WELL THIS WAS A GOOD START

 

(Image taken from Manutd.com)

 

So here it is, it's back. The Premiership has now officially started, with United competing in ourour 32nd top flight campaign in a row. And this year we have a title to defend. So the days of dullsville are over and its back to getting the United shirt washed on a regular basis. And seeing if any freaky stuff happens early season. It always takes a few weeks for the season to settle down at all but in the meantime, getting points on the board still has its uses.

First side we had to deal with? Reading, not a side that anyone expected much out of last season when they arrived in the top flight for the first time. The Old Trafford match turned out to be a headache of a match but at least it was a win. Which is better the the point taken off us at the Madjeski Stadium. After the sort of top flight debut season they had, I'm surprised it was Blackburn who tried their hand at the Intertoto rather than Steve Coppell's men!

Still, Reading weren't starting this season in the best of shape and while they could be expected to give us a match at Old Trafford, the game looked to be nothing more than a solid tester to open up resulting in a straightforward three points anyway. Lineup wise, due to lack of match fitness there was still little sign of the new boys. Silvestre at left back, Carrick and Scholes in centre mid with Evra left mid. Time to get down to business.

Well Reading had the first attack but in wasn't long before United started to attack and after that Reading chances looked hard to come by. We still had to get the ball in the Reading net though and their defence and goalie clearly had other ideas. We admittedly didn't look quite to have the sort of spark required and though I was dead cert that Wayne had hit the net late on in the half, not only was the match still goalless, but the assasin left the field at half time and he'll be out of action for the next two months!

There is no great wisdom in not having a recognisable striker to call on. However United looked to make lemonade out of the situation and soon went back on the attack. Reading's idea was clearly to go all-out defence on this occassion and credit where credit's due it certainly worked though their only attempt to force the pace up front ended in disaster when substitute Dave Kitson was sent off. We have had worse starts to the season, but even if we press Carlos Tevez into quick service, things don't look good right now!

Elsewhere, Sunderland beat Spurs 1-0 at the Stadium of Light, Middlesborough got beat 2-1 by Blackburn at the Riverside, Bolton got beat 3-1 by Newcastle at the Reebok Stadium, West Ham got beat 2-0 by Man City at Upton Park, Derby drew 2-2 with Portsmouth at Pride Park, Villa got beat 2-1 by Liverpool at Villa Park, Everton beat Wigan 2-1 at Goodison Park, Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium and Chelsea beat Birmingham 3-2 at Stamford Bridge. That's leaves United starting in joint 11th place, two points behind Blackburn and garunteed European football and just one point above Spurs and the relegation spots.

North of the border and Aberdeen faced Hearts in the SPL at Pittodrie. Barry Nicholson opened the Dons' 07/08 SPL account in what looked like a promising start only for Michael Stewart to equalise for Hearts just before half time. The second half opened up pretty quietly and it was Hearts that eventually got their act together late on but they weren't able to take three points south. Neither could the Dons though, both sides settling for their first point of the season.

Elsewhere, St Mirren lost 2-0 to Rangers at Ibrox. This leaves the Dons in joint 8th place in the SPL(the tie now reduced to a two-way) but still two points behind 6th placed Falkirk(beat by Celtic 4-1 at Falkirk Park while Kilmarnock beat Dundee United 2-1 at Rugby Park) and the top half of the table while only one point ahead of Gretna(beat 4-2 by Hibs at Easter Road), the bottom of the table and relegation. The Reds need to step up a gear.

Click here to visit the football archive

Comments get emailed here

Click here to return to sports homepage

Click here to return to Matt G's homepage