Lady Luck smiles on Manchester United

Starting from the FA Cup match against Reading on 17 February at Old Trafford, United entered into a hectic schedule of fixtures that would surely test their mettle and determination to be champions. With their squad stretched thin, there were concerns that the Red Devils might buckle and succumb to the pressure.

The fans' fears were not unfounded as Man Utd showed signs of cracking against Reading. Despite home ground advantage, Man Utd did not capitalize on their goal scoring chances enough and ended up sharing points with Reading. The draw meant that Man Utd had unnecessarily created an additional replay fixture to be played at Reading's home ground. The extra match meant that Man Utd faced the prospect of playing 4 matches in the next 10 days.

Man Utd took on Lille in midweek for the Champions League in another lacklustre display. On paper, Lille was the underdog but did not look it on the field. United only managed to get the vital away goal and win through a late controversial free kick taken by Ryan Giggs. It was clear that Man Utd had to grind out the 1-0 result from a match that would have ended in a draw if not for the quick thinking Giggs.

In the following week, Man Utd played Fulham. United needed a morale boosting win before their Premier League big day out against Liverpool at Anfield. But the poor performance malaise from Lille seemed to linger on. Vidic and Ferdinand, both of whom were praised for their solid defence so far, were making erratic decisions at the back line. Fulham took a shocking lead when Van der Sar’s blunder created an open goal for Brian McBride to score. The Red Devils equalized with Ryan Giggs but still did not look like the side that would secure the win. In fact, it was Fulham that was attacking time and time again only to be denied by Van der Sar who redeemed himself with some breath-taking saves. Fulham’s Radzinski nearly restored the lead with a header but fortunately for United, the ball hit the crossbar. In the dying moments of the game, it was a moment of magic by Cristiano Ronaldo that secured victory for the Red Devils.

Next up, the FA Cup replay against Reading at the Madejski saw United going 3-0 up within the first 6 minutes of the match. The game should have been over and done with, but United just had to make things difficult for themselves. Reading slowly climbed back up with 2 goals by the 84th minute. Reading also nearly made a historic comeback with Gunnarson’s shot at the last minute but again, the crossbar saved United and they held on for a 3-2 victory.

The climax at Anfield on 3rd March could be Man Utd’s most important game so far. Playing Liverpool on home ground, dubbed "Fortress Anfield", coupled with decades of intense rivalry, was no easy task for Sir Alex and his men. The first half was tightly contested with neither side giving in. The second half started with Liverpool launching a barrage against Man Utd. Bellamy placed one in the net in the 50th minute but the goal was disallowed due to offside. United’s attack took a hit when Wayne Rooney had to be subbed out for his bleeding knee caused by Carragher's foul. John O'Shea replaced Rooney leaving Man Utd only one striker upfront. By now, United looked almost contented to play for a draw.

The troubles did not just end there. At the 86th minute, Paul Scholes apparently lost his cool and took a swing at Xabi Alonso. A straight red card sent the Man Utd midfielder off. With only 10 men left, the Red Devils would be lucky to retain at least 1 point from the match.

The pivotal moment came in the 90th minute when Giggs won a free kick for Man Utd from a spot just a few meters outside the box. Ronaldo took the kick but the shot bounced off Reina and into the path of O'Shea who popped the ball into the roof of the net. The goal stunned the Anfield crowd completely but it was jubiilation for United. Liverpool's last chance to change the result was a corner kick seconds before the final whistle but the ball was cleared by O'Shea.

Sir Alex Ferguson described the win as a 'massive result' for his team. His comments were spot-on as Man Utd had a 12-point lead at the top for a few hours before being reduced to 9 after Chelsea won their match. With less than 10 matches left, time is running out for Chelsea to overcome the gap.

From crossbars to offsides, everything seems to be going well for United despite their recent poor performance. Man Utd seems to snatch wins out of the air. If one man should be credited for all the lucky results, it would no doubt be goalkeeper, Edwin Van der Sar. The giant Dutchman has saved Man Utd on countless occasions with his spectacular 'safe-hands'. A commanding figure between the posts, he frustrates his opponents repeatedly through his agile shot-stopping skills. No one would know for sure when the lucky bubble for Man Utd is going to burst, but United fans are certainly hoping that it will last at least to the end of the season.

By: Stanley Lee