Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[mr_missile]

Otelul Galati 0 Man Utd 2


ONE YEAR ago this week Wayne Rooney said he wanted out of Old Trafford for good.

Last night, he marked that dubious anniversary by scoring two goals and celebrating in front of the fans he looked ready to turn his back on.

Rooney has long been forgiven for that moment of madness when he claimed Manchester United lacked ambition.

In fact, Rooney has an amazing capacity to bounce back from adversity — even if he has brought it all on himself most of the time.

Twelve months ago he turned round what had been an awful first half of the season during which he announced he wanted to quit United and lost the form and fitness that made him one of the world's best players.

In the second half of the campaign he powered the club to a record 19th league title and a place in the final of the Champions League.

He went into last night's game still coming to terms with the prospect he may not even get on the plane to the Euro 2012 finals because of his red card for England in Montenegro.

His three-match ban hit him so hard manager Alex Ferguson even left him out the starting line-up for Saturday's 1-1 draw at Anfield.

But while the football pitch can give him times of turmoil, it also provides him with the opportunity for salvation as it did last night.

They might have been two penalties — one in the 64th minute and the second in injury time — but he won them both and then scored them both.

United had struggled for most of the night and even had captain Nemanja Vidic sent off for a high challenge just two minutes after Rooney's opening goal.

Another Group C draw — following on stalemates against Benfica and Basel — would have made this United's worst start to any Champions League campaign.

Their prospects of reaching the knockout stages in this season's competition would have been at the very least in doubt.

Then men like Rooney intervene.

Players who change what looks like a frustrating night into one they ended up celebrating.

Players who grab things by the scruff of the neck when nobody else will and simply sort it out.

He had been quiet in the first half as the Romanians looked the more likely side to score. But, as the second period wore on, you could sense Rooney was ready to take the game away from Otelul.

A minute before his opener he had been found by Patrice Evra in the centre of the area with his back to goal.

He controlled the ball with his first touch and then turned and fired a shot that went inches wide.

Some would let such a disappointment play on their mind, even for a few minutes.

But it seemed to fire Rooney up.

He was not going to let the sight of that ball going wide be the abiding memory to follow him home to Manchester.

So, a minute later he picked the ball up and charged down the left flank.

His cross was heading for the unmarked Javier Hernandez until Sergiu Costin stuck out a hand and blocked it. German referee Felix Brych pointed straight to the spot and Rooney, looking like a man on a mission, immediately picked up the ball.

He kept his head down to avoid any attempts to put him off and placed the ball on the spot before ramming it into the right-hand corner of the net.

Oh, if only every England player could do that when it comes to the crunch.

United do like to make things difficult for themselves, however, and two minutes later Vidic capped what had been a bad night on his return from the calf injury that had ruled him out since the opening day of the season.

The Serbian defender looked rusty, making uncharacteristic errors until he went to challenge for a high ball just inside his own half with his studs were up and caught Otelul's Gabriel Giurgiu.

He was off, shown a straight red card, and United's job was still far from done.

They held out, though, until Otelul also had a man sent off in the 89th minute — Milan Perendija earning his second yellow card for fouling Hernandez.

And Rooney's second penalty just moments later made the scoreline look a lot more emphatic than it perhaps deserved.

The striker's control and movement got the better of Liviu Antal, who tripped him in the area.

Rooney picked the same side of the goal, hitting it just a bit higher. Keeper Branko Grahovac at least went the right way this time, but the ball was so well placed and hit with such power he could still get nowhere near it.

Job done for Rooney.

How England could do with a player like him next summer. But unless his appeal is successful he will not play in any of the Three Lions group games at Euro 2012.

By the time he is available they could be already out and both the country and Rooney will mourn his moment of madness in Montenegro.

With him you always have a chance, without him it's a different matter, as both club and country well know.

[mr_missile]

MANCHESTER CITY WILL NEVER BE AS BIG AS MANCHESTER UNITED, SAYS PAUL SCHOLES

PAUL SCHOLES has fanned the flames ahead of this weekend’s explosive Manchester derby – by insisting City will NEVER be as big as United.

Scholes will be a frustrated figure in the stands on Sunday when United host Roberto Mancini’s men in what promises to be the clash of the season so far.

The crunch encounter between the two bitter rivals could even have a huge bearing on the outcome of the title – in October!

Mancini’s men leapfrogged United at the top of the table following last week’s home thrashing of Aston Villa and find themselves looking down on the red half of Manchester.

The big-spenders go into the showdown knowing a win would see them go five points clear of Sir Alex Ferguson’s champions.

Fergie will be seething that his side have been knocked off their perch, despite an unbeaten start to the season themselves.

It all points towards a clash to remember as the warring pair go head-to-head for the first time this season in front of a sell-out crowd at Old Trafford.

Just to spice things up even more, United legend Scholes has stuck the boot into City by insisting his former club will always be the dominant force.

Scholes, now part of Fergie’s coaching staff, said: “They (City) are definitely a threat, but whether they have done enough or got enough to win the league title I’m not so sure.

“They haven’t even played a top team yet! When I looked at the fixtures, I thought they would win most of their first group of games.

“But they will start to get trickier fixtures from now on and might slip up a bit.

“I just can’t see them getting past us, or even Chelsea for that matter.

“We’ve got everything here. The history, success, the fact that everyone respects us and we have the team spirit.

“You can buy all the players in the world you want but getting them to play as a team doesn’t always work because it’s a big job.

“It’s okay people saying, ‘They have all the money to spend’, but it’s all about getting those players to be together.

“In the Champions League they have already found it hard to make that step up.”

Scholes is smarting at having to hang-up his boots last summer without the chance to avenge City’s famous FA Cup semi-final win over United on their way to lifting the trophy.

To make matters worse the former England star was sent off for a high challenge on Pablo Zabaleta that left Fergie’s men with no way back.

“The semi-final was disappointing at the time but it’s not something I really think about anymore,” he added.

“I didn’t mean to get sent off, I just mistimed the tackle.

“In the last couple of years this fixture has become a much bigger fixture than it ever was.

“Now it’s the game of the season that everyone is looking out for and I’m no different. I can’t wait.”

[mr_missile]

Fergie relishing City challenge

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's record in the second half of seasons means they can afford to lose to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Red Devils find themselves in the strange position of being behind their local rivals heading into the first all-Manchester showdown of the Premier League season.

If the unbeaten Blues manage to register only their second Old Trafford success in 37 years, it will put them five points clear of United.

However, whilst Ferguson is not actively embracing thoughts of defeat, he knows from past experience how his squad comes good over the final few months, when the battle for honours on all fronts is intensifying.

"This game could be significant at the end of the season," said the United boss. "It is a six-pointer. It will make a difference to whichever team wins it.

"But it is early doors and you can recover. There is no doubt about that.

"With our record in the second half of the season, you hope that we will be better."

City are the latest rival for a team who has been at the top of the league for two decades.

In their various guises, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been disposed of. Now Ferguson has to deal with City.

It is a battle he is relishing.

"We always accept a challenge at this club," he said. "We have had that time and time again. This is another situation.

"It is another game in the history of our club and we have to do something about it.

"You don't always want to be behind clubs, like we were for a couple of years with Chelsea.

"But we showed we had the vigour and determination, and also the decision-making that got us back in front of that particular football club."

The same quest now stands in front of United, even if City's current lofty status is not quite so well advanced as Chelsea, who won two titles before Ferguson and his players could react.

Ferguson now has first-choice central defenders Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand available for the first time since the opening day of the season.

However, the memory of United's second-half display in the Community Shield a week before must be playing on Ferguson's mind.

Although the Red Devils were the better team, they were two goals behind at the break.

It took the half-time introduction of Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley, who is set to resume training on Monday after injuring his foot at Bolton seven weeks ago, to transform the contest in United's favour.

That was probably one of the reasons why Ferguson had no desire to offer any opinion on the myriad of options at Roberto Mancini's disposal.

"He has his job to do like everyone else," said the Scot.

"We have all got difficult jobs picking teams. Mine is exactly the same. I am pondering a couple of positions myself."

Since then, City have dropped just two points, when they surrendered a two-goal lead at Fulham, and Ferguson accepts the Blues are in fine form.

"It is an exciting prospect," he said.

"City have done fantastically well and if they had not thrown a two-goal lead away at Fulham they would have been top of the league with a 100 per cent record."

Given their respective records this term, a memorable tussle is in prospect.

However, although the last few years have brought a seven-goal thriller settled by Michael Owen in stoppage time, Wayne Rooney's last-gasp goal to seal a Carling Cup semi-final triumph and Yaya Toure's FA Cup semi-final matchwinner, in addition to Rooney's spectacular overhead kick in the corresponding fixture last term, Ferguson is not certain another sensational contest is on the horizon.

"There could be goals - but it could also be disappointing," accepted Ferguson.

"It is a major game. It is very seldom in major games that you get a lot of goals

[mr_missile]

Fergie fuming after derby rout

Sir Alex Ferguson described Manchester United's 6-1 derby defeat by City as the "worst result in my history" and United's "worst ever day".

City were leading 1-0 at half-time courtesy of Mario Balotelli but ran the Red Devils ragged after Jonny Evans' red card two minutes after the restart.

Balotelli scored a second, substitute Edin Dzeko scored twice and David Silva and Sergio Aguero also netted, with Darren Fletcher with the home side's consolation.

Ferguson pulled no punches in his post-match assessment of a result that puts City five points clear of their rivals at the top of the Premier League table.

"It was our worst ever day," said Ferguson. "It's the worst result in my history, ever. Even as a player I don't think I ever lost 6-1. That's challenge for me too.

"I can't believe the scoreline. The first goal was a blow for sure but it was retrievable at 1-0.

"The sending off was a killer for us. We kept attacking when we went 4-1 down and we should have just said: 'We've had our day."'

Ferguson was particularly frustrated with some of his senior players for allowing United to continue playing open football with a man down.

"We just kept attacking. They were attacking three versus two. It was crazy football," he said. "I thought with the experience we've got - Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra - they would (defend more) but we just kept attacking. Sometimes there has to be common sense about it. It was a bad day."

The Scot attempted to find some positives amid his darkest hour and suggested his side would be sufficiently chastened by their embarrassing loss to produce a big response.

"We'll come back. By January we'll be okay. We usually get the show on the road in the second half of the season and that will have to be the case," he added. "We've played all the teams around us and they have all to play each other so the second half of the season is important to us now.

"We will react, no question about that. It's a perfect result for us to react to because there is a lot of embarrassment in the dressing room and that will make an impact."

The scale of the defeat did concern Ferguson, though, as he looked ahead to the potential importance of goal difference as the season progresses.

"What did concern me was the goals for and against. Goal difference may count. Last year it was in our favour, most years it is in our favour...this time maybe not."

Micah Richards believes City are ready to throw their 'noisy neighbours' nickname back in United's face after the stunning win.

Richards, who put in a tireless performance at right-back, was quick to remember Ferguson's famous quip about City after the match.

"People call us the noisy neighbours but here we are. We have a good set of lads and we want to show people what we can do.

"I think we did that today. It's what dreams are made of. We all know how good United are and how good they are at home. But they know about our attacking force - Balotelli, Dzeko, Aguero, Silva.

"To come to Old Trafford and win gives confidence, especially the way we won. We'll only go forward now."

Richards conceded that he had not expected the game to be quite so one-sided and admitted Evans' dismissal was key.

"I'm still gobsmacked to be honest. To come here and win 6-1 in unbelievable," he said. "They had 10 men so you have to let them off a bit but in the first half we defended well and took the chance when it came."

City boss Roberto Mancini chose to focus on the three points rather than the emphatic scoreline.

The club's fans will no doubt delight in holding bragging rights over United after such a decisive scoreline - but Mancini insists the size of the victory was not the important factor.

"It's not important 6-1. It's important that we beat a fantastic team. That is important," the Italian manager told Sky Sports News.

"It is important for our confidence because I don't think it's easy to come here.

"When you come here to play at Old Trafford it is an honour, because United are a strong team and you can have some problems."

Evans' sending off at the beginning of the second half triggered a downward spiral for the hosts and Mancini admits things ran more smoothly for his side after the dismissal.

But the manager hailed the home side for continuing to attack even when reduced to 10 men, with their efforts paying off when Fletcher notched a consolation strike late on.

"After the sending off it was easier but we were playing very well. The first 25 minutes United played well but they didn't have more chances," he said.

"I have more respect now for United because after the sending off they continued to try and score. I think that's an incredible mentality.

"If we want to arrive on the top like them we should improve in this mentality."

Mancini was pleased with the display of Balotelli, who shrugged off more controversy in his personal life to score two goals, having reportedly set fire to his mansion this weekend after allegedly letting off fireworks in his bathroom.

The manager added: "I'm happy for him because he scored another two important goals and he played well. He was serious on the pitch."

[Ken88999]

For the starting season till now what I know is the mu players r too young they need buy player n the olders must go....

[bonkudear]

All teams go through a bad patch during the course of a season. Man U is no exception. Just hope they will bounce back the very next game.

Glory glory man united!

[imom]

I remember a 5-0 rout followed by a 6-3 mauling the very next week, some years back. But we still brought the league trophy back to OT. I think it was the 'I would love it' season.... lol

Utd beat Aldershot 3 - 0 in the carling cup!! With goals from Berbatov, Owen and Valencia!

[machoman]

CARLING CUP WRAP: Man Utd bounce back from derby defeat as Arsenal, Cardiff and Palace through to quarters

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Manchester United bounced back from Sunday’s humiliating 6-1 home defeat to derby rivals Manchester City with a controlled 3-0 victory over Aldershot Town in the fourth round of the Carling Cup tonight.

Sir Alex Ferguson made a few changes from the weekend’s line-up, bringing in the likes of Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov, Nemanja Vidic, Park Ji-sung and Ben Amos to do the job against the League Two outfit.

It was an entertaining game at the Recreation Ground with Dean Holdsworth’s men having a real crack at the reigning English champions but the gulf in between England’s fourth and top tiers shone through with United’s class winning out in the end.

Berbatov opened the scoring in the 15th minute by finishing a concise move which involved Park playing a one-two with Tom Cleverley before the South Korean fed the Bulgarian who striker who took one touch and turned onto his left to slot past Shots gloveman Ross Worner.

The second goal minutes before half-time when Berbatov turned provider, finding an advancing Owen with a nice ball and the former England star did the rest from inside the area despite Worner getting his hand to the ball.

Aldershot kept pressing but the match was essentially wrapped up three minutes into the second half when Valencia scored with a piledriver from 25 yards to send Fergie’s men through to the quarter-finals.

Joining them will be Arsenal who overcame a slight hiccup to beat Bolton 2-1. Fabrice Muamba put the visitors ahead at the Emirates with a 47th minute strike from 12 yards, however, the Gunners rallied thanks to Andrey Arshavin’s reply six minutes later before Park Chu-young scored his first goal for the club by finishing a neat pass from Arshavin in the 56th minute.

Still in London and Crystal Palace managed to eliminate Championship leaders Southampton from the competition with a 2-0 result at Selhurst Park with late goals coming from Darren Ambrose and Jermaine Easter (penalty) as Cardiff City moved through to the final eight with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph at home over Burnley.

Tomorrow night’s last four fourth-round matches sees Wolves take on the red-hot Manchester City, Stoke City at home to Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers host Newcastle United and Chelsea away to Everton.


2011/12 Carling Cup scores – fourth round

Aldershot Town (L2): 0 Manchester United (PREM): 3 (Dimitar Berbatov 15’, Michael Owen 41’, Antonio Valencia 48’) EBB Stadium, Aldershot, Hampshire

Arsenal (PREM): 2 (Andrey Arshavin 53’, Park Chu-young 56’) Bolton (PREM): 1 (Fabrice Muamba 47’) Emirates Stadium, North London

Crystal Palace (CHA): 2 (Darren Ambrose 73’, Jermaine Easter (p) 82’) Southampton (CHA): 0 Selhurst Park, South London

Cardiff City (CHA): 1 (Josep Mason 40’) Burnley (CHA): 0 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales

[mr_missile]

Originally Posted by imom

I remember a 5-0 rout followed by a 6-3 mauling the very next week, some years back. But we still brought the league trophy back to OT. I think it was the 'I would love it' season.... lol

if memory serves me right, i think it really was that season. united went like 10 points behind the leaders then and managed to overhaul them in the end.

this defeat by city is a kick to our teeth. saf will demand an improvement for sure. and it seems like ferdinand and evra may be the 1st casualties if early reports for the team to face everton are true. saf deemed that as seniors in the team, they failed to rally the team and shore up the defence after evans red card. and they are likely to pay the price. saf may look to partner vidic and jones in central defence, with smalling at right back and fabio at left.

fletcher and anderson may also be dropped in favour of the return to fitness of cleverley, and carrick (this i am not so sure if it is an improvement. ).

let's bounce back at everton!

[imom]

Originally Posted by mr_missile

if memory serves me right, i think it really was that season. united went like 10 points behind the leaders then and managed to overhaul them in the end...

We were 12 pts behind actually. I remember a crazy Newcastle v Liverpool match later in the season... Pool actually helped us with a 4-3 vistory... courtesy of the Colly-Fowler combo....

[mr_missile]

Originally Posted by imom

We were 12 pts behind actually. I remember a crazy Newcastle v Liverpool match later in the season... Pool actually helped us with a 4-3 vistory... courtesy of the Colly-Fowler combo....

yup bro. it was that season.

as bro machoman stated earlier, that particular team's manager's "i'd luv it" during a tv interview has now become an infamous quote.

another infamous quote i remember is :"you'll never win anything with kids." quipped a tv commentator on sir alex's decision to play his fledgings beckham, giggs, the neville bros, butt, and scholes. needless to say, he was made to eat his words as united went on to win the league title that year.

[mr_missile]

Tomasz Kuszczak set for Manchester United exit

TOMASZ KUSZCZAK is set for a cut-price departure from Manchester United in the January transfer window.

The keeper has no future at Old Trafford and is now fourth choice behind David de Gea, Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos.

West Ham passed up the chance to sign Kuszczak on loan last month and opted for Arsenal outcast Manuel Almunia.

Kuszczak's former club West Brom were keen on a move in the summer but failed to agree a fee with United after they slapped a £4million price tag on him.

The Poland international stopper, 29, joined United for £2m in July 2007 following a loan spell and has made just 61 appearances in five years at Old Trafford.

He has not played since the Red Devils' 1-1 draw at Blackburn on May 14.

No one was willing to pay United's asking price in the summer but United are now ready to accept a lower sum in the New Year.

[mr_missile]

Transfer gossips

UNITED EYE UP £40M TARGET

A couple of newspapers - namely, The Independent and The Telegraph - are reporting that Manchester United are looking to sign Nicolas Gaitan.

Described by the latter publication as 'the midfielder who excelled against them in the Champions League', Gaitan is valued at between £35m and £40m and, to repeat a second line from the Telegraph, is now 'a target for the January transfer window'.

Tell us more.

'Gaitán, who impressed during United's 1-1 draw against the Portuguese club in a Champions League group fixture last month, has been watched repeatedly by Sir Alex Ferguson's European scouting team in recent months', says the Telegraph.

'A new contract Gaitan has signed with his club earlier this week keeps his release clause at £39m and it is considered unlikely that the Lisbon side, who have seen many of their star players leave over the past two years, would be willing to negotiate down much further. Sir Alex Ferguson, whose tendency to sign players who have performed well against United has seen Cristiano Ronaldo and Phil Jones arrive at Old Trafford among others, is interested in the player considered by some Portuguese observers to be an even better talent than his compatriot Angel di Maria, who left for Real Madrid in the summer of last year,' says the Independent.

However, a long-standing United target may be about to come available elsewhere...


SNEIJDER SOON TO BE ON SALE AT INTER?

According to The Daily Mail, 'Wesley Sneijder's move to Manchester United could be back on as Inter Milan prepare to offload the Holland international midfielder to make way for new recruits.'

As everyone must know, United were repeatedly linked with Sneijder throughout the summer and was considered the most-likely replacement for the retiring Paul Scholes.

'However, the Italian giants are hoping to cash in on Sneijder to fund a summer move for Lille's highly-rated Belgium international midfielder Eden Hazard.'


...AND ONE OUT FROM OLD TRAFFORD

And there's still more on Manchester United becaue the Mail also reckons that the Old Trafford bods have slashed the £4m price tag for Tomasz Kuszczak.

To speaketh the obvious, 'Kuszczak's career at Old Trafford is over after slipping down the ranks to fourth-choice stopper behind David de Gea, Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos.'

West Brom are named as the 'keeper's his most likely destination.

[mr_missile]

Alex Ferguson backs ‘real’ Manchester United to roar again

ALEX FERGUSON has told his team to forget their derby nightmare — and get back to being the real Manchester United.

The Red Devils were hammered 6-1 at home last Sunday by fierce rivals Manchester City, who went five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

United boss Ferguson described it as the worst day of his football career.

But now he is determined everyone at the club bounces back, starting at Everton this lunchtime.

Ferguson said: "It's been a tough week for everyone. It was a bad result and we have to get over that. That's the name of the game.

"Fans, players, staff — everyone has been involved in that disappointment, so we kick on.

"My attitude is to completely forget it. It never happened. It's not going to do us any good going back on that game.

"Now we can show Manchester United in its proper light — we didn't do that last week."

Ferguson has had to cope with claims his reign at the top of English football is over plenty of times in the past — and still comes up with the silverware in May.

On the eve of United's trip to Goodison Park, he cited his club's hammering at St James' Park back in October 1996.

Fergie, 69, said: "One year we lost 5-0 to Newcastle and won the league by 10 or 11 points.

"We have been able to recover many times before — and that's what you have to do at a club like United. There's no other way.

"Expectation lives with us every minute of our lives and we get used to that.

"The game at Everton is no different. We have to recover — and seem to have done that pretty well over the years.

"Nothing changes in football. The challenge is always to be the very best, which I hope we can do now.

"It's only October, that's the important thing. The league will be decided at the beginning of May.

"It's a long way off but I would expect us to be there at the end."

United always have a battle at Goodison. Last season David Moyes' side hit two goals in the dying moments to draw 3-3, they won 3-1 the previous season and it was a 1-1 draw the campaign before that.

You have to go back to September 2007 for United's last win there.

Ferguson said: "It's never easy. I went to see Everton on Wednesday and they were all committed and put a shift in, which is typical of a David Moyes team.

"We know it's going to be a tough game and that's what our focus has to be on."

Ferguson is expected to recall Tom Cleverley, 22, to the centre of midfield for his first League start since sustaining an ankle injury at Bolton on September 10.

He played in the Carling Cup win at Aldershot in midweek and Ferguson said: "He's got the potential. Expectation lies with any United player, as we expect a certain standard.

"We gave Tom an hour on Tuesday. He'd been training for about 10 days so was in good physical condition."