‘It had to happen. Blackburn Rovers ended Manchester United's eight-game unbeaten run, the new-look rearguard was breached at last and Ruud van Nistelrooy missed two sitters. Clearly strange forces were at work yesterday in the Lancashire mist.
United face a Boxing Day journey to Middlesbrough four points behind Arsenal and two behind Chelsea in second place. With games to follow against Birmingham, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, they could still make up the difference in double-quick time.
The United manager's humour was unlikely to have been helped by reports that Van Nistelrooy had told a Dutch magazine that he would like to go back to PSV Eindhoven when his contract ends in 2005. He would have been even less happy at the way his side were frequently second to the ball yesterday, allowing Rovers to lead at half-time, courtesy of Garry Flitcroft's first goal of the season.
In the second half, far from turning the screw in the expected manner, United were for the most part on the back foot.
Bluesq’s odds for thr title race have been trimmed a little:
Arsenal 8/11
Manchester United 7/4
Chelsea 6/1
Liverpool 16/1
Newcastle 50/1
Everton 100/1
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