End of an Era? Man Utd will rise again

There are two types of vultures in the world of football: The media and the experts/critics, both are circling wherever Manchester United go ever since the 1-6 humiliation at the hands of the not so ‘noisy neighbours’ anymore. So as expected the media were out in full force at the Carling Cup away game vs Aldershot expecting a giant killing to add to their crisis at Manchester United reports. But sorry to disappoint, seemingly miraculously as always Manchester United are made of higher mental fibre than any of their compatriots or rivals. They brushed aside the assumed emotional trauma that might have been caused by the 1-6 game and went onto beat the league two team 0-3 and it was business as usual.

Sir Alex – Seen it all, Faced it all and conquered it all!

At a club like Manchester United you are expected to make most of what you get, in this case the rare commodity is playing time even for a man like Dimitar Berbatov, last season’s top scorer in the league and star name Michael Owen, who is credited with one of the best winning goal in a hotly contested Manchester Derby, both scored a goal each in last night’s game. Add to that the return of Tom Cleverley from injury and Antonio Valencia’s workman like efforts with one exquisite finish. United went into the game with a completely changed lineup and did what they had to do, brush aside all criticism and get into top gear before a tough weekend clash against Everton. The story in that upcoming game will give the picture of what to expect of Manchester United in the months to come. It’s not finished yet, certainly far from it.

The unsung heroes – they keep taking their rare chances and biding their time!

Most of the starting 11 in the derby game were on the receiving end of Fergie’s famous ‘Hairdryer’, most of all Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra. The senior stars because of their inability to understand the crisis after United went to 10 men and close down the game.

At United you don’t rest on laurels neither do you sit to shed a tear when you lose or are humiliated, that has always been the club’s motto.

“As you can imagine really, the usual laughs and jokes at training quietened down a little bit after Sunday and it focused our minds. Sometimes you need a kick in the teeth to get up and going again and to concentrate on the basics. It was a big kick in the teeth and we were eager to bounce back.” -Michael Owen

As is evident from Owen’s words, Manchester United just goes back into training with renewed vigour and maybe an ounce of vengeance on their minds, because the humiliation was at the hands of Manchester City this time.

Arsenal Legend Ian Wright has said -

“Roberto Mancini is about to face his toughest ever test as a manager in dealing with Sir Alex Ferguson’s mind games”

Wright feels that the Old Scot is not someone to be messed with and doesn’t take humiliation well. Whenever this has happened before, Sir Alex and his United side have gone onto win the title every time.

“But after Sunday’s unbelievable win at Old Trafford, Mancini will find himself in a position he has never experienced as the old master uses every tactic in the book, on a weekly basis, Ferguson will now look to pile the pressure on City and increase the expectation of the club’s [City's] supporters before dealing out the killer blow”

Because what City have done is historic in its own right and won’t be forgotten by either supporters, rest assured Manchester United will be prepared and ready for the reverse fixture at the Etihad on April the 28th, 2012, the day can’t come soon enough for the Red Devils and their fans.