Old habits die hard for me and that was the case with my thinking yesterday when two of London’s smaller clubs met in a delapidated ground in front of a League One attendance.
Because even though it would have harmed our title chances, I badly wanted Malaria boy to score the last-min pen against that lot. It worries me just how much I want the ‘best team in Europe’ with the ‘best player in the world’ to lose. Then again who can be unhappy with a draw I suppose.
It means we go to OT tonight with the chance to remain top for another week – it’s going to be a toughie though. I’d take a draw now.
Of course, AW will setting the side up to win the game…natch. He has had his say ahead of the clash with United: “It’s a big game for us because we know that we have to convince people that we can do well in the big games. We know as well that looking at the championship it’s an important place to win points.
“At the moment, we are in a strong position in the league. We go away for a big game. One or two of the big games, we need to win away from home. That is what is at stake for us. It’s more psychological for the rest of the season than a decider, mathematically.
“They have recent history going for them and, in fairness, they have always big teams. But we have built a team and slowly come up and now we have an opportunity to show we are ready for the championship title.”
It has been pointed out that we have not won at Very Old Trafford since 2006 but we have won big games there in the past – we beat them on the way to winning the title in 1998 and 2002. And AW makes that point, adding: “We have won at Man United before, recently not, but last year it was very very close and I personally think we are in a strong position. We are questioned defensively so we can show there that defensively we have the answer.
“But if you look at the league, we only conceded two more goals than Man United and they have played a game less so they have one game less where they can concede goals. So basically, defensively we are not conceding more goals than Man United and we score similar. If you look at numbers and facts since start of the season they are the team that has more draws, we win more games, so that means we go there to win our game.”
“We know that, away from home we need to have one or two positive results against the big teams and then, if we manage to beat them at home, we have a massive advantage.”
Right I am off. Early start (Bob’s driving) but it is a long way from sunny Sussex to Manchester. Wish us luck…
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