Manchester United

Mid-season report: Manchester United

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 28 December 2012

Sports Mole wades through the first half of arguably the best season to be a Manchester United fan with goals aplenty in the Red Devils' games.

It's no surprise that, once again, Manchester United are setting the pace at the midway point of the Premier League season.

The 2012-13 term has, so far, arguably been one of the best ever to be a Red Devil with almost all of United's games laden with goals, comebacks or late winners - and sometimes all three!

Here, Sports Mole recaps a simply spectacular first half of the season for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

August

The campaign got off to the worst possible start when Everton toppled United in the first Monday night game.

The opening month finished with a hard-fought 3-2 win at home to Fulham. Big-money buy Robin van Persie and fellow summer signing Shinji Kagawa got themselves on the scoresheet for the first time in a United shirt.

September

A second successive 3-2 success followed at Southampton, with Van Persie notching a hat-trick to snatch victory from the Saints' grasp.

Next up was a more comfortable 4-0 rout of Wigan before the Champions League began with a narrow triumph over Galatasaray.

Further victories followed over arch rivals Liverpool and Newcastle in the Capital One Cup before the month ended with a first loss since the opening day to a Gareth Bale-inspired Spurs.

October

Van Persie scored both goals in a Champions League victory at Cluj before another European success was registered thanks to a Javier Hernandez brace against Braga three weeks later. Sandwiched between these Champions League wins was further domestic maximums over Newcastle and Stoke.

October finished with two games against title rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The first was a league game that United came through 3-2 against nine men, with Hernandez once again the match winner.

They couldn't replicate their success in West London three days later in the Capital One Cup, however. This time it was Chelsea who won through in another high-scoring affair, knocking Ferguson's men out 5-4 after extra time.

November

The penultimate month began with another big win in the league as this time Arsenal were downed, with Van Persie netting the first against his former club.

Progress to the last 16 of the Champions League was secured nice and early in Braga before yet another remarkable comeback, this time at Aston Villa. The lowly Birmingham side took a surprise 2-0 lead and looked set to cause a major upset until Hernandez stole the show.

A first Premier League defeat since September in Norwich brought United back to earth before a meaningless European loss in Galatasaray.

November ended with two more league wins over QPR and West Ham at Old Trafford.

December

December began with a crazy win at Reading where all seven goals were scored in the first 45. This United side were becoming synonymous with conceding plenty but outscoring their opponents as they won through 4-3 in Berkshire.

Another miserable night in Europe preceded the biggest game of the season - the Manchester derby.

United travelled to the Etihad with a three-point lead over their rivals in the table and it was extended to six in another mesmerising encounter that ended City's 21-game unbeaten run. Wayne Rooney put the visitors two up in the first half before a rousing comeback from City was extinguished by Van Persie's late, late free kick. The stupendous match was marred by scenes at the end which saw United defender Rio Ferdinand struck by a coin thrown from the crowd.

Sunderland were next to be dispatched before United incurred their first draw of the season at stubborn Swansea. Despite the solitary point, Ferguson's men had a four-point lead over City at Christmas and this was soon seven after a blockbuster Boxing Day.

Three times United fell behind at home to Newcastle but still they managed to win as Hernandez slid in to win it in stoppage time.

This miraculous win, coupled with City's third straight loss in Sunderland, means that United are well on course for their 13th Premier League crown.