Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal

A good result but it could have been a great result, we didn't concede the away goal but 1-0 isn't that great an advantage to take to the emirates. And the way the game went certainly had the chances to get a second and really give ourselves a great chance to go through. We just weren't able to put one away, though it wasn't for the want of trying. They were going for it right to the end. There is no way we will dominate the game down there to the extent we did last night. Let's just hope we can get that all important away goal, if we manage that, i can't see us going out.
The team selected was a bit of a surprise, i had expected Giggs to play but Fergie went with Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher in a mifield three as we reverted to 4-3-3. It was obviously to counter Arsenal who played 4-5-1 as i had expected. I am not a great fan of the formation but last night it worked a treat as we played them off the park. Their formation didn't work at all, Fabregas couldn't get into the game, not enough to do us any damage anyway and Adebayor was non existant. But for the goalie Almunia and the cross bar in the second half the tie would be all over. He certainly isn't the greatest goalie but it was his night last night as he made good saves from Ronaldo, Tevez and the cross bar came to his aid when Ronaldo beat him with a fantastic shot in the second half. The goal when it came must have made the bookies smile, not too many can have had O'Shea to be first goalscorer.
The injury to Ferdinand is a big worry, we really need him for the second leg. Jonny Evans has had a cracking season but we will miss Ferdinand's reading of the game and his ability on the ball. It will be interesting to see the team on Saturday morning at Middlesbrough. Fergie has said there may be a lot of changes and i am sure that there will be. But i don't think he will start with exactly the same team next Tuesday, so we shall see.

Evra thinks we should settled the tie last night
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/evra-disappointed-by-manchester-united-result-1676661.html

Wenger happy to get away with being just the one goal down
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/30/champions-league-manchester-united-arsenal-managers

Jim White on the gap in experience between United and Wenger's current Arsenal crop
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/5246846/Carlos-Tevez-shows-pedigree-Arsenal-crave.html

Ferdinand to have scan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8026160.stm

Jackie Ashley on Brown's disastrous couple of weeks
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/30/gordon-brown-mps-expenses

Simon Jenkins hits the nail on the hear regarding the media's overdose of over sensasionalist reporting of the latest flu outbreak
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/30/swine-flu-media