Manchester United blog..

So then United eventually went on to lose in West London, but with many a Red fearing the worst prior to kick-off (and that was before we learnt that the champions would be without the first-choice centre-back pairing of Vidic and Ferdinand) an unlucky one-nil defeat was a much better outcome than many would have been expecting. That does not make the manner of the defeat any easier to take, because frankly today was another case of the officials getting the big decisions wrong.

Twice in the first-half at Stamford Bridge the linesman and the referee were guilty of making the wrong decision when giving Chelsea the rub of the green; the first howler involved Wayne Rooney who was clean through on goal, but the United striker was wrongly adjudged to be off-side, this when the linesman had the added benefit of the grass lines on the pitch, clearly Ashley Cole had played Rooney on-side. Hapless Sky Sports pundit said: "it could have gone either way" - message to Andy; if that fence goes any further up your arse it will be sticking out of your throat.

The second rank-bad decision involved John Terry and Atonio Valencia when the United winger was fouled inside the penalty area by the Chelsea skipper, but once again referee Martin Atkinson failed when getting another really big decision completely wrong.

Contrary to pre-match expectations, United were the better team for much of today's table-topping clash, but it simply wasn't going to be our day. It came as no great surprise that Chelsea eventually scored late on in the second period and once again there was an element of Chelsea players cheating.

The first culprit was Ashley Cole who jumped up in the air as if he'd been shot with a blunderbuss, in point of fact Darren Fletcher barely touch him and won the ball cleanly. While castigating Martin Atkinson for what followed we have to acknowledge that it isn't easy for the officials with so much cheating going on. Nonetheless, United went on to lose this game thanks to a combination of Chelsea players conning the referee. Carlo Ancelotti's team took the lead from that wrongly awarded Chelsea free-kick, but not without with the help of yet more cheating, this time by Drogba who was not only off-side, but also fouling Wes Brown at the same time. A few minutes earlier Didier Drogba had been doing his usual 'dying-man' impersonation - yes we've been here before, umpteen times..

After the game Fergie rightly question the performance of referee Martin Atkinson; the United manager was right to point out that Atkinson had somehow managed to work himself into a dreadful position for that vital free-kick which decided this contest. The fact that Atkinson managed to position himself so badly beggars belief and he should be taken to task for that poor passage of play from his perspective.

It's also worth commenting on Mike Phelan's "proud of the team" verdict. It is not coming to something when United have just lost a big game and the management are proud? But yes Mike, we know what you were driving at, we didn't get hammered and yes just perhaps this Chelsea team are not quite what they are cracked up to be.

With all that said, the current United squad has some glaring weaknesses; today Giggs who has been superb this season at times was quite simply awful, he barely put did anything right all game long. If the manager had better options on the bench Giggs would have been replaced much earlier than he eventually was.

Carrick and Fletcher did their best and overall did quite well. Anderson was given the difficult job of supporting Rooney while at the same time he was expected to drop deep and defend, but by and large United were the better team and only poor refereeing and cheating denied the champions at least a point. However, one cannot help but feel United need to sign another top-class striker. According to the latest transfer rumours Fergie could be lining up three new players.

Manchester United go into tomorrow's big Premier League clash against Chelsea with many pundits expecting a hammering for the champions, there's no surprise there given what happened at Old Trafford in the summer with the loss of two world-class strikers and the quality of the replacements that followed.

The general consensus is United are weak in midfield, lack punch up front and have problems in defence. In sharp contrast the league leaders look strong in all departments.

Since the departure of Ronaldo Ferguson has had to change tactics and formation and against Chelsea who are very strong in midfield no doubting the United manager would like to play five in the middle, but the problem is United do not currently have a player who can lead the line like Didier Drogba or else a striker like Fernando Torres who frightens defenders to death with his pace. Ferguson faces a massive tactical dilemma; if he selects just one striker in Wayne Rooney, he will keep on losing possession and the ball will keep on coming back at United's midfield and defence; If Fergie selects two strikers the champions will be more of an attacking threat but the midfield will be the weaker. It's a no-brainer for Ferguson with the players at his disposal - which is why he'd almost certainly take a draw if it were offered, if indeed it were possible.

Despite the very obvious problems facing United, they can win at Stamford Bridge, but only if every single player in the red shirt gives nothing less than 100% and plays close to their very best.

This isn't a David vs. Goliath clash, but if United are on the wrong end of a pasting in West London the media will have a field day at the champions’ expense. If Chelsea win convincingly it might even persuade Fergie to strengthen his squad in January because there's no doubting United are at least two players short at present. The return of a fit Owen Hargreaves will go a long way to resolving some of the midfield problems, but that will not solve the striker dilemma that surfaces every time the champions have a really tough looking game.

Quite obviously nothing will be decided whatever the result tomorrow, it's also too early to write off United's and their title credentials, but a good win for Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea will give the blues yet more momentum.

United went into last night's Champions League tie with CSKA Moscow needing just a point to ensure qualification to the knockout phase of the competition, it should have been a formality - in theory at least anyway - but it wasn't. United have made a habit of doing it the hard way and last night's performance was no different, after going 3-1 down it eventually finished up 3-3 on what was a night of defensive errors.

Going off the first meeting between these two teams in October supporters and pundits alike were no doubt expecting an easy three points and with the Champions set to face Chelsea this coming weekend it came as no surprise that Fergie took the opportunity to rest Berbatov and Rooney.

In what was a very open game, too open for Fergie's liking, the Russians had not come to Old Trafford to roll over and took the lead with a well taken goal by Dzagoev (25 minutes). When Edwin van der Sarr and his manager review replays of that opening strike they will know the Dutchman should have done better, but take nothing away from Dzagoev who somehow managed to score from an unlikely angle with a powerfully hit shot.

Michael Owen was paired up front with Macheda, and once again the former Newcastle and Liverpool striker missed a bag-full of chances. But good players don't hide and as in many of his previous games for the club since he signed, Owen eventually scored (29 minutes) after the ball broke kindly to him after a touch from the once again totally ineffective Nani following a cross from the right.

The frustrating thing is Owen continues to work himself into some great positions around the visitors’ penalty area, but all too often he either fails to connect with the ball or else he misses the target, often with the goal at his mercy. It's as if there's a problem with Owen's balance, as he appears to be struggling to get his body shape and feet in co-ordination at the vital moment. If Owen could rediscover his goal-scoring touch it could yet prove to be the masterstroke signing that some pundits trumpeted on his arrival. Only hard work on the training ground will solve Owen's problems - that and more playing time.

If Owen was struggling in front of goal the Russians were not, as they once again stunned the Old Trafford crowd with another well worked and well taken goal, this time by Krasic, which was just two minutes after United had equalised.

United's back four was made up of Neville, Evans, Brown and Fabio - as a unit they less than covered themselves in glory, but they weren't on their own as Scholes and Fletcher could have done more were marking was concerned on what turned out to a bad night of defensive performances all round. It didn't come as a massive surprise that CSKA scored a third when Vasili Berezutski stole in at the far post unmarked, on this occasion it was Fabio and Macheda who were guilty of not marking.

Macheda had a decent game, whenever the ball came to him he used it wisely and ensured United retained possession, he didn't really deserve to be substituted but with United's unbeaten four year Champions League home record at stake it was vital that Ferguson made changes, the Italian was eventually replaced by Obertan.

Before that and with the champions chasing the game, the United manager had to do something dramatic if he was to going to preserve that impressive home record. The solution was on the bench, and fresh from celebrating the birth of his first son, Wayne Rooney was eventually unleashed as he lit up Old Trafford with his usual all-action style. Rooney's introduction ensured United clawed their way back into the game on what turned out to be an error ridden night for both teams, but it made for absorbing last 30 minutes.

Without Rooney United are very ordinary and against CSKA Moscow his worth was there for all to see, but in his way was the equally impressive Igor Akinfeev. The Russian stopper made a string of impressive saves to ensure the visitors two cushion was left intact, but United's relentless pressure eventually paid off when Scholes popped up with a rare but very welcome headed goal six minutes from time.

Georgi Shchennikov deflected an Atonio Valencia shot on 90 minutes to ensure United had a share of the points and that European record was maintained. Deividas Semberas was sent-off in injury time for his second yellow-card.

After the game Ferguson once again attacked the referee, but this time the United manager was absolutely right in his assertion that United should have had a penalty when Fletcher was tripped in the second-half, but instead, bizarrely, Olegario Benquerenca booked the Scot. It was a truly awful decision and there should be right of appeal - the last thing United need is to lose Darren Fletcher through suspension again in Europe later in the competition because of the totting-up procedure.

Next up it's Chelsea and United will need to improve massively on recent performances. The champions cannot travel to Stamford Bridge sans their collective 'A' game, but you wonder if this game has come a week too early for Fletcher who usually does quite well against the West London club.

It should have finished up 5-0 to the Champions, the fact that it didn't was down to one thing - poor finishing. Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney eventually got their names on the score-sheet with two fine second-half goals against a workmen-like Blackburn Rovers side that looked short of ideas. Right from the kick-off it seemed as though the visitors were playing for a draw. Blackburn showed too little ambition throughout what turned out to be a one-sided contest - at least it was after the dreadful opening thirty minutes.

Saturday's early evening clash at Old Trafford wasn't a classic, that’s an understatement, but it takes two teams to make a proper football match and sadly for Blackburn supporters, they were dire.

For our part, United didn't play well. Worryingly, Wayne Rooney looked lethargic and off the pace and slow off the mark, his wonderfully taken goal was in marked contrast to the rest of his game. Berbatov had earlier missed a great chance to score with an easy header on 29 minutes, the Bulgarian had the simplest of tasks from just six yards out, but instead he only headed downwards and right at Robinson in the visitors goal. Berbatov made amends for his first-half miss with a skillfully taken goal after he controlled a Patrice Evra shot on 55 minutes. But like his strike partner, he can do a lot better than he did against a struggling for form Blackburn team.

Embarrassingly for him, Gabriel Obertan missed another sitter, the French youngster was making his Old Trafford debut after replacing the once again hugely disappointing Nani who barely did anything of note. Obertan didn't fare much better than his Portuguese counter-part, quite how he managed to completely miss the target with an open goal at his mercy will no doubt haunt him for quite some time. Michael Owen missed another easy looking chance after being put through by Atonio Valencia. Owen had replaced Berbatov on 78 minutes and even though he continues to miss good goal scoring opportunities he continues to get into good positions - it is to be hoped he eventually rediscovers his finishing touch – but will he?

Blackburn substitute Kalinic had a goal disallowed for offside in the 90th minute which left Rovers boss Big Sam Allardyce berating the linesman. Allardyce claimed his team had been denied what they'd deserved. Sam, you got what you deserved that is precisely nothing.

As bad as Blackburn undoubtedly were, this United team looks ordinary too, apart from brief glimpses of brilliance from Rooney and Berbatov the champions look like a team that is going nowhere fast. With injuries to key defensive stars like Vidic and the once solid, but now rapidly turning to jelly Rio Ferdiand the prospect of facing an in-form Chelsea next weekend will rightly be giving concern to the Red Army.

Before that United take on another rag-bag outfit when CSKA Moscow are the visitors to Old Trafford in midweek. Champions League qualification looks certain and only an unmitigated disaster will stop the champions progressing into the knockout phase of the competition.

Fergie will likely ring the changes in midweek, but right now there isn't a lot to shout about in the 'stiffs', the best we the fans can look forward to is the da Silva brothers turning on the style - at least it is going off what we have seen so far from the likes of Macheda this season. The jury is out on Macheda and Danny Welbeck and so it comes as no great surprise that Fergie is being linked to some big names from around Europe. Let us pray the Glazers’ back the manager to spend, and if needs be spend big in January.

The sporting highlight of the coming week could be the Scousers near certain elimination from the Champions League. Even for a die-hard United fan, that is quite sad, nonetheless, I'll drink to it if it happens.

So then following Sunday's 'no show' at Anfield, the champions bounced back with a just about deserved two nil win at Barnsley in the Carling Cup last night, thanks to goals by Danny Welbeck and Michael Owen. United are through to the next round and with rivals Manchester City likely to be in the draw what chance a quarter final meeting? It if happens, interest levels in the lowly 'Fizzy Pop Cup' will rise markedly... and then some.

So what of the performance at Oakwell? Fergie likes to give the kids a chance in this competition, especially in the early rounds, last night was no different. Gabriel Obertan made his first team debut and so all eyes were on the Frenchman, who did quite well in the first-half, but faded in the second period. Obertan, has the build of former Fergie 'fledgling' Luke Chadwick, it is to be hoped he doesn't follow in his footsteps...

The two da Silva brothers started and played the whole 90 minutes. Fabio was steady at leftback, but not overly impressive. Rafael played in the centre of midfield and after one or two nice early touches, like Obertan he faded and was largely anonymous.

Macheda was given a rare start and he failed to impress and looked slow off the mark at times - it is be hoped rumours of stardom going to his head plus alleged off the field antics are not going to hinder his progress after such a promising start to his career at United.

Danny Welbeck scored early doors with a regulation header from a corner, but in truth the marking was nothing short of criminal. Welbeck does some things quite well at times. Against Barnsley, his best moment came in the first-half when he took the ball out of the air with one touch a la Berbatov, but that moment of brilliance was spoilt by what happened next as he took the wrong decision when Michael Owen was better placed for a pass. It's too early to tell if Welbeck will develop into the finished article, he needs to beef up and he needs to improve in just about every aspect of what it takes to become a top striker - if doesn't improve he will follow the likes of David Healy out of the Old Trafford exit door.

Owen was United's star man in attack, whenever he actually managed to get on the ball, unlike Welbeck, he usually found someone in a United shirt. However, the former Newcastle striker had another mixed night in front of goal; he missed one excellent chance, but he more than made up for that with his late second-half effort when scoring with a textbook Owen goal.

Ben Foster was in goal and at times you could almost sense tension between himself and the defenders in front of him. Following a run of dodgy first-team games and his subsequent axing, the England stopper looks like a bag of nerves, but to his credit he made one truly world-class second-half save when he looked beaten all ends up.

Jonny Evans and Wes Brown were in harness in the centre of defence and they didn't cover themselves in glory, because the Tykes could easily have scored four in the second half, but a combination of Foster's 'keeping and poor finishing ensured there was to be no upset at Oakwell.

Gary Neville received his marching orders following what looked like a rash challenge. Neville went over the ball, but didn't follow through - if had done he would have broken Adam Hammill's leg. It looked as though Neville thought about it, raised his leg but in a split second came to his senses and pulled back from the brink, but by that time it was too late because in real-time it just looked bad. No wonder Fergie didn't defend his club captain in his post-match interview, but in truth it really wasn't such a bad challenge and Hammill needed no treatment whatsoever.

All in all, we didn't learn very much about those on duty at Oakwell, at least not from a United perspective. Ho hum, bring on the Bitter Blues.

You would think they had won the cup the way they celebrated, but I can confirm Liverpool were only awarded three points for their win against United on Sunday.

As I start to digest the result from Anfield, I feel it would be easy to blame the referee for his inconsistent decisions throughout the game. But for such a committed contest in an intimidating atmosphere, he could have got a lot more wrong than he did, and he never truly lost control. He easily could have done though, with the Liverpool fans baying for blood every time a United player went in for a tackle.

No, what United lacked was desire, a desire Liverpool had - no doubt borne out of the frustration of four straight defeats. And in the end what they lacked in fluid attacking play, they made up for in aggression and commitment, and I admit a moment of class from Torres.

As for United, it just looked flat. I felt Fletcher was missed in the centre of the park - Scholes was out muscled too easily. I also felt the lack of a target man meant our options were limited; this game was always going to be won ugly and we didn't have the players to do so.

At the back Rio Ferdinand still looks out of sorts. He was far too slow for the opening goal and I'm sure if Sir Alex Ferguson had the players available he would seek to give him a rest. But he doesn't so we have to hope he can play his way back into form.

It’s turning out to be a mixed month and although I think the side is yet to click properly, the erratic form of the other sides around us means we are not slipping behind the leaders. It seems like the top four are taking turns to upset the football odds and lose at the moment.

However, we still need to compete because any more performances like Sunday, which should have required no motivation, and it seems a safe Premier League bet that we will again fall short.

United deservedly lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Sunday, going into the game all the talk was of crisis at Anfield, the focus was on Rafa Benitez, but when the final whistle blew the focus of attention had switched to the performance of rookie referee Andre Marriner and Manchester United, who were pretty much second best all over the pitch.

Andre Marriner is not the first referee to buckle under the pressure of the Anfield crowd and he won't be the last. It was Marriner's first really big game and he failed the test, it wasn't the fact that he sent-off Vidic and Mascherano, because he was right to do so.

Marriner was guilty of giving Liverpool too many first-half decisions, he booked Patrice Evra for his first poor tackle. In sharp contrast, Lucas committed a catalogue of equally poor challenges yet his name did not enter the referee's notebook. Dimitar Berbatov was also booked in the first-half, it was another harsh decision by an in-experienced referee.

There were other questionable decisions; Ryan Giggs was fouled inside the Liverpool penalty area, and Carragher could have been sent-off late on in the game, but Marriner gave the benefit of doubt to the home team when denying United a spot-kick and only issuing a yellow card to the Liverpool defender.

Marriner was poor throughout the game and no doubting whoever makes these appointments will argue the case for promoting an in-experienced referee in a bid to gain experience. How else will they learn?

Whatever the questionable performance of Marriner, United cannot use that as an excuse for their own shortcomings, this against a Liverpool team that had lost four games on the spin, as it turned out, it was the visitors who looked out of sorts and short of ideas.

In midfield Fergie had elected to start with Scholes and Carrick with Giggs and Valencia on the flanks. Scholes guilty of wanting too much time on the ball and he very nearly cost United in the first half when he lost possession on the half-way line.

To suggest United were totally out-played would be wrong, because they had an equal share of possession; the problem was there was no cutting edge up front. Berbatov didn't look interested and Rooney didn't look 100% match fit.

Ferguson has a major selection dilemma with this squad, he cannot realistically start with a lone striker, because none of his current first-choice forwards are best suited to playing in 451/433 formation, if he does, against a top team at any rate, the opposition will easily regain possession quickly and the ball will keep on coming back at United's midfield and defence.

Without any question the most suitable formation for this United squad is 442, however, Fergie doesn't currently have two monster central midfield players to call upon. Scholes was excellent against Stoke City recently, but on Sunday against Liverpool he was found wanting, he didn't have the legs and so it came as no surprise that Fergie eventually substituted him in the second-half.

While 442 should be Ferguson's preferred formation, until such times as Owen Hargreaves and Darren Fletcher are both fit again, the champions will struggle in central midfield in the biggest of games.

By his own admission, Fergie could have signed Adebayor in the summer and he would have given United a different dimension, the manager could then have deployed 433/451. For whatever reason, Fergie kept his powder dry and instead he signed Michael Owen on a free transfer, he will probably never admit it, but his failure to sign the former Arsenal striker must surely go down as a major missed opportunity.

Torres scored the vital opening goal midway through the second period. The value of a powerful pacey lone striker was underlined by Liverpool's Spanish star, who was a constant threat to Vidic and Ferdinand.

It was evident that United's two central defenders were wary of the Spaniard's pace throughout and so it was vital the visitors didn't concede too much ground in front of the back four, but sadly that is how the opening goal came about as Liverpool mounted a swift counter-attack. Ferdinand couldn't live with the pace of Torres and Edwin Van der Sarr went down to early at his near post instead of standing big.

The gap between the back four and a light on numbers midfield was apparent on several occasions, throughout this encounter. It came as no surprise when the champions paid the price late on when substitute Ngog hammered the final nail in United's coffin in added time.

On a day of poor performances, United's two star-men were Michael Carrick and Atonio Valencia who could have scored late on, only to his shot hit the crossbar. Carrick's passing was excellent throughout, but he couldn't do it all on his own.

On the evidence of Sunday’s poor performance, United will fall short where the big prizes are concerned this season.

Football is as someone once famously said, a funny old game, in part, the game's unpredictability makes it what it is, but Fergie wasn't laughing when the Champions League fixtures were drawn and United were given a tough looking assignment in Moscow against CSKA followed by the biggest annual domestic grudge match of the season away at Anfield.

But here again things didn't quite turn out as expected, because United went to Moscow on Tuesday and it was a proverbial walk in the park. This years beaten finalists strolled to a 1-0 win thanks to Antonio Valencia's second goal for the club. It could easily have been the Ecuadorian's third goal for United since his summer signing, because he came within a whisker of giving the visitors' the lead when hitting the woodwork following some excellent inter-play with Nani on the edge of CSKA's penalty area.

If United fans are honest, CSKA were hugely disappointing on the night. However with some surprise results around Europe this week, there's no worries about unpredictability so far in Group B, which is shaping up to expectations with the champions and Wolfsburg occupying the top two places. United should have no problem qualifying for the next phase of the competition and going into Tuesday's game Fergie was able to rest Ryan Giggs, and Patrice Evra. Darren Fletcher and Wayne Rooney were also missing, with knee and calf injuries respectively.

In the wake of the win in Moscow - United's first against Russian opposition - Fergie has rightly been singing the praises of his squad for matching Ajax's fourteen game unbeaten run away from home in the Champions League, it's an impressive stat, United fans will be hoping it continues for as long as possible.

United face Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield and we can forget about current form because if there's one game the Scousers rise to it is the visit of the champions. Going into this huge fixture, both managers have injury problems with the likes of Torres and Gerrard struggling, while Rooney and Fletcher a big doubts for United.

After four defeats on the bounce Liverpool are desperate for a win and if comes against United it will quickly end all the talk of crisis at Anfield, the result could well prove to be pivotal from a Merseyside perspective.

For our part United know that winning will enhance the club's chances of retaining the title, and while it's far too early to be seriously talking about silverware, Fergie and the fans know beating Liverpool will harm them, with the loss of more league points, and the psychological effect of losing five games on the spin another reverse could be a significant point in their season.

For anyone hoping that Gerrard and Torres will miss the game, let us not forget that they both missed this fixture last season. Giggsy, we love you, but please do not commit the same offense again tomorrow...

Not surprisingly, there's a lot of attention on Michael Owen, he will probably start the game on the bench and is it too much to hope that he will be given a half-decent reception by the home fans - can pigs fly?

Owen is still struggling to find his very best form, he was very lucky last weekend against Bolton, quite how the ball ended up in the Trotters net is still a minor mystery, but with Owen on the pitch you always get the feeling that United do look more likely to score. No matter how badly he's playing, no matter how many chances he's missed, Michael Owen doesn't hide - and that is a strong point because as we saw against City in the derby he might take that chance. Nonetheless, Fergie is currently using Owen from the bench - as an impact player if you like - if the former Newcastle striker finds his true form the manager will no doubt review his strategy but for now expect the super-sub scenario to continue.

Against CSKA, Dimitar Berbatov was given the role of the lone striker, while United won, the ploy didn't really work and it highlighted the lack of options up front.
CSKA really were there for the taking, justice was done in the end, but when looking around Europe this week, what price a player like Pato in the red shirt of United?

While United have some problems up front, it's at the back where we will need to be rock solid on Sunday. Vidic will know he cannot take any liberties with Torres, not after last season, and please no more sloppiness from Rio Ferdinand.

If United's back four are solid, as ever, it should provide a platform to attack a Liverpool back four that has looked dodgy in all departments recently. In midweek Lyon exposed Liverpool down the flanks and it is to be hoped the champions are as strong as they have been of late down the left with Evra and Giggs linking up to great effect.

Here's hoping for a good performance at Anfield and a winning goal from Michael Owen - we can all drink to that tonight.