SINCE its inception some nine years ago, Manchester United have never lost a Premiership game at Old Trafford to a team that they have taken a lead against.
Until now that is!
Most Wanderers supporters claim their most harrowing match witnessed at Burnden Park was THAT game and we have always looked for revenge. But with six goals recently conceded at the Reebok against Newcastle and Sunderland, it was hardly looking a ripe time to think about victory here.
But we are living in strange times. Deportivo La Coruna had already shown United's vulnerability and with Wanderers superb away form stretching back some incredible six months, who would bet against us?
Well, definitely Ryan Giggs for one. He had informed the football world United would beat everyone put before them this season. Somehow, I don't think he got the old maths right.
With Beckham rested, it was left to Veron to take up the mantel of free kick wizard and, let's be fair, what a pearler.
That left Scouser Nolan and Brummie Ricketts to tidy up the score sheet - with a good old scrap thrown in for good measure. Jussi is shaping up to become one of the all time great Wanderers keepers; Saturday only emphasised that fact.
His double stop saved Wanderers at a crucial time and undoubtedly decided the final outcome. Roared on by Wanderers fanatical following of just 3,000 - an unacceptable away allocation considering Old Trafford's 67,000 capacity - the Super Whites set about beating the old foe, a result not seen since the days of Franky Worthy some 22 years ago.
Nobody except the die-hard Reds could fault Wanderers in the second half, which only goes to prove that if they do go down at the end of this season, it will be totally and utterly self inflicted.
This was the 100th time Wanderers had faced Manchester United in the league and it will probably be rated as the fairest. There were no bookings, no leg breaking challenges, no partisan management, no slanging matches on the touch-line. For United there were no points either.
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