Manchester City were looking to avoid losing their third game in a row. With Sir Joe Aguero fit enough to start in a lesser game again and David Silva deemed benchworthy, the game not being important enough for him to start, Wilfried Bony was chosen to sit next to Silva and keep him amused with tales of what it is like to be an expensive substitute at the richest club in the world.
The result was only ever in doubt for about fifteen minutes in the second half when Southampton scored to make it 2-1 to City and there were a few nerves in the crowd. No worries though, normal service was resumed shortly afterwards when Kolarov, who spends nearly as much time in the opposition half as Aguero, scored with a good finish from a very good move.
Prior to all this, Kevin De Bruyne had scored a tap in and Delph had managed a deflected shot to register his first for the club.
So a very wet Manuel Pellegrini would have been happy with this display. An even wetter Ronald Koeman must realise there is work to be done if Southampton are ever going to threaten the top four.
Manchester United, with their unique brand of puftile football, (see here for an explanation).
travelled to Leicester, where they contrived to throw away a 3-1 lead last season and lose 5-3.
This was the only game, in my pathetic opinion, where the overrated, overpaid and over here Angel Di Maria played reasonably well and scored a decent goal.
This time out the limelight was on Jamie Vardy and whether or not he could better Ruud van Nistelrooy’s scoring achievements. Being a slightly biased United supporter, I hoped the answer was a resounding NO!
My hope was completely ignored of course as Vardy scored from a United corner. Well, not quite, but it was a Leicester breakaway from a United corner, that resulted in the goal that leaves a former non-league player as the stand-alone record holder in the Premier League.
United did manage an equaliser before half time when WWE’s Bastian Schweinsteiger managed to wrestle his way to the ball and, unmarked, head the ball home from a corner.
The second half was memorable only because WAYNE ROONEY WAS SUBSTITUTED!
Has van Gaal finally realised what the rest of the civilised world, and some of the more obscure tribes in remote parts of Africa, have known for a long time? Will he have the temerity to drop Rooney for the next game? Or is he still of the mind that his captain, no matter how badly he plays, has to be in the team? Maybe he has finally worked out that, at the moment, including Rooney is akin to playing with ten men. Without wishing to harp on about it for any length of time he needs to make a decision here. He is stubbornly sticking to his pre-season statement that the captain enjoys special privileges, even though it is a special privilege being selected at present.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t actually make a lot of difference. Memphis Depay came on and, whilst not being as bad as Rooney, still managed to contribute nothing.
After the game van Gaal even managed to defend his captain by saying he was injured and limping slightly. Please! Just say he was below average, has been for a while and patience was finally lost, as it has been by the fans since last year at least!
A draw left City top, Leicester second and United third although that will probably change very soon as there are a couple of games to come tomorrow.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 