Manchester United V. QPR: The Red Devils Find Victory and Promise in London

Super Sunday Soccer, as I am affectionately calling it, started with an unsurprising but entertaining bang with Manchester United's trip to Loftus Road to face Queens Park Rangers.

Coming off a win over the Wolves one week ago, it was expected for Manchester United, despite injuries and questionable form, to come out the victor over QPR and reclaim their champion's position atop the English Premier League.

With Manchester City still to face Arsenal at the Etihad later today, it's still a question whether Manchester United's usurping of the number one spot will last into the week. If Arsenal are able to hold the Citizens back and continue their own maverick assent to the top, we could see the Red Devils basking in the sunlight at the canopy for maybe more than just a few hours.

Manchester United's following fixtures: away to Fulham and at home with Wigan and the Rovers. The Red Devils look poised for continued success into the 2012 portion of the EPL season. With a few miscues and on-the-pitch idleness, the boys from Old Trafford are back to scoring ways despite David de Gea not being tested as much as he should.

Regardless, United were able to exploit QPR's mistake and create space that the Rangers just couldn't handle in the long run. The two-goal victory away, following their victory against Wolverhampton Wolves, could provide momentum and excitement through the festive season into the new year.

Manchester United are now sitting pretty, enjoying their favourite position: one they haven't seen since October 15th and hope to maintain.

Patrice Evra Exchanges Experience for Laziness

Let's get the negatives out of the way: Patrice Evra hasn't been up to par for the past few weeks. 

Maybe I've been turning a blind eye to his defensive idleness, but this trip to London has exposed frayed edges that create a weakness in the Red Devil defensive line.

QPR has dominated Manchester United through the right, by picking on Evra. Despite his experience and talent and high footballing IQ, the French international seems to be sloshing his way through the game, losing possession and doing the bare minimum.

Mackie has been able to get the best of Evra, despite not being that fast, just very clever. Mackie was able to get crosses into the box and across the face of the Manchester United goal. Patrice Evra came up wanting more than was successful, and luckily his shiftlessness did not cost Manchester United the victory.

Sir Alex Ferguson and the coaching staff noticed Evra's idleness in the first half and it looked like it was addressed; Evra's second half performance was a lot more controlled and diligent, although he still suffered from first half deja vu. 

Despite the level of the Rangers skill, Patrice Evra should maintain an on-the-pitch standard no opponent can bend without force. With Fulham and Wigan coming up—two lower half teams that have upset top-flight regulars—Manchester United should have all the experience and skill of Evra at the ready to keep an upset from befalling their festive season.

Manchester United Back to Their Goal-Scoring Ways?

Since their defeat at Old Trafford at the hands of their neighbours down the road, United had been in a goal-scoring slump. One goal was enough to gain the win or a draw from their opponents.

Like the Newcastle fixture, United were kept at bay by defensive strength and extremely good goalkeeping, and at other times they were defeated by an inability to finish.

Forms suffered and fans pulled their hair out, but Manchester United did enough to ensure they wouldn't drop any lower on the league table.

December seems to be shaping up as a successful EPL month for the Red Devils and their goal tally. Starting the month off with a suspenseful one-goal victory at Villa Park, Manchester United scored a brace of braces against the Wolves at the boots of Rooney and Nani.

Much to my satisfaction,—and I feel several other fans—it was nice seeing Rooney and Luis Nani finding the back of the net. 

Rooney kept it up with their trip to Loftus Road by netting the third fastest goal of the season: 53 seconds after kick off; his 12th of the season.

Wayne Rooney was excellent in the run of play. He kept up on the ball and made consistent attempts that shouldered his team. Although many of his chances came up duck, Rooney looked ever-threatening and extremely capable of increasing his tally in the game.

The striker was replaced in the 79 minute for the sage Ryan Giggs, but his impact on the run of play remained.

The second goal was a much welcomed show of composure and skill from Michael Carrick. With an impressive touch and brilliant use of space and timing, Carrick was able to score his first goal of the season, in 70 appearances. The English midfielder was been a consistent presence, applying the pressure United needs in the center. The QPR fixture was no different.

Despite the torrent of boos and harsh language thrown at Manchester United players right down the line, they wouldn't be dissuaded. United will always be hungry for goals, but more importantly, they look as if they can still convincingly get them.

Beset by Injury, Manchester United Still Look Capable

Manchester United has consistently had injured players throughout the early parts of the season and sadly, into the new year. 

With eight players sidelined with diagnoses such as ACL and hamstring injuries, bowel conditions, and thigh muscle sprains, return dates range from late December to indeterminate.

However, despite these players' questionable inclusion, Manchester United's depth of squad proves to be a valuable aspect they can exploit again and again in most of the Premier League games. 

Admittedly, the impact of injury is greater felt when players with great influence are sidelines. Today, we saw the return of Javier Hernandez to the pitch, which was a surprise to some. His appearance yielded a few touches but nothing of previous goal glory.

Berbatov, who had also been sidelined with injury following their ejection from the Champions League this season, found himself on the bench for the QPR matchup as well.

Sir Alex Ferguson wrested the success of the game in the hands of safe bets such as Valencia, who had an excellent game today, and could call on other players with different levels of experience and skill to do the job.

Manchester United deployed such a squad to face the London Rangers and it was a success. The Red Devils are still capable, although it could be sometime before we see a 90-plus percent fit and up-to-form starting eleven. 

Regardless, as they play through the rest of the year, Manchester United could gain the confidence, momentum and points that could preserve them for the waning of the season.

Along with Depth, Manchester United Succeeds at Breadth

During this matchup, Manchester United's success and pressure was a result of monopolizing space and playing the width of the pitch.

Against most opponents, the Red Devils have exploited weaknesses in teams and were able to control the run of play through well-weighted passes and effective use of breadth.

Nani and Valencia were valuable assets along the wing and played strongly throughout the course of their time. As with the Newcastle and Wolves game, this effective use of breadth by the midfield provides the Red Devils enough time and space to threaten and devastate. 

We didn't see much devastation during this match, but if the feet and hands of QPR's Czech goalkeeper Radek Černý weren't so steady, the deficit would have been much larger than just two.

It leaves teams with the only option of strengthening defensive lines to handle to United onslaught from all sides—a task not many teams in the BPL can handle.

Regardless, it was invigorating to see Nani, Valencia, Rooney, Carrick and Jones intermingle and distribute across the pitch and flood the QPR third. Maybe it is QPR's level of play that made Manchester United seem so cunning today, but it has been a slow-rising swell since their tumultuous autumn. 

Monopolizing the span of the pitch will always prove to be valuable for Manchester United for play making and move forward.

Queens Park Rangers Has Bigger Fish to Fry

Newly promoted Queens Park Rangers will be looking to honour their EPL berth by remaining in the top 17.

Manchester United was a strong opponent, one that they handled decently. They were able to keep them at bay at one goal for over 50 minutes. For every shot on target QPR had, the Red Devils had four.

Despite the success and league height of their opponent, the Rangers need to take the same will to face Swansea and Sunderland in the coming weeks.

QPR's most valuable asset is indeed their goalkeeper, Radek Černý. He had a series of spectacular saves against amazing goal attempts, which would give the Rangers some confidence going into the rest of the festive season.

Defeating a team like Manchester United could prove to be necessary momentum. However, the importance of staying in the EPL hinges on victories over the teams to come who do not swim at the top of the food chain.

Despite the loss and a few errors, QPR put a good fight, but were still ultimately bested by a relentless offense and time. 

If Warnock and his boys can address the errors and translate the pros of this matchup through the rest of the season, we just might be seeing Queens Park Rangers this time again next year.