Manchester United

[nev]

good result for us,roma played well, we got the goal they missed some easy chances.

as for ronaldo,i love this guy but why does he get to take all the free kicks he is bloody hopeless at them,or is it i have been spoiled watching beckham fot years.

[mrbojangles]

as for ronaldo,i love this guy but why does he get to take all the free kicks he is bloody hopeless at them,or is it i have been spoiled watching beckham fot years.

I concur but personally, i don't mind if he carries on taking them

[scousemouse]

Jai yen yen mancs ............ Banter (in a Glaaasgeee accent) .

Mancs only seem to be good at it when their winning .

Don't put me in the same basket as United. City fans like the banter all the time........and we're never winning

Your not in that basket Mr b , mancs are mancs and man city supporters are man city supporters !.

[scousemouse]

good result for us,roma played well, we got the goal they missed some easy chances.

as for ronaldo,i love this guy but why does he get to take all the free kicks he is bloody hopeless at them,or is it i have been spoiled watching beckham fot years.

think you've been spoilt watching beckham , the lad has his critics but with a dead ball he is one of the best in the world.

[mrtoad]

good result for us,roma played well, we got the goal they missed some easy chances.

as for ronaldo,i love this guy but why does he get to take all the free kicks he is bloody hopeless at them,or is it i have been spoiled watching beckham fot years.

think you've been spoilt watching beckham , the lad has his critics but with a dead ball he is one of the best in the world.

Agreed, Ronaldo hits a good free kick at times, but not like the consistency of Beckham who has to be one of the best ever from a dead ball.

[LeungKen]

O.K. Guys It's time to start thinking ahead to the game against Wigan, and we have a bit of an injury problem in mid-field, who are we going to get to partner Scholsey as Carrick, Hargraves and Fletcher are all injured ? Switch Giggsy back there or would you go with O'Shea or maybe even give the new guy Anderson a try ? Thoughts anyone.

[mrtoad]

O'Shea is the safe option, as you know what you are going to get, a solid no frills player with a good engine. Anderson, still an unknown quantity in the EPL, personally I'd go with the later against a team like Wigan who are destined for relegation. If it doesn't work in the first half then O' Shea can always come on, but United should have too much quality.

[LeungKen]

O'Shea is the safe option, as you know what you are going to get, a solid no frills player with a good engine. Anderson, still an unknown quantity in the EPL, personally I'd go with the later against a team like Wigan who are destined for relegation. If it doesn't work in the first half then O' Shea can always come on, but United should have too much quality.

Yes you may well be right, though what may stuff things up, is if Wes Brown is unavailable, then O'Shea (Mr.Versatility) would be needed at right back.

What I will do this evening is eat prawns, the reason behind this ? During the past 3 seasons every time I have failed to eaten prawns on match day Man Utd loose. (I am not sure if S.A.F. is aware of this and whether or not to invoice him for this seasons worth of prawns )

[LeungKen]

Just checking to see who is top of the EPL ?

[MiG16]

wait til 8pm tonight

[LeungKen]

wait til 8pm tonight

You wanna stick your neck out and make a prediction or 2

[redrus]

Manchester United 4 Wigan Athletic 0

by Footymad

Match report for yesterday's home win in the early kick-off versus Wigan Athletic

There is nothing quite like refreshing Manchester United's scoring parts than the appearance of Wigan Athletic as opponents.

This latest Old Trafford drubbing for their Lancashire neighbours brought United's goal tally against Wigan to 23 in their last six games and took them to the top of the Premier League table for the first time this season.

Yet this match did live up to that old footballing cliche, a game of two halves. Wigan, crowding midfield, with only Marcus Bent up front, frustrated United in the first period when nothing went right for the hosts.

They lost Louis Saha as a substitute through injury during the warm-up and within the first half-hour saw Nemanja Vidic and John O'Shea join the Frenchman on the sidelines.

United also had a good appeal for a penalty turned down in the fifth minute when Michael Brown barged over Cristiano Ronaldo in the Wigan box, only to see referee Mike Riley wave play on.

The Portuguese winger had been trying to capitalise on the situation after Wigan's Salomon Olembe had deflected Carlos Tevez's right-wing cross goalwards with shot-stopper Chris Kirkland producing a tremendous acrobatic save to keep the ball out.

But it was a different United after the interval.

Anderson started to impress after replacing the injured Vidic, and, up front, Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Tevez began to buzz.

United served notice of their resurgence in the 52nd minute when Ryan Giggs hit the Wigan bar with a 15-yard shot after the visitors had only partially cleared Ronaldo's cross.

United had only two minutes to wait before breaking the deadlock.

Rio Ferdinand found Rooney, whose glorious lay-off enabled Anderson to pick out Teves on the right side of the Wigan box.

The Argentinian brushed off challenges from Paul Scharner and Jason Koumas before rounding Kirkland and crashing his left-foot shot into the net from 12 yards.

United doubled their lead five minutes later. Giggs drilled his corner to Rooney on the right side of the Wigan penalty area. Rooney returned the ball to Giggs and, although his cross was superbly kept out by Kirkland after brushing off Kevin Kilbane's head, Ronaldo was free at the far post to nod home from close range.

Ronaldo made it 3-0 after 76 minutes with a goal as simple as it was special.

Gerard Pique released Rooney down the left and his inch-perfect low cross was nonchalantly swept in by Ronaldo from eight yards.

United completed the scoring eight minutes from time when Paul Scholes found substitute Danny Simpson marauding down the right and the young full-back's cross was majestically headed in by Rooney on the edge of the six-yard box at the far post.

Wigan's best chance of the game came when United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak produced a magnificent one-handed save to keep out Wigan substitute Luis Antonio Valencia's shot in the 66th minute.

Barclays Premier League, Saturday 6th October 2007 @ 12:45; Old Trafford

Click for Manchester United squad list

Tevez 54

Ronaldo 59, 76

Rooney 82

Click for Wigan Athletic squad list

Starting Line-ups

29 Kuszczak

3 Evra

19 Pique

5 Ferdinand

22 O'Shea (Simpson 30)

15 Vidic (Anderson 21)

18 Scholes

7 Ronaldo

11 Giggs

32 Tevez (Nani 81)

10 Rooney

Substitutes

38 Heaton

25 Simpson (O'Shea 30)

17 Nani (Tevez 81)

8 Anderson (Vidic 21)

33 Eagles

17 Goal Attempts 6

12 On Target 2

4 Off Target 4

1 Hit Woodwork 0

3 Offsides 1

12 Corners 2

12 Fouls 6

Starting Line-ups

1 Kirkland

18 Scharner

20 Olembe (Valencia 66)

17 Boyce

19 Bramble

25 Melchiot (Hall 50)

8 Kilbane

24 Skoko

10 Koumas

11 Brown

23 Bent

Substitutes

12 Pollitt

5 Hall (Melchiot 50)

16 Valencia (Olembe 66)

14 Landzaat

15 Aghahowa

Referee

M Riley, Yorkshire

Attendance

75300

Man. Utd. Cards

Rooney 31 unsporting behaviour

Wigan Ath. Cards

Skoko 50 unsporting behaviour

Managed to get there yesterday, after my all night exploits at the Ian Brown gig Friday night. First half crowd comments, 'I'm not shelling out 700 notes next season for this <deleted>....! Second half, not quite the same as the first.....55555

redrus

[LeungKen]

Red old son, nice to see you back, Top result last night.

2 weeks to regroup and all should be good for the season now we've regained our confidence. Cheers Mate

[redrus]

Red old son, nice to see you back, Top result last night.

2 weeks to regroup and all should be good for the season now we've regained our confidence. Cheers Mate

Nice one LeungKen,

I normally hate any breaks but, this could do us the world of good.

All should be back by then, including Saha, injured in the warm up yesterday with any luck won't be able to play for France now and, will be fit for us. All the others should be back for the duration by then.

redrus

[redrus]

Views From The Broadsheets

Sunday 7th October 2007

No surprises as deluge occurs and Saha gets injured in the warm up.

THE SUNDAY TIMES

For 63 days of the season so far, they were in a desert. Dry, barren, and just seven goals from eight league games. On Friday, their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, decreed that there would soon be a deluge and 24 hours later, it rained goals at Old Trafford. The four they got yesterday might have been six or seven.

In the resumption of normal service, there is one statistic that may have grown men shivering in Liverpool and both sides of London: United began yesterday's game with nine players on their injury list. They then lost Nemanja Vidic and John O'Shea inside 30 minutes and played for the last hour with Danny Simpson at right-back and Gerard Pique at centre-back. Tomasz Kuszczak, United's reserve goalkeeper, had one worthwhile save to make in the match.

Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo - with two - scored the goals and that will please Ferguson because with Louis Saha still injured, the team needs others to take on the goalscoring duties. But as well as those three played, perhaps the performance that will have most pleased the manager was that of the Brazilian, Anderson.

He came into the game after 20 minutes, thrown into the midfield after Vidic's injury meant O'Shea had to move to centre-back. It took Anderson a few minutes to find his rhythm but as soon as that happened, he was the game's commanding midfield player. Given that he was alongside Paul Scholes, that's some compliment.

Yesterday Anderson wanted the ball at every opportunity, and he used it with the flair you would expect from a technically accomplished Brazilian. When the breakthrough came after 54 minutes, his was the key pass as it split the Wigan defence and gave Tevez half a yard on Kevin Kilbane. What happened next was remarkable.

Kilbane and Tevez reached the ball almost at the same moment but with the surest right-foot touch, the Argentine took the ball inside the defender and then another brilliant touch took him past Chris Kirkland. The ball was then on his left foot and still there were a couple of defenders between him and the goal. No matter, he rifled the shot into the far corner. Outstanding.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

When England manager Steve McClaren heard that Manchester United had lost two players in the opening 29 minutes, he must have been reaching for his contacts book in the hope of pulling out some more magical stand-ins. But to his relief, Rio Ferdinand was still a picture of health by the final whistle and all Wayne Rooney's metatarsals were accounted for.

Better than that, Rooney had another goal on his account, his second in a week and as spectacular in its way as the one he scored against Roma, a header of such perfect technique and power that we could have been watching the return of Nat Lofthouse.

The injuries to Nemanja Vidic — after a clash of heads with Marcus Bent and an elbow to the throat from Paul Scharner — and John O'Shea with a dead leg, left United, who had already lost Louis Saha in the warm-up, struggling to find any rhythm as they have been all season.

On a day of just two matches, it also left worried Match Of The Day executives wondering how they were going to fill 20 minutes of air time with a game that did not come to life until the second half. They were off the hook when Carlos Tevez, as bull-like and at times as exciting as Diego Maradona, scored the sort of individual goal that has thrilled United fans over the years.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the world's leading football matinee idol, stole a couple of close-ups by showing off his black eye after scoring, with Rooney, wonderful as his goal was, in danger of being left on the cutting-room floor.

For poor old Wigan, who harried and defended well in the opening 45 minutes, it was an all too familiar story. This was their 18th Premier League game against a top-four side and every one has ended in defeat, proving that survival can be achieved purely against the lesser sides.

THE OBSERVER

Sir Alex Ferguson promised a deluge and it duly arrived as Manchester United climbed to the top of the Premier League by hitting four second-half goals against an increasingly bewildered Wigan.

United almost always score four against Wigan, however, and not even the feast that followed could completely erase the memory of an arid first half that acted only as a terrific advertisement for rugby union.

Not even the World Cup in France has succeeded in bringing together so much talent and so many spectators for so little result, though at least United could legitimately claim they were distracted by injuries. They lost no fewer than three players before the interval, beginning when Louis Saha hurt his knee in the warm-up. That might be par for the course for a striker cruelly caricatured as being made from balsa wood, though United were more seriously disrupted when Nemanja Vidic retired concussed and John O'Shea had to limp off after suffering a dead leg.

United barely carried a goal threat either in the first half, though they should have had a penalty in the fourth minute when Michael Brown pushed Mario Melchiot out of the way in his eagerness to barge Cristiano Ronaldo over in the area. It was as clear a penalty as you could wish to see, yet alone in the stadium the well-placed referee, Mike Riley, viewed it as a fair challenge.

Carlos Tevez shot narrowly over on the stroke of half time after Patrice Evra had snuffed out a rare shooting chance for Paul Scharner, then the Argentine brought the crowd to its feet nine minutes into the second half with a virtuoso piece of balance, pace and finishing.

It was a well worked goal all round; Rio Ferdinand's probing pass forward being transformed by Wayne Rooney's first-time flick and Anderson threading a ball through the Wigan defence for Tevez to run on to. Tevez beat Kevin Kilbane and Titus Bramble first for speed then for control, walked round Chris Kirkland in the visitors goal and placed his shot into the net past defenders on the line.

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

The romantic notion that any Premier League team can beat any other took another pounding here as an initially disjointed Manchester United side, missing 11 players and losing another three on the day, settled down to dismiss Wigan's feeble challenge with four second-half goals. After the champions' recent drought - only Derby had scored fewer goals - this sudden flood carried them to the top of the table, at least until Arsenal attempt to roast Sunderland for Sunday lunch.

Wigan, briefly in first place themselves in August but falling fast ever since, have now played the undisputed big four of English football in 18 games over the past three seasons and lost every one. So much for romance. United's injury problems - they lost Louis Saha in the warm-up, then Nemanja Vidic and John O'Shea within the opening half-an-hour - unexpectedly offered the visitors their best opportunity of holding one of the big boys since their very first match at this level, when Chelsea won so luckily at the JJB Stadium with a goal in the last minute.

Even allowing for the absence in attack of England's rediscovered hero Emile Heskey and the equally influential Antoine Sibierski, they were far too timid.

Tomasz Kuszczak, standing in for Edwin van der Sar, was required to make one real save and at times it was almost comical to watch poor Marcus Bent, the lone striker, weighing up the task of taking on four or five defenders. Once United, in contrast, found a rhythm, they seemed to have attackers all over the pitch, and suddenly looked like the old irresistibles. Paul Scholes, forced to sit deep because Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick were among those missing, pulled the strings; Carlos Tevez had possibly his best game for the club so far; Wayne Rooney calmed down to profitable effect after a frustrating first half that brought a yellow card; and Cristiano Ronaldo was up to all his old tricks except the ones that involve collapsing to the turf.

Indeed, he is now suffering like the boy who cried wolf - or in his case "penalty" - being denied legitimate appeals because of his reputation. Early in the game, Michael Brown simply barged him over in the penalty area without punishment.

A goal at that stage might - or might not - have persuaded Wigan to adopt a more positive approach. Instead, they hung on until just after the interval, thanks to Chris Kirkland saving superbly as Tevez's cross deflected off Salomon Olembé's head. Meanwhile, Vidic suffered a facial injury that took him to hospital last night, forcing O'Shea from midfield into defence, only to limp off himself with a dead leg. Attacking options had already been limited by Saha straining a knee before kick-off, but at the start of the second half Wigan were suddenly swept away.

Match Quotes

Sunday 7th October 2007

Ferguson is happy with his squad.

Ferguson:

"Considering all the things that happened I think we've done fantastically well.

"I was very pleased with the football in the second half.

"We had 10 players missing but great credit to the players who played today.

"We speeded the game up in the second half, the flow of the game was much better. It's coming together."

Of the injuries:

"Vidic has been taken to hospital with concussion, O'Shea has a dead leg and Louis felt his knee in the warm-up. You can't risk that."

Of Simpson and Pique:

Danny's a very confident boy.

"He's so quick and is a tremendous defender. He's improving his technique all the time and he is one of the players that I would not consider going on loan this year because he's valuable to us.

"Pique also came in today and was absolutely outstanding. He was one our best players against Coventry [not hard] and is improving all the time."

Danny Simpson on MUTV:

"It was magnificent, I'm buzzing.

"It's a Premier League game, playing with Ronaldo on the right wing and it's a good feeling. I don't know what else to say. Hopefully there'll be a few more feelings like this to come.

"I had family and friends here, so obviously I've had a few texts from everybody. I'm looking forward to going and seeing them now, to see what they have to say.

"(For Rooney's goal) I saw Scholesy get the ball and thought that if I made the run he'd give it me. I took a touch, looked up and we've been practicing it a lot in training with Rene Meulensteen, and I just clipped it in and luckily Wayne was on the end of it.

"The gaffer has said I'm staying here as cover.

"Obviously we've got a few injuries and hopefully I've shown him today that, when the lads are injured, I can come in and do a job for him."

* An insider reports that Rooney told Simpson 'he would have knocked his block off' if hadn't have crossed for his goa!

Wigan manager Chris Hutchings:

"We had a game plan which worked well in the first half.

"But as as soon as they scored the first goal they upped the tempo and they could have scored a couple more.

"It's always difficult but while it's 1-0 you have always got a chance. I'm disappointed that we lost our shape."

Tempting Fate?

Sunday 7th October 2007

Saha's quotes before getting injured in the warm up yesterday.

From The Supersoaraway Sun:

"The boss has rescued me for the simple fact that he kept on believing in me and showing his faith in me when I missed important game after important game.

"I know that he could have let me go and it's true that the horrible spiral of injury after injury did cause tension between us.

"But just when I thought I'd never break the cycle of getting back from one injury and immediately sustaining another one, he would shore up my morale by showing his belief in me no matter how many crucial spells of the season I missed."

"The last 12 months have been the worst of my entire career and could have broken me.

"But I'm a much tougher man inside than people might think and, instead of going under, I decided to fight.

"It's only been for the last two months that any of my self-belief and confidence came flooding back because that was when I could jog without pain for the first time in ages.

"Now I get the chance to pay the boss and the rest of the guys back."

redrus

[redrus]

Fergie looks to sign up 'supporting cast'

Oliver Kay in the Times:

'Manchester United are preparing to offer new contracts to at least six senior players as Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, seeks to retain a strong supporting cast around the big names who form the nucleus of his team. United have already held preliminary discussions over new deals to extend the careers of Edwin van der Sar, the goalkeeper, who is undecided about his future, and Ryan Giggs for another year, but they are also discussing new deals for Wes Brown, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, John O'Shea and Ben Foster, the 24-year-old goalkeeper, who has yet to make his debut for the club.

'In the cases of Evra and Vidic, the new contracts are designed to reward them for the progress they have made since joining the club in January 2006, with their basic wage due to climb to approximately £55,000 a week. Negotiations with Vidic may be accelerated by the head injury that will keep him out of Serbia's European Championship qualifying matches against Armenia and Azerbaijan, but talks with Federico Pastorello, Evra's agent, are another priority as he was offered only a 3½year contract when he joined United from AS Monaco.

'Ferguson is also preoccupied with the task of farming out some of United's younger players following the club's elimination from the Carling Cup. Lee Martin, the winger, joined Plymouth Argyle on a three-month loan last week and Darron Gibson, the Ireland midfield player, is expected to join Wolverhampton Wanderers on a similar basis. It is not yet clear whether Dong Fangzhuo, the China forward, will be among the loanees as the club ponder ways to advance his education.'

Ben Foster Staying Upbeat

redissue

Tuesday 9th October 2007

He's working hard to get back

Ben Foster quoted in the Evening News, "It was all looking rosy for me and big things were expected and talked about for me this year with United and England. But the injury was a devastating blow. You could start tormenting yourself with thoughts of what might have been happening this year for me. Thoughts about United and England went out of the window for me very quickly.

"After the initial upset I just got my head round it and blanked out the `what if' thoughts. I couldn't afford to think or worry about it. The other way I looked at it is that I have a very good chance to work on things and other parts of my game that you don't normally get a chance to when you are playing.

"I have a great opportunity to work on other areas like strength and spring. It could make me a better goalkeeper. The last time I suffered the same cruciate injury in the same knee was when I was at Stoke and I was out for six months then. But I remember when I did come back I felt so much stronger physically. I became a man throughout that.

"I am already feeling stronger now and probably the fittest shape I have ever been in my whole career. That's a big plus from all this."

Everyone's Happy At Old Trafford

redissue

Tuesday 9th October 2007

It's a wonderful, wonderful life…

Carlos Tevez, "Arsenal are the leaders in the table but Manchester United should be favourites for the title and the Champions League," Tevez told the Daily Mirror. "I think we will show that and prove it to our opponents when we play them in the key matches this season. United have special players and Cristiano Ronaldo is the best in the Premier League. He is ideal, great and easy to play alongside because he provides assists and scores goals."

Patrice Evra, "There is no doubt that Arsenal are a stronger side than they were last season, but I don't think we will know about this team until they lose. That's the important time when you look to see how a team reacts. It is how you bounce back. We know we can do it. We had a difficult start to the season but we have shown great strength and character and are winning now without conceding any goals."

John O'Shea, "It's a pretty happy camp at the moment, especially with the defensive situation with the clean sheets. Rio and Nemanja are definitely a major factor to it - you cannot ask for two better central defenders in Europe, in my opinion. I hope they will stay clear of injury because they have been a major influence on keeping the clean sheets.

"Nemanja is big goal threat as well. You know if the ball is going towards him when he makes a run there's a good chance of it being a goal. Other teams are picking up on that now, and he's becoming really tightly marked. For a defender, keeping a clean sheet is like a striker scoring a couple of goals.

"With the attacking quality we have, we know if we keep a clean sheet then nine times out of 10 we are going to win the game. We hope we can keep it going. Gary Neville will be back soon - and with the games we have coming up in the Champions League and the Premier League, we need his kind of experience. The top teams are gathering pace now - and Arsenal, in particular, look very tasty at the minute."

Ryan Giggs, "Pique came in at centre half and did a good job, and so did Simmo. They got two assists really, so overall it was a really good performance from them both. In the second half Anderson was really involved in a lot of the play.

"He worked hard, showed some great touches, some great passes and he's still only young and finding his feet, but he put in a really good performance."

Danny Simpson, "It was magnificent, I'm buzzing. It's a Premier League game, playing with Ronaldo on the right wing and it's a good feeling. I don't know what else to say. Hopefully there'll be a few more feelings like this to come.

"I had family and friends here, so obviously I've had a few texts from everybody. I'm looking forward to going and seeing them now, to see what they have to say.

"(For Rooney's goal) I saw Scholesy get the ball and thought that if I made the run he'd give it me. I took a touch, looked up and we've been practicing it a lot in training with Rene Meulensteen, and I just clipped it in and luckily Wayne was on the end of it.

"The gaffer has said I'm staying here as cover. Obviously we've got a few injuries and hopefully I've shown him today that, when the lads are injured, I can come in and do a job for him."

redrus

[muckypups]

An excellent round-up Red, thanks.. I must say, I'm quietly confident...

[redrus]

An excellent round-up Red, thanks.. I must say, I'm quietly confident...

Thanks mate, my 4000th post too....

Me too fella, its starting to come together just wish it had for the derby but, there's plenty of time....!

redrus

[LeungKen]

An excellent round-up Red, thanks.. I must say, I'm quietly confident...

Thanks mate, my 4000th post too....

Me too fella, its starting to come together just wish it had for the derby but, there's plenty of time....!

redrus

Congrats for your 4000 and may you rack up another 4000 Roarin' On The Red Devils

Cheers

Ken

[redrus]

An excellent round-up Red, thanks.. I must say, I'm quietly confident...

Thanks mate, my 4000th post too....

Me too fella, its starting to come together just wish it had for the derby but, there's plenty of time....!

redrus

Congrats for your 4000 and may you rack up another 4000 Roarin' On The Red Devils

Cheers

Ken

redrus

[LeungKen]

A Legend turns 70 today

Happy Birthday

Bobby Charlton

Although he has tried to avoid stardom, there is one thing he will always be famous for: He lost most of his hair after the plane crash, which he first refused to accept.

Therefore, he established a haircut later called the Bobby Charlton Comb-over. "Am I sad the comb-over has gone out of fashion?" Charlton asked in an interview. "No, I should have got rid of it a lot earlier

a quote in Earth Times org

[redrus]

Nice one LK, and Happy Birthday Bobby....

Evra Ready

Easy headline isn't it?

'Many people have commented on our supposed 'terrible start' but we actually just drew twice and lost once. It was anything but a drama. Now we're back behind Arsenal in the League and we have six points out of six in the Champions League. We have kept our opponents goalless for the last eight games so the confidence is high. But we have to keep it there.

'To win six times 1-0 isn't possible for every team in England. It requires a complete defensive focus and that proves that we are mentally strong. I remember that last season, in the last few weeks, we were facing problems to dominate and impose our style but we always found a way to win, most of the times 1-0. It's in those moments that we recognize the great teams and let me tell you that this United team can go really far.

About his position:

'I don't say to myself my status is granted. I had a very good season last year, as I was elected the best left-back in England. When you play for Manchester United though, one good game isn't enough. You have to beat your best all the time. I don't try to do things I can't do, I leave the show to Ronaldo. For me, the most important thing is to defend and do that well.'

redrus

[mrtoad]

Giggs signs new deal at Man Utd

Giggs could now overtake Sir Bobby Charlton's club appearance record

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs has signed a one-year extension to his deal, keeping him at Old Trafford until the end of the 2009 season.

The 33-year-old has spent his entire professional career at the club since making his first-team debut in 1991.

"Ryan epitomises the word loyalty - he signed as a 14-year old schoolboy and is still with the club 20 years on," said United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Giggs's previous deal was due to expire at the end of the current season.

The Wales international, who has committed to what will be his 18th season at Old Trafford, has won nine Premier league titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League in his time at the club.

"Apart from his playing ability, he has a fantastic demeanour and is a great role model to the younger players," added Ferguson.

"I am sure he will be at the club for a long time to come."

The new contract will give Giggs, who has lined up for the Reds on 727 occasions, the chance to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton's club record of 759 appearances.

"I am delighted to have signed for a further season," Giggs told the club's website.

"I am enjoying football more than ever and I hope to carry on playing football for Manchester United for as long as I can.

"I would like to thank Sir Alex Ferguson, the fans and everyone at the club for the great support I have received over the years."

And Giggs hopes he will be able to continue playing beyond this latest contract.

"We said a couple of years ago that would look at it season by season - which is what we have done," he said.

"I am delighted to get it sorted out. I feel as fit as ever so I hope there will be a couple more.

"A lot has changed over the years but I am enjoying my football more than ever. The nearer you get to the end of your career you want to enjoy it as much as you can."

Source:BBC

Giggs is such a good role model of how a professional footballer should behave and how loyalty does have it's rewards. He had plenty of offers to go elsewhere over the years, but has stayed at United and been rewarded with plenty of trophies and legendary status. Good on him I say, and I'm glad to see that the club are continuing to look after him.

I still think he's probably got two years left at the top level.

[LeungKen]

'

I thought it was pretty canny of S.A.F. to suggest to Rooney & Ferdinand that they pick up another yellow card each and thus have a rest when England next plays.

[nev]

[muckypups]

Good on you Nev, thanks...

[nev]

no problem mate, it is my screen saver.

[redrus]

Anyone know if owts happening for the remembrance....? I know we play City on the 10th, I suspect there must be something then....!

redrus

[mrbojangles]

Anyone know if owts happening for the remembrance....? I know we play City on the 10th, I suspect there must be something then....!

It's stupid if they have rememberance on the derby game.....again.

They did it about 3 or 4 years ago at Old Trafford. I'm sorry and we don't mean to disrespect this day but you can't expect us to sit through that 10 minute (or whatever it was) in silence. It was absolutely boring, doesn't mean much to us and we're pumped up for the match.

If they do it again, don't be surprised that the city fans will sing all the way through it.

[nev]