UNITED WIN IN CARLING CUP, STILL STRONG IN PREMIERSHIP

 

(Image taken from Manutd.com)

Well, last time out we won the Carling Cup and that run started in the 3rd round when we faced Middlesborough in what was then an all-Premiership tie at Old Trafford. Fergie's side easilly took care of business to the tune of 3-1 and we were on our way. The Premiership campaign wasn't letting up though, we were in the title picture from early on with Chelsea as the early leaders. However we were on a solid run of form ourselves and certainly had the Blues in our sights though I certainly wasn't willing to count chickens on that front. Four titles in a row would take some doing and the Scousers in particular still looked off the boil, anything could still happen.

First up though was that Carling Cup tie against Wolves at Old Trafford. It wasn't the smoothest performance from United early on but then again, these were our reserves. However going down to ten men midway through the first half certainly messed up Fergie's plans. It didn't seem to affect our play though, particularly in the second half and after Wellbeck hit the net after a very nice move, Wolves were unable to find an equaliser and we could have made it two before the final whistle. Overall a pretty smooth result from a second string side that proves our strength in depth and suggests that we could well go on another run in the competition this season.

Elsewhere, the mugs of the round were Burnley, who were beaten 3-2 by Championship Barnsley at Oakwell. Burnley opened the scoring but the underdogs had already turned the tables by half time and though the Premiership side equalised, the home team were still able to hit a late winner. There were also various other all-Premiershp ties, with Sunderland beating Birmingham 2-0 at the Stadium of Light, Bolton beating West Ham 3-1 at the Reebok Stadium, Hull beaten 4-0 by Everton at the Kingston Communications Stadium and City beat Fulham 2-1 at the City of Manchester Stadium. Sixteen teams left, 13 of them being Premiership sides.

Next up, we find ourselves facing Championship Barnsley at Oakwell. Now had this been an FA Cup tie, my prediction would have been relativly easy but this is a team that has already beaten a side that mugged us in the Premiership and we'll only be bringing our reserves. However, there is the slight whiff of a fluke with the Burnley result. Barnsley are currently in the Championship relegation battle and so could well be relatively easy. And yet it wouldn't be the first time we've been mugged by these sort of teams in the Carling Cup. Overall I'll give the Reds the benefit of the doubt but will be careful not to count chickens on this occasion.

After that though, United had to get back on the Premiership trail. First up, we beat Stoke 2-0 at the Britannnia Stadium. It wasn't our smoothest performance of all time but with two second half goals in actually meant we were top of the Premiership for the first time this season. Then however, we were only able to draw 2-2 with Sunderland at Old Trafford and that performance was seriously ugly, we were very nearly headed for a first home defeat of the season. In the end we found ourselves 2nd in the Premiership and on course for the Champions League. We're two points behind leaders Chelsea and three points ahead of City and a detour thought the Champions League preliminaries.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced SD1 side Dundee at Dens Park in the CIS Cup 3rd round. Things didn't go to plan for the Dons though in a messy first half that ended with the home side having taken the lead through Eddie Malone. The Dons were then whacked early in the second half by Craig Forsyth. That woke Mark McGhee's men up and Michael Paton got his first goals of the season to bring the Reds back into the tie. However, the Reds were unable to complete the turnaround but at least they'd managed to buy themselves extra time. Thirty more minutes for an SPL side to beat an SD1 side, surely they couldn't mess this one up.

Well the Dons fans certainly expected their side to do the business in extra time. However though the Dons spent the bulk of the first half on the attack, it only took one goalkeeping blunder to allow Dundee's Leigh Griffiths to hit the net. Dundee then went on to have the better of the second period of extra time and in the end, the Dons never looked like finding another equaliser and the home side were able to cruise to the final whistle. A gutting performance from the Dons that has drawn critiscism from former players, aimed not at McGhee but the current squad. The Dons lethargy in the domestic cups continues to frustrate everyone.

After that though, the Reds had to get back to SPL business. First up was an amazing 0-0 draw with Rangers at Ibrox. OK, so "amazing 0-0 draw" is an oxymoron but the fact is that after the Cup disaster, the Dons were able to hold off an Old Firm side away from home. Then came a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock with the first half proving goalles then Killie hit what appeared to be a late winner before the Dons found an equaliser. That still means that the Dons fall to 6th in the SPL. They lie two points behind Dundee United and a Europa League spot but still two points ahead of St Mirren and the bottom half of the table. Hopefully this slump won't last too long.

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