wlt1110

03/12/2007 10:44, Report by Steve Bartram

Gunners come from behind

Arsenal came from behind to cement their status as Barclays Premier League leaders with a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa.
Craig Gardner sidefooted the hosts ahead, only for Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor to turn the game on its head. John Carew struck the bar after the break for Villa, but Arsene Wenger's side held on for victory.
Chelsea overcame a physical West Ham approach to register a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a late Joe Cole winner against his former side.
Steve Bruce's reign as Wigan manager started in the worst possible way as Geovanni gave Manchester City the lead after 30 seconds at the JJB Stadium, only for Paul Scharner's header to seal a 1-1 draw.

David Bentley's brace helped Blackburn recover from a goal down to beat Newcastle 3-1 at Ewood Park. Tugay added a late clincher to heap more misery on the Magpies, who had led through Obafemi Martins' opener.
Teenage striker Anthony Stokes gave Sunderland manager Roy Keane a huge lift, hooking home the winner late in the day as the Black Cats narrowly overcame Derby County at the Stadium of Light.
Middlesbrough striker Tuncay headed a late leveller at Reading, while Portsmouth and Everton fought out a tepid goalless draw at Fratton Park.
On Sunday, Liverpool benefited from a shocking open goal miss from Nicolas Anelka to beat Bolton 4-0 at Anfield, through goals from Sami Hyypia, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Ryan Babel.
A stunning injury-time strike from Sebastian Larsson gave Birmingham a 3-2 victory at Tottenham, who lost two-goal skipper Robbie Keane to a harsh red card after an hour.

TeamPGDPTS1 Arsenal14+20362 Chelsea15+13313 Liverpool14+20304 Man Utd14+16305 Man City15+4306 Portsmouth15+12277 Aston Villa15+10278 Blackburn15+2269 Everton15+102410 West Ham14+719
Premier League resultsAston Villa 1 Arsenal 2; Blackburn 3 N'castle 1; Chelsea 1 West Ham 0; Pompey 0 Everton 0; Reading 1 Boro 1; S'land 1 Derby 0; Wigan 1 Man City 1; Liverpool 4 Bolton 0; Spurs 2 B'ham 3

wlt1110

03/12/2007 10:37, Report by Steve Bartram

Cottagers star in bullish mood

Fulham midfielder Steven Davis says his side will aim to 'spoil United's quality' in order to take a positive result away from Old Trafford on Monday night.
The Cottagers are aiming to inflict a first home league defeat of the season on Sir Alex Ferguson's side, and Davis admits a huge task faces Lawrie Sanchez's side.
“United are going to be challenging for the title this year but we’re going to go there and try and get something from the game,” he told Fulham's official website.
“It’s nice to challenge yourself against the best players in the world, you can only learn from these experiences.
“We all know it’s going to be a tough task but we’re going there to try and come away with something. We’re not just going there to show up; we’re going to try and spoil Manchester United’s quality.”
Fulham have performed admirably at Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool already this season and, although they took just one point from those three games, Davis feels the Cottagers' displays bode well.
“We’ve done well against Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal so far this season so I don’t see why not,” he said. “We didn’t get the points we wanted from those games but we were definitely in the games and unlucky in certain aspects.”

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02/12/2007 14:15, Report by Adam Bostock

FA Cup third round draw

United will be on very familiar ground when they embark on this season's FA Cup campaign.

The Reds have been drawn away to Aston Villa in the third round - incredibly it's the fourth time in seven years that the clubs have been paired together at this last-64 stage of the competition. United have won the last three ties, including last term's win at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side also won 2-1 at Villa Park in January 2004 - the last year United won the FA Cup - and 3-2 at the same ground in January 2002.

Villa were also vanquished in United's FA Cup-winning years of 1948, 1963 and 1977. The Villans' only victory over United in the competition since the war was in the 1957 final at Wembley.

Full FA Cup 3rd Round Draw:

Preston v Scunthorpe
Port Vale/Chasetown v Cardiff
Colchester v Peterborough
Bolton v Sheffield United
Blackburn v Coventry
Brighton v Mansfield
Northampton/Walsall v Millwall
Charlton v West Brom
Watford v Crystal Palace
Luton/Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
Plymouth v Hull
Aston Villa v Manchester United
Tranmere v Hereford
Tottenham v Reading
Burnley v Arsenal
Bristol City v Middlesbrough
Fulham v Bristol Rovers
Huddersfield v Birmingham
Horsham/Swansea v Havant & Waterlooville
Sunderland v Wigan
Oxford/Southend v Dagenham & Redbridge
Everton v Oldham
Derby v Sheffield Wednesday
Southampton v Leicester
West Ham v Manchester City
Ipswich v Portsmouth
Wolves v Cambridge
Barnsley v Blackpool
Chelsea v QPR
Stoke v Newcastle
Swindon v Burton Albion/Barnet
Norwich v Bury

Ties are to be played on the weekend of 5 and 6 January, 2008. ManUtd.com will confirm the exact date and kick-off as soon as they are announced


FA Cup: Aston Villa v UnitedRecent FA Cup ties between Aston Villa and Manchester United:

3rd Rnd 2007: United 2-1 Villa
3rd Rnd 2004: Villa 1-2 United
3rd Rnd 2002: Villa 2-3 United

Other post-war FA Cup meetings:

6th Rnd 1977: United 2-1 Villa
4th Rnd 1963: United 1-0 Villa
Final 1957: Villa 2-1 United
3rd Rnd 1948: Villa 4-6 United

wlt1110

03/12/2007 11:28, Report by Ben Hibbs

O'Shea targets winning run

United are chasing a winning run of matches that would leave the Reds well poised to push for a tenth Premier League title come the end of February.
Next Wednesday’s Champions League Group F dead rubber aside, there is a clear run of domestic football – also without the distraction of internationals – until the end of February.
In that time there are 13 league games, and John O’Shea says United are looking to win all of them in order to set up a thrilling sprint finish.
Defeat to Bolton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League ended a ten-game unbeaten run, stretching back to the 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in August.
But with Arsenal extending their lead at the top to six points in a hard-fought, and arguably fortuitous, 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, United cannot now stumble as Fulham visit Old Trafford this evening.
“We’re looking for three points, no less,” John O’Shea told Manchester United Radio ahead of tonight’s game.
“After the defeat against Bolton we need to pick ourselves up and begin a long run of results, a lot like what we achieved since losing to City.”
“Everyone is upset when we lose, but it makes you take a step back and look at things in a different light. Often you’re much sharper and more determined after a defeat, and that’s what we’ll need to be.”
O’Shea says it was no coincidence that the defeat to Bolton was preceded by the climactic final throes of the European Championship qualifiers.
Now without international interruptions until the end of February, the players can stay fully focused on reeling in the gunners and setting up a sprint finish for the title.
“The internationals can be quite disruptive at club level,” said the Irishman. “The manager has some players coming back with injuries, some have travelled thousands of miles and are tired, others have travelled but not played and don’t have match sharpness. It’s not ideal. But we’ve got a clear run until the end of February, so now I think you’re going to see a consistent run from the team.
“Fulham won’t make it easy, they’re a tough side, but our aim has to be to start a winning run of games.”

wlt1110

03/12/2007 12:10, Report by Steve Bartram

Saha itching to score

Louis Saha admits he is desperate to start scoring again, and would love to find the net against former team Fulham on Monday evening.
The French striker has made 10 appearances this term, but hasn't scored since his penalty against Chelsea on September 23. As he gradually regains his match-sharpness, Saha concedes that a goal would work wonders for his confidence.
"Goals are the main part of the game for any striker and it would really help me if I could get one," said the Frenchman.
"I am hungry for goals and the good thing about being in this team is that you know we will always create chances."
Saha has a fine goalscoring record against Fulham - three goals in as many starts - and he knows a victory is vital against the Cottagers after last weekend's shock defeat at Bolton.
"It is imperative to get a result," said Saha. "We know it will be hard against them, it always is. But after what happened against Bolton, we are in a bad position and we have to react."
Powerful, quick and two-footed, there are few strikers with more to offer than Saha when fully
fit. However injuries, most recently a knee cartilage problem, have dogged his United career, and as a result he is being used cautiously by Sir Alex Ferguson.
"It has been difficult but I am injury-free now," he said. "A cartilage problem is always difficult. It seemed a bit dangerous and I was a bit worried at one point because it is never good to play with a swollen knee.
"But I am clear of it now. The manager is doing the right thing and I am trying to forget about it."

wlt1110

05/12/2007 11:16, Report by Nick Coppack

Ronaldo lands the treble

Cristiano Ronaldo's mum can now rest easy after her son scooped a hat-trick of awards at ManUtd.com.

After notching two goals on Monday for the 12th time in his United career, the Reds' no.7 admitted his mother sometimes asks him why he never completes a hat-trick. Now Ronny can point to the three awards bestowed on him this week by ManUtd.com.

Visitors to the website voted Cristiano Ronaldo United's Player of the Month for November, while the Portuguese international also picked up the website's Goal of the Month award and Man of the Match prize for his performance against Fulham.

It's no surprise the 22-year-old won all three honours after netting five times in four matches during November. His strikes included an important goal at the Emirates Stadium, two in two minutes at home to Blackburn Rovers and a curling beauty against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League.

But it was another goal in Europe – his last-minute scorcher against former club Sporting Lisbon – that landed him the November Goal of the Month prize. With United and Sporting locked at 1-1, Ronaldo stepped up to blast home a free-kick from 25 yards and secure top spot in Group F and 71 per cent of the vote.

He was also an overwhelmingly popular choice for the Player of the Month award, amassing 51 per cent of the vote. Patrice Evra came in second with 16 per cent.

wlt1110

05/12/2007 10:27, Report by Ben Hibbs

Maradona: Rooney's the best

Former World Cup winner Diego Maradona says Wayne Rooney is better than Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The Argentinian ace doesn’t believe AC Milan midfielder Kaka should have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, but neither does he think second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo deserved the accolade.

Instead, the Argentina legend reckons Ronaldo’s United team-mate Wayne Rooney has a far stronger claim to the title of best footballer in the world.

“I don’t know too well how the election is done, but I think that Rooney is better than Kaka,” Maradona told El Grafico.

”Milan is a team that depends all the time on Kaka but that doesn’t make him the best player in the world.”

Rooney returned to action on Monday against Fulham after almost a month on the sidelines through injury. His ankle strain suffered in training halted a run of eight goals in seven games.

Ronaldo has since picked up the baton, and with two goals against the Cottagers earlier this week he took his tally to 11 goals in his last seven starts. It is precisely that kind of form that has put him in contention – and again in competition with Kaka and Lionel Messi – for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award, to be announced in Zurich on 17 December.

wlt1110

04/12/2007 07:13, Report by Ben Hibbs

Sir Alex: Arsenal will stumble

Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Arsenal will drop points over the busy festive period, and has urged his players to make sure they are ready to pounce on any mistake.

United chopped Arsenal's advantage at the top of the league back to three points with victory over Fulham on Monday night, and Sir Alex admits the Gunners, who are in good form, are well within striking distance.

The gap is slanted slightly in United’s favour as Arsenal still have a game in hand, but it could have been much closer had the Reds not slipped up against Bolton Wanderers last weekend.

“We’d like to be three points better off," Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio. "If we hadn’t lost to Bolton then we would have been in a great position.

“Arsenal are playing well, but it’s a long season and they know that, too. They will drop points, there’s no doubt about that."

Having secured top spot in Group F of the Champions League with a game to spare, Sir Alex wants to use the clear run of games over Christmas to put United in an even stronger position.

The Reds play Derby on Saturday before one of the key league fixtures of the season - a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday 16 December. That is part of the reason why Sir Alex is already weighing up his squad for the meaningless final Champions League group game against AS Roma next Wednesday.

"I have a dilemma for the Roma trip," he said. "Obviously we’re already through, and I’d really like some of the young players to get some miles on the clock, but we have to make sure we don’t get embarrassed.”

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Papers: Ryan backs Ron
05/12/2007 10:20

Giggs backs Ronaldo over 'penalty'
Ryan Giggs has accused referees of continuing to view Cristiano Ronaldo as a diver and refusing to recognise he is a changed man.
The winger was at the centre of controversy towards the end of Manchester United's 2-0 home win over Fulham on Monday when he was brought down by Antti Niemi and booked by Rob Styles, who ruled he had dived.
Although Giggs accepted his team-mate went to ground too easily and earned a reputation as a diver when he first came to England four years ago, he insisted Ronaldo had cleaned up his act.
"I think Ronny had that reputation as a diver when he first came here, but that's gone now. But I don't know, you'd have to ask the referee about that."
David McDonnell, The Mirror

The same story (or versions very similar) crops up in many of the tabloids across the UK, with Giggs' MUTV interview the main source for quotes.

Elsewhere, The Daily Mail claim Gerard Pique has committed himself to a future at Old Trafford after a reported "dressing down" from Carlos Queiroz. The paper claims Pique was told he needed to make more of his opportunities in the first team and the young Spaniard seems to have reacted positively.
In other news, Liverpool appear to have been dragged into an alleged betting scandal. Reports in numerous papers claim Liverpool's 8-0 win over Besiktas in the Champions League last month is under investigation due to "irregular betting patterns".
Round up by Nick Coppack

wlt1110

05/12/2007 09:37, Report by Ben Hibbs

U18s: West Brom 1 United 3

After defeat to Everton and a draw with Liverpool, United's Under-18s got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory in the rearranged fixture against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

The United youngsters, who remain third in the table behind Everton and Manchester City, defeated the Midlands side with goals from Magnus Eikrem, Matt James and Federico Macheda.

Norwegian midfielder Eikrem got Unitd's first after just seven minutes, before second-half strikes from James and Macheda sealed the victory.

Paul McGuinness' side now turn their attentions to the FA Youth Cup. The Reds face Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday 13 December in the FA Youth Cup third round at Old Trafford.

Tickets for match, priced £5 adults and £2 concessions, are available online or by calling 0870 442 1999.

United: Woods; Moffatt, Dudgeon, Strickland, C.Evans (Stewart 59); James, Eikrem, Drinkwater, Galbraith (Bryan 69); Welbeck, Macheda (Curran 77).
Sub not used: Norwood.

wlt1110

03/12/2007 20:58, Report by Nick Coppack

Giggs: We must be ruthless

United beat Fulham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday night but stand-in skipper Ryan Giggs admitted the scoreline should have been bigger.

The Reds missed a string of chances in front of goal as Sir Alex's men carved open a Fulham defence that have kept just two clean sheets all season.

"We were a bit sloppy in front of goal and [Fulham goalkeeper] Antti Niemi made a few good saves," Giggs told MUTV.

"We're happy with the three points but it could have been more."

Cristiano Ronaldo netted either side of the break to score his 12th and 13th goals of the season and Giggs was quick to praise the winger's contribution.

"He's on fire for us at the moment and scoring all the goals. He scores all types of goals, too. He's strong in the air and he showed great technique with his volley in the first half."

Ronaldo was denied the chance of completing his hat-trick when referee Rob Styles waved away what looked to be a stonewall penalty and instead booked the 22-year-old for simulation.

"Everyone thinks it was a penalty and when the referee looks back at it I think he'll know he made a mistake. It is hard for the referee because it happens so quickly and he has to make a split-second decision."

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03/12/2007 22:34, Report by Gemma Thompson

Ronaldo's double delight

Cristiano Ronaldo was delighted to fire United to victory over Fulham, but felt aggrieved not to complete his hat-trick after being denied a clear penalty.

The 22-year-old volleyed home brilliantly on 10 minutes and headed a second just before the hour to complete a 2-0 win for the Reds.

He looked likely to be handed a chance to seal his treble when he was brought down by Cottagers' stopper Antti Niemi after being put clean through on goal.

But referee Rob Styles opted instead to book Ronaldo for diving, much to the winger's bemusement.

"The ref took the decision and although I respect it, I don't have the same opinion," he told MUTV afterwards. "It's a penalty. If he watches the replay, he'll see that the keeper doesn't touch the ball.

"It's frustrating to get a yellow card for it, but that's the way football goes and sometimes referees make mistakes. I don't think he did a great job tonight, but the most important thing is the three points."

Ronaldo's goals were his 12th and 13th of the campaign and even though he missed out on sealing his first hat-trick for the club, he's more than happy with his current goals' ratio.
"My mum sometimes says to me 'why do you never score a hat-trick?!' But I always tell her I'm happy to keep scoring two goals," he joked.

"I'm a winger, not a striker, but my mentality is always to try and help the team, whether it is by making a goal or scoring one."

wlt1110

03/12/2007 09:47, Report by Steve Bartram

Kaka edges out Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has been beaten to the prestigious Ballon d'Or award by AC Milan playmaker Kaka.
United's Portuguese winger finished in second place in the rankings decided by football journalists, collecting 277 points to Kaka's 444, ahead of Barcelona starlet Lionel Messi.
The award, regarded as the most prestigious individual accolade around, this year recognises the best player in world football, having previously been known as the European Player of the Year award.
Kaka has long been touted as favourite for the award after his hugely inspirational role in Milan's triumphant Champions League campaign last season.
The Brazilian put United to the sword in the semi-finals, scoring twice at Old Trafford and once again at the San Siro as Milan ran out 5-3 winners on aggregate.
He, Ronaldo and Messi are again locking horns for the FIFA World Player of the Year award on December 17, with Kaka once more favourite to take the gong.

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06/12/2007 21:00

United unveil Munich tributes

Manchester United have announced plans to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster on 6 February 2008.

* United players to wear a retro 1950s-style kit against Manchester City on 10 February
* Permanent, free exhibition telling the story of the Busby Babes
* South Stand tunnel to be renamed the Munich Tunnel
* Memorial service involving survivors, relatives of those who died, guests and fans
* MUTV to broadcast free-to-air on 6 February

The centrepiece of the commemorations will be the creation of a free, permanent exhibition telling the story of the Busby Babes. The exhibition, to be unveiled in the South Stand tunnel at Old Trafford (which will be renamed the Munich Tunnel), will be open to all visitors and designed to educate younger fans about the Busby Babes' early triumphs, the tragedy of the crash, the rebuilding process and United's eventual European Cup triumph in 1968.

A memorial service involving survivors and relatives of those who died will be held in the Manchester Suite at Old Trafford. The service will coincide with the moment in 1958 that the plane carrying players and staff back from Belgrade crashed on take-off at Munich airport. Details outlining how United fans can join invited guests will be published in January.

In addition, United's subscription TV channel, MUTV, will broadcast a series of exclusive, in-depth features and documentaries on 6 February, when all programmes will be free-to-air and without advertisements to Sky and cable customers.

The Reds' closest home match to the anniversary is on 10 February against neighbours Manchester City, who provided considerable
support and assistance in the immediate aftermath of the crash and whose former goalkeeper, Frank Swift – a journalist on the ill-fated flight – died in the wreckage. Following a request some months ago, the Premier League has agreed to set aside its usual rules on kit design to allow the team to wear a special 1950s-style kit in the match, free from sponsorship and numbered 1 to 11. The kit is a one-off and will not be available for purchase. All fans present at the 10 February game will receive a memento of the occasion.

Club Chief Executive David Gill said: “The Munich air crash was not just about Manchester United. It devastated the lives of the 23 families of those who died, as well as those who never played again and united a city in grief. Those who are able to remember it say it was Manchester’s 'Kennedy moment': everyone knows where they were when the terrible news came through.

“It is a heavy responsibility that those of us who work for this great Club and those who live and work in this magnificent city have to show respect, admiration and regret over that loss some five decades ago. I hope the exhibition will enable generations of fans to understand the place Sir Matt and his teams have in the Club’s history, from the birth of the Babes to his crowning achievement in 1968.

“I believe that, in partnership with the families, fans, authorities, Manchester City and our sponsors, we have created a programme that will enable everyone to remember, pay respect to and learn about a wonderful side, cut down in its prime.

“The sincere thanks of the Club go to AIG and Nike for their wholehearted backing for the kit change, and to the Premier League for allowing us to mark the event in a unique way.”

wlt1110

06/12/2007 11:32, Report by Ben Hibbs

Hargreaves feels at home

Owen Hargreaves may have been frustrated by injuries in his first few months at Old Trafford, but the Reds midfielder says it took him no time at all to settle.

The 26-year-old appears to have finally overcome the tendonitis injury that plagued the start to his United career, and he has now started the last five league games for the Reds.

And while things are just starting to go right on the field, he reveals he’s not had any problems off it.

“I feel like I’ve been at the club for years,” he told MUTV. “I’ve known a lot of the players for a long time through the England set-up and, of course, the national team has trained at Carrington on numerous occasions and also played at Old Trafford. So it’s always been familiar to me.

“Being a United player is everything I expected and more. I’ve been really impressed with the club as an organisation, the people, the way everyone has taken to me. I’ve been hugely impressed with the quality of the players, the staff, the fans and also the style of football this team plays.

“The only disappointment has been that I’d like to have played more games. Hopefully that will change now.”

Despite the injury, Hargreaves was always comforted by the knowledge that Sir Alex Ferguson would deal with the problem in the right way.

“He has so far proved to be the perfect manager,” added Owen. “With the injury he's known when to rest me and when to give me games. But it’s not just the manager, all the coaches
that work with the first team are excellent. They play an important role, but Sir Alex is the figurehead of it all.”

The aim now is for a run of games in the side, but that in itself brings its own challenges.

“The competition in midfield is great,” he adds. “We miss Scholesy at the moment, he’s such a great player, but Anderson has come in and he’s really starting to show what he’s capable of.

"We’ve got plenty of options with Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher pushing for places. It makes it difficult for the manager, which is a good thing.”