, and Martial should be grateful it was only a photo his partner shared wrongly.

It is not just players’ wives that suffer from mistaken identity. Legendary Manchester United player, Ryan Giggs, mistook his brother's wife as his own. It did not go down well with his brother or his wife.

It is not just players’ wives that have made a fool of themselves on social media networks, the players themselves have. Even the world's best player Cristiano Ronaldo has made the occasional error in judgments. One of his tweets read, “Thanks for participating in the CR7 Boys Underwear Competition – it's been a real pleasure to see all your photos.”

Some ex-players make the most of the exposure they have on social media sites and enjoy the banter associated with it. One of the best and most honest tweeters is former England international striker and tv presenter Gary Lineker. He tweeted the following two tweets:

“Messi make me realise how shit I was.”
“Soldado makes me realise I wasn't that shit.”

Very honest and very funny at the same time from the Match of the day presenter.

Social media is a very dangerous tool for footballers to use. If used incorrectly it can end up with them been put on the transfer list and shipped away to another club. A prime example of this Aldershot Town's Marvin Morgan. In 2011, he tweeted the following: "Like to thank the fans who booed me off the pitch. Where's that going to get you! I hope you all die."

Shortly after sending the tweet he was transfer listed. A number of people made money by putting online free bets on the player leaving shortly after the tweet.

It fair to say that footballers and their wives are not the most intelligent of people. Been able to express them off the pitch, is ill-advised for many. Putting free bets on players making a fool of themselves on social media is a great way to earn some extra money.

Writer: Tony Samboras is a huge football fan and sports journalist. He uses his knowledge to find out the best online free bets and capitalize from his analysis. Tony has had many articles published and lots of people follow him for free bets tips.

The Best Premier League Matches Of The Festive Season

For football fans, one of the best things about the holiday season is that matches continue without interruption in the major European leagues. This means we can all spend some of our time away from work taking in the matches and getting a nice look at how the teams look heading into 2015 and soon the second half of the league campaigns. So with that in mind, here's a glance at some of the top Premier League fixtures to keep your eye on this festive period.

Aston Villa v. Manchester United (December 20)

Much has been made of Man Utd.'s recent hot streak, which has propelled them all the way up to third place in the league tables. Following the club's recent 3-0 dismantling of Liverpool at Old Trafford, the Daily Mail even went so far as to declare the EPL a three-horse title race (with many still assuming it'll come down to Chelsea and Manchester City). But Aston Villa can be a tricky club when playing at home, so this is an interesting match to watch. If there's a game that could trip up Man Utd. before 2015, this is probably it.

Liverpool v. Arsenal (December 21)

Liverpool is having a disastrous go of it thus far, and the aforementioned 3-0 loss at Man Utd. didn't help matters. Now, a December 21 fixture in which the club hosts Arsenal is beginning to resemble a make-or-break contest. Bet Fair analyst Luke Moore wrote about Liverpool's outlook standing as one of the EPL stories to watch in the coming weeks. He even went so far as to suggest that Brendan Rodgers may be coaching for his job. Meanwhile, Arsenal is hoping to gain some momentum.

Chelsea v. West Ham (December 26)

Chelsea will likely go into this match as the strong favourite, and justifiably so. But a cross-town rivalry in London yields no sure results, and West Ham has been stronger than most anyone anticipated this season. This should be one of the most intriguing fixtures of the season.

Manchester United v. Newcastle (December 26)

As mentioned, Man Utd. has come on strong of late, but Newcastle has had a fairly impressive campaign as well. Its claim to fame is becoming the first club to beat Chelsea in a league match this season, as Newcastle won their Week 15 contest 2-1. But Newcastle then followed up that result by taking a 4-1 clobbering from Arsenal. Man Utd. will be favoured, but it shouldn't overlook a Newcastle squad that's trying to get back on track.

Southampton v. Chelsea (December 28)

There aren't many fixtures that one can point at and label as a chance that Chelsea may lose, but this is one of them. The Atlantic posted an interesting piece at the beginning of December that gives sound reasoning for Southampton's improbably hot start to likely meet an end—and they're probably right. But this has nevertheless been one of the EPL's most impressive teams thus far, and one never knows what may come up with hosting Chelsea in December.

West Ham v. Arsenal (December 28)

If Arsenal can handle Liverpool in the previously highlighted match, it will have generated some very positive momentum heading toward the second half of the season, with a top-four finish in its sights. West Ham will then become a very intriguing obstacle, and as noted when discussing the Chelsea v. West Ham fixture on December 26, cross-London rivalries make for extra intrigue. This will also be a great opportunity for Arsenal, in that West Ham will only have one day of rest between the matches.

Any EPL match holds the potential to entertain, but if you're looking for a few fixtures to highlight for holiday season viewing, these look to be the best of the bunch!
 
 

A New Manager, New Players, Same Struggle

Louis Van Gaal - Manchester United new manager

The newly appointed Dutch manager was acclaimed by fans and pundits alike to be a great, wonderful manager, and I am with them on this occasion.

However, with opening results (losing to Swansea 1-2 and drawing with Sunderland 1-1) suggesting that he may not be as special as he has been made out to be.

Obviously it is very early on in the Dutchman's Manchester United managerial career, but van Gaal is yet to utilize much of his transfer budget, every man and his dog knows and recognizes that United need at least one, maybe even two world class centre backs. LVG seems to have also realised this, but is Marcos Rojo really world class?

The Red Devils linked with players such as Benatia and Mats Hummels, have turned to a very much unproven Argentinian centre back, who has been playing in a much weaker league to the Premier League (no disrespect to the Portuguese league). I believe this is an area that they (Manchester United) largely need to improve on, especially with them playing in van Gaal's world renowned 3-5-2 / 5-3-2.

Argentinian midfielder Angel Di Maria joins United

 Although, the ex-Dutch national coach has been active in the transfer market signing Luke Shaw (left back) and Angel Di Maria (attacking midfielder) for around £30,000,000 and £59,700,000 respectively.

Back to tactics, I firmly do not believe that Manchester United's squad, as of yet, is tactically adept enough to play in LVG's favoured 3-5-2 / 5-3-2 formation. The formation requires three good quality centre backs, which United still do not have. Two wing backs which will track back and forth, and no, Ashley Young is not good enough to play wing back for a club like Manchester United. Two central midfielders, one preferably ball winning and one as a sort of deep lying playmaker, the Xavi/Gerrard role. One or two attacking midfielders that can create opportunities, Mata, Kagawa, Januzaj and Di Maria, all can cover this role. Then up front, one or two quality strikers, which they have in Rooney and van Gaal's fellow countryman Van Persie.

3-5-2 when attacking and 5-3-2 when defending

In my opinion, United have 8 or 9 out off the 11 roles covered. LVG has to strengthen as soon as possible, otherwise by January prices will have inflated and an average player might cost them what a good player would of cost in summer.

In conclusion, I think all van Gaal needs is time, and a few more decent signings. Whether that be in the form of Daley Blind or Mats Hummels, that is all they need.

Manchester Derby

Manchester City vs Manchester United: LIVE at The Ethiad Stadium from 20:00pm tonight!!!

Don't miss it.
The title race could be ended in this epic derby!!!!!

Who will be the fans celebrating after 9:45pm tonight after this epic derby?

1st vs 2nd.
3 points seperate the two sides.

Champions League: Good Times, Bad Times

Good Times
Chelsea: A convincing 3-0 win at home against non other than Valencia to send Abramovich's team through as group winners. The pressure was on Andre Villas-Boas and he delivered in style, and you can't ask for much more than that.

Basel: Not many teams will take Manchester United for 4 points from 2 games this season, and a record like that means they deserve their place in the illustrious knockout stages. Any team with ambitions of winning 'old big ears' should swot the Swiss team aside but with Shaqiri a constant livewire Basel could cause a few problems for someone.

Barcelona Reserves: They may 'only' have been playing lowly BATE but for a team with, at a rough count, 8 reserve/youth team players Barcelona were absolutely amazing to watch. They really did look like the full team which is a testament to the club's La Masia youth academy, oh and keep an eye out for Cuenca and Montoya among others.

Continued at http://www.resultsbasedbusiness.co.uk/

Utd & City Crash Out Of Champion's League

Watching Man Utd crash out of the Champion's League Group stage has helped me get over Liverpool's defeat to Fulham no end. It is great to see our fiercest rivals lose at any time but to lose such an important match is terrific.

Basel beat Utd 2-1 with Streller and Frei scoring for the Swiss side while Jones added a consolation on 89 mins.

I have no axe to grind with Man City yet but their billionaire owners must be counting their dollar-spend after they too crashed out of the Champion's League despite beating Bayern Munich 2-0.

Read full article at Friends Of Liverpool FC blog