Manchester United started the defense of their title of Sunday at home to Newcastle. With up to nine players out of the squad, young players like Campbell and the Da Silva brothers were given the chance to show themselves.
Man United had the better of the game, but when several key players are missing such as Ronaldo, finding the path to victory is a bit difficult.
In the opening minutes of the game, Man United had a clear appeal on penalty – which Ronaldo would have taken should he have been able to play. However, Newcastle benefited of the referee’s favour to escape from trouble.
The home side was awarded many free kicks and Ronaldo looked anxious from the stands. Rooney and Giggs tried to convert their shots but goalkeeper Shay Given was simply too good.
The match finished 1 – 1, a result that might surely remind Manchester United supporters of Ronaldo’s value. Last season, the Red Devils had a slow start until Ronaldo’s return from suspension powered them to glory, at the expense of Chelsea.
This time around, the London club has commenced its campaign on a high and if Scolari can maintain the momentum, it may be too late for Manchester to catch them up.
Perhaps things will soon go better for the defending champions. Now, the reality is that they lack of a goal-scoring machine. In Ronaldo, they possess a creative winger capable of scoring from any angle and at any time..
Alex’s side will have to wait until the end of September at least for the talismanic number 7 to be part of the squad again. Only he, maybe, has what it takes to transform his team into invincible warriors ready to defend their titles.
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