If you watched Manchester United for the first time last Sunday when they played Liverpool, you would wonder who this guy Berbatov was and why you had not heard his name before. United's number nine notched a treble of goals including the early favourite for Premier League goal of the season to secure all of the points for the Reds of Manchester.
If you have been following Manchester United for a long time, you might wonder why it took so long for the enigmatic Bulgarian to put it all together. As a supporter myself, I have defended Berbatov continually throughout his first two seasons with the club (aside from a few weeks at the end of last season), claiming that while he may not score 20 goals a year for United he was still a very valuable asset.
The silky Bulgarian certainly did underwhelm the United faithful in his first season with the team, only scoring seven goals during a season in which the team still experienced great success (a Club World Cup, a Carling Cup and winning the league for the 18th time). Fans were not pleased with their 30.75 million pound man and were perhaps quite right to feel that way. Most blamed Berbatov and his hefty fee for the departure of Carlos Tevez the following summer.
And last year Berbatov continued to frustrate the Stretford End only scoring 12 goals and notching five assists. Wayne Rooney led the team in goals and appeared to play better on his own than with Berbatov. Many believed that the Bulgarian had played his last match in a United shirt against Stoke City, but the manager and his teammates still believed in him.
Flash forward to last Sunday and one can see a remarkable difference in Berbatov's play and output. He has six goals already this season and appears to be a different player. Or does he? One thing I have noticed this season is that he seems to be a more willing runner for the ball than in the past two seasons. Additionally, Berbatov looks like he is trying harder to get the ball back once he loses it. As Rasheed Wallace once said "Ball don't lie" and Berbatov is proving it this season.
For once he looks like a more natural fit in the United setup than Rooney does. And that my friends really says something. He and Nani appear to be on the same wavelength, setting each other up nicely for scoring opportunities. In the same way that Nani experienced a revitalisation in the last few months of the previous season, Berbatov appears to be on a similar road to redemption. And while Rooney appears to be off the pace United will need their 30.75 million pound man to continue to play like one.
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