For United it's not exactly ideal timing for the release of managerial legend Sir Alex Ferguson's up-to-date autobiography.
He starts his countrywide tour promoting the opus this week, but there's little doubt that many United fans will be more concerned about the here and now than the past.
One of Ferguson's last acts as United boss was to place then largely unknown winger Januzaj on the substitutes' bench for the final game of last season – the pulsating 5-5 affair at West Brom.
While Januzaj's final international destination remains in the melting pot the Premier League seems a natural habitat for this Belgian-born youngster with precocious skills.
At one stage, when Ryan Giggs was introduced off the substitutes' bench, the Stretford End was treated to a virtual footballing father and son act.
Giggs at 39 is nearing the last waltz of a mesmerising career while, at 18, the boy from Anderlecht is ready to trip the light fantastic on regular occasions.
No wonder the Old Trafford bean counters tied him down last week to a five-year contract.
At this rate they will be soon be negotiating a super-improved deal as Januzaj makes enormous strides.
With the likes of Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton and former chief executive David Gill in the stand it must at times feel like an X Factor ordeal for both manager and players.
Januzaj, though, enjoys the innocence of youth with nothing so far appearing to faze him. Moyes stated: "I've said a couple of times he's been worthy of his place and has not looked out of place in the team.
"He's been creating goals, been part of some of the best passing movements. He's a very talented player. He didn't let himself down – he did his job.
"We could have and maybe should have finished them off but 1-0 is always a dangerous scoreline.
"We didn't control enough of the game. Losing that late goal was a real sickener."
Ferguson will point out that Sir Matt Busby was a regular observer as he attempted to make his way at the club. That's life at one of the most famous institutes of world football and something Moyes has willingly embraced, even though so far there have been more brickbats than bouquets for the former Everton manager.
It helps your cause when you are bequeathed a striker of Robin van Persie's razor-sharp finishing qualities, aided by Wayne Rooney, whose fortunes Moyes first helped shape at Everton. When Van Persie suddenly pounced, the creator of United's breakthrough was Januzaj.
A lacerating through-ball saw Rooney one-on-one with Artur Boruc, and when the Pole came out best, the rebound squirted out to Van Persie who calmly rounded the keeper and slid the ball over the line despite Lovren's desperate lunge.
It ended what in the Dutchman's terms could be judged a famine – five Premier League games without a goal.
No comments:
Post a Comment