Manchester United (Red Devils) | Special Thread
Numbisa
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 12, 2016
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How on earth did that happen?
At half-time it was all set to be the most pitiful surrender an English title race had ever seen. Manchester City were toying with Manchester United, and United were just taking it. The seemingly inevitable coronation was just 45 minutes away.
As soon as Vincent Kompany shrugged off Chris Smalling and buried a header beyond David de Gea there was simply no question how this evening was going to turn out. United’s response was pitiful, and Ilkay Gundogan’s magical second was the very least they deserved
Raheem Sterling had two glorious chances to put the game beyond doubt but still there seemed no chance that United would deliver the kind of stirring comeback which could allay their supporters’ fears of being reminded on a daily basis for decades to come of the afternoon City crushed United to clinch the title with six games to spare.
Yet somehow, it happened!
United incredibly went from the ridiculous to the sublime to claim a 3-2 win. Having spent the majority of the first half ambling around like a bunch of clueless schoolkids, they took to the second like an attacking force with a point to prove.
From standing by and watching City turn it on, they started to move the ball and press with belief. They played with purpose and force, and just as the Blues had crumbled under such pressure at Liverpool on Wednesday they were equally as incapable of responding here.
Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera combined to send in Paul Pogba for the goal which started the comeback, with the Frenchman escaping the forlorn effort of Kompany as he bore down on goal. Within 97 seconds, Pogba had levelled the scores, heading home from Sanchez’s cross, and the Etihad’s party atmosphere had disappeared in an instant.
It was a particularly timely double from Pogba given all the talk in the previous 24 hours about his agent’s apparent attempt to persuade Pep Guardiola to take him to City in January. What’s more, following a distinctly anonymous first-half performance, Pogba was the catalyst to everything that was excellent about United after the break.
As if everybody present hadn’t been dumbfounded enough by the Frenchman’s brace, United went on and won it thanks to Smalling – of all people – volleying home Sanchez’s left-wing free-kick. The away end which had carried a forlorn air for much of the game was suddenly sent into delirium.
After that it was spiky and it was nervy, and there was still time for the inevitable David de Gea super-save, but the storybook City season has a slightly sourer ending and nobody will remind them more of the narrative that could have been than the fans across the city.
This was what United can do when they play with belief and take the initiative. In a season of few highlights, the Red Devils have their most memorable moment. And the fact that it comes at the expense of the one team they have been constantly compared unfavourably to will be lost on nobody.
City will still win the league by a country mile, but today was a day for the ages in Manchester United’s derby history rather than that of their noisy neighbours
At half-time it was all set to be the most pitiful surrender an English title race had ever seen. Manchester City were toying with Manchester United, and United were just taking it. The seemingly inevitable coronation was just 45 minutes away.
As soon as Vincent Kompany shrugged off Chris Smalling and buried a header beyond David de Gea there was simply no question how this evening was going to turn out. United’s response was pitiful, and Ilkay Gundogan’s magical second was the very least they deserved
Raheem Sterling had two glorious chances to put the game beyond doubt but still there seemed no chance that United would deliver the kind of stirring comeback which could allay their supporters’ fears of being reminded on a daily basis for decades to come of the afternoon City crushed United to clinch the title with six games to spare.
Yet somehow, it happened!
United incredibly went from the ridiculous to the sublime to claim a 3-2 win. Having spent the majority of the first half ambling around like a bunch of clueless schoolkids, they took to the second like an attacking force with a point to prove.
From standing by and watching City turn it on, they started to move the ball and press with belief. They played with purpose and force, and just as the Blues had crumbled under such pressure at Liverpool on Wednesday they were equally as incapable of responding here.
Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera combined to send in Paul Pogba for the goal which started the comeback, with the Frenchman escaping the forlorn effort of Kompany as he bore down on goal. Within 97 seconds, Pogba had levelled the scores, heading home from Sanchez’s cross, and the Etihad’s party atmosphere had disappeared in an instant.
It was a particularly timely double from Pogba given all the talk in the previous 24 hours about his agent’s apparent attempt to persuade Pep Guardiola to take him to City in January. What’s more, following a distinctly anonymous first-half performance, Pogba was the catalyst to everything that was excellent about United after the break.
As if everybody present hadn’t been dumbfounded enough by the Frenchman’s brace, United went on and won it thanks to Smalling – of all people – volleying home Sanchez’s left-wing free-kick. The away end which had carried a forlorn air for much of the game was suddenly sent into delirium.
After that it was spiky and it was nervy, and there was still time for the inevitable David de Gea super-save, but the storybook City season has a slightly sourer ending and nobody will remind them more of the narrative that could have been than the fans across the city.
This was what United can do when they play with belief and take the initiative. In a season of few highlights, the Red Devils have their most memorable moment. And the fact that it comes at the expense of the one team they have been constantly compared unfavourably to will be lost on nobody.
City will still win the league by a country mile, but today was a day for the ages in Manchester United’s derby history rather than that of their noisy neighbours
Numbisa
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 12, 2016
- 268,082
- 1,094,966
It was all going so well for Manchester City. Okay, they missed a couple of chances which would have put them at least 3-0 up against their bitterest rivals, but they were just 45 minutes away from clinching the Premier League title all the same.
This Is How It Feels" by Inspiral Carpets, a song long sang by United to taunt City, blared from the PA system as the teams made their way down the tunnel. This is City's song now. It's their league, too.
Highlights of their 5-0 win against Liverpool earlier this season played on the big screens, some of the attention already turning to Tuesday's Champions League clash against the Merseysiders.
United, in many senses, were almost in the rearview mirror. All the momentum was building for City. Premier League title done, Champions League comeback next. Party time.
And then it all went wrong. Paul Pogba, the man allegedly offered to City in January by his rogue agent, scored twice in 97 seconds to bring United back to life. He has rightly been criticised for a number of half-hearted performances in a red shirt this season, and he was no better in the first half, but he stepped up here.
His team followed his lead, and soon they took it. Chris Smalling, who looked so helpless as Vincent Kompany smashed past him to head in City's opener, now ghosted in behind Kompany, and away from Nicolas Otamendi, to volley in to give City the lead.
Pep Guardiola, who had left some of his most reliable performers on the bench with Tuesday in mind, did not see a reaction from his side and rolled the dice. Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus on. Sergio Aguero not long after.
But it was not enough.
Back at the end of the first half, Raheem Sterling's two misses were disappointing from a City point of view, but looked far from decisive. Thanks to United's most unlikely of comebacks, they turned out to be fatal.
Not for City's titles hopes, surely, and not necessarily for the Liverpool game, but this will be a defeat which will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons.
Yes, City will still win the league, although this defeat means they now need two more wins to get the job done at last. It really should have been today.
Had David De Gea not tipped over Aguero's last-minute header, and Sterling not somehow contrived to bundle against a post from a matter of yards, City would have at least had a draw, affording them the chance to win it at Wembley next weekend.
They may have had a penalty, too, but given their own mistakes they can hardly complain too much about the referee's.
And what of Tuesday now? City were by no means guaranteed to overturn the 3-0 deficit had they won the title here, but the momentum behind them would have been immeasurable.
They are by no means guaranteed to be eliminated after this, but their task will certainly not have been made any easier.
After all, they have now conceded three goals in a single half in their last two games, two of their biggest games of the season.
City are where they are in the league because they are made of stern stuff - they have won so many games because they react to the worst moments in the best way possible.
But in the last four days they have displayed a worrying tendency to collapse. At Anfield, it was somewhat understandable, given the sheer ferocity of their approach and the home crowd, but here, with everything in their favour, they somehow found a way to lose.
After two brutal defeats in the space of a few days, City now need to rally themselves and get back on track. Keep the champagne on ice.
This Is How It Feels" by Inspiral Carpets, a song long sang by United to taunt City, blared from the PA system as the teams made their way down the tunnel. This is City's song now. It's their league, too.
Highlights of their 5-0 win against Liverpool earlier this season played on the big screens, some of the attention already turning to Tuesday's Champions League clash against the Merseysiders.
United, in many senses, were almost in the rearview mirror. All the momentum was building for City. Premier League title done, Champions League comeback next. Party time.
And then it all went wrong. Paul Pogba, the man allegedly offered to City in January by his rogue agent, scored twice in 97 seconds to bring United back to life. He has rightly been criticised for a number of half-hearted performances in a red shirt this season, and he was no better in the first half, but he stepped up here.
His team followed his lead, and soon they took it. Chris Smalling, who looked so helpless as Vincent Kompany smashed past him to head in City's opener, now ghosted in behind Kompany, and away from Nicolas Otamendi, to volley in to give City the lead.
Pep Guardiola, who had left some of his most reliable performers on the bench with Tuesday in mind, did not see a reaction from his side and rolled the dice. Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus on. Sergio Aguero not long after.
But it was not enough.
Back at the end of the first half, Raheem Sterling's two misses were disappointing from a City point of view, but looked far from decisive. Thanks to United's most unlikely of comebacks, they turned out to be fatal.
Not for City's titles hopes, surely, and not necessarily for the Liverpool game, but this will be a defeat which will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons.
Yes, City will still win the league, although this defeat means they now need two more wins to get the job done at last. It really should have been today.
Had David De Gea not tipped over Aguero's last-minute header, and Sterling not somehow contrived to bundle against a post from a matter of yards, City would have at least had a draw, affording them the chance to win it at Wembley next weekend.
They may have had a penalty, too, but given their own mistakes they can hardly complain too much about the referee's.
And what of Tuesday now? City were by no means guaranteed to overturn the 3-0 deficit had they won the title here, but the momentum behind them would have been immeasurable.
They are by no means guaranteed to be eliminated after this, but their task will certainly not have been made any easier.
After all, they have now conceded three goals in a single half in their last two games, two of their biggest games of the season.
City are where they are in the league because they are made of stern stuff - they have won so many games because they react to the worst moments in the best way possible.
But in the last four days they have displayed a worrying tendency to collapse. At Anfield, it was somewhat understandable, given the sheer ferocity of their approach and the home crowd, but here, with everything in their favour, they somehow found a way to lose.
After two brutal defeats in the space of a few days, City now need to rally themselves and get back on track. Keep the champagne on ice.
Rajab_Omar
JF-Expert Member
- May 15, 2016
- 16,457
- 27,104
Hivi Wewe Huwezi Kupost Kitu kwenye Uzi Wenu Bila ya Kuihusisha Liverpool?
Huu Ni Uzi Wa Man U, Na Liverpool tuna Uzi wetu! Kama unataka Kuiongelea Liverpool basi Njoo Kwenye Uzi Wetu Wa Liverpool ili members wote wazione post Zako ujumbe uwafike.
Mkuu Liverpool sio iliyokuzuia Mafanikio ya Ubingwa Msimu huu! Kwahiyo huna haja ya Kuilalamikia.
radika
JF-Expert Member
- Jul 15, 2014
- 20,427
- 32,196
Kwa ule mwendo anaokuja nao burnley nafas ya 7 inakunukia
ruralofficer
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- Apr 4, 2014
- 2,490
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Mtimti
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 23, 2008
- 942
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Huyu savage ni mpuuzi tu name haipendi Man utd kama ambavyo fans wa Man utd hawampendi.
Huu ushindi umewauma wengi sana maana walikuwa wanaongea week nzima juu ya Man City kutangaza ubingwa wakiwa wamefunga Man utd. .....wamekatwa kilimilimi
DonDonald
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 14, 2011
- 2,528
- 2,703
Dah nilikata tamaa, nilikwenda sehemu ambayo watu wanazungumzia rugby tuu, ila itabidi nisubiri baada ya masaa machache wataonyesha extended highlights za mechi za jana nione "maajabu" yaliyotokea
xYz07
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 13, 2015
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Unanipangia cha kuposti? Shameless guy, kama hutaki kuona post zangu basi usiingie huku.
Toeni kwanza mende waliojaa kwenye trophy cabinet yenu ndio nitakuja kuposti.
xYz07
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 13, 2015
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Ana inferiority complex, achana naeHahaa hakuna mahali liverpool ameitaja au team ya makumbusho ndiyo liver
Drone Camera
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- Jul 25, 2017
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Naona mlivyoshinda jana mnaongeeea...wakati half time mlikuwa mmepotelea cjui wp,,,
Southern Highland
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- Mar 22, 2017
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Southern Highland
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- Mar 22, 2017
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It was the good comeback. No the best
Belo
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- Jun 11, 2007
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He still the most successful manager for your club
Southern Highland
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And I'm respecting that.
mkurya org.
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- Sep 25, 2014
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Kasaidia mkuu usiogope
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