Manchester United

Manchester United 2 SAFC 0: outplayed, outclassed, no disgrace

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Listening to Nick Barnes and Gary Bennett seemed a poor reason for posting a match report ahead of tomorrow’s thoughts from Pete Sixsmith. But Ian Porter has come up with some incisive points (at the Blackcats list) and is always happy to share them here …

This really was Men against Boys, for the first 30 minutes at least.

When you see a young lad like Jordan Cook (pictured, from his Facebook page) come on against one of the best teams in the world after playing twice a month or whatever the stiffs play these days and look like a useful player, you have to ask the question: just what is it that an established International actually needs to get accustomed to in the PL?

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Manchester United v SAFC, and why I love Boxing Day

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HaPPy SaNtA cLaUSAlicePopkorn

From all at Salut! Sunderland – that’s essentially Monsieur Salut, Pete Sixsmith, Joan Dawson and a growing army of contributors, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy new year. Pete’s already looking forward to tomorrow …

Read our big match build-up by clicking here or here. Or listen to Monsieur Salut 30 minutes or more into this interview with redcafe.net.

The day after Christmas Day is called Boxing Day because of the tradition of giving presents of money in small boxes to tradesmen and beggars – and not the habit of punching your brother because he is hogging the Hornby DuBlo train set.

For me it is the highlight of the year. I always look for the Boxing Day fixture first so I can plan my Christmas Day accordingly. Home game means an early night, away game means an early night; you have to be ready for the biggest game of the year.

Last year we had Everton as visitors to the SoL, the year before, pre-Coyle Bolton Wanderers, who played out an awful goalless draw. This year we are off to Old Trafford, via the pubs of Saddleworth for a pre game snifter.

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Manchester United v SAFC: ‘not arrogant, just better’

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Whenever Sunderland play Manchester United, Salut! Sunderland expects to hear from a Scotsman in Italy. David Schiavone, a United-supporting writer who runs the MUFC podcast site redcafe.net to which we are asked to give pre-match interviews (hear the latest one 30 mintes into this podcast), also has a passion for Serie A. But United are his first love – he cheerfully accepts the “glory seeker” tag – and we thought it was time he answered our questions too. The phrase in the headline leapt effortlessly from his responses …

See also: who would have to top up with cash in a Welbeck/Henderson swap?

Salut! Sunderland: What do you make of the speculation that Qatar may bid for United, making future Manchester derbies as much Gulf as Premier encounters?

I think most people would be glad to see the back of the Glazers and if the Qatar royal family want to bid for United and write off the debt then plough some money into the club then by all means. But if they are too come into the club then they must respect the traditions and for me the manager. He built the club and it is because of him United are where they are today.

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Manchester United v SAFC: who adds cash in a Welbeck/Henderson swap?

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The United TrinityBernt Rostad

So what if Sir Alex comes knocking on Steve Bruce’s door to request and require the signature of Jordan Henderson? Our United friend Andrew* may be a shrinking violet – no photo/no surname though he does run the Stretford End Arising site, with which Salut! Sunderland has excellenrt relations – suspects we could hold out for Welbeck plus cash, though he would really rather have him back. Ditto Andrew: we’d sooner keep both at the Stadium of Light.

Plenty of other interesting thoughts – avert your eyes, Darron Gibson, and Newcastle fans, too (“above their station”) – ahead of our big Old Trafford clash …

Salut! Sunderland: Top of the Premier, doing OK in the Champions League but it doesn’t somehow seem a vintage United year. Fair point or nonsense?

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Forget the grim shopping malls – visit Salut’s snow-free, all-night store

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Plugs follow, but a quick word on football first: can we play as well at Old Trafford as we did at Stamford Bridge? Boxing Day will present Sunderland with another stiff test of the squad’s growing maturity and flair. No Welbeck, of course, and no Mensah, which is a huge blow, but we are entitled to look to Bent and Gyan, and our Ferdinand, for convincing performances.
And the plugs? Well, with what little time is left – or with an eye to the new year – why not consider choosing from these cut-price presents (that quiz book you see comes at under £7 from this link)? Or have a wander through what follows …

Until we won our honourable little mention in the When Saturday Comes “virtual gongs”, the idea had been to combine hopes for three points against Bolton with another plug for the last-minute Christmas presents you can get from Amazon via the links on this site. We had the three points in the bag before we could get around to posting it.

Britain, as we know, cannot cope with a spot of wintry weather so you’ll have to see what Amazon says about delivery times.

But any Sunderland fan deprived of these goodies for Christmas will be just as grateful for some new year gifts.

Don’t buy anything you or someone close wouldn’t want, but if something takes your fancy, do feel happy about helping Salut! Sunderland meet its running costs.

Just browse the book offers below. Every order placed is appreciated by Salut! Sunderland but there’s no need to worry that the commission will make anyone here rich …

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Just tell Manchester United Danny Welbeck is useless

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Image: addick_tedKevin


Pete Sixsmith is getting used to Manchester United fan sites asking about Danny Welbeck. For this latest form report, for the Stretford End Arising, he added the words: “You can’t have him back, you know. He’s ours now.” That won’t work, Pete: tell them he’s hopeless …

I like to think that I know a bit about football.

As a literal and metaphorical greybeard, I go back a long way and I can convince gullible folk that I am something of an expert. So, when I said Danny Welbeck was a bit of a disappointment in the October review, I would imagine many of you nodded your heads sagely and said: “He knows what’s what.”

Well, of course I don’t because Danny has shown the likes of me and 36,000 other regulars at the Stadium of Light, that he is a very, very good footballer and that he is totally undeserving of the criticism that some have made of him.

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West Ham, Darren Bent or snow can brighten our lives

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Image: addict_tedKevin


Always look on the bright side of life – even when hubcap thieves in Liverpool are casing the joint, intent on stealing our star striker, and our next opponents suddenly start winning. Monsieur Salut, off to Zurich to report (but not for the British media) on the Fifa decision on 2018/2022 World Cup venues, tries to keep smiling …

The Reserves’ great win at Chelsea aside – and we’re still waiting to hear from the much-praised Louis Laing with a photo we can post – it has not been a week for good news.

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Danny Welbeck: the difference Darren’s hamstring made (updated)

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Even before his two-goal exploits against Everton last night – and how frustrating that he couldn’t quite make it three and secure the win – Danny Welbeck was transforming himself from underperforming, out-of-position passenger into exciting, goalhungry potential matchwinner.

Scott the Red, our pal at the Republik of Mancunia site*, had asked a few days before the game how we thought Welbeck, on loan from Scott’s beloved Manchester United, was getting on with us. Rather better, was the gist of Pete Sixsmith‘s reply, given without knowing Danny would grab another two goals last night, than some of us were willing to give him credit for. What a tragedy, then, that his exceptional recent displays, at Spurs and Chelsea and against Everton, may make it all the less likely that Sir Alex will let him come permanently – or that he may even demand Welbeck’s recall to Old Trafford.

Or will the player, as has already been suggested here, become part of the haggling if/when SAF comes calling for Jordan Henderson? This was Pete’s view, as expressed pre-Everton, to the United fan site. …

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Danny Welbeck: good player, unsuitable role

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A Stoke City fan’s view here yesterday that Danny Welbeck would be a welcome recruit at the Britannia brought wry grins to the faces of one or two Mackems who responded along the lines of “take him, please”. Is that unfair? Has Welbeck actually been used in a way that would allow him to express his best footballing qualities, the sort seen in the clip? Perhaps not …

Danny Welbeck arrived from Manchester United carrying a lot of goodwill from United fans who see him as potential Premier star, whether at Old Trafford or elsewhere.

For us, it was an exciting acquisition and it is fair to say we harboured great expectations about what he might do for us.

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Wayne Rooney and the snarling face of Manchester United

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The Wayne Rooney saga has elements of farce, suspicion of greed and clear evidence of breathtaking arrogance. The Grand Central train towards Sunderland v Aston Villa seemed a good place for some thoughts on another, more disturbing aspect …

If Brian Clough, Charlie Hurley, Jimmy Montgomery or Kevin Phillips had moved from Sunderland to Newcastle United, I would have been angry and annoyed, more so than if the transfer had been to any other club.

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