Thursday February 19, 2009 10:54

Man Utd Go 5 Points Clear In English Premiership

Posted by The Soccer Blogger as English Premiership

It looks like the race for the Premiership has suddenly become a one horse race following last night’s win by Man Utd against Fulham at Old Trafford. This was Utd’s game in hand that had been hanging over the rest of the Premiership and it almot had a sense of inevitability about it, that they should indeed secure the 3 points and go 5 clear of Liverpool, their closest rivals in ever sense this season.

At best I think the title race is a one and a half horse one. Liverpool will have to complete the double over Utd in the League when they travel to Old Trafford next month, to have any chance whatsoever of claiming their 19th league title and deny Utd their 18th. They are capable of doing so, even when you consider Utd’s current form, all good things have to come to an end and stranger things have happened in football.

Having said that, even with a famous win at Old Trafford, I still don’t see Liverpool overcoming another 3 points. Utd simply will not drop that many points between now and the end of the season. If they did Liverpool would still have to get to the end of the season without dropping a point. I don’t see that happening, even if Torres and Gerrard suddenly start firing on all cylinders.

No disrespect to Villa fans when saying the title race is now, at best, a one and a half horse race. With the best will in the world even the most ardent Villan would surely consider it too far fetched to believe they could win the title. Don’t get me wrong, it is absolutely fantastic to see another team, one from outside the perceived “big four” make in into those coveted Champions League spots. Martin O’Neill has and is doing an absolutely fantastic job at Villa and I hope they can maintain their current form and remain in the top four come the end of the season.

As for the London contenders of Arsenal and Chelsea, I think we can all agree that there is absolutely no chance that either of them has the slightest chance to of even pushing Utd in the title race this season. For those of you who don’t want to see Utd win it again, you will have to cheer Liverpool on at Olf Trafford and in the coming months plus couple that with a dramatic and and unlikely loss of form from Utd. Anyone see all that happening? No, no-one? Thought not!

Oh, by the way, Martin O’Neill, my bet (and has been for a long long time) to be the next Utd manager once Ferguson finally decides to ride off into the sunset. Or perhaps moves upstairs into some sort of Over Lord position. Although can you imagine being the next manager knowing that he was looming over you all the time?

So enough of all that. As I said above, the win meant Manchester United moved five points clear in the Premier League. Paul Scholes opened the scoring with his 97th Premier League goal. Berbatov’s 12th goal of the season made it two and substitute Wayne Rooney completed the win with his first touch after a seven-match absence through injury.

Edwin van der Saar Manchester Utd goalkeeper

The 3-0 victory at Old Trafford now means it is an amazing 1,302 minutes and over 14 games since Edwin van der Sar conceded a goal in the Premiership. Should Van der Sar can keep another against Blackburn, or at least last 89 minutes at Old Trafford on Saturday, he will eclipse the European record of set by Dany Verlinden of Cube Brugge. Verlinden went 1,390 minutes without conceding a goal back in 1990.

To recap the title race position, United now have 59 points to Liverpool’s 54, third-placed Aston Villa’s 51 and Chelsea are on 49 after 25 matches, 13 to go.Â That’s a maximum of 39 points still to play for.

Cheers

Rik

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