BRUMMIES BITE THE DUST

 

(Image taken from Manutd Pics)

 

Birmingham are gaffered by Steve Bruce, captain of United's 1994 Double winning side, and they're not only in Premiership trouble, they just got deep fried by the Scousers in the FA Cup, on their own turf. Yeah OK...Brucey's crew did better than United in the Cup, but that doesn't help them out of relegation trouble. On the other hand, in theory they have the players to get themselves out of trouble, guys like Emile Heskey and ex-Brentford assassin DJ Campbell(seems like only yesterday that I saw DJ in action at Griffin Park) but they're next stop was Old Trafford and United...well we've still got a title to get.

Things certainly didn't start well for the Brummies when United got a freekick in the 3rd minute which Giggsy fired in and it came off goalie Maik Taylor's head. Brum tried to respond and DJ had a half decent shot at Van de Saar's goal(despite Brucey playing him on the wing) but United were surely going to make it two before long and Giggsy got his second after a 1-2 with Rooney. Before the half was out, the Welsh legend should have had a hat-trick and Rooney should have hit the net himself - Birmingham certainly never looked like getting back into the match.

Well things went off the boil for a bit in the second half for United and Birmingham tried to turn up the heat. Brucey's crew camped themselves out in the United half for a bit but Emile Heskey's penalty appeal didn't get anywhere and neither did DJ who got soaked up by Gary Neville. United picked up a third goal in the 83rd minute when he picked up a Ronaldo pass and the Sky commentator nonchalently said "here's Rooney...he can run...he'll score for Manchester United...3-0". Good enough for us and Brucey had to consider it good enough for him as well.

Elsewhere, Chelsea beat Man City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge while Liverpool beat Everton 3-1 at Anfield(in a match including an own goal from Phil Neville of all people). This keeps United in second, twelve point behind Chelsea with a game in hand and two points ahead of the Anfield crew with two games in hand.

Going down a level, Reading of all sides are going to be playing in the Premiership next season. Their last win may have been on 4th March(3-0 against Burnley at Turf Moor) but the three draws they have got since then and their amazing record over the season as a whole has gotten them top-flight football for the first time in their history.

North of the border, Aberdeen slipped back down to seventh in the Scottish Premiership despite Steve Lovell putting them 2-0 up early on at Pittodrie against Motherwell. Unfortunately Brian McLean and Richie Foran had other ideas, the Motherwell men scoring early on in the second half to deny the Dons the win in a fashion that has to be considered two points lost to a fellow midtable side.

Elsewhere, Hearts, despite the chaos, beat Falkirk 2-1 at the Falkirk Stadium while Celtic beat Livingston 2-0 at the Almondvale Stadium to keep the Celts seventeen points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Back to Europe midweek.

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