Utd Kids Wife

Blackpool went into the final match of the season knowing they needed to get a draw against Man Utd away (a feat achieved by only one other team this season).

After the ever-industrious Park Ji-Sung put United in front, a great Charlie Adam free-kick and a Gary Taylor-Fletcher strike, it seemed they could do the impossible.

However, in a season of heroism but ultimately failure, Blackpool’s familiar defensive problems were their undoing as Anderson, an Ian Evatt own goal and a Michael Owen strike meant the Champions maintained their stunning home form (W17 D1).

With Alex Ferguson’s side preparing for next week’s Champions League final, many thought he would field a below-par side having already wrapped up the league title.

Thankfully, for the United fans who attended Old Trafford, SAF picked a surprisingly strong squad, with Edwin van der Sar made captain on his final appearance at home.
Of the starting XI, Van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Park can expect to be named in the side against Barcelona at Wembley, while Rafael, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Nani and Dimitar Berbatov could all also be involved.

Charlie Adams made a name for himself this season. His stunning performances inspired them to heights they could never imagine, before his failed transfer in the January window saw his form and his teams tail off.

Within seconds, he created a great opportunity for Keith Southern, pulling the ball back from the left side, only for Southern to screw his shot badly wide. Minutes later, his low cross from the left had Taylor-Fletcher sliding in but came up a stud’s length short.

Whilst at the other end, Matt Gilks held a Rafael volley before Berbatov’s sublime turn and shot forced the goalkeeper into more decisive action.

Individual defensive errors have proved Blackpool’s downfall all season, and so it was on 21 minutes when Berbatov played Park through. Evatt appeared to have it covered but inexplicably overran the ball and Park chipped the ball almost apologetically over Gilks.

It might have got away from Blackpool. Adam was lucky not to concede a penalty for a rash tackle on Park, while Berbatov forced Gilks into another save following more chaos at the back.

Five minutes before half-time, Adam produced his piece of magic. Blackpool had a free-kick in a central position, 25 yards out, and the Scot swerved a low shot beyond Van der Sar’s outstretched paw, and in off the base of the right-hand post.

Events at Molineux meant that goal lifted Blackpool out of the bottom three, and they went even further clear on 57 minutes when Taylor-Fletcher finished a brilliant move, guiding the ball in off the far post from David Vaughan’s cross.

Could Blackpool hold on to their precious lead? As so many times this season, the answer was an emphatic ‘no’.

Six minutes later, it was all too easy as Park rolled a low ball inside from the left for Anderson, who guided a first-time shot past Gilks.

Then came Evatt’s moment of horror, as he slid to cut out a Chris Smalling cross but succeeded only in slicing it beyond Gilks – a moment of calamity that summed up Blackpool’s season, but which the courageous Evatt did not deserve.

It was left to substitute Michael Owen to deliver the coup de grace, breaking through the offside trap and finishing coolly.

Late chances for Adam and Luke Varney came back off the woodwork, but by that stage even a draw would not have been enough.

Old Trafford gave Blackpool and their manager Holloway a rousing ovation on the final whistle as befits the team crowned Champions for the 19th time. Take note Liverpool, Chelsea et al. Now let’s finish the job at Wembley on the 28th.

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