By Alan Duffy

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool Premier League 11th February 2012

The Evra/Suarez circus which preceeded the game before, once again, polluting the proceedings throughout the 90 minutes and beyond, has already been well covered by Pies, so I'll focus on the football.

szólj hozzá: Man Utd v Liverpool 2:1 GOALS

The scoreline does not reflect how good Man Utd were or the dire Liverpool performance especially in the second half. That was on the pitch as the rest of the world tuned into the Luis Suarez vs Patrice Evra telenovela.

The Manchester side came to play football while the Reds came to do, well, whatever Luis Suarez wanted to do.

Manchester United vs Liverpool 2-1 Highlights 2012 Video Rooney Goals February 11 Suarez is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Manchester United vs Liverpool 2-1 Highlights 2012 Video Rooney Goals February 11 Suarez is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Manchester United vs Liverpool 2012 ( Man Utd Liverpool Video below) Final score and result:- Manchester United vs Liverpool 2-1 ( Rooney*2/ Suarez) Old Trafford, Manchester- 11 February, 2012- Saturday- 12.

De Gea, Rafael, Evans, Rio, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney and Welbeck.

"Confirmed Line-Up: United vs Liverpool" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia.

By Chris Wright

"There's contact...juuuuust...hold on...wait a second...there."

Ne'er does a week go by without some dime-a-dozen pundit rolling it out. That sodding word. 'Contact'. A word which is quickly becoming the bane of my very existence.

Dimitar Berbatov, who was last season's top scorer in the Premier League, is disappointed with how few games he's played this season, but claims he won't be speaking the media about his current situation.

He has scored 7 goals in 10 league appearances this season but has spent most of the season as fourth choice behind Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

What do you think of United's result against Chelsea last night, was it a fair one? Andres Villas-Boas does not. In fact, it would have been a famous victory for him had it not been for Howard Webb awarding the Red Devils two penalties that changed the face of the game.

VIllas-Boas who believes United's second penalty should have never been awarded, claimed that Webb seemed to be making up for decisions he made against United in the First half.

1. At the start of the day I'd have taken a point at Stamford Bridge. We never win there, regardless of which team goes in to the game in better form, so a draw is a decent enough result. Don't forget that City lost there a few weeks ago, so despite some of their drag performances this season, Chelsea are still the 4th best team in the country.

Two goals within the first five minutes of the start of the second half gave Chelsea a 3-0 lead over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. That used to be an insurmountable advantage, but not anymore. Referee Howard Webb awarded Man United two penalties in an 11-minue span that Wayne Rooney put away before substitute Chicharito made it 3-3 with a header in the 84th minute.

De Gea, Rafael, Evans, Rio, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Young Welbeck and Rooney.

Subs: Amos, Berbatov, Park, Chicharito, Fabio, Scholes and Pogba.

Chelsea team: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Bosingwa, Essien, Meireles, Malouda, Sturridge, Torres and Mata.

"CONFIRMED LINE-UP: Chelsea vs UNITED" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia.

There really isn't much that needs to be said here. Manchester United v. Liverpool, the FA Cup, Anfield. Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Valencia, Welbeck, Park. Subs: Lindegaard, Fabio, Ferdinand, M Keane, Pogba, Berbatov, Hernandez Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique; Carragher, Maxi, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing; Carroll Subs: Doni, [.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.
Subs: Johnson, Coates, Kuyt, Adam, Doni, Shelvey, Bellamy.

Man United: De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Valencia, Welbeck.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.
Subs: Johnson, Coates, Kuyt, Adam, Doni, Shelvey, Bellamy.

Man United: De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Valencia, Welbeck.

De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Park, Welbeck.

Bench: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Hernandez, Fabio, M.Keane, Pogba.

LFC: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Maxi, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Carroll.

"CONFIRMED LINE-UP: Liverpool vs UNITED" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia.

Sir Alex Ferguson on 21-year old phenom Danny Welbeck, and how his attitude, effort and enthusiasm has led to his key role in one of the best teams in the world -
"He has a good attitude but then he should - he's a young player with an opportunity at Manchester United.

There are a number of indications from the Arsenal camp that there won't be any major signings arriving at the Emirates Stadium for the remainder of the winder transfer window.

For starters, manager Arsene Wenger has made it clear that the return of Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs to full training diminishes the need to seek a new full-back.

United have a whole host injuries going into their fourth round FA Cup game at Anfield against arch rivals Liverpool, and bookmakers are keen to take them as a result.

They are 2.88 shots with bet365 and without the injury worries that would look a massive price given that they knocked out Man City in the last round and come into this on the back of a win over Arsenall at the Emirates.

7:45am ET, live in the US on FSC.
Last four head-to-head:
1-1 (h) 10.15.11
3-1 Liverpool (h) 03.06.11
0-1 United (a; FA Cup) 01.09.11
2-3 United (a) 09.19.10
Previous round:
Liverpool: 5-1 Oldham (h)
United: 3-2 City (a)
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-2 City (h); 1-3 Bolton (a); 0-0 Stoke (h)
United: 2-1 Arsenal (a); 3-0 Bolton (h); 3-2 City (a)
Goalscorers (all competitions):
Liverpool: Bellamy, Suarez 8; Gerrard 5; Carroll, Maxi 4; Adam, Skrtel 2; Downing, Henderson, Johnson, Kelly, Kuyt, Shelvey 1
United: Rooney 18; Welbeck 9; Berbatov, Nani 8; Chicharito 6; Valencia 4; Giggs, Owen, Young 3; Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Jones, Park, Smalling 2; Macheda, Scholes 1
Referee: Martin Atkinson Mark Halsey
Atkinson was supposed to be in charge, but pulled out Thursday with a virus.

Come on everybody, channel your inner Piers Morgan. Throw your hands up in the air, aim for the hills and run with abandon. Just don't forget to unlock your wrists, so that the sprint for the horizon seems that much more fueled by pure terror. And remember to shrill.

Wayne Rooney, his sidekick hair transplant and his nefarious Mancunian buddies traveled to the Emirates on Sunday.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Those who woke up early on Sunday morning were treated to one of the best Premier League games of the season.

Manchester City used a last-minute penalty from Mario Balotelli to beat Tottenham 3-2 and go six points clear at the top of the table.

szólj hozzá: Arsenal v Man United 1:2 MOTD

Scorers:
Valencia (Man) 45′
Van Persie (Ars) 71′
Welbeck (Man) 81′

By Chris Wright

United made it Manchester 2-0 North London in the second of Sunday's super-duper all-singing-all-dancing encounters, beating Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates to whittle City's lead at the summit of the Premier League back down from six points to three.

1. After the man that should have been sent off for a nasty stamp won and scored a match winning penalty in injury time for Manchester City, you had to wonder whether today was going to be our day. There had been plenty of talk of "revenge" from Arsenal players ahead of kick-off, in reference to the 8-2 battering we dished out at Old Trafford, so we knew they would be up for this game even more than usual.

Danny Welbeck scored again against Arsenal. This time, unlike the last, it couldn't have been important. When he last scored against Arsenal Manchester United won 8-2 and were so imperious on the day that it was a little surprising David De Gea, the Manchester United goalkeeper, did not manage to get on the scoresheet.

szólj hozzá: Arsenal v Man United 1:2 MOTD

It was the 74th minute when Arsene Wenger went from mere arrogance to sheer incompetence. Replacing Alex Oxlade Chamberlain with Andrey Arshavin. The Ox had been Arsenal's best player on the pitch providing the side with desperately needed speed, ambition, and some quality skills.

The real issue with Mario Balotelli isn't his 'swag', abrasive nature or arrogance for that matter. The real issue with Mario these days is that he's turning into the Lady Gaga of football. Of course, the issue of kicking Scott Parker in the head yesterday (in City's 3-2 defeat of Spurs) isn't something that should surprise you at all.

Andrei Arshavin has been supported by manager Arsene Wenger after his lazy man-marking and tackling against Luis Antonio Valencia created Danny Welbeck's match-winning goal in Manchester United's 2-1 win at Arsenal last night.

Arshavin, who infamously replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to a negative reaction throughout the Emirates Stadium, has been on the receiving end of tremendous flak for lacking energy in such a massive fixture.

Surprised? No. Disappointed? Of course.

Watching that match was painful, and I'm sure most of you caught the match. I will describe the match in laconic detail, in order to spare us the pain:

First Half: We were dire. Really, really dire. We couldn't get out of own half for most of the half, as United, who weren't so hot themselves, probed for an opener.

Arsenal 1 (Van Persie 71) Man United 2 (Valencia 45, Welbeck 81)
(Premiership)

The bare facts make for grim reading. Defeat to United leaves us fifteen points behind them, and eighteen off the pace set by their city rivals. Our own neighbours remain ten points above us despite their loss earlier in the day, and that critical fourth spot is still an elusive five points away.

Some historical context first.
Back in March, 2004, we were leading United by a single goal at Highbury. As the game entered the final 10 minutes, Arsene put Pascal Cygan (remember him) on for Freddie Ljunberg, in an attempt to sure up our defence and see the game out. Instead, Cygan went AWOL up the field, United pushed forward, and Saha scored a later equalizer to deny us the victory.

Danny Welbeck scored ten minutes from time to beat Arsenal and seal an important away win for United. United looked set for a draw after Robin Van Persie had cancelled out Antonio Valencia's opener but Welbeck's finish keeps United within three points of City. While the 8-2 demolition of Arsenal in the corresponding fixture in [.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has rubbished suggestions that substituting Andrei Arshavin for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain led to the club's 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United and insists that he owes the doubters no explanation.

With the Gunners tied 1-1 after Chamberlain had assisted Robin van Persie second-half equalizer to Luis Antonio Valencia's first-half opener, Wenger brought Arshavin on to a negative reaction throughout the Emirates Stadium.

In the big two Sunday games in the Premier League, both Manchester City and Manchester United dealt big blows to North London rivals Spurs and Arsenal.

In the first game, Man City won a thrilling controversial 3-2 match thanks to Mario Balotelli's injury-time penalty.

The controversy is whether Balotelli should have been on the field to score the penalty as he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker's head.

In the big two Sunday games in the Premier League, both Manchester City and Manchester United dealt big blows to North London rivals Spurs and Arsenal.

In the first game, Man City won a thrilling controversial 3-2 match thanks to Mario Balotelli's injury-time penalty.

The controversy is whether Balotelli should have been on the field to score the penalty as he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker's head.

In a toughly contested match at the Emirates Stadium, Manchester United emerged 2-1 winners over Arsenal to move within three points of the Barclays Premier League summit.

Earlier in the day, league leaders Manchester City went six points clear at the top thanks to a late penalty kick converted by Mario Balotelli.

Arsenal vs Manchester United 2012 Highlights 1-2 Video Goals Valencia Van Persie Welbeck is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Arsenal vs Manchester United 2012 Highlights 1-2 Video Goals Valencia Van Persie Welbeck is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Arsenal vs Manchester United 2012 ( Arsenal Man Utd video below) Final score and result:- Arsenal vs Manchester United 1-2 ( Van Persie/ Valencia, Welbeck) Emirates Stadium, London- 16.

Arsenal vice-captain Thomas Vermaelen has returned to fitness in time for this evening's massive home fixture against Manchester United while there were also another two surprises in the Gunners' starting line-up against the reigning champions.

The 18-year old summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a memorable debut while Tomas Rosicky also starts over Andrei Arshavin and Yossi Benayoun, who have previously been preferred to him this season.

United to travel to the Emirates this weekend to take on Arsenal, and they look a big price at 2.62 to beat the Wenger boys. The Gunners were thrashed 8-2 earlier in the season at Old Trafford, and although they have improved since then I can't see why they are virtually the same price as United in the betting to gain their revenge.

Arsenal come to their match with United battered and listing badly

Thomas Vermaelen is a last minute decision, Thierry Henry has a "calf" problem, and Mikel Arteta will definitely sit out the match. A full starting squad is out with injuries, yes, there are eleven out. The most in the Premiership.

I. Manchester United @ Arsenal: This is just amazing. Arsenal looking for revenge after a humiliating, fluke, 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season. Manchester City are at home against Tottenham in a superb Top-4 clash, but Sir ... Continue reading →