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18/02/2008 07:50, Report by Steve Bartram

Rested stars set to return

United's squad should be bolstered by the return of four key players for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Lyon.

Sir Alex Ferguson left Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves out of Saturday's squad to face Arsenal, and restricted Paul Scholes to a 20-minute runout in the Reds' 4-0 win.

That key quartet should all be in contention to start, however, as United resume their European campaign against the French champions.

"I gave them a rest, although Ronaldo had a bit of a tummy upset," Sir Alex said after Saturday's win. "I was thinking about resting him anyway and perhaps put him on the bench, but when we found out he wasn't well, we decided to give him a complete break.
"The likes of Ryan and Paul Scholes - players with great experience - will play in Lyon on Wednesday. They'll be very important for us."

While United warmed up for Tuesday's trip to France in stunning fashion against Arsenal, Lyon slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat at Le Mans.

Manager Alain Perrin rested several players ahead of United's visit, and the result sees Les Gones' lead at the top of Ligue 1 cut down to just one point. Former Reds defender Laurent Blanc guided his second-placed Bordeaux side to a 6-0 win at Monaco.

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18/02/2008 07:06, Report by Nick Coppack

Bodmer has no fear

Lyon midfielder Mathieu Bodmer believes the French champions have what it takes to knock United out of the Champions League.

Bodmer, who joined Lyon in the summer, knows all about the Reds from his time as a Lille player. Despite Lyon being out of form - they lost 1-0 to Le Mans at the weekend - he thinks they're capable of edging past United.

"The worst possible draw would have been Internazionale, they are very strong," Bodmer told uefa.com. "In England, United and Arsenal are above the others. But I have played United with Lille, and I'm sure we have a chance of going through."

The defensive midfielder didn't play in Lille's second-leg trip to Old Trafford last season but did play a key role in the previous campaign's group stage matches. In those games, Lille earned a 0-0 draw in Manchester before winning 1-0 at Stade de France.

United had no trouble scoring goals on the weekend, however. The Reds smashed four past Arsenal in the FA Cup and Bodmer admits United's strikeforce is of most concern. "Cristiano Ronaldo is key, and the Rooney-Tevez duo works very well," he said. "They have lots of attacking assets but they hate to defend. Our aim will be to force them to defend."

Lyon's Last FiveLens (A) 0-3
Lorient (H) 2-0
St Etienne (A) 1-1
Sochaux (H) 4-1
Le Mans (A) 0-1

Lyon are still a point ahead of second-placed Bordeaux in Ligue 1, but the iron grip on the title they have won six times in a row has not been so strong this season.

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18/02/2008 09:07, Report by Nick Coppack

Fletcher: Prepared to wait

With United still firing in three competitions, Darren Fletcher will be hoping for more time on the pitch between now and the end of the season.

The Scotland international made only his seventh start of the campaign in Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Arsenal, a match in which Fletcher scored twice to cap a breathtaking performance in the heart of United’s midfield.

But despite Fletcher’s starring role, he knows he could find himself back among the substitutes for the Reds’ Champions League clash with Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday.

“It’s a squad game and you have to be patient,” Fletcher reasoned after the FA Cup victory.

“We have a talented squad with a lot of players in it and against Arsenal I was called upon to do a job.

“I always go out there and do my best in every game, whether that’s as a substitute or from the start.

“Fortunately for me, I got a start on Saturday and hopefully I’ll get a few more before the end of the season.

“Everyone wants to play all the time. It’s no different whatever level you play at. When you’re not playing regularly you just have to keep yourself fit, train hard and your chances will come.”

Darren Fletcher was speaking to MUTV.

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Papers: Nani not to blame
18/02/2008 09:46

Don’t blame Nani
Not far behind Wayne Rooney as Man of the Match was fellow scorer Nani. It was easily his best game for the club and I don’t believe he should have been criticised for his ball juggling towards the end that so angered Arsenal. Arsene Wenger said Nani had incensed his players and that it was disrespectful. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he’d had a word with his Portugal player. Why? What Nani did was simply skilful. Taking the mickey is when you blatantly try and show that your opponents are inferior. Nani’s skill and control needs to be encouraged and I just hope the rollicking doesn’t send him into a shell.
Brian Woolnough, Daily Star

Elsewhere in the same paper, Woolnough criticises Arsenal for not taking the FA Cup seriously. “If Arsenal are not interested in the FA Cup then they should be kicked out of next season’s competition,” he argues.

The Sun features quotes from Rio Ferdinand’s interview with United Review, with the defender claiming “now is the time to deliver” ahead of the Reds’ Champions League clash with Lyon. “I feel we’ve put so much into this season that to throw it all away now with bad performances and results would be criminal,” he said.

Also looking ahead to the Lyon game, The Express hint Sir Alex Ferguson could drop four of United’s star performers against Arsenal. The paper claim Darren Fletcher, Anderson, Ji-sung Park and Nani could all find themselves on the bench come Wednesday night.
Round up by Nick Coppack

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16/02/2008 17:46, Report by Gemma Thompson

Boss hopes for title impact

Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful that United's enthralling 4-0 FA Cup victory over Arsenal will further enhance the Reds' title aspirations.

The Gunners are five points clear after capitalising on United's derby defeat last weekend.

However, the Reds' perfect response against Arsene Wenger's side at Old Trafford has given Sir Alex belief that United have gained a psychological edge over the league leaders.

"I hope this result has an impact on the title race," he told MUTV. "When Arsenal come here in April they know they're in for a really good game.

"But that's two months away, both clubs could be in different positions. But this result has certainly whetted our appetite for that game."

Sir Alex was delighted with the overall team performance and had some special words of praise for two-goal hero Darren Fletcher. "He showed what a good player he really is," enthused the boss. "Sometimes you go with horses for courses and this game was tailor-made for Darren. He always does well against Arsenal. It was Darren's day.

"The whole team can be very proud of themselves. It was a really fantastic performance and a great way to respond to last Sunday's defeat. I think they were all disappointed with themselves. They felt flat and the emotions of the week probably took their toll.

"But they have made amends and atoned for that in a big, big way. It marvellous. They played with verve and tenacity, and the passing was terrific."

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20/02/2008 07:28, Report by Steve Bartram, in Lyon

Beware the underdog

Patrice Evra insists United must ignore their status as favourites going into Wednesday night’s tricky Champions League clash with Lyon.

The reigning Ligue 1 champions have been in mixed form of late, but Evra insists they will thrive on their underdog status, just as he did as part of the Monaco side which shocked Europe by reaching the 2004 final.

“It’s a bit like Monaco’s situation against Real Madrid, when everybody was tipping them to win,” he told the pre-match press conference.

“That seriously annoyed us and we ended up beating them, so it just goes to show that you need total respect for your opponents or you could get a nasty surprise."

United are on a high after beating title rivals Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday. By comparison, Lyon continued their inconsistent form since the turn of the year with a 1-0 defeat to Le Mans at the weekend. But Evra won't be paying too much attention to domestic results.

“Just because we put a beautiful performance in against Arsenal last weekend doesn’t mean that it’s going to be the same against Lyon," he added. "They have won their championship for the last six years on the run, they’re in the last 16 so clearly they’re a major team.

“We must show them serious respect. We don’t want to fall into the trap of not respecting them and end up struggling to qualify. But, at such a big club like United, with Sir Alex at the helm, it’s very difficult to actually lose concentration.”

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20/02/2008 08:53, Report by Nick Coppack

Rio and Vida: Keep it clean

United’s centre backs are aiming for a clean sheet in Lyon tonight, but warn it won’t be easy.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were both delighted with the Reds’ weekend mauling of Arsenal – not least because the Gunners failed to find the net – and hope United can carry that form into tonight’s Champions League last 16 first leg.

“We had a bad result against Manchester City and we couldn’t wait for the next game so we could put things right,” Vidic told MUTV.

“We’ve done that now – we won 4-0 in an amazing game against Arsenal. That was a nice feeling but now there’s another game to look forward to and we’d love to reproduce that form.”

Ferdinand says the United squad know all about their French opponents and won’t take anything for granted.

“We expect a tough game and they’ve got this far in the competition for a reason: they’re a very good side. The manager’s drilled us and we’re well informed about Lyon. We’ve seen bits on the television and we played them a couple of years ago.

“If we can score an away goal then we’re halfway there, as long as we don’t concede more than one or two ourselves. But our aim is to keep a clean sheet – that will really  make life easier in the return leg.

“Last season we reached the semi final and were knocked out by the eventual winners. This time we want to go one or two better than that.

“But there are some big teams standing in our way – the first one’s Lyon. It’s going to be difficult but I think we have the players to achieve things in Europe this season.”

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20/02/2008 07:25, Report by Steve Bartram, in Lyon

Giggs joins centurions

Ryan Giggs will become only the eighth player to make 100 Champions League appearances in Wednesday night’s second round clash with Lyon, and Sir Alex Ferguson admits everyone at United is proud of the veteran winger.

The 34-year-old was rested for the Reds’ FA Cup battering of Arsenal last Saturday, and is expected to follow in the footsteps of Raul, Roberto Carlos, Paolo Maldini, David Beckham, Oliver Kahn, Luis Figo and Clarence Seedorf in passing the century mark.

“There are only a few players who will reach that milestone in European football,” admitted Sir Alex at his pre-match press conference. “It’s because of his ability, his longevity, how he prepares himself to have a good lifestyle, and obviously being at a successful club.

“For me, Ryan has been an absolute model in his time with us. Even at 34 years of age we expect big, big things of him. Obviously we don’t play him in every game, but that’s natural for someone of that age. We want to play him in the games that really, really matter to our football club, and one of them is tomorrow.

“Ryan, throughout his time with us, has always reserved his best performances for the biggest occasions. I’ve said many times about occasions
at Old Trafford and the atmosphere, and the great nights we’ve had there. They could only happen because the right type of players are playing on that stage, and Ryan has produced many great moments for us. So it’s a great occasion for him, we’re all proud of him.”

Patrice Evra is likely to start behind Giggs on United’s left side at the Stade Gerland, and the French defender admits that he is delighted for his team-mate to join such an exclusive club.

“I think it is a privilege to play with Ryan Giggs,” he said. “For me I just say thanks to Giggsy because I’ve learnt a lot of things with him, he’s a great player and I’m very happy for him.”

Giggs is likely to have familiar company in the 100 club sooner rather than later, with Paul Scholes set to join Gary Neville on 98 appearances if he features against Lyon.

In the 100 clubRaul – 114 apps
Roberto Carlos – 113 apps
Paolo Maldini – 106 apps
David Beckham – 103 apps
Oliver Kahn – 103 apps
Luis Figo – 100 apps
Clarence Seedorf – 100 apps
Ryan Giggs – 99 apps

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19/02/2008 15:53, Report by Steve Bartram, in Lyon

Boss expects tough test

Sir Alex Ferguson is reading nothing into Lyon’s shock defeat against Le Mans last weekend, insisting that he expects a thorough examination from the Ligue 1 champions when they host United on Wednesday night.

Alain Perrin rested a host of his top players in readiness for United’s visit, and Sir Alex is well aware that his side are up against tough opposition in a side that has won their domestic league for the last six seasons.

“I’ve seen some parts of it (Lyon’s 1-0 defeat at Le Mans), just what we need for the team,” he told his pre-match press conference. “Obviously it was a disappointment for Lyon, but I saw the game last Saturday against Sochaux, and we know it’s a big match for both teams.

“It’ll be a difficult game, but I think it’s a good atmosphere and the pitch is good, so I think it will be a really good match.”

United go into Wednesday’s second round, first leg tie on the back of a thumping FA Cup win over Arsenal, but that match is dead and buried according to Sir Alex, whose sights are firmly set on posting a positive result in France.

“We haven’t discussed the Arsenal match with the players because we have a big match tomorrow,” he said. “It’s normal. We don’t look back, we look forward. Today’s the day, tomorrow’s the big day.”

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Papers: Reds eye Lyon ace
20/02/2008 11:00

United eye £30m Kar
The striker who could wreck the Champions League hopes of Manchester United will catch Sir Alex Ferguson’s eye tonight. But Fergie is adamant he hasn’t talked to French opponents Lyon about signing £30 million rated Karim Benzema. The marksman, 20, is being monitored by Europe’s top clubs, but Ferguson insists he didn’t discuss a deal with Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas when they dined together 12 days ago before watching Benzema hit his 25th goal of the season in a 4-1 win over Sochaux. United have also been linked with Lyon midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa.
George Scott, Daily Star
Many of today’s papers have reported on Sir Alex’s anger at Arsenal’s “dirty” tactics on Saturday. Sir Alex was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: “There is one law for them and another for everyone else.”
Ryan Giggs makes his 100th Champions League appearance for the Reds tonight. The Sun report on Ferguson’s admiration for the 34-year-old winger with the United boss declaring Giggs: “the model professional.”
Finally, Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has ignited the fire ahead of United’s Saturday tea time trip to St James’s Park by suggesting his side can surprise a few people. The Daily Star point out that Keegan enjoys a good record over the Reds. United were beaten 5-0 the last time they played Keegan’s Newcastle at St James’s Park back in 1996.  

Round up by Ian Baker

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18/02/2008 13:30, Report by Nick Coppack

Sir Alex relishes Pompey tie

Sir Alex Ferguson was unsurprised that United were drawn against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup sixth round, but he is pleased the tie against Portsmouth is at Old Trafford.

The match against Harry Redknapp's men will be played on Saturday 8 March (kick-off 12:45 GMT), with the winner booking a semi-final date at Wembley.

United's incredible run of all-Premier League ties stretches to eleven with the visit of Pompey, but Sir Alex says the cup atmosphere at Old Trafford makes it a match to relish.

"It's a home draw, so it doesn't matter who you get. But it's typical that we have another Premier League team!" Sir Alex told ManUtd.com.

"The good thing about the FA Cup, though, is that the opposition bring an increased number of supporters, which makes for a great atmosphere.

"We've had two great home ties against Spurs and Arsenal in the previous rounds, and hopefully we'll have another one against Portsmouth."

The last time the two sides met in the FA Cup – back in last season's fourth round – United ran out 2-1 winners.

Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers will play West Bromwich Albion and Barnsley host Chelsea. The winner of Middlesbrough and Sheffield United's fifth round replay will meet Cardiff City at home.

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19/02/2008 15:48, Report by Steve Bartram, in Lyon

Gallas clash over with

Sir Alex Ferguson is happy to draw a line under William Gallas’ actions in United’s FA Cup win over Arsenal, but feels the defender escaping punishment for kicking Nani will disappoint plenty of other clubs.

Referee Alan Wylie has watched the incident again on tape, but declined to include the defender’s kick in his report – thus the FA will take no further action.

“It’s hard to assess,” Sir Alex said at a press conference in Lyon. “There will be a lot of clubs disappointed because they’ve had players suffer from a retrospective view of incidents. It was a tough game for Alan Wylie, and he’d probably had enough. He was probably quite happy to put a marker under it and get a rest for the rest of this week.”

A fiery encounter saw Emmanuel Eboue sent off for the Gunners. And although Sir Alex insists there were other offences – including Gallas’ – that could have warranted the same punishment, he's happy to draw a line under the incident.

“It was very difficult in the second half,” he said. “There could have been three or four red cards for Arsenal. The important thing is everybody’s been made aware of the incident. We don’t need to answer to it, and we’re happy to leave it now.”

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20/02/2008 08:55, Report by Ben Hibbs

In pictures: United training

There was little sign of any nerves as the Reds put together final preparations for tonight's Champions League clash with Lyon.

Training on the Stade Gerland surface on Tuesday evening, the Reds coaches put United's players through their paces, but their was still time for some fun.

ManUtd.com's photographers have travelled with the team and, as usual, were given prime access to the final training session before Wednesday's last 16 first leg tie in France.

Our training picture gallery shows United's players in relaxed, confident mood.

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19/02/2008 10:20, Report by Ben Hibbs

Milan defeat inspires Reds

United face a severe test in Lyon on Wednesday night, but Sir Alex Ferguson is confident his side will be inspired by the disappointment of last year's semi final exit.

A 3-2 win at Old Trafford gave United a slight advantage. Two weeks later in Milan, however, an injury-hit Reds team, chasing three trophies at the time, couldn't cope with a Rosonerri side focused solely on Champions League success.

First up in the knockout stages this term are Lyon, who are themselves looking to prove that they can convert domestic domination onto the European stage. With six straight Ligue 1 titles, this season's league leaders are a formidable force. But Sir Alex is confident.

"We got the hardest draw in terms of the teams we could have faced, but I think we can navigate it successfully," he told Inside United. "Lyon have won their league for the last six years and they’re top again this year, so I expect it to be a tough game."

The Reds boss admits that last year's defeat to Milan was difficult to take. "We want to do well this year in the Champions League," he added. "Losing to Milan last year really hurt us. We just didn’t have the legs. We had a bad injury spell in March, which killed us.

"We'd lost Saha from December, then we lost Mikael Silvestre, Ji-Sung Park, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic. Three of those players didn’t play again that season.

"Vidic came back against Milan. It was a gamble, one worth taking. Ronaldo was also carrying an ankle injury for that game. We were well short of being full-strength, whereas Milan had rested players and were primed for that game. We were unlucky. This year, if we stay fit we’ll have an better chance."

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22/02/2008 12:08, Report by Gemma Thompson & Ben Hibbs

Reds set for changes

Sir Alex Ferguson has a full squad to select from ahead of the Reds' Premier League trip to Newcastle on Saturday, but the United boss is certain to make changes to keep a freshness to his side's play.

Ryan Giggs, who suffered a knee injury in a tackle with Juninho in the first half of Wednesday's Champions League clash, is available.

The Welshman was replaced by Nani in the 65th minute as United went in search of an equaliser, but he was able to train on Friday.

The United boss confirmed the stand-in skipper would be available for the visit to St James' Park, but revealed he may even leave some players behind.

“I may freshen up and make a few changes,” Sir Alex told reporters on Friday.

“We’re looking for enough freshness to get over Wednesday’s travelling into Europe.
“It can be difficult coming back off a mid-week tie in Europe, so hopefully I can pick the right team for the occasion."