March: The month to Make or Break David Moyes

Article by e-Manchester United Correspondent Tony Gillies

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As we enter the month of March, the sun starts to stay out a little longer, the days are getting slightly warmer and the race for the Premiership title is one of the tightest races in years. This year that very prestigious race is missing a runner that has never finish outside of a podium position since the start of the 'Sky Years' and whether we like it or not, we have to admit we were light years behind the rest before the gun for the start of the race had been fired.

It has been well documented that David Moyes hasn't lived up to expectation this season but I don't think anyone thought the season would turn out quite as bad as it has. Most United fans didn't expect a 21st league title this season but I think the least we expected was to finish comfortably inside the top 4 but I personally feel that is too far out of reach now, with Man City lifting the League Cup on Sunday it has opened up a Europa League spot for finishing 6th, I know a lot of us don't want to see us in Europe's second rate competition but I'm sure the board would like a few extra quid next season to compensate missing out on the Champions League. I think most fans worry is that if we were to qualify for it, we'd be expected to win it with no problems and to get knocked out would be seen as a huge failure regardless of how we treated the competition.

We have 6 fixtures in March, the results of these matches may not be the making of Moyes at Old Trafford but could well break him. First up we face West Brom, themselves under new management and unbelievable Pepe Mel finds himself under pressure after just SIX games in charge, they may not have won any of the six but they have taken points off of Liverpool and Chelsea in that time, results we'd be over the moon with at the moment but instant success is expected of every manager nowadays and when you are fighting relegation as The Baggies are and drawing with two of the four title chasers and them results are not deemed acceptable enough we have to step back and wonder what is happening to the game we love?

A week later we face bitter rivals Liverpool who have been fantastic this season, nobody tipped them for the title but on current form you have to say they look like the team most likely to be crowned champions. With Sturridge and Suarez playing as well as they are, we're going to find it tough to keep them out but if we can get at their defence I don't see why we can't win that game. United have the chance to dent Liverpool's title charge and if that doesn't get the fans and players up for the fight I don't see what can ignite our fire again.

We follow that with a must win (by 3 goals or more) match against Olympiakos, it's a tall order, they may not be the greatest side left in the competition and if we were to ever overturn a two goal deficit you'd expect us to do it against these rather than the other 14 teams left in the competition but we had one shot on target in Greece, they made us look like an ordinary team but surely we can't play as bad as that again? Can we? I can't see us keeping them out so to have to score 4 is not impossible but unlikely. The only time we have won at Old Trafford this season by any score line that could put us through was against Norwich in our 4-0 win in the Capital One Cup. But I guess anything can happen on a European night at the Theatre of Dreams. Believe!!!

We then travel to West Ham, who really have hit form of late. Upton Park isn't one of our happiest hunting grounds but I think if you look into it, generally I don't think we do too badly there, I think we've drawn there on our last two visits. Out of all of our games in March this is the one I'm least worried about only because it might not have too much riding on it as West Ham could be well clear of the relegation battle by this point. But a potential banana skin nonetheless.

Then it's back to Old Trafford for a nice, friendly game against those noisy neighbours; Manchester City. Without doubt they'll still be in the title race and possibly by this game, leading the pack so I wouldn't expect them to come and defend and be happy with a point, they'll want to kick us while we are down and really rub our noses in it, they are on course for a third straight win at Old Trafford, I for one can't remember the last team to beat us 3 visits in a row. I honestly can't see us getting anything out of this game unless our form drastically improves, if you offered me a point now, I'd snap your hand off for it. But we are Manchester United and maybe I shouldn't be writing us off but given how this season has mapped out I think I'm well within my rights to expect the worst. Perhaps City will just expect to turn up and win given the ease of the 4-1 win over us earlier in the season. Who knows? This is another chance to put a dent into one of our biggest rivals title ambitions and a win here would no doubt be a highlight of a disappointing season so far.

Finally in March we welcome Aston Villa, a team we have only lost once to at Old Trafford since the start of the Premiership, given how many teams who have poor records at OT have turned up this campaign and left with the spoils, an away win wouldn't be a huge surprise. Saying that I think we'll win this one quite comfortably, Villa are not a great side and even on an off day we should end this massive month with three points.

As I began this article, even with six wins this month would still not be enough to convince some that David Moyes has what it takes to be Manchester United manager but if we exit the Champions League without a fight and the potential of defeats to Liverpool and Man City, throw in dropped points against West Brom, West Ham or Aston Villa. It will be hard for anybody to suggest that Moyes will remain in the hotseat for the beginning of next season.

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