First game in the new year and we commenced it with where we left off in 2011, with a defeat but the defeat this time, our third in the league already this season was a resounding one. The defeat was as resounding and as one-sided as the trashing we got in St. James’ Park in 1996. The score-line reflected it to an extent. There was much talk pre-game about Manchester United responding from the disappointing defeat we suffered at home in our last fixture of 2011 at the hands of Blackburn Rovers and coming out fighting like wounded tigers but instead, we responded meekly like tame cats. Read the full story

If there is a player who epitomises Manchester United’s spirit in the current squad, it is Darren Fletcher. Having joined United at the age of 11, he worked tirelessly through the youth system, starring in youth teams and quickly became one of the hottest prospects in English football.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United wanted to give Darren Fletcher his debut at the age of 16 against Aston Villa in 2000, which would have made him the youngest ever Manchester United player but were prohibited by Premier League  rules as Darren Fletcher was still on a schoolboy contract. Darren Fletcher subsequently signed a trainee contract just weeks later before going on to sign his first professional contract on his 17^th birthday. Read the full story

In my post-match review cum pre-match preview in the aftermath of the 5-0 trashing we handed out to Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day, I had warned that the greatest danger Manchester United faced now were from themselves and of being over-confident. I had warned about the over-confidence coming from the team selection of Sir Alex Ferguson and true to cue, United were undone on Sir Alex’s 70^th birthday at home at Old Trafford against strugglers, Blackburn Rovers. That is now our third home loss in the season in all competitions. Old Trafford has lost a bit of its invincibility; it isn’t much of a fortress anymore. It might be premature of me to suggest that but if FC Basel and Benfica can come to Old Trafford and play without fear and leave with a point in the Champions League, Manchester City can put 6 past us at home and Crystal Palace can knock us out at home in the Carling Cup, I might just have a point when I say that this season Old Trafford is not much of a fortress anymore. Read the full story

As most people around the world, unwrapped their Christmas gifts and opened the boxes to see what is in store for them, there was a big box awaiting Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams. At the end of 90 minutes, United found out what Santa had given them for Christmas; 5 goals, 3 points, dropped points for our rivals and the helping hand from referee Phil Dowd in sending Wigan Athletic’s Conor Sammon off in the 40^th minute. Maybe with his belly, Phil Dowd probably thought that in the spirit of Christmas, he would assume the guise of Santa for the Old Trafford faithful. Read the full story

The last time I wrote an article, it was to describe a very troubling, disturbing and traumatic defeat against our neighbours, Manchester City who to their credit are making the right noises SO FAR. However, how many times have we seen off our challengers to emerge champions next May? Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and counting.  We have bounced back from being trashed to win league titles too so who is to say that we wouldn’t do it this season? There is still a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the season and anything is still possible. Read the full story

What do footballers and football fans have in common with the Mona Lisa? Well I wouldn’t be asking the question if the answer wasn’t “something”, would I now?

In his book Irrational Exuberance, the Yale economist Robert Shiller explains how the inherent psychological characteristics of human beings and their application to social situations and, well, life, cause irrational stock market and housing market bubbles, with a bubble being where an asset (such as a share in a company or a house) is valued at an amount that is greater than what it is actually worth (think of the famous Tulip-mania in 17^th century Holland, those silly Dutch buggers).

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