Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[machoman]

Fergie expects 100-goal Rooney to get even better

Sunday, August 23, 2009, 08:39:49 HRS

Manchester United's English forward Wayne Rooney controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the DW Stadium in Wigan. Manchester won 5-0.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney will score "many more" for Manchester United after he joined a select band of players to net 100 goals for the club.

Rooney reached the milestone after opening the scoring during his side's 5-0 victory at Wigan on Saturday.

The England striker ended the match with two goals as United's season exploded into life after a low key start, which included a surprise 1-0 defeat at newly-promoted Burnley.

"It's great for Wayne," said Ferguson after United made it two wins from their first three Premier League games.

"He's still a young lad and some players are at a club for many years and don't reach that total.

"Because of his age I'm sure he'll go on and score many more goals for us. He's a very important player for us."

United paid Everton 20 million pounds for Rooney in 2004 ago but the 23-year-old has easily repaid that fee over the years.

He has shone from the moment he opened his United goal account with a hat-trick against Fenerbahce in the Champions League at Old Trafford.

Rooney could have left the DW Stadium with four goals but for two fine saves from Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland.

Ferguson also singled out Michael Owen for praise after the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal in a United shirt.

Owen, a free signing from Newcastle, produced a fine finish for his side's fourth goal which will have done his chances of earning an England recall no harm at all.

Manchester United's Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov (2nd L) is congratulated by Portuguese midfielder Nani (R) after scoring during the English Premier League football match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the DW Stadium in Wigan. Manchester won 5-0.

"Strikers have to score and when they don't they think it's the end of the world," added Ferguson.

"Michael needed a goal. It was a fantastic goal. He has proved over the last decade that he is one of the best strikers in England."

United looked set for a frustrating afternoon after failing to score in the first half at Wigan.

But they moved up a gear in the second half, with Dimitar Berbatov's well-taken effort and a Nani strike adding to the goals from Rooney and Owen.

It was the perfect response after the embarrassment of losing to Burnley four days earlier.

"It was a really good result and performance," added Ferguson.

"The reality is Wednesday was disappointing. But we're not going to kill ourselves because of it.

"We've got to be prepared for setbacks. It shouldn't have happened but it did happen. But we've done something about it."

This was Wigan's ninth top-flight game against United and they were still searching for a first win over over their north west neighbours after eight straight defeats.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez admitted his side had been taught a lesson.

"The big difference for me was conceding the first goal," said Martinez. "That was a bit too sloppy for my liking.

"Mentally we left ourselves a bit too exposed. We've got to make sure we learn our lesson."

Martinez believes Mohamed Diame will make a big impact at Wigan. The French midfielder made his debut after joining from Spanish side Rayo Vallecano.

"Mohamed's been training with us a few days," added Martinez. "He's going to be a big player for us."

- AFP

[dc7176]

pls dun get too carried away!! it only WIGAN!!! this should b a routine rout!! let's wait till the ARSENAL game!!

[Cum_Luver]

Originally Posted by dc7176

sigh... 4get abt the title, juz hope n pray they can stay among the big 4 come end of the season!! yawn... knn... go office so sleepy n keep on kena suan by my frens... sibei sianz...

Man Utd is always slow starter,2nd half of season is where Man Utd always start to perform,get into the drive and go all the way. It has been this way for a long time liao.
just get use to it,for me i already no feeling for those suan liao.

[alex18122003]

Champions League - English sides avoid big guns

English sides manage to avoid the top European teams in the draw for the Champions League group stage.

Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa;

Group B: Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, Wolfsburg;

Group C: Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, FC Zurich;

Group D: Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, APOEL Nicosia;

Group E: Liverpool Olympique Lyon Fiorentina Debrecen;

Group F: Barcelona Inter Milan Dinamo Kiev Rubin Kazan;

Group G: Sevilla Rangers VfB Stuttgart Unirea Urziceni;

Group H: Arsenal AZ Alkmaar Olmpiakos Piraeus Standard Liege

[machoman]

Fergie faces up to gruelling Euro trips

Friday, August 28, 2009, 02:34:17 HRS

Sir Alex Ferguson, seen here in July 2009, believes Manchester United's gruelling Champions League trips to Turkish champions Besiktas and Russia's CSKA Moscow make their group a tough proposition.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's gruelling Champions League trips to Turkish champions Besiktas and Russia's CSKA Moscow make their group a tough proposition.

United were pitted against Besiktas, CSKA Moscow and German champions Wolfsburg in Thursday's draw for the group stages of Europe's elite club competition.

Besiktas won the Turkish title for the first time in six years last season, while CSKA are Russian's league and cup holders.

While none of those teams have United's experience in the Champions League, the 2009 runners-up won't be looking forward to two long journeys and the prospect of having to returning to domestic league action while still drained from the flight home.

"These are difficult ties, especially the trips to Russia and Turkey," Ferguson told United's website.

"CSKA have developed strongly in the last few years and games in Turkey are always difficult."

United, who were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona in last year's final, avoided a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford Real Madrid in a world record 80 million pounds transfer in June.

But Ferguson won't underestimate any of the teams in United's group, with Wolfsburg, who won the German title for the first time last season, a particular concern for the Premier League champions.

"We also know the quality that we're up against with Wolfsburg, with what they achieved in the Bundesliga last season," Ferguson added.

- AFP

[machoman]

United and Arsenal ready to resume rivalry

Friday, August 28, 2009, 08:09:22 HRS


Arsenal visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday for a fixture which is likely to revive memories of some of the English game's most bitter battles.

After a decade of fighting tooth and nail for the top prizes, images of Roy Keane's tunnel row with Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown's gleeful celebration of a Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty miss and the juicy tales of "pizza-gate" following a United win over the Gunners are etched in the memory.

The rivalry between the two clubs has been less fierce in recent years as Arsenal faded from the picture.

But the meeting between the teams in the Champions League semi-finals last season - a tie easily won by United - and Arsenal's impressive start to the current campaign gives this weekend's game a more combustable look.

Outsiders and pundits have queued up to tell Gunners boss Arsene Wenger that the best years are behind his team - his best team being the unbeaten 'Invincibles' side of 2003-2004 - but the Frenchman himself begs to differ as he is again backing his side to win the Premier League.

Despite having not won any significant silverware since 2005, Wenger refuses to be fazed, backing the young age of his team to stand Arsenal in good stead.

"A team which averages 28 or 29 years old can maybe improve by 5 percent but a team averaging 22 years old can improve by 30 percent," he said.

"But I'm very confident because we have quality, we have attitude, we have talent and we have ambition.

"I am confident we will do very well and hopefully we will surprise many people.

"I envisage only one order and that is Arsenal finishing on top and all the rest can do what they want."

Sir Alex Ferguson will be one of those men mentioned trying to stop Wenger from completing his wish of winning the Premier League but United's season has not got off to the most comprehensive of starts ahead of Arsenal's visit.

A 1-0 loss to newcomers Burnley was a huge surprise and prompted many to suggest United are not the same side without Cristiano Ronaldo following his move to Real Madrid.

But United will go into the Arsenal encounter buoyed by a 5-0 victory over Wigan - the perfect response to the critics following their loss at Turf Moor.

The team has been creatively led by Wayne Rooney since Ronaldo's departure and he has magnificently repaid Ferguson's faith by having his best ever start to a Premier League campaign with four goals in three matches.

United are likely to need all his abilities against Arsenal but he is confident he can fulfill Ferguson's expectations of 25 goals this season.

He said: "Of course 25 is a target which I hope I'm going to reach.

"I've always said I should score more and hopefully I'll do that this season. I've got what I wanted. I like to play through the middle."

"The manager has come out now and said I am going to play there throughout the season so I'm delighted with that."

Arsenal came through their Champions League qualifier with Celtic unscathed earlier this week but have a doubt over captain Cesc Fabregas, who has a hamstring injury, while United will again be without central defender Rio Ferdinand.

He has not played since injuring his thigh against Chelsea in the Community Shield but he is hoping to return to the United side for the fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on September 12 - two weeks quicker than initially thought and straight after the impending international break.

"I hope to be back to full fitness in a couple of weeks," he said. "I've been working really hard with the physios - they've been running me into the ground doing bike rides all over Cheshire."

- AFP

[answer_she]

1 more hour to the match. 2 of the best attacking team in EPL.

[asiancigar]

IT WAS AN AGONISING WIN AND SO TORMENTING TO WATCH OUR BELOVED CHAMPIONS STRUGGLE LIKE THAT..... almost like a fish in a fast drying pond wriggling, trying to find last remainding inch of water to catch its last breathe...

Giggs was slow, jaded and could not compete. Carrick was back paddling and back passing. The 16million man was pathetic....... AGAIN

and overall we were just PLAIN LUCKY!!!!!!!!

How long more can we continue this form and parcel of play...........

Meanwhile, Robben whom we did not sign this week scored a brace in Munich........ KNN, i just wonder what and why we have millions yet are not prepared to bring in some known talents. And what has happened to this Ober chap...... where is he???

Yes..... its a win ..... but fuck lah............ can any of us here confidently say that we will reign supreme again and terrorising opponents this season based on what we have seen so far............. sigh sigh sigh

Cheerz
AC

[dc7176]

Originally Posted by asiancigar

[SIZE="3"][COLOR="Red"]IT WAS AN AGONISING WIN AND SO Yes..... its a win ..... but fuck lah............ can any of us here confidently say that we will reign supreme again and terrorising opponents this season based on what we have seen so far............. sigh sigh sigh

Cheerz
AC

Tat exactly my sentiment!! u sum it up perfectly!!!

[yinyang]

Up to roon's penalty, we looked lost and very ordinary.. kns at OT! No midfield to speak of (Carrick's to me always been a softie, overpaid at that). Good thing gooners didn't paly very well, else sure kena punished. If this is way we struggle, 4th title in a row is out of our grasp.

Wtf, fergie didn't start Owen or Berbatov and instead settled on Roon/Giggsy combo?

Thank god for merciful offside noticed in Persie's last bang

[CKee]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Up to roon's penalty, we looked lost and very ordinary.. kns at OT! No midfield to speak of (Carrick's to me always been a softie, overpaid at that).... If this is way we struggle, 4th title in a row is out of our grasp.
Wtf, fergie didn't start Owen or Berbatov and instead settled on Roon/Giggsy combo?

There is a certain lack of depth and penetration in the current side. Too many hatchet men with no attacking midfielder - someone with an eye for the killer pass. Hargreaves, Anderson, Fletcher are the all defensive midfield type. IMO, Park is too soft and Carrick had an above-average past season and can't replicate his form, though it's only 4 games. Giggs and Scholes have lost that second of thought - Berbatov frustrates me. SAF bought him to play the Teddy and/or Cantona role and he will be shipped out if he continues in this form. For 30 million pounds, he must do more than just pirouette...he has to score.

My fear is that only Rooney is either suspended or injured, then the house of cards will fall.

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by CKee

There is a certain lack of depth and penetration in the current side. ...Berbatov frustrates me. For 30 million pounds, he must do more than just pirouette...he has to score.
My fear is that only Rooney is either suspended or injured, then the house of cards will fall.

Good one on Barbi (oops, pun unintended). And yeah, Roon's the engine room driving red devils

[richie_rich]

HARGREAVES IN EURO SQUAD

Owen Hargreaves has been included in Manchester United's Champions League squad.

Hargreaves is not due back at United's Carrington training complex until September 23 to step up his rehabilitation work after undergoing operations on both knees to cure a career-threatening tendinitis problem.

By that time, United will have already started their quest to reach a third successive Champions League final against Besiktas in Istanbul.

In theory, Hargreaves would be available for the home encounter with German champions Wolfsburg on September 30.

More likely though, the former Bayern Munich star will come into contention later in a group that also contains CSKA Moscow.

In total, United have registered 35 players for the competition, a number swelled by 10, including Anderson and Jonny Evans, who were born after January 1, 1988 and have spent two years at the club.

[dc7176]

Man Utd could also be in FIFA firing line

Manchester United could potentially be in FIFA’s firing line in regards to their dealings with a young French player.

Following the governing body’s ruling to ban Chelsea from any signings for the entirety of 2010, the Red Devils may have the rule run over them for the way they signed Paul Pogba from Le Havre.

The French Ligue 2 club are believed to be upset by the way the reigning champions lured Pogba to Old Trafford and they are still looking into their options.

"We are still pursuing our case," Le Havre managing director Alain Belsoeur told The Times.

"It is a very serious case. We are confident that we'll win because it is in the best interests not just of our club but of sport.

"We spend 5million euros [about £4.3million] on our academy every year out of a turnover of 12million euros. It is a huge investment.

"We do that to give a chance to our players to develop for our first team, not to be an academy for others.

"What is the point of investing in an academy if the players leave at 16? This is clearly a message from Fifa to protect the education system."

[manta_bro]

Originally Posted by dc7176

Man Utd could also be in FIFA firing line

Manchester United could potentially be in FIFA’s firing line in regards to their dealings with a young French player.

Following the governing body’s ruling to ban Chelsea from any signings for the entirety of 2010, the Red Devils may have the rule run over them for the way they signed Paul Pogba from Le Havre.

The French Ligue 2 club are believed to be upset by the way the reigning champions lured Pogba to Old Trafford and they are still looking into their options.

"We are still pursuing our case," Le Havre managing director Alain Belsoeur told The Times.

"It is a very serious case. We are confident that we'll win because it is in the best interests not just of our club but of sport.

"We spend 5million euros [about £4.3million] on our academy every year out of a turnover of 12million euros. It is a huge investment.

"We do that to give a chance to our players to develop for our first team, not to be an academy for others.

"What is the point of investing in an academy if the players leave at 16? This is clearly a message from Fifa to protect the education system."

Finger crossed, hopefully not as bad as Chelsea!