EPL NEWS

MAN UTD

Words from Wayne Rooney

Manchester United will begin this season believing they are the best side in the world -Wayne Rooney Said.

Rooney says last seasons domestic and European double has given Sir Alex Ferguson's men even more confidence of winning silverware.H also said"After our success last year, there will be high expectations but we've got a good enough squad and hopefully we can emulate last season."Of course, winning trophies brings you confidence and we're a confident team anyway. But it's given us that bit extra and belief that we're the best in the world."Hopefully we can prove that again this season."
"We've enjoyed it. It's good to get back, see the lads and get amongst it again. I can't wait".Well said mate hope this season MANU repeats the last season winning moments..3 cheers mate:)

Sir Alex Ferguson Advice to C Ronaldo

Man utd coach Sir Alex Ferguson has given a fatherly davice "Forget RealMadrid". The boss said to young dynamic winger move to sapnish capital would be worst.So better stay with Manchester united...and even the boss excepts Ronaldo to play a massive role again in next season...Well said coach.Hope the winger proves his talent this coming season.

Carrick Loving United Life

Michael Carrick believes moving to Manchester United was the best decision of his career.Carrick is already looking forward to the new campaign.He said: "Being at United is the best place in the world to be. The best thing I ever did was join the club."The team we have is moving in the right direction and we are progressing well"."We want to build on the success we've had over the last couple of years."We expect so much of each other and ourselves. What people from outside say doesn't have an effect on us - we know what we can do and what we're capable of doing."Well done mate thats the life in MAN UTD...Hope u have a great season ahead.:-)

Welcome back mate u deserve to be in MAN UTD

RIO FERDINAND admits the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer circus has overshadowed what should have been a summer spent basking in the glory of Manchester United’s double-winning season.

Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson appeared to put an end to the protracted affair this week when he insisted the 23-year-old winger will stay at Old Trafford, after weeks of doubt over whether he would get his "dream" move to Real Madrid.

Ferdinand, captain in Gary Neville’s absence last season, is disappointed that the gloss has been taken off United’s Premier League and Champions League double.

But he insists Ronaldo will be welcomed back into the dressing room when he recovers from recent ankle surgery.

"This summer, given the season we’ve just had, should have been a time to think about our achievements," Ferdinand said.

"In the end that became impossible because of the stuff going on with Cristiano."

He added: "But there won’t be any problems between Cristiano and the rest of the squad because we have always stood by what Sir Alex Ferguson has said all along – Cristiano will be a United player next season.

"Cristiano is a great guy. He never has any problems with anyone in the squad and I’m sure that will be the same when he comes back."

Ronaldo move to Real Madrid is 'agreed' by Owners

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Posted

Cristiano Ronaldo move to Real Madrid is 'agreed' by Manchester United owners Manchester United's owners, the Glazer family, are set to enter negotiations with Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports. Spanish newspaper Marca today claimed that sources close to the Americans, who bought the Old Trafford club in 2004, said that the Glazers have "agreed to the operation", fearing Ronaldo's value will decrease if they hold onto him. Real deal: Ronaldo could soon realise his boyhood dream to move to Real. The Portugal winger, 23, has made little secret of his desire to move to the Spanish champions and last week supported Fifa president Sepp Blatter's controversial comments that he was being treated as "modern-day slave" by United, who have so far refused to grant his wish to leave Old Trafford. Ronaldo is currently recuperating from a recent ankle operation in his native Portugal which will keep him sidelined until October, although it has not dented Real's interest in the player, who scored 42 goals last season, helping United to glory in the Premier League and Champions League. Real Madrid are believed to be prepared to offer around £67.5 million for Ronaldo, who is under contract at United until 2012, and pay him £7 million on a five-year deal. But Real president Ramon Calderon has insisted his club will only pay what is fair should United finally bow into the player's demands and agree to do business. He said: ""You can't spend anything because he is a player that is not for sale. It is not about Real Madrid but Manchester and the player. If he wants to go, then we will be attentive if it is for a reasonable price."

RED DEVILS CROWNED AS EPL CHAMPIONS

MAN UTD vs BLACKBURN

Blackburn v Man UtdPhotos from Ewood Park Tevez glanced the ball home to equalise Roque Santa Cruz's opener three minutes from time just as it looked like they would be denied.Friedel pulled off a string of outstanding saves while referee Rob Styles could easily have awarded a penalty for a Brett Emerton handball.Although the leaders were held, they remain three points ahead of Chelsea at the top of the table with a significant goal difference advantage.Consequently, they could lose to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next weekend and still retain their title if they win their remaining games against West Ham and Wigan.The smiles on the visitors' faces at the end were testament to what they deemed a satisfactory end to an agonising afternoon that saw Wayne Rooney limp off with a stomach injury - a worry ahead of Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Barcelona.Tevez had missed a golden chance to give United the lead on 10 minutes when he raced forward to meet a low cross from Rooney but somehow missed the ball altogether when he seemed certain to score.United fans who expressed delight at the return of Nemanja Vidic to the centre of defence after injury found their expression turn to one of horror on 21 minutes.Rio Ferdinand and Vidic both jumped for the same long throw from Morten Gamst Pedersen and neither won the ball, which took an unlikely deflection off both men into the path of Santa Cruz, who could hardly miss from six yards.Ferguson's two centre-backs have excelled this season, contributing to the best defensive record in the Premier League - now their blunder threatened to derail United's bid for a second consecutive Premier League title.As United's frustration grew, it found an outlet from a predictable source. Rooney was lucky to stay on the pitch after the red mist descended late in the first half.Rooney has worked hard to keep his temper in check but it flared horribly after he was denied a penalty following a Steven Reid challenge.Incensed, Rooney chased after the nearest opponent - in this case the giant Christopher Samba - and fell him with a thigh-high two-footed tackle from behind.Referee Rob Styles could have sent him off, but showed commendable restraint in settling for a yellow card and a stern talking-to.The second half saw Blackburn more or less give up any ambition of scoring a second as United poured forward.Cristiano Ronaldo cracked a shot off the base of the post from the edge of the box after beating Friedel, but that was one of the few shots the veteran did not get his hands on.At 36, the American is still at the top of the game and vastly outshone his shaky opposite number Tomasz Kuszczak, in for the injured Edwin van der Sar.Friedel was alert to prevent an own goal when a cross ricocheted off a defender and did even better on 80 minutes.Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to be fouled 12 yards from goal but the ball broke for Tevez, who turned and fired. Friedel got a hand to it and raced back to smother the ball as it rolled onto the line.Four minutes later he stayed big to repel Wayne Rooney when the England striker had been sent through one-on-one. Rooney has been told by Fabio Capello to convert more chances - Friedel ensured he did not made an immediate start.This was after referee Styles again showed leniency when Emerton appeared clearly to use his arm to 'save' a goalbound Michael Carrick header.But if the sign of a champion side is the bloody-mindedness to plough on when all seems lost, the United might have gained a decisive result.A Nani corner came in on 88 minutes and was flicked on by Paul Scholes to Tevez, who finally found the net from close range.Alex Chick / Eurosport

Fergie: We fought like champions
Posted by Bill on Sat Apr 19 @ 20:45 GMT
Sir Alex Ferguson felt Manchester United "played like champions" as they left it late to earn a crucial point from a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.The Red Devils were fortunate to get a point after Rovers mounted a dogged rearguard in defence of Roque Santa Cruz's opener at Ewood Park.Carlos Tevez scored the equaliser with two minutes to go, finally breaching a Blackburn backline which was defended expertly by man-of-the-match goalkeeper Brad Friedel.But Ferguson believes his side were worthy of a win based on their overall performance, and admitted they were unfortunate not to be awarded at least one of three penalty shouts - the most compelling of which was a handball claim against Brett Emerton.He said: "We'd have rather had three points and I think we probably deserved three points. But the thing is we have rescued a point again late on and that's a positive thing."Our second-half performance was phenomenal. Our tenacity was fantastic and we played like champions."I think we could have had three penalties and at the moment we are just getting those breaks against us."But we can't go on about it because we should have won the game anyway. Brad Friedel has had a fantastic game but we dominated the second half."Rovers boss Mark Hughes told Setanta Sports 1: "But we've given them a really good game. We were excellent, certainly in the first half and we were good value for our lead."You always expect United to have a response though. We've known examples of that before and United keep going right to the end."I feel it was a little harsh on us, though, we did exceptionally well and they didn't create a great deal."Yes, we could have won it but you saw in the response of our fans that they understood we put in a really good performance."Friedel, who pulled off a series of point-blank saves as United piled on the pressure in the closing stages, added: "We played very well in the first half but towards the end of the game if you're leading against Manchester United they are always going to throw everything at you."We are devastated to give it away at a set piece for the equaliser. Paul Scholes (whose header teed up Tevez's goal) is a very clever player and he's burned us in the past."But today the boys showed they can mix it with the best of them."

Nemanja Vidic back for the Blackburn match on Saturday

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could have influential defender Nemanja Vidic back for the Blackburn match on Saturday. The Serbia international has missed the last three games after suffering a knee injury against Roma in the Champions League.

Hargreaves Stuns Soft Arsenal

Arsenal took the lead against Chelsea a few weeks ago and blew it. They went ahead against Liverpool earlier this week and blew it. And on form, they took the lead against Manchester United at Old Trafford and hit the self destruct button.
Emmanuel Adebayor gave the Gunners the lead, and moments later, Cristiano Ronaldo converted from the spot after William Gallas handled in the area.
With the scores level, it was anyone's game, but United showed the determination of champions, breaking through thanks to a fabulous Owen Hargreaves free-kick.
The result takes them a massive nine clear of Arsenal with four games remaining, and six clear of Chelsea, who have a game in hand. They can now win the title with two games to spare if they win their next two games.
First Half
Arsenal started the match brightly, anxious to put the misery of midweek behind them. A fast and furious opening saw them take control of the match and dominate possession.
After only five minutes Fabregas had a good chance after an awful clearance from Brown fell straight to his feet. Unfortunately for Arsenal the young Spaniard blasted his shot straight over Van der Sar’s bar.
The chances kept falling Arsenal’s way and in particular Emmanuel Adebayor who missed a number of opportunities to open the scoring for Arsenal. Firstly Eboue crossed for the tall striker but Rio Ferdinand managed to get back just in time to make an important block.
Just after the half hour mark it was Hleb’s turn to put Adebayor through. The Togolese strike raced into the penalty area but shot weakly at Van der Sar who saved easily.
Within seconds, United broke and the action was at the other end of the field. Wayne Rooney in acres of space tried to dink the ball past Lehman but the German goalkeeper just managed to get enough on the ball to divert it wide.
At this point Arsenal were playing with a huge amount of confidence, first to the ball and forcing the home side into mistakes as they threw bodies forward searching for the opening. United by contrast were being forced to play on the counter attack, an unusual sight at Old Trafford.
However despite the Gunners’ dominance their fragility at the back was still evident with United finding space between Kolo Toure and Alex Song and Wayne Rooney, in particular, looking the most likely for the home side.
As it was, a fast and furious first half ended goalless. Arsenal somehow contriving not to finish one of the numerous openings they had carved open and United, simply happy to get to half time still level.
Second Half
It did, however, take Arsenal only three second-half minutes to take the lead. United failed to clear a Van Persie free kick and the Dutchman ran across the pitch to pick up the loose ball before dropping in a great cross which Adebayor managed to convert from only one yard after both Ferdinand and Van der Sar failed to clear the ball effectively.
Seconds later and United should have been two down. Rio Ferdinand, whilst trying to clear the ball somehow diverted the ball towards own goal forcing Van der Sar into a great save to keep United in the game.
Minutes later however and the game was level. A Carrick shot was blocked in the area by William Gallas’ arm and referee Howard Webb had no choice but to point to the spot.
The drama didn’t end there however. Ronaldo scored the penalty but was ordered to retake it after stopping half way through his run up which meant a number of players encroaching before he had finally slotted the ball away. However the Portuguese kept his cool to score second time around, slotting the ball low to Lehman’s right.
Alex Ferguson responded further by throwing on Anderson and Tevez for Scholes and Park and slowly United began to get a foothold in the game before eventually taking the lead with twenty minutes to go.
Gilberto Silva gave away a free kick on the edge of the area and despite Ronaldo looking interested, Owen Hargreaves stepped up to plant a brilliant free kick over the wall and down into Lehman’s bottom right hand corner.
Arsenal tried to get back on level terms but as has happened so often this season they were unable to make their chances count and they will rue yet another lost lead. United hung on for an important victory that takes them one step closer to the title.
Goals
0-1 Arsenal (Adebayor, 47)
1-1 Man United (Ronaldo, 50)
2-1 Man United (Hargreaves, 73)
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Pique, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Hargreaves (Giggs, 90), Scholes (Anderson, 55), Park (Tevez, 55), Rooney.
Subs: Kuszczak, Anderson, Giggs, O'Shea, Tevez.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Toure (Hoyte, 85), Gallas, Song Billong, Clichy, Eboue (Walcott, 60), Fabregas, Silva, Hleb, Van Persie (Bendtner 75), Adebayor.
Subs: Djourou, Fabianski, Bendtner, Justin Hoyte, Walcott.
Referee: Howard Webb
Gill Clark

MAN UTD BEAT ARSENAL

Manchester United went six points clear at the top of the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Arsenal in a pulsating encounter at Old Trafford. Arsenal were on top for long spells but striker Emmanuel Adebayor wasted some gilt-edged chances, before he appeared to use his arm to open the scoring. United levelled through a twice-taken Cristiano Ronaldo penalty after William Gallas had handled in the Arsenal box. Owen Hargreaves won it with 20 minutes to go with a superb 25-yard free-kick. The result all-but ends Arsenal's hopes of winning the title and after their Champions League exit at the hands of Liverpool in midweek, means they will end a third successive season trophyless. But the result was desperately harsh on the visitors after a first half in particular of some spellbinding football. Indeed, they should have put United out of sight - from the first whistle they seemed steadfastly determined to prove they were still in the title race and they played with a verve and a tempo United struggled to live with. Cesc Fabregas was at his orchestral best and with Alexander Hleb, playing just behind Adebayor, constantly pulling defenders out of position, the chances soon started to flow. Fabregas sent a shot narrowly over before Emmanuel Eboue crossed from the right and Adebayor's shot was superbly blocked by Rio Ferdinand. Gilberto Silva saw a volley from a corner blocked by his own player, Alex Song, while Adebayor twice failed from promising positions on the edge of the box. Ronaldos-third-eye - United's best chance of the half fell to Wayne Rooney after great work from Patrice Evra and Ronaldo, but his close-range shot was brilliantly diverted wide by the recalled Jens Lehmann in the Arsenal goal. Moments later Hleb took possession in the United half, raced past Gerard Pique as though he was not there and teed up Adebayor 12 yards out, but his shot was tame and straight at Edwin van der Sar. Rooney had another shot saved towards the end of the half, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger must have wondered what his side had to do to score. He was not to be disappointed for too much longer as Arsenal took the lead in controversial circumstances two minutes after the break. Robin van Persie took the ball down the left and split the United defence and keeper with a perfect delivery across the six-yard box that Adebayor appeared to bundle in with his left forearm. United deserved to be behind, but Arsenal have recently become a team that looks afraid to be ahead and only four minutes later they were pegged back. Hargreaves' ball into the box was inexplicably handled by Gallas and after his first penalty was ruled out for encroaching, Ronaldo slammed his second effort into the bottom corner. Sensing blood, United sent on Carlos Tevez and Anderson, while Wenger replied with the introduction of Theo Walcott, under the watching gaze of England coach Fabio Capello. Tevez almost made an immediate impact, his sizzling 25-yard strike flying inches wide of the Arsenal goal with Lehmann comfortably beaten. After Gael Clichy's deflected cross was tipped onto a post by Van der Sar, United dealt a hammer blow to the Gunners' hopes of winning silverware this season. Evra was tripped 25 yards out and Hargreaves stepped up to delightfully clip the ball up and over the wall and into the unguarded corner of Lehmann's net. Van der Sar saved late on from substitute Nicklas Bendtner as United held on for a victory that may well secure them yet another Premier League title.

Eric Cantona says the Reds are on for a glorious league and European Cup double this season, claiming "this will be United's season".The Frenchman was a special guest for United's midweek 1-0 win over AS Roma, which sent Sir Alex Ferguson's men through 3-0 on aggregate.Barcelona await the Reds in the semi finals, while this weekend Arsenal visit Old Trafford in a crucial league encounter. But Cantona is confident United will get past both sides and go on to clinch the double."Manchester United will win both trophies, I am sure of that," said Eric. "It will be tough, the title is close and Barcelona are a great team, but United have everything right now; this will be their season."Key to United's success is the form Cristiano Ronaldo, who Cantona believes is head and shoulders above any other player in the world."Cristiano Ronaldo has skills which no other player has, he is the best player in the world," Cantona told the Manchester Evening News. "It's important he plays as many games as possible."I am happy he is wearing my shirt. It was special for me, I hope it is special for him too."

Ferguson's Double Dream Boosted

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is confident his side's double assault will be boosted by a fully-fit squad.United eased into a Champions League semi-final showdown against Spanish giants Barcelona after a 3-0 aggregate victory over Roma in the last eight on Wednesday night.It means United's run-in to the season is now littered with high- profile games as they look to repeat their double success of 1999.The current Premier League champions first face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday knowing a win would almost certainly spell the end of the Gunners' title challenge.Towards the end of the month, United tackle three matches in seven days that could make-or-break their season as the last-four clash with Barca sandwiches a trip to another title rival in Chelsea.By the time of the game at the Nou Camp on April 23, Ferguson is hoping to be at full strength, in stark contrast to last season when his side was hit by injury."We're looking forward to it, and hopefully by the time of the game we'll have a fully-fit squad to give us a chance," assessed Ferguson."We're carrying one or two injuries that's making us change things around too many times at the moment."But (Darren) Fletcher, (Nemanja) Vidic and Nani are on their way back, while (Louis) Saha has started training with us this week."So there are a lot of plusses."Yet against Roma, Ferguson's players provided proof to their boss - if he needed it - that there is considerable strength in depth.Going into the game against Roma with a 2-0 cushion from the first leg, Ferguson was able to start with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes on the bench.In their place came Ji-Sung Park, Carlos Tevez and Owen Hargreaves and Ferguson could not have been more delighted with their performances."It's strange how things work out because two of my best players were Tevez and Park," added Ferguson."Tevez has a great habit of scoring single goals in games where you have to get one at a vital time."My man of the match, though, was Hargreaves. He was absolutely fantastic."But quite rightly we trust in all of our squad because they are good players. It tells me these players can play in any type of game."Rio Ferdinand, who was a doubt after damaging his left foot in the 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough on Sunday, required three stitches for an injury to his right foot during the half-time break on Wednesday night.Ferguson has confirmed the imposing central defender will be fit to face Arsenal, as should Michael Carrick who came off with a calf injury 16 minutes from time."I think I took him off at the right time. We'll know in the next couple of days, but I think he'll be okay," remarked Ferguson.After Arsenal's crushing 4-2 quarter-final defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday, Ferguson knows United will face an Gunners side intent on ensuring their season is not wrecked in the space of five days."Games against Arsenal are always keenly-fought matches. There is never a lot in it," added Ferguson."I've managed to keep Rooney, Ronaldo and Scholes all fresh for the game, so hopefully that will matter."It will be a great game, but we have to think of ourselves and make sure we're ready."

Giggs: We can win it

Ryan Giggs says there is a real belief in the United camp that the Reds can win the Champions League this season।The veteran winger was part of the 1999 Treble-winning side who famously sealed a dramatic victory over Bayern Munich in the dying seconds at the Nou Camp.In the semi-finals it's a return to the scene of the Reds' greatest recent triumph and Giggs says the players are confident of getting past Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona team and beyond.

Playing at the Nou Camp will be a great experience. It's a massive pitch and you're up against great players. It's about performing over the two legs and we're confident we've got the ability to get through."When you get to the semis you know you're only one step away from the final and you want to make sure you get there. We're determined to do that."There are four teams left and they're all top sides who are capable of winning the competition. We hope it's us."

Manchester United Vs FC Barcelona

Manchester United Vs FC Barcelona
Van Der Sar

Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra

Carrick

Hargreaves Scholes

Ronaldo Giggs

Rooney

subs : Tevez , Nani , Anderson , Silvestre , Neville , Park , Kuszack

MAN UTD beat AS ROMA 1-0

United 1 Roma 0
Carlos Tevez's diving header set up a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final with Barcelona as the Reds ran out 3-0 aggregate winners over AS Roma at Old Trafford.Sir Alex's men already held a 2-0 advantage going into the quarter-final second leg tie and Tevez’s 70th-minute strike confirmed their place in the last four where they will face Frank Rijkaard's side.The pre-match talk was all about whether Rio Ferdinand would be fit to face the Italians and, after passing a late fitness test, he took his place in a side containing neither Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo nor Paul Scholes. Owen Hargreaves, Ji-sung Park, Anderson, Ryan Giggs and Carlos Tevez made up United'a attacking quintet, with Michael Carrick sitting just in front of the back four.With Nemanja Vidic still suffering with a knee injury, Gerard Pique was called in to partner Ferdinand at the heart of the defence. The left-back spot went to Mikael Silvestre, starting his first game for the Reds since injuring knee ligaments against Everton in September. There was also a place on the bench for skipper Gary Neville, more than a year after his last first-team outing. The selection may have seemed cautious but United attacked from the off, forcing a corner after just three minutes after a good run and cross from Owen Hargreaves on the right. Buoyed by the luxury of having a 2-0 cushion, the Reds continued to press forward and very nearly added to their aggregate tally through a host of opportunities in the opening 10 minutes.

Middlesbrough 2-2 Manchester United

The climax to the season looms, the tension notches up. In a rip-roaring, helter-skelter match on Sunday, United and Middlesbrough shared four goals. United were unlucky, denied the clearest of penalties at a crucial moment and unrewarded for much command. Yet it was a cracking match we could so easily have lost. Ferguson played O’Shea in the middle alongside Ferdinand to cover for the missing Serbian. Otherwise we fielded our strongest side. Middlesbrough were giving a second start to the most expensive acquisition in their history, the Brazilian striker Alfonso Alves who had hit the woodwork twice last week at Stamford Bridge. Unsuccessful in the away ticket ballot as usual I watched from a South London under a couple of inches of snow while the match on the North East coast started in the sunshine of a brilliant spring day. Probably safe from relegation now, Boro’ played some fast, adventurous football in their quest to win the unofficial North East mini-league which is achieved by finishing fifteenth. The result was an open, attacking game played to the background of impressively vocal United support. Alves established himself as a handful from the start but the early match was defined when Arca clattered Carrick about thirty yards out. The recipient of vocal abuse every time he touched the ball and the object of a clever banner alleging he dives (the cheek of it!), Ronaldo clearly meant business. His kick was ferocious and goalbound until one of the leaping defenders was unwise enough to get a head to it. Giggs took the corner from the right and Ronaldo went for the header; he took Boateng out of the equation but the ball grazed his crown and landed with Carrick wide left. Carrick beat his man and picked out Ronnie. There were ten defenders in the area but Ronnie could find space in the Black Hole of Calcutta; he surreptitiously drifted off his marker and cracked it in from eight yards. The commentator called it a tap-in but it was a good deal harder than I can kick a ball; 9 minutes 1-0. For the next half hour United ran the show, our dominance and confidence on the ball matched only by our inability to shoot on target, but when Boro’ broke they put together some good moves of their own, getting uncomfortably near to goal. Mike Riley, the pernickety referee, failed to penalise O’Neill for the comprehensive clattering of Evra. He was still on the floor as Boro’ broke and Alladiere would have scored if he could shoot straight. Meanwhile Young made a great saving tackle on Rooney, Ronaldo produced a dribble to go through four players only to blaze his shot over, and Rooney was free and clean through when wrongly given offside. Then Rio fouled Alves, whose free kick was violent. Van der Sar parried it and then palmed over the second attempt without much help from defenders. If there was any doubt we were missing Vidic, it evaporated within seconds of this incident. Carrick put an optimistic long ball forward. It was intercepted and then hit back, equally optimistically, over forty yards by O’Neill. Rio and O’Shea were bisected as Alladiere headed on to Alves, in so much space he must have felt lonely. Where was the defence? The only man alive to the threat was Carrick, who was not up to catching him; Alves motored into the area and finished coolly from fifteen yards; 34 minutes 1-1. It might have been against the balance of play, but we could hardly complain when all our dominance had led to only two shots on target in half an hour whilst Boro’ had conjured three in as many minutes. Suddenly the stadium was alive; there are Boro’ fans, after all! Van der Sar did brilliantly to smother Downing, unmarked at the far post about eight or ten yards out but it was United who should have gone in ahead; Ronaldo’s shot was hurtling goalwards like a bullet from 25 yards when Taylor, taking advantage of the two goalkeeper rule developed by Hamann at Liverpool, dived to his right well inside his area and saved it brilliantly with his left arm. The commentary team attributed Riley’s lack of action to the velocity of the shot; I put it down to blindness until I looked him up in Wikipedia and discovered he is from Leeds. At half time Wes Brown moved into the centre of defence and O’Shea to right back. The effect was immediate; at the restart Alves beat Brown to a ball at the post and there was something approaching panic as Carrick cleared Pogatetz’ poke off the line. Despite this moment you felt generally that United were regaining control of the proceedings but as the air began to fill with sleet and snow, out of nothing Boro’ scored. It came from another hopeful punt up the field, this one accidentally achieved by Boateng, who was just trying to clear. Brown rose above Alladiere and was unlucky as his header ricocheted and there was Alves, unmarked and in the clear with the ball at his feet and O’Shea watching him; Rio got close but Alves’ strike, curled around Van der Sar, was impressive; 55 minutes 1-2. Rio and I were both annoyed. On came Park for Tevez. Tevez had worked hard and got himself into good positions but Park proved more effective. United were commanding more and more territory but still the defence looked unsound and now Rio was limping; Alladiere won a header in front of the goal and should have scored, but chose to nod it down to the man on a hat trick at the other post. Alves hit it from four yards out and Rio just got a knee to it. Hargreaves came on at right back for O’Shea and then Rio surrendered to the inevitable and Pique came on for him. Boro were defending with guts but the pressure grew; Rooney blasted a volley inches wide from a Giggs corner, then Giggs, down the middle, refused to give up the ball, resisting several challenges and got it back to Carrick, who fed Park, on the right. He sold Taylor a great dummy and stepped back to pick out Rooney on the penalty spot; Rooney shot hard and, courtesy of a deflection which may well have been the decisive factor in sending Schwarzer the wrong way, it was 73 minutes and 2-2. We went for the winner but the match became chaotic in the snowstorm. One moment Ronaldo was dribbling brilliantly through two of them only to be felled with a hefty kick on the calf inches outside the area, the next Van der Sar slipped and fell and just managed to stick out a leg to prevent Alves being odds on for another goal As the minutes died away Hargreaves put in a lovely right wing ball but Rooney’s header was saved and the rebound scrambled away and though the four minutes added time was all about them hanging on, it was they who almost stole it at the last gasp, Tuncay turning brilliantly and dribbling through; Van der Sar saved at his feet. My pre-match fears were well founded, then; we managed to drop two points to a Middlesbrough side playing disgracefully out of their skins. Wes Brown had trouble with the speed of Downing and almost every aspect of Alves’ game but he was not solely to blame; we were disorganised at the back where we were vulnerable to pace, weak in the air, and left wide gaps. The midfield lost effect as everybody was forced to drop back. In some ways we have got lazy, so utterly dependent on immunity from conceding that we do not react well when it happens; for all the flowing football and hard work of recent weeks we convert too few of our chances; if you are going to let in two goals, that matters. We had 66% of possession, 12 shots (to Middlesbrough’s 10) and 6 corners to their 4, yet only 4 shots on target. If Middlesbrough played like that every week they would be a successful club; I suppose we should take it as some kind of complement. City, similarly disgracefully, conceded defeat to Chelsea like the bunch of hapless wimps they are when they don’t play us, so now we are only three points ahead of Chelsea and it really is squeaky bum time.

Scholes join 100 club

Scholes to join 100-club
09/04/2008 08:51

Paul Scholes could make his 100th Champions League appearance against AS Roma at Old Trafford tonight – but the Salford midfield schemer won’t be donning the captain’s armband as recognition of his service.The 33-year-old won't even be considered for the role, according to Sir Alex Ferguson. Not out of disrespect, merely because the quiet man of United’s team would not welcome the task.“I won’t be making Scholes captain,” said Sir Alex at his pre-match press conference. “I think he would regard it as a form of punishment!”He may not take the responsibility of the armband, but there can be no denying the midfielder’s influence on the pitch when it comes to his performances. Scholes returned in January from a three-month lay-off after suffering a knee injury in training back in October. It took a few games to get up to full speed, but some outstanding performances of late have seen Scholes return to his imperious best..