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<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/edwin-van-der-sar.jpg"></a>As a neutral observer, the best thing that could have happened on Tuesday night in the Champions League was for Manchester United to lose. After Wayne Rooney scored one of the easiest goals he’s ever scored in the second minute at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich, it seemed as if this was going to be another Manchester United on cruise control performance. It seemed inevitable that United would hang on and carve out a one-nil victory on the road.
But fair play to Bayern Munich. They were the better team on the night and thoroughly deserved to get at least a point from this match. Their late goal by Olic to make the final result 2-1 to Bayern Munich sets up a mouthwatering fixture for next week’s Champions League match in Old Trafford. And it’s exactly what neutral observers like myself would want. It’s about time a team pushed Manchester United to its limits to see what it’s made of. And it’s about time the Champions League didn’t become so predictable.
Having said that, I’m confident that Manchester United will win at Old Trafford next week to move through to the semi-final of the Champions League even if Wayne Rooney may miss the match due to his ankle injury. It won’t be a pushover for Manchester United, by any means.
But, for me, the deciding factor in Tuesday night’s game was a player who has been at the top of his game lately and his name is not Wayne Rooney. His name is Edwin van der Sar.

It may seem odd to single out van der Sar especially when he let in two goals against Bayern Munich Tuesday night, but in fairness to the Dutch goalkeeper, the scoreline could have been much worse for United as the German team created far more chances in front of goal, and could have won 3-1 or 4-1 if van der Sar wasn’t on form.
He made several clinical saves and especially strong ones from Altintop and Olic. The save of the match for me, though, was when Mario Gomez hit a point blank shot at van der Sar and he made a crucial save to parry the ball away from the net.
When van der Sar finally was beaten, it was from a wicked deflection from Riberry’s free kick which van der Sar had no chance of saving. And Bayern’s second goal was a tricky one to stop when Olic had the massive advantage of being one-on-one against van der Sar and slotting the ball calmly past the United goalkeeper. In fairness to van der Sar, his United back four fell asleep for the second goal. When Gomez shifted his way through the United defense and was knocked to the ground by Nemanja Vidic, the four United players near the ball seemed to switch off for a few seconds as they expected a free kick to be called. But Patrice Evra lost the ball under his feet, allowing Olic to zip past Evra and Ferdinand to score from close-range.
Both in the Bayern Munich match and last weekend’s game against Bolton, van der Sar has saved Man United from so many red blushes by making incredible saves that most other goalkeepers (barring Sunderland’s Craig Gordon who has been the revelation I was hoping he would be in the past weeks) would have been unable to make. His match against Bayern was definitely not his best performance of late, but he definitely reduced the scoreline and puts Man United in a pole position to win next week especially given their crucial away goal.
Were you impressed by Bayern Munich’s performance and do you think the Germans can win the second leg or hold on for a draw at Old Trafford next week? Share your opinion in the comments section below.

Van der Sar Saves Man United&#039;s Blushes Against Munich - World Soccer Talk

Van der Sar Saves Man United's Blushes Against Munich

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I wonder if Steve Bennett will be more careful with who he talk to in regards to his job.
Now I’ll be honest with everyone. When Jeffrey Hash <a href="http:\/\/www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/168650/Top-ref-Steve-Bennett-reveals-Premier-League-stars-cheat-fans-by-getting-booked-deliberately-to-skive-off-games.html" target="_blank">linked me</a> to this story earlier Sunday morning, I simply went “It’s the News of the World…why should I care?” What I read woke me up.
His revelations that players have asked to be booked so they could miss games I’ll admit I was shocked. However it did make me wonder who these people are? Who was the ‘top international Premier League player’ who wanted to go on a family vacation? Who was the player who wanted Christmas off? Who didn’t want to travel to a ground they didn’t like? Who was the ‘ace’ as the article says that Bennett calls ‘a cheating bastard’? It almost makes me want to go back through all the games and bookings he made to see if I could narrow down possible candidates, but that could take a while.

While the <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1138945/Premier-League-investigate-ref-claims-players-booked-purpose.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Premier League</a> needs to have Steve Bennett identify these players (I’m sure the News of the World would love to make that video available to the Premier League), one does have to question why Bennett would take the bait so easily when told. Now yes this was at the bar after midnight at a UEFA referee’s course, but <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1139191/Graham-Poll-You-know-better-Steve.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Graham Poll’s</a> right. If you are involved in sport in England, you have to be careful of anything you say to anyone you don’t know all that well. There is always the strong possibility that who you are talking to is looking to do exactly what was done in this article. With that said though, I’m bet we start taking a closer look at cards because I don’t think this article will leave our consciousness for a while…if ever.
In the end, let’s hope this doesn’t kill Steve Bennett’s career.
Joe Kinnear’s <a href="http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/4548644/Newcastle-Uniteds-Joe-Kinnear-taken-to-hospital-after-health-scare.html" target="_blank">weekend visit</a> to hospital was not a distraction Newcastle United needed, even with the 3-2 away win against West Bromwich Albion. We all know of his prior health problems and a manager heading off to see the doctor instead of the match is not my idea of spending a Saturday. But credit to the <a href="http:\/\/www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1765_4904476,00.html" target="_blank">grand kid</a> for the commentary (why didn’t he just use the radio…beats me) and the players for responding in such a positive way.
Yea Joe checked out okay, but it does make you wonder if Kinnear is still cut out for the pressures of management, as the <a href="http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/kinnears-role-in-doubt-as-he-stays-in-hospital-1604014.html" target="_blank">Independent questions</a>. Newcastle United isn’t exactly the easiest of jobs due to the club’s location and the demanding expectations of the supporters. Joe hasn’t exactly set the world alight, but Newcastle seem determined to let Kinnear sink or swim with the side this season. Unlike what happened at Portsmouth, Newcastle should be commended for that. Even if it appears to be for money reasons.
Here’s to Kinnear getting well soon.
Other Stories 
Few quick fire Manchester United stories. First off congrats to <a href="http:\/\/www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1765_4906094,00.html" target="_blank">Edwin Van der Sar</a> for breaking the British record for not conceding a goal. At least he’s right about the defense giving him a lot of help in that. Secondly, Carlos Tevez had his <a href="http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7876308.stm" target="_blank">Bentley</a> impounded because he didn’t have a full license. That sucks. And finally, Manchester United have had to warn <a href="http:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/02/08/manchester-united-warning-over-paedophile-115875-21107501/" target="_blank">youth clubs</a> about a man pretending to be a Manchester United scout who happens to be a pedophile. I hope they catch that bastard and he gets what’s coming to him.
I wonder if Chelsea fans want Avram Grant back after pulling out the <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1138824/Roman-ruins-Fans-turn-Big-Phil-Russian-owner-sees-Chelsea-drop-title-race.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">same tricks</a> they did to the manager from last season? Chelsea fans listen up…YOU’RE NOT GETTING JOSE BACK! And it’s nice to see <a href="http:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/02/08/chelsea-fans-slammed-by-ray-wilkins-after-they-turn-on-luiz-felipe-scolari-115875-21106760/" target="_blank">Ray Wilkins</a> take a page out of the Gary Megson playbook.
<a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1138943/I-wont-walk-West-Ham-Chelsea-Zola-tells-Blues-fans.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Giofranco Zola</a> with the manager speak saying he wouldn’t leave West Ham for Chelsea. He’s right, I don’t think Chelsea would take him and frankly it’s too eerily similar to the whole Alan Shearer situation from last season for my own tastes.
And finally, Gareth Southgate vows to fight on as Middlesbrough manager and <a href="http:\/\/www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4904335,00.html" target="_blank">says he won’t quit</a>. That maybe true, but with Adams sacking, could we see a couple more rash sackings between clubs at the bottom? I honestly hope not.

Steve Bennett's Mouth, Joe Kinnear's Health and More - World Soccer Talk

Steve Bennett's Mouth, Joe Kinnear's Health and More

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