Football Special Report: Facts that were highlighted by the Newcastle vs. Manchester United at Old Trafford
Manchester United completed a routine yet classy victory over the newly promoted Newcastle United. It was a match that was dominated by United in every department especially in the midfield, where Pauls Scholes ran the show and pull the strings from the midfield masterfully, but there some glaring conclusions that could have been drawn from the game.
Therefore, here are some facts that the game highlighted.
The was a huge gulf of class between the two teams that met at Old Trafford on Monday night and if Chelsea’s 6-0 drubbing of West Brom was a statement of intent from the reigning champions, United’s performance did not reveal anything about how they would fare in the season ahead. United won the match without even hitting top gear and yet it was classy.
This was Sir Alex’s best side (injuries permitting). The inclusion of Vidic, Rooney, Fletcher and Scholes (90 mins for the second week running) was a glaring testament to the fact that Sir Alex was not taking this might lightly. In fact, it was the same front six (Nani, Valencia, Rooney Berbatov, Scholes and Fletcher) that Sir Alex put out against Birmingham in the last season’s first game (where United wanted to win badly).
Such is the love for Scholsey in the country at the moment that it will not be surprising if the veteran wins the player of the year award this season. Ryan Giggs won the award last season in April having just made 12 starts for United, so why can’t Scholes?
There are so many people who see the midfield maestro as the best player in the league but is it really justified declaring somebody as the best, when he only plays half the times. Of Course if the season ends after the first game, only Scholes will easily win the award but the fact is Scholes enjoys regular rests in between the games and hardly ever plays in a four man midfield in big games against big teams.
There can be no doubt that Scholes is a true pass master in the United midfield. On Monday night, he attempted 85 passes and 76 of them were successful. If compared to Xavi, as Barcelona this very same stat will count as a bad outing for the midfielder but the fact of the matter is that it is the ambition, invention and range of Scholes’ passing that makes him the pass master.
It can be said that this year’s fixture list has been very kind to Manchester United as it has been kind to Scholsey. The truth behind the matter is that Sir Alex does not play Scholes three times a week or twice in quick succession. Last season United played Burnley in their second fixture, with Scholes on the bench and United lost that game, he returned to the line up in the next match against Wigan and United won the match 5-0. Such is the importance of Scholes to United.
United ask too much from their star left back Patrice Evra, he has averaged 55 games a season since his arrival at Old Trafford.
The fact that an out of confidence Rooney started the match and a promising yet unproven youngster is ahead of Michael Owen in the pecking order, only suggest that the end is nigh for the striker.
Although Newcastle were miserable in the match but Andy Carrol can hold his head high, as he lead the toon attack with respectability, the header he missed from a Barton corner would have gone in last season in the championship but perhaps the audacity of the occasion got to the big front man.
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