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Another football post today I'm afraid but it's that time of year where everything is up for grabs.
It was derby day in Manchester with United meeting City at Old Trafford. All in all it was an easy win for United, City rarely threatened and now we need 4 points from the last 3 games to win the title.
I'm not going to discuss the game in detail but I think it is occasions like this that American sports fans miss out on. Most major cities have just one team for each sport (with the odd exception).
Houston have the Rockets for Basketball, Texans for American football and the Astros for Baseball and the Dynamo in the MLS. They may have their rival teams and there's always an extra buzz when they play Dallas in anything but it lacks that local rivalry. The one where you know that going into the office on Monday is going to be miserable if your team loses.
Having two competing teams in the same city means that a lot of friends, neighbours, and family support the other team giving any games where they play each other greater significance.
As I've mentioned before, my Grandad was a City fan and we talked about football all the time, but derby day and the weeks leading up to it, and the days after it were different. The rivalry was cranked up to 11 twice a year.
Derby day has lost a little bit of it's passion in recent years, on the pitch especially as more and more players come from overseas but off the pitch it is still huge. The local newspapers have special features about the game.
In today's game, United are closing in on the Championship but City a still hopeful of clinching a European spot for next season but knowing City fans over the years their main aim would be to dent United's hopes rather than anything their own team may achieve.
At least there has been a rivalry in recent seasons. After City beat United heavily in September 1989, United went on a 13 year unbeaten run against their local rivals and I think the games lost a bit of their spark, especially when City were struggling to get out of the third division while United were clinching the historic treble in 1999.
City beat United twice last season, a rare feat but it means that neither team can take these things for granted and they are more of a spectacle.
The win means United need 4 points from their final 3 games with the chance to have it all sewn up before Liverpool play again.
Showing posts with label Old Trafford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Old Trafford. Show all posts
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Injury time winner
I think the momentum has now swung back in Manchester United's favour after the last gasp win over Aston Villa.
After two successive defeats, the title race has been thrown wide open and this afternoon at Old Trafford United were on the verge of a third defeat in a row to leave Liverpool at the top of the table but a 92nd minute winner keeps the title in United's hands.
It was a frustrating game, especially after a mistake by Ronaldo gave Villa the break from which they took the lead but I think the nature of the win will lift United more than a victory that came courtesy of a 60th minute goal.
The reaction of the players at the final whistle shows how much retaining the title means to them and this will hopefully lift them out of the slump of the last few weeks in time for the Champions League quarter final tie with Porto.
If the winner hadn't come in this game, the momentum would've undoubtedly stayed with Liverpool after a 92nd minute winner of their own against Fulham.
It was a makeshift team for United, especially in defence with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic out, as well as Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney and it was 18 year old debutant Federico Macheda who clinched the win with a brilliant turn in the area. He was booked for his celebration after running into the crowd and hugging what must've been a close friend or family member but it was worth it.
My brother is in town this weekend and it was one of those rare occasions where my Dad, myself and him got to watch the game together and for most of the second half it looked like it wouldn't be a happy one but the noise when the third goal went in must've woken the neighbours!
Whatever happens now, it's definitely been one of the most interesting Premier League seasons for a while and we're now just six weeks or so away from finding out if United can hang on to clinch that record equalling 18th title.
After two successive defeats, the title race has been thrown wide open and this afternoon at Old Trafford United were on the verge of a third defeat in a row to leave Liverpool at the top of the table but a 92nd minute winner keeps the title in United's hands.
It was a frustrating game, especially after a mistake by Ronaldo gave Villa the break from which they took the lead but I think the nature of the win will lift United more than a victory that came courtesy of a 60th minute goal.
The reaction of the players at the final whistle shows how much retaining the title means to them and this will hopefully lift them out of the slump of the last few weeks in time for the Champions League quarter final tie with Porto.
If the winner hadn't come in this game, the momentum would've undoubtedly stayed with Liverpool after a 92nd minute winner of their own against Fulham.
It was a makeshift team for United, especially in defence with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic out, as well as Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney and it was 18 year old debutant Federico Macheda who clinched the win with a brilliant turn in the area. He was booked for his celebration after running into the crowd and hugging what must've been a close friend or family member but it was worth it.
My brother is in town this weekend and it was one of those rare occasions where my Dad, myself and him got to watch the game together and for most of the second half it looked like it wouldn't be a happy one but the noise when the third goal went in must've woken the neighbours!
Whatever happens now, it's definitely been one of the most interesting Premier League seasons for a while and we're now just six weeks or so away from finding out if United can hang on to clinch that record equalling 18th title.
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