Holding Out for a Hero

Manchester United 2-0 Cardiff City 

The crowd sang Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name as they looked, seemingly at times in vain, for a hero to rescue them. But this was not May 1999, this was January 2014. This was not Camp Nou but Old Trafford. And this was not Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final but Cardiff City in the Premier League.

Times have changed since that fateful night in Barcelona but the need for a hero still remained as Manchester United took to the pitch against Cardiff. Before the match began there was a tremendous reception for United’s former number 20 as he took his place on the opposition bench. On any other night his return would have been the story. However, on this night, Old Trafford welcomed back Robin Van Persie from injury. But the headline didn’t even go to the Dutch striker, on this night the main attraction in Manchester came from Spain via Chelsea. On this night United welcomed Juan Mata.

The game kicked off and the ‘Red Devils’ looked intent on attacking from the off. It didn’t take long for the ball to find its way to Mata and in turn Van Persie. On six minutes the Spaniard sprayed the ball to the left and found Ashley Young who checked back onto his right foot and swung in a cross that Antonia Valencia headed against the bar, Van Persie slotted the follow up from close range. But Old Trafford is a different place these days and an early 1-0 lead did nothing to lift the nerves that have settled over the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ during United’s bad form.

Cardiff fans were out singing their hosts. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to Old Trafford often enough to know the home fans aren’t always the loudest but home fans rarely are. At the league cup semi final the 9000 Sunderland fans were excellent, but I’ve been to the Stadium of Light where they were silent. Spurs fans love to gloat about their away support but against Wigan last season they were out sung, BY WIGAN FANS! But even the Stretford End has been relatively quiet recently and, other than stirring to sing for Ole, this trend continued as Cardiff began to get a bit of a foothold in the match. There weren’t many clear cut chances but chances and crosses flashed across the box came and went as the home crowd gasped with horror built from recent games against Swansea and Sunderland.

Cardiff continued to push forward on the break as half time came and went and still looked bright on the counter in the second half. Then, with a flash of brilliance from none other than Ashley Young, that cloud of doubt, of nerves, of tension, was gone. Cutting in from the left Young hit the ball beyond the reach of David Marshall and it nestled into the back of the net. The crowd rose and cheered, sheer and utter relief!

There was singing, chanting and good, patient but attacking football. Mata and Jonny Evans came close with long range shots. Just to add to the party mood Van Persie was replaced by Wayne Rooney to a standing ovation that was extended for both players. Januzaj came on for Mata and the trick was repeated. Rooney nearly made it 3-0 with a cheeky chip and then Marshall saved well from Valencia.

This was neither a classic nor a tale for the ages. It was not a match that suggested United would win the title, or even finish in the top four. United still need to put together a run of form. But part of the nerves that shackle Old Trafford have begun to lift. In 99 Ole was the hero in a team of legends, now in a mediocre side United may need four heroes, when Mata, Januzaj, Van Persie and Rooney get on the pitch together they may just have them.