29 February, 2008
Evra: Louis fuelled by anger
 Opposition defenders beware: Louis Saha is ready to vent his frustration at another season disrupted by injury. The 29-year-old striker scored his first goal in 2008 in the 5-1 win over Newcastle, and Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson immediately highlighted the powerful frontman as a key figure in the hunt for trophies. Saha’s fellow countryman, Patrice Evra, strongly agrees and says his team-mate has plenty of pent-up anger to expend. “We’ve got Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez, but we need one more striker to win trophies this season,” he told ManUtd.com. “Louis is the right guy for that job. In training he has been unbelievable. He looks sharp, strong and, most importantly, angry. You can see it in his eyes. He wants to do well. Louis is back. “He has a strong mentality because he has suffered quite a few injuries, but he’s still here and wants to do well. Now I hope his injuries are behind him. We need Louis Saha if we are going to win trophies this year. That’s why everyone in the squad was really happy when he scored against Newcastle.” Saha could come up against his former club Fulham at the weekend, and will be hoping he can add to last weekend’s strike to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal. “We have got two really important games against Fulham and Lyon,” adds Evra. “If we can play with the same energy as we did against Arsenal in the FA Cup and Newcastle in the league then we have a strong chance of winning both matches and setting us up to do well until the end of the season.” |
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Sir Alex won't rule out Chelsea
 While all the attention on this season's title contest has centred around United and Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chelsea are serious challengers and should not be underestimated. Avram Grant's side are six points behind the Reds and nine adrift of league leaders Arsenal. But they have a game in hand and are poised to pounce should the league's two pace-setters slip. "The number of points Chelsea are behind Arsenal is not insurmountable," Sir Alex told the League Managers' Association website. "The fact that they have got us and Arsenal at home, and their home record is so good, you would have to think they have still got a big chance in the Premier League." Chelsea are unbeaten at home this season, but they have dropped points at Stamford Bridge - far more than their rivals, too. Arsenal have surrendered four points at the Emirates Stadium this term, while United have missed out on five points at Old Trafford. But Chelsea have drawn five on their patch, losing out on a surprising ten points. |
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29 February: On this day
 It’s a free day that only comes around once every four years. ManUtd.com delves into the history books to uncover the handful of notable events that occurred on 29 February… 1976: For once, United fans are forced to relinquish bragging rights as Manchester City parade the League Cup after a 2-1 win over Newcastle at Wembley. The Blues have failed to win a trophy since. 1972: United boss Frank O’Farrell shells out £125,000 – a club record at the time – to sign Martin Buchan from Aberdeen. The centre-half goes on to make 458 appearances for the Reds, captaining the side to the Second Division title in 1975 and FA Cup glory in 1977. 1972: Former United trainee goalkeeper Mike Pollitt is born. He did not make a senior appearance for the Reds and left in 1991, but enjoyed his first taste of top-flight football 14 years later when he joined Wigan. 1992: United legend Eric Cantona scores his first goal in English football, for Leeds United against Luton Town. The Frenchman left for Old Trafford in November that year and the rest, as they say, tout le monde la connaît. 1896: The first of seven games over the years that United have played on 29 February.With half-back George Perrins playing as an emergency goalkeeper, Newton Heath lose 2-1 to Burton Wanderers in front of 1,000 fans at Bank Street. 1964: George Best and Bobby Charlton are on target in a thrilling 3-3 FA Cup quarter-final draw with Sunderland at Old Trafford. United eventually triumph in a second replay, before bowing out in the semi-finals after a 3-1 defeat to West Ham. And another thing…. Fulham, who United face at Craven Cottage on Saturday, were also the Reds’ opponents on this weekend a leap year ago, in 2004. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men drew that game 1-1 at Loftus Road to slip nine points behind eventual title winners Arsenal. |
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28 February, 2008
Park: We'll catch Arsenal
 United may have thumped five goals past Newcastle last weekend but Ji-sung Park hopes the Reds won’t need to rely on goal difference come the end of the season. Sir Alex’s men went into the most recent round of Barclays Premier League fixtures level with Arsenal in terms of goal difference (+36) but a five-goal haul at St James’ Park, coupled with the Gunners’ draw with Birmingham City, saw United gain a valuable advantage. And while it puts United in pole position should the teams finish level on points, South Korean midfielder Ji-sung Park is determined the title race doesn’t go down to the wire. “After the weekend, the gap is only three points at the top of the table and that’s very important for us,” Park told MUTV. “And remember we have to play Arsenal at Old Trafford in April, so that means we can potentially take another three points off them. Everybody in the squad is determined to get to the top of the league as quickly as possible and I’m sure it will happen. “The league is close so it’s possible we’ll end the season on the same points as Arsenal. In that case, games like the one against Newcastle where we score four or five goals can certainly help us. “I prefer not to think about that scenario though! We just want to win all our games and I’d rather finish comfortably ahead of Arsenal come the end of the season.” Park says the desire to reel in the Gunners sooner rather than later is shared by everyone at the club, although he’s quick to point out the title isn’t necessarily a two-horse race. “I think Chelsea can also challenge,” he said. “They have real quality in their squad and lots of hunger to win. But our confidence is high at the moment and we just want to hurry up and get back on top. Everybody believes we can go all the way.” |
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Scholes still peerless
 The performances of United newcomers Anderson and Nani indicate a prosperous future at Old Trafford. But old heads like Paul Scholes still have plenty to offer, according to former Reds midfielder Ray Wilkins. Sir Alex's two young summer signings have turned in excellent performances of late, providing stiff competition for the likes of Scholes and Ryan Giggs. "It's a first-class array of talent in that department," says Wilkins. "Only Chelsea can come anywhere near United's senior midfield in terms of quality and quantity. "Can having too many players be confusing? Let's just say that Sir Alex Ferguson rarely gets it wrong. It's great for United." The United boss will have a tough job selecting his central midfield pairing to face Fulham on Saturday. But, for Wilkins, there's one player that should be first pick every week. "They all have their qualities and each combination has its merits. But I'd always have Paul Scholes in there," he told the Manchester Evening News. "It's Paul and one from the other four for me, depending on the circumstances. If you want a holding player with him, then choose Michael Carrick at home and Owen Hargreaves away from Old Trafford." Wilkins insists that 33-year-old Scholes remains one of the English game's top talents, and believes his influence will have a decisive impact on United's success this season. "Paul is an absolute must," he says. "He is still one of the best in the country. He's still a very big influence for United and will continue to be so for some time. "I know some fans and some critics are claiming he might be on his way out but I bet none of United's opponents are thinking that. "Of course, Paul is getting on and he may have had a quiet period since his return, but he is going to have a major say for United for a long while yet." |
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Vidic: Trio lead by example
 Nemanja Vidic says promising youngsters like Danny Welbeck needn’t look far for the perfect role models. Sir Alex thrust 17-year-old Welbeck into full training with the first team following the Reds’ January trip to Saudi Arabia and Vidic believes it’s the perfect environment for aspiring stars to learn their trade. “The first time any young players come to train with us we make them feel like part of the team,” the Serbian centre-back told MUTV. “They train hard, they want to improve and they have great examples to follow in Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. “They see players like that and then work hard to reach the same standards. So far, all the young players have done well and I think we have a great future here at United.” |
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27 February, 2008
Reserves: L'pool 2 United 0
 Gary Neville completed an hour in his latest comeback from injury, but couldn’t prevent a strong Liverpool side virtually ending United’s title hopes in controversial fashion. Goals from Xavi Alonso and Harry Kewell sealed the points for the hosts, but United will feel aggrieved at having two goals incorrectly chalked off at key times in the match. Neville lined up at right back for United, alongside Gerard Pique, Danny Simpson and Richard Eckersley in a strong defence. Liverpool also handed outings to Daniel Agger, Kewell and Alonso in a bid to hone their match fitness. A massive crowd of 10,546 crammed into the Halliwell Jones Stadium to provide a belting atmosphere throughout the match, with Neville's return prompted very different responses from the two sets of fans. Only 12 minutes had elapsed when the home contingent were given something more positive to shout about as Alonso opened the scoring, converting a penalty won by Krisztian Nemeth at the expense of Pique. Alonso and Nemeth both came close to extending the hosts’ advantage but, in a first half hampered by swirling winds and a dreadful pitch, chances were scarce for United. Substitute Martin Skrtel headed against the crossbar shortly after the interval, before Chris Eagles had home goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis scrambling to tip over his opportunistic 50-yard effort. Eagles did then have the ball in the net on the hour mark, only for play to be called back after Pique was incorrectly ruled offside during the build-up. Neville then left the field to be replaced by James Chester, showing no ill-effects for his runout. The visitors continued to enjoy some promising build-up play, but were indebted to Heaton with 20 minutes remaining, as he produced a miraculous close-range save to keep out Jay Spearing’s half-volley. United's hopes of finding a route back into the match were seemingly ended when Richard Eckersley was sent off for a second bookable offence with four minutes remaining, although his second caution - for a tug on Harry Kewell's shirt - was questionable. The Reds' sense of injustice was further heightened when they were denied a clear goal with two minutes remaining. Simpson turned Eagles' cross over the line with a scuffed diving header, only for the referee to somehow rule that Bouzanis had kept the ball out. In the same passage of play, Kewell broke down the other end and curled a finish beyond Heaton's despairing dive to seal the result, but quite how Simpson's goal didn't stand remains a mystery. Ultimately United were left to rue those disallowed strikes, with Liverpool opening a nine point lead over Brian McClair and Jim Ryan's side and games fast running out. United: Heaton; Neville (Chester 61), Eckersley, Pique (Macheda, 68), Simpson; Cleverley, Hewson, Possebon, S Evans (Bryan, 73); Eagles, Welbeck. Subs not used: Zieler, Jones. |
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Foster upbeat about his future
 The 2007/08 campaign may be hugely successful for the Reds, but for Ben Foster, the United goalkeeper forced out for eight months with a serious cruciate knee ligament injury, it’s been a write off. After an England call-up as reward for his outstanding displays on loan at Watford, the challenge of trying to depose Edwin van der Sar as United’s no.1 was next on the 24-year-old’s hit list. Then the bad news came: a recurring cruciate knee ligament injury that would require surgery, putting his ambitions on hold. Now on the verge of making a reserves return, he explains how he has coped with the long road to recovery… Can you explain your injury for us? I ruptured my cruciate knee ligament. It’s an injury I’ve suffered before, years ago when I was at Stoke City. As this is the second time I’ve had the injury, the doctors decided that I should have a donor tendon. It’s had good results for other patients in the past, and the surgeon thought it would be the best option for me. The recovery time is two months longer, because it takes time for the tendon to set in and knit. It was a usual cruciate operation, but with a donor. How long do you think it will be before you’re playing first-team football again? I haven’t really thought about it too much. At the start of the season I wrote this season off myself. I just wanted to recover from the operation and get back to full fitness, with maybe a few reserves games. The chance of going out on loan is probably gone now. I think I will just have to wait until next season, realistically. Edwin [van der Sar] has been excellent again this season and Tomasz [Kuszczak] has performed well when he has been called in. I’ve got no qualms about not being put in any time soon. What have you been doing during the eight months you’ve been out? It’s really hard. People perhaps won’t realise that you’re going to work every day. You’ve still got to come in each day and go into the gym, do your cardiovascular work, weights etc. I’ve had swimming coaches in and all sorts to improve my fitness. They keep you busy, but it is hard work. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, considering you’d just started to get chances for England, and denied you the opportunity to have a go at United’s first team… I was massively disappointed. At the end of last season I was on a high because everything seemed to be going so well. Then the bad news came along. It was bad timing. But you just have to roll with it. As soon as I did it I just had to forget about England and United’s first-team. You just have to get your head down and get on with the recovery process. Do you hope that next season you’ll be in a position to challenge for the no.1 jersey? Last season I felt on top of my game and that nothing would stand in my way. I’ve got to get that feeling back. First, that will mean getting my head down in training and working on the things that you lose from not playing for such a long time. I’m hoping for a few Reserves games before the end of the season and hopefully then I’ll be knocking on the manager’s door. Ben Foster was speaking exclusively to MUTV. |
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Form pleases Carrick
 Michael Carrick has been pleased with his own performances this season, but he accepts that it won’t earn him a permanent place in the team. The 26-year-old midfielder’s passing and vision has been a real asset to United in recent weeks. “I’m pleased with my own form,” he told MUTV. “As the season has gone on I feel I’ve got stronger and stronger and I’m happy with the way things are going. But now is the time where we need everyone to be in top form with important games coming up every week.” In a midfield where competition for places is fierce, a good performance can often be followed by a space on the bench. But Carrick doesn’t see it as being dropped, and can suppress his disappointment with the thought that the policy is more likely to deliver trophies come the end of the season. “You have to get used to it,” he explains. “It’s not a case of getting dropped, it’s about making the right decisions for the benefit of the team. “You have to look at the bigger picture for the whole season. The boss has got all the experience in the world, he knows exactly what is required over the course of the campaign. You don’t want to be sat on the sidelines, but you can’t get too down. Your chance comes round pretty quickly. “As the years go on it’s becoming more and more of a squad game. Every game is important. But everyone here is happy to miss the odd game if you can win trophies at the end of the season.” The advantage of a large squad not only aids physical recovery, it enhances the options available to Sir Alex to counter opponents differing styles of play. “There’s so much quality in our midfield, and the advantage of that is that you can adapt to different games, opposition or scenarios,” he adds. “Each player has their own strengths, it’s not like we have five players who are all exactly the same. “There is a good variety, and that gives the boss options. So far it’s worked pretty well. Players have come in and out, and it hasn’t seemed to affect us. It’s working really well.” |
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26 February, 2008
Neville set to face Liverpool
 Gary Neville has been named in the Reserves' squad to face Liverpool on Tuesday evening. The Reds' club captain has been in full training and is set to step up his comeback against the Merseysiders at Warrington Wolves' Halliwell Jones Stadium. Neville featured for the Reserves against Everton in January, scoring in a 45 minute cameo before being withdrawn with a tight hamstring. After nearly 11 months on the sidelines, he will hope for Tuesday's match to provide some much-needed match sharpness as he continues his recovery. He is part of a strong squad named by Brian McClair and Jim Ryan, who will be eager for their side to regain a foothold in the Barclays Premier Reserve League title race. A solitary point from recent matches against Blackburn and Wigan have damaged the Reds' hopes of a third title in four years, but victory over Gary Ablett's side, who head the table by six points, could kickstart a late charge. Fans who wish to attend can purchase tickets at the stadium ticket office, and are encouraged to ask for South Stand terrace tickets when purchasing. Tickets are priced at £5 for Adults and £2 for concessions. Tuesday's match kicks off at 7:30pm, and will also be shown on MUTV. United squad: Heaton, Zieler; Neville, Pique, Simpson, Eckersley, Chester; Hewson, Cleverley, Possebon, S Evans, Jones; Eagles, Welbeck, Macheda, Bryan. |
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Saha's time to shine
 Louis Saha could make a decisive impact on United’s chase for trophies on three fronts, according to Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson. The French forward, who has started just four league games this season, has recently returned to full fitness following a knee injury. He came off the bench against Newcastle to complete a 5-1 romp over Kevin Keegan’s men with his fifth goal of the season. Sir Alex feels Saha’s return to action is ideally timed in the final few months of the season, and sees the former Fulham front man as a key figure, bringing an alternative approach to United’s forward play. "Louis Saha is a definite, big bonus to us," the Reds boss told MUTV. "He is different from everyone else in the squad. He gives us strength and penetration. "You've got to understand what the run-in is like," he added. "It's tense. Points will be dropped. You saw last season, we had some real nail-biters. "We've got players coming back that are helping. That's the important thing. we have got a good, strong squad. Everyone is fit at the moment, and hopefully we can keep them that way." |
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Betting: Ronaldo's goals
 Betfred have opened a market on how many Premier League goals Cristiano Ronaldo will score this season after the United winger edged closer to all sorts of records with his double against Newcastle. The Portuguese star is 11/2 to bag exactly 33 league goals, which would surpass Dennis Viollet's club record of 32 set in 1959/60, and 12/1 to end the season with 34, which would equal the Premier League record held by Andrew Cole (1993/94) and Alan Shearer (1994/95) - both totals achieved over 42 games instead of the present 38. To claim the outright record for himself by amassing 35 or more league goals this season, Ronaldo is a 25/1 shot. Fred Done, a lifelong United fan and boss of Betfred, Manchester United’s official betting partner, said: “It’s one of the more pleasant ways of losing money but Ronaldo has cost me a fortune this season because punters just keep piling on him to score. I thought I would try to claw a bit back by opening this market. “If he is to equal or better Dennis Viollet’s record he will need to average a goal a game for the rest of the season. United still have to play Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool so it won’t be easy, but there are also fixtures against Derby, Fulham, Wigan and Bolton to come and he will fancy his chances of netting more than one in all of them.” |
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Fixture changes for Reds
 All four of United's Premier League fixtures in April will be screened live on television. The Reds' trip to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough has been put back 24 hours to Sunday 6 April, KO 13:30 GMT and will be live on Sky. However, the game will be postponed should either side be involved in an FA Cup semi-final. Next up United entertain Arsenal at Old Trafford in what could be a virtual title decider. The match, originally scheduled for Saturday 12 April, will now take place on Sunday 13 April, KO 16:00 GMT and will be screened live on Sky. The trip to Blackburn Rovers will be shown live on Setanta on Saturday 19 April, KO 17:15 GMT. Finally, United's visit to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea will now kick-off at 12:45 GMT on Saturday 26 April. This will also be live on Sky. |
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23 February, 2008
Rampant Reds delight manager
 Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted to see his side’s voracious approach in swatting aside Newcastle United at St James’ Park. The Reds romped to a 5-1 victory over Kevin Keegan’s side, despite having played two extra matches since the Magpies’ last action, and the United manager watched with great satisfaction as the hosts were run ragged. “It was a good performance. We could have scored a few goals, we made chances, but the important thing is that they’re looking really fresh,” Sir Alex told Setanta Sports. “Coming to Newcastle is never easy. The crowd are fantastic, they urge their team on and it’s a volatile place to come. The first job to do is to try and quieten them. It’s not easy, but I think we did that for the most part of the game.” Sir Alex made four changes to the side which drew with Lyon on Wednesday, rotating his forward six after the exertions of facing the French champions. “We freshened up the centre of midfield, because that’s an area in which we have a lot of strength,” he said. “We brought Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick in after Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves and Anderson all played on Wednesday, so it gave us a freshness. “But the match was decided by the ability of our front players, they were all absolutely fantastic. They all did really well. Obviously with Ronaldo and Rooney scoring two goals apiece, they’re going to get all the headlines, but the movement of Tevez and the penetration of Nani contributed to that.” Following last weekend’s FA Cup romp against Arsenal, a vital away draw against Lyon and Saturday’s thumping of Newcastle, Sir Alex feels his side have responded in the right fashion to the disappointing defeat to Manchester City earlier this month. “We’re all disappointed with our performance against Manchester City, and since then the players have done their best to atone for that,” he said. “They performed against Arsenal last week, then in midweek against Lyon it was a very good result for us, and today stresses our urgency to try and do better and get up that league.” |
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Rooney: Arsenal draw lifted us
 Wayne Rooney revealed that Arsenal’s surprise draw at Birmingham gave United extra motivation to beat Newcastle. The striker scored two of the Reds’ five goals in a superb win at St James’ Park which closed the gap on the Gunners at the top to three points. “We saw the Arsenal result before we played and that made us want to win even more, if that's possible,” Rooney told Setanta Sports. “We knew we had to go out there and get three points, nothing less. “Now we have to keep working hard and winning to try and overtake Arsenal and hopefully stay there until the end of the season.” Rooney opened the scoring with a close-range volley but he was especially pleased with his second goal, which took his tally to eight in eight league games against the Magpies. “I enjoyed my second goal. I'm always on the edge of the box for corners and I've been saying one will drop out to me and I'll score – thankfully that happened today.” |
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Foster nears Reds return
 Ben Foster is tantalisingly close to playing for United’s reserves, a huge step on his road to recovery after eight months out following a serious knee injury. Foster, who underwent cruciate knee ligament surgery in the summer, has been training hard for months now and is itching to get back into action. "All is going well," he told MUTV. "I've been training for the last two or three months. I started full time training about six weeks ago. "All been good so far, no niggles or pain, so I'm looking to play a reserves game pretty soon.” The 24-year-old is yet to play for the first-team, despite being a United player for almost three years. Impressive spells on loan with Watford raised his profile to the extent that he earned his first England cap a year ago – which came in a friendly against Spain, ironically at Old Trafford. The temptation, for Sir Alex Ferguson as much as Foster, is to return as soon as possible. But United’s medical staff don’t want to rush the former Stoke City keeper at the risk of re-injury. "It's a serious injury,” he added. “I've been out for eight months. I always knew it would be tough this season. I've got to the stage now where I'm itching to go, but the physios are just having to hold me back. It's frustrating, but you have to listen to them.” United’s Reserves play Liverpool next week, a game Foster would love to play in. But it is likely to come too soon, and there is more vital work to be done on the training ground before Foster is completely ready for his comeback. “The Liverpool game on Tuesday for the Reserveswould have been ideal, but the medical staff just want me to have a couple more weeks in training. “I've got to start from where I left off at the start of last season. I felt confident in myself in any given situation. Eight months out knocks you a bit. You forget tiny little things about your game that you need to think about. “I'm working on my sharpness and my handling in training now. There's a few things I'm going to work on. Kicking, cross-taking with players around me. I've got to do a bit of that, and then I'll hopefully be ready to play for the reserves.” Foster can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and United very shortly could have at their disposal one of the best young goalkeepers in the game. |
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Reds set for changes
 Sir Alex Ferguson has a full squad to select from ahead of the Reds' Premier League trip to Newcastle on Saturday, but the United boss is certain to make changes to keep a freshness to his side's play. Ryan Giggs, who suffered a knee injury in a tackle with Juninho in the first half of Wednesday's Champions League clash, is available. The Welshman was replaced by Nani in the 65th minute as United went in search of an equaliser, but he was able to train on Friday. The United boss confirmed the stand-in skipper would be available for the visit to St James' Park, but revealed he may even leave some players behind. “I may freshen up and make a few changes,” Sir Alex told reporters on Friday. “We’re looking for enough freshness to get over Wednesday’s travelling into Europe. “It can be difficult coming back off a mid-week tie in Europe, so hopefully I can pick the right team for the occasion." |
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Boss joy at Ando and Nani
 A week that has gleaned two excellent results in the cup competitions for United has also highlighted just how important Sir Alex Ferguson’s summer signings have become to the team. Carlos Tevez got the winner against Lyon in midweek, with Owen Hargreaves operating a pivotal midfield holding role. But it is the form of Nani and Anderson, both new to England, that have pleased the United boss. The pair have perhaps played more regularly than they would have expected at the start of the season. But their excellent recent displays make it increasingly difficult to leave them out of the side. “We’re very pleased with their progress,” Sir Alex says. “The evidence of their development is there to see on the pitch. “With Anderson, he has exploded onto the scene, whereas Nani is taking his time. But he is gradually getting better and better. "They’re different players of course, so that makes a difference. But they’re both doing really well.” |
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Sir Alex: No Keegan rift
 Sir Alex Ferguson has described his supposed fierce rivalry with Kevin Keegan as “a myth”, and says he is looking forward to seeing the Newcastle manager at St James’ Park on Saturday. The infamous “love it” rant and the two manager's contest for the title during Keegan's last spell in charge on Tyneside have given rise to the notion of a rift. But Sir Alex insists their relationship isn’t thorny in the slightest. “I’ve not spoken to him for ages,” said the Reds boss. “But it’s a myth [that we don’t get on]. I’ve always got on with Kevin and I’ll look forward to seeing him on Saturday.” Sir Alex even took time to sympathise with his opposite number's predicament, and the difficulty of bringing in players in the January transfer window. “Kevin didn’t really have a lot of time to understand the market," he said. "Everyone thinks it’s easy to get players in January, but it’s not. I’ve said it many times. He maybe didn’t have the time to get in the players he wanted, so he has to rely on the players he’s got at the moment.” But that apparent cordiality will not prevent Sir Alex wanting to further dampen the mood after Keegan’s so far unsuccessful return to St James’ and earn three more valuable points towards United's title defence. The United boss enjoys trips to Newcastle, not least because he is unbeaten there in almost seven years, but also because of the desire for football in the North East. “Newcastle is one of my favourite venues,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed going there. You see the passion of their fans, and I enjoy that. I think it’s one of the main games of the season in the sense of it being a football occasion. “We have got a decent record at St James’ Park, but that doesn’t guarantee us anything. We know we have to perform on the day. Last season we were coasting at 2-1 and they got a late goal from a deflection. You can lose a goal in any game, at any time. We have to be alert to that.” With United five points behind league leaders Arsenal, the Reds cannot afford to slip. By the time the 17:15 GMT kick-off comes around, Sir Alex’s men could be eight points adrift, which is all part of being chasers rather than the chased. “It’s not easy to close these gaps,” Sir Alex says, the voice of experience. “We’ve achieved it in the past, and we’ve failed to do it in the past. Hopefully experience counts. You know that points will be dropped. Arsenal and Chelsea are well aware of that. The name of the game is not to drop as many points as your opponents. "At the moment, Arsenal have an advantage. But we also know that they have some tough games to come, so they will drop points. It’s unavoidable.” United have to be sure to be in the position to pounce if, or when, the Gunners do stumble. |
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21 February, 2008
Vidic: It felt like victory
 United's hard work in a tough match against Lyon was rewarded with a late goal that Nemanja Vidic says made the 1-1 first-leg draw feel like victory. The Reds enjoyed large periods of dominance against the French Ligue 1 leaders, but Lyon's impressive 20-year-old forward Karim Benzema hit a wonderful opener on 54 minutes. The goal came against the run of play, and momentarily knocked the United players out of their rhythm. However, substitutes Nani and Carlos Tevez gave United an attacking edge. And it was from Lyon's failure to clear a Nani cross that Tevez was able to fire home the equaliser three minutes from time. "Lyon have some good players and Benzema caused us some problems," Vidic said after the match. "But scoring near the end makes it feel a little bit like a victory." Vidic praised the influence of Tevez and Nani and says it is a sign of the squad's strength in depth. "Nani and Tevez made a big difference when they came on," Vida added. "We are capable of finishing games strongly because we have so much strength on the bench." |
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Benzema: We'll fight for it
 Lyon goalscorer Karim Benzema concedes that United are "big favourites" to go through to the quarter finals after snatching a late away goal at Stade Gerland on Wednesday. However, the powerful 20-year-old forward has vowed to push the Reds all the way in the return leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday 4 March. "United were big favourites but we showed we can compete with them and we'll go to Old Trafford to win," he told uefa.com. "Even if we know it'll be tough, we believe we can do it. United are one of the biggest clubs in Europe, yet they are the ones going home feeling happy with a draw." Lyon were sturdy in defence and even if they were only occasionally threatening going forward, Benzema says the performance has given the team the lift they needed after some inconsistent form domestically. "This performance will give us a lift because we'd dug ourselves into a bit of a hole," he added. "We hadn't really been playing as a team in the past few weeks but we showed we can still be a strong side when we work hard for each other." |
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20 February, 2008
Manchester United
 Manchester United Football Club is an English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and is arguably the most popular football club in the world, with over 330 million supporters worldwide; 5% of the world's population. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1993, and has played in the top division of English football since 1975. Average attendances at the club have been higher than any other team in English football for all but six seasons since 1964–65.The club is one of the most successful in English football; for over twenty years, since the 1986–87 season, they have won 18 major honours, which is more than any other Premier League club.They are the Premier League's reigning champions, and have won the Premier League/Football League 16 times. In 1968, they became the first English club to win the European Cup, beating S.L. Benfica 4–1, and they won a second European Cup in 1999. They also hold the record for the most FA Cup titles with 11. Since the late 1990s, the club has been one of the richest in the world with the highest revenue of any football club,, and is currently the second richest club in the world, based on revenue.Manchester United, which remains the most valuable club in the world,was a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs and its replacement, the European Club Association. Sir Alex Ferguson has been manager of the club since 6 November 1986. The captain is Gary Neville, who succeeded Roy Keane in November 2005. |
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