Teams bring back ‘old legs’ as war rages in bottom half

The FA cup fixtures took up the last weekend while the league fixtures took a backseat.

There were no major upsets in those encounters. The major game of that weekend was the Manchester derby where United beat a 10-man City 3-2.

The ‘citizens’ thus found themselves out of the Cup, even though they were the defending champions; the win gave United some semblance of pride since they executed it at Etihad Stadium, City’s lair.

The Red Devils had gone to the match haunted by a string of losses in the league after falling 3-2 to the lowly Blackburn, whom they beat 7-0 last season.

The defeat was made even more bitter by the fact that Blackburn humiliated them at Old Trafford. The only consolation was that all the contenders had faced the same fate.

Chelsea was whipped 3-0, Arsenal were stunned by Fulham at the Craven Cottage towards the end of the match while the leaders, Manchester City, were hit 1-0 right at the end of the duel at Sunderland.

These losses at least cushioned the Red Devils from losing ground. When they travelled to Newcastle, the Magpies made mincemeat of them and they must have left the north smarting from the chastisement meted out to them.

Outplayed and seemingly out of form and lacking any ideas to change their fortunes, they lost 3-0.

With the loss though, United realised how bad their midfield was and Sir Alex Ferguson had to open his skeleton closet and conjure out the Methuselah, Paul Scholes, who had already hung his boots, for the City match.

The Scot’s bet paid off as Scholes stemmed the tide of attacks to their goal, making their win possible over at the Blue side of Manchester.

Bringing ‘elderly’ footballers back

It was with a collective sigh that United fans saluted the referee’s whistle to end the match. Indeed, bringing the ‘elderly’ footballers back in the team is in vogue as Thierry Henry was also instrumental in saving the Gunners from the jaws of a draw at home against Leeds when he scored the only goal of the drab encounter at the Emirates on Monday.

Rumours abound of other old legs that are training again to help shore up the teams in this interesting league season.

On Saturday, United rumble with Bolton, whose current form requires prayers. After the Blackburn scar, it is not easy to apply the term ‘lowly’ to any team.

Those shameless United enthusiasts who treat the match as a fait accompli may find this Saturday sour.

Most of those who watch the EPL mainly concentrate on the top half of the table. They do this ignoring the battle raging in the bottom half.

The greatest war this season is in the bottom half where no team remains last for a weekend before they topple those above them.

The point margins are much closer than in the top half. This fact has made the lower teams very competitive and their wrath is seen only when they beat a ‘big’ foe.

The Red Devils must win: A loss or a draw could let Spurs take second place and relegate United to third.

mojuang@yahoo.co.uk