It was just one of those weekends
I was out (for a change) on Saturday night at a dinner party, one eye on the rugby (well-done lads) and conversation flitting from Donald Trump to Malusi Gigaba, to fashionable hemp clothing.
The last thing on my mind was a huge Sunday of football.
After a few glasses of wine, I knew it was gonna be a tough one getting up, especially to a marathon of games in the company of mates who wanted to see Chelsea drop points.
And so it was, Chelsea frustrated by Everton and me punching the wall every time Blues striker Alvaro Morata found himself a yard offside.
We should have won it given the chances, but a decent performance wasn’t enough for me not to drop out of a loud lounge of robust football debate ahead of the Manchester derby blockbuster.
Of course, United fans will be distraught taking a beating by their noisy neighbours, but in all fairness, I thought a headline I read: “City brush United aside” was a bit harsh.
NO RIVALRY: Pep and Mourinho meet up at the derby. Photo: NIGEL RODDIS/EPA
City passed deep, trying to pull out Jose Mourinho’s rigid formation and scored with relative ease early on.
It was probably the best thing that could happen to United, as for the best part of the first half I thought they were comfortable and in relative control.
They were blunt in the final third, but playing a slightly more expansive game, they came alive.
A definite weak spot was the usually fairly dependable Ander Herrera. He was consistent in giving the ball away and had little effect in breaking down City’s quick moving midfield.
I wonder how different the game would have been had Paul Pogba marshalled the big circle.
In the end, City, deserved the points, but it was far from a drubbing despite what most reports are telling us.
On the flipside, it really ain’t good enough for United to go into games like this as complete second favourites.
I’m usually over the moon when they lose, but it’s got to a point now where win, lose or draw, isn’t of much significance.
Currently 12 points off the top and behind Watford and Bournemouth, the pressure is mounting and an appearance in the next edition of the Champions League looks unlikely.
ALWAYS CAUGHT OFFSIDE: Chelsea flop Alvaro Morata. Photo: PETER POWELL/EPA
Spurs kept up the chase with a hard-earned victory against Crystal Palace, Liverpool were too good for a poor Fulham and Arsenal saved themselves from another round of fan bashing by clawing a point at home.
As the City-United game finished, I switched over to see Wolves hit the bar in the 95th-minute man, a goal there would have saved my weekend!
At the other end, good to see Rafa Benitez’s Geordies get another win under their belt, taking them up to 14th, but it’s super tight with just four points separating the bottom seven.
We go into ANOTHER international break this weekend, but a big one the following Saturday, as Spurs host Chelsea at Wembley.
Always a cracker!