Forthcoming Fixtures

With Gavins laptop still out of action its down to me to bring you the match report. So with Gavin twittering away  in the tranquility of the  directors box alongside Mario Balotelli, I was in the Main stand with the United stalwarts and in particular an odd couple(OC) sat directly behind me, a girl of about 24 and an old man in his eighties who both for a full 90 minutes gave out a constant torrent of abuse about City, their fans , the players, we were all Dirty Berties and sewer rats and so on (Yawn).

It was to be a disappointing night and a below-par display by the EDS side.

United began brightly with Oliver Norwood setting up openings for Obertan and Joshua King, only for Loris Karius to make two vital blocks.

Bebe had a decent crack at goal that flew wide from a King pull-back. United were relying on the pace of their front three, King, Obertan and Bebe and just when it looked as though City had adapted to the threat Obertan lashed home a  low drive from Petrucci's  pass after build-up play by Reece Brown and Joe Dudgeon.

Within seconds though City were level Jeremy Helan burst down the left cut into the box and crossed for  Abdisalam Ibrahim to convert as three others queued up to provide a finish.

United introduced Anderson after the break and the Brazilian's appearance was to have an effect on the game,

Connor Devlin, who was once on trial at City and had come on for the injured Amos, was forced to make good stops first clawing away a delected Guidetti shot and then watching as  Shaleum Logan's long-range effort clipped the bar.The woodwork was struck again when Mancini's curler hit an upright and bounced off the back of the grounded Devlin but the Reds survived the scare.In between this action Obertan headed onto the foot of the post from a King cross.

On 57 minutes City were forced to make a change, with Freddie Veseli going off with a hamstring injury, so they re shuffled at the back with Scott Kay dropping back and Harry Bunn coming on in a more forward role

With 19 minutes left, Anderson burst through to exchange passes with Obertan and  finish with his right foot.

At this point Mario left and so did a number of other City fans, much to the amusement of the OC, who came out with the witty quip 'The Berties are going back home to Stockport'.

The same player repeated the feat eight minutes later by playing another one-two with Obertan and his left-footed shot deflected off Ibrahim's challenge and beat Karius to seal the points.

City should have pulled one back when John Guidetti ,who was having another poor game and appears to have put weight on skied a chance from close range out of the ground after Helan had put it on a plate for him..

The final word goes to the OC, with minutes left, one of Alrinchams finest educated youngsters sits next to them, only to be interrogated was he Red or Blue, so when he asked them who scored United's first goal, did they know, you got it 'no', the board goes up with Fergie time and up they get and leave, off to SK13 (oh the irony).

Teams:

Manchester United:

Amos (Devlin 24), Vermijl (Anderson 46), Dudgeeon, R Brown, Wootton, Gill, Bebe, Norwood, King, Petrucci, Obertan (Rudge 85)

Subs:

Rothwell

Manchester City:

Karius, Logan, Chantler, Kay, Wabara, Veseli (Bunn 57),Poole, Ibrahim, Guidetti, Mancini, Helan

Subs:

Johansen(GK), Meppen-Walter, Facey

Attendance: 855