At last, a table-topping derby treat

ACCORDING to yesterday’s press reports of Fergie’s recent conversations with a “frustrated” Michael Owen, the boss has told the player that, up until now, “the season hasn’t really started yet”.

That might be unwelcome news to those who’ve already blown over €500 following United since early August but I can see what he means. Fergie explained that the internationals’ disruption, and the fact that the usual club weekend-midweek-weekend schedule hasn’t really been established, meant he wasn’t yet able to open out the full squad rotation system, and that therefore Owen would have to be patient.

Nevertheless I think we can all agree that Saturday surely marked the kick-off proper. Not least because we finally saw something akin to a real United performance at our favourite White Hart Lane hunting ground, pleasingly spearheaded by my two favourites, Berbatov and Rooney.