Fulham 2 : 0 Man United

It's been quite a while since I updated this blog and well so much has happened during this time. And what do I say about what has transpired with Man United in the last one week! We were 7 points clear with a game in hand and the title race looked like it was long over. One catastrophic mistake from the ever-reliable Vidic and look what we have now. Well, I guess the Premier League didn't want the title decided too easily!

Ever since United lost to liverpool on that fateful Saturday afternoon, everybody had been talking about a backlash from United at the Craven Cottage. And there could be no other kind of response that could be expected of a United side that has been flying high this season - symbolised by the unprecedented quintuple pursuit. And to underline the mood the team were in Sir Alex made 5 changes to the side that lost against Liverpool. But it has to be said that Fulham started the game well, perhaps better than United and got quite an attacking game going. Just as United were trying to weather the attack, the unthinkable happened. Van der Saar made a good save to keep off a header from a Fulham corner but only to parry it to Bobby Zamora who's close range header was instinctively blocked by Scholes by his hands. The ref had no other option but give a penalty. The worse thing was that he handed Scholes a straight red! Danny Murphy promptly stepped in and put the penalty past Van der Sar. All of a sudden things were getting going from bad to worse for United in the title race. Because they were up against a steep task of turning a match with just 10 men. From that point on, United goal post turned into a fort under bombardment. Fuham had smelt blood and they were going for the kill. If not for Van der Sar, United could have been 3 down and out inside the first half. Thankfully, they somehow hung on to live in the second half.

Second half saw changes straightaway from the very beginning. Rooney came in for Berbatov and Tevez for Giggs and it seemed like it was match on. It was something only United could do - a 10 man United side came up with attack after attack on the Fulham goal. Ronaldo had atleast 2 headers he should have scored from. Rooney had a certain goal saved by Schwarzer. United worked really hard, specially through the ever so diligent Fletcher and Park. But the goal just didn't seem to come. Luck perhaps had deserted United in the afternoon. As United had committed forward, Fulham got to the end of a counter attack and scored late in the second half - around the 87th minute. And clearly it was game over for United. But there was some late controversy to round a bad day off. Wayne Rooney was shown the second yellow after he showed too much urgency in getting the game moving by throwing the ball towards the free kick spot, which was foolishly mistaken for aggressive behaviour by the referee. So in the end it was just more agony for United.

What could be said of the performance. Football showed its unpredictable side again - just one moment's defensive instinct cost a side the whole match and in United's case some damage to it's title aspirations. It was really over the moment Scholes handled the ball. In fact, credit must be given to 10 men who tried to make a match of it in the second half but without much luck.
United were chasing the game all the time and had issues with handling the pressure that came along - Ronaldo for example could so easily have been sent off for dissent.

So, with the last 2 results, United themselves have brought life into the title race. Liverpool and Chelsea must be thinking they have a chance now. To put it really bluntly, I don't think United have played better this season than they had the last 2 seasons. Yet they have been clinical in their ability to win games inspite of competing in so many tournaments and that's what has kept them on top all this while. It was really the inability of the other 3 of the so called top 4 that had seemed to have given away the title into United's hands. I guess the Premier league didn't deserve to be decided so easily and hence the drama in the last quarter! I still believe United have the best chance to secure the title! Glory Glory...