Manchester United Take The Honours As Rooney Notches Up His Ton

A couple of years ago Manchester City launched an advertising campaign that claimed: ‘This is Our City'. Well I got news for them, no it isn't.

Any Manchester City supporters who were thinking of their new found wealth and how they can compete on an even playing field with United can forget it. At least in the short term it wont be happening. This game just highlighted the gulf between the two teams.

Manchester United are the real thing, the finished article, Champions of England and Champions of Europe and City are "under construction" so to speak.

City were simply out played and players such as Rooney, Carrick, Da Silva and Fletcher stood out but my man of the match was Ji-Sung Park, or 'Three Lung Park' as he is affectionately known. How that guy can cover so much ground and just never give up is remarkable. It was the efforts of Ji-Sung Park that actually lead to the goal.

He was chasing around the 18 yard box for the ball, snapping at the ankles of the City players and eventually he got the ball and passed it wide to Carrick who shot across goal and Rooney fired in the rebound from Jo Hart's save. This was Rooney's 100th club goal and the game was the 150th Manchester derby.

Park never gets much praise but he is a great squad player and today his effort and work rate were second to none.

As for City's superstars Robinho and Micah Richards, did they actually play, I didn't notice.

The Ronaldo sending off will remain a mystery to me. He ran in to try and connect with Rooney's corner, he was at least 3 feet higher than any other player with a clear header on goal and he parried the ball away with his hands. Why would he do that ?

When the dust settled, though, United’s win was undeniably just.

For now, at least, United remain - in Rooney’s words - the "Kings of Manchester".

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Fergie 'v' Wenger Round 196

Fergie and Arsene Wenger are at it again. The Manchester United manager has said Arsenal are a club in disarray after William Gallas had his out burst, followed by The Arse getting kicked 3-0 by Al-City. Naturally Wenger is having none of that from Fergie, though by now I would have thought he would be used to it.

Fergie, who is preparing his side to face City this weekend, believes title rivals Arsenal are not currently in good shape and that City caught them on a good day last week.

"Maybe City got Arsenal on the right day last Saturday because there seems to be a lot of disarray in the Arsenal camp with the carry-on with one of their players," said Ferguson. But you can only do what you are supposed to do and City did that very convincingly."

Wenger has angrily rejected Ferguson's claims as he looks to get his side back in the title hunt against Chelsea on Sunday.

"I don't feel we are in disarray, I feel that Manchester City are a good side and Manchester United will maybe see that on Sunday. We had a few bad results and with the pace set by Liverpool and Chelsea, that made us drop off, but the quality is there and what happened to us can happen to them. If this team beats Chelsea after having beaten Manchester United, I believe they will go from strength to strength. You just have to believe, and I know we can beat them."

Personally, I'd rather be Fergie right now than Wenger. I fear for Arsenal going into this game and it could really bury their season. A loss for Manchester United with Chelsea and Liverpool both winning will make it hard for us too, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going as they say.....Back To Home Page...

Manchester City And Their Annual One Match Sell Out

I woke up this morning at 4am having gone to bed too early and no one was around so boredom set in and I had a quick look at the Manchester City Official Club Site. The new City badge (left) is impressive, I love the logo underneath. This City site does make me laugh and cheers me up no end. How happy are they right now, it's their once annually 'sell out', the game with Manchester United has SOLD OUT!

They have dedicated a whole page to tell the world the 47,000 tickets are now all gone, unless you want to shell out an arm and a leg to sit in the 'Council House' or 'Wastelands' (as United fans affectionately know Eastlands by) Hospitality Area.

I quote:

The Club's Box Office has confirmed that Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United at the City of Manchester Stadium has now sold out.

The only chance for those without tickets to see the eagerly awaited fixture against our near neighbours is to take advantage of the few remaining hospitality places left -

The Box Office has advised everyone attending the derby on Sunday that on the day the Club DO NOT:

• Upgrade tickets
• Duplicate tickets for home or away supporters
• Reprint Season/City/L4C/Accesscards if lost, stolen or forgotten.
• Open Box Office South
• Open Box Office post match

Hurrah for Al-City, the massive club. This is the annual 'sell-out' the only time they ever run out of tickets so we should all be impressed with them. Of course it could happen again, I know this, I'm not too naive to acknowledge it..........they might draw United in the FA Cup you see.

I wont mention the fact that Manchester United sell 76,000 tickets week in week out every season as that would seem like I am boasting. Ooooops I said it.

The Hospitality suites are a treat to saviour at Wastelands, here we see one of the waitresses having a smoke break, they have them regularly so they can run down and feed their kids and change their nappies whenever they get a minute to spare. Most work cash-in-hand and any tips will be gratefully received. It is advisable to tip them as they have been known to wrestle customers to the floor in their pursuit of suitable tipping.

It is also advisable to try the traditional 'Wastelands menu, reflecting the meals these people have been eating for years. It's quite cheap, reasonably well presented and very, very nourishing. A particular favourite being the 'Rat Kebab' served on a bed of crispy Iceburg lettuce with a selection of dips and chutneys. Chips are optional.

Watch out for those rat teeth, they can chip your own teeth and cause havoc with your bowel movements.

Once you have washed your meal down with a nice tin of Carlsberg Special Brew you are taken out and dragged off to see the game. It's a bit nerve racking as you are dragged feet first to the edge of the roof but once you are strapped into place by your beautiful hostess it gets easier to watch the match from up there. The added bonus of course is the half time entertainment. From up on high you can piss on the City fans below which is fun, fun, fun. Roll on Derby Day, I can't wait......Back To Home Page...

Manchester United Are The Kings Of Manchester

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has turned up the heat ahead of Sunday's match with Manchester City. Talking to the Manchester Evening News he threw a few taunts at Al-City just to let them know we mean business and to inform them that MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE KINGS OF MANCHESTER!

“It will be nice to show them who are the Kings of Manchester, it doesn’t irritate us that City are getting all this publicity. If they were winning trophies it would irritate me but while they are still lingering in mid-table I am not really too bothered about it. We owe the fans a derby win even though we did win two trophies last season. Losing both games was extremely disappointing. Sunday is a massive game for the players, the fans and the club especially after what has happened at City with the takeover.”

City have been the headline makers this season due to Sheikh Mansour’s dramatic takeover in August. They immediately became the richest club in the world, breaking the British transfer record and stunning world football with the £32.5m signing of Robinho.

All this jibber-jabber from Al-City fans about how much money they have and how they will buy Ronaldo, Kaka, Messi and every other half decent player on the planet makes me laugh my butt right off. When Abramobitch turned up at Chelsea we heard it all.....5 years later they have 2 titles and an FA Cup, hardly world beating stuff is it?

Money is handy to have of course, it enables you to buy plenty of good players but you need more than that. You need history and passion, a manager with the ability to pull it all together for you and most of all you need players who understand the fans and understand the club and all that has gone before them which inspires a will to win within them.......and money can't buy you that, no matter how much of it you have !!! .....Back To Home Page...

Forget The Premier League And Champions League, Patrice Wants To Go Shopping

Manchester United fullback Patrice Evra has his own reasons for wanting to beat Manchester City in the Manchester derby this Sunday and it has nothing to do with the Premier League or the Champions League. Speaking to the Daily Mail he revealed the real reason he wants to win:

"I remember when we lost against City last year I was in a petrol station and a woman took the Mickey out of me, I was a little bit angry at the time but that was fine, it was just a joke. But I hope to win on Sunday so that when I go to the petrol station this time I can go in with a big smile! It is a big game for us. We lost six points to City last year and we need to change that. We drew against Villa last Saturday and now we need to get back to winning ways."

Bless him......Back To Home Page...