Forget Juan Mata -- it was the return of Robin van Persie that set
Manchester United on course for three points against Cardiff City.
Despite all the talk of Juan
Mata's move to Old Trafford from Chelsea, it was Robin van Persie who
stamped his mark on the match. Manchester United's top dog took just six
minutes to break the deadlock, scrambling home at the second attempt
after Antonio Valencia had nodded Ashley Young's incisive delivery
against the crossbar.
United might have had a rough
season to date but Cardiff have had a far tougher time, and in the first
half they had real problems doing anything to the hosts' defence even
after they'd penetrated the midfield. Craig Noone had the best chance to
draw the Bluebirds level when a Mark Hudson header bounced right in
front of him, but he didn't have the dexterity to flick the ball on and
David de Gea was able to save.
But in the second Cardiff
looked like a genuine threat. Frazier Campbell and Kim Bo-Kyung both
came within inches of getting on the end of a Declan John cutback, and
United looked more than a little bit worried that there'd be a repeat of
the reverse fixture, which ended up all square after a late Cardiff
comeback.
Fortunately, Ashley Young was
on hand to secure the points. Yes, you read that right. The former Aston
Villa star drifted in from the left, danced past a pair of Blues
shirts, and then sent a 20-yard curler past David Marshall and in for
the 2-0 lead.
After that, it was a
procession. Marshall managed to tip a Valencia shot onto the far post
after the winger shimmied past his man and squeezed away an effort that
looked destined to make it 3-0, then Mata mis-hit a shot when it looked
easier to score after being picked out by Patrice Evra. Those misses
didn't matter, of course -- Cardiff weren't coming back from a two-goal
deficit at Old Trafford, and eventually United would run out 2-0
winners.
PS: Juan Mata!
Manchester United starting lineup (4-4-1-1): David De Gea; Rafael, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra; Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Ryan Giggs (Tom Cleverley 71'), Ashley Young; Juan Mata (Adnan Januzaj 84'); Robin van Persie (Wayne Rooney 63').
Goals: Van Persie 6', Young 59'.
Cardiff City starting lineup (4-5-1): David
Marshall; Declan John, Mark Hudson (Ben Turner 69'), Steven Caulker,
Kevin McNaughton; Craig Bellamy, Peter Whittingham, Jordon Mutch (Kim Bo-Kyung 52'), Gary Medel, Craig Noone (Mats Daehli 78'); Frazier Campbell. Per Bleacher Reporter
Manchester United 2 Cardiff City 0: match report
As the exhausted Juan Mata left the Old Trafford pitch to a standing ovation
six minutes from full-time on his Manchester
United debut, it became clear just what you can get for £37.1
million nowadays. Quality, charisma and, most importantly of all to David
Moyes, the inspiration for three points that may just kick-start United’s
spluttering season.
The club-record signing from Chelsea did not score the goal his new supporters
wished for, but an assist for Ashley Young’s goal and a key contribution to
Robin van Persie’s in a 2-0 victory over Cardiff
City was not a bad start.
Mata roamed like a free spirit between the midfield and attack, spraying long
passes and playing quick one-twos, even slugging it out with Gary Medel and
Craig Bellamy in somewhat uneven battles for possession.
Mata’s presence brought a change of mood and, with Old Trafford buoyant for
once after weeks of tension and misery, the Stretford End chanted “We are
staying up” as they passed the magical 40-point mark to suggest that things
may finally be looking up for Moyes and the club.
With Mata signed, Van Persie back in the team for the first time since early
December and Wayne Rooney close to agreeing a new long-term contract, there
was a sense that change was afoot at Old Trafford before a ball had even
been kicked against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.
Dark clouds have certainly lingered in recent weeks, with 2014 having brought
only disappointment until confirmation of Mata’s arrival lifted the gloom. A
new dawn appears to have arisen, however, at Manchester United and Moyes
hinted as much in his programme notes for the game.
The manager, whose demeanour has betrayed every trial and tribulation of his first season in charge as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor, delivered a clear statement of intent, leaving little doubt that a line had been drawn in the sand.
“I have been in this job for seven months now and I feel that I have had enough time to make my assessment,” Moyes said. “I have formulated my own opinions and I have a clear idea of what I think I need to do. We will rebuild and form another strong Manchester United team. There will be changes at the club.”
Mata may embody the first phase of that change, but even though the Spaniard’s qualities are more likely to help United in the attacking third rather than defensively, his mere presence on the pitch appeared to infuse his new team-mates with the swagger and strut they have lacked this season.
Midfielders and defenders who looked dead on their feet and devoid of ideas
against Sunderland last week when they were eliminated from the Capital One
Cup were now moving the ball freely, taking it forward and playing with the
confidence expected of champions.
Van Persie’s return was also key to the improved mood and the Dutch forward reminded everybody of his importance to the team within six minutes of the start.
Tellingly, Mata was the catalyst, with his raking cross-field pass picking out Patrice Evra on the left before the ball was eventually crossed for Antonio Valencia to head against the crossbar. Van Persie, displaying sharpness that belied his two months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, reacted like a cobra to head the rebound goalwards.
Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall parried that effort away, but Van Persie pounced again on the loose ball to head it into the net from two yards. Van Persie reeled away and celebrated by blowing a kiss to the Stretford End. The reaction was part joy and part relief, given United’s recent run. But as their torturous January has proved, a sting in the tail is never far away and the home side lived on the edge as Cardiff attempted to cancel out their lead.
Bottom of the table and needing points to improve their survival prospects, Cardiff kept the ball and gave United nervous moments, but they could not force a breakthrough before half-time.
As United’s early second-half surge amounted to nothing, with the exception of a Valencia cross that landed just behind the on-rushing Van Persie, the anxiety of recent home games began to resurface as Cardiff attempted to work an equaliser.
Declan John, the Cardiff left-back, was unfortunate not to create a goal for former United youngster Fraizer Campbell when he lost Rafael down the flank and pulled the ball back from the byline.
It was a testing cross, deep into the penalty area, but Campbell mistimed his run and allowed the ball to fly behind him before Evra cleared the danger. But just as the edgy United crowd began to chant “Attack, attack, attack”. Young calmed every frayed nerve inside Old Trafford with a stunning goal created from nothing.
A simple pass from Mata midway inside the Cardiff half found Young hugging the left touchline, but he cut inside and drifted past Kevin McNaughton and Craig Noone before unleashing an unstoppable right-foot shot past Marshall from 25 yards.
Yet United were not content to coast to victory. Rooney, a 63rd-minute replacement for Van Persie, sent two long-range efforts just wide of goal, while Valencia spurned a clear chance to make it 3-0 when he raced clear, only to check back before seeing Marshall save his angled shot.
Still, after too many occasions when United have counted the cost of missed chances, the odd stray finish in a 2-0 victory could be forgiven. For United to truly turn a corner, however, this win must be the start of things rather than another flicker of light. Per The Telegraph
The manager, whose demeanour has betrayed every trial and tribulation of his first season in charge as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor, delivered a clear statement of intent, leaving little doubt that a line had been drawn in the sand.
“I have been in this job for seven months now and I feel that I have had enough time to make my assessment,” Moyes said. “I have formulated my own opinions and I have a clear idea of what I think I need to do. We will rebuild and form another strong Manchester United team. There will be changes at the club.”
Mata may embody the first phase of that change, but even though the Spaniard’s qualities are more likely to help United in the attacking third rather than defensively, his mere presence on the pitch appeared to infuse his new team-mates with the swagger and strut they have lacked this season.
Van Persie’s return was also key to the improved mood and the Dutch forward reminded everybody of his importance to the team within six minutes of the start.
Tellingly, Mata was the catalyst, with his raking cross-field pass picking out Patrice Evra on the left before the ball was eventually crossed for Antonio Valencia to head against the crossbar. Van Persie, displaying sharpness that belied his two months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, reacted like a cobra to head the rebound goalwards.
Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall parried that effort away, but Van Persie pounced again on the loose ball to head it into the net from two yards. Van Persie reeled away and celebrated by blowing a kiss to the Stretford End. The reaction was part joy and part relief, given United’s recent run. But as their torturous January has proved, a sting in the tail is never far away and the home side lived on the edge as Cardiff attempted to cancel out their lead.
Bottom of the table and needing points to improve their survival prospects, Cardiff kept the ball and gave United nervous moments, but they could not force a breakthrough before half-time.
As United’s early second-half surge amounted to nothing, with the exception of a Valencia cross that landed just behind the on-rushing Van Persie, the anxiety of recent home games began to resurface as Cardiff attempted to work an equaliser.
Declan John, the Cardiff left-back, was unfortunate not to create a goal for former United youngster Fraizer Campbell when he lost Rafael down the flank and pulled the ball back from the byline.
It was a testing cross, deep into the penalty area, but Campbell mistimed his run and allowed the ball to fly behind him before Evra cleared the danger. But just as the edgy United crowd began to chant “Attack, attack, attack”. Young calmed every frayed nerve inside Old Trafford with a stunning goal created from nothing.
A simple pass from Mata midway inside the Cardiff half found Young hugging the left touchline, but he cut inside and drifted past Kevin McNaughton and Craig Noone before unleashing an unstoppable right-foot shot past Marshall from 25 yards.
Yet United were not content to coast to victory. Rooney, a 63rd-minute replacement for Van Persie, sent two long-range efforts just wide of goal, while Valencia spurned a clear chance to make it 3-0 when he raced clear, only to check back before seeing Marshall save his angled shot.
Still, after too many occasions when United have counted the cost of missed chances, the odd stray finish in a 2-0 victory could be forgiven. For United to truly turn a corner, however, this win must be the start of things rather than another flicker of light. Per The Telegraph
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