VAN PERSIE IS THE HERO OF OLD TRAFFORD
SUPER SUNDAY: United win, but Man City stay in the hunt
PREMIER LEAGUE leaders Manchester United and second-placed champions Manchester City put former English heavyweights Liverpool and Arsenal firmly in their place yesterday with United’s Robin van Persie again on song.
United sealed a needlessly nervy 2-1 home win over eighth-placed Liverpool to maintain their seven-point lead after Van Persie with a goal and Patrice Evra with two assists put rival Luis Suarez in the shade.
In contrast, the game in London was never in doubt with City winning 2-0 for their first league win at Arsenal in 38 years.
City were given a helping hand by the 10th-minute dismissal of Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny for wrestling Edin Dzeko to the ground before James Milner and Dzeko netted before the break.
Earlier at Old Trafford, even the most ardent Liverpool fans would have left Manchester United with embarrassed smiles had they snatched a draw but plenty will be asking why goalscorer Daniel Sturridge started on the bench in the defeat.
United dominated their old rivals for much of the clash.
But ex-Chelsea forward Sturridge, introduced at halftime despite having scored on his club debut in the FA Cup win over Mansfield Town last week, was straight into the action and pulled a goal back on 57 minutes after Steven Gerrard’s shot was saved.
Looking twice as lively as any other visiting player, Sturridge then had three decent chances to level as United panicked at the back before holding on in a game where they should have been home and dry.
Although his finishing was not up to scratch, Liverpool fans will be pleased to see a player with attacking intent in the box after spending the first half of the season almost entirely dependent on 15-goal Luis Suarez who was disappointing on the day.
Despite the late nerves, United boss Alex Ferguson was pleased with the display.
“It obviously doesn’t matter when you play Liverpool, it is a big game and I hope it’s an important result,” he said. “We were fantastic until their goal, which inspired them. They made a fist of it in the last half hour and it made it an engrossing game.” – Reuters
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