How to keep the team who has been winning games consistently, quiet? Don’t let their strikers score; keep their midfielders off the ball and don’t let their defenders dodge you. This is what Manchester United did last night. Keeping their title hopes running, Red Devils were exuberant from the start and their keenness to win was visible in their approach. Not to forget they were facing the team who has not lost more than a game in their home, Vicarge Road.
Romelu Lukaku continued his goal scoring run and scored a cheeky first goal off his waist to duck past Foster. Few moments later was Chris Smalling waiting for the ball to control it with his chest and hit a powerful volley past the keeper. Smalling’s swivel made the day for United and the manger’s delight was visible from the bench. Both the goals were scored in a gap of three minutes, first being scored in the 35th minute.
A dominant first half by United was followed by more passive second half. By the end of first half it looked like the visitors will hold a clean sheet and increase their tally of goals, but Javi Gracia’s determined side came back stronger from the dressing room, creating more threats to the opposition. It was not late in the second half when Gray screamed the ball past De Gea in 65th minute. The cheering roared again as the scope of ending the match a draw became visible.
The home team started to push in more often than not in the opponents half, scaring the defence one too many times. Again the heroics of De Gea came to rescue. With United’s fans heart in their mouth Watford were almost successful in scoring their second goal in what later proved out to be the final attempt of the game, there stood De Gea and his super athletic skills denying the header away from the woodworks. The save was inches away from the pole. A sense of satisfaction in the face of Mourinho was felt after his gasp of contentment.
