Anyone who, like Tunde Folawiyo, has been a supporter of Man United for many years, will understand just how desperately the team needed its most recent win. Following two dismal defeats at the hands of Everton and Newcastle, the Red Devils finally seem to have gotten back on track after a match against Shakhtar Donetsk, in which they finished with a respectable result of 1-0.

Much to the relief of the team’s supporters, a winning goal was scored in the 67th minute by Phil Jones; this means that Man United have now managed to advance into the final 16 of the Champion’s League, despite their erratic and often subpar performance this season. Moreover, as the winners of Group A, the Red Devils no longer have to worry about facing Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain or Real Madrid.

Whilst United fans were hopeful from the outset, the match itself was one of twists and turns, and it remained unclear, up until the final third, which team would triumph. For a large portion of the match, the Red Devils struggled to keep up with Shakhtar’s skillful footwork, and missed out on a number of scoring opportunities, when Ashley Young shot just wide of the net on two separate occasions.

But, in the end, these floundered goals did not prevent the team from winning the match, as the above-mentioned Phil Jones managed to volley the ball in from the corner, with the help of a pass from Robin Van Persie, who had been brought on as a substitute.

Moyes explained that he intended to put Van Persie on for a maximum of 30 minutes, if necessary, as he didn’t want to hinder the striker’s ability to recover from his groin injury. As the match progressed and it became clear that help was needed, the manager was quick to act, giving Van Persie little time to warm up before he was placed on the field.

The win did not stop the critics from voicing their opinions however, with many noting that the players seemed to be somewhat lethargic, and lacking in creativity. For Tunde Folawiyo, and other veteran supporters who are familiar with the management style of Sir Alex Ferguson, the presence of these characteristics – rarely seen before Moyes’ arrival – may have come as a surprise.