What a weekend so far

I had wanted to post a preview of the Manchester derby, but work prevented me from doing so yesterday. After what happened last night, I simply had to write something.

I had wanted to write that I thought it would be a narrow one-goal win for Man United, simply because my gut was telling me that. And I had wanted to say it would come with or without Rooney. As it turned out I was right, and it happened with AND without Rooney. It doesn't make sense, I know, but look at it this way, Rooney played from the start but was substituted before Scholes' header found its mark.

The game itself was frustrating. I think both sides played OK, but lacked the sting to finish off their moves. Although Man City, I think, enjoyed the majority of possession, it was United, I think who had the better chances.

I'm not too sure on both counts, however, as I could only catch bits and pieces of the game while working. Needless to say, when that goal went in, I was shouting my lungs out. Don't think my colleagues (at least the non-United fans) appreciated that!

Having seen Spurs win their last match, another derby game, against Arsenal, I knew they could make it tough for Chelsea and grab at least a point, but after the Manchester derby, I knew the London derby would be even more significant.

Right after the United win, I told a colleague, one of the few Spurs fans I know, that his side would have added impetus to win. Winning a derby is always about pride, but with United having beaten City, Spurs would leapfrog the blue side of Manchester into fourth spot. That final qualifying spot for the Champions League next season is now Spurs' to lose, although I know they do have at least one more daunting match to play -- a trip to Old Trafford.

I managed to catch the second half of the Spurs-Chelsea game and, truth be told, the team in white could have slotted at least three more goals past Cech, if not for bad finishing. The biggest culprit had to be Pavlyuchenko, who missed at least two gilt-edged chances. The last minute counterattack which saw three Spurs players against one Chelsea defender and Cech should have, at the very least, tested the Chelsea goalie, but the final shot wasn't even on target!

Thankfully for the Spurs team and fans (and United and fans), they managed to still win. So all in all, it was a good weekend for United. Only one point separates the teams now, and this, hopefully, can be overhauled soon.

Let's hope it's a record fourth league title in a row and record 19th title overall.