Last Sunday, Manchester United was left in ruins after Liverpool with its tornado like attack went through Old Trafford. That fixture over the weekend in the Barclay’s Premier League presented two teams in opposite directions in regards to the getting to the top of the table. Manchester United kept his nose dive, dropping points and killing any remaining hope of qualifying for next season Champions League. Liverpool on the other hand are poised to return to Europe’s elite competition after a four year hiatus.
Thanks to that change in fortunes, the Glory, Glory Man United chants are now a thing of the past, and the You Never Walk Alone motto has everything David Moyes lacks.
In the past, are those three out of four Champions League finals where the Red Devils were victorious against Chelsea in Moscow on the first one and lost to the Almighty Barcelona FC on the following two. How fondly Man United fans remember the years of not caring about Cristiano Ronaldo or Tevez leaving the “Theater of Dreams”.
Still, the present gave Manchester United the opportunity to save their season against Olympiacos, and this version of the most popular team in England took it, winning 3-0 and joining top of the table Chelsea in the Champions League’s quarter-finals as the only two surviving English outfits. With Mata ineligible for Champions League play, Rooney had the center of the pitch all to himself, and the surprising inclusion of Giggs gave Moyes hope that his stay at Manchester United lasts beyond the summer. Because, for this season there can not be more expected from him. With United out of contention for next season’s European spots, missing in the domestic cups, and with nobody expecting this team to beat any of the teams left in the Champions League, the future seems good for Moyes.
Unless, of course, that future has Man United losing by more than three goals against Manchester City, plus losing more than 7-0 on aggregate in the next round of the Champions League, which can happen, just ask Schalke vs Real Madrid or last year’s Barcelona against Bayern Munich.
So, my advice to Moyes if he wants to keep his job for next season is: first, play Rooney in the center of the pitch behind Van Persie for now even if it means placing Mata on the wing where he is almost a ghost until the season ends, so that you get the most out of both Van Persie and Rooney and come summer you can sell Van Persie and let Rooney be the man upfront with Mata behind him. Plus, remember how defensively you use to play with Everton and aside for Van Persie and Rooney assemble the most defensive side that you can, to play Manchester City and whoever (Bayern) comes next in the Champions League, and thus avoid catastrophic results.
Manchester United have probably got the worst of opponents that they were hoping for. David Moyes and his men have been drawn together to play 180 minutes against Pep Guardiola’s reigning European Champions Bayern Munich in the quarter finals, so park the bus Moyes to at least leave with any dignity that remains.
PS: I believe Luis Suárez is the most talented Uruguayan player that has ever existed. Even Forlán at his very best was not as eye-catching and productive as Suárez is right now, nor does Cavani possesses the multifaceted attacking repertoire that Suárez displays every week. Luis maybe crazy but with his talent it will be insane not to admire him.