The eventual scoreline of 4-0 was a touch flattering to Manchester United, although Town can have little argument with the result. The match was much like last season’s game at Old Trafford with United dominant in the first half, but with a second period more even, although Town rarely threatened.
George Burley played a 5-3-2 formation with Martijn Reuser and Jermaine Wright both left on the bench. Fabian Wilnis came in at right wing back with Chris Makin on the left. United left out a whole host of players with Beckham, Giggs, Veron, Gary Neville, Blanc, Scholes and van Nistelrooy.
Town started brightly but without looking like they would create a goal. However, United were to go ahead with their first real attack, and not without controversy.
A corner from the left was headed goalwards by Ronnie Johnsen, Sereni got down to it and appeared to have saved and referee Neale Barry seemed happy that he had. However, as at Leicester a few weeks back it was a linesman who made a decision that went against Town.
The man in black on the line on United’s left, several yards away from the by-line, gave the goal and Town were one down. At that stage this was hard on the Blues who had done reasonably well.
From here United took the half over and it was only a few minutes before United were two goals up. This time Andy Cole ran at the Town defence, got to the edge of the area and released a shot. Matteo Sereni saved the shot, but allowed the ball to run away from him and Solskjaer followed in and put the ball home unchallenged.
The rest of the half was Town trying to withstand United pressure. Town had little pace up front and Marcus Stewart and Alun Armstrong, despite hard work got little joy.
The Blues went in at half-time with supporters hoping that Martijn Reuser might be brought on. However, it was the same Town side which took to the field for the second period. Off the field the Blues had made the most noise with the United crowd particularly quiet.
A stadium announcement for the secretary of the Bristol and Bath MUFC Supporters’ Club was greeted with much hilarity and a chant of ‘no noise for the Bristol boys’ along with many other chants aimed at the more fickle element of the United support. A rendition of the Liverpool anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was greeted with whistles by the home crowd.
Town looked more on their game in the second half, but United were closing them down quickly and breaking fast. Town appeared to be reluctant to commit too many men forward with the pace of Cole and Solskjaer always a threat.
Town brought on Jamie Clapham and Martijn Reuser (as requested by the crowd) for Chris Makin and the once again quiet Finidi George. Away from home the Nigerian is having difficulty imposing himself on the game despite the odd flash of his obvious talent.
On the hour Matt Holland had a header from a Reuser cross before John McGreal made a good tackle on Andy Cole as he broke into the area. Shortly afterwards Sereni made a save from Cole.
Town didn’t really create a clearcut chance until Marcus Stewart got on the end of a Jermaine Wright cross in the 82nd minute. His close-range header was straight against Barthez who held on to it. Wright had been brought on after 75th minutes for Fabian Wilnis.
In the last two minutes United scored two more goals. First Jim Magilton played the ball wide to where he imagined Jamie Clapham was. Unfortunately Clapham, who had had played quite well, was still well up field and one pass later Andy Cole was bearing down on goal and slipping the ball past Sereni.
The fourth came from Solskjaer when Hermann Hreidarsson was grounded on the right of the area and the Norwegian hit a shot home from an acute angle.
Town looked jaded from Thursday’s UEFA Cup game with Torpedo Moscow, but we should have done better against a weakened United side.
Reuser’s absence form the start was surprising while Pablo Counago would perhaps have been another option up front. Finidi George was again frustrating and Matteo Sereni needs to hold on to shots from distance like Cole’s in the first half. Again Town’s passing was a weakness with many of the same players guilty of giving the ball away.
The season is now seven games old and we have won just once. A victory on Thursday would provide a much needed boost to confidence as well as extending the Blues’ European run. Otherwise there will be those starting to get worried about the direction in which this season is going.
Sereni, Wilnis (Wright 75), Makin (Reuser 58), Hreidarsson, McGreal, Bramble, Holland, Magilton, George (Clapham 58), Stewart, Armstrong.
Att 67,551