History is littered with examples of people making matters worse by being involved in something they don’t really understand. Nobody regards America’s involvement in Vietnam as a triumph, Madonna should never have acted and this week Gary Cook gave us this little beauty. His humungous stupidity acting as the perfect aphrodisiac for all victory celebrations far, wide and right in your face.

Staying with the historical theme, City have not always been the nemesis incarnate. The early histories of the clubs tell a tale of mutual cooperation and we will always owe them for letting us play at Maine Road after our ground was bombed to bits. However, beating them this week was more satisfying than a wedding night with Marilyn Monroe. Not that I’ve had that experience but you get the general idea.

The real enemy appear to be the FA who have begun to indulge in their favourite hobby again. The one where they make a ridiculous scapegoat out of Rio Ferdinand. I heard that a United player failed to turn up for Church last Sunday, no doubt that is sufficient for a medium-sized ban eh Soho Square. Plonkers.

Credit where it is due though. This is certainly the best City side I have seen in decades, if at all. The game at Eastlands will be handful and whilst the guy is never going to win a Nobell Peace Prize - Craig Bellamy is a hell of a player.

With regards to the Budweiser incident, I am deeply disappointed some of our fans were chucking stuff at him. The morons trying their pitching arms at Old Trafford let us all down, the Welshman could have made more of a meal of it if he'd wanted to. When Van Der Sar ran over to act as a human shield it reminded me of exactly what we miss without him. A calm head in heated circumstances and the nous to do the right thing when the pressure is on. Also the team’s biggest nose.

The second half at Old Trafford was the best United have played for months and I am tempted to think that we can kick on from here and start galloping towards trophies. Fortunately, our blue-nosed friends have taught me a thing or two about the dangers of hubris this week. We ain’t won nothin’ yet regardless of how satisfying the result is.

Rooney is getting more coverage than the fall of the Berlin Wall and rightly so, he is unplayable at the moment. Of much more heartening news is that Fergie has figured out that playing the right-footed Nani on the right wing produces alright-on-the-night performances. The young Portuguese did start the season promisingly and if he can maintain this form there is a chance he will blossom into the player he should. But nonetheless, heroes, every one of them, bring on Villa.

The primary reasons not to be hubristic are called Arsenal and Chelsea, the latter being our opponents this weekend. We have done some damage to the Gunners in cup victories in the last two years but the sands have shifted over the last 12 months. This should be an altogether more even affair.

You would expect a game including Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and two weakened defences to produce goals. Beyond that I am relying on my lucky socks again. There is a nasty chance that Ancellotti could finish the weekend as the happiest manager, which can’t be good for the soul of mankind.

As always though. I live in hope. Allez les rouges.

Footnote: Does the signing of Chris Smalling mean that Fergie has resigned himself to losing Vidic at the end of the season? Bet that'll help the Glazer's bank balance.

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