The week that was: European Adventure

3. Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Manchester United:

Hmm.. What would Zaha be upto back home??

United were coming off a wretched few weeks in the league – 3 defeats in the last 4 matches, including the massively humiliating capitulation at the hands of their “Noisy Neighbours”.

A sojourn then to Donetsk, Ukraine would in this scenario almost seem a God send. Battling severe criticism at home over his handling of the squad, Moyes seemed to have been dealt an even crueler hand as Rooney was injured in the training-the only player to show some kind of fight in recent weeks-and the only player to actively and publicly want to move away from the club over the summer (go figure). Kagawa was still relegated to the bench.

Things started well enough for them, as Fellaini deployed in a position far closer to RvP (who was laughably impotent upfront) United took the lead after taking some battering early on. However any optimism that taking the lead would sp*r (“spur”, sorry, just habitual) them on was completely misplaced as United just kept retreating deeper and deeper and deeper. Any deeper and they would have probably entered neighboring Russian.

Shakhtar managed to restore parity as Taison finally got just reward for his performance. Despite Shakhtar having lost a number of their talismanic players over the last few years (Willian, Mkhitaryan, Fernandinho etc) their play was exquisite and they must be kicking themselves for not taking the full 3 points.

For United, Moyes will take what he gets at the moment and he can use this result to bed in (pun intended) his only new signing and hope to build some of the elusive momentum.

While we wonder, what the inner child of the grey haired one’s is making of this. Hmm…

Highlights