Or: revenge is a dish best served cold.
Ask any United fan what their top most humiliating game under David Moyes was and most likely they will come back at you with 3-0 to Liverpool. Although City are technically our derby partners (is that even a word?) everyone knows that up until recently they were just the noisy neighbours. It’s against Liverpool that the blood runs really deep; from the days of the industrial revolution to the knocking off their perch, there’s nothing a United fan likes to see better than a good thrashing to our Northern friends.
I went into this game ridiculously frightened, because any game against Liverpool is bound not to be a walk in the park, depending both on Liverpool as well as other factors (shuddering flashbacks to the three penalties Gerrard got that day). I have to say, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Of course by pleasantly surprised I mean out-of-my-seat, screaming-vulgarities-that-would-belong-more-on-a-pirate-ship-at-a-decibel-level-akin-to-a-jet-taking-off surprised. For the first time in a very long time I could say that I absolutely enjoyed the game.
First let’s talk about the goals. Rooney’s goal was a beauty, not least because hardly anyone saw it coming. Giving the ball to Valencia isn’t usually the surefire way for a goal, but he was stunning that day, skipping past all the defenders to slot it home to Rooney, who unleashed a great shot as he arrived on the edge of the box. I think it was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who said that Rooney could develop into a Scholes-esque player and that certainly was a Scholes-esque goal, straight out of nowhere and on the back of a dangerous Liverpool attack just moments before. I can’t think of any other way to describe it besides sheer bloody euphoria.
Mata’s goal of course got everyone talking because of the whole ‘offside or not’ thing, but a) it was hard for the linesmen to see. No one knew whether van Persie had touched the ball or not even after the game until van Persie himself admitted it. b) it doesn’t, um, mata – we still would’ve won 2-0 even if the offside flag had gone up. So juan goal doesn’t make much of a difference. So you lot can stuff your excuses while I do my victory dance.
van Persie’s goal was, for lack of a better word, the cutest because of Mata’s unselfish pass. He could’ve gone for goal himself – maybe it wouldn’t have gone in, but he had a decent chance – but he slid it over, which was both unselfish and intelligent play. And van Persie needed that goal. His recent displays have not yet convinced most of his critics, I’m sure, but every goal counts and the more he gets the better.
Falcao came on for Rooney in the dying minutes of the game, and I think he had one good chance but nothing came of it. I had my doubts about Falcao when we first signed him, although that was mostly down to wanting defenders rather than forwards; not my doubts have extended to whether he will regain his scoring prowess. I, and I’m sure many other fans, desperately want him to do well, but it doesn’t seem like it so far. Hopefully things will pick up soon.
Talking about standout players, I thought that Rooney was an absolute beast. Perhaps it was his double hatred of Liverpool (being Evertonian and all) but he was at the heart of the team yesterday, dropping back, going forward, basically being all over the pitch. The mirror’s graphic summed it up pretty well:
Say what you want about his attitude of the pitch, but there is no harder worker than Wayne Rooney on it. The dedication he gives this team while he’s playing is absolutely unbelievable. He’s the epitome of ‘problematic fave’, if you would, and I just wish he hadn’t been so stupid with the transfer requests and money demands.
I would say that we needed to talk about David de Gea, but honestly there isn’t much to be said. What else can we do to praise his abilities? We might as well do away with the defence because de Gea seems to be doing the work for five men. In fact, we might as well just have Rooney and de Gea on the pitch. I jest, of course, but de Gea is seriously a gem. Within context I would even go as far to say that he was one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest ever signings, right up there with Cantona.
With six wins on the trot things have never looked better. Talk has emerged of United becoming title contenders and while that’s still very far away, it would be a nice surprise. Realistically, second or third would be more than enough for a transitional season. Then again, Old Trafford is the Theatre of Dreams. United is built on these things. Who knows what might happen come May?
For now, I’ll leave you with what is possibly my favourite picture of the year.
Fergie's Boys 