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05/09/2007 07:02, Report by Frankie Theobalds

Euro rivals: Sporting Lisbon

Stadium: Sporting play their home games at the Estádio José Alvalade, which was purpose-built for the 2004 European Football Championship. The venue has a capacity of 52,000 and was acoustically engineered as a venue for major concerts. Its official opening was on 6 August 2003 when Sporting played United. They beat the Reds 3-1.

Manager: Paulo Bento won 35 Portuguese caps before retiring at 34 to become youth team coach at Sporting, the last club he played for. After much success with the Sporting’s academy he was promoted to manage the senior team and steered them to second place in the domestic league in 2005/06 and 2006/07. He also won the Portuguese Cup. He is now considered one of the top coaches in the country, and has been likened in management style to compatriot Jose Mourinho.

Star player: Without doubt, Sporting Lisbon’s star player is front man Liédson. The 30-year-old Brazilian striker arrived from Corinthians in 2003 and is known for his pace. What he lacks in height - he’s 5ft 9in - he makes up for with commitment and he has no problem in finding the net if given the chance. To date he’s bagged 57 goals in 93 appearances for the club. This season he’ll be partnered up front by new £1.3 million signing Serbian Milan Purovic. The towering 6ft 3in forward comes from Red Star Belgrade.

Last season’s Champions League results: Sporting didn’t get past the group stages last term having been draw against European giants Internazionale, Bayern Munich and Spartak Moscow. Unsurprisingly, they finished bottom of the group with only five points. Perhaps the lowest point came when Spartak ended a record 22-match run without a victory in the Champions League by beating Sporting 3-1 in their final Group B match.

Last time we met: The last time these two sides clashed competitively was in the 1963/64 Cup Winners Cup quarter-final. Having been fairly spanked 4-1 at Old Trafford, the second leg was a stunning comeback, in which the home side ran out 5-0 victors, before going on to win the final against MTK Hungaria FC.

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03/09/2007 09:06, Report by Steve Bartram

Euro rivals: Dynamo Kiev

Last week's Champions League draw pitted United against AS Roma, Sporting Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev. This week, ManUtd.com profiles the three teams standing between the Reds and a place in the knockout stages. Wrap up warm, we're off to Kiev first...

Stadium: Dynamo's major European games are played at Kiev's Olympic Stadium, which holds a whopping 83,450 people. The majority of the stadium is devoid of meaningful shelter, so you'd better dust off those Cossack hats if you're thinking of making the trip.

Manager: Former USSR international winger Anatoliy Demyanenko wrestled the Ukrainian Championship back from Shakthar Donetsk last season without losing a single game. Amazingly, having lost one domestic match in two years, the coach is under pressure. "It would be wrong to fire a coach who has clinched the national cup and the Ukrainian league," said club president Ihor Surkis. "However, Demyanenko will not have the right to make any mistakes in the forthcoming Champions League. I hope he understands that."

Star men: Brazilian playmaker Diogo Rincon is the man who makes Dynamo tick, although big things are expected of compatriot Carlos Correa in his second season at the club. Uzbek striker Maksim Shatskikh shares the record for the most goals (22) scored in a single Ukrainian Premier League season with veteran star Serhiy Rebrov, who is back at his old stamping ground after failed spells with Tottenham, Fenerbahce and West Ham.

Last season in Europe: Dynamo started badly and rarely improved. A 4-1 home defeat to Steaua Bucharest was followed by a 5-1 drubbing at Real Madrid and back-to-back defeats against Lyon. Draws against Bucharest and Madrid were too little, too late.

Last time we met: November 18, 2000. Away defeats to PSV Eindhoven and Anderlecht left United in need of a final day victory to qualify from Group G against rock-bottom Kiev. As it was, Teddy Sheringham’s scruffy 18th-minute goal did the trick, but a shocking late miss from George Demetradze had Old Trafford grinding its collective teeth.

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10/09/2007 08:45, Report by Ben Hibbs

Park progressing well

Sidelined Reds midfielder Ji-sung Park says his recovery is going to plan and he hopes to be back playing for United early in 2008.

The Korean midfielder, who underwent surgery on a knee injury in California this summer, hasn't played since scoring in the 4-1 Premier League win over Blackburn in March earlier this year. But he says his rehabilitation is on course.

"Hopefully I'll be playing again early in the New Year," he says. "My knee is getting better and it's a case of so far, so good."

Despite being absent until the title run-in, the 26-year-old is positive about United's chances of retaining the Premier League crown this season, and impressed by the Reds' new signings Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Carlos Tevez.

"I'm confident that we can retain the Premier League title this season," he said. "We've got a good squad and the manager has brought some good players into the team to improve it even further."

"The new signings have all impressed me in different ways," he added. "Nani is very quick, Owen works hard and Carlos has great vision. Anderson hasn't played much, but I am looking forward to seeing more of him."

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10/09/2007 08:31, Report by Gemma Thompson

Simpson on road to recovery

Danny Simpson says he is hoping to be back in full training in ten days time following a hernia operation.

The 20-year-old did some light running at the weekend and will step up his recovery programme with some ball work later this week.

"Hopefully in ten days time I'll be back training with the team," he told MUTV's Good Morning Manchester. "I'm just focusing on getting myself fit and building up my strength.

"I want to keep training well with the first team and hopefully I'll be involved in a few of the upcoming games."

Salford-born Simpson is over the moon after signing a new deal with the Reds which will keep him at the club until 2010.

"When the gaffer called me in to talk about a new deal I was buzzing, especially when he said about me signing for another three years," revealed the defender. "I couldn't ask for anything more."

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10/09/2007 07:54

Sir Bobby hits the literary trail

To mark the launch of his autobiography - Sir Bobby Charlton - My Manchester United Years - the United legend is setting off on a book-signing tour around the country.

The book tells of Sir Bobby's time as a player at Old Trafford and shares his thoughts on Sir Matt Busby, the Babes, George Best and Denis Law, the 1968 European Cup triumph and, of course, Munich.

You can purchase the book online now and be in with a chance of winning a commerative 1968 shirt signed by Sir Bobby. Alternatively, you can meet the man himself at the following locations:

Monday 10 Sept, 5pm - Asda, Pudsey
Tuesday 11 Sept, 6pm - Borders, Stockport
Wednesday 12 Sept, 2pm - SilverDell, Preston
Thursday 13 Sept, 1pm - Waterstone's, Newcastle Emmerson Chambers
Thursday 13 Sept, 5.30pm - WH Smith, Gateshead, Metro Centre
Friday 14 Sept, 12pm - Tesco, Coventry (Walsgrave)
Saturday 15 Sept, 1pm - Waterstone's, London, Piccadilly
Monday 17 Sept, 5.30pm - Borders, London Canary Wharf

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10/09/2007 07:35, Report by Norman Whiteside

Book Extract: Whiteside Pt.1

ManUtd.com have five signed Norman Whiteside 1985 FA Cup final shirts to give away. Each winner will also receive a copy of Whiteside's autobiography, Determined. To enter, visit the Competitions page in the Fanzone.

Here's Part One of our extract...

United v Everton
Wembley 18 May, 1985

You never get jaded by the experience of playing at Wembley, and the second time is just as good as the first. In truth, it’s probably better because you have the incentive of knowing how much you enjoyed it the first time. Being certain of how good it’s going to be beats guessing at it and makes your sense of anticipation more realistic than dreamy.

The other major difference between my two finals was that we were overwhelming favourites for the first and underdogs in the second. Everton had won the title by a margin of 13 points, had beaten Rapid Vienna in the Cup Winners’ Cup in Rotterdam on the Wednesday night before the final and were the pundits’ choice to beat us and win a treble.

The pre-match analysis focused on Neville Southall and how difficult we would find it to score past him and talked up the great midfield partnership between Paul Bracewell and Peter Reid, which was said to be too good for Whiteside and Robson.

The only thing in our favour, it seemed, was their tiredness after the Wednesday game and the fact that they would have celebrated their midweek European trophy win in traditional Everton style, something I knew nothing about at the time, but learned all about when I went to Goodison.

But we didn’t capitalise on that at all and if you’ve ever had the misfortune of watching the entire match from start to finish, you’ll know it was a terrible game. The only thing of note that happened to me in the first hour or so was that I had a great chance to score when I saw a gap in their defence, broke from midfield and bustled into the gap.
Mark Hughes, who could hold the ball up all day, saw my run, shielded the ball from Derek Mountfield and played me in to go one-on-one with Neville. It was on my right foot and it’s one of the two chances I had in my career – the other being the one against Stoke on my full debut – that I relive a lot in my mind.

Having got in front of the defender, I was faced by Southall rushing towards me and stretching to dive. Instead of realising I had got the upper hand because I’d turned the defender and so could have switched it to my left foot, which I could do anything with, and making the target bigger by changing the angle of my approach, I kept it on my right and clipped it. I didn’t hit it properly at all and hit Neville on the shoulder.

I should have been cleverer and I hate the mistake I made. I always fast forward that bit if I watch that game again. Still, my one excuse is that he was player of the year that year!

Part Two tomorrow...

Determined: The Autobiography by Norman Whiteside is published by Headline, £18.99.

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Papers: Let's start afresh


10/09/2007 09:04

Sir Bobby not Keane on Roy
Sir Bobby Charlton reckons Roy Keane isn't the right man to replace Alex Ferguson as Manchester United boss. The United legend believes Fergie's reign at Old Trafford will continue for at least three years. But Charlton also thinks the Scot's replacement should not be an ex-United player. That would rule out Sunderland boss Keane and Blackburn's Mark Hughes, who are two of the favourites for the role. Charlton said: "I think their have been a lot of mistakes made by a lot of clubs in getting managers who have already been some part of the club in their career. I don't buy that. If he's a good manager it doesn't matter who he is, where he comes from or even what nationality he is. People say only an old player could do it but maybe it's better to have a clean bill of health. Maybe give it to somebody who will really clear the decks."
Andrew Haigh, The Sun
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand believes England must win all of their remaining matches to reach the Euro 2008 finals next summer. Steve McClaren's side overcame Israel 3-0 at the weekend, but face a tough match with Russia on Wednesday.
Round up by Gemma Thompson

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11/09/2007 06:48, Report by Steve Bartram

Neville close to comeback

United skipper Gary Neville doubts he will return from injury in time for Saturday's trip to Everton, but has his eye on a comeback in the near future.
The veteran defender has been out of action since damaging ankle ligaments in March, and subsequently suffering a thigh strain in training last month.
United's club captain told MUTV: "I probably did a bit too much, I was a bit over-excited getting back and I just felt my thigh a little bit. It's frustrating.
"Hopefully in the next week or two I'll be back and I hope to be playing games in the next couple of weeks definitely.
"Because I've been out for such a long time I think the Everton game is going to be too soon, I think it will probably be after that."
Wes Brown is likely to deputise at right-back in Neville's continued absence as United make the trip to Goodison Park.

Should Neville's comeback go according to schedule, he may return in time for Chelsea's visit to Old Trafford on September 23.

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10/09/2007 21:04, Report by Steve Bartram

Owen misses Russian test

Owen Hargreaves has returned to Manchester after being ruled out of England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia with a thigh injury.
The United midfielder and Chelsea counterpart Frank Lampard have both been ruled out for Steve McClaren's side, having both missed Saturday's 3-0 win over Israel.
A statement on the FA's official website read: "Following a thorough assessment from the England medical staff, a scan and a fitness test today, it was decided that Hargreaves will not be ready in time for Wednesday's match and has gone back to Manchester."
Hargreaves, who has been named ManUtd.com's man of the match in each of his three Reds appearances so far this season, now faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday's trip to Everton.

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11/09/2007 08:56

Police ask for fans' cooperation

Merseyside Police have issued the following information to United fans intending to travel to Goodison Park on Saturday...

"Visiting Supporters should be aware that there is a possibility that they made be held back inside the stadium following the game at Goodison Park on Saturday 15th September 2007.

"United supporters should not travel to this event without being possession of a valid match ticket.

"There will be NO ticket sales on the day of the game, and supporters should not buy tickets from anyone other than approved sales point.

"United fans found sitting in Home areas of the stadium will be liable to ejection."

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10/09/2007 15:17, Report by Ben Hibbs

Howard doubt for Everton clash

Everton's former United goalkeeper Tim Howard could miss the Reds' visit to Goodison Park this weekend after dislocating his finger during the USA's 4-2 defeat to Brazil in at the weekend.

The 28-year-old American stopper completed the 90 minutes for his country, but the injury means he is now a doubt for Saturday's Premier League clash with United.

"It was pretty sore," Howard told Everton's official website. "I just tried to play through it, and hoped that the adrenaline would get me through it.

"Right now it's swollen like a balloon, and I'm hoping that the flight back hasn't taken too much out of it. I'll see the doctors when I get back."

Howard has played in all of Everton's opening five fixtures, helping David Moyes' men climb to third place, level on 10 points with leaders Liverpool, second-placed Arsenal, and Chelsea, who occupy fourth spot.

Understandably, Moyes will be hoping Howard, who is still waiting for his first appearance against United since joining Everton last January, can make a quick recovery in time for Saturday's noon kick-off.

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11/09/2007 10:11, Report by Ben Hibbs

Sporting dealt double blow

United's opponents in next week's Champions League Group F opener, Sporting Lisbon, have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of the start of this season's European campaign.

Brazilian striker Derlei, who scored Sporting's first goal in the new Portuguese season, has been ruled out of the group stages with torn cruciate ligaments in his left knee, while full-back Pedro Silva has suffered a similar fate and will also be out for six months.

Derlei, a summer recruit from Dynamo Moscow, was a part of FC Porto's UEFA Cup and Champions League winning sides, so has plenty of experience on the European stage.

The 32-year-old sustained his injury in training last week and tests have revealed the worst likely outcome. He will be out until in the New Year.

Also facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines is fellow summer signing Pedro Silva, who recently underwent surgery on his knee. The 25-year-old Brazilian full-back also picked up his injury during training. He will miss all six Group F matches against United, AS Roma, and Dynamo Kiev.

After three games, Sporting are third in Portugal's Liga after beating Academica 4-1 on the opening day of the season, followed by 1-0 defeat to rivals Porto, and a 1-0 win over lowly Belenenses.

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10/09/2007 13:42, Report by Nick Coppack

Player of the Month: August

United fans have voted Owen Hargreaves the Reds' Player of the Month for August, even though the 26-year-old played in just two of United's five competitive fixtures.

More than 14,000 ManUtd.com users took part in the poll, which saw the former Bayern Munich midfielder up against Patrice Evra, Nani, Paul Scholes and Nemanja Vidic.

Vidic collected an impressive 27% of the vote after a number of commanding displays at the heart of United's back four, but it was Hargreaves' performances against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur that saw more than 5000 fans vote for the England international.

In the end, Hargreaves, who has won ManUtd.com Man of the Match awards in United's last three matches, scooped 38% of the vote, leaving Evra, Scholes and Nani to share the remaining 35%.

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Papers: Rooney to return?
11/09/2007 08:27

Rooney: I'm Ready To Play
Wayne Rooney last night told boss Alex Ferguson he is raring to return against his old club Everton on Saturday. Manchester United striker Rooney, 21, has been sidelined after breaking his metatarsal on the opening day of the season. But he has been out of plaster for a fortnight and training hard. Rooney is due to have another scan this week and Fergie will take advice from the United medical team before making a decision. He could certainly do with a fit Rooney - Carlos Tevez is also facing a gruelling return from Australia after his country’s match against the Socceroos tonight. At least Ferguson has Louis Saha back. The French frontman netted the winner against Sunderland in his first start since last February. Portugal wideman Cristiano Ronaldo is also available after serving a three-game suspension for his sending-off at Portsmouth.
Neil Custis, The Sun
The Daily Mirror claims Rooney is set for a place on the bench at Goodison Park, while an injury to Tim Howard will see German goalkeeper Steffan Wessels make his Toffees debut against United.

Round up by Steve Bartram

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12/09/2007 10:08, Report by Ben Hibbs

Reds attack nears full force

With Louis Saha making a goalscoring return against Sunderland, Cristiano Ronaldo now free from suspension and Wayne Rooney’s comeback from injury reportedly not far off, Reds skipper Gary Neville hopes United can now go on a long winning run.

The 32-year-old, yet to play this season due to niggling calf and thigh injuries, is hoping to return in “a week or two”. But he says the support for Carlos Tevez from Saha and Rooney and the potent attacking threat of Ronaldo will make a real difference to the Reds in the coming weeks.

“I think we needed the wins against Tottenham and Sunderland,” Neville told MUTV. "It’s obvious that we didn’t hit the best of form during the first few weeks of the season but I think there are reasons for that. We’ve had injuries to Louis Saha, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Wayne Rooney so Carlos Tevez has been up there on his own,” he adds. “He finished the Copa America, came over here and has had to be thrown straight in at the deep end, up front on his own.

“It’s been difficult for us not having three of our forwards available. You could see in the last game the difference Louis made when he came on, and I think with Wayne coming back soon I’m sure we’ll get even stronger. We have to make sure we don’t fall too behind the leaders at this stage.”

Ronaldo, who was United’s joint-top goalscorer with Rooney on 23 goals last term, is also back from a three-game ban for his sending off against Portsmouth. The culmination of those three attacking players returning, Neville feels, will make all the difference. “Cristiano getting suspended obviously added to our problems," he said. "But I think it will all come together in the next few weeks. Hopefully we'll pick up the level of performance and get back to freescoring ways.”