Manchester United are blaming their sudden form slide on the
colour of Edwin van der Sar's goalkeeper's jersey!
The Sun says the champions have been alerted to the
fact they have a far better record when the Dutch keeper wears
yellow as opposed to blue.
Van der Sar has worn blue in United’s last two Premier League
games, which have seen them beaten 4-1 by Liverpool and 2-0 by
Fulham.
Now United could turn to their vision expert, who was first
employed following the infamous grey-shirt debacle at Southampton
in 1996.
Research by a contributor to United fanzine Red News has brought
the information to the club’s attention.
It reveals Van der Sar has worn yellow in the league 17 times
this season.
In those games, United have conceded just four — with a goal
difference of plus 21 — winning 12, losing one and drawing four,
gaining 40 points from a possible 51.
However, the figures take on a different hue when Van der Sar
wears blue.
In 10 games, United have conceded 13 for a goal difference of
plus seven, winning six, losing three and drawing one — 19 points
from 30.
Ben Foster also wore yellow when he performed heroics as United
won the Carling Cup on spot-kicks against Spurs.
United leave nothing to chance in these situations, which is why
they employ optometrist Gayle Stephenson.
She contacted the club back in the 1995-96 season after United
were beaten at Southampton.
They had worn grey shirts in the first half and went 3-0 down.
United swapped them at the break because the players said they
could not pick each other out.
They did not concede again even though they lost 3-1.
Utd feel blue without yellow
The champions have been alerted to the fact they have a
far better record when the Dutch keeper wears yellow as opposed to
blue.
Van der Sar has worn blue in United’s last two Premier
League games, which have seen them beaten 4-1 by Liverpool and 2-0
by Fulham.
Now United could turn to their vision expert, who was
first employed following the infamous grey-shirt debacle at
Southampton in 1996.
Research by a contributor to United fanzine Red News
has brought the information to the club’s attention.
It reveals Van der Sar has worn yellow in the league 17
times this season.
In those games, United have conceded just four — with a
goal difference of plus 21 — winning 12, losing one and drawing
four, gaining 40 points from a possible 51.
However, the figures take on a different hue when Van
der Sar wears blue.
In 10 games, United have conceded 13 for a goal
difference of plus seven, winning six, losing three and drawing one
— 19 points from 30.
Ben Foster also wore yellow when he performed heroics
as United won the Carling Cup on spot-kicks against Spurs.
United leave nothing to chance in these situations,
which is why they employ optometrist Gayle Stephenson.
She contacted the club back in the 1995-96 season after
United were beaten at Southampton.
They had worn grey shirts in the first half and went
3-0 down. United swapped them at the break because the players said
they could not pick each other out.
They did not concede again even though they lost
3-1.
Stephenson wrote to boss Alex Ferguson explaining that
she could help with vision issues in the future.
She has since advised them to wear white socks for
night games rather than traditional black so players can pick each
other out more easily under lights when they are running with their
heads down.
The attention has now turned to Van der Sar and the
defence, despite them keeping a record 14 straight league clean
sheets earlier this season.
Their first back-to-back league defeats since April
2005 has seen Liverpool cut the gap at the top to just one
point.
But blue is not the only shirt problem for United.
The club could lose the final £14m instalment of their
lucrative shirt sponsorship deal with AIG.
The American insurance company has been bailed out by
the US government to the tune of $182.5million.
The company, which is not renewing its sponsorship deal
when its five-year contract ends in 2010, could try to cut and run
now.
US politicians are examining the agreement with United
to see whether they can ditch the deal as the company is now
effectively state-owned.
Democrat representative Ann Kirkpatrick said: “It is
unacceptable for US taxpayer money to go to support an English
soccer club.”
