Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City

What a night, that will go down as those nights where you can say " I was there ". The way things are going City will probably win something eventually, especially the way the FA cup is panning out. But we didn't want them beating us, at old trafford of all places on the way to ending the 34 year wait. I think we could all feel before the game that the atmosphere was going to be something else and it didn't let us down. That was the loudest, most partisan and raucous old trafford has been in years. People you have never heard shout anything in all the years you have been going were effing and jeffing with the best of them last night. Not that it was a night to be noticing these things but the green and gold was at least in equal in numbers to the red and white last night. That bond offer from the gimps has unified the support to a degree that has took the most ardent anti Glazer stalwarts by surprise.
The only major surprise in the team slected by Fergie was the inclusion of Nani at the expense of Valencia. As they trooped off at home time i thought Fergie had got it wrong but Nani had another impressive game in the second half before he came off with a couple of minutes to go. It seems a big pity that we now seem to have two quality right sided flank players but still no one looking like replacing Giggs on the left. It is up to Nani to keep this consistent form going though.
With a 4-3-3 formation United enjoyed a fair bit of possession in the first half without doing too much with it a well struck Giggs shot apart. City's best moments in the game usually arrived from the feet or head of Tevez and he had a really good chance in the first period but directed his header too near Van Der Sar. The second half started cautiously until Richards robbed Rooney on the half way line and ran towards the box before unleashing a fine left foot shot that was well saved by Van Der Sar. Minutes later Rooney recieved the ball running out to the left. He cut inside holding his marker off before delivering the pass of the night throught the middle for Giggs. Giggs took it wide and passed it back into the box to Nani but Nani seemed to have made a mess of it. Up popped Carrick to prod the ball bak to edge of the box for Scholes who drilled it in to the far corner to put us one up on the night and level the tie.
This was the cue for United to really up the tempo boxing City into their own half. United kept coming forward and when Fletcher kept his composure to tap it back to Carrick the side foot finish was sublime and sent old trafford into ecstasy as it seemed we were going to stop them going to Wembley. Two minutes later another brilliant move saw Nani put it on a plate for Rooney who got his feet in a tangle and put it agonisingly wide. How we thought we were going to rue that miss when from nowhere United's defence switched off and that man Tevez again popped up to beat Ferdinand to the ball and beat Van Der Sar. So it was now all square on aggregate and City had matched our away goal which would count after extra time. United pressed but City were now back in the game. I didn't want extra time because now the game was end to end and if City got another in extra time it meant we would have had to have got two. Fletcher almost put us through with a header that was brilliantly saved by Given. But a minute later another pearler of a cross from Giggs found Rooney and he made no mistake to beat Given and cue wild celebrations.
Let's face it, that was the cup final for us. Whilst City would still have had to beat Villa to end the 34 year ticker the final is an afterthought for us. If we beat Villa then great, but we won't be crying if we lose because we won last night.

Fergie hails Rooney as world class, you can say that again.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7089874/Manchester-Uniteds-Wayne-Rooney-hailed-as-world-class-after-Carling-Cup-win-over-City.html

That clown Cook played his part in last night's performance as his New York speech was mentioned in the pre match talk. Love it, he is a tool of the highest order.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/01/sir_alex_ferguson_paid_manches.html

Tosic to go to Cologne on loan. I still don't really understand what is going on with him. He may well not be good enough for United. But as far as i can see he has never been given a chance.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/tosic-leaves-manchester-united-on-loan-1880663.html

David Conn examines the owner of our league cup final opponents Villa, Randy Lerner.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/27/randy-lerner-aston-villa
The price of that north stand season ticket just makes me angrier and angrier about how much mine is and how much it will probably next season. We used to laugh at the London clubs having £1000 season tickets. I am fully expecting my United north stand season ticket to pass that mark next season. And in a recession, truly unbelievable, i suppose theGlazers will be bragging about that too.

I have just finished watching khe Ken Burns series on the American civil war. And what struck me is how the USA is still two different countries, only now red and ble instead of blue and grey. It is one of the all time claasic history series.

A classic New Order performance from the Hacienda that i rmember watching on the old grey whistle test before that programmes demise. I used to have this on an old VHS tape somewhere once upon a time. Great track