Holding a 1-0 victory away to City with 10 men; scoring a 92nd minute winner to take a justified 3 points. It’s not pretty, but these are the results of champions.
The stats against the Black Cats are thoroughly lopsided: 31 total shots, 8 shots on target, 10 corners to 1, and 72% possession. The game felt like once United scored, the damn would burst, and yet, once the game reached that odd tipping-point in the second half, when the defenders gain confidence and the attackers get an edgy, self-fulfilling frustration, the game-winner seemed like the goal-too-far. This became especially true after Ronaldo went off injured in the 68th minute and took our main width-threat, outside of Rafael, with him.
That’s why Vidic’s winner is so important.
When you look back at Premier League titles, certain games will stand out as critical, season-defining results – O’Shea nicking a result at Anfield immediately comes to mind. Last week against City and today against Sunderland stand out precisely because we persevered. We held defensive composure short-handed against City. We held our belief and prevailed against eleven-behind-the-ball-dumb-luck and ourselves, our own frustrations today.
When you look ahead at our schedule, it’s absolutely imperative that our point-gap doesn’t grow before heading to the FIFA Club World Cup. Regardless of games in-hand, larger point gaps do, I firmly believe, apply more psychological pressure on the club making up ground, especially if the chased don’t readily drop points.
Again, that’s why today mattered sooooo much.
Next up we look forward to the annually-entertaining trip to White Hart Lane, where 5-3 victories and away supporters chanting “You’ll never beat O’Shea!” (after Johnny tackled Spurs break-away attempt while filling in for the injured Van Der Sar during a 4-0 victory) spring to mind. Lovely, lovely memories indeed.
One final comment about watching today’s match at the usual haunt, The Local.
Several Liverpool supporters stayed around the bar after their less-than-convincing victory over Blackburn to watch United versus Sunderland. You always had the feeling the Scousers would head home, or another bar, immediately after United scored, knowing the inevitable result would go against their wishes. They stayed around however to full-time to jeer United at another TV within earshot of us, growing louder and louder as the game progressed. Needless to say that Vidic’s goal provided a double-benefit today: a cathartic-release and a sense of entitled schadenfreude.
Ah, the delight. Right back at you Merseysiders: Campiones! Campiones! Ole! Ole! Ole!
