Among the most popular sports teams in the world, Manchester United, nicknamed “The Red Devils”, has long been revered as England’s most successful professional football team, with millions of supporters including those such as Tunde Folawiyo. Boasting the largest average game attendance in European football, Manchester United has earned a variety of awards demonstrating their outstanding talent and passion for the sport of football.

Manchester United is one of the most decorated of all football teams. With honours including three European Cups, 20 League titles, 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and a record 20 FA Community Shields, the Red Devils continually demonstrate their vast impact on European sports and the world of sports as a whole. The franchise has been home to some of the most talented players and coaches the world has ever seen. These include manager of over 26 years, Sir Alex Ferguson. The name alone elicits great pride among Manchester United fans as the coach’s impact on the team will forever have an impact on the team’s rich history.

Sir Alexander Chapman “Alex” Ferguson managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. His time at the club has led to Ferguson’s highly-regarded reputation as one of the most successful, admired and respected managers in the history of the game and sports as a whole.As the longest serving manager of Manchester United with more than 27 years of service, Ferguson announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United on 8 May 2013, ending an era of superior sportsmanship and devotion to the sport of football. During his career as club manager, Ferguson led his team to win 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League and two UEFA Champions League titles. Awarded Manager of the Year more times in British football history than any other coach in the history of the sport, Ferguson was knighted in 1999 for contributions to the world of British football. Ferguson’s last home game as coach of the Red Devils – his 1,500^th – resulted in a win. With these revered accomplishments, Sir Alex Ferguson remains one of the most respected managers in the history of football while fans will undoubtedly remember and forever pay homage to Ferguson for his incredible passion for the game and the Manchester United franchise.

Manchester United Fans such as Tunde Folawiyo will continue to prove an immeasurable source of support for the team’s success as they embark on a new year of play. The spirit of Manchester United remains a major source of inspiration for the team and its millions of loyal fans.

World-renowned for its vibrant and devoted fan base, Northwest England’s Manchester United football club has long served as one of Europe’s premiere professional football teams, continually showcasing great success on the field. Regarded as “The Most Popular Football Team in the World”, Manchester United currently holds the largest average game attendance in Europe, demonstrated by its millions of fans such as Tunde Folawiyo and others throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Their continued success as a franchise has resulted in the appointment of their title as one of the most famous teams in sports history.

Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the football club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Now, aptly nicknamed the “The Red Devils”, the dynamic Manchester United’s club crest is derived from the Manchester City Council coat of arms. As one of the world’s most widely supported sports franchises, Manchester United is widely recognised not only for their accomplishments on the field, but for their humanitarian efforts, evident in the founding of the Manchester United Foundation, a charity aiming to improve the lives of England’s youth. These initiatives have undoubtedly aided the franchise’s reputation as one of the most respected sports teams in the world.

Manchester United won the European Cup before going on to win an additional 28 major honours under manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose career of over 25 years thrived until his retirement in 2013. Leading his team toward the acquisition of 13 national championships, Ferguson remains one of the most well-known and respected managers in the history of English football.

With a record 20 League titles, four League Cups, 11 FA Cups, and 20 FA Community Shields won throughout their rich history as a franchise, Manchester United also won the continental treble, a magnificent accomplishment for an English football club. Further solidifying their enormous impact in the world of football and sports as a whole, Manchester United ranked first on the Forbes list of the world’s ten most valuable sports franchises in 2012. Undoubtedly contributing to their worldwide fame is Manchester United’s history of international sports superstars including players such as Ryan Giggs, Sir Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. With the continued support of their millions of devoted fans including Tunde Folawiyo, the future of Manchester United remains bright as ever as they embark on a new season of play that will inevitably be cemented in the team’s history.

Manchester United has picked up another three Premier League points, following their defeat over Cardiff City. This was a welcome reprieve from the recent losses that the Red Devils have experienced at the hands of Tottenham, Swansea and Chelsea. The 2-0 victory has probably given many supporters, including Tunde Folawiyo hope that United might still win the title.

Juan Mata, the Red Devil’s newest midfielder, made his debut at the match. Whilst he missed out on two scoring opportunities, his quick-footedness and ability to support the efforts of other players on the team, resulted in him receiving a standing ovation from United’s fans as he left the pitch at the end of the game.  Mata and Van Persie were undoubtedly the stars of the show, with the latter providing the Red Devils with the lead just six minutes in.

Van Persie’s first attempt to score was saved by David Marshall; undeterred by this failure, he continued to attack and netted a goal a few minutes later. The move which led to this early success was initiated by Mata; after several seconds of passing between the Spaniard, Patrice Evra and Ashley Young, the ball was shot over to Antonio Valencia, who then accidentally headed it into the bar. However, Van Persie was quick to react to this error, taking control of the ball and kicking it into the net.

After the interval, Young doubled United’s advantage, by executing a perfect kick from 25 yards. This second goal seemed to spur Cardiff on, and for the rest of the match, they managed to retain possession of the ball. However, United’s defence was strong, and their opponents were unable to convert.

Whilst the Red Devil’s will still struggle to win the league trophy, the victory probably came as quite a relief to fans such as Tunde Folawiyo, given the team’s less-than-perfect results as of late. Speaking to the press after the match, Moyes seemed pleased, stating that he was much more optimistic about the team’s chances of winning the title now. He noted that their impressive performance during the game was largely due to the presence of players such as Mata, who just joined the club, and Van Persie, who has been absent for several months due to his injuries. However, Moyes was quick to add that he doesn’t want the results of this match to go to the players’ heads, and that they have a lot of work to do if they want to win the title.

Man United’s recent match against Stoke City was what many described as dismal; plagued by poor weather and bad luck, this was not the Red Devils’ finest performance. Stoke’s  2-1 win is likely to have left many fans of Man United, including Tunde Folawiyo disappointed, as it means that the team are that much further away from winning the Premier League title.

The weather at Britannia Stadium certainly didn’t make things easier for either side, with icy temperatures, rain and wind having a considerable impact on the players’ ability to remain on their feet, and in control of the ball; however, Stoke appeared to adjust to the unforgiving conditions far quicker than their opponents.

During the first half, Man United lost two of their central defenders; Phil Jones suffered a knock to the head which resulted in him being carried off the pitch in a concussed state, whilst Jonny Evans slipped and strained his calf. The absence of these two players certainly had a significant effect on United’s tactical approach; Rooney was dropped into midfield, Carrick was asked to move into central defence, and Welbeck was chosen as Jones’ replacement. Several commentators questioned Moyes decision to select Welbeck over Fletcher, whom they regarded as a stronger player.

Stoke took the lead during the first half. The goal, scored by Charlie Adam, was largely due to luck, rather than skill – his shot bounced off Carrick, and then soared past De Gea into the net. After this, the Red Devils began to attack with far greater gusto; this approach seemed to pay off during the second half, when Mata assisted Van Persie in scoring an equaliser, resulting in uproarious cheers from United’s supporters.

However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Stoke gained the advantage just five minutes later. The shot was initiated by Walters, who headed the ball to Arnautovic, who then passed it to Adam. The midfielder proceeded to deliver a powerful shot which, buoyed by the strong winds, flew far beyond De Gea’s reach.

Rooney almost managed to level the score with a free kick, but Stoke’s keeper, Asmir Begovic, performed a fingertip save at the last second. Further attempts by United were also fruitless; despite both of the team’s full-backs making it to the by-line, their opponent’s skilful defence meant that they simply could not convert, and as the whistle was blown, Stoke emerged victorious. As a sports fanatic, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that this was the first time, in thirty years, that the Potters have defeated the Red Devils in the Premier League.

Manchester United FC is experiencing a period of transition, which is likely to have a significant impact on its future. With speculation surrounding Moyes’ suitability as a manager, the club’s recent transfer decisions, and the team’s highly inconsistent performance throughout the Premier League, it seems impossible to predict, with any real certainty, which direction the club is heading in.

Supporters of the Red Devils, such as Tunde Folawiyo, might be surprised to learn that Wayne Rooney has expressed his doubts about the team’s ability to retain the league title, stating that it will be extremely difficult to do so after their recent losses. The striker is taking what he calls a ‘realistic’ approach, and says that the team should aim to be within the top four.

Juan Mata, a midfielder who moved from Chelsea to Man United for the price of £37.1 million last month, did not share this view when he first came on board; in an interview, he explained that one of the reasons he was so pleased to join the Red Devils, was that it would afford him the opportunity to potentially win the Premier League.

He stated that he had great faith in the club, and believed that they could retain the title if they worked hard enough. The midfielder also added that the top three contenders would be Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal. However, just a few weeks later, he appeared to have reconsidered this initial statement. Speaking to a journalist, Mata claimed that at this time, it would be difficult for the Red Devils to win the trophy, and that they are going to have to fight very hard for their position in the next Champions League.

The uncertainty regarding the title, coupled with the recent revelation that Nemanja Vidic would be leaving at the end of this season, has probably come as quite a blow to fans of the club, including Tunde Folawiyo. Vidic is someone whom virtually all Man United supporters will be familiar with; the centre-back has been with the club for over eight years, and participated in 202 matches. In a press conference, Vidic said that he would definitely not be playing with another English team, but other than that, did not yet have any concrete plans for his future.  He added that he thought himself ‘very lucky’ to have played with Man United for as long as he had.

Fans of United, such as Tunde Folawiyo, are probably aware that January has been a disappointing month for the team; over the past three weeks or so, they have been beaten by Tottenham, Swansea, and most recently, Chelsea. United got off to a strong start in their match against the Blue Lions, maintaining control of the ball for the first fifteen minutes. During this period,  came very close to scoring, with Petr Cech just barely managing a low save.

Ultimately however, Chelsea’s tactical expertise and highly organised defensive strategy was too much for United. Whilst the Blue Lions as a whole played exceptionally well, it was Samuel Eto’o’s hat-trick which led to United’s downfall. Commentators questioned Mourinho’s decision to choose Eto’o over Torres, but as the match played itself out, it became clear that the former was the better choice. Following the match, Mourinho explained that although Torres was an excellent player, Eto’o was better at manoeuvring and controlling the ball in smaller spaces.

Eto’o gave Chelsea the lead 17 minutes into the game. His somewhat clumsy footwork initially suggested that he posed no real threat to the Red Devils; however in the space of just a few seconds, he managed to cut in from the side of the pitch, sneak past Jones and unleash a tremendously powerful shot which hit the corner of the net. This goal should have served as United’s wake-up call, but the players’ seemed disheartened, rather than motivated by Chelsea’s early success.

A few minutes before the interval, the Red Devil’s didn’t quite manage to clear a corner, and then subsequently failed in their attempt to push the Blue Lions out; this resulted in Chelsea taking control once again, with Gary Cahill passing the ball to Eto’o, who then promptly swept yet another goal past United’s keeper. Mere minutes after the two teams returned to the field following the half-time break, Cahill’s attempt to score was thwarted by De Gea; however, Eto’o once again came to Chelsea’s rescue, taking the ball from Valencia and kicking it into the net.

Whilst at this point in the match, it was clear that United would not be going home with a win, the players made a number of valiant efforts to redeem themselves. Hernandez provided the Red Devil’s with their one and only goal, accepting a pass from Jones and then shooting the ball beyond Cech. However, this minor victory was negated by Vidic being given a red card by Phil Dowd, the referee, after his somewhat questionable challenge of Hazard. Overall, the match was most likely a frustrating one for supporters of United,  like Tunde Folawiyo.

In May of last year, Sir Alex Ferguson publically announced that he intended to retire as Manchester United’s manager, explaining that he would instead serve only as the club’s ambassador and director. His final match at Old Trafford took place just five days later, and resulted in the Red Devils defeating Swansea with a final tally of 2-1. As it was Ferguson’s last game on home turf, a huge number of Man United fans attended, one of whom was Tunde Folawiyo.

Prior to kick-off, the team members of both Man United and Swansea formed a guard of honour, which Ferguson then walked through to reach the arena; his arrival was greeted with applause and cheers by everyone in the stadium. The match got off to a lively start, with the two teams defending themselves well; but a few minutes before the interval, the Red Devils took the lead, after Javier Hernandez deftly kicked the ball just beyond the keeper’s reach.

United did not maintain this advantage for long however, with Swansea’s Michu levelling the score moments after half-time ended. This was an expertly executed play, with Williams heading the ball to the feet of Dyer, who then passed to Michu. The Spaniard was quick to react, immediately volleying the ball into the net.

This equaliser probably came as quite a blow to many fans, including Tunde Folawiyo. Given the significance of this match for Ferguson and his supporters, anything less than a total victory would have been heartbreaking. At this point, Ferguson recognised a need for some changes on the pitch; in the 66th minute, Anderson replaced Scholes, whilst Welbeck replaced Valencia.

Ferguson’s decision almost instantly improved United’s performance, and the fans’ spirits were raised once again when, just 12 minutes before the match drew to a close, Robin Van Persie initiated the winning goal, taking a free kick which was volleyed home by Rio Ferdinand.

Throughout the match, Ferguson remained stationary in his technical area, only making his way towards the pitch after the referee blew the final whistle. With a microphone in hand, he expressed his gratitude to all of the players and the fans, who had supported him even during the difficult early years of his time with the club. He also paid tribute to David Moyes, the team’s new manager.

Manchester United, a club which Tunde Folawiyo amongst many others has steadfastly supported for years, appears to be experiencing a bout of bad luck, with many of its team members incurring injuries which have left them unable to participate in matches. Rooney, Van Persie, Da Silva, Nani and Jones have all fallen victim to various types of leg injuries over the past few months.

Jones will be facing at least a fortnight on the sidelines, following a painful knee sprain; this was confirmed by the team’s manager, David Moyes, just before the Red Devil’s match against Hull on Boxing Day. The injury is believed to have occurred during the West Ham match, which took place a few days before Christmas. Given that Jones is a player that Moyes clearly relies upon – the midfielder has appeared in 22 matches since Moyes first took over – his absence will almost certainly have an impact on the team’s performance over the coming weeks.

Da Silva’s injury came about during the above-mentioned match against Hull; he limped off the pitch just 18 minutes after the game began. As a result, the striker missed out on their defeat of Norwich. However, Moyes has insisted that Da Silva’s injury is not serious, and that he will be ready to resume training and match participation this week; although he did add that ideally, he would prefer to give the player a little bit more time to heal. Moyes also briefly discussed Rooney’s recent absence, noting that the forward had been suffering from an issue with his adductor muscles.

A hamstring-related problem has been keeping another Man United player, Nani, off the field as well. The winger has not played since early December, and there are now rumours that he may be considering a transfer to Juventus. Moyes refused to comment on a possible move for the winger, but did address his injury, explaining that it is worse than they initially thought, and will leave him on the sidelines for several more weeks.

On a more positive note, one of the team’s injured players – Robin Van Persie – is said to be nearing a full recovery, following a thigh strain. The Red Devil’s manager stated that he has begun light training, and will soon be back on the pitch. Those who, like Tunde Folawiyo, regularly watch United’s matches, are likely to be relieved by this news, as Van Persie is arguably one of the team’s best players.

Manchester United, a team whom Tunde Folawiyo amongst many others, has been a devoted fan of for years, recently played a match against Hull City, which kept spectators on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Hull initially appeared to be the stronger of the two, scoring the first goal just four minutes into the first half, when the centre back Chester volleyed the ball into the net from close range. Five minutes later, Hull managed a second goal, leaving the Red Devils disheartened, and their fans concerned. Chester’s goal was said to have been down to good luck and United’s poor defence; Alex Bruce managed to out-jump Patrice Evra, taking the ball away from Huddlestone’s corner, thus giving Chester his opportunity to score.

For many football enthusiasts, including Tunde Folawiyo, who may have watched the Red Devils perform outstandingly well during countless other matches, this dismal start was a rather shocking occurrence to observe. However, Moyes somehow managed to rally the players, and nineteen minutes into the match, Chris Smalling’s header gave the team their first goal. Rooney – who scored four goals against Hull during a previous match at Old Trafford – equalised just seven minutes after this.

A collision between Ashley Young and Allan McGregor (Hull) earlier on in the match led to McGregor being replaced by Steve Harper at half-time. It seemed as if Hull were making a comeback at the start of the second half, with the Red Devils being forced to defend a number of attacks, including one from Alex Bruce, whose header led to the ball bouncing against the cross bar. Three minutes later, Moyes chose to replace Darren Fletcher with Javier Hernandez; some criticised this decision, arguing that Michael Carrick would have been a better choice.

However, the switch did not have any significant impact on the match, as it was Hull City’s James Chester who gave Man United their winning goal. This rather shocking turn of events came about after Young managed to take the ball past Figueroa, kicking it forcefully towards the net; Chester, attempting to deflect, but mistakenly headed it past Hull’s keeper, Harper. This crushing blow seemed to dampen Hull City’s spirits, and whilst in the closing stages, they attempted to level the score, with Chester almost managing to redeem himself at one point, the players never quite managed to regain control of the ball.

Long-term supporters of the Red Devils, including Tunde Folawiyo know that the team’s performance has been rather erratic as of late. Predicting the outcome of their matches has become almost impossible, as the team’s behaviour on the pitch ranges from outstandingly brilliant, to shockingly mediocre.

As such, many fans breathed a sigh of relief when Man United recently managed to defeat West Ham, thus winning their first Premier League home match since last November. They were in top form throughout the game, with Ashley Young, Adnan Januzaj and Danny Welbeck scoring a total of three goals. It was immediately apparent, from the moment they stepped out onto the pitch, that they would emerge as winners, with Tom Cleverely nearly scoring just two minutes into the match; unfortunately, his efforts were thwarted by Adrian San Miguel de Castillo, West Ham’s goalkeeper.

Despite West Ham’s relatively strong defence strategy, Man United managed to score a goal within the first half-hour, when Danny Welbeck nimbly passed the ball to Wayne Rooney, catching up with him further down the field, and eventually taking it from him and kicking it past the keeper’s head. The two United players were described by many as ‘unstoppable’, as they joined forces once again ten minutes later, providing Januzaj with a chance to flick the ball into the net once again. However, the midfielder’s triumph was short-lived, as just before the first half drew to a close, he dived rather dramatically to the ground, despite not supposedly having had any contact with West Ham’s James Collins. He received a caution, and was replaced by Ashley Young.

The second half was equally thrilling, with the aforementioned Young helping the Red Devils to get yet another goal, after Rooney’s lay-off pass enabled him to hit the ball into the top corner of the net. Whilst West Ham were clearly the weaker team, they did manage to redeem themselves somewhat, when Carlton Cole, in the 82nd minute, scored their one and only goal of the match. Whilst it cannot be denied that the Red Devils played with great skill and composure, the match was not without its controversy, with Sam Allardyce, West Ham’s manager, stating that he had spotted a handball when Tom Cleverley was in the penalty box. However, the referee disagreed with this assessment. Overall, the players’ performance will probably have pleased most fans, including Tunde Folawiyo.