VIEW FROM THE STANDS: Steven Pienaar forgiven for daft error

Dec 24 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

STEVEN PIENAAR must have been thinking about his Christmas dinner on 88 minutes at Old Trafford yesterday.

For he certainly wasn’t focused on Ryan Giggs, as the United winger hared past his right side, before inexplicably pulling off some kind of backward leg sweep last employed by Ralph Macchio’s Karate Kid.

It was a daft, and costly error, but one which many Evertonians must have suspected was just around the corner for how often do Manchester United contrive results from these situations?

However, as manager David Moyes admitted afterwards, it would be churlish to throw the book at the diminutive South African following his momentary slip, after all it was his delightful cross which led to Tim Cahill’s headed equaliser, handing us a lifeline in a game in which the hosts dominated.

It is also worth remembering that Pienaar has played a pivotal role for Everton during our 13-match unbeaten run prior to Sunday’s 2-1 defeat, filling that problematic left-side while also chipping in with a couple of goals to boot.

There were plenty of positives to take from Sunday’s encounter, not least the back four, with the improving Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo in particular frustrating the waves of United attacks.

So while it was a sickener to concede another late winner to United, Evertonians should go into Christmas feeling more than content in what has been a fruitful 2007 where many positive steps have been taken.