Anyone But United

As Manchester United go head to head with the mighty Barcelona at Wembley on Saturday for the right to be crowned footballing kings of Europe, there will be many English fans willing on the Spaniards.

In particular, the followers of Manchester City and Liverpool would love to see United fall flat on their backsides and there are supporters of many other clubs who feel the same way, but not me.

I don’t care which English side makes it to the final of a European competition, I’ll cheer them on from the comfort of my armchair. In honour of the Mancs I might even get some cans of Boddingtons in!

We are very good in England at telling ourselves (and anyone else who will listen) that the Premier League is the best league in the world and so it’s nice now and again to be able to back up the claim with the top prize.

I do agree with several commentators that Barcelona are favourites on paper and, for once, Manchester United are underdogs, but the great thing about football is that you can never write off the underdog – and you’d be a fool to completely write off Fergie and his boys.

I think it is important for United is to take the game to Barca and let them worry about Rooney, et al., rather than try and contain them and hit them on the break. Arsenal tried this and were made to look average – something they most certainly aren’t (well they hadn't been up until that point inm the season!).

United have a good settled and experienced defensive back line who can cope with the brilliant Lionel Messi, especially if his teammates are trying to repel the red threat at the other end.

It promises to be an intriguing encounter and might well turn out to be a cracker, but whatever happens United are guaranteed of my full and unequivocal support – even if it is for one night only.

Note on Ryan Giggs:-

For what it’s worth I couldn’t give a toss what he or any other player gets up to in his personal life. f he’s made a mistake – so what? Who hasn’t? It’s something that he needs to sort out with his family behind closed doors.

I do think it was unwise to take out the super injunction at a time when the media in general have an agenda against this type of legal recourse (with good reason when you think about what politicians and the powerful could use them for). Bad timing by Giggsy and bad advice. I’m sure that if he’d just 'fronted up' to his missus and taken the tongue lashing and grief we’d all expect, it would be chip paper by now.

I’m also sure that there will be a few lawyers drinking better quality champagne in the Wembley hospitality boxes on Saturday because of this situation. I hope that this time when they get to raise their glasses in thanks to Giggs, it's because he's scored again … on the pitch.