Chicharito lifts Gold Cup

Javier Hernandez's fairytale season ended on a soaring high, as the United striker and his Mexico team-mates came from behind to beat host nation United States in the Gold Cup final.

Chicharito secured the golden boot and player of the tournament awards for his outstanding exertions in taking El Tri to the final, but he had to settle for the role of provider as his side roared back from two goals down to post a stunning 4-2 victory.

After the United striker had poked against the post in the second minute, the US stormed ahead as Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan struck inside the first 25 minutes. Crucially, Mexico soon hit back when Chicharito fed West Ham winger Pablo Barrera to halve the arrears, and Andres Guardado popped up to level matters before the interval.

El Tri were ahead soon after the break as Barrera struck again, before Giovani dos Santos completed the comeback with a superbly composed finish. Chicharito was unable to nab his customary goal - though he was incorrectly flagged offside as he bore down on goal late on - but the United striker cared not a jot.

His work had already been done in hauling Mexico to the final with his seven-goal haul, and the 23-year-old was quick to hail his side's collective resolve after the final whistle. "Things were difficult but the coach told us to fight every single play," he said. "Our attitude is in our hands."

Stoke City 1-2 Manchester United - Barclays Premier League

It was always going to be hard-fought if United's first away win of the league campaign was to be at the Britannia Stadium, and so it proved as Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez's double defeated Stoke City with minutes to spare.

The Mexican made the breakthrough with a back-header in the first half but it was his second goal, a less spectacular stab from close range, that cued the biggest celebrations, coming as it did in the 85th minute – four minutes after Tuncay equalised for the home side. At that point, when the Stoke substitute's superb shot rippled the net behind Edwin van der Sar, the Reds looked to be heading for a fifth successive away league draw after once again surrendering a winning position. But United stayed calm and constructed a fine move that Chicharito finished with lethal aplomb.

Sir Alex favoured experience and physical presence over Brazilian flair, handing club captain Gary Neville his 600th United appearance at right-back – instead of Rafael – and picking John O’Shea at left-back with Patrice Evra pushed up to wide midfield. Nani started on the right, Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes were paired in the middle and in the absence of Rooney – unable to play on his 25th birthday because of an injury rather than any fall-out from the past dramatic week – United's attack comprised Chicharito and Dimitar Berbatov.

The Bulgarian’s first sight of goal came when Fletcher threaded a pass to him on the edge of the area. Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen was swiftly off his line to intervene. Moments later, Berbatov led a three-on-two break and fed Nani to his right. When the Portuguese picked out Chicharito at the far post and the Mexican could only head back into the middle for Stoke to clear, Berbatov was evidently incensed. At the other end, Rory Delap slashed a long-range effort wide after van der Sar had left his net gaping with a poor kick from close to his right-hand corner flag.

Talk before the game was about how United’s defence, yet to keep a clean sheet in a league away match this season, would handle Stoke’s aerial bombardment from Delap’s infamous throws and the deliveries from wingers Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington. How ironic, then, that a corner should find the Potters floundering in their own box for Chicharito’s breakthrough goal on 27 minutes. From the set-piece, Nani played a one-two with Patrice Evra and crossed to the far post, the majestic Nemanja Vidic won the aerial battle to nod the ball back into the mixer, and Chicharito – the smallest man on the park – beat Sorensen with a sweet back-header.

Chicharito almost bagged a cheeky second when Faye sold his keeper slightly short with an under-hit backpass, and as Sorensen cleared, the ball cannoned back off the Mexican but cleared the crossbar. Another effort went over the top when Evra met Nani’s corner.

The Reds looked more likely to score again than concede as the first half drew to a close but there was controversy when Neville scythed down Stoke winger Matthew Etherington only moments after being booked for a foul on the same player. Boos rang out around the Britannia as referee Andre Marriner declined to give the right-back his marching orders. Instead, Neville left the fray at his manager’s behest, and was replaced by Wes Brown for the second half. The period opened in similar fashion to the first and there was a momentary flash of danger when former Reds centre-back Ryan Shawcross attempted an overhead kick inside the United box.

Marriner took action when Danny Collins’ crunching foul on Nani brought an angry Sir Alex to the touchline – the referee booked the Stoke left-back – but he did nothing when Evra was crudely shoved over in the area by Delap with only Sorensen to beat. Evra also appealed in vain for a penalty when his ball inside the box struck one, if not both, of Robert Huth’s hands but the former Chelsea defender – in fairness – had his arms down and behind his back.

With the war of attrition all but won, Sir Alex replaced O’Shea the grafter with craftsman Michael Carrick. However it was the goalkeeper, van der Sar, rather than a midfielder, who sent Berbatov promisingly away with some perfect distribution. The Bulgarian latched onto the Dutchman's long throw and produced a great cross from left to right that Chicharito almost buried, instead just missing the far post with his volley across Sorensen. It was a let-off for the Potters and they duly profited in the 81st minute when Scholes gave away possession and Tuncay – one of three Stoke substitutes – fired a stunning left-footed shot beyond van der Sar’s grasp, into the top left-hand corner.

Yet again, the Reds had lost a lead, but thankfully it was only for four minutes. Scholes atoned for his error by heading on Berbatov’s chipped pass, Evra controlled it with his chest and then hooked the ball inside for the lurking Chicharito to stab home his second, decisive goal. A handful of ecstatic United fans spilled onto the pitch to celebrate with the players and their exuberance was understandable – the Reds had won away for the first time this season, in classic last-gasp fashion, and at the end of a turbulent week.

Valencia 0-1 Manchester United - UEFA Champions League

avier 'Chicharito' Hernandez made the difference as United claimed only a second away win over Spanish opposition in the club's history.

The Mexican striker needed just eight minutes to make his mark in the Mestalla; after coming off the bench, and hitting a post with his first effort, he then drilled home a low left-footed shot from the penalty spot to secure a famous victory. His goal and the resulting 1-0 win sends United top of Group C on four points, alongside Rangers, with back-to-back games against Turkish champions Bursaspor next in line.

Victory in Valencia was no mean feat. Los Che currently top La Liga, ahead of Spanish football's traditional giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, and went into the game boasting an 11-game unbeaten home run in European competition. What’s more, the Reds achieved the win without Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, all of whom missed the flight to Spain through injury. Rio Ferdinand returned for his third start of the season, however, and showed no sign of the back and knee injuries that have forced him to miss 61 of United's last 103 fixtures. His sliding interception on 71 minutes was vital, just as Valencia were showing signs of moving in for the kill.

Despite an appalling record in Spain – just one win in 18 previous attempts – the Reds began with plenty of attacking intent. Indeed, for long periods in the first half Sir Alex’s men appeared to employ a 4-2-4 formation, with Ji-sung Park and Anderson pushed up on the Valencia defenders and Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick sitting deep. Man-of-the-moment Dimitar Berbatov

fired off the game’s first shot on four minutes, capping a slaloming run with a 25-yard strike that passed just the wrong side of the woodwork.

Valencia, shorn in the summer of striking stars David Villa (Barcelona) and Nikola Zigic (Birmingham City), and without the creative spark of David Silva (Manchester City) in midfield, also played with plenty of ambition. Alejandro Dominguez and Roberto Soldado linked well and Pablo Hernandez proved a handful on the right flank. Still, it took the home side 17 minutes to truly threaten. And they should have taken the lead. Soldado hadn’t banked on Edwin van der Sar misjudging the flight of a Dominguez cross, however, and when the ball reached the no.9, in acres of space and with an open goal to aim at, it merely hit his head and looped over the bar.

The hosts' next real chance came when Hernandez motored past Evra just after the half-hour mark and curled a sumptuous cross between Edwin van der Sar and the Reds’ back four. None of his team-mates anticipated such a teasing delivery, though, and United, danger averted, breathed a sigh of relief.

It was the start of a period of sustained possession for the home side, who grew in confidence as the half wore on. United, on the other hand, seemed to shrink, as ball retention rates dropped and the foul count rose. The impressive French left-back Jeremy Mathieu stung van der Sar’s palms just before the break with a volley but the effort wouldn’t have counted; referee Viktor Kassai had already blown for a foul.

Pablo Hernandez had the home supporters out of their seats again inside fourminutes of the restart, flashing a shot across goal. The 25-year-old remained Valencia’s most potent threat until Manuel Fernandes came off the bench. At the other end, Sir Alex’s men threatened to break quickly through Carrick and Anderson but Mathieu was alert to the danger and extended a leg long enough to toe the ball clear of the Brazilian. When Fletcher released Berbatov, and the Bulgarian surged into the box and forced a fine save from Cesar Sanchez, it was clear United still had designs on the three points.

As a spectacle, the game improved wholesale. Carrick fired over from distance and Park just failed to reach a curling Nani cross before the Portuguese was involved in his own penalty area, sliding in superbly to block a Pablo Hernandez shot. Stretched more than it had been at any other point in the evening, the match opened up and the volume inside the Mestalla increased.

An intricate passing move on the edge of the box between Fletcher and Park almost paid off, while Patrice Evra ended a forward run with a shot at goal. Edwin van der Sar did well to push away Fernandes’ long-range shot, and from the resulting corner the ball flashed across the six-yard box without anybody getting a touch. The home side went even closer when Soldado was inches away from connecting with substitute Aritz Aduriz’s cross, while at the other end Javier Hernandez came oh-so-close when he slid in at the far post and diverted his shot onto the woodwork.

Never mind. Sixty seconds later, Hernandez collected a square pass from Macheda, took one touch to control and then fired home an unstoppable winner.

Chicharito - an instant hit?

There’ll be kids in back gardens across the country trying to perfect the art of scoring a goal by kicking the ball against their own face. We should call the move “the Chicharito”!

The young Mexican’s unusual strike at Wembley shows us that United have signed what Paul Scholes told me is “an out and out goalscorer”. Just think about the four goals we’ve already seen him grab in pre-season. There was a glorious chip (v MLS All Stars), the left-footed, first-time blast from the edge of the area (for Chivas against United), the clinical right-footer into the roof of the net (v Airtricity XI) and then booting the ball against his nose at Wembley. He scores with either foot and any part of his body.

I’m trying hard not to get carried away by Chicharito, but you can’t help being impressed by the evidence we’ve all seen with our own eyes.

Of course, goals in pre-season are one thing, doing it consistently in the Premier League and Champions League is another. But you wouldn’t back against him to be an instant hit.

I was down in the tunnel at Wembley when the players left the pitch at the end, and he was one of the last players to come in. He was gleefully clutching the Community Shield, a beaming smile across his face. He clearly loves being a United player already. He is also helped by his polite and humble manner and the fact that he speaks good English.

The boss didn’t want him to do a lot of interviews after the game – clearly he is keen to shelter him from some of the hype. It’s a media strategy that he’s used with some big names over the years, and to great effect.

I know everyone plays down the importance of the Community Shield, but I was delighted for the thousands of

United fans who paid good money to make the trip down to Wembley. Me and Paddy Crerand had some tremendous banter with fans on the tube as we left Wembley. Paddy was in full flow, holding court in a carriage full of United fans. When we both got off at Euston, the carriage burst into applause for him!

Then, on the train back to Manchester, a guy was so thrilled to be sitting near to Paddy that he rang his Granddad to tell him, then got Paddy to talk to him down the phone just to prove it really was him!