David De Gea. "Why always me?"

Manchester United 3 Liverpool 0

This is still the biggest match of the season for both teams and especially the fans. Yes, local derbies against City, the matches against Arsenal and more recently Chelsea are big, but there is no doubt about the coming together of United and Liverpool, it is huge.

The atmosphere inside Old Trafford reflected that, as both sets of fans were voicing their allegiances from when the teams entered the arena to well after they had left.

Millions of words have been written about the rivalry between the two clubs, a rivalry that really began in the 60's between the teams of Busby and Shankly, continued during the 70's with Docherty and Paisley, onto the early eighties with Atkinson and Fagan, then through all the Fergie years against a host of Liverpool managers.

Now we have the Louis van Gaal era, pitting his wits against Brendan Rodgers, and it was the home manager that came out on top in his first attempt.

United's starting line up had a few changes including the return of Phil Jones to play alongside Jonny Evans in a defence missing Marcos Rojo, who had picked up a last minute injury during training. Youngster James Wilson was again chosen to partner van Persie up front, which again meant no start for Falcao. The rest of the team was De Gea, Valencia, Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, and Van Persie. Interestingly, there was no player starting that has been bought under van Gaal's time as manager.

Liverpool enjoyed the majority of early possession and Sterling kept De Gea on his toes with a couple of efforts. United struggled to gel in the opening minutes with their formation, a formation with Rooney in midfield and Mata sitting behind the two strikers, and once again the defenders looking unsure at times.

The United players took their time getting into the match until they managed to find a way through on 12 minutes. Valencia producing great work down the right by cutting in between two defenders and crossing to the edge of the box, where a very grateful Rooney was waiting to hit a sweet right footer into the corner. That was definitely the Valencia of a few years ago.

Throughout the first half Rooney led by example from his midfield position. Constantly looking for the ball and trying to kick start moves and generally proving his worth as a captain. While at the back the defenders were at times living a little dangerously, a good job Sterling isn't renowned for his role as an out and out striker.

Then on 39 minutes Ashley Young crossed from the left, the ball sailed over everyone in the penalty area, but there was Juan Mata ghosting in at the far post to stoop and head United into a 2-0 nil lead. Mata ghosted in so well that the assistant referee didn't notice he was in a slightly offside position when the ball was delivered.

Not great from United but at half time they led by 2-0. The downside of the half was four yellow cards for Felliani, Jones, Rooney and Evans. So all those players had to tread carefully in the second half as this fixture is strewn with sending's off.

Thankfully no more United players were booked, but huge cheers rang out from the home fans when both Gerrard and Balotelli went into the ref's book.

The uncertainty in United's defence raised its head once more when Jonny Evans, not for the first time this season, played a suicidal back pass calling on De Gea to produce more heroics again. I would have loved to hear exactly what the keeper shouted to Evans. At this point in the match Liverpool were pressing forward but in all honesty never looked like producing a goal.

On the hour mark van Persie came close, but fired just wide, shortly after that De Gea produced the save of the match by turning a fierce shot by Balotelli brilliantly onto the crossbar. Four minutes later van Gaal made a change by taking off Wilson, who had not stopped running all day, and replaced him with Ander Herrera. Straight away the home side were leading 3-0. A slick passing move involving, Fellaini, Rooney, Mata and a Liverpool defensive error, eventually came to in form van Persie who converted a relatively easy chance.

With United in a comfortable lead Rooney was replaced by Falcao on 77 minutes. The Colombian forward still couldn't find his second goal for the club, in fact it was Robin van Persie who came the closet by having a shot well saved by Bradley Jones in the Liverpool goal.

There was time for one more change as Paddy McNair came on for Phil Jones. I thought Fellaini performed well in the second half by sitting in front of the defence, and breaking up the Liverpool attacks time after time.

I have lost count how many times have I sung the praises of David de Gea this season? He really does deserve better defenders in front of him, roll on January. Whatever his pre match meal is the whole team should have the same. He saved three point blank shots from Balotelli alone in the second half, after denying Sterling in the first half. Without his saves United would not have been looking at the same scoreline, and might have even ended up level or worse. Another man of the match performance from a keeper so high in confidence.

On paper a great result against our biggest rival, and a sixth straight win. Even so the performance was at times disjointed from United, especially at the back. But a win is a win, and after losing twice to Liverpool last season this was a much needed boost for the fans as much as the team.

Now United have only three more matches to play in 2014. Starting with Aston Villa away on the 20th, followed by Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, and ending with a trip to Spurs on the 28th, all these games are winnable and hopefully will see United finish 2014 on a high.

Thanks again for taking the time to read.

Miles Dunton.

Robin brings the house down.

Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1.

Cometh the moment cometh the man. That man being a certain Robin van Persie, a man that some quarters of Manchester United's world wide fan base thought was past his sell by date, at the end of his time at Old Trafford.

Some were even saying that he should be dropped when Wayne Rooney returns from suspension or even off loaded in the January transfer window.

Well, in the 94th minute in this match against Chelsea he answered those naysayers with a sublime left foot finish to rescue a point and send the fans inside the Theatre of Dreams into raptures, and judging by van Persie's team mates joyous reaction they enjoyed it too.

So relief all round that the mentor didn't lose against his pupil. Van Gaal and Mourinho hugged at the start and at the end of a match that quite frankly either team could have won. But I believe a point shared is a fair result. Before the match I think most of us would have been praying for a win but would have taken the point.

van Persie scores in 94th minute

So Robin van Persie brought the house down but a very special mention should go to Marouane Fellaini, who has not enjoyed the easiest of rides at United.

However, after last weeks goal at West Bromwich Albion he looks to have been given a new lease of life and yesterday played by far his best game for the Red Devils.

From Di Maria's free kick it was Fellaini's header towards goal that the Chelsea keeper could only clear into the path of van Persie who did the rest. Fellaini's all round game in the heart of midfield was great to watch as his height was a key factor against the shorter opposition. I sincerely hope that he continues his fine form for the upcoming matches.

Fellaini had his best game

Overall, yesterday's match was a game of tactics which had no winner not only from the teams but also from the managers.

There is obviously a mutual respect between van Gaal and Mourinho which was very clear to see.

Without both being able to pick their first choice strikers, Rooney and Falcao for United and Costa and Remy for Chelsea, striking tactics went out of the window.

There was never going to be a hat full of goals as most of the play was stuck in midfield but as a spectacle I think both teams did well to keep the watching millions happy.

Drogba did his best to keep up his record against United and Eden Hazard proved that he, like Di Maria, is a world class talent. Hazard would have scored when he was clean through on goal if it wasn't for the brilliance once again of David De Gea.

The resulting corner caught United napping and Drogba unfortunately benefitted from that with a header, which van Persie should have done better with on the line.

Great team spirit

Generally, I thought United played well during the match as a unit, and the philosophy of van Gaal is slowly seeping through to the players, at last.

I predict after watching the other teams over the weekend that finishing in the top four, even the top three is a strong probability, but as regards finishing as champions let's judge after another three months.

All credit to the United players for finally keeping going until the end and not letting themselves, the manager and most importantly the fans down.

Now it's onto the Man City match next weekend, which sees the return of captain Rooney and hopefully a fully fit Falcao, who shouldn't have any jet lag, knocks or any other problems that will stop him from giving us the performance that we have been waiting for from him since he came.

It's possible that Mata will be the player dropped to accommodate Rooney's return but I would be tempted to leave Mata in at the expense of Januzaj. This will be another huge match for the reds, so experience is the key.

As regards the midfield, if Herrera is not fit enough to play then Michael Carrick is available after many months absent, but this is a tough decision after Fellaini's recent displays.

Our main worry against Man City will be a certain Aguero against our still shaky defence. All the more reason to buy a quality defensive leader in the January transfer window to alleviate such worries.

West Ham United proved over the weekend that the best way to rattle Man City is to get at their defence, so let's hope our big guns up front will be firing on all cylinders next week. One thing is for sure Rooney will be up for it after his three match suspension.

Until next week thanks for reading my thoughts.

Miles Dunton.

Man United lose to newbies Leicester City

Leicester City 5 Manchester United 3

Hi to all and welcome back on this depressing Monday morning.

Where do you even begin to explain yesterday's result against Leicester City. I'm writing this blog the morning after the match and I still can't comprehend what I witnessed or how it happened.

Man Utd were comfortable, but certainly not cruising, leading 3-1 in the second half then the unthinkable happened, the United team imploded.

United had started the match flying and ran into a 2-0 lead with strikes from Robin van Persie and a sublime goal from Angel Di Maria, which must rank as an early contender for goal of the season. The ball was played into his path by Rooney and as Di Maria entered the opposition area he delightfully chipped the keeper.

From that moment on the match started to crumble around the Red Devils. A combination of poor decisions by the officials and more worrying than that inexcusable defensive mistakes.

As regards the referee, Mark Clattenberg aided by his assistants, managed to turn the match on its head with highly debatable decisions. Starting with Leicesters' first goal did the ball cross the line prior to the cross that led to Ulloa's goal?

This was followed by the first of the two penalties awarded to the home side surely Rafael had been fouled by Vardy before the Brazilian defender chased back and gave away a soft penalty, a penalty which when converted by Nugent gave Leicester City the motivation and momentum they needed and gave the home supporters more voice.

Then the red card for Blackett left the team in an even worse state. I'm in no way degrading Leciester and their win, which they deserved, but in the end United have to solve the defensive problems, because if it had been a team like Chelsea who knows what the score would have been.

We all know that United's central defence is weak. Yesterday it wasn't helped by the departure of  the poor Johnny Evans who was replaced by the equally awful Chris Smalling. On hindsight, I would have preferred the hard working Daley Blind to have been moved back and Mata brought on to play the match out in midfield. Those changes could have protected the 3-1 lead that Herrera had given the visitors.

What happened in the last half hour must have been unbelievable for watching neutrals and our rivals. For a United team to concede four goals and gift the three points to a hyped up Leicester City is totally unacceptable.

I still don't quite understand the substitutions that van Gaal made, Mata for Di Maria and Januzaj for Falcao. A little baffling as they had been our two best players and with them on the pitch anything could have happened.

Also, my biggest gripe is with our captain Wayne Rooney, I'm not a big fan of him playing in the position behind the front two and apart from the pass he gave to Falcao when he struck the bar, his short passing game was terrible.

Sure Rooney never stops running and chasing a lost cause, and he can sweep a thirty yard ball cross field brilliantly, but as a fan I want to see him up front leading the line as a striker and banging in the goals. He doesn't have the close control skills as some of his colleagues have and loses possession too many times.

Following Louis van Gaal's comments last week about always picking his captain for the team, after yesterdays result I think he should reconsider his words as Rooney, even as captain, has to hold his hands up and look at his own performance before walking across the back line giving out verbal abuse to all the defenders. No captain should be immune to being dropped and I'm not saying Van Gaal should drop him but at least select him in his best position.


Next week United play West Ham United at Old Trafford. Let's hope that the team sort out the defensive problems that were so obvious to all watching yesterday.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.