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Manchester United's Wayne Rooney caps win over 10-man Crystal Palace Manchester United's Wayne Rooney caps win over 10-man Crystal Palace
(about 1 hour later)
Fifty years to the day since a skinny young Ulsterman by the name of George Best made his debut for Manchester United, there were times in this match when it became apparent why the modern-day team does not have anyone currently gracing the hallowed No 7 shirt that means so much to this club. Fortunately for David Moyes, the guy who wears the No 20 does not too badly and the fellow in the No 10, wearing a protective headband here, is not showing any outward signs of unhappiness at not getting his summer move. Fifty years to the day since a skinny young Ulsterman by the name of George Best made his debut for Manchester United, there were times in this match when it became apparent why the modern-day team does not have anyone currently gracing the hallowed No7 shirt. Fortunately for David Moyes, the guy who wears the No20 does not do too badly and the fellow in the No 10, wearing a protective band over his stitched forehead, is not showing any outward signs of unhappiness with the club he tried to leave.
Neither Robin van Persie nor Wayne Rooney had the most distinguished game, in keeping with pretty much everyone in United's colours, but their goals won this match and they have now scored 28 times in the 23 Premier League games they have started together. Neither Robin van Persie nor Wayne Rooney had the most distinguished game, in keeping with pretty much everyone in United's colours, but it will still be reassuring for Moyes to have them both on the scoresheet. They have now scored 28 times in the 23 Premier League games they have started together and it did not need a body-language expert to see that Rooney, with both arms aloft, looked perfectly happy with his first goal of the season.
Rooney's was a free-kick, curled into the bottom corner, nine minutes from the end after Van Persie had put United into the lead in first-half stoppage-time with a contentious penalty that left an air of inevitability about the rest of the match bearing in mind the grievous damage inflicted on Crystal Palace. As well as going a goal down, they also lost Kagisho Dikgacoi to a red card in the process. After that, they probably did quite well to restrict their opponents to one more goal. It was a free-kick, curled exquisitely into the bottom corner towards the end of a game that saw Marouane Fellaini handed his his debut, as a second-half substitute, and plenty of evidence that the street-sellers on Sir Matt Busby Way had been doing a fine trade in souvenir-wig sales to welcome the new £27.5m signing.
United never really got into their stride on a day when the street-sellers on Sir Matt Busby Way were doing a fine trade in Marouane Fellaini wigs and the £27.5m signing had half an hour as a second-half substitute. Yet Moyes will be glad to notch up his first Old Trafford win and see his team back on the scoresheet after two games without a goal, especially with the added pressure of Sir Alex Ferguson watching from the stands, approximately 20 yards over his left shoulder. Van Persie had put the champions into the lead with a penalty at the end of the first half and that was the point the contest was effectively ended bearing in mind the grievous damage it inflicted on Crystal Palace, who simultaneously lost Kagisho Dikgacoi to a red card and had legitimate complaints about the fact the alleged offence being outside the penalty area. Ian Holloway, serving a two-match touchline ban for a previous bout of refereeing demonology, summed up his frustration when he was asked in the post-match press conference for his reaction. Holloway simply turned his chair around so all we could see was his back. "This is probably safer," he said, "and will save me a few quid in fines."
This was Ferguson's first time at a match since his retirement and he will have enjoyed seeing Adnan Januzaj also get a run-out as a second-half substitute and the first indications why the former manager regards him as one of the more exciting players to come through Old Trafford's system for some years. Januzaj won the free-kick for Rooney's goal and, like Fellaini, seemed eager to impress. A fully firing United would probably have made the extra man count far more effectively and there might have to be a significant improvement if they are to win the Manchester derby next weekend, not to mention Tuesday's Champions League tie at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Moyes will be glad, however, to notch up his first Old Trafford win, especially with the added pressure of Sir Alex Ferguson watching from the stands, approximately 20 yards over his left shoulder.
Overall, however, it was a fairly straightforward win for United, especially with the extra man in the second half. Pretty similar, in other words, to a lot of the team's victories in Ferguson's final year: fully deserved, never really in doubt, but also leaving the sense this team is capable of more. It is just a shame the occasion also featured the latest incident to squeeze into Ashley Young's portfolio of diving offences – and it can only be hoped Moyes makes his position clear on it. This was Ferguson's first time at a match since his retirement and it is just a shame, apart from the controversy for the penalty, the occasion also witnessed the latest incident for Ashley Young's already bulging portfolio of diving offences. Young, lest it be forgotten, has previously been reprimanded by Ferguson for this kind of conniving and his latest offence smacked of a player with no apparent shame, featuring a Pires-style jutting out his leg to initiate contact with Dikgacoi in an attempt to win a penalty. It has become a habit with Young and the referee, Jon Moss, saw straight through it. Young was shown a yellow card and it can only be hoped Moyes keeps to his promise to make it clear to his player he will not tolerate any repeat offences.
Young, lest it be forgotten, was reprimanded by Ferguson for this kind of conniving a couple of seasons ago and it is to his discredit that his trademark is not his dribbling, or crossing, or shooting, but still his propensity for deception. Young was also involved when Moss did point to the penalty spot and, this time, he probably deserves the benefit of the doubt. All the same, it was easy to understand Palace's grievances because it was Young's momentum that took him into the penalty area. It was little more than a tangle, and difficult to know how Dikgacoi could particularly avoid it.
His latest offence smacked of a player with no apparent shame, featuring a Pires-style jutting out his leg to initiate contact with a defender and exaggerate the sense of a penalty. It has become a habit with Young, as several other Premier League teams can testify. Fortunately the referee, Jon Moss, saw straight through it. Moss, moreover, took so long pointing to the spot, having consulted with his linesman through their earpieces, there was the distinct impression he was not entirely clear and, if that was the case, it was too important a decision to make on the strength of probability. As soon as the penalty was awarded, it made the red card and the outcome of the match inevitable.
Young was also involved when Moss did point to the penalty spot and, this time, probably deserves the benefit of the doubt. It was easy to understand Palace's grievances. For starters, Dikgacoi's challenge was actually just outside the penalty area before Young's momentum took him over the perimeter line. It was little more than a tangle, and difficult to know how Dikgacoi could particularly avoid it. Moss took so long pointing to the spot, having consulted with his linesman through their earpieces, to give the firm impression he was not entirely clear either and, if that was the case, it was too big a decision to make on the strength of probability. As soon as the penalty was awarded, it made the red card inevitable. Holloway referred to the preceding attack when Dwight Gayle caught Rio Ferdinand badly out of position, running in diagonally from the left, only to clip his shot over the advancing David de Gea but wide of the far post.
Ian Holloway, high in the stand as he began his two-match touchline ban, will reflect on that moment in the previous attack when Dwight Gayle caught Rio Ferdinand badly out of position, running in diagonally from the left, only to clip his shot over the advancing David de Gea but wide of the far post. Yet Palace barely threatened De Gea's either before or after that moment. Van Persie struck the crossbar and Julián Speroni made several saves to keep the score down. Yet Palace, with three debutants throughout the afternoon, barely threatened De Gea's goal either before or after that chance. Van Persie smacked a right-foot volley against the crossbar in the first half and Julián Speroni had a busy afternoon before Adnan Januzaj, a wispy 18-year-old getting his league debut as a substitute, won the free-kick from which Rooney secured the victory.