Portsmouth 0 - 1 United
It was important to get a win on the board before we head off to Monaco for Friday’s Super Cup match. By the time we return to Premier League action against Liverpool on the 13th of September we will be a fixture, and possibly a few points, adrift of the others.
Fratton Park has been about as much joy as dinner with the mother-in-law in recent seasons and turning up with such an untried squad rattled the nerves slightly before kick off.
Fortunately the boys played. This current United system is certainly a different vintage to the swashbuckling wing play we have seen from Fergie’s sides down the years, but it does the job. There is a real slickness to our movement all around the field and I can’t imagine than anybody enjoys defending against us.
Vidic and Rio are looking as solid as ever and if we are to continue averaging one goal a game they are going to need to stay that way. Whilst far from overconfident, this match has convinced me that the world has not caved in after the departure of Quieroz. All we need now is a goal or two for Tevez and Rooney against Zenit St.Petersburg and then we can really get going. Darren Fletcher cannot sustain the charge for the Golden Boot on his own after all.