Manchester United 3-0 Fulham

I expected us to win this game but i didn't expect us to get an easy game. It went pretty much to script. They have turned into a well organised outfit under Roy Hodgson and they are no pushover for any of the top sides any more. I was hoping the fact that they had played in Turin on Wednseday night would help us. And it certainly seemed to help as in the last twenty minutes as we couldn't raise our game to get the second goal to kill the game off they were unable to put any real pressure on us.
Without playing anywhere near their best United did create the chances that could have settled us down in the first half. Nani put in a cracking little cross that Berbatov should have at least hit the target with. Then Berbatov played a glorious pass through to Fleycher whose cross was just slightly behing Rooney and he couldn't manage to get enough on his effort to trouble Schwarzer. Another chance saw Rooney chest the ball into Berbatov's path but he couldn't get his shot through the defensive wall that was the Fulham defence.
United were creating chances without really dominating the game. Our midfield were having a bit of an off day with neither Fletcher or Carrick on top of their game. Valencia was suffering from a lack of supply and couldn't get into the game. Fulham were managing to stop us bossing the game but weren't really creating much. Their best chance was a Murphy chip forward that Zamorra couldn't get on target.
The start to the second half couldn't have got off much more to plan as Rooney scored the opener almost straight away following a one two with Nani as slotted home the wingers cross. Ferdinand almost hit home a superb volley from a Valencia corner but United couldn't find a second. As the game wore on United seemed a touch tired and were struggling to raise their tempo to get the second. Unfortuantely with Scholes having been withdrawn form the subs bench there wasn't much on the bench to bring on to change things. Hopefully Giggs will be back next week as his reintroduction can't come soon enough. Fulham couldn't raise their game though and apart from the chance to Zamorra didn't create anything of note. That was a real chance though, and athough it was a great recovery tackle from Vidic, Zamorra probably should have at least have got a shot away.
They were made to pay when a sublime piece of control and then a great run saw Berbatov cross for Rooney to get his and United's second five minutes from time. And almost on the stroke of time Nani, now on the right, put over a perfect cross for Berbatov to finally put in one with his head at the third attempt. That was a very nice final five minutes as the title could yet come down to goal difference.

Paul Hayward on the most potent England forward since Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/mar/14/wayne-rooney-england-bobby-charlton

A good column from Patrick Barclay on the star that is Wayne Rooney and further on down a savage but perfectly correct assessment of Shaun Wright Phillips real worth.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article7061636.ece
Some of us half expect them to change the away strip to gold and green next season, i don't think they would be embarrassed for one minute.

Berbatov hopeful fourth title is on it's way.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1258005/Manchester-United-star-Dimitar-Berbatov-insists-champions-heading-fourth-successive-Premier-League-title.html
Since Christmas he has been one of our most consistent performers

Beckham out of world cup
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/davidbeckham/7444357/David-Beckham-ruled-out-of-World-Cup-after-tearing-Achilles-tendon.html

Ex tory minister Mawhinney bows out of his role as chairman of the football league arguing that a salary cap is inevitable and that the business model of football in this country is broke. Probably correct and totaly correct.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/salary-cap-inevitable-says-mawhinney-1921632.html

Mancini gets giddy after a last minute equaliser gains them a point at Sunderland. If they play as they did for the first 45 minutes they won't finish 5th never mind 4th. They were woeful. Fair play to them for the second half but the substitution of Jones totally transformed the game leaving Sunderland no outlet. Steve Bruce has a lot of work to do there, the lack of quality in the team when Kenwyne Jones went off was relegation standard.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-city-have-rivals-in-sight-1921641.html

Crunch time For Liverpool at the end of this season reckons Alan Hansen.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/7443528/Alan-Hansen-Whoever-invests-in-Liverpool-had-better-have-deep-pockets.html
I didn't know they had to play tonight Thursday and then come to our place on Sunday, that isn't just a chance to beat them, it's a chance to wallop them and almost make certain they will have no champions league football next season. I can't wait.



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