Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[asiancigar]

From Scrapheap To Superstar: Nani Finally Raises His Game For Manchester United
Winger's breakthrough comes just weeks after being offered to Benfica.

Nani’s New Year transformation from infuriating wannabe poised for the exit door to world class winger has taken Manchester United by surprise.

At the start of the month, the odds on him winning the man of the match honours at Arsenal wouldn’t have been much lower than on Elvis Presley returning to do the same thing. Instead of starring for United, a move to Portuguese heavyweights Benfica as a makeweight in Angel Di Maria’s deal seemed a likely scenario.

A remarkable turnaround in fortunes in the last week has seen potential finally turn in to reality. After tearing Hull City apart, he continued to twist and turn Manchester City’s hapless Javier Garrido.

The icing on the cake came on Sunday. French international Gael Clichy was made to look like a pub player with no answer to Nani’s craft and industry.

For years to come, fans will talk of the sublime ‘chop’ he produced to break through the barricade put up by Clichy and Samir Nasri to force in the opener.

A sprint up the pitch and perfectly-weighted pass to Wayne Rooney followed to set up United’s second goal.

Sir Alex Ferguson was quick to heap praise on his renaissance man. He said: "The boy [Nani] has come back. He had an injury and he's been freshened up and his last three games have been first class and today was his best.

"Maturity is one thing as he's 23 now, he's a very shy boy there's no question about that.

"It's a question of getting stronger and better to deal with playing for us every week. And today is an example of that maturity."

Thrown on to the scrapheap after committing career suicide with a blistering attack on Ferguson in November, a disheartened early withdrawal against Wolfsburg looked like a final goodbye.

The Scottish supremo had certainly washed his hands of less embryonic talents before after any breach of club discipline.

Nani was never going to have an easy start to his United career. Following in the footsteps of fellow Sporting Lisbon alumnus Cristiano Ronaldo was an almost impossible task.

Yesterday, though, there were signs that he could make a similar impact on proceedings. Last season, Ronaldo was on hand to tear apart Arsenal at the Emirates with a moment of inspiration and lung-busting charge on goal.

History repeated itself with a different Portuguese international dealing out the misery to the Gunners.

Acrimony with Ferguson seemed to have been the making of Nani. The threat of a forced return to the city in which his professional career began - and a switch to his favoured right wing - has re-ignited his Premier League stay,

Ronaldo’s shadow still looms large over the ‘Theatre of Dreams,’ but Nani now has the inspiration to craft his own legacy.

Cheerz
AC

ps. personally, i am glad for Nani...... more so the fact that he runs, dribbles and showboats like CR....

[devilson]

Originally Posted by asiancigar

United's Player Ratings against Arsenal - Guardian UK

Wes Brown: Initially appeared vulnerable but was still abrasive and offered reassurance to his less experienced team-mates 6

Paul Scholes: Asked to snuff out the threat posed by Fábregas but metronomic and menacing with his passing from deep 8

Cheerz
AC

IT WAS SOO FUNNY READING THIS...
SCHOLES was asked to mark Fabregas???
Since when did Scholes learn how to tackle????
ever since he made his debut with Man U...
i dont think he have learnt how to tackle...
all his tackle are RUGBYfromtheback-Styled tackle...
even worst are his sliding tackle...BADLY-timed...
headache for any manager(EXCEPT SAF)...
though he have a great right leg for shooting...
and pinpoint passing accuracy...
SHOOTING: 9/10
TACKLING: 2/10

BROWNIE,BROWNIE....
i'm wondering when he is gonna make the switch to Pompey...
Maybe Crystal Palace would be a better choice...
he is inconsistent throughout his MAN U career...
SOMETIMES 9/10...sometimes BALL WATCHING...
He's asking a big hammer from SAF to smash his head...(beckham got the boot)
wonder why or how he managed to endure i think 7 seasons...
WITHOUT getting any offer from CHAMPS club...
god purposely didnt show him the light to lead him to Birmingham...
BALLWATCHING: 8/10(notsomuch in recent years)
DEFENDING: 5/10(maybe because i dislike him)

[richie_rich]

The Injury Files: Wednesday February 3

Hargreaves to actually be spotted soon?...

Obviously, we wouldn't exactly bet our mortgage on it happening, but Owen Hargreaves could make his comeback - of a sorts - when Manchester United take on AC Milan in the Champions League later this month.

Hargreaves - remember him? Midfielder, combative, quite good - is finally back in training, though the Mirror says that he is only 'alternating between working with the first team and the reserves'.

Nonetheless, Sir Alex Ferguson has reportedly craftily dangled the carrot of a CL return in front of Hargreaves by promising to include him in the squad to face Milan 'if he complete a full week's training'.

"I would like to seem him make the squad for the Champions League fixtures against AC Milan, but we won't rush him," said Ferguson.

"We are being patient with the rehabilitation following his knee operations and he is alternating his training with the reserve and first-team squads, working for two days and then resting a day.

"It's a matter of him regaining his confidence and, when he is able to train every day, that will be the moment for him to return to match play."

[richie_rich]

Transfer Gossip

The Daily Mail says that Manchester United 'are still interested in Racing Santander's Sergio Canales, 18, who has yet to sign for Real Madrid.'

According to the newspaper, 'Canales is out of contract in the summer but is said to have verbally agreed to re-sign for Racing before being sold on for a lucrative fee. His club want up to £10million, but are expected to accept less if the player is loaned back to them.'

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by richie_rich

..still interested in Racing Santander's Sergio Canales, 18, who has yet to sign for Real Madrid.

Cradle snatcher at it again?

Hargreaves to actually be spotted soon?... Obviously, we wouldn't exactly bet our mortgage on it happening, but Owen Hargreaves could make his comeback - of a sorts - when Manchester United take on AC Milan in the Champions League later this month.
Hargreaves - remember him? Midfielder, combative, quite good - is finally back in training,..Ferguson has reportedly craftily dangled the carrot of a CL return in front of Hargreaves by promising to include him in the squad to face Milan 'if he complete a full week's training'.

That's ppositive news, we do need his combative style and occasional good free kicks

[richie_rich]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Cradle snatcher at it again?

Canales, if he ever comes, could be another gem in the making. Rooney came before he was 18 i think. And Ronaldo was another talented "baby" snatched by SAF. Good prospect. SAF already planning for his next great team before he retires?

[yinyang]

Hargreaves is out of euro CL

BBC Sport - Football - Owen Hargreaves to miss Man Utd Champions League ties

[richie_rich]

Vidic in contention to face Pompey

Nemanja Vidic will return as Manchester United look to go top of the Premier League by beating Portsmouth at Old Trafford on Saturday. Vidic has been missing since suffering pain from a nerve in his leg prior to the encounter with Wigan at the end of December but has trained this week and could be involved, if not this weekend, then the crucial trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Rio Ferdinand serves the second match of a four-game ban, although United have appealed against the additional match, imposed for a "frivolous" appeal against the first one.

United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Park, Nani, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Owen, Berbatov, Diouf.

Kanu in squad for Old Trafford trip

Kanu is expected to be back in the Portsmouth squad for the daunting trip to Manchester United, having returned from the African Nations Cup. Nadir Belhadj, Hassan Yebda and Aruna Dindane all played in the 1-0 defeat at Fulham after their international duty ended.

On-loan defender Ricardo Rocha could make his debut having been on the bench at Craven Cottage.

Pompey (from): James, Finnan, Ben-Haim, Belhadj, Boateng, O'Hara, Wilson, Yebda, Basinas, Owusu-Abeyie, Piquionne, Webber, Dindane, Ashdown, Rocha, Mullins, Vanden Borre, Hughes, Ashdown, Kanu.

[asiancigar]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Hargreaves is out of euro CL

BBC Sport - Football - Owen Hargreaves to miss Man Utd Champions League ties

Am afraid that Owen Hargraeves might have to submit online application for Coaches Badge.... seems that his confidence has taken a huge beating from his psychological and physical scars.

What a waste of good money signing him......

Cheerz
AC

[machoman]

Stylish United go top after crushing Portsmouth.
Sunday, February 07, 2010, 02:05:26 HRS

Manchester United's midfielder Darren Fletcher jumps to control the ball during the English Premier League football match against Portsmouth at Old Trafford in Manchester. Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League in emphatic fashion as the champions crushed Portsmouth 5-0.

Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League in emphatic fashion as the champions crushed Portsmouth 5-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Wayne Rooney put United in front with his 23rd goal of the season and Anthony Vanden Borre's own goal gave Sir Alex Ferguson's side a comfortable lead at the interval.

Michael Carrick's shot looped up off Richard Hughes and beat David James, before Berbatov added a fourth and Marc Wilson volleyed into his own net to complete the rout.

The win was a major boost for United's goal difference and they are now one point clear of Chelsea, who face Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while Portsmouth remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

United's form against teams from the bottom half of the table remains imperious and their 2-2 draw with Sunderland in October remain the only points they have dropped against bottom 10 teams this season.

New England captain Rio Ferdinand was stuck in the directors' box as he served the second match of his four-game ban.

But United dominated from the start. Their best early chance came when Gary Neville clipped in a cross from the right and Jonny Evans guided a header just past the post.

Avram Grant's side were briefly able to give the hosts a scare. when Danny Webber broke into the United box and squared for Vanden Borre, who hit a drive bound for the top corner that was pushed away by Edwin Van der Sar.

Webber sent Vanden Borre through and he passed left for Jamie O'Hara to help the ball on to Nadir Belhadj, whose drive was hacked off the line by United defender Evans.

And 10 minutes before the interval, Berbatov passed up a great opportunity when Neville tore into the area and sent over a low cross that the Bulgarian turned around the post from five yards out.

Manchester United's striker Mame Biram Diouf (R) fights for the ball with Portsmouth's defender Tal Ben Haim during their English Premier League football match at Old Trafford in Manchester. Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League in emphatic fashion as the champions crushed Portsmouth 5-0.

But United finally got their breakthrough in the 40th minute and of course it was in-form Rooney that provided the killer blow.

A short corner was knocked back to Darren Fletcher and he sent over a cross that Rooney headed in from three yards for his seventh goal in four appearances.

And the points looked to be in the bag on the stroke of half time when Nani again fooled Vanden Borre and his cross flicked off the Belgian and past James.

Berbatov finally showed some class when he lifted a pass over the Portsmouth defence to send Valencia through but the Ecuador winger's drive was somehow kept out by James.

But just before the hour, United made the game safe with a strike of real quality.

Rooney laid the ball off and England midfielder Carrick hit a shot that flicked up off Hughes and bounced in off the underside of the bar.

Berbatov finally grabbed one for himself and showed some coolness to score.

The Bulgarian was picked out by a long ball and after finding his route to goal blocked, came out of the area again and found the corner of the net with a low shot.

Then Evra sent in a whipped cross from the left that was thumped into his own net by Wilson.

United substitute Mame Biram Diouf should have helped himself to a goal in the closing stages, but the Senegal striker failed to keep his shot down after he was played through by Valencia.

- AFP

[richie_rich]

OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS - NEVILLE

Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes they hold the destiny of the championship in their own hands.

No sooner had Portsmouth been defeated 5-0 at Old Trafford than the defender was looking ahead - to April 3 and a home match with Barclays Premier League title rivals Chelsea.

United are on a roll, winning six of their last seven league games and drawing the other. It is little wonder they are quietly confident of securing an unprecedented fourth successive crown.

Neville said: "It is in our hands now and it has not been like that for a while.

"Chelsea have to come here - and that is where we want to be. We want to win our home games."

It is no coincidence that while United are gaining momentum Wayne Rooney is having a purple patch.

The England striker scored his 23rd goal of the season, equalling a career best, when he made the breakthrough in the 40th minute following a cross from Darren Fletcher.

Neville is keen for his team-mate to maintain that form, especially as they are about to lock horns with David Beckham's AC Milan in the Champions League.

He said: "Wayne was in the right position at the right time after a great ball by Fletcher. He is a having a great season and and is a fantastic player for us.

"I hope Wayne continues like this until the end of the season because we are going to need him. The most important thing is he is scoring vital goals."

Full-back Patrice Evra added: "Wayne understands what the team needs. He is more mature. He is a world-class player, who is so dangerous in the box."

After Rooney opened the scoring United added a second on the stroke of half-time. Nani's close-range effort took a deflection first off Anthony Vanden Borre and then goalkeeper David James.

James was again cursing his luck in the 58th minute as Michael Carrick's drive cannoned off Richard Hughes and left him stranded.

United maintained the momentum and made it 4-0 on the hour with Dimitar Berbatov regaining possession and sending a low shot into the corner after Portsmouth failed to close him down.

The scoring was complete nine minutes later when Marc Wilson turned Evra's cross into his own net.

Neville said: "To get that goal before half-time was huge. Once we got it, Portsmouth found it very difficult. It deflated them.

"Nani and Antonio (Valencia) were a real threat every time they got down the wings.

"Nani is now making the right decisions. It is so difficult to stay with a player like him as he is so quick. He can go either way. He is coming on in leaps and bounds."

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant reckons there are grounds for optimism after Hong Kong-based businessman Balram Chainrai took control at Fratton Park.

However, the south-coast club face a winding-up order from HMRC over a £7.5million VAT bill, for which a High Court hearing is due on Wednesday.

Grant said: "I hope things will be more stable. It's important for the club. It's a unique club. The whole city is behind us.

"It was almost impossible in recent matches with all the mess and uncertainty. We didn't know where we were going, not just with the money situation.

"It was very difficult from the beginning. We were bottom of the league and it felt we had a storm over our head that was not connected to football.

"But even with this we showed that we play good football with good spirit and good character. The players go into every game with a lot of motivation."

[richie_rich]

NANI: I NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE

Manchester United winger Nani insists he never thought about quitting Old Trafford even in the depths of his miserable form.

The Portugal star's reversal of fortunes recently has been impressive.

While most United fans would have been glad to see the back of Nani during last month's transfer window, the 23-year-old has become one of the most influential figures in the Red Devils' title surge.

His performance at Arsenal recently stood out, with the skill he showed before forcing Manuel Almunia to concede an own goal amongst the season's highlights so far.

Nani is now in line to face Aston Villa, which would be his fifth start on the trot, and welcome redemption that has earned him long overdue respect from the United faithful.

Yet the former Sporting Lisbon star insists even when the criticism was at its fiercest, he did not consider throwing in the towel.

"I never wanted to go," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"When you are feeling low and things aren't going well, you do feel alone and there have been times like that. But I never thought about quitting and going back to Portugal.

"I was in a bad position sometimes and it wasn't easy to get back up again. Of course, your confidence does suffer on occasions and you get down.

"But I have shown I don't get depressed too easily. I am a strong personality. If you are not a strong character then it will drag you down.

"I am not like that. I am sure I have the quality to be one of the best in the world. I can achieve that."

Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping for more of the same from Nani at Villa Park.

Although United have not lost at Villa since 1995, Martin O'Neill's side ended a 29-year wait for an Old Trafford victory earlier this season and are pressing hard for a cherished top-four place.

Veteran duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes both stand by for recalls, meaning record signing Dimitar Berbatov could miss out as Ferguson has tended to use Wayne Rooney as a lone striker.

Nemanja Vidic also has an outside chance of being involved after overcoming a nerve problem in his leg that has kept him on the sidelines throughout 2010 so far.

United veteran Gary Neville believes Nani is finally beginning to demonstrate that he can be a key figure at Old Trafford.

Defender Neville said in The Sun: "Nani's performances against Hull City, Manchester City and Arsenal have been absolutely fantastic.

"He has incredible ability, and when he performs like he did against Arsenal he is unstoppable. Players like Nani, who have such high skill levels, rely on confidence.

"We hope the level of performance, determination and skill he has shown in the last few games can be maintained until the end of the season because he's a matchwinner for us. I think Nani can be anything he wants to be.

"People expect so much from young players, but it sometimes takes time. It took time for Cristiano Ronaldo to settle in at United as well."

[asiancigar]

Wishing ALL a Fabulous & Prosperous New Year of the Tiger......

Cheerz
AC

[dc7176]

Real Madrid confident they have £20M Man Utd defender Vidic

The Daily Mail says Vidic is bound for Madrid in a £20million transfer that will end an increasingly uneasy relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson.

The United manager has been less than impressed with Vidic's longing for a move to southern Europe and its detrimental effect on his form this season.

Though the 28-year-old Serbia star has been troubled by injury, Ferguson has had misgivings about selecting him anyway when fit, due to concerns over the centre half's concentration.

Resigned to sanctioning Vidic's departure, Ferguson is prepared to accept £20m from Real and use it for reinforcements.

[machoman]

Rooney double inspires United to first win in Milan

Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 06:29:30 HRS

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring against AC Milan during their UEFA Champions League round of 16 match at San Siro stadium in Milan. Manchester United defeated AC Milan 3-2.

Wayne Rooney was the hero as Manchester United made AC Milan look old in a 3-2 win in the Champions League last 16 first leg clash here on Tuesday to record their first ever victory in the San Siro.

Rooney scored a brace as Milan's old legs finally caught up with them as United came from behind to win at a canter until some late drama that saw United's Michael Carrick dismissed in injury time for a second booking.

Ronaldinho gave Milan an early lead but after Paul Scholes's fortuitous equaliser Sir Alex Ferguson's side gradually took control and by the end they threatened to run up a cricket score.

Substitute Clarence Seedorf's clever backheel finish from Ronaldinho's cross five minutes from time was the only thing that gives the Italians hope for the second leg at Old Trafford.

"I thought we were coasting at 3-1," said Ferguson.

"But we've given them hope by allowing them to score towards the end.

"We just have to do the job at Old Trafford and win the match."

Ferguson admitted that it hadn't been a great performance by his side in the first-half.

"It was a catalogue of errors," said the Scotsman.

"Once we settled, though, we did a lot better."

His AC Milan counterpart Leonardo could scarcely believe his side had lost.

"We did not deserve to lose this match," said the Brazilian.

AC Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper Dida reacts after Manchester United's English midfielder Paul Scholes scored during their UEFA Champions League round of 16 match at San Siro stadium in Milan. Manchester United defeated AC Milan 3-2.

"But nothing is finished. We have to win 2-0 in England, which is certainly not beyond us. When we got into our stride, we dominated United.

"Indeed the first-half could have ended 3-0 in our favour."

Rooney for his part was not best pleased with some of his team-mates for the first-half struggles.

"Some people weren't doing their job," said Rooney, who looked frustrated by the service from the flanks of Nani especially.

"We did well to get back in the game and in the second-half we were better and deserved to win. We were the better side."

Milan were off to a dream start, taking the lead after only three minutes and appropriately United old boy David Beckham was involved.

His free-kick into the box was only helped on by Patrice Evra and fell kindly to Ronaldinho at the back post who caught it on the volley and a wicked deflection off Carrick took it past a helpless Edwin van der Sar.

"It took a wicked deflection," was Ferguson's acerbic response to a question about Beckham's contribution to the goal.

United drew level on 36 minutes.

If Milan's opener owed something to luck, United's equaliser was no more lacking in that department.

Darren Fletcher crossed from the right for Scholes arriving in the box but he missed with his swinging right foot and the ball hit his standing left leg, spun beyond Dida and trickled in off the post.

Milan almost caught United napping again three minutes into the second period as Pato stole in unchecked onto Giuseppe Favalli's deep cross but the young Brazilian headed over.

Nani was having one of his more erratic days and Ferguson replaced him with Antonio Valencia halfway through the second period, a move that bore fruit within a minute as the Ecuador flyer got to the byline and crossed for Rooney at the back post to flick a floating header over Dida for his 25th goal of the season.

United were now content to hit Milan on the counter and Rooney flashed a shot just wide on 73 minutes but a minute later he ran onto Fletcher's dink into the box past a static defence to head easily past Dida.

United were cruising until a late lapse allowed in Seedorf, who had replaced Beckham, to lift the crowd and give the visitors a nervous last few minutes.

- AFP