Dismal Display In Denmark.

Midtjylland 2 Manchester United 1

No more! Manchester United directors need to start to the process of replacing Louis van Gaal as the manager of a team that is being dragged ever lower into the depths of despair following this latest defeat by FC Midtjylland. Or, he should at least offer his resignation and put us all out of the misery that is of his own making.

Let's get the inevitable excuses, which van Gaal will no doubt make, out of the way first. Thirteen injured first team players prior to the match, then add to that your number one keeper injures himself in the warm up. A defence made up of players not used to playing together, a bench crammed with mainly reserve team players and you could argue that United were up against it on the night.

But wait a moment the opposition is from the Danish league who last played a competitive match back in December and were beaten 9-1 by Napoli over two legs in the group stages of the same competition. That tells you exactly how shocking United's performance was.

This was a display so awful that words can hardly describe the utter naivety and inept way United succumbed to defeat. Weak challenges, poor passing and the inability to take control of a game that the home side should never have been allowed to dictate the way they did. Yes, we should beat the Danes next week at Old Trafford but hasn't the damage to our pride already been done?

Manchester United is a proud club that has been built on the rich traditions of stylish, flowing and attacking play and a never say die attitude with players willing to overcome any obstacles with the one aim of winning, come what may. There was no one on display in this game that could be associated with those same values.

Also, the same can be said of the coaching staff, who remained glued to their seats as their players clearly needed direction from someone on the touchline even if it was only to issue a rally cry and at least attempt to show some passion.

Winning this second class Europa League has become the only realistic chance United have of qualifying for the Champions League next season because a top four spot is looking increasingly unlikely as each Premier League week goes by, but judging by this showing even that is going to be harder than it looks.

Next up is Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup 5th round and you can bet they will be rubbing their hands in anticipation of United's visit on Monday.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United Is Safe In De Gea's Hands.

"Edwin Van der Sar and Peter Schmeichel are legends in this club and that's what I want." Words spoken by David De Gea prior to helping his team to yet another victory at Anfield.

Time and time again, he has proven to be the one constant in a side that has struggled for stability at the back. Voted player of the year two years running by the United faithful and man of the match on numerous occasions for outstanding performances for his team.

All this has endeared him to the United fans. However, all that nearly changed at the end of last summer. Was there any doubt that he would renew his United contract? The answer is a resounding yes.

No one can really blame the Spanish keeper for almost joining Real Madrid last summer as he wasn't the first and most certainly won't be the last young player to have their head turned by the lure of the Spanish giants.

Consider for a moment what was on offer for the keeper. A return to not only his home country, but also his home city to play for a team that could guarantee rich rewards in not just financial benefits but also trophies.

In the end, for whatever reason was behind the decision, he stayed and penned a new lucrative deal at Old Trafford, much to the delight of van Gaal, his teammates and the loyal fans who never gave up hope of him staying. The saga had ended and De Gea could get down to the business of saving his team week in week out.

Sure, people doubted his loyalty to the club, but once he had committed his future to Old Trafford nobody could bring into question his professionalism whenever he pulled on the No:1 jersey. He clearly loves playing for the club and the fans as is shown in his wholehearted displays.

Brought to Manchester by Alex Ferguson as a skinny youngster back in 2011 he struggled at first with the expectations put on his narrow shoulders, but Fergie knew that he had unearthed a diamond that just needed smoothing out to produce a real gem.

Bullied, harassed and prone to being beaten from distance, it was a difficult baptism for the young Spaniard especially after he was ridiculed in the media every week. Criticism that would have crushed a lesser person.

However, after bulking up and getting his eyesight sorted out he has grown into a shot-stopper of world class proportions. It only needed time, which unfortunately Fergie didn't have as his mentor and now other managers like Louis van Gaal are reaping the rewards.

The people who mattered, the coaches and the fans, saw his potential and stuck by him through his difficult times. It must be so gratifying for Fergie to sit watching in the stands as his protege fulfils all the promise that he had seen in him while monitoring his improvement at Atletico Madrid.

His name will always be the first on the teamsheet and if he continues to progress at his present pace, then there is no doubt he will become a legend at the club and for his home country. Unless, of course the vultures from Madrid come circling again.

De Gea is constantly posting images onto social media showing how comfortable he is in his adopted city of Manchester. He has also had his compatriots around him, including Ander Herrera and Juan Mata, who as a trio can often be spotted together out and about in Manchester even carpooling to training. De Gea's love of heavy metal music is taken care of by the many concerts held at venues in and around Manchester.

At 25, his value to the side is not measurable in money, but quality, as United will hopefully retain his services for the full four years of his contract and beyond. Now, the hope is that after his commitment to the team they will be rewarded with a defence that will allow him to have more confidence in the players in front of him.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Where is Man United's Flair?

Champions are not only remembered for winning, but also how they won. So if United are crowned champions come May let's hope memories are short as their style of play is laboured to say the least.

Boring has never been a word associated with the Red Devils, but this season United have been tagged with the negative label and if they continue to pick up points in the way that they have been doing, then the moniker will stick.

Sure, they are sitting in a prime position having played less than attractive football and it's only a matter of time before the team turns on the style and start to thrash opposing sides, but is that going to happen with the present squad and the stifling system imposed on them.

Manchester United has been blessed down the years with teams that were renowned for their attacking prowess. Sides that the fans knew could turn a match to their advantage with a moment of brilliance that would have the faithful on their feet in awe of what that had just witnessed.

So many times in the past United would simply press and bludgeon the opposition into defeat through pure determination and grit. A never say die attitude by players who understood the meaning of defeat not just for themselves, but also the club and more importantly the fans.

Whilst the team have sorted out the defensive frailties of the last few seasons, it's up front where the problems are paramount and need addressing quickly before it's too late.

In releasing the majority of the forward players van Gaal, it has to be said, has left the attack threadbare and opposing teams no longer fear United as they did in the past.

Maybe the manager has a master plan which involves new personnel arriving in January that will add to the goal plus column in United's season if not, then we can expect a struggle for goals for the remainder of the campaign.

With only two recognised strikers in the first team, the Reds have struggled to find the net. You only have to look at the lack of goals to understand that all is not right in attack.

Rooney has underperformed so far this season and has been poor in the games he has played to such an extent that you have to question his inclusion in the side at times.

Martial announced his arrival at the Theatre of Dreams with a blistering debut, however, even he has struggled of late. Memphis arrived amid a fanfare, but so far he has struggled with his confidence.

They are the only recognised strikers left at Old Trafford so it they pick up any injuries over the upcoming busy period let's hope Woodward has the cheque book ready come January.

The big question is whether it's the players fault or the manager's philosophy that is to blame. In the end, it has to be the manager as it's his tactics that determine how his side plays. Even he has admitted that the side needs to add pace up front.

United's current place in the league has a lot to do with the unpredictable showing of the so-called big four combined with the resurgence of mid-table teams. We are where we are due to the likes of Smalling and De Gea who have literally saved the team from the jaws of defeat with some outstanding displays.

For a club that is steeped in history with great foraging wingers, United is resigned to playing with an attack devoid of wing play. It's a sad state of affairs when they resort to hoofing the ball into the box looking for the head of the tallest player in the side, hoping something will come from it or try in vain to create chances through the middle against sides that have eleven players behind the ball. It has all become way too predictable.

To watch legend Ryan Giggs sat unanimated on the bench during matches begs the question what does he make about the way his beloved United have resorted to this style of play and how much of his input actually resonates with the manager.

The failure to defeat Middlesbrough in the League Cup and also not clinching victory over PSV must have raised eyebrows about the tactics behind closed doors, or did it?

It's clear that Louis van Gaal is his own man and has an agenda, but at the moment he is in danger of losing the support of the masses unless he can turn the situation around and quickly.

United are a club that has been built on fighting adversity and now is the time to turn back the clock and find the old spirit of attacking play If they are to prove the doubters wrong.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Van Gaal Flatly Denies Rift at United.

'Don't wash your dirty laundry in public'.

Louis van Gaal went on the defensive in his pre-match press conference before the clash with Liverpool after admitting that his captain Rooney and vice captain Carrick had informed him that the atmosphere within the dressing room had been flat recently.

It was honest of him to share this information, but maybe it would have been advisable not to address the issue as what happens behind closed doors should stay there.

There are two issues to look at from his statement one being the fact that the manager shared publicly what should really have been kept in-house, something that Alex Ferguson would have handled without informing the media, and the second being that surely it's the responsibility of the captain to rally the troops and boost morale when it's flagging and not to tittle-tattle to his manager.

To be a club captain takes a certain type of character and a person who can both lead on and off the field and United have been blessed with leaders and imposing personalities in the past that have pulled their teammates up by the scruff of their necks. When you think of the likes of Charlton, Buchan, Robson, Bruce, Cantona, Keane etc. they led by example and earned their teammates' respect by making sure that no player forgot who they were playing for. It does make you wonder how the present crop of players felt once they had heard that Rooney informed the manager of a possible lack of morale.

In the dressing room it is a known fact that van Gaal doesn't say very much before a game as all his work is done in meetings in the days building up to the match so that leaves one person with the responsibility to ensure that the players are focused on the task in hand and that's the captain. However, that is going to be a little harder now that the news is out there and it will be interesting to see how it effects the relationship between the captain and his players.

All this happened on the eve of the clash with United's bitterest rivals Liverpool so the timing wasn't exactly perfect as the media are always looking for any type of discord within the ranks and will spin it to the extreme. Van Gaal tried his best to play down the situation by remarking that his relationship with the players was healthy and his is an open door policy.

Also, where does Giggs fit into all this? As assistant coach he is there to assist and not just in the coaching side of the job but also as an ear for the players, a bridge between them and the manager one would presume.

The rumours of players being unhappy started to come out of the club concerning the treatment of certain team members by the manager and the Spanish contingent being unsettled about the Valdes and De Gea dealings, but this is just an example of teammates and friends looking out for each other. Now that the De Gea situation has been resolved, maybe that will give the squad a much-needed boost for the long season ahead.

With all the new faces in the team, it takes time for players to adjust to their new environment, colleagues and languages. If the atmosphere is flat within the squad then maybe all the players should take a deep look at themselves and never forget that they are playing for the biggest club on the planet and be UNITED.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Shot Stopper Sergio joins Man United.

Louis van Gaal has gone back to his managerial past by signing Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero on an initial three year deal.

The two worked together while van Gaal was the coach at AZ in Holland back in 2007 and the question will be whether he has joined United as backup for David De Gea or even a replacement for the Spaniard should he depart for Real Madrid as is expected.

Whatever the scenario, in Romero United have signed themselves a keeper who at the age of 28 has the all important club and international experience which will prove to be vital in the upcoming season with the return of European football to Old Trafford.

Romero is, however, best known for his international career than his club football, having been the No.1 choice for Argentina since Diego Maradona gave him his break back in 2009 and since then Romero has represented his country 62 times which includes two World Cups and two Copa Americas.

In the 2014 World Cup semi-final in Brazil, Romero was awarded man of the match after his heroics in goal derailed Louis van Gaal's dream of lifting the trophy as Argentina beat Holland on penalties. That match probably stuck in Louis van Gaal's mind when considering the purchase of Romero.

Sergio's less publicised club career started in 2006 where he spent a season at Racing Club in his home country before moving to Europe to join van Gaal at AZ in Holland where he stayed for four years making over 90 appearances.

He helped AZ win the Dutch Eredivisie title In 2008–09 and in that season, Romero kept a clean sheet for an incredible 950 minutes which extended from November through to February.

He remained at AZ for a further two years after van Gaal had departed, however in 2011 he joined Italian club Sampdoria. He started as first choice keeper at the start of his Sampdoria spell going on to make over 70 appearances, but towards the end of his time there he was loaned out to French outfit Monaco to provide cover for Subasic.

After a short time and lack of games, he only played 3 times, he returned to Italy as an understudy for regular keeper Viviano.

At 6'3" (1.92m) Romero is an imposing figure between the sticks and is equally as good in the air as he is at shot stopping. A confident keeper who needs club game time, so it will be interesting to see how he settles into life on the bench if De Gea stays at United and basically becomes a replacement for the departing Valdes.

On the other hand, if De Gea does decide to leave for warmer climates Romero will have a huge chance to show his worth as United's forefront keeper a challenge he better be ready for as the season is almost upon us.

Welcome and good luck Sergio.

Miles Dunton.

Mata's double delight.

Liverpool 1 Manchester United 2

Forget the El Clasico over in Spain this is the big one.The two bitterest rivals in the English game faced off against each other at Anfield on the same day as Real Madrid played Barcelona.

Separated by only two points in the race for an all important top four finish this was by far the biggest match of the season so far for both sides.

The last time Liverpool tasted defeat in the Premier League was at the hands of United back in December. Then the hero of the day was David de Gea as he protected United's three-goal lead with a string of saves that cemented his hero status among the fans.

After the brilliant display against Spurs at Old Trafford last week the question on the fan's minds was whether or not Louis van Gaal would stick with the 4-3-3 system that worked so well and keep Juan Mata in the side even though Angel Di Maria was available after his suspension.

All was revealed when the starting line-up was announced: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Fellaini, Young, and Rooney.

So Louis van Gaal entrusted the same starting side that demolished Spurs in the finest 45 minutes of the season so far. Which meant no immediate return to the team for Angel Di Maria who started on the bench alongside Falcao. Also, Blind was preferred at left back again in place of the returning Rojo following the Dutchman's sterling display last weekend.

Subs: Da Silva, Rojo, Di Maria, Falcao, Januzaj, Valdes, Pereira.

United, in their white strip, started the match on the attack and in the first minute won their first corner. Mata's delivery caused confusion as the keeper flapped at it.

It was a bright start from the away side as they sought an early advantage to quieten down the home support.

Fellaini started the match in a fiery mood nipping at the heels of the Liverpool players to great effect. In the second minute, the Belgian won the ball well and fed Rooney but he chose to come inside when the two United players behind him on the flank would have been the better option.

A minute later David de Gea was called into action as he saved at the feet of Sterling as he ran into the area unchecked by the defence.

In the seventh minute Juan Mata won the first free-kick in a dangerous position and took it himself, however, it was easily cleared. The upside was that it was far better to see the midfield players stepping up to take the free-kicks and, therefore, allow Rooney to get in the box where he can do the most damage.

10 minutes in and United were in confident mood passing the ball around well and not giving the opposition time to settle which made the natives more restless than usual.

Mata had started the match in fine form and was unlucky not to get on the end of a Fellaini header after eleven minutes. But a couple of minutes later Mata was rewarded for his endeavour by scoring a goal of pure class.

It happened in the 13th minute following approach play by Fellaini who fed an inside pass to Herrera who in turn saw the run of his compatriot and slipped the ball perfectly through to Mata who finished comfortably with a right-footed shot across Mignolet and into the far side of the net. What a strike and a great start for United and fully deserved.

Great to see manager and assistant celebrating the goal together with van Gaal fist pumping then jokingly slapping Giggs in delight.

Over the next few minutes, Rooney was unlucky to be caught offside a couple of times as the visitors tried to capitalise on their possession and score the vital second goal.

It wasn't until the 16th minute that Liverpool had their first strike when Sturridge fired harmlessly wide.

Herrera had been targeted by the Liverpool players for the roughest treatment and after twenty minutes Joe Allen picked up a yellow card after fouling the United playmaker.

Another free-kick by Mata was chipped in for Fellaini's head but again it was easily cleared by the defenders. Fellaini was proving to be a handful for the defenders as he had been in recent matches so much so he was keeping Falcao on the bench even in the absence of Robin van Persie.

There was a break in action on 20 minutes after Phil Jones clattered into the back of Lallana and knocked him unceremoniously to the ground.

Just before the half hour mark there was a great play from Blind down the left as he almost played in Herrera for a chance on goal instead he won a corner.

In the first 30 minutes, it had been all United as the home side struggled to get hold of the ball and create any chances. The biggest cheer from the home fans was when their captain Gerrard warmed up along the touchline.

Liverpool wasted a great opportunity in the 34 minute when Lallana blasted wide from 18 yards when in truth he should have done better. A warning to the United defence that the one goal lead was a slender one.

United tried to conjure up a second when Mata and Blind linked up but to no great effect.

Three minutes before half-time there should have been a penalty awarded to Manchester United as following a corner Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet appeared to rather stupidly push over Herrara, but the match officials obviously didn't see it.

At this point, United was so much on top that even Chris Smalling tried his luck with a long run into the opposing box but lacked the quality pass needed. 8/10 for effort.

On the stroke of half-time, Carrick let fly from distance with a fierce drive which the keeper could only parry clear.

Half-time and it was all United as they continued on from the Spurs win with the same momentum and were in total control and passing the ball around well. Herrera and Mata were the stand-out performers as they never stopped running and looked for an opening at every opportunity.

At the start of the second half there were no changes to the United line-up but Liverpool made a substitution by bringing their inspirational skipper Gerrard into the play and the first thing he did was to lunge into a tackle then stamp on Herrera's leg as he was on the ground.

A straight red for Gerrard and not such an inspiration, after all. It really was an awful challenge that no one can excuse and Herrera was fortunate to get up and play on. Quite why Herrera received a yellow card for nearly having his leg broken is beyond belief.

It couldn't have been any better for United to play against ten men for forty minutes but as is the same with all teams reduced to ten men Liverpool finally started to play, thankfully without applying any real pressure on David de Gea's goal.

The main objective for United was to keep their cool in a red hot atmosphere created by the Gerrard red card. The atmosphere was hostile towards the Red Devils, to say the least.

In the 53rd minute, Coutinho tried to catch de Gea unawares with a long range effort that just went over the bar. United needed to hammer home their advantage and quickly.

One minute later Louis van Gaal decided to bring on a fresh pair of legs with Di Maria replacing Young who had had a fairly quiet match up to that point.

Phil Jones was booked for a clumsy challenge on Henderson of which he could have had no complaints.

Then it happened a moment of pure genius by the player of the match. In the 59th minute, Di Maria picked out Juan Mata in the box with a superb chip and the diminutive Spaniard scored a goal with a scissor kick of the highest quality with his left foot.

2-0 ahead and not only game over but goal of the season decided as the way he executed the goal was spectacular.

On the hour mark, Di Maria broke at pace and unselfishly squared the ball into the box aimed for Rooney but the ball was agonisingly behind the England forward.

Mario Balotelli entered the fray and was immediately booked for a foul on Jones. This was the home side's game plan to rattle the United players with over aggressive play.

On 68 minutes, Sturridge managed to pull a goal back for the home side after Carrick had uncharacteristically given the ball away. With twenty minutes left all United had to do was hold on while being abused on and off the pitch.

A free-kick from Di Maria was punched clear to Carrick who then played the ball back into the danger area where Rooney clashed with Henderson, Skrtel and Mignolet but escaped unharmed and thankfully caution free.

Di Maria was guilty of giving the ball away in a dangerous area but thankfully no harm was done in the end but all the same it could have been worse as United only had the one goal lead.

United was struggling to make their extra man advantage count since the Liverpool goal and needed to defend resolutely while at the same time regaining their composure.

In the last ten minutes, you felt that United needed to grab another goal as Liverpool were starting to create chances and, after all, their hard work would be wasted especially against ten men.

In the 82nd minute, Falcao came on for the hard working Herrera which meant Rooney took Herrera's place in midfield for the last five or so minutes.

The Liverpool keeper Mignolet lost the plot around the edge of his area by nearly gifting United a free strike at goal, but he somehow got away with it.

Rooney conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area which was cleared by Fellaini and United countered with Falcao down the left but his cross missed everyone.

90 minutes on the clock and Di Maria infuriated his team mates by giving away the ball far too easily when possession was the requirement.

Into added time and United eventually started to keep hold of the ball and all that passing paid off when Blind burst into the area and was upended for a penalty by Emre Can.

Rooney strode up and placed the ball towards the corner, but Mignolet managed to save at full stretch. Surely it wouldn't matter as the game had entered it's last seconds.

While everyone concentrated on the penalty Rojo replaced Blind.

Skrtel had the last word as he stamped on de Gea and should have seen red for that terrible challenge but like so many of his colleagues got away with it.

As de Gea writhed in agony the referee blew for full-time. 2-1 to United.

There is no better place for United to win than at Anfield and with the three points they have put some breathing space between themselves and Liverpool and move closer to Arsenal and City.

An absolutely brilliant win for United and fully deserved as they were in complete control for the whole match. Many will say that Gerrard's dismissal changed the outcome of the match, but it had the opposite effect as Liverpool played better when reduced to ten men.

You can't take anything away from the way United approached the match. From the start, they were on the attack and full of purpose a trait rarely seen this season. If only they had turned on the same style earlier in the season.

All the players put in a great team effort, but there are two players who deserve the extra plaudits and they are the Spanish duo of man of the match Juan Mata and Ander Herrera. After being left on the bench many times over this season, they proved their class and warranted the starting place given to them by the manager.

With Carrick in support, they totally overpowered Liverpool and didn't allow the home team to get hold of the ball.


There will be no match next weekend due to the upcoming round of internationals which is a shame as the break could disturb the momentum that United have built-up. However, on a positive note it will give Robin van Persie the valuable time needed to recover from his injury as his goal scoring feats will be needed for the run in.

As always thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United deliver Spurs a 'knockout punch'.

Manchester United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 0

Louis van Gaal was unhappy with Rooney getting knocked out in a friendly boxing bout but was pleased that his team delivered an uppercut to Spurs.

Following the bitter disappointment of defeat in the FA Cup at the hands of Arsenal it was the turn of their North London neighbours to visit Old Trafford in an attempt to pour more misery over United.

There was a time when a victory over Tottenham was about as sure a thing as you could imagine for United not so anymore as prior to this match they were without a win in five against the Londoners.

This match was the first of the last ten matches that will define United's season and form a bases for a run of wins needed to obtain that all important top four finish therefore guaranteeing a place in the Champions League.

Still without the injured striker Robin van Persie and with Angel Di Maria serving his ban for grabbing the ref's shirt in the last match Louis van Gaal chose a first team consisting of De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Fellaini, Young and Rooney. The substitutes were Lindegaard, Rafael, Blackett, A Pereira, Januzaj, Falcao and Wilson.

There were three changes for United, as Jones, Carrick and Mata come in for Shaw, Rojo and Di Maria. Juan Mata made his first start in the Premier League for Man United since January 17th.

Manchester United was led out by captain Wayne Rooney and his young son Kai as the matchday mascot.

United started the match in a 4-3-3 formation with Rooney in his favoured position up front with Fellaini just behind. Young and Mata were out wide with Carrick and Herrera in the middle and a flat back four with Blind at left back.

United's first chance on goal came after a minute as Ashley Young tried his luck from outside the box which the keeper collected easily.

With only two minutes of play elapsed Phil Jones delivered that dreaded back pass again and almost put de Gea in trouble but thankfully the keeper managed to clear for a corner. When will they ever learn?

In the seventh minute, Rooney burst into the area chasing a great through ball from Young and pulled the ball back aiming for Herrera who just couldn't get there ahead of the Spurs defender.

Then a minute later came the crucial early goal and what a goal. Carrick played a brilliant through ball for Fellaini who took it in his stride and confidently smashed it past keeper Lloris. A fantastic start by United with a sublime pass by Carrick add that together with the Belgian's left-footed finish meant that this was the perfect start for the Red Devils.

In fact, it had been a high tempo start from all the team with the fans also in full voice.

This had been by far the best start by United in a game for a long time with the team attacking full of confidence and their passing was spot on. Again Young was impressive down the left and Carrick in tandem with Herrera controlled everything in the middle.

The second goal came in the 18th minute as a corner was swept over by Mata and was headed back into the danger area by Fellaini when it was cleared straight to Carrick who intelligently lobbed a header over all the defenders and back across goal into the far side of the net. Leading 2-0 and playing with a determination rarely seen recently this was like the United of old.

Carrick's goal was similar if not as crucial to the important header by Steve Bruce against Sheffield Wednesday all those years ago as United headed for their first Premier League title.

On 22 minutes, Young's run almost produced a killer pass into the penalty area but no-one was there to take advantage of his great ball. At this time, it was one-way traffic as Spurs had not even managed a shot on target.

Four minutes later a great cross from Fellaini across the area almost played in Mata but he was just unable to get to it in time. Then the stadium shouted for a penalty for a foul on Mata but unfortunately he had been flagged offside.

Chris Smalling tried to bring the ball forward and it looked like he could go all the way to the opposition box but in the end his final pass was too strong for Rooney.

Mata was the only booking of the match for United after he was cautioned for a foul on 32 minutes. That the only blight on a terrific performance by the home side.

The third goal came in the 33rd minute as Rooney collected a poor pass from Spurs and took on the defenders by himself and once in the box there was no doubt about the outcome as he slotted the ball into the corner of the net. A great individual goal by a forward totally on top of his game. And what can we say about the celebration, 'knockout'.

36 minutes in and again it was Fellaini who caused mayhem down the left as he whipped the ball in for Rooney who scuffed it slightly. That was almost the fourth goal and great link up play between Fellaini and his captain.

On the stroke of half-time, there was still time for Rooney to try his luck from distance but he fired wide. Good job he missed as I doubt he could better his goal celebration.

This was by far the best 45 minutes played by United all season a half full of inventive play and confidence with all the team on top of their game, especially Rooney and Fellaini.

It's truly refreshing to write positively about the side after their recent disappointments. The hope was that they could continue in the same vain in the second-half. With the type of start made by United, the biggest question was where had this team been hiding all season. Spurs had had no shots on goal that's how impressive United had been.

United started the second half attacking the Stretford End with no changes made by van Gaal.
In the 47th minute Spurs had their first clear attempt on goal by Dembele which was high over the bar.

Rooney was on fire and once again in the 48th minute he tried to nod one down for Fellaini, but the ball deflected back into his path at the edge of the area. He couldn't quite wrap his foot around it and strikes it over. As I have said before if only he had been used up front more often in the season who knows where we would have ended up.

United continued with their tidy passing play from the first half and Spurs hardly got a sniff of the ball and when they did United quickly snuffed it out.

In the 51st minute, Rooney tried yet again to lay off a chance to a colleague this time for Blind but the Dutchman dithered a little and the chance was blocked.

Mason should have done better for Spurs a minute later but pulled his shot well wide of de Gea's goal. In all honesty Spurs never looked like scoring or even troubling David de Gea.

Over the next ten minutes United enjoyed a period of passing practice as they fully controlled the game none more so than in the middle of the park with the trio of Carrick, Herrera and Mata impressing.

On the hour mark, Blind almost played Herrera in on goal with a slide rule pass which was unfortunate not to come off.

Another blistering run by Young down the left wing earned United a corner which came to nothing however, credit to Young as he has shown in recent matches the old magic has returned and he looks like a player who is really enjoying his football.

64 minutes and the crowd witnessed a wonderful cross-field pinpoint pass by Rooney straight to Fellaini that started a move which ended with Herrera firing his shot into the side netting. Another move of precision by the Reds which was a joy to watch.

With fifteen minutes left on the clock United had the ball in the back of the net but the flag was up well before Rooney had tucked it away as Herrera was flagged offside, perhaps wrongly, after a long ball over the top. Shortly after the Spaniard had an effort from distance which flew wide.

After 76 minutes, there was a fully deserved standing ovation for Juan Mata as he left the pitch to be replaced by youngster Pereira. It was fantastic to see the reception given to Mata as he made his way down the touchline and towards the tunnel he really is a fan favourite and he put in a performance that merited the applause. Here's hoping that he doesn't have an injury problem.

The second change came in the 82nd minute when Fellaini was taken off and Falcao was given another opportunity. Fellaini, another player who had played his socks off and opened the scoring with aplomb received the second biggest round of applause of the day.

In the 84th minute captain fantastic Rooney was back clearing the defensive lines as Spurs tried to salvage something from the match.

Van Gaal's third and final change of the match was in the final minutes which saw Rafael come on for the impressive Carrick who had fully earned his early rest.

As the match reached it's climax Harry Kane almost squeezed the ball into the net but David de Gea made an improvised save by sitting on the ball, not his greatest save, but it kept a valuable clean sheet.

Disappointing there were no goals in the second half, but that doesn't take anything away from the great performance by the team with no goals conceded and a huge morale-boosting three points ahead of some tricky matches ahead.

Spurs were really poor in the match but in all fairness they couldn't have expected United to play as well as they did today and I think they were as surprised as anyone by the way the home side came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. It would seem that the players have an appetite for achievement this season, after all.

Nine to go and if the Red Devils can keep up the momentum from this match then not only a top four but dare I say a top three finish to the season is a definite possibility. But first there is the small matter of a trip to Anfield to take on our bitter rivals Liverpool.

A repeat of today's performance would be invaluable to the team's confidence for the run in and I fully expect a victory especially with Rooney in his current mood.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Miles Dunton.

What next for United?

Once former United player Danny Welbeck latched onto the terrible back pass by Antonio Valencia and slotted it past David de Gea to knock Man United out of the FA Cup I started to wonder what lay ahead for the team this season and beyond.

Now that our last chance of silverware has gone United are now locked in a fight to finish in the all-important top four of the Premier League to gain a place in the lucrative Champions League, failure to do so would mean yet another season out of the European elite competition and even worse United could qualify to play in the dreaded Europa League every Thursday night.

Let's take stock of our current position, out of both cup competitions and fourth in the league and looking ahead to the remaining Premier League fixtures it doesn't fill me with confidence the way we have been playing with Spurs, City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal still to play it would take another unbeaten run to come through all those fixtures unscathed.

At the beginning of the season, the manager banged on about his 'Philosophy' which I'm sure like myself most people and the players are still trying to get their heads around. What exactly was his plan and what formation suits the team better because I really believe he doesn't know himself.

Since August, we have witnessed differing setups including his favoured 3-5-2 but more recently he reverted back to the fans favourite 4-4-2. Neither of which have been played with any confidence by the team and the lack of attacking play, which we have been used to down the years and I'm not only talking about the Fergie era, has lacked any conviction and flair.

The manager doesn't seem to know what his best starting eleven is and has changed the line-up too frequently leaving players to sit on the bench for long periods of time. It started with Januzaj then Herrera and now it's Mata's turn to wonder what they have to do to play regularly.

Januzaj's position I can understand as he is still in the learning curve but Herrera and Mata are experienced players that would walk into other sides, and maybe they will in the summer.

Another point about the manager is the way he comes over in the press conferences. Alex Ferguson was a master of manipulating the press and enjoyed total control in the meetings, even though that riled the journalists he still had their respect. The problem with LvG is that he comes over as a stubborn individual who has a total disrespect for the press and treats their questions as a personal attack on himself.

Louis van Gaal was a very animated figure at the World Cup high fiving Robin van Persie but in the United dugout he is the complete opposite, he honestly looks bored. At Old Trafford, I understand it's a long way to the touchline from his seat but even so!

He has said that his relationship with the assistant manager Ryan Giggs is as good as ever, but I'm not so sure. I would like to hear more from Giggs on how he feels things are going.

Van Gaal has spoken of his distaste of back passing but obviously forgot to relay that message onto his defenders as so often this season we have conceded unnecessary goals or given more work to de Gea by playing the ball around at the back.

Speaking of the defenders they have been woeful this season and even the die hard fans, like myself, must be truly disappointed by the performances of the back line, Evans and Jones have to take the brunt of the blame and Smalling has had his moments of uncertainty.

In Blackett and McNair, we have two defenders for the future but you could see how quickly their confidence fell by playing alongside supposedly more experienced players.

When you see the players and manager in training or enjoying themselves out and about at various functions, including this week's Cheltenham Race Meeting, the team spirit can't be faulted but once they walk onto the pitch that all so important togetherness seems to disappear.

A lot of that is down to the captain but when Rooney was stuck in the midfield he found it hard to increase his own level of play let alone the others. Eventually, van Gaal saw sense and put Rooney back up front where he belongs, imagine how different the season could have been if Rooney had been used as a striker and banging in the goals instead of being wasted in the middle.

The six summer signings that gave all the supporters such optimism haven't really delivered on the promise mainly due to injury and lack of form. The biggest disappointments being the two big name deals Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria.

Falcao is just not the same player he once was following his knee injury and Di Maria's confidence is at an all time low especially after his red card against Arsenal. It will take all of LvG's experience to dig Di Maria out of his hole.

Ander Herrera had been left out of the side for weeks then enjoyed a return to the starting team putting in some sterling performances and chipping in with the goals. The other signings,  Blind, Rojo and Shaw haven't let the side down too much but have missed crucial games due to various serious injuries.

Ashley Young has come back after his own injury layoff stronger and along with Fellaini has at least improved on last season. Fellaini has at last started to repay the money that Moyes spent on him but again he is another player being used out of position. In the defeat against Arsenal he played up front and the team began banging long balls up field with the hope that he could use his height advantage. That is not the United way and proved we missed the scoring talents of Robin van Persie.

There is no doubt about the player of the season David de Gea. From the very first match he has performed at a level that is way above his team mates and has become a world class keeper and with Real Madrid circling he needs to be tied down to a new contract sooner rather than later as later could be too late. On many occasions, the Spaniard has saved the points for United as the last line of defence. In the run of unbeaten games, it wasn't the goals that gave us the points it was his saves.

Through varying mistakes by the manager and players, we find ourselves once again unsure how the season will finish. Having said that I am a big fan of the manager, if not of some of his decisions, and believe the club can bounce back and will indeed make the last four but not without some more twists and turns before May.

However, come the end of the season I as many others, expect an overhaul of the team. Let's get rid off the players who are quite clearly not up to scratch and get really stuck into the transfer market for quality players with experience starting with the defence. If not, even if we do qualify for the Champions League with the current squad we could be out of it in the group stage.

In summary, in the last two months of the season I would like to see the players really lift their game and get that top four finish at any costs and for the manager to prove that he indeed is the best man for the job.

I'm sure in the end all will be well but it's how we are getting there that hurts.

Miles Dunton.