Manchester United is back on top of the English leagueprincipally because of the instincts of two men “ one a 70-year-old Scot, theother a 24-year-old Mexican.
When United lost the Premiership title to Manchester City inthe last minute of the last game of last season, it came down to a singlereason: The teams were tied on points after a 10-month campaign, but City hadscored more goals.
Never again, vowed United’s team manager, Alex Ferguson. Hecould not stop the money from Abu Dhabi that is fueling City, but his 55 yearsspent playing, coaching and managing soccer have always been about two things:picking yourself up after a defeat, and finding people to put the ball in theopponent’s net.
This new season is barely a third of the way through.United’s defence is shot through with injuries, which means it is unusuallyvulnerable. But its attack is better because Sir Alex was determined that itwould be.
On Saturday, United went two goals down after AndreasWeimann scored just before and just after halftime for Aston Villa. By then,Ferguson was already acting on impulse.
Ferguson took off one of his wingers, Ashley Young, andreplaced him during halftime with the Mexican forward, Javier ''Chicharito’'Hernandez.
A pickpocket in the goalmouth if ever there was one,Chicharito is a different type of striker from any other in the English league.He is not about power or simply about physical speed. He lurks in the shadows,he senses opportunities, he preys on the hesitation of defenders and springs tolife in the space of just a few yards, inches even.
His art is timing, augmented by something as intuitive asthe way a carrier pigeon homes in on its destination. Once, twice, three times,Hernandez slipped through the Villa defences. And three times he scored,although the panel that adjudicates these things after a game is finished willdecide one of Chicharito’s goals was an ''own goal’' insofar as it wasdeflected into the net off a bemused defender’s thigh.
So be it. Chicharito “ so named because he is the son of aformer Mexican national team player, Javier ''Chicharo’' Hernandez Gutierrez “was the game changer.
His first strike was straight down the middle, the Mexicansprinting behind the defence in anticipation of the fine lob from midfield byPaul Scholes that released him. The second Hernandez goal was the disputed oneafter he had found space on the left side and his shot deflected in off RonVlaar.
And the third, the winner, was wonderfully quick and braveas Hernandez dived, his head close to the ground and close to the shoes ofdefenders as he guided in a free kick from Robin van Persie.
Chicharito “ the Little Pea, as it translates “ was cheekyenough to claim the match ball, which is traditionally given to the scorer ofthree goals. His manager endorsed that by saying after the game: ''You score ahat trick, you pick yourself for the next game. And I think you’ll be seeinghim next week.''
If so, another of Ferguson’s traits will come into play. Henow has four strikers vying for a starting role. Each of them “ the Dutchmanvan Persie, the English duo of Rooney and Danny Welbeck, and Hernandez “ wouldbe an automatic starter at any other club.
Chicharito has scored seven goals “ eight if he wins hisargument with the dubious goal panel “ off the bench in five of thoseturnarounds.
Persuasion is an art of management. Ferguson now has his besthand of strikers since 1999, when “ by alternating Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, OleGunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham “ United cleaned out the English League,the F.A. Cup and the Champions League.
