Manchester United 3-0 Fulham

A nice easy win with some great football which turned into a training excercise in the last half an hour. Which is pretty much what the doctor ordered with the crowded fixture list we are heading into as we enter the business end of the season. There were no real surprises with the team selected, O'Shea came in at right back whilst Evra was not rested as i thought he might be. Carrick and Scholes made up central midfield, Park came in for Nani and Berbatov and Tevez returned. It doesn't seem to matter who is selected at the moment they just go out there and perform.
Fulham were never really in the game, they did have a couple of chances which weren't too far away but they didn't come until the game was as good as over.
The first goal came from the boot of the magical Scholes who was absolutely magnificent all night, spraying balls out wide to the left and to the right and continually stetching the Fulham back four. Scholes midfield partner Carrick who was also superb on the night floated a corner just outside the area where the waiting Scholes hit a sweet right foot volley through the melee of players rushing towards him. Schwarzer probably should have done better as he let the ball squirm through him, but it was a vicious swerving shot that bounced just before it arrived at his arms.
The second goal was even better with United passing the ball superbly and eventually Scholes who was almost inevitably heavily involved in the move hitting a sweet pass to the great run that O'Shea had made and the Irishman crossed for Berbatov to ghost in at the back post to tap home the second. He had already had one effort cleared off the line but he wasn't to be denied this time. It was another very impressive display from the Bulgarian who is now really looking the part.
United had two goals disallowed on the night but apparently the goggle box showed they were correct decisions. The second half was more of a take it easy we have got a lot of games coming up affair. But we still got to see 30 minutes of Rooney, who unbelievably scored with his first touch of the night as a Park shot that was going wide saw Rooney get on the end of it to put it in with his left foot. Evans came on for O'Shea at right back, i thought this was to give him a run out with Inter Milan coming up but O'Shea went straight to the tunnel so i guess that wasn't the case.
So 5 points clear and if we win on Saturday Evening it will be 8 putting a load of pressure on the bindippers. Mind you they have got City at home so i am not getting my hopes up on that front. You can start to taste that 18th title though.

Berbatov sings Scholes praises
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/4696387/Manchester-Uniteds-Dimitar-Berbatov-says-nobody-can-play-like-Paul-Scholes.html

Kuyt seems a bit troubled in the head
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/kuyt-issues-warning-to-united-1626679.html
He's cracking up, he's cracking up.......

The Stanford affair looks like it's going to be an almighty embarrasment for a whole lotta people
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/feb/19/allen-stanford-cricket-antigua-bank
Not least for our bumbling cricket authorites
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4691396/Stanford-scandal-A-calamity-at-the-heart-of-cricket.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/4691158/Stanford-exit-gives-us-chance-to-put-morality-ahead-of-money-again.html

At last it look like the World's leading countries are going to get serious about tackling the outrage that are tax havens.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/19/gordon-brown-tax-avoidance-switzerland
If Brown does nothing else whilst he is prime minister helping to destroy these havens for the rich that won't pay their fair share, corporations that won't pay their fair share and the the drug money and corrupt dicatators ill gotten gains would be something to balance against the disaster that his economic management has proved to be.

Nick Cohen on the RBS
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/15/rbs-goodwin-bankers

Politkovskaya defendants acquited, no surprise really, they will never get anyone over this murder
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/jury-acquits-defendants-in-politkovskaya-murder-1626827.html

The Lowry debate between Brian Sewell and Mancunian Howard Jacobsen
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/the-lowry-debate-brian-sewell-and-howard-jacobson-face-off-1626667.html

Howard Jacobsen has a go at what he see's as the prevailing anti semitism
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/howard-jacobson/howard-jacobson-letrsquos-see-the-criticism-of-israel-for-what-it-really-is-1624827.html
I think he probably has a point. I am critical of Isreal because what it does is not in it's own long term interest. Having said that it is surounded by countries that should be completely abhorent to any serious liberal. I mean where would you sooner live Israel or Egypt, Lebanon, Syria or any of those horrible gulf states.