United Road Take Me Home

Head over heart

Is it wrong to look ahead to this weekend’s pair of ‘Grand Slam’ matches in an entirely pragmatic frame of mind? Of course I’d like to see the minting of a few more immortal images to be filed in the memory bank alongside Keano barging through the Arsenal defence to slot home in 99 or Fergie doing his jig and pumping his fists to the United end in 2003 – but ultimately the desire for romance is outweighed by the simple need to maintain the gap between us and Chelsea.

Like most United fans I’m working on the assumption that Chelsea won’t drop a single point between now and the end of the season, giving us the opportunity to lose two games without totally screwing our chances of the title. This leads onto the thought of which games we’re most likely to squander the points in. For Chelsea to maintain an unbeaten surge between now and the end of the season would of course require them to beat us. This can’t be allowed to happen.

After being forced to put on a coronation for Chelsea at Old Trafford two years ago, and the horrible capitulation at the Bridge last season, the script demands that the tables are turned this year, and we will obliterate Mourinho’s hopes of three in a row on their own patch. Although technically this means that we can afford to lose two games before the meeting with Chelsea, I’d still be happier if we have a three point cushion lying spare, you know, just in case the script, as the cliché insists it often must, gets mislaid.

I suppose we have to eliminate Anfield and the Council House from the list of places where we’re happy to drop points. Liverpool surely can’t prove to be as abject – on and off the pitch – as they were at Old Trafford, but any title that involves defeat at Anfield is tarnished a little. As for city, it’s about time that we meted out the spanking that is so long overdue, and when could be a better time than with the title homing into view?

Which, of the big fixtures remaining – sorry Bolton fans, your visit in March doesn’t count – leaves Sunday’s game at the Emirates. Which is where my pragmatism comes in. Should we happen to lose on Sunday, I’m certain I’ll be gutted, but it won’t hurt in the same way defeat at Anfield or Stamford Bridge would. The pessimist in me has already written off our chances for Sunday, ludicrous considering the imperious way in which Paul Scholes performed last week and the fact that Rooney’s ill-luck in front of goal has to end sooner or later.

But the pessimist wins out. My biggest hope is that we match the result tomorrow. If Chelsea win, so must we; ditto a draw, and if the scousers should prevail, for once the cheeky smile on Wenger’s face at the end of the game won’t bother me a jot.

A Rooney hat-trick would be nice though, wouldn’t it?

posted by Royton Red @ 10:00 PM