Man U were masterful at Porto, playing in the more conservative Continental style Ferguson adopts in important European matches. It was a relief after the dip in form of recent weeks. The other good news (if you’re a United fan) is that Christiano Ronaldo is back scoring goals in important matches. Love him or hate him (a Mancunian I met in Barcelona referred to him as a “grease ball”), he makes Berbatov and Rooney seem ordinary. Anderson (pictured), Carrick, and Evra all had fine games. Only Scholes and Nani seemed a bit out of place when they emerged from the substitutes bench. (By the way, I saw the game on Russian television, which was a gas. Now I know how to pronounce Berbatov’s name properly.)

I’m looking forward to the FA Cup match this weekend. Everton are very difficult to break down, but I think Rooney, Tevez, or Ronaldo will find a way. Go Big Red! Oh wait. That’s the Nebraska football team’s slogan. Let’s make that, Go Red Devils!

Alex Ferguson is amazing. He deserves his knighthood. Like everyone else, I doubted him at the beginning of the season. The team was shambles, without coherence or cohesion. I figured it was time for Roy Keane to step in (big laugh that). What I didn’t understand, but appreciate now, is that Sir Alex is very patient as a manager (well, up to a point). He understands that players and whole teams lose form and that it takes time to find it again. His confidence in himself and his players allows this to happen. It’s what greatness is, I think—this very accurate sense of what you can accomplish as a person and the patience and fortitude to see it through.