Manchester United's Defeat of West Ham Shows Their Extra Class

Manchester United’s performance against West Ham on Sunday was not vintage, but Ryan Giggs’ winner certainly was.

The football from the champions was nowhere near their free-flowing best, but they still possessed the necessary quality to win the match.That is why they are such strong favourites for a third consecutive Premier League title.

Even as West Ham closed United down tirelessly and pressed the likes of Ronaldo and Berbatov into mistakes, there was still a spark of genius among the struggling crew of Red Devils. With the match drifting towards a stalemate, Giggs picked the ball up on the left-wing before cutting inside past two defenders and unleashing a low drive into the bottom corner.

Giggs’ piece of expert skill highlighted United’s supreme strength in depth. The Welshman is not one of United’s consistent starters anymore, yet he is still one of the players that they can rely on to grab a goal when they most need one. With West Ham looking like they would hold out for a draw, Giggs was still someone who could produce something special and snatch the game from Gianfranco Zola’s grasp.

Giggs’ goal showed just what a professional he is to still be playing so well after so long, but it also showed just what a good team Manchester United are. No matter how much they are struggling in a game to break down the opposition, there is always a big chance that one of their stars will produce something out of the ordinary to turn the match in their favour. Whether it be a long-range beauty, a jinking dribble or a perfect pass, it is always in United’s capabilities to surprise.

What makes United so strong is that they have so many individuals who can produce that moment of brilliance, whether it be Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov, Scholes, Carrick or, as on Sunday, Giggs. One of them will always stand up and produce something special. That is why they just keep on winning and that is why the title will surely be theirs come May.

Liverpool seem to be United’s only challengers in the Premier League title race now, after Chelsea’s recent slide, and they simply do not possess the same attacking flair as United. Without Gerrard and Torres, they lack any sort of attacking wizardry, whereas United have magic in abundance.

The lower teams are competing to a very high level against the big boys in this season’s Premier League, so with so many games being closer than they might have been in previous years, the need for match-winners is greater than ever. So it is logical that United should win more games than Liverpool because they simply possess more match-winners. Sunday’s Upton Park fixture was a perfect example

No one can doubt how good a side Liverpool are when their best players are fit and on form, because Benitez sets the team up in such a specific system that makes them extremely hard to break down and always gives them a good chance of nicking a goal. The thing is, that chance of nicking a goal is never as high as United’s.

Fergie’s thoroughbreds play much more attacking football, because they know that an unbreachable defence lies behind them when they push forward in search of goals. And because they surge up-field in such numbers, with such great talents with the ball at their feet, they are always likely to score a goal. And with a rock solid backline, one goal is often enough.

Yes, they have spent a lot more money than Liverpool, but Fergie and co. will not care when they lift the Premier League trophy in May once more. They surely have too many special talents in the attacking areas not to win a third title on the trot. Because as Giggs showed against West Ham, United always have someone who will stand up and do something special.