Digging in for victory

Did Old Trafford witness another "Steve Bruce" moment on Saturday?

Certainly it was another memorable chapter in the burgeoning book of dramatic late winners United keep coming up with under Sir Alex Ferguson. I guess the biggest difference from 1993 was that the boss was unable to celebrate by running to the edge of the pitch this time – instead he had to make do with a slightly more modest raising of the arms in the conservative atmosphere of the Directors Box!

United handle on-pitch adversity like no other club. Defenders dropping like flies, Jonny Evans sent off and the boss banished to the stands... it really wasn’t shaping up to be the best of days. And yet the Reds showed a strength of character and the fabled winning mentality that only champions possess.

I really did fear the worst when Evans saw red. A powerful, physical team like Bolton are not the ideal opponents when you have to play a central midfielder like Michael Carrick at centre-back. But Carrick was actually excellent and brought composure to United’s backline. MUTV interviewed him after the Marseille game and we jokingly suggested that he might have to play centre-back if we got any more injuries. He wasn’t too keen and yet rode to the rescue superbly.

Incidentally, I thought Evans was a shade unlucky to be sent off. There was no malice in the tackle – he won the ball in a crunching 50/50 but also caught Stuart Holden. The gash on Holden’s knee must have led to Andre Marriner concluding that Evans had to go. All the more mystifying then that Jamie Carragher stayed on the field despite blood pouring from Nani’s wound at Anfield a couple of weeks ago.

What was most impressive was the fact United actually improved as an attacking force when reduced to 10 men. The Reds began to really knock on the door and build up a momentum – it was one of those classic Old Trafford scenarios when you just knew that something was going to happen and when Berba bundled home the roof lifted off the place. It was one of the most intensively celebrated goals seen at OT this season – everyone knew just how vital it was.

The international break would have lasted an eternity had United not have won that game. A five-point lead with eight games to go is a great position to be in. Hopefully we’ll have a defender or two back when the season reconvenes at West Ham in a fortnight.

In the meantime, I advise you to recharge the batteries. April is going to be a blockbusting month – big game following big game as United go full steam ahead on three points. If you thought Saturday was tense, you ain’t seen nothing yet!