Bale bags hat-trick
Beyond that is the simple fact that given its geography Old Trafford should be one of the easiest Premier League stadia to secure. It is not in a residential area, it does not have tight streets around it, there are large car parks and land that can easily be cordoned off to make sure protestors can be kept at a safe distance from the stadium itself. It would cause minimal disruption to do so. Security needed to be far better.
For the Premier League it is embarrassing to have such a high-profile fixture postponed in this way although there will be little sympathy for United and, it should not be forgotten, their fellow founding member of the ESL’s ‘dirty dozen’, Liverpool. At least it was two of the guilty clubs who were affected and United should be punished by the Premier League for the postponement.
The shame belongs to United in what is the latest and most damaging security breach to affect the club which – at the very least – is guilty of complacency and a lack of sensitivity and foresight. But, then again, that is in keeping with its greedy, uncaring backing of the now defunct ESL. The club brought this upon itself.
Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick as Tottenham stayed in the Champions League qualification race with a 4-0 win over relegated Sheffield United yesterday.
Bale claimed his first treble since returning on loan from Real Madrid for this season, and Son Heung-min also netted, as Tottenham rose to fifth place – five points behind Chelsea with four games left to play.
Bale took his Premier League tally to eight goals in the last eight games, but with that must come a sense of what might have been this season.
Bale was under-used by former manager Jose Mourinho, even when he had regained peak condition. Playing with freedom in a front four with Harry Kane, Son and Dele Alli, Spurs were a constant threat and a far cry from the pragmatic style that dogged Mourinho’s era.
It may have come too late to gatecrash the top four this season, but playing like this makes them a strong bet to finish in a Europa League spot under interim manager Ryan Mason.
Bale’s treble was of a high standard, but Son may lay claim to scoring the goal of the night with 13 minutes remaining.
Son received the ball on the left from Steven Bergwijn, cut inside and sent a curling effort from 20 yards in off the far post.
In the other match yesterday, Arsenal, with goals from Mohamed Elneny and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, won 2-0 at Newcastle.