Manchester United

[MSingh]

I agree with Jamie Carragher & thankfully understand him thanks to him not talking, for the first time in my life...

[redrus]

I agree with Jamie Carragher & thankfully understand him thanks to him not talking, for the first time in my life...

redrus

[bkkjames]

Dominating first half - Berba should have had 3 goals. Paul Scholes like the Scholes of old.

5 points up, big games ahead.

[Sparkles]

Dominating first half - Berba should have had 3 goals. Paul Scholes like the Scholes of old.

5 points up, big games ahead.

Master class performance from every United player. Scholes's laser like passes and Carrick not far behind .Are there any better passers of the ball in the EPL than these two ? I think not. Scholes named man of the match and any thoughts of winding down his career should now , hopefully , be on the back burner.

[redrus]

ROONEY GLAD TO BE INVOLVED AGAIN

Posted 19/02/09 15:11--Football365

Wayne Rooney has revealed there were times during the past month when he wondered how on earth he was going to get back into the Manchester United team.

Deep down, the striker always knew Sir Alex Ferguson would find a place for him in his squad.

But it is a measure of the quality United have at their disposal that all seven matches during Rooney's absence with a hamstring injury have been won, with his direct replacement Carlos Tevez getting better with every game.

Little wonder Rooney has been itching to get back, or that he should score against Fulham last night with his first touch since limping out of the win over Wigan on January 14.

"We have been on an unbelievable run," he said after the 3-0 win over Fulham at Old Trafford. "I have missed seven games and we have won the lot.

"You think 'How am I going to get back into this team? It is a dream to be involved. It just gets better with each game."

Rooney's impatience came through the knowledge he felt fit enough to play some part in the victory at West Ham 11 days ago.

"But the wise decision between the fitness department and myself was to leave it a couple more weeks," he added.

"We are on a big run-in now and I have seen players come back too soon, do it again and be out for another five or six weeks.

"The most important thing was to stop that happening."

Ferguson now has a selection problem, if not for Saturday's encounter with Blackburn - when a 15th consecutive clean sheet for Edwin van der Sar would see him set a new European record for the length of time without conceding a league goal - then certainly the following week's Champions League encounter with Inter Milan and the Carling Cup final on March 1.

"If you are at this club you want to play in the big games and Inter is a massive one for us," said Rooney.

The selection poser will not be easily resolved, although Rooney's mere presence provides a lift few of his colleagues can match.

"There has been no real urgency to rush Wayne back because we have had options which gave us the time to do what we did," admitted United assistant boss Mike Phelan.

"But even when he warms up the crowd start chanting and get out of their seats a little bit."

Ferguson's problems are not restricted to just one area of the pitch.

After another solid performance, this time at right-back, which included the assist for Dimitar Berbatov's 12th goal of the season, it will be hard to tell John O'Shea he is not involved providing he recovers from a minor heel injury.

Of the side which beat Chelsea last month, Ryan Giggs was sat in the stands last night, with Darren Fletcher on the bench as Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes pressed their midfield claims, while Nani's reward for his weekend goal was also a night of inactivity.

Yet Ferguson seems to have found the magic formula for keeping everyone happy, although clearly winning trophies, which could total five by the time United finish their campaign, helps.

"We are in a terrific position in the league," said Rooney of United's five-point cushion.

"That game in hand seems to have been there for a long time. Now we have played the same number as everyone else so we know where we stand.

"We are confident. We have kicked on since December and won a lot of hard games since then.

"Now we are looking forward to hopefully to winning more trophies."

Don't crown us champions yet, warns Ferguson

Thu 19 Feb, 03:05 PM--Yahoo Sports

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson insists it is too soon to crown Manchester United as Premier League champions despite watching his side move five points clear of Liverpool with a 3-0 victory over Fulham.

The league leaders, who can open up an eight-point lead with victory over Blackburn on Saturday prior to Liverpool's Anfield clash with Manchester City on Sunday, cruised past Fulham thanks to goals from Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and fit-again Wayne Rooney on Wednesday.

The win was United's ninth on the bounce in the league and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar racked up his fourteenth consecutive Premier League clean sheet, taking his shut-out run to 1302 minutes.

But United boss Ferguson admitted that there are still possible pitfalls on the road to an eighteenth league title between now and May.

He said: "You can never be dead sure, but it's safe to say that Chelsea have an uphill fight now to overcome us. Things can happen, though. We were 12 points clear of Arsenal one season, 1997-98, and we lost the league.

"We had a lot of injuries that year, but hopefully, with the squad we have now, we can cope with injuries. That's been the change around at the club, we have such a big squad that we can cope with injuries.

"This was our game in hand, though, so it was important and I think the players applied themselves the right way. They worked hard because they had to work hard for the result and I'm pleased with them.

"Paul Scholes was fantastic and some of his switches of play were absolutely devastating. He and Ryan Giggs are a great example to young players in the sense of the way that they live their lives, but they have kept their ambition which is important. We are so delighted and proud to have them here."

Rooney's goal, three minutes after replacing Berbatov in the second half, was an added bonus for the England player, who had been sidelined since early January with a hamstring injury.

And Ferguson admits that he will not take chances on the fitness of any of his players between now and the end of the season.

He said: "Wayne scored with his first touch. It was a nice ball and he came in late, which he has done many times, but he is back now and I'm pleased. Hopefully he will stay fit now.

"He is 100 per cent, there is no question about that. We are at the stage now where we won't take risks with any players.

"If they have slight injuries, we won't play them because if you do and they exacerbate the problem, they can be out for weeks and we don't want that."

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson saw his team fail once more to claim their first away win of the season, but he admitted that United were simply too strong.

He said: "We wipe our faces on this one and accept the dream of coming here and doing something spectacular remains a dream. We found a United side that had too much in the locker.

"The way we set out our team wasn't that disastrous - what was, was conceding an early goal that put us on the back foot before we were on the front foot!

"With United in that form, we weren't going to get anything from them."

Although Ferguson had warned his players not to underestimate Fulham, the prospects of a shock vanished once Scholes had spectacularly opened the scoring after just 12 minutes.

Berbatov got the second from close range in the 30th minute after John O'Shea teed up the former Spurs striker.

Rooney made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute - less than three minutes after climbing off the bench.

Park Ji-Sung's shot across the face of goal was met by Rooney at the far post and, after springing the offside trap, the England star slotted in his seventh league goal of the season.

Man Utd v Blackburn

BIG-MATCH FACTS--BBC Sport

Manchester United go into the weekend five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, after cruising to a 3-0 home victory over Fulham on Wednesday night. They have a superior goal difference over second placed Liverpool of nine, lead Aston Villa by eight points, Chelsea by 10 and Arsenal by 15. An 11th Premier League title is theirs to lose.

Blackburn go into this game one point off the foot of the table, without any away league goal since November and without an away top-flight victory since September.

United, the World Club champions, Carling Cup finalists, FA Cup quarter-finals and defending Champions League and Premier League champions, have kept 14 successive clean sheets in the league.

Goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar has not seen a goal go past him in 1,302 Premier League minutes. If he lasts into the 89th minute against Blackburn, he will break Danny Verlinden's European league record. The Club Bruges last line of defence kept the opposition at bay for 1,390 minutes between 3 March and 26 September 1990 in the Belgium League.

According to the Fifa-approved International Federation of Football History and Statistics, Van der Sar's current achievement places him sixth in the table of the longest time without conceding a goal in world league football. The world record is 1,816 minutes by Mazaropi of Vasco da Gama from 18 May 1977 to 7 September 1978. It will take Van der Sar another five matches plus the first 65 minutes of the away game against Sunderland on 11 April to pass Mazaropi's mark.

Blackburn have dropped more away points to Manchester United than to any other club in the Premier League (36).

Distance between the clubs: 27 miles (43 kilometres)

Blackburn are making the shortest journey of any Premier League club this weekend.

CLUB FORM

MANCHESTER UNITED

Club stats

1st 59 points

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st

Lowest could fall: 1st

Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Won all but one of the last 16, losing just one of 25.

2. Won the last nine Premier League matches, against Stoke (a), Middlesbrough (h), Chelsea (h), Wigan (h), Bolton (a), West Brom (a), Everton (h), West Ham (a) and Fulham (h).

3. Unbeaten in 14 league games; won 12 and drawn two since losing 2-1 away to Arsenal on 8 November - their only loss in 22 top-flight outings.

4. One defeat short of 150 in league football under Sir Alex Ferguson.

5. One point up on their points total to this same stage last season, and two points down on the corresponding juncture in the previous year (both title-winning campaigns).

6. Scored in each of the last nine league games. Failed to score in one of 12 (0-0 away to Tottenham on 13 December), and missed the target in only two Premier League matches all season; the other being 0-0, away to Villa on 22 November.

7 Not conceded in 21 hours 42 minutes of Premier League football since Samir Nasri scored Arsenal's second in the Gunners' odd goal in three home victory on 8 November. Boast the tightest defence in the Premier League. More details

8 Challenging for a 12th consecutive home league victory; conceded goals in just one of the last 11 victorious league matches at Old Trafford (4-3 v Hull on 1 November), and undefeated in 17, a sequence stretching back over a year. Won 16 and drawn one (v Newcastle) since losing 1-2 against Manchester City on 10 February 2008 - their only defeat in 31 at home.

9 Won the last four Premier League games against North-West clubs by 1-0 scorelines, and lost only one top-flight North-West derby this season; 2-1, away to Liverpool on 13 September.

10. This match precedes the Champions League tie, away to Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Fixtures

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Club stats

18th 23 points

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 16th

Lowest could fall: 19th

Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Won one of six in all competitions; 2-1, home to Sunderland in a FA Cup fourth round replay on 4 February.

2. Won one of six Premier League games since Christmas; 3-0, home to Newcastle on 17 January.

3. In danger of suffering their first back-to-back defeats under Sam Allardyce, and first in eight Premier League outings since tumbling to six on the bounce between 9 November to 13 December.

4. Averaging less than a point a game; 23 points after 24 games is 15 points down on last season, and their lowest corresponding return ever in the Premier League.

5. Drawn their last two away league games 0-0, and not won in eight on the road; drawn four and lost four since beating Newcastle 1-2 at St James' Park on 27 September - the second of their two away wins this season.

6. Lost all four Premier League games this season against the 'Big Four' clubs; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

7. Not won in 15 league games against the 'Big Four'; picked up four points out of 45 since a 1-0 home victory over Liverpool on Boxing Day 2006.

8. Drawn their last two league games against North-West clubs, and not won in six. The odd goal in five victory, away to Everton on the opening day of the season, 16 August, was their most recent victory in a North-West league derby.

9. An FA Cup fifth round replay away to Championship club Coventry follows this, on Tuesday.

Fixtures

KEY PLAYER NOTES

MANCHESTER UNITED

Squad profiles

Edwin VAN DER SAR is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Glove with 18 clean sheets.

Carlos TEVEZ has scored five goals in his last two starts against Blackburn (Premier League and Carling Cup).

Ryan GIGGS is a hat-trick shy of 150 goals for Manchester United.

Paul SCHOLES needs a hat-trick to reach 100 Premier League goals - all for United.

If on the field from the outset:-

VAN DER SAR will be making his 250th Premier League start.

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Squad profiles

David DUNN is a double shy of 50 club career goals.

If selected:-

Brett EMERTON will be playing on the eve of his 30th birthday.

Suspended:-

Christopher SAMBA (one match)

Danny SIMPSON is on loan from Manchester United and therefore ineligible to play.

HEAD TO HEAD

Manchester United won the last game against Blackburn 5-3, in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup on 3 December, when Carlos Tevez bagged a four-timer.

Blackburn have won only once in 21 league and cup visits to the Theatre of Dreams since 1963.

The Red Devils are on course to do the double over Blackburn for the fifth time in the Premier League.

Home and away

League (inc PL): Man United 41 wins, Blackburn 27, Draws 23

Prem: Man United 16 wins, Blackburn 5, Draws 8

at Man United only

League (inc PL): Man United 25 wins, Blackburn 9, Draws 11

Prem: Man United 10 wins, Blackburn 1, Draws 3

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Manchester United 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

11 November 2007 - Ref: Chris Foy

Man Utd scorers: Ronaldo 34, 35

Sent Off: Dunn (Blackburn) 53

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Manchester United

4 October 2008 - Ref: Steve Bennett

Man Utd scorers: Brown 31, Rooney 64

REFEREE

Howard Webb (Yorkshire)

Premier League referees' table

Howard Webb's 2008-09 Premier League card count

redrus

[bkkjames]

i'll put this here,,, my comments below Sir Rafa of El Spanoyle.

Rafa Benitez has challenged Liverpool to win every game in the club's bid to catch Manchester United in the title race.

Liverpool fell five points behind United in midweek after the reigning champions beat Fulham 3-0 in their remaining game in hand.

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes the Premier League title is now a straight fight between his club and arch-rivals Liverpool.

Ferguson wants his team to boast a 100 per cent record for the rest of the season and it is a gauntlet that Benitez has also thrown down to his squad.

Keep going

"Clearly we don't want to lose points, so we will try to win every single game," said Benitez on the club's official website.

"You will try to win every game Rafa?, isn't that what all teams do?"

"You never know what is going to happen. You can lose points one day and then a few weeks later the other teams lose points as well.

"That's not winning every game Rafa - see your first statement"

"We just have to keep going, think about the next game and winning three points, and that's it."

Liverpool face Manchester City on Sunday after a fortnight without a game and Benitez feels the break has come at a good time for his players.

He added: "The rest was good for us. We had been playing too many games in a row and so it was important for the players to rest and enjoy some time with their families.

"The rest was good for you? How can you tell? Have you played any games since the rest Rafa?"

"We need to be ready for the important weeks ahead.

"We know the City game is massive for us and that's why we have to concentrate totally on it and prepare properly.

"City are scoring goals, but also conceding some, so clearly they are a dangerous team. They have good players with the likes of Robinho and Bellamy, so offensively we have to be aware."

"Scoring and conceding goals makes them dangerous - for who Rafa - bookies or the punters?"

[StevieH]

who writes this unfunny shit james? that thing's so full of holes it's pathetic.

[bkkjames]

who writes this unfunny shit james? that thing's so full of holes it's pathetic.

on skysports mate... http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4949330,00.html

[bkkjames]

20/02/2009 10:00,

Jose: Reds right for Ron

Jose Mourinho would love to see Cristiano Ronaldo in Italy, but admits the Portuguese winger has no reason to leave Old Trafford.

“When I was in England I wanted all the best players to play in the Premier League,” Mourinho told MUTV.

“Now I’m in Italy I want all the best players to play there. I always want to be involved in the strongest league.”

But the former Chelsea boss, now in charge at Inter Milan, says the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year winner has everything he needs at United.

“Ronaldo is part of Manchester United’s history and Manchester United is part of Ronaldo’s history.

“I’m nobody to give advice but when you’re playing for a top team and you’re getting what you want – and I think he’s getting what he wants in terms of team trophies and individual honours – why change?”

Ronaldo will travel to Italy with United to take on Mourinho’s Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday 24 February.

A few weeks back I predicted la special one de portugal as our next manager and everyone chuckled. Seems to me that Jose is making up for calling CR all those bad names - I wonder wonder why.

[StevieH]

who writes this unfunny shit james? that thing's so full of holes it's pathetic.

on skysports mate... http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4949330,00.html

oh i'm sorry, the unfunny bits were yours. thought it came from some hilarious united fan site or something.

[bkkjames]

who writes this unfunny shit james? that thing's so full of holes it's pathetic.

on skysports mate... http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4949330,00.html

oh i'm sorry, the unfunny bits were yours. thought it came from some hilarious united fan site or something.

haha, in hind-sight, when i read your reply to my original post - I went back and re-read the original article and said to myself - that stevie is off the rockers today boy!

[mrbojangles]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

[StevieH]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

of course he bloody will. blackburn should have had a penalty and ronaldo shouldn't have been on the pitch to score the winning goal. rafa continues to be proved right about united's influence over referees and the fa.

[mrbojangles]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

of course he bloody will. blackburn should have had a penalty and ronaldo shouldn't have been on the pitch to score the winning goal. rafa continues to be proved right about united's influence over referees and the fa.

[BIGTOE3]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

of course he bloody will. blackburn should have had a penalty and ronaldo shouldn't have been on the pitch to score the winning goal. rafa continues to be proved right about united's influence over referees and the fa.

Not at all, Ronaldo was just checking he could feel his foot after a crunching tackle Anyway Dunn did not appear to feel it and no body else was sent off so not the same situation at all

It was a great free kick though for sure

BT

[jjp]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

of course he bloody will. blackburn should have had a penalty and ronaldo shouldn't have been on the pitch to score the winning goal. rafa continues to be proved right about united's influence over referees and the fa.

come on lads, yes, ronaldo should have gone but the penalty, it was a wee tug and i have seen them given for less but if he wouldn't have dived, the ref may well have been given it.

Stevie H, if you believe that the fa like utd, u are more deluded then a city fan who thinks they will win a cup in the next season or 2 . I agree that luck was on our side last night but decisions even themselves out over the season, dont you think?

[StevieH]

come on lads, yes, ronaldo should have gone but the penalty, it was a wee tug and i have seen them given for less but if he wouldn't have dived, the ref may well have been given it.

Stevie H, if you believe that the fa like utd, u are more deluded then a city fan who thinks they will win a cup in the next season or 2 . I agree that luck was on our side last night but decisions even themselves out over the season, dont you think?

nope. i think that's the most inaccurate cliche in football today to be honest. big teams get more decisions than smaller teams, united get more than everyone else.

[rixalex]

blackburn should have had a penalty

Do me a favour. As the commentator suggested, that one reeked of a player who's low on confidence and thought that rather than take the chance of fluffing his shot on goal, he would simply collapse at the slightest of touches and win a penalty. He should have been carded.

Anyway, MU had a perfectly good goal ruled against, so can't see what reason anyone has to complain about the result - apart from the usual sour grapes of course.

[StevieH]

blackburn should have had a penalty

Do me a favour. As the commentator suggested, that one reeked of a player who's low on confidence and thought that rather than take the chance of fluffing his shot on goal, he would simply collapse at the slightest of touches and win a penalty. He should have been carded.

Anyway, MU had a perfectly good goal ruled against, so can't see what reason anyone has to complain about the result - apart from the usual sour grapes of course.

so you admit he was touched then? in which case it was a penalty, however little the contact was.

manyoo's disallowed goal came from a corner that shouldn't have been.

[mrbojangles]

Not at all, Ronaldo was just checking he could feel his foot after a crunching tackle Anyway Dunn did not appear to feel it and no body else was sent off so not the same situation at all

Totally irrelevent as to whether Dunn felt it or not. Do you think that big oaf who tiny Wright Phillips kicked, felt it ? Ronaldo kicked him, the FA should look at it and he should recieve the same punishment that every other player, for any other team, would get.

It was a great free kick though for sure

To that, i would agree

[oldgit]

Ronaldo kicked out at Dunn, exactly the same incident for which SWP is serving a ban. Let's see if he gets away with it, again !!

of course he bloody will. blackburn should have had a penalty and ronaldo shouldn't have been on the pitch to score the winning goal. rafa continues to be proved right about united's influence over referees and the fa.

come on lads, yes, ronaldo should have gone but the penalty, it was a wee tug and i have seen them given for less but if he wouldn't have dived, the ref may well have been given it.

Stevie H, if you believe that the fa like utd, u are more deluded then a city fan who thinks they will win a cup in the next season or 2 . I agree that luck was on our side last night but decisions even themselves out over the season, dont you think?

Not with your lot,they don't.Referees are not immune to the pressure of officiating at Old Trafford,as are most of the Premier League teams that crap themselves as soon as they walk on to the pitch(evidence of Fulham's woeful capitulation midweek).Added to the fact that you have some players that are past masters of deception.

[Mali1964]

Why do so many Liverpool fans sound so worried, they only have to play City today surly that's ya 3 points back?????????????????????????????????? or have you no confidence like the manager.

[jjp]

nope. i think that's the most inaccurate cliche in football today to be honest. big teams get more decisions than smaller teams, united get more than everyone else.

Not with your lot,they don't.Referees are not immune to the pressure of officiating at Old Trafford,as are most of the Premier League teams that crap themselves as soon as they walk on to the pitch blackburn played well yesterday and deserved a draw so ???????(evidence of Fulham's woeful capitulation midweek).Added to the fact that you have some players that are past masters of deception.

yep chaps, thats why we have been been champions for the last 2 seasons cos we always get the decisions our why and heres me thinking it was because we have been the best team. aye well

old git, at least we have a past mate, unlike your lot.

[redrus]

Jasus, I despair of some of the utter ABU bobbins I read here sometimes.....!

redrus

[bkkjames]

Not at our best but hats off to BB who played like they are fighting relegation.

Hope are banged up back four can hold Inter on Tues night.

[jjp]

http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.a...entId=84221147#

nice to see Fergie and Becks sharing a laugh.

[mrbojangles]

http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.a...entId=84221147#

nice to see Fergie and Becks sharing a laugh.

Yeah. What are they saying?

Fergie:- Hi David, remember that time i threw a boot at you.

Becks:- Yeah i do. Try that again you old red nose git and i'll shove it up yer ar5e

[mrbojangles]

Even though he was a red, i always had a lot of time for Ole. A true proffessional. I'll post it in here, as i can't seem to find the Norway thread

From skysports:-

Solskjaer turns down Norway

Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has turned down the chance of taking charge of the Norway national side.

Solskjaer's homeland came calling as they looked to find a replacement for Age Hareide and they wanted the United reserve team boss.

But the legendary striker insists he is not yet finished his education at United and he decided against leaving Old Trafford.

"I did not think it was the right time for me to say yes to the offer. But of course it was nice to be asked. I work for Manchester United and my career is going in the right direction," Solskjaer told the Daily Mail.

"It would have been exciting to take on a much bigger job than my current job, but I have a job at United."

Veteran Egil Olsen is currently in charge of Norway in a caretaker capacity and he is favourite to take on the role on a full-time basis.

[russianrobert]

Anyone know where the Man. Utd-Inter game is showing tonight? Is it on the telly?

Cheers

[jjp]

Anyone know where the Man. Utd-Inter game is showing tonight? Is it on the telly?

Cheers

It's on ESPN and Thai Channel 7 at 2.45 am.

Come on Utd.

Nice one Mr Bo,

Nice to see they have forgotten about it though?

I suppose if we are playing shit tonight maybe Fergie could ask hm to come in the changing room at half time for a repeat performance