Wolves 2-1 Manchester United

It's been coming, only the most blinkered red could disagree. You can't keep playing so badly away from home and keep on scraping results. And once again the game was lost in midfield, the defence may not have covered itself in glory with the goals conceded, but we had a great start and we had plenty of time to pull ourself back into the game. But we just weren't good enough.
It was a blow losing Ferdinand during the warm up, but it was only Wolves away. Losing him for next weeks derby is a far more serious affair. Evans came in for Ferdinand, and whilst he didn't have a great game, the question must be asked who did. I would have liked to have seen Scholes in the starting line up but with the run of games coming up and the strength of the opposition i could understand the decision to leave him on the bench. The inclusion of Nani, Giggs, Berba and Rooney looked to have given us plenty of goal threat.
It didn't take long for that prediction to seemingly come true as Fletcher looked up and found a rare successfull long ball into the corner to find Nani who cut inside to beat his full back and smash a fine shot into the back of the wolves net after just three minutes. Everything seemed set up for United to really get a stranglehold on the top of the table, taking advantage of Arsenal unbelievable collapse at Newcastle after being 4-0 up.
And yet seven minutes later it was all square as United fell asleep as Wolves decided to take a corner and the resuling corner exposed the lack of marking leaving the bid Camroon defender Elokobi all on his own to head home. United didn't fall apart and did create chances but it was an even game which you felt we would have to work hard to win. Yet again we weren't dominating the middle of the park or the possession. And then five minutes before the break we conceded yet another goal from a set piece to go into the break 2-1 down. I don't know why we have become so susceptible from set pieces when we have always defended them so well.
Scholes replaced Carrick at half time as Fergie must have realised we needed to get a grip of the midfield and the importance of the day. It seeemed to work at first as United looked like they were going to get a stranglehold. But it didn't last long as Wolves slowly got into the game and United struggled to gain any momentum or to create a chance worthy of the name. The longer the game went on the less it looked like we would score. Berbatov was replaced by Hernandez to no great effect as we were incapable of opening up the Wolves rearguard.
So the crap invincibles tag can be put to bed. I've got mixed feelings about the day. If we were going to lose, and i think most of us knew this team was always going to lose, i would sooner it would have been at somewhere like Wolves than at Anfield or at home to City. But what a day for it to happen as we could have killed off Arsenal at least psychologically after their disastrous second half at St. James park and we could have put big pressure on Chelski ahead of their grudge match with the mickeys. With no improvement on our shocking away form seemingly imminent it's hard to believe it will be our last defeat. All we can hope is the recent improvement in our home form continues, especially next week.

Fergie is proud of the players despite the loss. They have been very consistent but missed a good chance to put distance between us and the pack. He admitted we didn't deserve anything from the game. This run has shown how pack like the press are in this country. All they have been interested in was the run, whilst most United fans have been alarmed at the woeful state of our away form it's hardly been raised in the national press.
Ahead of the match Fergie had argued that 10 wins and 84 points would see United lift the title. If he was trying to apply the pressure it backfired a bit. I think i would rather he sticks to the one game at a time cliche. I wasn't sure we were capable of achieving that even before the game, i'm certain we aren't after it.

Ferdinand has been ruled out for two weeks according to Sky sports, i hope it's not longer.

The Mail reckon United are to offer Evra a new contract as the rumours he wants to go in the summer abound.

More plaudits for Gary Neville as Liverpool's Jamie Carragher applauds Neville as the best right back the premier league has seen. Andrew Cole writes that Gary Neville knew that nobody thought he had a sense of humour and that he played on it. I have heard the plane story before but Cole puts a new slant on it. Paul hayward talks about the devastating right sided partnership where Neville contributed greatly to Beckhams success.
Piers Morgan describes him as the most annoying player in world football but also one of the best. 

Sid Lowe reveals the behind the scenes moves of the Fernando Torres move from Liverpool to Chelsea.

Faisal Islam writes about rising world food prices and their effect on world events such as the revolutions in North Africa. Joseph Stiglitz looks at the events in Tunisia and how they will or should effect the economics and politics of the future. As he says it should never be forgotten how the bond markets and credit ratings agancy reacted to the events in North Africa. After their record since 2008 how do the credit ratings agencies still have any influence.

William Keegan looks at Mr Osborne who like Mrs Thatcher and plenty before him is not for turning. And wonders why they do it. It does make you wonder why  the phrase " when the facts change, i change my mind. What do you do sir" Even that bit of Keynes is too much for todays political establishment.

Noam Chomsky claims it's not radical islam that worries the US political class so much as Arab independence.

The Quietus look at one of the best British groups of the last two decades, Teenage Fanclub, one of Glasgow's finest. One of the classic British acts. The Telegraph's Neil McCormick thinks there was nowhere else for the restricted template of the White stipes duo to go, but what a live act.

Matthew Fort reviews Heston Blumenthal's latest venture and likes what he sees. Some of those dishes sounds mouth watering.

Lest we forget