DONE & DUSTED

WEST BROM 0
UNITED 5

They're back. The old United. The team that doubled and dominated last season. Even with an entire staring squad of injuries, United's biggest away win of the season came on a night when the second-string Reds set a new defensive record of eleven clean sheets.


OK, so it wasn't against a top four side, but it was a total thrashing. And we know every side gets pumped when playing the champs, particularly at home. So even a relegation-bound WBA could could have pulled it off. Nah.


Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidic and a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo cemented a 5-0 victory at The Hawthorns. West Brom were reduced to 10 men after their skipper Paul Robinson received a questionable red, and was sent-off just before half-time.






Meanwhile, Edwin van der Sar kept his eleventh consecutive clean sheet to break Chelsea’s 2004/05 Premier League record and help the Reds move three points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table.

Now it's getting good. Now they're hitting their stride. Now watch out Liverpool.

REDS RAM DERBY

United 4 Derby 2
Reds win 4-3 on aggregate.

Last night the Reds put on a strength clinic at OT as they knocked Derby down and out of the Carling Cup. The clinic was put on by United's second squad. In other words a mid-table prem team's starting 11.

It was a night of red cards, penalty kicks, stretchers, ham strings and who knows what else. At the end, United booked their place at Wembley to face Spurs (barring a Barnsley miracle).

Other sides are slipping, if not fading away altogether. Chelsea and Liverpool are a laugh. Arsenal struggles to keep their heads above water.


AND GOD SAID "OH NO YOU DIDN'T"

What the buck. Everyone knows Kaká belongs to Jesus, not Manchester City. It was heard on high the lord said "don't let your holy cleats touch Eastlands - not even for 168 million quid." City. Tragic.


So as the top dogs sharpen their teeth before nipping at the heels of West Brom, it's comforting to know their injured soldiers get some much needed rest before marching into the dog days.

BLUES SEE RED IN MANCHESTER
3 United 0 Chelsea

The league elite rose like cream to douse the spirits of Chelsea's title hopes yesterday. Technically the Blues are still a point in front of their arch rivals, but that could all change before the weekend as Chelsea suffered their worst Old Trafford defeat in 15 years.

THE SPECIAL ONE: NOT SO SPECIAL
If scouting is the new scene stealing, Jose Mourinho's curtain call at OT backfired. Sure Inter's looking good ahead of their Champions League clash with United, but peeing just above Luiz Felipe Scolari's perch was over the top — even for Jose.

Drama and hype aside, United eased to a thoroughly-deserved success after Nemanja Vidic broke the nil-nil deadlock in first-half stoppage time.Wayne Rooney added another just after the hour before Dimitar Berbatov completed the domination.

Throughout the match, Chelsea's midfield was in disarray. Ballack was an embarrassment , and Anelka's second half entrance wasn't much better than Deco's first half choke.

Even the steady Petr Cech looked vulnerable and shaky. Altogether it was a messy display by Chelsea. They were outplayed, out coached, and outclassed. Now it's Liverpool's turn.