Man Utd 3 Colney Creche 2
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He was laughing his head off.
Ferguson had been enjoying himself, loving the game.
The Knight from Govan has been going to Old Trafford all season but he’s seen a cautious style of football that bores him rigid.
But suddenly a youthful United side blossomed, became vigorous, dynamic, confident, able to improvise at pace.
And they scored three goals.
This was an energetic Manchester United, an aggressive United, a team with flair and momentum, a team that could slice and punish and kill.
THIS WAS A TEAM WITH GUTS AND CHARACTER.
This was the Red Devils again.
Walcott was in the Arsenal team instead of Giroud and Theo started the rot when he lost the ball feebly to Herrera in centrefield to give United a flying start: Marcus Rashford scored with a shot for 1-0 in 29 and scored again with a glancing header for 2-0 in 32.
Ozil’s free-kick found Welbeck, who produced an expert header for 2-1 in 40.
In 65, Rashford set up Ander Herrera for a shot which was going wide but deflected in off Koscielny for 3-1.
Then David De Gea made a save from Welbeck but Ozil volleyed the rebound into the ground and the ball bounced unstoppably into the net for 3-2
ATTITUDE is vital in football.
This United eleven had never played together but Rashford scored with his first shot in the Premier League.
At half-time and after the game I took several phone calls, so I didn’t see the studio pundits.
This morning I saw them on Sky Sports News.
Graeme Souness said, “Arsenal today bordered on a joke. On the 16th of March they could be out of all competitions.”
Thierry Henry admitted,”They were second best in everything.”
Souness was obviously furious and disgusted. He said, “They’ve come here today and they’ve been so insipid, they’ve been so weak and pussyfooted. All they’ve done today is said to the opposition: this team can be rolled over.”