Portsmouth 0-1 Manchester United

I wasn't as confident as i usually am before this match due to the injury situation, enforced absences and the mediocre display we gave on the opening day. Added to that the fact that Fratton park has turned into a bit of a bogey ground it didn't seem to the best time for United to be going there. So both the victory and the manner of it were very welcome. It was nice to see Anderson back in the starting line up and he didn't let us down having a prettty good game playing his first game since getting back from his Olympic games. The big difference from the opening day draw against the barcodes was undoubtedly the return to the fold of Tevez. He was absolutely magnificent again last night, finding space dropping deep and almost never giving the ball away. He was the reason we were able to dominate the possession last night that we never really managed against Newcastle. Its a pity we could only get the single goal that meant the home side were always in with a chance and a shame we had to win with a scruffy goal when we had a couple of great moves that would have beautiful goals if they had been finished off.
Portsmouth did have a couple of good chances, and we almost conceded from a corner for the second game in a row as the header went just wide. Defoe had a couple of half chances but the best move of the night saw Rooney finish off a great move with a superb first touch and turn that saw him shoot inches wide. A late swerving shot from Scholes was well saved by James to ruin my £5 first goal bet as Scholes was content to sit deep and boss the centre of the park. Fletcher had made a couple of late runs into the box before finally having success when Evra's cross reached him in the box and his his effort was finally bundled over the line by Distin.
The second half saw more quality football from the reds but we just couldn't mnage to get that second goal to kill the game off. A very poor linesmans decision didn't help as he judged Rooney offside when he was clearly level. Anderson almost broke his scoring duck but Distin took the ball of his toe at the back post. Portsmouth had a couple of half chances but United seemed pretty safe on the whole with Ferdinand and Vidic in complete control at the back. It's unfortunate as our season one week late is off and running we have to miss a week for the European super cup that the last time we were in it we treated as a friendly.

Henry Winter's match report in the Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/2621530/Darren-Fletchers-strike-is-enough-for-Manchester-United-to-quell-the-Portsmouth-threat---Football.html

Ludicrous article in the Guardian about Rooney
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/08/26/united_need_forward_thinking_t.html

Keano praises Cloughie
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leaguecup/2627308/Brian-Clough-was-simply-the-best---Footbal.html

Berbatov could rot in the reserves, I'll bet Ramos was thrilled to hear that.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/tottenham/2621911/Spurs-could-let-Dimitar-Berbatov-rot-unless-Man-Utd-pay-30m---Football.html

And he is just what we need according to Jeremy Wilson
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/2622414/Dimitar-Berbatov-is-exactly-what-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-and-Manchester-United-need---Football.html

More economic doom and gloom as we are told the economic outlook could be as bad athe seventies
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/economy-as-bad-as-the-seventies-908634.html
Larry Elliot reckons the bank is getting it all wrong
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/aug/18/interestrates.interestrates

Are things finally unravelling for Mugabe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/26/zimbabwe.mugabe

Pre gig interview with I am Kloot
http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/index.asp?sessionx=IpqiNw7pNwIoKDB6IHqjNwB6IA&realname=I_Am_Kloot_concert_the_best_things_in_life_are,_indeed,_free