Manchester United’s opening fixture for the upcoming season is agonizingly close and with it the dreams of winning the league title for the first title since the 2012/2013 season under Sir Alex Ferguson.
With London side Tottenham Hotspur coming to visit, let’s cast our minds back to last season’s contests against Tottenham.
The first matchup against Tottenham actually came away from home at White Hart Lane, with the game finishing a very dull and tedious 0-0 bore draw.
Manchester United, it must be said, were the better of the two sides and were the only side to offer a genuine goal scoring opportunity and only just edged the possession 52% to 48%. The main highlights consisted of Juan Mata hitting the post from a free-kick and Lloris saving well against a great Ashley Young chance. All in all it was an average game for the fans to watch.
United dominated Spurs as Rooney shone
The return fixture however is one that Manchester United fans and players can look upon with great fondness. Having lost the last two home fixtures against Tottenham 3-2 in the 2012/2013 season and 2-1 in the 201/2014 season, Manchester United presumed that they would be in for a tough game. But the reality was far from it.
Ex-Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick dictated proceedings as he so often does from the centre of midfield. His ability to keep possession frustrated the visitors but it wasn’t long until his impact was felt on another level as he threaded through Fellaini who deftly slotted the ball into the opposite corner to take the lead.
Carrick, who isn’t well known for his goal scoring, bagged himself a rare goal against his former side, neatly placing a header past the desperate dive of French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Within just twenty minutes the match was finished.
Rooney finishes well and celebrates famously
The third and final goal was added on the 30 minute mark, when the season's top goal scorer Wayne Rooney, was gifted the easiest of goals. Spurs midfielder Nabil Bentaleb somehow managed to miss the fact that Rooney was in prime position for an interception, and played him the easiest of passes to latch on to. He broke away from the Tottenham defenders and calmly eased the ball past Hugo Lloris who could only cast accusing stares at his team mates, as he was made to pick the ball out of his net for the third time in 30 minutes.
Rooney’s celebration was something to savour coming just days after his ‘controversial’ as some of the press labelled it, boxing fight at home with a friend which ended in him being knocked out, the England captain rush to the celebrating fans and mocked a boxing knock out.
Picking up four points from the last two matches against Tottenham, is reason enough for optimism for Manchester United fans to believe that they can get a positive result in their season opener this Saturday and with some new signings they will be even more confident. But of course a side of Spurs calibre are not to be dismissed lightly.
