Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn rovers

Where on earth did that performance come from, i've thought United had shown some signs of getting their act together in the last two games, but nothing to suggest that we would get anything like yesterday. It wasn't just the seven goals but the manner United went about getting them, we haven't come close to playing football like that all season.
The early goal helped of course , they always do. But for once this season, United started at a high tempo and for the first time this season, the passing, the movement, first touch in fact everything was all up to what we have come to expect. I thinks this was also one of those rare games that Fergie has described before, that you may get once or twice a season where almost every player is on top of his game. Even Anderson whom i don't rate had a pretty good game yesterday.
If i had to put a key to the improvement yesterday though, i would link it to the one player who didn't score, Rooney. His movement, vision and passing were just what we have been missing all season. He has played well and linked up reasonably well with Berbatov before yesterday but not to the extent and consistency of yesterday's ninety minutes. Berbatov may have been superb and may have taken the ball home after his magnificent five goal haul, but Rooney was just as good and how pleasing it was to see the real Rooney as even in the last minute he was getting back and filling in for the left back, even though it was 7-1.
The quality of the goals was another pleasing aspect of yesterday's demolition, from Nani's cross for the opener to his pull back for Berbatov's hatrick goal. Rooney's little dink through for Park to score the second was exquisite and i loved the way Berbatov took his second when he cut out that attempted back pass and instead of luring the goalie from his line he hit an unstoppable screamer in the corner of the net.
As the scoreline suggests Blackburn were poor, but that came from the shellshock of United's start. I think it's fair to say they had probably seen a bit of United recently and the last thing they were expecting was the blistering start that United produced in the first half. It should have been four at half time, how the referee missed that blatant trip on Berbatov after his great run, i don't know. It would have been interesting to see if Rooney would have let Berbatov take that with him being on a hatrick. Thanks to the ref we will never know.
Blackburn can be thankfull it was only seven because i thought United eased off slighly in the last ten minutes or so. It was a pity we didn't keep a clean sheet, but once again we had the ref to thank who missed a blatant push by Samba just before he headed home.
But in one bound we have got ourselves level with Chelsea's goal difference which has really boosted out title hopes. It will be interesting to see how they go on today if the game goes ahead, they don't always fair that well at Newcastle.

Berba's pleased with himself and proud to be linked with Shearer and Cole as a player to have scored five goals in a premier league match.. Maybe i'll be proved wrong and he will still be here next season, we'll see, i'll be happy to be proved wrong, when he plays as he did yesterday he is a great player to watch.

United finally sign Danish goalie Anders Lindegaard as Fergie is quoted as saying he thinks this will be Van Der Sar's last season.

Wigan's manager Martinez told the press before yesterday's crunch encounter with West Ham that he sees Tom Cleverley as one of the future generation of England's footballers and claimed his tactical awareness is not normal for such a young player. It wasn't a bad finish either, a cracking goal that he scored, but that was a bad defeat which pushes them further in trouble at the bottom. If i was Martinez i would be trying my hardest to keep him there for the rest of the season. Watford fans thought he was one of the big reasons that they stayed up last season, he is always up for the fight and scores vital goals for a midfiled player.

The dream continues for FC United as they earned a magnificent 1-1 draw at Brighton after having a man sent off and conceding a last minute penalty.

What a magnificent fightback from England at the Gabba last night and deserved after the ill fortune that Anderson in particular suffered the day before. Fingers crossed they can see the job home tonight. My prediction of a tight series looks like being borne out. My one concern for the rest of the series after four days of this test is the form of our main bowling hope Swann. He didn't look too convincing when the Aussies went after him. He will have to improve if he is going to make an impression on this series.

Peter Oborne writes of his respect for the students who have been getting such a bad press from the rest of his right wing colleagues and the right wing press. I can't argue with much of that.

Martin Wolf argues that assets should matter as much as debts in his latest FT column. Michael Hudson describes how the rich are manging to "socialize the losses of the banks", or looking after their own interests once again. That's a cracking article. William Keegan writes on a not so strange case of deja vu.
Angela Merkel's approach to the bond markets has some support.

Stewart Lee on the future of stand up comedy and an Independent interview with Lemmy. It kills me when the interviewer says that she has no idea who the other band members are as it doesn't matter. I don't really listen to any of their recent stuff or know the other band members but the original line up of Motorhead was most definitely no one man band. Fast Ediie Clarke and philthy animal Taylor were no mere support acts.

Classic Thin Lizzy