Manchester United 3-0 Burnley

Another indifferent game that will be remembered more for what went on off the pitch than on it. It seems that the wait and see brigade have waited long enough and now seen enough to realise that the Glazers have got to go. There was a strange atmosphere for most of the game with even less atmosphere than normal. But when Burnley's fans started singing we have got more money than you it seemed to get under everybodies skin. At first the crowd got behind the team, but when those loveable security goons decided to throw out the lads that unfurled the LUHG everything changed. To make matters worse they even threw out innocent bystanders who had nothing to do with the protest. The dam all of a sudden burst and the cries of we want Glazer out started. Now we were pleasantly surprised how many people joined in. They really are public enemy number one at Old trafford now. Not before time.
The match itself was another curious performance. I didn't think we played that badly in the first half and we definitely had the chances to be in front at half time. Burnley played their part and had chances themselves including one great chance when they completely opened us up with one of the best moves of the match. Fortunately for us Flecther screwed his shot across the gaol and out of play. Nani had surprisingly been picked and whilst not brilliant he had a decent first half. With Valencia on fire on the other flank our forwards were getting some decent service. But neither Berbatov who i thought had a fair game, or Rooney who didn't, had their finishing boots on. The amount of times Valencia picked out a man in the box in the first half was superb. But the men in the middle couldn't apply the finishing touch. Nani's miss kick from the edge of the box seemed to sum it up at. Rooney is having a strange time of it at the moment. One game he is brilliant, Hull away say, next game he can be a mixture of brilliant and terrible and then he has a game like Saturday's when if it was anybody else he would have got some right stick. For some bizarre reason he seemed to play with a total absence of confidence. His finishing was woeful and he didn't really take his goal that well if we're honest.
It was good to see Van Der Sar back though even his presence couldn't stop our back line looking frail again. Apparently Gary Neville was ill before the game but played on. Burnley had two or three very good chances to score with chances to Blake and Eagles. But when Berbatov finally broke the deadlock before coming off with a recurrance of his knee problems the tide turned. Though Burnley did have one more good chance before Rooney sealed the game before he too came off. Diouf and Owen came on and whilst Owen did little as usual Diouf after getting over his nerves and settling down did show some real promise. That third goal was the type of goal we don't score too often these days. He showed good pace and a bit of bravery to get his head on it before Jensen could do anything. On a day when the rent boys got 7, 3-0 wasn't a bad return even if we were nowhere near our best again.

Daniel Taylor sums up the bizarre atmosphere on Saturday reasonably accurately. It's a pity he wrongly attributed an individuals opinions as IMUSA and MUST's when he reported the call for Ferguson to resign.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/18/manchester-united-burnley-premier-league
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7012790/Manchester-United-fans-Glazer-protests-beats-censor-following-defeat-of-Burnley.html

Alan Hansen thinks the carling cup will tell us more about where United are at than City. We are all worried about this game it goes without saying. But i saw the Everton City game in the Tollgate after the match and though they had a good first ten minutes the way they were dominated for the rest of the game showed the same problems sparky faced are still there. So if we actually turn up we have more than a fair chance. Will we turn up as always at the moment is the big question.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/mancity/7012614/Alan-Hansen-Carling-Cup-derby-presents-real-dilemma-for-under-performing-United.html

David Conn rightly questions the people running our game as our premier league are cummulitively £3.1 billion in debt.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jan/17/premier-league-owners

Patrick Barclay thinks Fergie hasn't covered himself in glory over the whole Glazer affair. To be honest there isn't much there i could argue with.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article6990019.ece

Will OFCOM force sky to bring their prices down and what effect will that have on our premier leagues perilous finaces.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/17/tv-sport-media-ofcom-sky
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/17/premier-league-sky-ofcom-rights

David Blanchflower thinks we are heading for a double dip recession. Especially if cuts are madfe too soon.
http://www.newstatesman.com/economy/2010/01/rates-december-unemployment

An interesting piece on the latest exhibition, make that last before it is shut down to prepare for the football museum move. When granada was radical and serious programmes were made in the north west. Some great TV there, i especially miss World in action. Oh how we could have done with that programme in our fight against the Glazers and indeed the fight against the incompetence running this country in general.
http://www.newstatesman.com/television/2010/01/television-room-granada-urbis

What is happening at Salford rugby league?
http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=446