Champions United Make Their Point

In the circumstances it’s only fair to start with the good news. As newly crowned Premiership Champions Manchester United enjoyed the respect – a little grudging on the part of some – of a guard of honour from the previous incumbents when they strode out at Stamford Bridge for a game that came too late to decide anything, except perhaps the strength of their respective reserves. And as things turned out when youngsters like Dong, Lee and Eagles (who sound like a firm of semi-oriental solicitors) had got over the shock of being applauded onto the field while thousands were asking who on earth they were, Sir Alex Ferguson’s reserves did pretty well to battle (sometimes literally) for a 0-0 draw against the Special One’s more experienced troops.

But it wasn’t all sweetness and light. Despite playing some sharp football at times, United never really looked like scoring at one end and often seemed on the brink of conceding at the other. What must have particularly concerned Sir Alex (though he certainly won’t admit it) is the shaky performance of his stand-in keeper, who was signed on the strength of some heroic displays for West Bromwich Albion. There’s no getting away from the fact that Tomasz Kuszczak seemed to have as much trouble clinging onto the ball as most of us have trying to spell his name. In fact by the end of it all it was suggested, rather unkindly, that the only thing he failed to drop was his shorts.