P: United 1 - 1 Chelsea
PREVIEW
A win over Chelsea in today’s clash of the top two would open up a six point advantage and underline United’s growing title credentials.
The unexpected loss at Celtic Park has taken the gloss of what had been a golden period for United’s first choice eleven. Sir Alex had good reason to take delight from a team which notched up seven straight league wins. He could brush aside criticism of United’s departure from the Carling Cup at Southend and a Euro loss in Copenhagen, by pointing to the weakened sides that failed in those games. The Celtic defeat was different and returned the spotlight on United’s squad depth and in particular, the striking options available to the manager.
United will need all the goal power they can muster to overhaul the champions, who for all their summer reinforcement in midfield and attack are noticeably lacking in defence. The horrific injury to Petr Cech, the departure of the estimable William Gallas and confusion at right back has robbed the London side of its customary rearguard solidity to give United genuine hope.
That said, United will have to get past as formidable a midfield quartet as exists in European football today. Essien, Ballack, Makalele and Lampard can wear down any opponent and United will hope the experience of Scholes and Giggs, the intelligence of Carrick and the match-winning potential of Ronaldo will carry the day.
But Sir Alex could ‘go ugly’ as Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock warned and adopt a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 formation sacrificing his side’s attacking instinct to boost its midfield power with the addition of Fletcher or O’Shea at the expense of Ronaldo or Giggs. Fans would howl at the sight of Rooney on the wing and see in the move the dead hand of Carlos. But United’s management might see the tactical change as the only way to counter Chelsea’s undoubted area of superiority.
Chelsea will present Sir Alex’s side with its sternest challenge this season and come to Manchester relishing the contest. “Victory at Old Trafford would be sensational for silencing the many mouths at Manchester United which have been talking too much about being leaders,” said midfielder Makelele. “In recent years, I have noticed some fear in United when they have played against us. Their anxiety about winning has negative consequences for them because it turns into nerves and that is dangerous for a team. It’s true United are at a higher level than last season but I would always put my money on Chelsea as the favourites.3
United have never looked comfortable against Mourinho’s Chelsea, even when Fletcher’s goal made the difference last season. The April match at Stamford Bridge was a rout and a personal catastophe too for Wayne Rooney. With his new £30 million deal safely pocketed, let us hope that Rooney can make headlines for all the right reasons.
The match could well be decided by a free kick but the loss against Celtic and the prospect of stretching their lead over the reigning champions should bring out the best in Sir Alex’s men. Beware the wounded Red tiger. United to win.
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Newcastle U. 1 - 0 Portsmouth; Tottenham H. 3 - 1 Wigan Athletic; Charlton Athletic 1 - 1 Everton; Aston Villa 1 - 1 Middlesbrough; Fulham 0 - 1 Reading; Liverpool 1 - 0 City; Postp. Watford ? - ? Blackburn; West Ham U. 1 - 0 Sheffield United; Bolton W. 3 - 1 Arsenal
MATCH REPORT…
United 1 - 1 Chelsea
Saha (28) / Carvalho (68)
A draw with the champions maintained United’s three point lead and signalled that Chelsea may not have it all their own way in this year’s Premiership title race.
Louis Saha’s expertly taken goal gave Sir Alex a perfect start to the match, all the more so as Chelsea were desperately out of sorts. But United ran out of gas in the second half as Chelsea showed the class of champions, cementing their dominant display in the second period with a deserved equalising goal.
“It is disappointing to draw because we were in a winning position and allowed them to get an equaliser,” Sir Alex said. “They had a lot of possession but didn’t create a chance. We did well on the counter-attack and had two magnificent opportunities to get a second.”
The match’s result could have been so different. Sir Alex sprang something of a surprise by selecting his first choice side. It was a statement of conviction from the manager who was rewarded by a first half of composure, invention and application from his team.
United’s midfield bossed the game with Scholes and Carrick denying the visitors any chance to impose their will on the proceedings. The defence restricted Chelsea to speculative long shots, whilst up front, Saha and Rooney gave Jose Mourinho much food for thought.
United probed the Chelsea goal relentlessly. Ronaldo’s magnetic close control and ability to run at the away side’s defence was always likely to be a productive line of attack for United. Yet the goal came not through Ronaldo but from a well-worked move involving Giggs and Rooney.
When Saha took a pass from his strike partner on the edge of the penalty area, there was still much to do as Carvalho and Cudicini barred his way to goal. The Frenchman showed the nerve of which he was singularly lacking in midweek against Celtic, by waiting and waiting, before picking his spot just inside the near post. It was a peach of a goal and nothing more than United deserved.
Sir Alex went in a half time, his United side confidently in control of the match. But it was a shadow of the team which had taken the match to Chelsea with such gusto, that returned to contest the second 45 minutes. Now it was the visitor’s turn to dictate the game’s rhythm. Robben appeared as substitute to present United with an acute tactical challenge, as the much vaunted midfield power of Essien, Makalele and Lampard began to assert itself.
United sat ever deeper, inviting the champion’s to press forward in the hope they could be caught on the break. Giggs and Scholes influenced lessened sharply as United looked in vein to their attacking trident to conjure a release. Against the run of play, United spurned a glorious opportunity to put an end to the game on 57 minutes, when neither Ronaldo not Saha could capitalise on confusion in Chelsea’s penalty area.
United continued to rely on the counter-attack but were forced back to square one when in the 68th minute, Carvalho’s fierce header from a Lampard corner ricocheted of Saha to give the visitors a deserved equaliser.
By the end of the match both sides were probably happy with the result with neither doing enough to win.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze
Ronaldo (Fletcher 85), Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha (O’Shea 85)
Subs: Kuszczak, Evra; Silvestre
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “Chelsea will be delighted that we’ve not taken this chance, but we’ve got to step forward now. It’ll be nip and tuck between us and Chelsea until the end, I’m sure, but it’s about consistency from now on in - that is how you win championships, and that is the test for us.”
Jose Mourinho : “If I was in their position I’d be very frustrated. Manchester United came into this game knowing it was a big chance for them to open up the gap, but they didn’t take it. We came here to win but I think a draw is a good result. Mentally, to go home with the difference between the sides no wider is very important. United have lost a big, big chance to open the gap to six points and it’s a better point for us than it is for them. We were playing away, we kept the distance with them and we know, in the second period of the season, United must go to Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. They will have a difficult time.”
