F365 Opinion

How the forty-four starters fared...

Manchester United

Edwin van der Sar
Didn't have a save of note to make. Incidentally, Sir Alex has explained Tomasz Kuszczak's inclusion over Ben Foster in midweek (and as a substitute against Liverpool) on the basis that the Englishman isn't eligible to play in Europe - something which makes rumours of Foster being loaned out for the remaining weeks of the season distinctly feasible.
Rating (out of ten): Six

Wes Brown
An underestimated cog in Manchester United's title triumph last year and he has earned himself a few headlines with a rare goal. That doesn't mean he has earned himself the £50,000-a-week contract he is reputedly demanding, however.
Rating: Six

Rio Ferdinand
The only notable aspect of Ferdinand's performance was the booking he received for kicking the ball away - an incident which will be seized upon by Steve Bennett's aficionados as a proof of his consistency but which actually only illustrated Ferdinand's dull-wittedness. Otherwise, there was little or nothing to find fault with. You - like F365 - may not especially like Ferdinand but it's impossible not to regard him as a top-class defender enjoying a fine season.
Rating: Seven

Nemanja Vidic
Rock-solid alongside Ferdinand and won everything in the air against Fernando Torres when Liverpool lost the remaining dregs of their composure and opted to hit it long in the general direction of the Spaniard.
Rating: Seven

Patrice Evra
Didn't make much of an impact going forward and, against the moderate Dirk Kuyt, had very little to do when he was back in defence.
Rating: Six

Michael Carrick
Was afforded far too much time on the ball with Steve Gerrard either operating from very deep or the left, thus allowing Carrick to set what was by his standards an upbeat tempo. A much-improved player compared to his overrated debut season at Old Trafford.
Rating: Seven

Paul Scholes
It is a mystery how Scholes was not yellow-carded at any point during the match given the number of fouls he committed. There were a few flickers of flicked brilliance - including one sublime chipped pass to Ronaldo - but today's Paul Scholes is a subdued figure compared to the impish inventor and goalscorer he once was.
Rating: Six

Anderson
Disapppointing. Anderson's reputation as a force-in-the-making is dubious, not least because it is largely the consequence of two over-regarded performances at Arsenal and Liverpool at the start of the winter. Had the youngster - and he is still young, so time is on his side - shown even a bit of composure then he might have scored twice. Frequently sloppy in possession, it was no surprise that Ferguson saw fit to substitute him.
Rating: Five

Ryan Giggs
As with Scholes, Giggs is a player long past his prime. Which is not to say that he is no longer an asset, merely that Giggs isn't capable of providing the moments of individual brilliance that salvaged the treble season on a couple of occasions. For Ferguson, Giggs' primary attribute these days is the composure and experience he can offer an otherwise inexperienced and youthful team.
Rating: Six

Cristiano Ronaldo
Looked - for a while at least - somewhat sheepish after settling the outcome of the game having moments before spurned a second golden opportunity to score. A performance that was thus ambivalent - such profligacy in a tighter match would have seen him castigated while his eventual goal has given his stats versus the Big Four a necessary improvement.
Rating: Seven

Wayne Rooney
Terrific (if goalless). Harried, chased, menaced, created, kept his feet when others may have thrown themselves to the floor and even managed to suffer - apparently - an injury not serious enough to prevent him finishing the ninety minutes but no doubt still sufficiently troublesome to cause his withdrawal from the England squad. Not that England can have much complaint. In an season that has seen the Three Lions humiliated on the international scene, Rooney's transformation from a player who prefers the role of link man into an outstanding centre forward has arguably been the biggest consolation of 2007/08.
Rating: Eight


Liverpool

Pepe Reina
Disconcertingly nervy from the kick-off, the Spaniard had already made one dreadful hash of a routine cross before being outjumped for both of Manchester United's opening goals - a cardinal sin for any goalkeeper to commit and a double whammy that makes a mockery of his claim to be the world's best.
Rating: Three

Alvaro Arbeloa
A safety-first full back whose contribution to the afternoon was instantly forgettable. Lack of ambition was in stark contrast to that of his ManYoo counterpart.
Rating: Five

Martin Skrtel
Frequently caught out by long balls over the top - mistakes almost as unacceptable as those committed by his goalkeeper. And it's not as if Rooney is the quickest forward in the league. Daniel Agger, out for the season due to the dreaded metatarsal, continues to be sorely missed.
Rating: Three

Jamie Carragher
Not the player he was last term, Carragher has seemed to regress since retiring from international football. But for Rooney playing fair/remembering he doesn't boast penalty-taking duties, Carragher's lack of pace would have resulted in his dismissal after just ten minutes. It's not the first time this season that Carragher has been fortunate to escape censure.
Rating: Five

Fabio Aurelio
Brown's goal was as much a consequence of a sloppy pass out of defence by the Brazilian as it was his ambition. Another Liverpool player who would fail to be selected in any other Big Four team.
Rating: Five

Javier Mascherano
Deserved to be sent off for the sweary tirade that he subjected Bennett to on more than occasion before actually being dismissed for making an innocuous enquiry. Not that that is any sort of excuse - Mascherano seemed to be the only person in Old Trafford unaware of the risk he was running by running over to confront a notoriously officious referee and one who had already instructed the Argentine to go mute. As such, there can be no sympathy.
Rating: Two

Xabi Alonso
Where has his creative spark gone? Like a bowler in cricket who has lost his zip, Alonso's passing now lacks any sort of sparkle or invention. Talked about as one of the league's best just a few years ago, Alonso is in jeopardy of becoming the equivalent of a fast bowler who has been reduced to the role of county cricket trundler.
Rating: Four

Steven Gerrard
Was this the match in which the flaw in Liverpool's recently-adopted 4-2-3-1 formation was revealed? Perhaps. But a definitive answer can only be provided when Pool have played against top-class opposition with eleven men for ninety minutes. Nevertheless, there were enough indications in the opening forty at Old Trafford that, left to his own devices, Torres can become too isolated against strong defenders to cause Benitez a sleepless night or two. Unable to link up with the Spaniard, Gerrard was in turn rendered ineffective.
Rating: Five

Dirk Kuyt
His workrate, attitude and tenacity are first-class. But the but is considerable: Kuyt simply does not possess the pace or skills to make any sort of impact from the right wing.
Rating: Five

Ryan Babel
A threat whenever he took possession of the ball. Unfortunately from Liverpool's perspective those instances were few and far between. Nonetheless it was strange that he was substituted after 66 minutes given that Liverpool were already in need of a goal and Kuyt was still on the pitch offering nothing that an Olympic athlete wouldn't have also provided.
Rating: Five

Fernando Torres
It could have been said that Torres didn't have a kick all afternoon, if only he wasn't kicked all afternoon. To compound his misery, the Spaniard was booked when he observed as much to Bennett. Isolated, outmanned and overwhelmed, he must have looked on with envy at the service provided for Ronaldo and Rooney.
Rating: Five


Chelski

Carlo Cudicini
Couldn't do anything about Bacary Sagna's header but it does need to be asked why Chelski - and their goalkeeper - didn't have a man on either post. After all, they had been warned previously when Kolo Toure spurned a free header from the visitors' first corner with the goal gaping.
Rating: Six

Michael Essien
With Belletti on the bench and available for selection, Avram Grant took a considerable gamble in deploying Essien as a right-back and got lucky. The weak link in Chelski's defence, Essien was nearly exposed on a number of occasions and had the Gunners managed to find a telling cross then the post-match verdicts on the Israeli's tactical acumen would have been very different.
Rating: Five

Ricardo Carvalho
The spare man in Chelski's defence as John Terry went man-to-man with Emmanuel Adebayor, Carvalho did a decent job in limiting the exposure of Chelski's vulnerable right flank.
Rating: Seven

John Terry
Should be satisfied with his efforts against Adebayor - especially when he compares the way he handled the Togan to Arsenal's dealings with Didier Drogba.
Rating: Seven

Ashley Cole
But for the incessant booing from the away end, Cole had a quiet afternoon and missed a great chance to level the scores shortly before Drogba's equaliser while Sagna was receiving treatment.
Rating: Six

Claude Makelele
His scowl at being substituted was his only noteworthy contribution to proceedings.
Rating: Five

Michael Ballack
The favourite to be sacrificed if Grant finally realises that pairing Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka on a permanent basis makes considerable sense. The German looked miffed at being replaced with twenty minutes remaining but, upon reflection, he might admit that he had done little of consequence in the previous seventy when Arsenal's midfield held the upper hand.
Rating: Five

Frank Lampard
Lampard's disappearance on such occasions has become such a familiar ritual that his anonymity this Sunday has scarcely received a mention. Contributed just as little as Ballack and was probably only spared the indignity of being replaced instead of the German because of the backlash it would have produced from a set of fans already on the verge of mutiny.
Rating: Five

Joe Cole
Gael Clichy struggled to contain the in-form winger whose crossing was a constant menace. Should be a permanent pick for club and (now that he has cut out the repulsive theatrics) country.
Rating: Seven

Salomon Kalou
With Florent Malouda's display against Barnsley unforgivable, the Ivorian has become a regular presence on the left-hand side of Chelski's attack in recent weeks. He needs to do rather more, however, if he is to stay there.
Rating: Five

Didier Drogba
Put simply, Drogba was the difference between Arsenal ending Chelski's title bid and the Blues eventually emerging as the main challengers to Manchester United. Neither Kolo Toure nor William Gallas could cope with his strength and only a decent save from Manuel Alumina prevented him from completing a hat-trick in the final minutes.

But should he have still be on the pitch? After his equaliser, Drogba removed his shirt and ran into the crowd - both of which are bookable offences. Had Steve Bennett, rather than the liberal Mark Clattenburg, been in charge at Stamford Bridge then Drogba probably would have been dismissed. In the event, he was only shown one yellow card - it's just unclear for which offence.
Rating: Eight


Arsenal

Manuel Almunia
It would be harsh to criticise the Spaniard over Drogba's second goal considering that he is one of the few Arsenal players who has not under-performed over the past month. Widely tipped to be revealed as the weak link in Arsenal's title challenge ever since he took Jens Lehmann's place, Almunia has in fact proved to be one of the unexpected success stories of the season and has been blameless during the Gunners' collapse.
Rating: Six

Bacary Sagna
Adding insult to injury is the theory that the twisted ankle Sagna suffered was the turning point of a match that his header would have otherwise won.
Rating: Six

Kolo Toure
At fault for Drogba's second goal and shaky in general. Toure hasn't played well since his return from the African Nations Cup and it is no exaggeration to state that Philippe Senderos (who, of course cannot be mentioned without the words 'much' and 'maligned' also appearing nearby) would currently inspire more confidence.

A temporary compromise would be for Toure to take Sagna's place (provided he does not recover in time) at right-back next weekend while Senderos is paired with Gallas in expectation of another long ball barrage at Bolton.
Rating: Four

William Gallas
Talked the talk beforehand but couldn't cope with Drogba and was as much at fault for Chelski's first goal as Toure was for the second. It's equally fair to assume that Manchester United's centre-half pairing wouldn't have been caught short in such circumstances.
Rating: Five

Gael Clichy
Stuck manfully to the task of containing Cole and was powerless to prevent the two goals conceded.
Rating: Six

Emmanuel Eboue
Arsene Wenger's patience with a player who is as profligate in possession as he is irritating in behaviour must be on the verge of snapping. With Tomas Rosicky rarely fit, Alex Hleb reputedly talking to Inter Milan and both Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott unconvincing, the recruitment of new wingers must be Wenger's priority this summer. If he can be persuaded to spend some money, that is.
Rating: Five

Mathieu Flamini
Typically effective and industrious, the Frenchman was one of the most influential players on view until Avram Grant instructed his team to bypass the midfield.
Rating: Seven

Cesc Fabregas
Not at his fluent best, although one of his passes - a through ball to Alex Hleb that dissected the Chelski defence - was the best of the entire afternoon. As with Flamini, Fabregas could do with a rest. The only problem is that Arsenal's first reserve in such circumstances would be Gilberto Silva.
Rating: Seven

Robin van Persie
Unsurprisingly, Van Persie is still short of his best following what was essentially a six-month lay-off. More surprising was Wenger's ploy of using him as a left-winger at Stamford Bridge. The Arsenal manager has a preference for a 4-5-1 formation in Europe and using Van Persie as a winger would spare Wenger a choice between him and Adebayor. But the Dutchman remains best suited to the role of striker and Wenger may have erred in not pitching Alex Hleb in direct confrontation with Essien.
Rating: Six

Alex Hleb
Deployed centrally and caused Chelski a few concerns without ever providing convincing proof that Wenger's tactical rejig can inspire Champions League success. As with Arsenal overall, the Belarusian has faded in the second half of the season.
Rating: Six

Emmanuel Adebayor
Well shackled by Terry, reports in February that Adebayor was ready to become the new Drogba can now be disregarded.
Rating: Five

Pete Gill