Neighbours Did United Some Favour

United's Wembley weekend got off to the perfect start when elsewhere in London, title rivals Chelsea were thrashed 4-2 on their home turf.

With the Reds involved in Sunday's Carling Cup final, Carlo Ancelotti's side had a chance to go four points clear in the Barclays Premier League. But despite opening the scoring against Manchester City, Chelsea suffered their first home league defeat of the season and finished with nine men following red cards for Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack.

With City defending doggedly, it took Chelsea until the 42nd minute to draw first blood through Frank Lampard. However, the lead lasted only until first-half injury time when former United striker Carlos Tevez grabbed an equaliser.

Craig Bellamy scored at both ends of the second period and Tevez completed his own double when he slotted home a penalty following Belletti's foul on Gareth Barry. Lampard's second goal in injury time, also a spot-kick, merely reduced the arrears from an embarrassing 4-1 scoreline to a still quite shameful 4-2.

The away fans sang "There's only one Wayne Bridge" in celebration and in support of City's left-back, who declined to shake the hand of former team-mate John Terry before kick-off following the recent, much-publicised dramas off the field.

Chelsea's loss leaves them one point ahead of United after the same number of games.

Lou Macari's(pic) Wembley preview (From www.manutd.com)

I expect Sir Alex Ferguson to field his strongest team on Sunday. There’s a trophy at stake, so let’s forget the future games for now - the important one is the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa.

Sir Alex wants to win everything. I imagine he wants to win all the quizzes, games and competitions he takes part in when United are on the road! That’s just the way he is and he won’t allow his players to go out at Wembley and not have the same attitude.

At the moment, everything Wayne Rooney touches is ending up in the back of the net, and long may that continue. But he can’t win the game on his own – we’ll need everyone out there playing well. The good thing is that, certainly in the last couple of months, we seem to have clicked into gear.

For me, the turning point this season was the Carling Cup game against City at Eastlands. Although we lost, we played well on the night, and were brilliant in the second leg at Old Trafford – and in several games since then.

The draw at Villa Park was a good result following Nani's dismissal, and the only blip was last weekend’s defeat to Everton, although we quickly got back on track by beating West Ham. We’re in good form, playing with a great deal of confidence and looking likely to win something this season.

Meanwhile Aston Villa have had a good unbeaten run and there is no doubting their capabilities. They are well organised and disciplined, and you can bank on having a tough time against any team managed by Martin O’Neill.

Sunday’s final represents a big opportunity for Villa. You only need to look at the fans' reaction in the semi-final, when they spilled onto the pitch after they beat Blackburn. It was incredible.

I don’t necessarily agree with Arsene Wenger’s assessment of Villa as a long-ball side, because I think they are capable of playing good football. But goalscoring has been a problem for them. They have Gabriel Agbonlahor, John Carew, Emile Heskey and Ashley Young, all good attacking players but I wouldn’t say any of them were prolific goalscorers.

Young’s strength is his running power – he takes players on, gets to the byline and crosses the ball into box. But I’ve often seen him miss what I would call easy chances. Carew is cool in and around the box, good in the air and scored a couple from the penalty spot against Crystal Palace in midweek. But he’s been in and out of the side and I don’t think he has the mobility now to cause defences a great deal of problems. I don’t expect Carew to start on Sunday - I tend to think Martin O’Neill will play one up front in Agbonlahor.

With goals hard to come by, you can understand why O’Neill’s tactics are a bit cautious. When we went to Villa Park earlier this month and were down to 10 men for so long, you’d have expected them to come charging forward in search of a winner, but they didn’t. Once you get into a routine of playing in a certain way, it’s difficult to change. That’s why much of Villa’s success is based on a solid defence. Richard Dunne, in particular, has been excellent since joining from Manchester City.

As with most Wembley finals, it’ll be a case of who performs better on the day, and which team gets the breaks. So while we’ll start as favourites, Villa have a big chance of winning the cup, make no mistake. Our lads have been to finals time and time again, but other clubs like Villa are determined to make the most of these one-off occasions.

Title race takes more twists

Sir Alex Ferguson and Martin O'Neill walked off Villa Park with glasses half-empty - only to reach the dressing room and find this most unpredictable of Premier League seasons offering them a refreshing refill.
Ferguson will have felt Manchester United's superiority, even with 10 men after Nani's deserved red card, made the draw against Aston Villa an opportunity missed. Chelsea's defeat at Everton may just have transformed this into a point gained.
O'Neill will have suffered the same emotions about Villa's top four aspirations following the failure to take advantage of United in reduced circumstances until he was cheered by defeats for Liverpool and Tottenham.
Throw in Arsenal's mini-revival with that win against Liverpool at the Emirates and it was confirmation that the only thing that can be relied upon in the Premier League this season is its unreliability. Drawing quick conclusions is a dangerous occupation.
If there is something you can put a hefty stake on it is the form of Wayne Rooney - and he was almost the complete player at Villa Park. Almost, only because a late save from Brad Friedel denied him the goal that would have crowned a masterclass.
Rooney is always prepared to do the work of at least two men. And so it proved as he took it upon himself to make up for the loss of Nani, sent off for a lunge at Stilyan Petrov that was more plain daft than malicious.
I asked O'Neill what he most admired about United's display on a night when they showed ominous control after suffering the numerical disadvantage. After pointing out that "admired" was not the word he would choose to describe what he actually experienced, he delivered a heartfelt eulogy to Rooney.
No introductions or names were needed as he said: "The centre-forward they possess is one of the best players in the world. His ability to control a ball under pressure is terrific and his ability is sensational."
O'Neill then highlighted one incident that encapsulated the essence of Rooney, the current desire allied to discipline that make his absence unthinkable for both Manchester United and England.
With the game entering its crucial closing phase, Rooney left his attacking post and raced back into the left-back position to challenge and win a tackle with Ashley Young in a moment that had even the Villa fans showing their appreciation.
"He's made the challenge like a full-back," enthused O'Neill. "He wasn't going to be beaten, and all that happened with about eight minutes to go. I've got a lot of players at this club who can definitely play this game, but that was as good an example as anything you will see."
United's menacing pursuit of Chelsea is helped by Ferguson, who ignored the natural caution many would exercise after losing a player by throwing on extra attacking resources in the shape of Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov in an attempt to claim the victory.
Ferguson will hope the point has not come at too much cost. Nani's ban rules him out of the Carling Cup final, but of even more concern was the sight of Ryan Giggs leaving Villa Park for an X-ray on an arm injury.
Villa barely laid a glove on United after Nani was sent off, although the debilitating effect of the Portuguese winger's tackle on Petrov robbed the home side of much-needed creativity. Rich promise was offered, however, in the shape of Fabian Delph as he excelled before tiring around the hour mark. And four points from United this season is a more than respectable return.
Few could have predicted Chelsea's loss at Goodison Park, given their show of strength against Arsenal at the weekend and Everton's lame effort at Liverpool - but this is a season of surprises, and the Premier League is all the better for that.
Chelsea have looked formidable for large portions of the season, but they will feel United's breath on their neck as the season enters its final lap. Ferguson, however, must pray no misfortune befalls Rooney because it becomes clearer with every passing week that he is pivotal to their hopes of becoming champions for the fourth successive year.
Arsene Wenger's elated, animated reaction at the conclusion of their win against Liverpool suggested he believes what many regarded as some form of Premier League third-place play-off has rejuvenated their own challenge.
Wenger was desperate for three points to reassert Arsenal's authority after morale-sapping defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea - although whether it represents anything more than a brief false dawn remains to be seen. The eternal optimist in Arsenal's manager will demand otherwise.
For Liverpool, elation against Everton was replaced by frustration. Suddenly, Rafael Benitez's "guarantee" of fourth place is under scrutiny once more. If it was ultimately a good night, of sorts, for Villa, it was an even better one for Manchester City.
The Premier League's eccentricity this season has been frowned upon by those who believe it betrays a lack of quality and consistency. There is merit in this theory, but the twists and turns more than make up for those accusations.
Take a trip up and down the table and excitement is everywhere - with West Ham's win against Birmingham ratcheting up the pressure on their closest contenders in the fight against relegation.
It is a drama with several acts still to be played out - but on the evidence produced at Villa Park on Wednesday, Rooney is now emerging as the central character.

The Reign of Wayne (By Robbo Robson)

OK, Mancs - and you citizens of Cornwall and Kuala Lumpur - I concede. It was the best game of the season. And the 4-3 wasn't bad either, to be fair.

I don't know whether to be hacked off that United have reached another final, or quietly pleased that the newly-minted Man City have been denied.

Mancini has been a civilised sort since arriving. I'm mildly diverted by his appearance. How long does it take him to look like that?

The hair is an identikit from a photo in a crusty old barber's shop window. The eyebrows look a little tidy too. Me, I've got stragglers weaving their way like vermicelli in all directions and he's probably about my age, so has he been on the tweezers?

The scarf has been a master-stroke. How long before Liam's clobber label start flogging something similar? And his team have shown a bit of devil about them too.

Kompany - and surely he should be wearing the number two shirt - was excellent throughout. They don't seem to be missing the headless chicken that can be Kolo Toure, or indeed Lescott.
And of course young Carlos had to bag a goal - though who would have thought he would've flicked one in with what looked like a Paul Scholes-style tackle?

The TevNev fracas seemed to have calmed down, but then young Gary has been concentrating on getting his plans for a flower-shaped eco-house passed. You do sometimes wonder whether Nev might reduce a fair bit of global warming just by keeping his trap shut, bless him.

There's more to come from City. If they've missed anyone it's a fit-and-firing Stephen Ireland. They lack a player who's going to get beyond the front men from midfield. A Lampard if you will. All right, if you're going to get beyond Bellamy, a Lampard with winged heels.

But United looked way better on Wednesday night... I think my prediction that they'll win nowt this season has really spurred them on, dammit.

Rooney's form is pretty magnificent at the moment. He can even cartwheel and run backwards like a bearded Beth Tweddle, and he's got Alan Hansen purring away with yards of alliteration (touch, technique, talent; power, pace, penetration... you've got to love Al).

Then there's the 'White Pele' banner. Now Wayne's good but his only qualification for that moniker is the 'white' bit. (And even then I'd go for Pasty Pele). And I doubt Pele's grasp of Anglo-Saxon is quite as relentless and repetitive.

Nani, of course, has a similar nickname with one letter difference in the word 'white'. It all adds up to one thing - Rooney's metatarsals are looking about as flimsy as toothpicks - at least in my imagination. (I'm sure the correct term for them is Wazza's mezzas). As far as the World Cup's concerned there's nowt much else in the locker if he doesn't make it and Fergie's hardly letting him put his feet up. What's that phrase? It's always Wayne in Manchester?

Trouble is there's not a lot of spare on United's bench either. Owen is like a fleeting shadow of that boy who terrorized Argentina. Berbatov is a flat soufflé most of the time, and Kiki Macheda (wasn't Kiki the frog in Hector's House?) hasn't had his pineapple mop on the pitch for long enough to make any impact.

So it looks like England fans will have to just grin and bear it.

At least Rio's back. He makes Evans look a better player, Ferdinand, although I think if there's anyone I'd least like to watch celebrating a goal, it's him. He's like a 12-year-old trying to pogo after too many sugary drinks. Every time I see it I imagine him flicking the Vs at you out of the back of the school bus.

So a Villa-United final... Me, I'll go for Villa on the basis that I've said the Reds will win nothing. Plus it'll be nice to see O'Neill springing about like a little Ulster lamb. I'm not applying any logic here, mind. If I was , I'd pick United.

Just as I'd pick Federer to win the Aussie Open. But then I had a sly bet with Tony Thompson in the Bell after his first round wobble that Rog'd never win another major. Then he goes and mullers everyone in sight. Robson! Gob! Shut!

Still Murray has been entertaining, not to mention that rare quality amongst British tennis players, clinical. Plus he celebrates like some sort of anti-Henman. The open-throated holler, where his mouth started to morph like that bloke's in American Werewolf in London, was particularly special.

In the meantime we can all spare a thought for Crystal Palace fans. I've always had a soft-spot for Palace since the days of the Team of the Eighties - so long ago now they're probably the Team In Their Eighties.

The chairman must take a lot of the blame and given the man looks like third prize winner in a Duran Duran looky-likey competition it's always been hard to take Simon Jordan seriously. The rather orange complexion - as regular readers will know - always fills me with suspicion. Plus, as a football fan I like the day's highlights to be on the pitch, not in the chairman's barnet.

It's not surprising that Warnock is exasperated. Twenty first place and losing the lad Moses is hardly what he or his players deserve. It's just a shame they've been hit with this mid-season, rather than at the beginning of next, say.

The only upside is that it means Boro continue to climb the table. Which I couldn't resist, but to be honest it's not that funny.