United on to the FA semis

Manchester United and Arsenal were both looking to end a couple of bad streaks.  United had lost 3 of their last 4 league games, including consecutive losses to Chelsea and Liverpool.  Arsenal lost in the League Cup final a couple of weeks ago, and had just been knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona; despite carrying a 2-1 advantage into the Nou Camp.

So it was quite clear that both these teams needed this win desperately.  United needed to halt their losing skid, while Arsenal were still in search of some silverware after a defensive hiccup late in the game gifted Birmingham the Carling Cup.  When all was said and done, it was Manchester United moving on, a 2-0 win keeping their treble hopes alive.


Fabio sliding in for the game's opening score.



I wanted to say that I was surprised when Sir Alex Ferguson named 7 defenders in his starting lineup; but after having seen his lineup selection over the years, you kind of get used to it.  It proved to be wise as the game wore on, when Arsenal launched an assault on the United goal late in the game; Edwin van der Sar was my man of the match.



Neither team fielded a particularly strong squad though; both teams missing players through injuries.  Arsenal probably came out on the worse end, as they'll have to do without Johan Djourou, who dislocated his shoulder and will be out for the rest of the season.  They are already short on goalkeepers after Wojciech Szczensy, the preferred starter, picked up an injury midweek against Barcelona.

On a positive note, it was nice to see both Aaron Ramsey and Luis Antonio Valencia back in action.  I remember Ramsey suffering a horrific injury last season, and can also remember Valencia breaking his ankle against Rangers in their Champions League opener.  You obviously fear for the worst, but glad that both players are back for their teams.

Arsenal, who still have a game in hand, currently trail United by 4 points in the league standings.  It will be interesting to see how they move on despite their injuries and whatnot.  United can relate, as they were hit by the injury bug that played a part in their missing out on a fourth straight league title last season.  If the Gunners can seek consolation in one thing, they only have one set of fixtures to worry about from here on out.

United still have to visit Ashburton Grove a.k.a Emirates Stadium, and we all know about their struggles in road games.  Hopefully, they'll have fixed some of their problems before their next game against Arsenal in May.