Manchester United’s unlikely one-match winning streak and hard-to-please fans
Considering they’d just gone nine games without a win, assorted Manchester United fans carping about the manner of their team’s Bigger Cup win over Roma on shouty radio phone-ins on Tuesday night struck Football Daily as the type who’d complain about a firefighter refusing to wipe their boots at the front door before rescuing them from a burning house. Yes, it’s true that United played appallingly in the first half and were lucky to be only 2-0 down. And yes, the penalty was somewhat fortuitous against a knack-ravaged Serie A side who have form in coughing up two-goal leads in the competition. However, when your once mighty side has spent the opening months of the season looking more like a broken washing machine full of spanners falling down an escalator than an elite football team, complaining about the artistic merit of a highly unlikely comeback win seems unnecessarily churlish, even if Matheus Cunha’s celebration of the winner was a little over the top.Roma managed to capitulate to Manchester United while being 2-0 up. Even Man Utd haven’t managed to do that too many times but I wouldn’t describe their second half performance as ‘a comeback for the ages’. Their opponents just didn’t turn up” – Nigel Sanders.These suggestions of paper and velcro shirts seem overly complicated. (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). If teams would just commit to using body paint instead of clothing, the foul becomes impossible to commit unless a defender is possessed of both long fingernails and a cavalier disregard for the health of their opponent. Also, no more tedious yellow cards for removing the shirt after a goal. Win win” – Ben Mimmack.Poor Nuno can take comfort that he’s in a long list of managers seen off by a poor result against West Brom since 2010, including Chris Hughton twice and five others. If you add Roberto di Matteo (he clung on for one more game) and spoiling Alex Ferguson’s leaving do with a 5-5 draw we were responsible for nine dismissals in seven years between 2010 and 2017. I think that’s pretty impressive. We’ve been quiet since then but perhaps we’re going for another run – championship managers beware” – Tom Levesley. Continue reading...
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