When It's Do Or Die, Man Utd Always Do It

This was David Moyes's greatest weekend at Old Trafford so far, and he has sent out a message to everybody that Manchester United have never been out of the Premier League title race. Moyes needed desperately to make a big statement after falling short against Manchester City and Liverpool already this season, and to beat the league leaders, who have been flying, just shows that talk of United's supposed demise is totally unfair.

 

And when you consider that their biggest title challengers, City and Chelsea, have taken no points and a point respectively, Moyes can look back on this weekend with a lot of satisfaction, and the progress is there for all to see after going nine games unbeaten.

Make no mistake – if United had lost this game against Arsenal, I think it would have effectively finished the title race for them.

It was a massive game for United and Moyes, and they absolutely delivered. This was their best performance of the season. It will also have erased some of the doubts that have been hanging around Moyes since the start of the season, after beating one of the top four, at least for the time being. The only way to dispel those question marks is to keep winning.

They might not be the best United team you have ever seen, and they have certainly had their trials and tribulations this season. At times they have been poor but when you have got forwards like Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in your team you have always got a chance. Goalscoring chances were few and far between at Old Trafford; Van Persie arguably only had one but he took it. That is what wins you vital games and championships.

The way United played in the first 20 minutes of the match yesterday was a massive statement of intent, and they never allowed Arsenal to get into the game. Arsenal were overwhelmed, and when you are nullifying a team that has been winning everywhere else like they have, you must be doing something right.

I can only remember Arsenal having one shot on target, and that was an easy save for David de Gea to make in the second half. United were fighting for their lives in midfield and showing all the commitment and tenacity you need. In the last home game, against Stoke City, they got out of jail and were lucky to win the match after capitalising on a late lifeline, but here they were organised, competitive and had a belief.

United still have class players, strength in depth and when they are all together they remain a very good side. They are certainties to finish in the top four, and always have been. Now they can start looking up the table, and the way the other results went at the weekend, you are looking at possibly one of the most open title races in years.

It is only five points separating them from Arsenal, and three league victories on the trot will give United an awful lot of confidence going into the international break. Moyes cannot have expected some of the other results. City's form away from the Etihad Stadium is abysmal, and Chelsea were very fortunate to take a point against West Bromwich Albion after a contentious late penalty, so United have made some ground on them.

I still believe the title will be won by one of those three teams, and if anybody else wins it I will be absolutely amazed. Liverpool have made a fantastic start but they have not got the strength in depth, and Tottenham Hotspur cannot do it.

Arsenal's challenge is not dead and buried after losing at Old Trafford, and I do not think they will be too disappointed with the way they played, but they will have a bad run. And when they do have that bad run, I believe it will be worse than anybody else's.

I cannot see any other credible alternatives for the title this season beyond United, City and Chelsea. City and Chelsea may have the best players but United are just United. It had been a difficult start for Moyes and his players – but they have always been in the title race and remain a serious threat.