Newcastle 1-5 Manchester United

Before yesterday's two matches i have to admit i was a bit apprehensive, i thought ours might be a tricky game anyway, but after having to play Arsenal in the cup and then another vital game in Europe in midweek, it looked very tricky. Even though Arsenal seemed to have an easier game on paper, i expected them to face a stiff challenge too, but expected them to narrowly win. So for us to have recovered two points on them at the end of our game was very satisfying, especially as they were playing against ten men for virtually the entire match. That was a horrendous injury that Eduardo picked up, but no way was Taylor to blame for it, it was a foul, but it was just slightly mistimed. I don't take any satisfaction from the injury, from a United perspective, i want us to beat them fair and square, with both clubs being able to pick from a full squad. And against ten men they really should have won that game.
I was reasonably pleased when i saw our staring line up, Nani has been superb in the past 1 and a 1/2 games, so i was happy to see him in the starting line up. And Fletcher and Carrick in central midfield looked a pretty well balanced midfield, Carrick playing his best football of the season and Fletcher having energy to burn and a lot to prove with him not having played as many games as he would have liked. It would be nice if we could give one or two of our defence a rest, but you don't rest your first choice centre halves away from home and we haven't got great cover at full back. I mean Brown is really only doing a steady back up job there, whilst Neville is out and that is all you would get from O'Shea. To me it is essential for the style of football we try to play that we have at least one attacking full back playing, which means that whilst we have no Gary Neville Evra really has to play every game. One of the major problems we suffered from when we played City was losing Evra as well as Rooney to suspension. It made it easier for City to sit back, soak up the pressure and catch us on the break. They seemed to take the decision that they would let Brown overlap and not try and stop him because they were confident he wouldn't be able to deliver any quality crosses, unfortunately they were right. Whether Brown stays or goes, right back is an area that has to be looked at. Unfortunately the amount of time Gary Neville has been out of top flight football and his advancing years, makes me fear that even if he does eventually recover from his injury woes, we won't be seeing the overlapping 90 minute overlapping full back that we remember.
So to the game, United started reasonably brightly, not the sluggish start that you sometimes see the Saturday after a big European game. Newcastle started very positively too, looking like a team striving to make amends for the 6-0 drubbing handed out to them just 5 weeks ago. But the important thing for us was that there was no adverse reaction from the Lyon game. And both our form men of the moment, Carrick and Nani were carrying on where they left off against Arsenal. Nani really seems to have moved up a level over the last couple of weeks, he is playing better than Ronaldo at the moment. His final ball and his decision making, when to pass and when to run and maybe most of all his confidence in himself are there for all to see. But it was a delicious cross from Ronaldo that saw Rooney evade his marker and arrive alone in the 6 yard box to volley home the first, that saw United grab the game by the throat. After that there was really only one team in the contest, though it took until the last minute of the half to increase the lead. In the meantime United created chances, the best being a magnificent cross from Nani that Tevez managed to head wide. The goal was a corker when it came, poor defending from Newcastle again, but a superbly weighted pass from Carrick was taken in his stride by Ronaldo and straight away hit past the advancing Given into the corner of the net.
Newcastle hardly created a chance in the match, the nearest they came was when Duff mamaged to find a rare bit of space for himself in the box, but could only hit it straight at Van Der Sar. Then 10 minutes into the second half another comical piece of defending gifted the ball to Fletcher who prodded it forward to Ronaldo who beat Taylor embarrassingly easy and then waltzed round the replacement goalie Harper and slotted it into an inviting empty net. This was the signal for Ronaldo to be replaced by Saha, O'Shea had replaced Evra at half time as United started to play out time. To their credit Newcastle did now start to show a bit of fight, and managed to get a soft goal back following a corner. Unfortunately for the barcodes this just stung United into stepping up a gear again, and almost immediately Scholes had a decent header saved by Harper. Shortly after that, 10 minutes from time,Rooney scored the best goal of the game as he curled a beauty into the corner of the net from the edge of the box following a corner. Minutes later Saha had a great chance to make it 5 but hit it straight at Harper who pulled off a fine save. He wasn't to be denied though, and in the last minute more excellent play by Rooney saw him find Saha in the penalty area and this time his right foot shot did find the back of the net and 5-1 it was.
The title race is now well and truly back on, with United only three points behind the Gooners. But perhaps the most telling aspect of the last week has been the awesome depth of strength that the United squad is now showing. And it is beginning to look like the depth of Arsenal's is now going to be well and truly put to the test.

Ian Ridley on Gazza
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=517788&in_page_id=1951

The Germans get serious about tax evasion by the super rich
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/24/germany.globaleconomy