Look away, there’s nothing to see here. Certainly, of all the emotions felt by Manchester United supporters over the past year, there has been a common response to Manchester City’s 7-1 aggregate Premier League double over Sir Alex Ferguson’s men last season. Six points that swung the title towards Eastlands and opened a new dawn in English football.
Yet, as the cliché goes, while getting to the top may have been one billion pounds hard for City, Roberto Mancini’s men are finding out that staying there is somewhat more troublesome. Mancini’s obsessive need to tinker with a successful formula, and a succession of draws on the road, has left City trailing United heading into this weekend’s derby.
Strange season though – one in which Ferguson’s side has rarely found a consistent level, but leads the Premier League by three points. Victory, however unlikely given City’s still imperious home record, will leave United in a commanding position heading into the Christmas programme.
Ferguson will not count the points secure though – not with United’s defensive troubles as they are. The Reds have shipped 21 goals in the league this season and the leaky back-four leaves Ferguson in a quandary; trust in his strikers’ form and attack an uncertain Blues, or retrench into the defensive mentality that so backfired at Eastlands last April?
Either way, it is set to be another definitive weekend in the title race – one in which United could stretch a lead or cede control to the ever noisier neighbours.
“Challenges are what we’re made of,” said Ferguson ahead of the 164th Manchester derby.
“I’ve been lucky that, in my time here, I’ve been involved with great competitions against individual teams: Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and now City. Chelsea did it and we recognised it immediately. What they did well was start seasons quickly. They had almost gone by the time we got to October. We couldn’t play catch up with them – we never got near them.
“So we changed our programme in pre-season and made sure we started the season correctly. In that third season we did that and we won the league. That’s the great thing about this club. We can accept challenges and we don’t run from them.”
However, the Scot’s side heads into the match with injuries afflicting a quartet of midfielders – Antonio Valencia, Nani, Anderson, and Tom Cleverley – leaving options limited. This may leave Sir Alex to deploy another narrow midfield, or find a formation with plenty of square pegs in far too many round holes.
Meanwhile, captain Nemanja Vidić is unlikely to play despite weekend press reports to the contrary. The giant Serbian has appeared in around a dozen games over the past year after suffering two serious knee injuries.
“On the injury front, Tom Cleverley will have a scan this morning and we’ll see what he’s like,” confirmed Sir Alex. “It’s his calf, which is always a worry, but we’ll see. Nani and Valencia are still out. It will be a few weeks with them.
“I thought Kagawa may have done enough to make the bench on Wednesday but no, he’s well short. But I don’t think he’ll be available until the Sunderland game. Vidić has certainly been doing well in training but I think the game on Sunday is a bit soon for him. I know we’ve got a few injuries at the moment but we’ve got a big strong squad of players.”
Meanwhile, Mancini could welcome back playmaker David Silva despite the Spaniard missing Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Gael Clichy and James Milner also return to the Blues’ squad.
But the Italian’s problems have little to do with injuries and much more to a dysfunctional forward unit that has scored less frequently than United this season. Title-winning forward Sergio Agüero has seven goals in all competitions this season, but Edin Džeko, Carlos Tevez and Mario Ballotelli have each struggled to justify almost £100 million aggregate outlay.
“Our season depends on our strikers,” Mancini admitted on Friday.
“We need to improve the output from our strikers. Our problem is our strikers. Usually when you have four strikers, two or three of them are not scoring but one is. At the moment we have four strikers who can’t score. We don’t have the same quality this season that we showed in the first 15 games of last season”.
It is an observation that offers United hope of extracting a modicum of revenge for last season’s double league defeat. Victory would not only bring league title 20 a step closer, but enable Reds worldwide to forget the horrors of last season.
Match Details
Manchester City v Manchester United – Premier League, Eastlands – Sunday 9 December 2012, 1.30pm
Possible teams
City (4-4-2): Hart; Maicon, Kompany, Nastasic, Zabaletta; Nasri, Y Touré, Barry, Silva; Tevez, Agüero. Subs from: Pantilimon, Wright, Lescott, Clichy, García, K Touré, Razak, Sinclair, Tchuimeni-Nimley, Dzeko.
United (4-4-2): De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Fletcher; Carrick, Scholes; Rooney; van Persie, Welbeck. Subs from: Lindegaard, Wootton, Smalling, Buttner, Jones, Young, Cleverley, Powell, Giggs, Hernandez.
Officials
Referee: M Atkinson
Assistants: P Kirkup, S Burt
Fourth official: M Clattenburg.
Form
City: WDDWDL
United: LLWWWL
Head to Head
Last 10: City 4, United 5, Draw 1
Overall: City 45, United 68, Draw 50
Stats
- United must recover from a physically demanding game at Reading and a mid-week Champions League fixture – the Reds covered more ground against Reading than in any other game this season, clocking up 66.29 miles;
- Rooney’s 6.96 miles was the second highest by an individual United player this season;
- van Persie’s goal was his 10th in the Premier League this season, making the Dutchman the league’s joint top goal scorer;
- Of the four players sharing that honour van Persie has required the second fewest shots at goal – 46 – while Luis Suarez has taken 80, Demba Ba 53, and Michu just 39;
- Rooney’s goal was his fourth of the having taken 35 shots at goal with 65.7 per cent accuracy;
- Rooney’s team mate Chicarito, meanwhile, has the best shots per goal ratio of any striker in the derby, taking just three shots per goal;
- United’s problems at the back may have been largely driven by form and fitness of key players, although Rafael da Silva can take comfort from his contribution – 44 tackles, winning 24, 13 clearances, 22 interceptions and one block;
- City, meanwhile, remain the only unbeaten team in the league this season after a tough 1-1 draw against Everton last weekend;
- Tevez’ penalty was his seventh goal of the season, with one scored every 152 minutes and 17 seconds at 6.7 shots per goal;
- At the other end City has conceded just 11 goals compared to United’s 21, in part because of Matija Nastasic’s form since coming into the side – the Servian has averaged a defensive contribution once every 19 minutes and 16 seconds including 12 attempted tackles, five clearances, 12 interceptions and four blocks;
- City captain Vincent Kompany has contributed 107 defensive interventions so far this season, including 50 attempted tackles, with 52 per cent won, 19 clearances, 33 interceptions and five blocks;
- Yay Touré has completed more passes in the opposition half than any other player in the league, with 657, averaging one every 2 minutes and 12 seconds, while Michael Carrick has completed 518, at one every 2 minutes 38 seconds, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Prediction
2-1
I agree stifling tactics will prevail over attacking elan from United – it has to given the paucity of midfield resources. The above formation may switch to a 5 in midfield with welbeck and rooney occupying the wide positions and RVP the sole target man (European away game vintage). Perhaps an outside chance that P Jones gets a midfield berth, on the mistaken assumption that honest endeavour is a substitute for technique? Please, no. Can’t see a win either.
degea
jones rio evans evra
fletcher carrick scholes
rooney persie young
not what i want, what will happen
1-0 city
yeah you fucking nailed that one didn’t you?
Hah!
I am fervently praying and hoping it will be 1-1.
But think they’ll be too much for us and our midfield wont be able to create enough. Think we’ll lose 1-0
I seriously hope I am wrong though….
I think we’ll score a couple of goals. Mr. Persie has a point to prove to city. Mr. Rooney seems to be getting back to his best. Mr. Young can occasionally be useful. And Mr. Welbeck…fills out the front four. We can sub in Mr. Hernandez in the 2nd half to get us a few more.
I do hope our defence shows up though. Scoring is pointless if we gift out goals like we are spreading holiday cheer.
United to lose 4-2. RVP to score a brace.
3-2 utd
Well played sir!
DDG
Smalling Rio Evans Evra
Carrick Fletcher
Rafael Rooney Welbeck
van Persie
Miserable fucks…
No idea of the score… it could be anything with these two teams, but we’re going to hand those cunts their first defeat…
Apparently Valencia and Cleverley could play.
In that case
DDG Raf Evans Rio Evra
Clev Carrick
Val Roo Wel
RVP
and 0-1 Evra from a corner
We have to match those pillocks physically today. Have to. So for me:
DDG, Rafa, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Carrick, Fletcher, Jones; Rooney, Van Persie and Welbeck. I don’t trust Rio again. That side has enough in them to change into 3 at the back if they change into that.
At Reading a lot of rubbish has been made about the goals we shipped, well two of them were from set-pieces with Lindegaard unauthoritative. Today David has to come for anything he can reach and hope to be fouled. Jones to stick to Yaya Toure so we can make it 10 a side. We can do this. Scholes and Giggs to be no where near the squad even!!
DDG, Rafa, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Carrick, Fletcher, Jones; Rooney, Van Persie and Welbeck.
I like that side. Might go for Rio ahead of Evans, but if Evans starts and we win it could be the making of him.
Bill, the problem is that we need energy and speed on the recovery at the back as Evra and Rafa have to give us plenty of attacking options. Rio can’t offer that again.
If we remain solid enough, our front 3 can do damage. We must not give them a goal start.
Evans was sent off in the 6-1 so he’s due a big vs. City, hopefully its today. However I would expect to go with “experience” as is the way with him these days. This is not always for the better!
Wish we had Vidic, Valencia, and Kagawa available! Nani has a great game once in a while too but alas, they are all out. RVP and Roon might get the job done and we could sneak it. But from what I’ve seen this year in MF and defence, we have little hope. We just have to hope City have an off day and we get a bit of luck. I’d be ecstatic with a draw.
Chicharito to score – anyone can score for that matter, Scholes can score.
SAF might also be gambling on Cleverley, exaggerating the injury.
We’ll be fine.
Cleverley is in the squad. Balotelli + Aguero up front for City. Silva and Clichy start as well.
De Gea
Raf Evans Rio Evra
Carrick Cleverley
Valencia Rooney Young
van Persie
positive. For once, Fergie picks best possible line up (no G/S/F in midfield). We have a fighting chance now.
Good team. Come on United.
I like it. I like it a lot! Come on United!
City going for it… Mancini fancies getting at our defense… no doubt hoping for another hammering… in front of the home fans… our away lot need to be fiesty.
De Gea, Valencia and Cleverley. That’s a nice surprise.
Wow. Fairly offensive setup
We’ll either win or get hammered!
Come on lads! 6 point gap!
why did silva have to be fit
Are we actually lining up 442 against em
“is there going to be a shoot-out today” fucking hell
Considering clev and av are fit I’m happy with this side. Looks like they are lining up similar to us. Old fashioned football, game on!
Tempers flaring already. The ref needs to be strong today.
a goal is coming for them
25% possession says it all.
Rooney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH YES!
Roooneyy! Reminiscent of Giggs goal against Buffoon in CL
There will be a red card today. Just hope it’s Mad Mario
Balotelli is the most despicable football player I’ve ever seen. Utter utter shite person
Rooney is starting to show his class again. Brilliant! 1-0!
this is on talk shite with collybollox – i’d rather watch it on teletext
Good start.
Roooney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jumping for joy isprained my back again…
Jjdv the fuck in
Another class goal
Rooney is the man. 2-0 and flying!
Rooney 0-2.
Brilliant Wayne. Keep it tight until half time
didn’t know you knew serbo croat
I wonder if Tom Cruise enjoyed that
dont concede before half time and we should be ok
theres one more in this for hernandez, toure is a fucking great lump
I haven’t long got back home, how have we done? I know Rooney has two, have we held our own?
Half the job done
Superb from United toward the end, totally professional, like a big European game
City shit and flat from Europe
1st 15 all City. Then goal against run of play then it has been pretty even. Think We’ve looked more threatening since then
We’ve defended excellently all over the pitch, and to be fair they haven’t really created ‘owt much. We’ve looked class since the first goal and look like we’ve got goals in us. Citeh are proper rattled…it’s like we’ve fucked off the ‘inferiority’ thing we most definitely had against them last year.
Enjoying it so far.
Young has been really good.
It’s as though City are surprised we’re playing with width. Fergie made out Val was injured so they probably haven’t done a lot of wing work.
cant decide between 3-1 and 2-2
almost…almost
They’re really shitty at the back.
A thrashing would be brilliant!
How about 3-0?
…and almost 😀
Tevez will offer a completely different threat to Balotelli; and he’ll get the crowd going.
Should I fuck off out for the second half then because lately I’ve been a fucking jinx!
Would love a win here.
the amount of pressure theyre gonna put us under in this second half
bye bye
laters
No changes at HT, jolly good
We really need not to concede for at least the first 20 mins of this second half!
how about not conceding for 44.9 mins of this second half
and i thought you were going~?
Tevez on
I’ve got no friends.
If we keep giving it back to them the inevitable will happen
fucksake. shambolic
United scored a 3rd then FFS!!
Robbed.
Robbed. Fucking buying the points again!
Clev caught out of position there
Great double save from De Gea
Goal wrongly disallowed and then they score
Only one team going on to get the points here. Fucking officials being able to cost teams fucking games!! The cunt had the pitch lines to help him as well!!
United get all the decisions
We need the next goal massively!
Come on United.
Diving in! Lucky the ref was a prick and stopped it!
come on pls score one more
They’ll score again, but there’s a goal in it for us
AND….give the man a big cigar!!
To be fair to Young, he’s had the better of Zabaleta all day and scored a valid goal, plus his earlier assist.
Valencia fucking hell what you waiting for!!!
Jesus! I hate football!!
We won’t hold on here.
Evra and Valencia are our weak links
come on lads, please win this!
yes please win.
We are not going to survive the onslaught. Just fuckin score 1 more
I hate Tevez! They’ve attacked much better since that after birth came on!
Valencia is annoying me!
Come on RVP give us some magic!
Yaya going off thank god. I like the Jones for Valencia as well.
We’re going to try and sit back for 10 mins !!
fucking cunts
FFS
And now for their winner.
yeah the difference with ballotelli is night and day.
I need another goal to calm my nerves here.
Late winner from Dezko
We’re going to shit ourselves!
fucking fuck fuck fuckety fuckkkkkk
Carrick has been shit.
its inevitable
it really was, wasn’t it?
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
worth 24 million quid
Yeeeessssssssss !!!!!!!!!!
fukcings yesssssssssslgndklfjngklds
What happened to Rio???
RVPeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
lol I did, a little
hold on ffs pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
WTF happened? Did someone in the crowd throw something at Rio?
Classy move barry you shit
Fuck it. Thank God we bought RVP!!!!!
Absolutely NO reason for the manager to play Scholes and Giggs again. We should have been up 3 goals before their goal.
Get in there. I am proud of each and every one of the lads today. Love them all. Rio was magnificent.
fucking yessssssssssssss
never drop de gea again
Roooooooobin Van Persie!
A very good performance by us — especially when you think it should have been 4-2. Everybody played well. Our defending was much better than normal, even if we conceded twice.
No! If the goal was not disallowed, it could have been 5-0 or more considering how difficult it is to come back form 3-0 down. They would be frustrated and probably one or two players would have picked up red cards or expose their back for us to score more.
Unbelievable
I’m a bit emotional
You miserable negative cunts need to fuck off. Seriously.
Great performance – took it to ’em, fucked ’em over at their own place. Brilliant.
Best performance from a united team for ages. Proud as fuck.
WORD!!
that was just amazing
rentboy referee did his damndest to rob us but RVP – what a star
totally made up
fucking fantastic.
City’s epic unbeaten run gone
even better than scholesys late winner there
sweet.
To be honest, when zabaleta scored i can only see one team winning it.
Signing of the fucking season. Everyone played well, even Young!
Magnificent result boys. Everyone was awesome today and yes Rio was amazing and has renewed my faith in him. Rooney and RVPs class won it for us in the end but all the boys fought played their arses off today and did us proud.
Crazy scenes at the end though. Hope Rio is ok
well just as good.
Deffo
I’d rather win it with a late goal than have seen it out 2-1
Late winners are just class, that will kill City
Awesome!!!
There’s a lot of games to go but that was a huge result for us and a bad result for City – and I love it!
MANCHESTER IS ” RED ” FACT.
At least re-spraining my back at jumping for joy for Rooney’s 2nd is now worth it…..6 point gap. Sweet!
Maybe Mancini will get the sack after this result. Could the owners pull a Roman?
fucking tevcunt gave the free kick away too
sweet very sweet
That was incredible.Just fucking love this club
It’s damaging, aye. That must have been some of United’s motivation – a chance to put the shitters up Mancini. Fergie will have stressed that, guaranteed.
Undoubtedly our best performance of the season; we always looked a threat; and everybody pulled their weight. Even Young.
where’s unc….
where for art thou mon cherie?
It’s very annoying that Sky won’t show any of the ugly stuff. Apparently Joe Hart had to restrain a Shitty fan running onto the pitch to attack Rio.
Our defending was good today — both goals were scored by players coming from deep at the edge of the box, which isn’t good but suggests that the back 4 were doing their jobs well. DG was also good, though he still punches crosses when I feel that VDS would have strode forward and caught them. Young, Cleverly, and Carrick — three players who often come in for criticism — played very well too.
That’s why you play the big bucks for the big players.
Robin Van Persie.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! You little beauty.
Ferdinand hit with a coin
http://media.lockerdome.com/uploads/5263b386a7f3745d105d5da13b783c09_large
“City fans throwing money at their problems as usual”
shitty fan 1 on 1 with rio
hart would be picking that twat off the floor 6 foot under
wonder if the council house tenants will get a telling off from the FA…
City fan arrested for racist chanting too apparently.
why didn’t tevcunt get sent off for kicking out at jones?
rentboy referee probably looking elsewhere so about time the FA made an example of a non united player for bringing the game into disrepute
G M Police @gmpolice
Man arrested inside stadium on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence after officers hear racist chanting
Six point cushion! Morale boosting win over the only rival still in touching distance. Revenge for last season’s defeats to City. To quote Herman Goering: “if we lose (the EPL) now we deserve to have our arses kicked”.
such class is difficult to find
Great win in the end. Had a horrible feeling we were going to fuck it up when they made it 2-1 as that gave City a huge psychological lift. How many points is Robin going to be worth this season?
Jones got booked for provoking the crowd? I didn’t even see that happen; makes the lack of punishment of Tevez all the more annoying.
aye
he was wearing a red shirt … ffs rentboy referee
Surely the FA will do something about Tevez. He was caught on TV FFS.
I wonder what Tom Cruise made of the derby.
Tom Cruise saw who was Top Gun.
He looked OK in our previous game and today he was probably the best player on the pitch. Not only did he set up the first goal, the defensive work he put in was hugely important.
People have every right to vent when things are not going our way.
Anantax @ 4:32: “Everyone played well, even Young!”
I’ve been a huge critic of AY but today he was just terrific – his play for the first goal was fantastic. THAT’s what the money was spent for.
Those first two goals were more like “the Real United” – fast flowing footie with a positive result.
Overall, that was a terrific game of fitba (blood hell !) and winning at the Wastelands makes it very, very, very sweet.
FIRST, six points ahead with a superior goal-difference. YEAH !
not going our way is when united are mid table, playing like morons and pissing leads away
ffs, top of the table with an invisible midfield, injured defence and 2 pensioners still plying their trade is a pure miracle and all i can say is people have been spoilt over the past 20 years if venting can be justified in these circumstances
try recalling the 80’s when our cup finals consisted of beating the scouse scum and coming top 5 in the league
totally agree 100%
people should fuck off being negative all the time.
we have the greatest manager of all time in charge
and never mind the 80’s mate some of us remember the 70’s
All I’m saying is that people have a right to vent during the match. Players make small mistakes which can sometimes be costly (e.g – gift the ball to the opposition sloppily which leads to them going up our end and having a shot on goal). All that hard work and great performance goes out of the window if they score.
I agree that we have been spoilt by success but it’s easy to get emotional in the heat of the game and say certain things – and that’s what I’m getting at. Commenting in the heat of the game like, for example, when we’ve thrown away a 2 goal lead.
Are people thinking about the last 20 years immediately after Zabaleta makes it 2-2?
Agree Sheesh,
I’m one of the worse during a game! I’m an emotional mess and I vent. I’m a fan from the 80’s as well so save telling us all you’ve been fans since the bad old days you ignorant cum buckets.
Fuck anyone who doesn’t like it! People are free to vent at whatever the fuck they want on a football forum during a match. Any cunt that doesn’t like that fuck off to RedCafe with the rest of them.
ok sheesh point taken but i was also referring more to the negative diatribe before the game has even kicked off
and some of us have very bad memories of the distant past still
oh fuck off little miss negative whinging wet fanny
you said you had jinxed the game when you emerged at h/t and yes you should have fucked off again instead of costing us 2 goals
Never mind han. There was no Scholes. There was no Giggs. We won at the Council House. A at peace with everyone I tell you. Our manager played a blinder.
Agreed Han – that was my point as well.
Sheesh – I wasn’t talking about stuff during the match, but the negative bollox spouted constantly on here that has no real perspective and is usually because some people like to position themselves as ‘anti’ and don’t really have anything to say about the good stuff but can’t shut the fuck up about the bad stuff. It’s fucking easy to criticise safe in the knowledge that you never have to have your own opinions put up for true appraisal.
I get as frustrated as anyone during the match – that’s the fun of it – but some people need a serious fucking reality check.
OK, fair enough.
City have to play Newcastle pretty soon. I know the Barcodes are struggling a bit this year but St James’s is never an easy place to go. If they fail to get 3 points from that game, they’ll be under real pressure.
They could be without Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany as well. Definitely a potential banana skin.
aye and if aunty had bollocks, she’d be uncle etc
remember the rent boys were down to 9 men and united still had to work hard to get the win?
han is allowed to bollock taggart for not using berbatov but nobody else is allowed to bollock taggart for overuse of scholes and giggs, even though those people who do so were proven right today as we beat city without them
i just can’t work u out unc
oh and thx for the private messages – sorry i couldn’t make it this afternoon over to your place to watch the game on the box – and i had even ordered a new bottle of ribena for the occasion
yawn it’s very boring and so predictable to have a moan all the time. I for one am just very grateful I was born into a red family – I thought it throughout the 70’s and 80’s and having the great sir Alex in charge has been a privilege and a honour and I just wish more people had more respect for him on here.
We can start respecting him again (like we used to) once he starts to show– like he did today — that has got his brain back.
he deserve’s our respect for the success he’s brought our club over the last 25 years.
He’s never lost his brain he’s just a very stubborn old man – that one of the reasons why he’s been so good at his job for so long.
I really hope we can kick on from this performance, because apart from the morale boost, the lads showed that they can actually play as a coherent team for probably the first time this whole season. Every part of the pitch performed well, even defense despite conceding two goals. There’s clearly still work to do, but if we played like that against most teams in the PL we’d rack up several goals and probably maintain a clean sheet (Europe’s different mind you). For the first time this season, we looked like a young team with promise again instead of the disappointing final chapter of Fergie’s tenure: DG was handling crosses much more effectively than in the past, Raf was excellent in attack and defense, Cleverly greatly outshone Yaya Toure, and Jones, Smalling, and Evans all looked up to the task.
We are still paper thin in midfield and on the flanks though. I suspect we may actually get a first-team body in in January — either Baines or a midfielder like Strootman — and see Kagawa get pushed out to the wings in a more offensive and skillful Ji-Sung Park-type role for the rest of the season. Kagawa will probably only play centrally when Rooney’s rested.
A beautifully justified victory that really shone a light on the true character of each team. So proud to support Manchester United, performances like today are we are all about.
great result, great feeling, love this club.
Now let’s see what Citeh are made of, confidence-wise. We’ve seen what a 3-2 does to the Renters, if it has half the same effect we’d run away.
Will be interesting to hear Mancini at the press conference. If he blames someone – that means that he is probably afraid for his job.
believe
We’ve got Sunderland at home next and they’re shit. If we hammered them then O’Neil might actually top himself.
Meanwhile City have got Newcastle away, and the geordies need a scalp because they’ve been shit.
So all being well we could stretch the lead to 8/9 points next weekend.
After the way those small-time bastards behaved on the final day of last season, I really hope we smash Sunderland.
just watched premier leagues amazing moments on bbc3 and they put the bitters win over qpr in May as their number 1 – first time i’ve seen the goals – i feel even better knowing we did those fucks today – 6 points is not going to be enough but it’s a great base to build on
the bitters look vulnerable after that defeat and let’s see the other teams lift their games to give them hell starting next weekend
As disgusting of an act as it is, I find the irony of their supporters pelting our players with coins quite amusing – isn’t that just typical city mentality; “when problems arise and things don’t go our way, just throw money at it!” Bunch of mugs.
han wants his cake and eat it, you cant have a go at taggart, unless he agrees and its about berbatov
Rvp, I just love him big player for the big occasion.
City fans showing no class at the end, it’s no surprise there then, off you go back to Stockport.
Sir Alex took city on and won with his team line up, that’s class.
Watched from Oz, 2 in the morning. Loved it, finally we’re seeing United perform. Mid feild is still soft, but their seemed to be speed and real energy running through them. I am beginning to think that we need to get over ourselves – we must attack the lighter teams from the get go and then relax. We were up for this game from the outset – we must approach all our games this way.
Woke the three kids at 2:00 as RVP finished the bitters off. Well worth the filthy looks I recieved from the missus this morning!
now you know that’s not true unc
yes i was a big fan of berbatov and felt SAF treated him like a rash last season and have said so on many occasions
but some of the postings on here are really below the belt and unmerited attacks on SAF are just in very bad taste – yes he has made mistakes but calling him a c*nt, red nosed tw*t etc etc is just puerile
Quite simply, what a game.
Point and laugh at Balotelli, two fingers up at Mancini for being a sore loser, well done Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley, a plague on the council houses of throse coin-throwing scum and a massive sigh of relief that van Persie chose us over Citeh.
EDIT: A round of applause for Ferguson for choosing to take the game to the cunts this time!
Today’s mood = satisfied
“Fuck that… there’s something about him, gets on my wick… weasly little cunt, needs a good slap”
Have to agree with you on this one Han.
Bollocks…
Calling him stupid, or gutless is wrong.
Calling him a “c*nt, red nosed tw*t”, is just stating the obvious.
well that says more about you than it does about fergie.
Right, well… I’ve certainly been exposed… I feel so vulnerable now.
Great result. I think one of the important features of the game was that De Gea seems to be coming in to form. Whether he catches or punches crosses at the moment is immaterial as long as the ball is cleared. A confident, in form goalkeeper will be a huge plus for United in the coming months.
And yes,criticise Fergie for individual team selection but never forget what he has done for this club. It was his long term vision that put us where we are today.I prefer to think what a duller place Old Trafford will be once he has gone- now that is a worrying thought.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/526?cc=5739#
A good summary of our game plan. Bodes well for CL away games.
What a legend is our Patrick. Have a listen folks…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2012/dec/10/rio-ferdinand-paddy-crerand-audio
By the way Baloo. Here is knobby showing his affiliation. What you say?
Listen to his voice… drunk as fuck…
? Sorry Cal – I genuinely have no idea what that question means
The bloke on 5Live that’s interviewing sounds like a right smarmy tosser. Check out his photo – he has a face, to quote Paddy, that you’d never get tired of punching.
http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/sb6rg/URL
Crerand gets the wrong end of the stick at first, but the original assumption from Five Live is wrong – Ferdinand was celebrating in front of the United fans, not the City fans. The coin comes at him from the side – probably from the area where the away fans meet the home fans.
All yesterdsay Five Live were implying that Ferdinand celebrated in front of the City fans and it’s bollocks. Al Green even brought up the Gary Neville incident where he ran over to celebrate in front of the scouse fans, as if to say it’s something United players do.
Load of shit. Glad the smarmy presenter cunt got talked down. Also criminal that he didn’t have the statistics to hand. Too often lazy journos get away with making out narratives to be bigger than they are – ‘we’ve had a lot of texts and emails about so & so’ – and it goes unchecked.
In another thread you were questioning Knobby’s love for united.
Oops!
Eh?
Firstly, thanks for stepping in for Knobby, although I suspect he’s perfectly capable of answering for himself. Second, no I didn’t question the fact that he has love for United, I asked what his motivation was i.e. what WAS it about United that he feels alings himself to the club because, from his comments, I can’t see it and thirdly, even if I DID question that he ‘loved’ United how does that little snippet prove anything, one way or another?
This is a great clip of the winner as viewed from the away end:
Finally, FINALLY a good performance from pretty much everyone through the side.
City, of course, got their chances, but for the majority of the first half, they basically looked toothless. Cleverley and Carrick worked their cajones off. I was impressed. Ashley Young with a performance that genuinely impressed.
All round pleasing.
Especially the last minute, Nasri shitehouse, deflected freekick winner. Glorious.
City v United tunnel camera:
Nice. One little bit of useless information I picked up recently was that Fergie insists the players wear suits before every game, even home games. Other teams are allowed to wear tracksuits and whatnot, but Fergie wants his players looking smart.
quite fancy that
bring back the discipline thats been missing from these overpaid overhyped and egotistical players (not only at united but other clubs too)
de gea in a suit though…? shaggy still wouldn’t look the part
The United fan posting the clip is a bit of a legend. He’s also captured United’s first and second goals as well (you might want to turn the volume down a tad due to screaming).
He also captured Van Persie’s winner at Southampton and Hernandez’s goals v Villa
I can’t imagine any manager could bring in such a rule at City. The players would kick off.
Fergie also insists the captain is responsible for the upkeep of the players lounge at Old Trafford. Another useless fact.
LOL at Aguero’s face at full time!!!
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/8324006/Samir-Nasri-not-tough-enough-in-big-games-for-Manchester-City-says-Gary-Neville
Probably the best pundit in the game right now?
Its been 2 days and the afterglow of the City match is still there for me
– we broke their effing undefeated run
– we rubbed their poor run of form in their faces with a last minute winner
– we are SIX points ahead!
– the winner was scored by RVP who they couldnt get!
Life is heavenly!
Mate, yes. Exactly. Just this warm red glow. If I close my eyes it says SCREW YOU RENTBOYS! Just soooooooooo good.
Just got to beat Sunderland now
No good beating City if we fuck it up in the next game
Well Sunderland have an annoying game against Reading tonight, so they won’t fancy OT on Saturday. City going to “Sports Direct Arena” will be up against a team who have the quality to be about 8 places higher.
IF City turn round and spank Newcastle then it shows they’re true champions. If they grind out a 1-0 then I’m not convinced.
ffs
England’s rose and Mancini in dressing-room bust-up after derby defeat:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9735716/Roberto-Mancini-and-Joe-Hart-in-dressing-room-bust-up-after-Manchester-Citys-wall-malfunction-against-United.html
Mancini also said after the Madrid defeat: “Joe Hart should stay in goal and make saves. If anyone should criticise the team it should be me, not Joe Hart. I am the judge, not Joe Hart.”.
Just rewatched the Van Persie winner and Hart doesn’t organise the wall very well. But it’s not his fault that Nasri ducks behind the other two players for fear of being hit. That’s just Nasri being a fanny. I remember Neville once turned his back on a cross/shot and Keane bollocked him for about a minute. So maybe you’re looking at the captain there to say something.
I can understand why Hart didn’t want Tevez in the wall – so he could get a clear view of the ball. But then surely if Tevez had been in the wall, the ball would have hit him and Hart wouldn’t have had to make a save.
It’s tit for tat, really. The danger for Mancini is that the press will always side with Lionheart, and Mancini will lose out. He’ll become weaker, the players will become stronger. The Torygraph article says that is already happening.
something bothering you unc?
come on over and tell han
xxx
i like how cal was defending me
massive schlong society
every club makes it’s exceptions…
Mancini is a rubbish manager… Dannii used to go on about Mancini being a great manager, and how he got the better of Ferguson at “mind games”, blah, blah, yadda…
Mancini had a decent enough record in Italy, but he really lucked out with the City job… money to burn on signings and the lure of stupid wages, whether players were worth it or not… he was obviously going to win the title eventually… but now that he’s won it once, the owners want more of the same, but without continuing to piss away endless stupid money… he’s floundering… 6 points at this point is nothing… but I bet if City falls much further back, he’ll completely fuck it all up… he doesn’t have Fergusons grit, to drag a struggling team through real difficulty with sheer, bloody mindedness… he’ll make excuses, claim he needs more money and more players, blame everyone but himself, and the team will turn on him, and he’ll be sacked.
The loss knocks City out of the top ten in the world, and means for the first time in a long time, United is the only English club in the world’s top 10.
http://www.footballclubrankings.com/2012/12/barcelona-1-lyon-up-club-rankings/
Alfonso Bedoya @ 10:57: “I bet if City falls much further back, he’ll completely fuck it all up”
I wonder what the “directors of football” – the two guys who were hired from Barcelona – will think if Shitty fall further off the pace. Since money is no object, will they convince the owners to jettison Mancini and go all-out for Guardiola ?
Just read Tyler’s column in Sky Sports and just found out that we have NEVER lost a game once we are 2-0 up
I shouldnt’ve worried so much then…:o