The Beat Goes On

Hang on a minute… I still need to catch my breath.

Whew. There we go. In the immortal words of Fergie: “Football, bloody hell.”

Before kickoff, United have taken more points off Spurs than any other Premiership club, having not lost in 20 games since a meaningless 3-1 fixture where United had already won the title back in May 2001. Red Devil supporters have good reason to look at this ground playfully as Three Points Lane.

However, this could be arguably the best Spurs side in the history of the EPL. Adding to the intrigue was Carrick and Berbatov starting against their former club, with United requiring a point to regain pole position over City on goal differential and two games in-hand.

Straight from the kickoff, Carrick gave the ball away to Gareth Bale, who was immediately off to the races down the left-hand side and led to the game’s first scoring opportunity inside 30 seconds. Hang on, as we’re in for a real ride today.

What an amazing first half.

Suffice it to say the first 45 minutes epitomized the best of the EPL by providing end-to-end, breathless football on a razor’s edge – plenty of pace, width, and full throttle attaching play and world-class defending to keep the score line nil-nil.

What would the second half entail?

In the second half both sides showed some minimal level of caution as the game became more about holding breath than taking it away.

Sir Alex upped the terror alert level, in the 62nd minute, by replacing the largely ineffective Nani with Anderson, putting Wazza out on the right wing in a five-man midfield, leaving Berba as the sole striker moving forward.

The talking point of the entire match, however, would involve our bouncing baby Brazilian yet again.

Last time United lost, Rafael was sent off for a relatively cheap second bookable offense.

Today, superstitions became heightened as Rafael barely clipped Assou-Ekotto moving forward, as it was clear United’s Number 21 was attempting to get out of the way of the on-rushing full back.

Down goes the player, out comes Mike Dean’s cards, and off goes the Brazilian.

Commentator Efan Ekoku immediately called it: Mike Dean got it wrong. Rooney also picked up a yellow for arguing with Mr. Bean (sorry, can’t resist).

Now the return of Paul Scholes to action would be delayed for at least another match. Fergie was left with no real alternative than to put on Chicharito for Berbatov to provide some pace in the lone striker position.

Ultimately, United held ground and returned back to the top of the Premier League above the Middle Eastland blues.

Which leads me to my final, quick reactions to this match.

First, obviously, the ref got Rafael’s sending off decision wrong. No question about it, it was a very harsh decision.

However, the young Brazilian was flying around tackling all afternoon, even having the balls to make a yellow card gesture after being fouled harshly himself. This does absolutely nothing but put the player that much closer to a second yellow in Mr. Bean’s book.

United’s young right-back needs learn to accept whatever refereeing decision is given, especially because he’s so quick and tackles so frequently. He needs refs to view him as an honest and hard, not hotheaded, footballer. Please ask Fletcher for advice here.

Second, the goat-to-hero award goes to none other than Chicharito, who nearly gifted Spurs a goal with his drop-pass to an astonished Giggs in the United box, who over-ran the crazy pass. Van der Vaart smartly hit the sitter first-time and just inches over the far post.

Later, the “little pea” makes a perfectly timed tackle in the same box to thwart Lennon charging toward goal. Even a fraction of a second or six-inches off in the tackle and it’s a sure penalty – absolutely and unquestionably the best tackle of the entire match.

And finally, it’s to no one’s surprise that my Man of the Match is: Capt’n Vidic. Nemanja marshaled the team and back line superbly. Despite the nil-nil score line, every forward moved menacingly off the ball all afternoon.

Vidic’s timing was impeccable, whether out-battling Crouch for a header, or tracking someone to the near post to block a shot, or knowing when to close a winger out wide, he put on a clinic.

If you want to teach young footballers how to play center half, simply have them study film of United’s Number Fifteen today. Displays like this will put him in the running for EPL Player of the Year consideration.

Who knew that despite all the first half fury today, it would end scoreless, as the streaks continue on all fronts and the beat goes on: United remain top of the league.

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Back at you after the Birmingham match. Cheers.