Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Berbatov Back for Arsenal Clash
Source ManUtd.com
Dimitar Berbatov is available for Sunday's huge clash at Arsenal as Sir Alex Ferguson targets three points that would move United closer to clinching a record 19th title.
The Barclays Premier League's top scorer has been sidelined since the FA Cup semi-final defeat to City but has shrugged off a groin strain to make the squad for the trip to London.
Darren Fletcher is likelier to resume his comeback in the second leg against Schalke next week after appearing in the first half of the reserves' draw with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
"Dimitar Berbatov's fit again, he's trained all week. He had a slight groin strain and missed the last two games but he's available," said Sir Alex at Friday morning's press conference.
"Darren Fletcher played 45 minutes (last night) as you know and he's come through it fine. I could possibly include him on Wednesday and get 45 minutes out of him.
"He's put the weight back on and working hard in the gymnasium. It's a great addition to the squad at this time of year having missed him for a couple of months."
The boss is delighted to have so much strength in depth as the Reds negotiate not only the last four matches of a long and arduous league campaign but also the latter stages of the Champions League, hopefully culminating in the final on 28 May.
"There's a bit of freshness in the club. Ji-sung Park's back fresh, as are Valencia, Anderson and young Fabio's come in. That does give you an extra boost in the sense of the intensity of all the games nowadays. So it puts us in a good position.
"From my experience over the years when we've been challenging, the way we've handled it has always been good. I've got a strong squad and I can make a few changes if I want to on Sunday and on Wednesday also. We don't do a great deal of training (between the matches) now. It's a matter of recovery, getting the energy back in and keeping the form."
The form of his team, and especially his strikers, fills Sir Alex with confidence that United can win the next two crucial league games against the two teams immediately behind the Reds.
"Two months ago I think everyone was looking at these two games coming up, Arsenal and Chelsea, as league deciders and they probably are now. So we're going into the games in good form and hopefully we can keep that going.
"I think Wayne Rooney and Chicharito have been a revelation in the last few weeks. It's given us all great hope that we have a chance."
Sir Alex Want Luka Modric
Alex Ferguson has revealed he would have chosen Luka Modric or Jack Wilshere as his Player of the Year. Tottenham's Gareth Bale took the Players' award while the Football Writers' Association went for Scott Parker of West Ham. But when asked who his pick would be, Old Trafford chief Fergie said: "Luka Modric. And I think the boy Wilshere has really emerged as a great young talent." Ferguson picked out Blackpool's Ian Holloway as the top boss. He told Inside United magazine: "He must come into it when you look at what he has achieved in the economic climate he works under. He's done a fantastic job."
Also in The Sun, Nemanja Vidic reveals lifting the Champions League trophy at Wembley next month would be the highlight of his career. "Just playing in the final is an incredible feeling," he says. "But to lift the trophy at Wembley as United captain would be the pinnacle of my career. It would be a dream come true."
Carlo Ancelotti has attempted to crank up the pressure in the title race by warning his team will take it to the last day. All the newspapers carry his quotes with The Starreporting: "I remember when we were losing against Manchester United and, at the end of the first half, the gap was 18 points, so to be just three behind would be fantastic. Maybe United will win the league, but we want to keep the Premier League open and fight until the last minute."
The Royal wedding dominates in the press and there's even a picture of Wayne Rooneyin a Prince William mask taken from his Twitter acount which appears in The Guardian and elsewhere.
Park Ji-Sung; discipline + intelligence + energy = perfect for Europe
Park Ji-Sung might represent something of an enigma as a footballer; but very few actually have a bad word to say about him. And Park, while he isn’t going to be short-listed for any individual awards any time soon, is as much a one-in-a-million player as his prize-winning counterparts. Ability is one thing in this game – having the correct temperament and discipline to apply that to the game of football in another. Park has done just that; and his presence on the field screams a determined player with discipline in abundance.
He might look your average player, but he isn’t – searing pace and mesmerising footwork desert him but he offers more to Manchester United. Off the ball, Park is just as good as any other without a hint of hyperbole, his movement and tendency to track back is as much admirable as it is useful. Something that has been evident in Europe in the Uefa Champions League.
Here’s an interesting statistic – Park Ji-Sung has featured in eight of Manchester United’s eleven games in Europe this season. Yet, in stark contrast, the efficient South Korean has made just 12 appearances from a possible 34 in the Premier League. It is conclusive from that, that Park is primarily used in Europe because he is perhaps more suited to the style of football and that there is more concentration on keeping possession and being compact. That’s not to say his league performances haven’t been good, because they generally have, the 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton back in November sticking in memory, where he snatched a brace at the stroke of either half.
However, Europe is where Park has thrived in particular, and against Schalke 04 on Tuesday night he embodied everything that Sir Alex is trying to achieve with an excellent performance which saw his defensive abilities noted as much as what he did in the opponents’ half. His movement is somewhat overlooked but it shouldn’t be – it’s a key asset and possibly the most important part of his game. And he offers more.
Sir Alex said recently of the player known as ‘three-lungs’: ”He’s got the discipline, intelligence and football knowledge you need in the biggest games. Discipline is so much more important in the Champions League, and you need a slightly different type of discipline in Europe.”
His tag as a ‘big-name player’ has much to do with this ‘discipline’ of his that Sir Alex recognises so well – and the boss then, much to my delight, points out his movement and notes its effectiveness: “When you pick teams for big games you need a core of discipline and he’s one of the players who can give you that. And he’s a fantastic professional,” says Fergie. “He moves and plays and moves again. That’s the asset he’s got. He doesn’t watch what other players are doing with the ball, he gets himself into another position so he can be involved again. That’s his value to us; he can be really important.”
Whether it’s the clever runs he makes or the position he assumes when United are in possession of the ball, he displays a know-how for the game and United’s system, making him as tactically-astute as any other great player, which ties in with Sir Alex’s point about his ‘intelligence’ being a real factor in his game. It makes him the player he is. And if United do go and capture another Champions League title this campaign, then part of it has much to do with this quiet, but effective, South Korean midfielder.
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They don’t call him “three-lungs” for nothing
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon urges end to fans' sick Munich chants
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has urged the FA Cup finalists to act after the scourge of 'Munich' chanting returned to sully his club's name.
Khaldoon, the public face of the Abu Dhabi group that have turned City into the world's richest football club, is understood to have been appalled to learn that a minority of fans have started singing songs referring to the 1958 Munich air disaster again.
City manager Roberto Mancini called for the chants to stop and said: 'I didn't hear it myself at Blackburn on Monday but what I do know is that we must have respect for what happened in the past. That is very important.'
Vocal minority: Certain Manchester City fans have restarted singing songs about the 1958 air disaster
It is understood the City board will take steps to try to eradicate the singing, which refers to the disaster that killed 23 members of a Manchester United party returning from a European Cup game 53 years ago. This will now be given added impetus by the fact that Khaldoon has raised the subject himself.
It is likely that City will print something in a forthcoming matchday programme and that senior players - such as FA Cup semi-final goalscorer Yaya Toure - will be asked to say something publicly. Toure is the player unfortunate enough to be the subject of the latest song, which goes: 'Who put the ball in the Munichs' net?'
City sources stressed that although some of the club's fans seem to see 'Munich' as an acceptable term of reference for United fans, they are determined to eradicate it.
Stop it now: Sportsmail on Wednesday
It is understood City will consider banning fans they feel are responsible, but they accept it is difficult to prove anything unless fans are seen making the horrendous 'airplane' gestures that have sometimes accompanied chants about the disaster.
City will hope that victory against West Ham at Eastlands on Sunday in the Barclays Premier League will focus attention back to football as Mancini's team look to make good their position in the fourth Champions League qualifying spot and build up momentum ahead of the FA Cup final against Stoke on May 14.
Mancini has confirmed that captain Carlos Tevez is back in training as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury, and that he has a good chance of being fit for the final.
Tevez recently spent two weeks in Milan receiving treatment. It had been thought the Argentine was seeing his country's team doctor but his manager revealed it had been a masseur.
Mancini said: 'He has been working with a masseur that he trusts and now he is working with him here. I understand that. I was a player, too.'
On the comeback trail: Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez
The Italian confirmed Tevez will return as captain if he plays at Wembley but also said he will need to sit down with the striker and talk about his future once the season is over.
The City boss is privately fearful that Tevez will look to quit Eastlands this summer while other senior officials at the club are convinced he will leave.
Asked if he thought Tevez's future would be influenced by Champions League qualification, Mancini said: 'No, I don't think so. For now it's more important to know when Carlos can play. We need to play the final and get in the Champions League. Then we will sit down and talk.'
Thursday, April 28, 2011
VDS: New Goalie Decided… But It’s Not Neuer
Edwin Van der Sar has revealed in the Dutch press that Manchester United have decided on his replacement, but it’s not Schalke’s Manuel Neuer.
“United have made their decision,” he said. “It’s not Neuer, but I can’t say any more than that.”
Peter Schmeichel has claimed that Bayern Munich-bound Neuer is the best keeper in the world though.
“He is probably the best goalkeeper in the world,” he said. “He is 25 years of age but he’s very mature in the way he plays. He doesn’t make mistakes – I haven’t seen him make a single mistake – and the way he played yesterday, he wasn’t lucky in the way that he saved the shots and one-on-ones, it was very calculated. I just thought his overall game was fantastic and absolutely well-suited for Manchester United.”
Evra: Rooney May Have Doubted Us But I Didn’t
Wayne Rooney apologised again yesterday for trying to force a move away from Manchester United in October. He had claimed United didn’t match his ambition and had been in talks with other clubs.
United are now top of the league with four games to go, as well has having one foot in our third Champions League final in four years. Rooney has no choice but to acknowledge his opinion on the capabilities of this squad were way off the mark, but Patrice Evra has claimed that he never had any doubts.
“Before the Champions League game against the Turkish side, everyone was criticising United, saying it was the end of the empire. I said, ‘You have to pay the musician at the end of the show’, and I still think the same,” said Evra. “Yes, it was big trouble, but in the end we stayed united. It’s not only about one player. I always say Manchester without Evra, Rooney or a big player will always be the same team because the star is the team, not just one player. Sometimes in your life you have problems but Wayne is a professional and now you see he just gives back. Maybe it’s a sorry to the fans for what he said. That’s at an end now – it’s over. I always believed in this side. At the beginning of the season I told all my friends, ‘I play this year to win the league again and reach the Champions League final’. When we were in that bad position we still believed we could win the league. How many goals do we score in the last minute? That’s the right spirit. We always believe.”
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Rooney Wants Real Madrid to Beat Barcelona
Wayne Rooney has backed Real Madrid to beat Barcelona in tonight's first-leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The Manchester United striker used the social networking site Twitter to state that he believes former team-mate Ronaldo will score one of the goals in the 2-1 for the Galacticos.
The Red Devils have one step in the final at Wembley after beating Schalke 2-1 in their semi-final at the Veltins-Arena.
Rooney commented: "Any predictions for tonights game I think 2 1 Madrid ronaldo and di Maria. Villa for barca."
Schmeichel: Neuer may change his mind
Peter Schmeichel hopes Manuel Neuer will reassess his reported decision to choose Bayern Munich over Manchester United when he appears at Old Trafford next week
Neuer produced a superb performance despite Schalke's 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night and was given a warm handshake by Sir Alex Ferguson after the match.
However, Ferguson subsequently said that he suspected Neuer, a reported long-term target for United, would be signing for Bayern having already disclosed he would not be signing a new contract at Schalke. On Wednesday, Bayern also confirmed their interest in the player.
Though it is believed Neuer is destined for the Allianz Arena in the summer, former United hero Schmeichel is clinging to the hope that the grandiose surrounds of Old Trafford and a warm reception from the the club's faithful will change the Germany international's mind.
"Maybe he (Neuer) will have another think," Schmeichel told Sky Sports News. "He's seen what Manchester United are capable of first hand. He's going to Old Trafford on Tuesday and it's just such a special place to play.
"He will probably experience, if nothing happens within that week, an Old Trafford crowd that absolutely welcomes him and sees him as the next goalkeeper for United.
"If Alex Ferguson comes over to you and says, 'Listen, I want you to play for my team', it's very difficult not to say 'yes'. He (Neuer) is probably the best goalkeeper in the world.
"He is 25 years of age. He's been captain for that team for a number of years. He is very mature in the way he plays. He doesn't make mistakes - I haven't seen him make a single mistake - and the way he played yesterday, he wasn't lucky in the way that he saved the shots and one-on-ones, it was very calculated.
"I just thought his overall game was fantastic and absolutely well-suited for Manchester United."
Fergie Must Buy Manuel Neuer
United must now push the boat out to ensure they win the battle with Bayern Munich for Schalke's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The 25-year-old German international number one has been on keeper coach Eric Steele's watch list in the countdown to Edwin Van der Sar's retirement at the end of the season.
Others have been monitored like Maarten Stekelenburg of Ajax and Atletico Madrid's David de Gea.
But after Neuer's outstanding performance against the Reds in Germany on Tuesday night he must now surely be top priority.
Sir Alex Ferguson made a bee-line to Neuer to congratulate him after the match and described his display as “probably the finest display of goalkeeping against us in my time”.
Praise indeed, well deserved and a bit of buttering up doesn't go amiss.
The post-Peter Schmeichel calamitous days even over a decade on are too raw not to believe United must now pull out all the stops to capture Neuer.
Evra Warns United
Source ManUtd.com:
Patrice Evra has issued a warning to his Reds team-mates ahead of the semi-final second leg with Schalke.
The Frenchman has first-hand experience of overturning a two-goal deficit in the Champions League and believes it would be disastrous if United fail to reach Wembley after a superb show at the Veltins-Arena.
However, the flying full-back admits the display was one of the best he's been involved in at European level.
"We never know," he told MUTV. "In football, we never know. I think we played very well tonight but it was a little bit strange to get to half-time without scoring a goal. I think everyone was frustrated. We kept doing the same things we did in the first half. I think there was one team on the pitch and it was a great performance. But, in football, you never know because I remember when I was playing with Monaco, we lost in the Bernabeu 4-2 and Madrid thought they were going to the semi-final. But in the second leg we won 3-1.
"So we have to be as professional in the second leg as we were tonight, we have to keep going and we have to win. We have to win at Old Trafford. If we don't get to the final, it would be disastrous. We have to do our job. We are very near to another final but let's do our job at Old Trafford."
Evra was asked if it was as complete an away performance as he could remember in his time in Manchester.
"Yes, definitely," he replied. "The one we did against Barcelona in Camp Nou in the semi-final, when we drew 0-0, tactically the team was very strong. But tonight, I think it was one of the best performances United play away.
"I'm not surprised because I saw the desire in our team and the respect we had for Schalke. I think Manchester United respected Schalke a lot tonight. Before the game, we said we're playing in a semi-final, it doesn't matter whether it's Schalke or another team. We're playing to go to the final. It's important. That's why we played with respect and I think everyone did their job very well tonight."
The defender is just frustrated he couldn't convert a late chance after being played in by substitute Nani.
"I nearly scored," he added. "Nearly, nearly, again! They have to go in, not just nearly score. But maybe in the second leg or in the final?"
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Manchester United Demanding £450 Million Nike Kit Deal
Manchester United will attempt to reach a new kit manufacturing deal with Nike in the coming months, which could see The Red Devils earn up to £35 Million per annum and over £450 Million over a period of more than a decade. The current deal with the world's no.1 sports brand expires in 2015, and will soon be renegotiated...
The France national football team recently agreed a €42.5 (£38) Million-a-year contract with Nike, lasting 7½ years. The total amount paid to The French Football Federation (The FFF) will eventually reach €319.5 (£282) Million, setting the tone for new kit manufacturing deals negotiated with American-based sports brand, Nike. Due to the fact that United obliterate France's global popularity, Nike will have to pay at least £35 Million per year to The Reds in future.
Talks have not yet commenced, but are expected to conclude before 2012. The current 13 year deal ends in 2015, having been agreed in August 2002 after Umbro, Admiral Sports and Adidas had all previously manufactured the club's kits and other merchandise. United currently receive less than £23.5 Million each year from Nike - amounting to £303 Million over more than a decade. The new deal is expected to be boosted by over £10 Million per year.
Talks have not yet commenced, but are expected to conclude before 2012. The current 13 year deal ends in 2015, having been agreed in August 2002 after Umbro, Admiral Sports and Adidas had all previously manufactured the club's kits and other merchandise. United currently receive less than £23.5 Million each year from Nike - amounting to £303 Million over more than a decade. The new deal is expected to be boosted by over £10 Million per year.
Manchester United and Nike have been in partnership since late 2002
Recent contracts have seen United's world-record kit deal broken, with France and Barcelona both earning long-term arrangements with Nike worth £38 Million and £26.3 Million every year respectively. Added to this is the fact that rivals Liverpool are dropping kit creator Adidas for New Balance 'Warrior Sports' for the beginning of the 2012/2013 season, having agreed a £25 Million-a-year pact, over a currently unspecified time frame.
Considering Manchester United outsell any other sports team in the world in terms of merchandising, Nike or United cannot afford to lose their lucrative agreement. According to sources, The Glazer Family are targeting a £450 Million deal with Nike, over a period of more than 10 years - most likely 13 years. That would bring-in upwards of £35 Million to Old Trafford annually from Nike alone, not to mention approximately £100 Million in other sponsorship payments.
...Combined, enough to clear off our £600 Million debt figure over a number of years.
Considering Manchester United outsell any other sports team in the world in terms of merchandising, Nike or United cannot afford to lose their lucrative agreement. According to sources, The Glazer Family are targeting a £450 Million deal with Nike, over a period of more than 10 years - most likely 13 years. That would bring-in upwards of £35 Million to Old Trafford annually from Nike alone, not to mention approximately £100 Million in other sponsorship payments.
...Combined, enough to clear off our £600 Million debt figure over a number of years.
Rooney The White Monster Is Ready with his Blistering Form To Tear Down Shalke 04
It has been some time since we have seen what may be described as the real Wayne Rooney. The 2010-11 model has been a shadow of what we have known before.
Nevertheless, as the Manchester United forward prepares to return to the scene of one of his career low points in Germany on Tuesday night, he appears on the brink of one of the purple patches of form that can be so impressively devastating.
It is almost five years since Rooney's tangle with Ricardo Carvalho in Gelsenkirchen earned him a red card as England tumbled out of the World Cup against Portugal. Now he returns to the same stadium as United face Schalke in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Matchpack: Schalke 04 v Manchester United
Team news and match facts ahead of the Champions League semi-final, first leg between Schalke 04 and Manchester United 
TEAM NEWS
Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick rested several players in their 1-0 home defeat to Kaiserslautern on Saturday. "We will have a different starting team against United," said Rangnick, who took over from sacked Felix Magath a month ago. "If I had chosen the same team on Tuesday that I did today I don't think we would have a big chance to win against Manchester." Peruvian Jefferson Farfan, who missed the quarter-final second leg against Inter, will be back in midfield while defenders Benedikt Hoewedes, Atsuto Uchida and Hans Sarpei should also return. Midfielder Jose Jurado, who came on as a substitute on Saturday, is also expected to start in Schalke's maiden Champions League semi-final appearance.
United beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday to close in on the Premier League title and Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney both played the full 90 minutes in scorching conditions after Dimitar Berbatov was ruled out with a groin problem having missed the previous game with a virus. It was hardly the ideal preparation for Tuesday's trip and, although Ferguson did rest Nemanja Vidic and Michael Carrick, substitutes Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs were both forced into action as Everton proved a tough nut to crack. Nani and Antonio Valencia both played against Everton, the latter setting up the goal, but Alex Ferguson is likely to keep things tighter for the first leg with Nani probably the man to miss out for the midfield security provided by Carrick.
MATCH FACTS
Schalke are aiming to be the fourth German team to reach a Champions League final after Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen and the second in a row after Bayern last season.
Schalke, unbeaten in their last nine European games, a club record, have scored 10 goals in their last three but have not kept a clean sheet in any of the last five. They have won all five home games in the CL this season, scoring at least twice on each occasion.
Schalke have won only one of their last six games against English teams and have not scored in any of their last three. They lost at home to United's neighbours Manchester City 2-0 in the last such meeting in the UEFA Cup two seasons ago.
Schalke's Spanish striker Raul has netted five times in his first season with the German club after his long distinguished career with Real Madrid and has now increased his European and CL record to 71 goals in 140 games, more than one in every other match.
United are aiming to reach their third CL final in four seasons and could end up in a rematch of their 2009 clash with Barcelona, which they lost 2-0. They beat Chelsea on penalties the previous year.
United, beaten by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals last season, have won only seven of 19 CL games against German clubs though they have won four of the last five and six of the last eight. They have scored on each of their last eight visits to Germany though they have won only twice in those games.
Amazingly, United, unbeaten in their last 11 CL matches, have not conceded a single goal in any of their five CL away games this season. They have kept 13 clean sheets in their last 18 CL away matches.
United midfielders Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have appeared in more CL games than any player other than Raul. Giggs has played in 124 and Scholes in 119 to Raul's record 140.
ODDS
Schalke 9/4 Draw 11/5 Manchester United 5/4
Manchester United Champions League Facts
Manchester United players' individual factfiles:
Manchester United (England)
Champions League appearances: 16
CL record: 2 titles(1999, 2008), 3 finals, 7 semi-finals, 12 quarter-finals
CL match record: P173 W94 D45 L34 F297 A157
Other European titles: European Cup 1 (1968), Cup Winners Cup 1 (1991)
Overall match record: P288 W156 D77 L55 F526 A271
Coach: Alex Ferguson (Scotland)CL Record: P173 W94 D45 L34
CL matches this season: P10 W7 D3 L0 F12 A3
14.09.10 GP H v Rangers 0-0
29.09.10 GP A v Valencia 1-0 Hernandez
20.10.10 GP H v Bursaspor 1-0 Nani
2.11.10 GP A v Bursaspor 3-0 Fletcher, Obertan,
Bebe
24.11.10 GP A v Rangers 1-0 Rooney pen
7.12.10 GP H v Valencia 1-1 Anderson
23.02.11 KO A v Olympique Marseille 0-0
15.03.11 KO H v Olympique Marseille 2-1 Hernandez 2
6.04.11 QF A v Chelsea 1-0 Rooney
12.04.11 QF H v Chelsea 2-1 Hernandez, Park
Scorers: Hernandez 4, Rooney 2, Anderson 1, Bebe 1, Fletcher 1, Nani 1, Obertan 1, Park 1
Squad
(A/G=CL Appearances/goals, 1=current season, 2=with current club, 3=total career)
Goalkeepers A/G1 A/G2 A/G3 Other clubs Edwin Van der Sar (Netherlands) 7/0 52/0 96/0 Ajax/Juventus Tomasz Kuszczak (Poland) 2/0 10/0 10/0 Ben Amos (England) 1/0 1/0 1/0 Anders Lindegaard (Denmark) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Samuel Johnstone (England) 0/0 0/0 0/0
Defenders Chris Smalling (England) 8/0 8/0 8/0 Patrice Evra (France) 7/0 44/1 65/1 Monaco Nemanja Vidic (Serbia) 7/0 40/2 40/2 Rafael Da Silva (Brazil) 6/0 14/0 14/0 John O'Shea (Ireland) 5/0 70/2 70/2 Rio Ferdinand (England) 5/0 69/1 76/2 Leeds Utd Fabio Da Silva (Brazil) 5/0 7/0 7/0 Wes Brown (England) 2/0 63/1 63/1 Jonny Evans (N Ireland) 2/0 14/0 14/0 Joe Dudgeon (England) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Oliver Gill (England) 0/0 0/0 0/0
Midfielders Michael Carrick (England) 9/0 50/3 50/3 Nani (Portugal) 9/1 35/3 41/4 Sporting Park Ji-sung (S Korea) 7/1 32/3 48/4 PSV Eindhoven Ryan Giggs (Wales) 6/0 124/26 124/26 Darren Fletcher (Scotland) 6/1 52/2 52/2 Paul Scholes (England) 4/0 119/23 119/23 Anderson (Brazil) 4/1 27/1 30/1 Porto Antonio Valencia (Ecuador) 4/0 13/2 13/2 Gabriel Obertan (France) 3/1 6/1 14/1 Bordeaux Darron Gibson (Ireland) 2/0 8/1 8/1 Magnus Eikrem (Norway) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Oliver Norwood (N Ireland) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Ryan Tunnicliffe (England) 0/0 0/0 0/0
Strikers Wayne Rooney (England) 7/2 60/20 60/20 Javier Hernandez (Mexico) 7/4 7/4 7/4 Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria) 6/0 21/4 47/11 B Leverkusen Michael Owen (England) 1/0 7/4 27/11 Liverpool/
Real M Bebe (Portugal) 1/1 1/1 1/1 William Keane (England) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Joshua King (Norway) 0/0 0/0 0/0
Also played Federico Macheda (Italy) 2/0 4/0 4/0 (now with Sampdoria)
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Rooney: Hernandez is the signing of the century
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has proclaimed Javier Hernandez as the signing of the century after his late header sealed a 1-0 victory over Everton to keep them on course to win the club's 19th league title.
Hernandez arrived at Old Trafford from Guadalajara in the summer for an undisclosed fee, rumoured to be around £8million, and has made an instant impact scoring 19 goals in all competitions and scoring several vital goals.
And on social networking website Twitter, Rooney revealed that he is thrilled to be playing alongside the 22-year-old, who was nominated for the PFA's Young Player of the Year award.
He tweeted: "Great result for us today. Love playing with Hernandez. Buy of century. Great lad to." (sic)
Wayne Rooney On Twitter @WazzaRoon08 - Official
Wayne Rooney joined the social networking revolution on Saturday to give Sir Alex Ferguson another headache.
Rooney communicated via Twitter for the first time to offer team-mate Rio Ferdinand a lift, adopting the moniker Wazzaroon08 in tribute to Manchester United's Champions League triumph against Chelsea in Moscow in 2008.
Online: Wayne Rooney (left) is now a social networker
News of Rooney's late entry into the online community spread like wildfire and his following was approaching 100,000 in a matter of hours, meaning any ill-judged comments will also be quickly pounced on.
His record of on-pitch misbehaviour means United manager Ferguson is bound to be worried about him publishing comments that land him in trouble.
West Ham's Carlton Cole recently fell into the Twitter trap with a 'joke' about immigration that earned him a £20,000 fine from the FA. In January, Ryan Babel received a £10,000 fine for posting a mocked-up picture of referee Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt, after he had played in Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
Ferguson could rest easy last night though as Rooney, not officially verified but endorsed by Ferdinand, kept his tweets clean - and the only mistakes came in his spelling.
But fellow United star Dimitar Berbatov might be interested in the apparent favouring of Javier Hernandez as Rooney's strike partner.
After the Mexican scored the winner against Everton, Rooney tweeted: 'Love playing with Hernandez. Buy of century.'
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Manchester United Ready To Hold Up Record 19th Title
Javier Hernandez's late header kept Premier League leaders Manchester United on course for a record-breaking 19th title following a 1-0 win over a stubborn Everton.
The Mexican striker, nicknamed the 'Little Pea', popped up at the far post when the Red Devils were struggling to find a breakthrough and his close-range finish earned a 16th win from 17 league games at Old Trafford this season.
United required time to hit their stride and it took half-an-hour for Tim Howard to be tested, with the former Red Devils keeper pushing away Hernandez's first-time shot after neat play by Antonio Valencia and Wayne Rooney.
Everton, who had offered little going forward, had a penalty shout dismissed before Hernandez inadvertently came to the visitors' rescue by deflecting away Nani's shot with Howard beaten.
The leaders struggled to create chances after half-time and Everton came close to a surprise opener when Jack Rodwell's deflected shot was tipped past the post by Edwin van der Sar.
As the clock continued ticking down, and with Everton holding firm in defence, a slice of luck appeared likely to be United's best source of a goal and they almost got it when Fabio's cross deflected off Sylvain Distin and back off the post.
With 10 minutes to go, Howard again denied his old club with a stunning reaction save from Hernandez's header after Valencia's shot had been blocked.
But there was nothing Howard could do six minutes from time when Valencia's deflected cross looped to the far post and Hernandez squeezed home his header from a narrow angle.
The victory allowed United to open up a nine-point gap with four games to play ahead of back-to-back meetings with title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.
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