6 wins on the trot have seen United hold on to third place in the table and with the busy festive period on the horizon the run is a welcome confidence boost.
The Red Devils were clinical in their finishing as they brushed Liverpool aside with three goals and no reply. The game was significant because the Liverpool manager, keen to halt a recent slide in form, dropped his struggling goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and opted instead for Brad Jones between the sticks. However, it was the Manchester United goalkeeper, David De Gea, who was the man of the match with a string of brilliant saves.
What a difference less than a year makes. In March Liverpool defeated United by the same score line as they almost claimed the English Premier League title, losing out to Manchester City. The team this season are a shadow of their former selves and the pressure is on Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager.
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney had given the team an early lead but just before half time controversy was guaranteed when Mata scored via a headed goal when he was clearly offside. However, Liverpool didn’t fade away and Sterling forced a brilliant save from De Gea. It was a great display from the United Goad keeper who stopped a number of efforts from England youngster Raheem Sterling. However, later in the game, he also keep volatile Italian striker Mario Balotelli from scoring his first Premier League goal for Liverpool.
Robin van Persie flatted United with a third goal which put the game beyond Liverpool when he struck at the end of a lightening counter attack. The result failed to show Liverpool’s battling qualities nor did it show how much work the United keeper had to do to keep the Red Devils clear of trouble.
Phil McNulty, the BBC’s chief football writer at Old Trafford said, after the match, “United’s sixth successive league win continued United’s resurgence under manager Louis van Gaal and put Liverpool’s decline since they came so close to winning the Premier League into even sharper relief. Liverpool now trail third-placed United by 10 points.”
I like Phil McNulty and he always makes great observations and, as he says, this resurgence by Manchester United has just highlight how far Liverpool have fallen in 6 months. After spending a year watching David Moyes struggling at United I feel for Brendan Rogers and the situation he finds himself in. Football fans are known for being fickle and only last July he was being hailed as the clubs saviour, even a future England Manager. Now, fans are calling for his head! I would say this to Liverpool fans, what manager is currently available that would be an improvement over the man who got you to within a whisker of winning the premier league last year? I will tell you who, no one! Stick with Rogers he is the best man for you right now and this comes from a United fan!
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