Return to Old Trafford

A Premiership match against a football club more famous in its own town for its rugby league team and pies was hardly ever going to get the emotions flowing. However, the small matter of a late yet bizarre Michael Essien own goal certainly did so as I entered the second tier of the Stretford End for the first time in three months.

You couldn't move with fans using up every vantage point possible. Chelsea dropping points was greeted with louder applause than the match against Wigan Athletic itself. But fans excitedly glued to the big screens showing the early kick off at Stamford Bridge tells you everything about this season: we have a title race!

Sir Alex loves to make a point and with critics knocking the depth of his squad, benchwarmers Silvestre, Brown, Fletcher, O'Shea, Park and Solskjaer were all present. United were lacklustre in the opening period albeit an out of form Rooney should have bagged at least a brace. Half time signalled the introduction of Ronaldo and within five minutes, his end product ensured the points were in the bag.

It looks like a shoot out between Chelsea's Didier Drogba and the Portuguese trickster for the PFA Player of the Year which will be voted for in February. Whichever player can maintain their wonderful consistency will ultimately deliver the championship too.

Song you will hear for the next five months as the title race intensifies.

Mourinho, are you listening?
You better keep our trophy glistening,
We'll be back in May, to take it away,
Walking in a Fergie wonderland...

Wait and see

The Heineken Cup

I've recently started working for a media company called Statrugby. The job entails writing stat pieces for their website each week and attending games, recording all the key information on our trendy PDA's back to the director, Hugh Copping. I've been assigned to watch the Llanelli Scarlets for the rest of this season. My first live game from the press box sitting alongside BBC's Eddie Butler and former England coach Dick Best was a treat. A Heineken Cup clash between the Scarlets and Toulouse at the intimating Stradey Park.

The Scarlets had failed to beat Toulouse in four previous encounters and the West Walians looked like they would finally break the duck when they romped into a 13-0 lead early on thanks to a Scott MacLeod try and the boot of Welsh captain Stephen Jones. Three-times Heineken Cup champions Toulouse hit back either side of half time with 17 unanswered points but the Scarlets fought back and Simon Easterby's try with fifteen minutes left won the tie. Toulouse and fly-half Gaffie Du Toit had several drop-goals chances charged down in the dying minutes but the Scarlets held on.

An enjoyable day especially when you throw in a three-course meal before the match and beer for free all day. I think I could get used to this lifestyle!

Kim Hollamby

Kim Hollamby, head of electronic media at IPC media gave a lecture on his specialism, magazines, so I didn't gain much from it. All in all though, he was an interesting albeit paranoid man (no doubt he'll be checking our blogs for feedback on his lecture), a die-hard fan of boats and very interactive.