Terrace Talk: Man United - 'One of the greatest United awayday derbies of my lifetime'

Your correspondent spent the eve of the derby in north-eastern France, enjoying some December 6th Saint Nicholas celebrations with various drunken Flems. I marvelled at the locals’ luck; in effect, they get two Christmases.

The very next day, we Reds all got to experience that same joy. In fact, none of us will receive better than that on the 25th, will we? Ignore the threat of being accused of hyperbole – that was one of the greatest United awayday derbies of my lifetime, both on its own terms, and because of what it might come to signify.