O’Neill blown away by hotshots

Man United 3 Sunderland 1

Despite taking the duo’s tally to nine goals in four matches, they should have had three goals each in the hammering of Sunderland but van Persie still earned comparisons with Lionel Messi from losing manager Martin O’Neill. The nature of United is that people will always find it easy to pick at them, even when they are six points clear at the top of the table, but there is also the sense, in a positive way, that there is still much more to come.

With no football under his belt, Nemanja Vidic looked rusty when he ended his three-month spell on the sidelines with a knee problem but the Serbian provides assurance and steel.