Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

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UEFA reject Lille appeal

Lille have had their request for a replay of the Champions League first leg against Manchester United rejected by UEFA, and could now face sanctions for the actions of their players after the goal.

The Ligue 1 side were incensed by the referee's decision to allow a quickly taken free-kick by Ryan Giggs to stand, and complained to European football's governing body, arguing that the goal should not have stood as the whistle had not yet been blown.

UEFA released a statement on their website, declaring:

"Having examined the official referee's report, the television evidence at hand as well as the Laws of the Game, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body decided to reject the protest, as there was no proof of a technical error."

A number of Lille players then headed over to the touchline after the goal, and appeared to be trying to get the game abandoned, and UEFA confirmed they could face sanctions as a result.

"Furthermore, the Control and Disciplinary Body decided to instigate proceedings against Lille for the improper behaviour of their players immediately after the goal," the statement added.

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by qbdp

UEFA reject Lille appeal. UEFA released a statement on their website, declaring: "Having examined the official referee's report, the television evidence at hand as well as the Laws of the Game, the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body decided to reject the protest, as there was no proof of a technical error." A number of Lille players ..appeared to be trying to get the game abandoned, and UEFA confirmed they could face sanctions as a result.

Fair's fair. Trust the frogs to try turn table against MU on validity of free kick and crowd trouble. OT will not stoop so low, show more integrity on hospitality to visiting team on return leg.

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Ronaldo seals late United win

Cristiano Ronaldo blasted home a late winner as Manchester United pipped Fulham to a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage.

Trailing to Brian McBride's first-half opener and outplayed for long periods, it seemed the best Sir Alex Ferguson's men were going to get was a draw after Ryan Giggs had pulled them level.

But Ronaldo had other ideas, picking up possession inside his own half, then embarking on a magnificent run into the Fulham box before driving in his 16th goal of the season in the 87th minute with the aid of a deflection.

The victory came despite Tomasz Radzinski hitting the crossbar and Van der Sar twice saving from Simon Davies in the second half.

The win puts United nine points ahead of Chelsea who have a game in hand over the leaders.

The Blues play Arsenal in the Carling Cup final on Sunday.

Ronaldo delight after wonder goal

Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his satisfaction after his wonder goal helped Manchester United beat Fulham on Saturday and move nine points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premiership table.

"I feel good," he told Sky Sports after the match. "I scored an important goal. I am very happy."

Fulham had attacked United and were unfortunate to come away with nothing from the encounter at Craven Cottage.

"Maybe we were lucky," the Portugal star admitted. "Fulham played better in the second half, but football is like that."

With Chelsea facing Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday, they cannot close the gap to the perpetual six points and Ronaldo - who ran the breadth of the pitch to celebrate with the Red Devils substitutes - knows that it could prove crucial.

"This is important for the team," he stated. "We are now nine points in front of Chelsea. That is very important for us.

"Gaby [Heinze] told me before the match that I would score a goal, so [when I put the ball in the net] I went to him."

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[sherm]

Nice goal by Ronaldo.. he did it with ease. But fulham played well against the mighty man utd

http://soccer6688.blogspot.com/

[yinyang]

Sunday's trivia.. (and just see Chelski's OTT for Eto...)

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United could lure Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura to Old Trafford. (People)

AC Milan are on the verge of making a sensational swoop for Celtic keeper Artur Boruc. (Sunday Mail)

Arsenal are braced to make a £20m summer swoop for Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o. (Sunday Express, People)

But the unsettled Cameroon forward could also be a target for Chelsea, who would be prepared to offer a staggering £50m. (News of the World)
Middlesbrough are eyeing a £3m summer move for West Brom striker Diomansy Kamara. (Sunday Mirror)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready to offer big money for striker Craig Bellamy if he is unloaded by Liverpool. (Sunday Mirror)

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has snubbed a bid by Barcelona to take him back to Spain. (News of the World)

Reading are aiming to take Bobby Zamora from West Ham at the end of the season. (People)

Former club Newcastle want to hijack Jonathan Woodgate's permanent move to Middlesbrough. (News of the World)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is interested in bringing former Tottenham and West Ham striker Fredi Kanoute back to the Premiership. (Sunday Express).

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho could hand Glen Johnson a second chance at Chelsea and bring him back from his loan spell at Portsmouth while shipping Paulo Ferreira out of Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. (People)

OTHER GOSSIP
Atletico Madrid have opened the door for Manchester United to swoop for striker Fernando Torres. (News of the World)

Premiership chairmen will be forced to cutting ticket prices because fans have had enough of being ripped off. (The Observer)

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has denied rumours he is to quit Old Trafford at the end of the season. (News of the World)

Former player Ray Ranson has emerged as a possible contender in the £80m takeover battle for Manchester City. (Sunday Mirror)

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Fergie: No extension for Larsson

SIR Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any attempt to keep Henrik Larsson beyond the end of his loan deal on March 12.

The veteran Swede has been an astute addition to the Manchester United squad since his arrival on New Year's Day.

Larsson's contribution to the Red Devils cause goes far beyond his two goals and although the 35-year-old indicated this week he would be heading back to Helsingborg as planned next month, many believed Ferguson would attempt to keep the striker until the current campaign reaches its conclusion.

However, Ferguson has ruled out such a move and insisted he will stick to the agreement originally thrashed out to get Larsson to Old Trafford in the first place.

"I have said all along we have Henrik here until March 12 and that doesn't change," revealed the United chief.

"I am not even attempting to go near it because I respect what Helsingborg have done for us in letting him come here and I am not changing from that.

"Henrik has a lot of responsibility to Helsingborg too, so we are both shooting from the same gun. We are just thankful for having him here."

Given the partnership Larsson has struck up with Wayne Rooney it seems almost inconceivable Ferguson could just let the legendary former Celtic striker leave with two months of the season remaining.

But Ferguson, who twice tried to land Larsson in his prime, believes the forward will leave behind a legacy which will stand United in good stead for the next eight games and beyond.

"Young players who want to progress in the game should look at Henrik's movement, timing and enthusiasm," said Ferguson.

Caught out

"Against Lille last week, he was the one player dropping back into midfield when we were caught out of position.

"It just showed his tactical awareness and also his responsibility in terms of being a senior player to make sure we got through a vital part of the game near the end.

"The players have been absolutely amazed at him because he is such an intelligent footballer.

"It is as if he has been here for years rather than a few weeks. He has been an absolute credit in the manner he has gone about this period."

However, while Larsson's departure will not be greeted with universal approval among the United contingent, it is good news for Alan Smith.

The former Leeds striker has been put on a personal fitness programme after struggling to make an impact on his initial comeback from last season's horror leg break.

But Ferguson is ready to throw Smith back into the fray in next week's FA Cup replay at Reading, and he insists his £6million front-man still has a future at Old Trafford.

"Alan is unfortunate in that the team's form has been great but he still has a long-term future with us," said the United chief.

"The one thing about Alan is he has fantastic courage. He has a great enthusiasm to play football which always gives him a chance.

"If he gets a bit of the game on Tuesday, it will only help him in the later stages of the season when I may need him."

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GIGGS: UNITED SIDE COULD BE BEST-EVER

RYAN GIGGS claims the current Manchester United side can take the first step to becoming the best he has ever played in by winning the Premiership this season.

The Welsh veteran, 33, has won eight titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League since making his debut back in 1991. But the club's longest-serving player, who has starred alongside Eric Cantona and David Beck-ham, reckons Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co have the talent to surpass all that in the next few years. And now they must start winning trophies to prove it. "I certainly think this team has got the potential to be the best United team I have played in," he said.

"We have got good young players coming through. But you can't really judge teams until they have won things. And you can't call teams great until they have won things. Not just one trophy but lots of trophies - and been consistent over four or five years. Hopefully this team can do that." And Giggs said the sky was the limit for strike pair Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"They are potentially world greats. They have a lot to do but they certainly have the talent."

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This team can match class of 99
By Gary Lineker, Sunday Telegraph

You could tell by the wild celebrations at the final whistle at Craven Cottage how much that victory meant to Manchester United - even the manager was getting involved. The difference between winning and drawing is massive at this stage, with 10 games to go, and to grind a win out of a game in which Fulham had been the better side for long spells shows that this team have got real hunger for the title.

It is wins like this that convince me that this side have the mental strength and ambition to win serious silverware: they have the makings of a great team. Perhaps inevitably, comparisons have been drawn with the great United treble winners of 1999. Sir Alex has made it clear that that kind of status can only be conferred once titles are won. That 1999 team was full of match winners and world-class competitors, but Ferguson does seem to be building a team that can try to emulate their achievements. By looking at a breakdown of the two teams you can see that this United team certainly have the potential to match them.

Goalkeeper
All the very best teams have a great goalkeeper and the 1999 side had one of the best in Peter Schmeichel. He was exceptional in all departments-. After Schmeichel, Ferguson used a multitude of different goalkeepers, none of them inspiring much confidence: it became a bit of a problem position. Edwin van der Sar solved that problem. He is not as good as Schmeichel, but he is top class and showed against his old club Fulham how vital he is. He breathes confidence into the defence and, with his vast experience at the top, rarely makes a mistake.

Defence
In 1999, United's defence was built around the towering presence of Jaap Stam. Ronny Johnsen was his defensive partner with Gary Neville and Denis Irwin in the full-back roles. Rio Ferdinand is the obvious defensive leader now, but for the past few seasons Ferguson has not found him a stable partner. Mikael Silvestre and Wes Brown have tried, but never quite succeeded. The manager has finally cracked it with Nemanja Vidic.

He is big, strong and quick and he has as powerful an aerial presence as anyone in the Premiership. He's so good with his head that he'll score many goals from set-pieces. He's bonded well with Rio and they look a formidable pair. Patrice Evra, like Vidic, took a bit of time to settle, but he looks the part now - he has sensational pace. And, of course, Gary Neville is still there and playing as well as ever. A good indicator of how strong a defensive line-up this is, is that Gabriel Heinze cannot make the team.

Midfield
The United side of eight years ago had wonderful match winners in David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Two of them are still there and are having outstanding seasons. What the 1999 team had that this one lacks is Roy Keane. There is no comparable presence in the heart of this side, which is why Ferguson is after a ball-winner such as Owen Hargreaves, to complement the passing of Michael Carrick and Scholes. However, what this side does have is Cristiano Ronaldo who, on his day, can tear any team apart. His goal yesterday showed how important he is, capable of creating a goal out of nothing. If he continues to improve like this he will become a truly great player.

Strikers
With Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham, the treble team was packed full of goals. Having four top-class strikers allowed Ferguson to fight on multiple fronts without risking fatigue. Solskjaer is still around and Louis Saha offers the threat of power allied to pace. In Henrik Larsson they have a wily old fox who likes to run off the shoulders of defenders. He might not have scored lots of goals, but he has scored at crucial times and gives depth to United's play. That in turn brings out the best in Wayne Rooney, who is capable of acts beyond the capabilities of us mere mortals. It is this capacity for the exceptional, possessed by Rooney and Ronaldo, that makes me think this team has the makings of greatness.

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I need new challenge Deco tells Barcelona

Portugal international Deco has put Chelsea and Manchester United on alert after informing Barcelona he wants to leave at the end of the season.

The midfield schemer, 29, is eager to find a fresh challenge after winning two league titles and the Champions League with the Catalans and explained his intentions to the Barcelona heirarchy last week.

The club is expecting a summer of change with Frank Rijkaard also expected to quit but would be happy to let Brazilian-born Deco leave for around £12m.

The star, who won the UEFA Cup and Champions league at Porto with Jose Mourinho, has endured an indifferent season. He has been blamed for some of the key goals conceded by the Spanish champions and was suspended when Barcelona turned in one of their sharpest displays in Sunday's 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao with Iniesta and Xavi pulling the midfield strings.

Deco has often voiced his desire to play in England but would only welcome interest from a select band of clubs, while wife, Jaciera, is known to enjoy the celebrity spotlight. United and Chelsea would, however, face competition from Bayern Munich.

United, meanwhile, are continuing to monitor Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres. Representatives for the 22-year-old have been in touch with United and are again discussing a deal worth £20m. However, United would want to offset the cost by offloading players in return.

[yinyang]

Seems the frogs still have head in well.. shd they instead prepare for 2nd leg at OT, rather than croaking?

Lille to continue Man Utd protest

Lille appeared to consider walking off in protest. Lille have confirmed they will continue their appeal against Uefa's decision to allow Manchester United's goal to stand in their stormy Champions League clash.
The French club lodged a complaint over Ryan Giggs's quickly taken free-kick but it was rejected by Uefa.

The European governing body will consider their appeal on Friday.

Uefa has also charged Lille with the improper behaviour of their players, who appeared to contemplate leaving the pitch in protest at United's goal.

A Uefa statement said: "Lille had until midnight [on Monday] to file an appeal after the Control and Disciplinary Body rejected the Ligue 1 side's claim that there had been a technical mistake by the referee in allowing Ryan Giggs's match-winning free-kick to be taken without having blown his whistle.

"The Control and Disciplinary Body vetoed the protest on the grounds that there was no proof of a technical error, making the solitary strike of last Tuesday's first knockout round first-leg tie in Lens perfectly valid.

"Uefa's Appeals Body will consider the Lille appeal on Friday."

A statement released on Lille's website said: "President Michel Seydoux and the board of Lille have decided to appeal against the decision made on Friday by the European authority.

"The true question is to determine how the Man Utd players came to take so quickly the free-kick that led to the goal, as they showed signs of a different intention.

"Following these principles, Lille have therefore taken the decision to go through with a fight that seems correct to them."

Giggs's strike was the only goal of the first leg of the last 16 tie, with the second leg taking place on Wednesday 7 March.

On an incident-filled evening, United fans were involved in a crush scare in the Stade Felix-Bollaert and Uefa's control and disciplinary body will discuss the safety and security issues on 22 March.

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Originally Posted by yinyang

Seems the frogs still have head in well.. shd they instead prepare for 2nd leg at OT, rather than croaking?

Lille to continue Man Utd protest

They are hoping their fellow French UEFA President can do them a favour? They should prepare for the 2nd leg to prevent losing by a humiliating scoreline.

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FA CUP 5th Rd Replay : Reading 2 - 3 Man Utd


Gabriel Heinze celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Reading.


Louis Saha, scorer of second goal.

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FA CUP 5th Rd Replay : Reading 2 - 3 Man Utd

You Beauty!!!!



Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scores past Reading's goalkeeper to make it 0-3 in just 6 mins