Security at Old Trafford.

Ugly scenes returned to the Theatre of Dreams following the match between United and Liverpool. Scenes that were reminiscent of the bad old hooligan days of the seventies. Some fans, especially youngsters, left the stadium clearly shaken by events that have no place in modern football.

In the recent past, UEFA has come down hard on teams for a lot less than was witnessed during and after the Europa League last 16 match between the bitterest rivals in the English game. Both club's cases will be heard on May 19 by UEFA's disciplinary board.

The hatred has always been there of course, but the level reached heights not seen for a long while. Certain groups of so called fans taunted each other throughout the game with chants about each clubs' past tragedies, scuffles broke out between the rival fans in the East Stand and seats were ripped out by Liverpool supporters and thrown at the home fans. But it was the lighting of flares in the away stand that raises a question about the level of security at Old Trafford.

In a world where every major city is on high alert against the threat of terrorism isn't it about time that stronger regulations were enforced at not only Old Trafford but all major football grounds up and down the country. If it is that easy to bring flares into a stadium, then how easy would it be to take something more threatening in.

Some may say that this is an overreaction and scaremongering, but is it? Terrorism knows no boundaries and as our club is a worldwide institution that alone makes it a prime target. Look what happened in Paris during the friendly between France and Germany.

Of course, it would be hard to search all the fans on a matchday. However, something has to be done and more stringent security measures put in place, especially with the away supporters.

Everybody is so wise after a terrible event so why not preempt it as it's better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United's Euro Hopes End.

Manchester United 1 Liverpool 1 (agg:  1-3)

There is nothing worse for a United fan than to witness Liverpool away supporters celebrating getting the better of our team so vociferously inside the Theatre of Dreams as they did following the draw in this second leg Europa League tie.

United's sole aim was to turn around a two-goal deficit from the first leg in which they only managed one measly shot on target. Even though Liverpool are not a tough side to overcome the bar might have been raised a little too high for a United side who have struggled for goals all season.

It was crucial that the home side came out of the traps in search of the all-important early goal which would not only give a boost to the team but the supporters as well. Van Gaal said after the Anfield defeat that the home supporters got behind their team and that atmosphere made the difference.

This was a strange comment for the manager to make as the volume is always that high for games against the two biggest rivals in English football. But also, the Red Devil fans have been by far the most vocal of all the away fans around the grounds this season and considering they haven't had much to shout about especially in the dire performance in the first leg that's saying something.

When the team news was announced the positive feeling one had at being able to turn the tie around slightly evaporated: De Gea, Varela, Blind, Smalling, Rojo, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Lingard, Martial and Rashford.

There was no Herrera at all with Fellaini and Carrick included when their recent performances had not exactly gone well. Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger would both start on the bench.

The first half started with a flurry of chances for United which included a close range header from Lingard that Mignolet saved well, a shot from Mata that he woefully screwed wide when the goal was gaping and a chance for Martial which he blasted over the bar following great approach play from Rashford to set the French youngster up.

Liverpool had had only carved out one clear opportunity in the first half hour and that was a Coutinho drive from outside the area which was marvelously saved by De Gea low down to his left.

Then just after half an hour of play a glimmer of hope for United to get back into the tie as Martial won and converted his own penalty to send Old Trafford into raptures of delight with the belief that United could actually pull it off.

However, the joy and aspirations, as so often has been the case this season, were short lived when on the stroke of half-time United's right back Varela showed his vulnerability when he was caught out of position by the lively Coutinho who skipped past him as if he wasn't there and once inside the six-yard area dinked the ball past De Gea and into the net.

That was the killer blow as it was obvious to everyone watching that the home team were not going to score the four goals needed to win the tie. But it could have been a different story had Rojo put the ball in the net from the closest of finishes a few minutes before Liverpool put the game to bed.

The second half saw a lot of huffing and puffing from the Red Devils without any real openings of note. The stuffing had been knocked out of them following the equaliser and apart from the trio of Martial and Rashford at one end and De Gea at the other, there was no player in red that you thought could offer United a respite in the game.

Fellaini once again flattered to deceive and he clearly hadn't learnt from the first leg as he elbowed an opposing player on at least two occasions one of which he was booked for.

Van Gaal made his usual mind boggling substitutions when chasing a game and needing goals he ignored winger Memphis and replaced both full backs with full backs and introduced a defensive midfielder. All of which showed a lack off attacking ambition and getting some credibility out of the game by the Dutchman.

With the tie all but over from the start of the half, United went through the motions and looked like they couldn't wait to get it over with. There was none of the gung-ho spirit that is associated with the club and they exited the competition with a whimper rather than a hurrah! Even with Giggs stood on the touchline to keep balance with Klopp it couldn't muster the troops. Klopp never even entered the dugout, take a note of that van Gaal.

So, there you have it another chance of silverware has gone and all that is left now realistically is the FA Cup, which you shouldn't hold your breath for on the team's present form and there is a small matter of the local derby on Sunday.

Maybe van Gaal should have made his players stay out on the pitch after the match to watch and listen to the away fans rubbing our noses in it. The United fans had to!

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Shot Shy United Lack Passion.

Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0

Not all 'white' on the night for United.

It may have been the 195th meeting between the two biggest rivals in English football, but it was the first time the giants had come head to head in a European competition.

The red of Liverpool gained the upper hand as they won the first leg against a United side that lacked any conviction and had keeper De Gea to thank for keeping the scoreline down to two.

Van Gaal had recalled Fellaini, Varela and Schneiderlin to the side in place of Darmian, Carrick and Herrera who would all start on the bench. There was also a recall for Bastian Schweinsteiger as a substitute.

Here was the United starting XI: De Gea, Varela, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Fellaini, Memphis, Mata, Martial and Rashford.

Mata was once again given the honour of captaining United even though Smalling was on the pitch.

United got the tie underway attacking the Kop and straight from the off they almost grabbed the opener as Memphis delivered a cross that evaded the defenders, but the onrushing Rashford was slightly caught by surprise and the ball rebounded off the young forwards knee.

The referee Carballo, from Spain, is known for his brandishing of cards as if they were going out of fashion, ten reds this season and he started his nightly spree as he booked Henderson for a high challenge on Schneiderlin.

The match started at a very lively pace with both sides up for the fight, heavy challenges set against a great atmosphere generated by both sets of fans.

United enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening quarter of an hour, but as usual created little or no chances of note.

Twenty minutes of the match gone and Liverpool struck the first blow as they won a very debatable penalty after Memphis was adjudged to have brought down Clyne right on the edge of the penalty area. The referee took a few seconds to make up his mind. When he did, he booked Memphis and Sturridge dispatched the spot kick only just past De Gea, who managed to get a hand onto the ball.

The goal buoyed the home side and in the next attack they would have gone 2-0 up, but for the brilliance and athleticism of De Gea who saved Coutinho's certain tap in right on his goal line. That save could literally turn out to be United's lifeline in the tie for if the home side had scored a second so quickly it could have been game over.

After the goal United responded slowly and it wasn't until Mata almost weaved his way through the defenders in the box that they created anything close to a chance.

De Gea came to the rescue again for his side on thirty minutes when he made himself big in front of Sturridge to block the striker's shot.

The awkward style of the returning Fellaini earned United a free kick opportunity in a dangerous area which was fired in by Memphis with a disappointing end as it sailed harmlessly wide.

United's free kicks have been woefully poor this season with the exception of Mata's effort against Watford. But it's a sad state of affairs when they can't even get the efforts on target compared to the past when you knew something was going to come from them.

As the half entered its final minutes the game went a little stale until De Gea proved how invaluable he is with a reaction save from a Lallana deflected effort.

Rashford became the second United player to be booked on the stroke of half-time after a rash challenge on Moreno's.

Half-time and United trailed 1-0 without having a shot on goal. They had De Gea to thank for not going in at least three goals to the worse as he produced three saves that could have a massive bearing on the tie overall. And he did manage to get his fingertips to the penalty, however, not enough to prevent the ball going in.

It's fair to say that United would have to be the happier of the two sides to be only down by one goal. They were playing a dangerous game by sitting back and allowing Liverpool to come at them. An improvement of huge proportion would have to be seen in the second half if the Red Devils were to get anything out of this game.

At the start of the second half van Gaal made a tactical substitution in an attempt to get his team back into the game by replacing Rashford with Carrick. The change meant that Smalling, Rojo and Carrick played in a back three formation with Blind and Varela as wing backs.

United had their first shot on goal in the 52nd minute of the match with an effort from Schneiderlin which was straight at Minolet in goal.

David De Gea produced another high class save as he tipped over a powerful long range effort from Coutinho.

United's new formation looked to be paying off as they enjoyed a long spell of possession and applied pressure on the Liverpool defence without creating the killer ball needed to grab the vital equaliser. Martial came the closest during this spell as he almost got his head to a cross by Varela.

Fellaini became the latest United player to be cautioned for a swing and miss with his leg at Clyne.

Memphis almost threaded the ball into the path of Martial but the ball fell a little behind the French striker. However, this was better play from the visitors.

De Gea was at it again, this time, he produced a diving punch to deny a Clyne drive from distance. If United do go on to the quarterfinals, then they only have to thank one player and that's the keeper who must wish he had a quality defence in front of him.

Liverpool wasted two golden chances to extend their lead as first Henderson blasted a great chance well wide then Coutinho blasted a free kick towards goal clearly not realising it was indirect.

As the game entered the final twenty minutes Firmino doubled the home side's lead when he beat De Gea with a close range tap-in following a poor attempted clearance from Carrick. All United could hope for now was damage limitation and an away goal to take back to Old Trafford.

Bastian Schweinsteiger made a much welcome return when he came on along with Herrera for Mata and Schneiderlin for the last ten minutes.

The visitors chased the game in the final few minutes without worrying the home defence and the only concern for United was whether Fellaini would stay on the pitch after some challenges that could have earned him a second card and a ban if the elbow was seen. It was the Belgian who came close with a header that only just flew wide of the post following a Schweinsteiger cross.

The match ended with Liverpool on top in the tie and in the driving seat against a United team that had nothing to offer in any way, shape or form.Two errors of judgement by Memphis and Carrick cost their side dearly and add to that only one shot on target it was no wonder they lost.

This was another low for van Gaal and his team as they will have it all to do at Old Trafford. There was no sign of the drive or passion that would make you believe that they could turn the tie around next week.

It doesn't look good for the upcoming FA Cup match against West Ham this Sunday. A team who has a splendid away record this season against a United side slipping further down the slippery slope of failure.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United vs Liverpool: Europa League Preview.

Manchester United vs Liverpool Rivalry Continues.

They are the two biggest rivals and also the most successful teams in English football, but now they come together for the first time to fight it out on the European stage.

The Europa League could prove to be the only way for one of these sides to gain entry into next season's Champions League as both teams look more and more likely to be failing in their bid to finish in the top four of the Premier League.

Of course, both United and Liverpool have a rich history of playing at the highest level in Europe which, goes back to the days of Busby and Paisley but now the situation both clubs find themselves in is a little foreign, to say the least.

Having to rely on the poor relations cup to gain access to the top table of European football is not an ideal position to be in. However, that's how it is after another fairly lackluster season for both sides.

There are many reasons as to why both teams have underperformed this campaign and no amount of excuses can appease both sets of fans who not only expect, but demand their clubs are fighting for the league each campaign, especially United.

During the present campaign Van Gaal has given so many youngsters the chance to show their worth as his side has been hit by injury after injury and it could be those same youngsters who will have the huge responsibility to carry United through to the quarterfinals when more regulars should be available to add strength and valuable experience to the team.

Van Gaal has endured a torrid time of late and if he is to get any respite from the fans he has to get it right over the next two ties. He can fall back to a degree on his record of having won all of his matches against Liverpool in his time as United manager including the latest 1-0 victory at Anfield. But in Klopp, he will come up against a manager who is known for his ability to motivate his players.

Maybe the outcome is too close to call. However, there is one guarantee and that is the fans will definitely be on top of their game as this match gives both sets of supporters the chance to vent their hatred towards each other. It really doesn't matter what the competition is the only outcome expected is a victory at any cost. Losing would not only cast a shadow over the clubs, but would be unbearable for the fans especially on social media.

If I was to stick my neck out, I believe that United will prevail as the second leg is at Old Trafford which offers the slightest of advantages for the Red Devils providing they can, at least, come away from Anfield with a draw and a vital away goal. Having said that, one thing has been certain this season and that is trying to predict van Gaal and his team's results is nigh on impossible.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Rooney's Belter Beats Liverpool

Liverpool 0 Manchester United 1

Louis van Gaal made it five wins out of five against United's bitter rivals Liverpool thanks to a wonder volley from in-form captain Wayne Rooney.

The win means that the Red Devils continue their unbeaten start to 2016 and ensured that Klopp and the Kop were left second best in this latest installment between the two most successful teams in English football.

It doesn't matter what anybody says this fixture is still the 'big one' in the Premier League, the one that not only grabs the attention of both sets of fans from all over the world but the match everyone wants to experience first hand. This was borne out by the fact that Carrick, Jones and Rojo decided to watch with the away supporters at Anfield to join in celebrating what would be another famous victory.

For the relatively new foreign players in each squad, it must seem surreal to read and listen to the vitriol banter ahead of the clash as it can only be really understood by the locals. Many rivalries between clubs are based on either religion or politics or in some cases both. However, United versus Liverpool runs deeper.

Louis van Gaal's record against Liverpool as United manager was played four, won four having won three league meetings and a friendly in the USA, but for his opposition number Klopp, it was his first experience of the heated fixture.

Van Gaal decided to field an unchanged team that drew at Newcastle in midweek which meant that last seasons two-goal Anfield hero Juan Mata would have to bide his time on the bench as Fellaini was preferred. Starting XI: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Young, Schneiderlin, Fellaini, Herrera, Lingard, Rooney and Martial.

The atmosphere was buzzing as was to be expected as Liverpool got the match underway.

It was the away side that mounted the first attack as Martial won a free kick on the edge of the box which was wasted by a poor delivery by Blind. A lively start from United and especially Martial who looked up for the fight. Remember that it was against Liverpool that he announced his presence in England on his scoring debut.

There was a nasty clash of heads between Lucas and Felliani in the 10th minute and it looked like Fellaini wouldn't be able to continue as Mata started to strip off on the bench but the Belgian managed to shrug it off and carried on. Lucas and Fellaini would come to blows on a few more occasions during the afternoon.

The home sides' first attack quickly followed as first Lallana had his header superbly blocked by De Gea then Firmino shot wide when he really ought to have done better. Then Milner had a chance but his shot was nowhere near the target.

Fellaini and Lucas were soon at it again as both players squared up to each other on the touchline after Fellaini seemed to kick out at Milner. The referee Clattenburg used some common sense and gave both players a warning and nothing else.

Fellaini was in the thick of the action from the start, but anytime he came anywhere near the ball in the early exchanges you got the feeling that a free kick against United would be the outcome and it took all of Rooney's diplomacy to keep his teammate from being booked more than once.

After half an hour there had still been no clear cut chance on target for either side as the play had been contested mainly in the midfield with both sides attacking sporadically but to no avail.

Henderson had a chance for Liverpool, but failed to find a decent enough shot to trouble De Gea. He followed that up with a woefully hit effort over the bar. Thank god for United the chances were falling to him.

With five minutes of the first half to go United were starved of ideas until at last they broke through Martial on the left who then cut infield and fed the ball wide to Rooney who had ample time to pick out a decent cross but his ball was overhit to the far post where Fellaini managed to, at least, win a corner.

Apart from that move, United lacked the quality needed for such a high profile game and the ball spent more time out of play than in.

Martial made a crucial tackle in his own penalty area to stop a certain goal scoring chance for the home side. A brilliant piece of tracking back by the youngster.

Ashley Young received a knock to his leg in a heavy challenge from Milner that required attention, but it quickly became clear that he couldn't carry on so he was replaced by Borthwick-Jackson.

On the stroke of half-time Martial went on another of his thrilling runs showing great control of the ball at his feet, unfortunately he ran into a wall of defenders before he could manage a shot.

Half-time and it was all square at 0-0. Yet again United had failed to find the net in the opening 45 minutes and apart from Martial no other player looked up to the task. It was a dire half to say the least without the usual passion associated with this fixture.

The quicker Mata makes an appearance for either Fellaini or Lingard the better as United needed a player to provide the spark and ingenuity to prize open the defence and create the chances needed to overcome a Liverpool side that were there for the taking.

United got the second half underway and went on the attack right from the off as Rooney almost made something from nothing but had no support and by the time Martial joined the attack the defenders had made it back in numbers.

Then David De Gea pulled off another of his routine stops as he blocked a definite goal chance from Emre Can. How many times has the keeper gone about his business of saving his team while all others around him have fallen short of what is expected?

After ten minutes of the restart, it was Martial who was proving to be the biggest threat up front when he narrowly pulled his shot agonisingly wide from a similar position in which he scored on his debut at Old Trafford.

There were shouts from the United players for two penalties in quick succession, but Clattenburg was well placed and waved play on amid protests from the away fans.

Mata replaced Lingard in the 66th minute and to be honest, Lingard had been invisible for most of the afternoon.

When the home side attacked the visiting defence handled them well enough, but at this point the game had opened up and either side could have taken the lead if not for better finishing.

That man De Gea was at it again as he proved he is world class with a double save that included a wonderful stop diving at full stretch then he followed that up with a high handed tip away that any basketball player would have been proud of to deny the home side.

The third and last change by van Gaal saw Herrera make way for Memphis hopefully to provide the width and pace needed for the last fifteen minutes. Not a popular choice with the away fans, judging by their reaction as the popular Spaniard left the pitch with his name ringing around the stadium.

Fellaini eventually received a booking for a late foul and continued to argue his innocence with the referee when he should have accepted the decision and walked away.

Then in the 78th minute euphoria among the fans in the away end as United took the lead. A short corner was played into the area by Mata and Fellaini rose the highest to power a header against the crossbar and there was Rooney unmarked to volley home the rebound.

It was United's first shot on target and it produced a goal for the in-form Rooney, who is on a hot streak this month. That strike was his first goal at Anfield for 11 years but was well worth the wait. Another interesting statistic is that Rooney now holds the record for most Premier League goals for one club, 176.

Could United do what they couldn't against Newcastle and hold on for the valuable win against their arch rivals for the final five minutes? Liverpool tried to find the equaliser but each time they attacked, they came up against a resolute United defence that battled away to clear every ball from the danger area.

Full-time and hold on they did to register their second win on the trot at Anfield and ease the pressure on the manager. The game was won by a fabulous strike from Rooney, United's 100th goal at Anfield, which settled a match that had been short on goal attempts from both sides. All that doesn't matter as in this fixture it's only the winning that counts.

In all honesty, the result does cover over the fact that most of the United players were well below par and made Liverpool look too good at times. Liverpool is a team in transition under Klopp and were also poor, but United let them see too much of the ball and were fortunate that the majority of chances fell to the feet of Henderson and not the injured Coutinho.

There was only one player who fully deserved the man of the match accolade and that has to be David De Gea, who produced a string of saves to thwart the home side and in doing so saved the blushes of his defenders. Time and time again the Spaniard has come to his side's rescue and he was quoted prior to the match to have said he wants to become a Red Devil legend well he is certainly on his way to realising that dream.

Not a performance to remember, but it is a result that will remain in the memory of all United fans for a long time as once again they have conquered their arch rivals on their home turf.

After a fantastic result thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Man United vs Liverpool Rivalry Part 2.

A lot has changed for both teams since United beat Liverpool 3-1 back in September. That match was possibly the Red Devils' best performance of the season so far and it was a match that introduced a new hero on the 'Theatre of Dreams' stage, French starlet Anthony Martial.

However, since that victory United's game has become all too predictable and their tactics and results are nothing to write home about. The pressure on Louis van Gaal has risen to such a level that some sections of fans want him gone. Out of the Champions League with a whimper, knocked out of the League Cup by a Championship side and out of the top four in the league shows all is not well at Old Trafford.

Over at Anfield, they dispensed with the services of Brendan Rodgers and brought in the animated German coach Jurgen Klopp. However, apart from his entertaining touchline antics which involves a lot of chest pumping and the over the top celebrating of draws with his players, they are still a work in progress.

Having said all that there is one thing that will never change and it is that this fixture is without doubt the biggest game in the Premier League calender. It is the one that has all the fans' veins pumping with hate for each other. Come Sunday all the problems will be forgotten as there will be only one aim for both teams and that is to win at all costs. Millions will be watching worldwide, so the stakes are high.

Everybody in football has their adversaries, however, none more so than the reds from either end of the East Lancs. A rivalry that has been built up over the years and one that is not likely to get any friendlier anytime in the future.

The tension between the two cities and clubs has been well documented down the years as both teams have fought it out to be the top dog of English football and no matter how hard the hierarchy have tried to broker peace deals there is more chance of a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. For the hatred is inbred having been passed down from generations to future generations. If you are a Man United fan then you hate Liverpool and definitely vice versa.

It was fanzines sold outside the stadiums during the 80's, 90's and into the new millennium that fueled the fire and gave fans the platform from which to vent their anger and this was followed by the development of social media that has only provided supporters with a bigger stage on which to show their bitterness towards each other with fans using the medium to poke fun at their rivals or more seriously take it to the extreme and downright vile levels of hatred.

Past jealousy has had a lot to do with the friction as in the fifties and sixties it was all about United then during the long wait for the title to return to Old Trafford it was Liverpool who was the top Liver birds until Alex Ferguson famously restored the balance and knocked them off their perch. Now it is the scousers who find themselves in the unenviable position of waiting for their next league success as it's been a quarter of a century since they were last crowned champions and in that time United leapfrogged the Anfield outfit to win the most titles.

Lately, the title has been a step too far for both clubs which has meant a battle to finish in the top four to enable Champions League qualification. Of course, United's priority is to win the title, but if they do not, then to finish above Liverpool becomes crucial and this they achieved last season and by doing so claimed fourth place.

The players down the years have added that extra spice to the matches, especially during goal celebrations, none more so than Gary Neville, who ran the length of the pitch at Old Trafford to show the away fans in no uncertain terms where his loyalties lay that day and he even had his own anthem in which everyone one was reminded of who he hated.

Wayne Rooney seems to be the main target of the Liverpool fans' vitriol due to his allegiance to Everton, but with the departure of Steven Gerrard to the USA the United fans will have to find someone new to aim their particular hatred towards.

However, now that both sides have added new foreign stars to their squads will the intensity of the United vs Liverpool matchday recede? The answer has to be a resounding no as both set of players will only have to walk the streets of their new cities, read what the fans are saying on the internet or listen to the players who have had first-hand experience of what to expect from the games.

In recent times teams like Man City and Chelsea have risen to new heights thanks to the investment of billions into their transfer kitties, but Man Utd vs Liverpool is always the first match that both United and Liverpool fans look for when the Premier league announce the new season fixtures, whether it be at home or away the faithful on both sides plan for those days more than any other games.

So the continuation of the rivalry turns to this weekend as both sets of players and fans will attempt to outdo each other both on the pitch and on the terraces, sorry in the seats. Van Gaal has an unbeaten record against Liverpool as the United manager having won all his four matches which include three league wins and the preseason friendly victory in the USA. But he will have to be on his toes against Klopp as the German coach was partly responsible for the Dutchman's demise at Bayern while he was at Dortmund.

The build up has already started and will rise to a crescendo of hatred by the time the match kicks off. Without any shadow of a doubt this is the big one.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

There's a new Martial in town.

He has endured comparisons galore by being dubbed the new Henry, Anelka and Kluivert but there is one thing for certain Anthony Martial has the potential to surpass all of their achievements and become a great among the greats at Old Trafford.

When the 19-year-old arrived at United at the end of the transfer window many eyebrows were raised, not only at United but around the football world, at the size of the fee paid for such a young talent.

The French teenager was signed from Monaco by Louis van Gaal for a fee that will rise to around £50m depending on how successful his career at United turns out to be. There was obviously something that the manager saw in him that many hadn't to make him the most expensive teenager in world football.

The United fans spent the summer trying to second guess who was the one striker that van Gaal had mentioned would be joining the Red Devils, Was it to be Muller, Benzema, Griezmann, Cavani or even Bale? But he surprised everyone by turning his attention to a youngster, who, although well known in France was relatively unknown in England.

However, from the moment that Martial made his debut for United as a scoring substitute in the 3-1 victory over arch rivals Liverpool all that changed and changed dramatically.

The manager had warned the faithful not to get too carried away with the striker, but that was not easy as he then went on to score three more goals, including a double away at Southampton and one in the League Cup against Ipswich Town all scored with that certain quality only a class striker has. His tally so far has equalled Falcao's total for all of last season.

His latest star turn came in the Premiership at Old Trafford in which, although he failed to score against Sunderland he put on a display of such maturity, strength and confidence it was as if he had led the line at United for years instead of only weeks.

The skill he showed in the assist for the Rooney goal was impressive and he also used his power and awareness to set up Memphis who really should have done better. At no time in the match did he shirk his responsibilities and on many occasions during the game he was surrounded by three or four defenders, which shows that opposition players have already woken up to his threat as a forward.

The impressive striker must be full of confidence after all the plaudits coming his way and it is so easy for a young talent to have their head turned by all the attention, especially at a club the size of United, however, there is one important factor in keeping his feet firmly on the ground and that is he is married and has a baby daughter.

Having such a young family means that he won't be spotted coming out of clubs late at night, but will most likely be snapped pushing a pram around shopping centers. Fergie would have loved him.

Along with the likes of Memphis, Shaw, Lingard, Pereira and Wilson, Martial joins a young group of players who have brought the belief back to the team that the future at the club is bright and they will provide the springboard for future success at United.

With all the attributes that Martial possesses he has the chance to write his name into the United folklore much the same as another deadly assassin did, a certain Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, now there's a comparison.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

'Martial Law' Imposed at Old Trafford.

Manchester United 3 Liverpool 1

It is every young, and old, United fan's dream to score at the Stretford End on your debut against the clubs bitterest rivals Liverpool, well it became a reality for teenage sensation Anthony Martial as his first goal for his new team put the result beyond the reach of Liverpool and immediately gave him hero status among the Old Trafford faithful.

At the end of the latest round of internationals, it was a much-welcomed return to the Premier League and what a return as the two bitterest rivals in English football locked horns again at Old Trafford.

All the international talk prior to the match was the achievement of United's captain Wayne Rooney as he surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton's England scoring record by netting his 50th goal from the penalty spot against Switzerland and now has his sights set on the scoring record at club level, however he will have to wait a little longer as he was ruled out of this clash with a hamstring problem.

On the eve of the game United were boosted by the news that keeper David De Gea had put pen to paper and signed a new four-year contract with the option of an extension. There was, however, no news about whether or not a clause had been added that Ed Woodward could tell Real Madrid where to go if they returned for their main transfer target. At least if the Spaniards do come calling again in the future they will have to pay for the privilege of taking our number one.

Louis van Gaal had a big decision to make with the absence of his captain Rooney in who would he choose to lead the line up front, would it be Fellaini, or the newest arrival at Old Trafford French starlet Anthony Martial?

In the end, the manager chose this as his starting XI: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Herrera, Memphis and Fellaini.

On the bench were: Romero, McNair, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Valencia, Young and Martial.

An interesting selection with the experienced duo of Carrick and Schweinsteiger starting in the midfield together, with Fellaini chosen to lead the attack which meant that new signing Martial would start his United career on the bench.

The United defence would have their hands full with Rodgers choosing a double strike force of Benteke and Ings to test Blind and Smalling.

The choice of Michael Oliver as match referee didn't exactly fill the Old Trafford faithful with confidence as his record in United's matches is poor to say the least, who can forget the red card he issued to Di Maria last season for the player touching him but Joe Hart got away with a headbutt against the same official.

United started the match on the front foot and looked up for the challenge from the off with the 'old timers' Carrick and Schweinsteiger controlling the middle of the park. A huge roar greeted De Gea first touch of the ball followed by a chorus of his name echoing around the ground.

A mistake by the Liverpool keeper Mignolet led to the first real chance for Fellaini but his attempted lob over the retreating keeper was not on target.

The away keeper was kept busy during the first ten minutes as Memphis tried his luck on a couple of occasions. The Dutch winger showed great pace down the left and gave the defence the jitters so much so that they resorted to fouling him.

On the right-hand side, it was player of last month, Darmian who was stretching his legs to good effect as he played a wonderful ball into the feet of Fellaini but the Belgium looked at bit rusty as he failed to react quickly enough to get a shot away. This season the Italian full back is showing exactly why he was the right buy over Liverpool's Clyne.

After the first 30 minutes, it had been all United with the visitors not being able to trouble David De Gea in goal or for that matter the defence as all the play was at the other end. United did have a let off when Benteke was ruled offside when one on one with De Gea.

The match lost its way towards the end of the half as United seemed to run out of ideas as to how to break through the visitors defence with a lot of nice passing from the likes of Herrera and Mata with no end result.

Not a thrilling half by any means, but one that was governed by United's superior midfield and with chances that they should have done better with especially Fellaini who showed poor control in the box. Liverpool looked decidedly disjointed especially in the midfield as they let the home side dictate the pace and were probably happy to go in at half-time all square. One thing was for sure Louis van Gaal didn't appear at all happy.

The United manager decided to make a change at the beginning of the second half by bringing Ashley Young into play in place of Memphis Depay. It was Young who provided many of Fellaini's goals last season with his deliveries on a plate for the Belgian.

What a substitution it was as straight from the off Young created havoc in the Liverpool defence and was brought down on the edge of the box and from the resulting free-kick Mata played the ball to a waiting Daley Blind who smacked a brilliant shot into the top corner from the edge of the area. 1-0 to United and full credit to Young, who looked up for the challenge.

A great start to the half for the home side and they seemed invigorated by the goal and pressed hard for the second.

After ten minutes, David De Gea was clearly bored as he tried to help the visitors out with some erratic passing, but redeemed himself with a fingertip save from Ings. David is most certainly back.

Fellaini finally began to put himself about more and was brought down for a free-kick in a great position for United which Young flashed just over the bar.

Once again Matteo was the star on the right as he continued to press forward and seemed capable of creating chances with every foray forward.

There was a heart in mouth moment for the home fans as Blind proved his worth at the other end with a heroic defensive clearance off the line to save United's skin.

The 66th minute should be remembered as it was the moment French teenage sensation Anthony Martial made his United debut as he replaced Mata. In doing so, he became the first Man Utd player to make his debut v Liverpool at Old Trafford since John Thompson way back in 1936.

Then in the 69th minute Herrera was scythed down inside the box and the referee rightly pointed to the spot and it was Herrera himself, who got up, dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty firmly into the net. A goal created and finished by the impressive Spaniard who could have made a claim to become the new spot kick king.

Carrick was replaced by Schneiderlin which meant that Chris Smalling took over the captain's duties for the final twenty minutes of the match.

On a slightly negative note full-back, Darmian, blotted another impressive game with yet another yellow card, something that he has to keep an eye on as it is becoming a regular event.

There was still time left in the game for David De Gea to remind the football world why he is regarded by van Gaal as one of the best keepers around as he pulled off a wonderful save at full stretch to prevent an effort from Ibe. However, he could do nothing about the goal from Benteke in the last five minutes as the striker pulled one back with a bicycle kick reminiscent of Rooney's brilliant strike against Man City back in 2011.

Then it was the turn of Martial to take centre stage at the Theatre of Dreams with a debut goal of supreme class in the 86th minute as he collected the ball outside the box and went on a confident run, which ended when he slid the ball meticulously past Mignolet to make it a magnificent start to his Old Trafford career.

The goal earned his new side a 3-1 victory along with the three points, but more importantly a deserved victory over a very disappointing Liverpool who were tepid to say the least in their approach to the game.

The match certainly changed in momentum with the introduction of Young at the beginning of the second half as his non-stop display down the left gave United the impetus to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and turn their possession into goals, earning him a good shout for man of the match ahead of Herrera and Darmian, however Daley Blind deserved the nod above them all for his all round defensive performance and of course the opening goal.

The sweet win moves United up into second place level on points with Arsenal but five points behind local rivals City who had to rely on a last gasp winner away at Crystal Palace.

Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick had informed the manager that the dressing room atmosphere had been flat prior to this match so to be a fly on the wall after this result would have been one to savour as the players surely would have been in buoyant mood after this result.

Let's hope that the positive mood is taken into the next challenge as United return to the group stages of the Champions League where they will face a tricky match away at PSV in Holland and a game that will see the return of Memphis to try and get one over his previous club.

Until next time thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Man Utd vs Liverpool. A match not made in heaven.

Man United and Liverpool rivalry continues.

The two biggest rivals in the Premier League are heading for their first clash of the season this weekend at Old Trafford. A time when not only the teams battle it out on the pitch, but also the rival factions battle it out, verbally, on the terraces.

Everybody in English football has their adversaries, however none more so than the reds from either end of the East Lancs. A rivalry that has been built up over the years and one that is not likely to get any friendlier anytime in the future.

The tension between the two cities and clubs has been well documented down the years as both teams have fought it out to be the top dog of English football and no matter how hard the hierarchy have tried to broker peace deals there is more chance of a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. For the hatred is inbred having been passed down from generations to future generations. If you are a Man United fan then you hate Liverpool and definitely vice versa.

It was fanzines sold outside the stadiums during the 80's, 90's and into the new millennium that fueled the fire and gave fans the platform from which to vent their anger and this was followed by the development of social media that has only provided supporters with a bigger stage on which to show their bitterness towards each other with fans using the medium to poke fun at their rivals or more seriously take it to the extreme and downright vile levels of hatred.

Past jealousy has had a lot to do with the friction as in the fifties and sixties it was all about United then during the long wait for the title to return to Old Trafford it was Liverpool who were the top Liver birds until Alex Ferguson famously restored the balance and knocked them off their perch. Now it is the scousers who find themselves in the unenviable position of waiting for their next league success as it's been a quarter of a century since they were last crowned champions and in that time United leapfrogged the Anfield outfit to win the most titles.

Lately, the title has been a step too far for both clubs which has meant a battle to finish in the top four to enable Champions League qualification has been the target. Of course United's priority is to win the title, but if they do not, then to finish above Liverpool becomes crucial and this they achieved last season and by doing so claimed fourth place.

The players down the years have added that extra spice to the matches, especially during goal celebrations, none more so than Gary Neville, who ran the length of the pitch at Old Trafford to show the away fans in no uncertain terms where his loyalties lay that day and he even had his own anthem in which everyone one was reminded of who he hated.

Wayne Rooney seems to be the main target of the Liverpool fans' vitriol due to his allegiance to Everton, but with the departure of Steven Gerrard to the USA the United fans will have to find someone new to aim their particular hatred to, manager Brendan Rodgers appears to be a safe bet for the time being.

However, now that both sides have added new foreign stars to their squads will the intensity of the United vs Liverpool matchday recede? The answer has to be a resounding no as both set of players will only have to walk the streets of their new cities, read what the fans are saying on the internet or listen to the players who have had first-hand experience of what to expect from the games.

In recent times teams like Man City and Chelsea have risen to new heights thanks to the investment of billions into their transfer kitties, but Man Utd vs Liverpool is always the first match that both United and Liverpool fans look for when the Premier league announce the new season fixtures, whether it be at home or away the faithful on both sides plan for those days more than any other games.

So here is to the continuation of the rivalry as it makes the build up and aftermath of the matches all the more entertaining as both group of fans try to outdo each other in the bragging rights. One thing is for sure the new players on both sides will fully understand the importance of this fixture come Saturday evening win, lose or draw. Bring it on!

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Manchester United Fixtures Preview 2015/16

It seems that last season has only just finished but this week saw the release of next season's fixture list.

All the fans have their own preference of which match to look for first whether it be by team or date. The most important matches have to be the Liverpool fixtures followed by the derby dates.

There is, of course, no such thing as an easy season, however, Louis van Gaal must have been quietly confident when he saw the fixtures as it has thrown up a fairly easy start and end to the season with the hardest of the matches coming mid-season which gives the team time to get into a winning rhythm.

The Red Devils will kick off their season with by far the biggest match of the opening weekend at Old Trafford against Spurs followed by an away trip to Aston Villa then it's Newcastle at home.
August ends with a tricky journey to Wales to take on Swansea who started our season off with a defeat last year. In the middle of those games, United will have the not so small task of the UEFA Champions League qualifying matches.

A collective spirit is needed.

There will be the dreaded international break before our first big clash in mid-September at home to Liverpool, memories of last season's double over them still fresh in the mind. Two more games in September see us play the much improved Southampton away and Sunderland, who were so lucky to escape the drop last time round, at Old Trafford.

Rooney scores against Arsenal.

October will prove a difficult month as it starts with two matches away first a visit to the Emirates to play Arsenal followed by Everton. Then it's the first local derby at home to Man City. Last season was sweet against the Gunners and City but sticky versus the toffees. Crystal Palace will provide the opposition at Selhurst Park at the end of the month.

The three matches in November seem to be relatively straightforward, if that's possible for United, they are WBA at home, newly promoted Watford away and Leicester away.

Ashley Young in his Watford days.

The month will see a return to Vicarage Road for Ashley Young, who started his career at Watford. It's been eight years since The Hornets were last in the top flight.

The busy festive month of December will see United play in a total of five matches three home and two away. It starts with a home game against West Ham with their new manager Bilic then a trip to the south coast to play Premier League debutantes AFC Bournemouth who we last played in the FA Cup back in 1989.

Another newly promoted side Norwich will visit Old Trafford then Boxing Day will see all the fans dressed as Santa at The Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke. Come the end of the year will hopefully be a match that is going to have a strong bearing on the Premiership title, Chelsea at home.

AFC Bournemouth celebrating promotion

The first match in 2016 will see the visit of Swansea to Manchester followed by a break in the league for the FA Cup 3rd round. After which United will be on their travels to Newcastle and Anfield the scene of Juan Mata's heroics last time we played there. The month will end with Southampton at home.

February starts with former red Mark Hughes bringing his Stoke side to Old Trafford which will be followed by United playing Chelsea at Stamford bridge on the 58th anniversary to the day of the Munich air disaster. Sunderland away comes before yet another big clash of the month Arsenal at home.

Mata the Anfield hero.

Hopefully, by the time March comes around United will be well placed for the league run in and will host Watford then visit WBA. Crystal Palace at home will be followed by our last match against one of our possible major opponents for the league, Man City at the Etihad. It would also be nice to think that United will be still involved in the knockout stages of the Champions League and the FA Cup.

The last seven matches in April and May appear to offer United a chance to end the season strongly and it starts with Everton at home then Spurs away. By the time we play Villa at Old Trafford and West Ham away, we could be potentially gearing up for silverware in the league or one of the cups or dare I say both.

Our last three games of the league season are Leicester at home followed by Norwich away, then Old Trafford will witness the last match of the campaign as Bournemouth will hopefully be trying to spoil the Champions' celebrations.

I foresee United getting off to a flying start compared to the stuttering beginning last season. Louis van Gaal has now had a year in the Old Trafford hot seat and will have learnt from his and the teams' mistakes of the previous season. Add to that the new arrivals that have been signed to strengthen the squad and there is every reason to be optimistic about the chances of being able to challenge on all four fronts next season.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.