On United's win over Everton

Everton are always tough opponents. The team, like their manager David Moyes, plays with a sense of astuteness and with a whole lot of grit. United, having learnt that their main title rivals, Manchester City slipped up on Saturday, had a chance to go 12 points clear. However, with a massive Champions League tie against Real Madrid on Wednesday, many expected Sir Alex to perhaps go easy on this one and play a side that would use the more fringe players. That was not to be the case, however. Sir Alex went for the jugular and in the end, United ran out comfortable 2-0 winners on the night.

The defence is starting to look solid

With United’s defence looking quite woeful early on in the season, it was up to the strikers to somehow score more than the defence was conceding. But in recent weeks, the defence has been coming together better. Perhaps part of the reason for this is the return to full fitness of all the defenders and having all of them to choose from week in week out.

United started this game with Evans and Vidic in the center with the seemingly ever-present Rafael and Evra on the flanks. For the large part, the defence held its own, comfortably thwarting most Everton attacks and, to an extent, nullifying the aerial threat from corners and set plays. Evans has been United’s most consistent defender this season and he put in another excellent display last night until he was given some well deserved rest for the last 10 minutes or so. Vidic looked close to being his imperious best, comfortably fending off Victor Anichebe and coping with almost everything that Everton threw at United.

Rafael has been an absolute revelation this term and that continued. While he was always good going forward, he has learned to cut out that bit of impetuousness from his game and his tackling seems more sure now. His reading of the game has improved tremendously as well. Evra, meanwhile, also looks to be getting back to his form from a couple of seasons ago. Good signs all around.

Phil Jones a.k.a Fellaini’s shadow

Prior to the game, there was, of course, talk of Fellaini being a thorn in United’s side. Given his performance on the opening day of the season, this was expected to be the case and Everton’s starting line up confirmed that with David Moyes opting to play him in an advanced role supporting Anichebe. However, any thought of him repeating his performance from the opening day was well and truly quashed by a certain Phil Jones.

Jones stuck to Fellaini like a fly to glued sandpaper. He quite simply did not let him get away. The key point was that he stuck to him only in United’s half. This meant that when Fellaini did get free of Jones, he breathed a sigh of relief but that was, more often than not, in his own half, somewhere that he could not really hurt United. He constantly irritated Fellaini and made sure that he played more out of position than in it thus ensuring that Anichebe cut a lonely figure up front. Jones was given a dictum and he stuck to it. If he were in a platoon, the commander would’ve been proud.

Perhaps Jones has a bigger role to play in midweek.

Second guessing Sir Alex’s midfield selection is an impossible task

Prior to the game, it was expected that Sir Alex would ring in the changes to preserve legs for the Champions League tie. However, it was assumed that the ever-present Carrick would most definitely figure from the start. As ever, Sir Alex decided to prove people wrong. His selection of Jones alongside Cleverley turned out to be an inspired choice. Cleverley was, again, neat and precise, weaving and linking play together. Valencia, after a run of poor games, seems to be getting back to something that resembles decent form.

Giggs, well, what can one say of the man that has not been said already? He was up, down and everywhere. He got his customary goal, the 21st consecutive season that he has scored in. His energy levels were fantastic and the way it is going, there can be little doubt that he will extend his playing stint by another year at least.

A full-strength strike force

Most expected van Persie and/or Rooney to be rested for this one. Rooney had played the whole ninety for England in midweek and van Persie for Holland but rest was the last thing on Sir Alex’s mind. He started, and indeed finished, with both of them.

Given Rooney’s past with Everton, it is understandable that he started but it was expected that van Persie would get a well deserved break but by playing the pair of them Sir Alex sent out a strong message to City and the rest of the league.

The pairing has worked excellently well this season and that was the case once again. Rooney played off van Persie for large parts of the game and when Giggs moved infield, he covered admirably for him down the left. He put in an industrious performance over the 90 minutes and hopefully did not over exert himself. Robin van Persie scored after a goal drought (two games without scoring) and was his usual clinical self. Service to him during mid-week will be crucial.

In the end, a comfortable win for United, who are now 12 clear of the nearest challengers and look well on course for the record 20th English League title.