You're getting sacked in the morning!

Best moment in the game in my opinion :)

This is pretty much delayed reporting due to higher priorities of finishing up my assignment. Anyways, I managed to get a ticket through the ballots to watch the much anticipated FA Cup clash between Man Utd v Liverpool on 9th January. It's a Sunday afternoon kick-off but once again, I plan to go earlier to get my new jersey for the season and possibly some printing if there's time. There's also another reason to look forward for this matchday trip too as Mike and Grace will be there over at the stadium as part of their honeymoon plans! It's fantastic to meet up with some old friends whom I've not seen for months. By the time I reached the stadium grounds, it was already streaming with lots of people already. Two Liverpool buses came through the crowd and it stirred a hornet's nest within them. The United crowd were screaming "murderers!" in reference to the Heysel stadium disaster while the Liverpool fans in the bus were getting mad as they pounded repeatedly on the bus windows. I was not planning to meet up with Grace and Mike until after the match. However, by some sheer divine coincidence, Mike spotted me while I was walking around in the North West quadrant lounge. And it seemed that both of them are sitting at the section which is just right beside mine! Wow, what are the chances of that? Lol..I had time to get comfortable at my seat while waiting for the match to start. I was actually quite fortunate to get a place near the Stretford End, where the most hardcore and vocal supporters gather together. This would also be my first daytime match visit at Old Trafford.

Barely one minute of the game has gone by when the referee blew his whistle. It's a PENALTY! 32 Seconds only! It's interesting to note that Howard Webb was the official for both United games that I went and I've seen two penalty calls from him in these two games. I have a feeling that it's a dubious decision, but United will take it anyways. Rooney had missed the first previous one so I was hoping that Giggs would put this one away easily. And he did smash it in well although Pepe Reina guessed it in the correct direction. More trouble for Liverpool as Gerrard gets the red card for his two legged challenge on Carrick at the 38th minute. It looks like Liverpool's not going to get out of it and even the return of King Kenny Daglish has obviously not solved the problem. Old Trafford, sensing blood especially from the Stretford End went on a rampage of Liverpool bashing chants. Schadenfreude was the word of the day as chants of "Going Down" were aimed the Liverpool players and supporters. Dalglish was not spared as Old Trafford cheekily shouted at him "You're getting sacked in the morning!". Steve Gerrard's chant was funny and Old Trafford also did their own rendition of Liverpool's YNWA called You'll Never Get A Job..haha. United came close to scoring plenty of times but never got the better of Liverpool. Credit has to be given to Pepe Reina for several of the saves too. In the end, it could be said that Man United did just enough to secure the win.

Overall, the atmosphere in the stadium was superb and it was what I had expected from the intense rivalry between United and Liverpool. I'm glad to have the chance too to witness at least 1 FA Cup game and I shall aim to watch at least one Champions League match involving one of the European giants in the future. I enjoyed myself in this match much more considering my proximity to Stretford End. For every time United gets close to a scoring opportunity, everybody around me would jump out from their seat to anticipate a goal. That's match experience you'll never be able to replicate anywhere else!

After the match, I headed out planning to meet Mike and Grace. I had actually planned to join them in Red Cafe but it seems that Red Cafe on matchdays are only open to hospitality ticket holders and not to the public. I ended up walking around the stadium for fun when I suddenly bumped onto a crowd that is gathering just outside the players tunnel near the south stand. It seems that they are there to boo the Liverpool players getting onto the bus and possibly Unitedp players coming out. I quickly rushed there before the crowd thickens and my initial plan was just to take close up photographs of any player that walks out. As we were waiting, the stewards begin to drive various posh cars into the tunnel entrance and the first one was a cool looking Mercedes sports car, which I got to know later that it belonged to Anderson. There was also Nani's Lamboghini which drew gasps of wow from the crowd and Ferdinand's Jaguar. The first players to come out were the twins Rafael and Fabio who were accompanied by their parents. Giggsy came out next and instead of just walking away, he actually took time off to sign some autographs. Unfortunately, he did not come to my side so I didn't hope much for a player's autograph. Michael Owen came out with his two kids and went off without interacting with the fans. And then there was Chicarito Javier Hernandez! The Mexican actually came to my side to sign autographs and I missed him at the first try. But then I was determined so I ran to another side and tried a second time and succeeded! I was pleased with getting one already but with opportunities to get more, it doesn't hurt to try more right? Anderson came over but I failed to get his. Next was Patrice Evra and I succeeded in getting his autograph! Some funny Malaysian dude in front of me asked Evra when he's coming back to Malaysia..lol. The other two players that I managed to get are Darren Fletcher and Jonny Evans and I managed to steal a close up shot at Fletcher too. I feel so blessed! And it's a good day of harvest of not one but FOUR different players! Another high point and fulfilled dream of a United hardcore fan! =D

All the commotion outside the player's tunnel stretched the time well enough for Mike and Grace to finish their food at Red Cafe. Since there was no more guards anymore at the entrance, I sneaked up into the Red Cafe to find them. We then went back to their hotel to collect my box of Tau Sar Pieh, delivered all the way from KL courtesy of my Godma..haha. I took Mike and Grace around Manchester City Center since I roughly remembered some of the places from the weekend that I've stayed there. We wanted to have a walk around the shopping mall but it seems that the Brits close their shops so early on Sunday evenings. By 6pm, all shops are closed shut. This is boring boring Britain! In Malaysia, Saturdays and Sundays are the best times where the shopping malls close late at night. We had to make do instead in going to Chinatown where we had our dinner and evening dim sum at Little Yang Sing. As it was getting late already, I bid adieu to Mike and Grace as I make my way back to the train station. Ahh, I do not know when I'll meet them again because I'm positive that when I return back to Malaysia after my studies, both of them will be in the US. But still, if God willing, I'll certainly pay them a visit in the US when I have the money :)

The Final Score

There's Patrice Evra

Getting as close as possible to Fletcher!