Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by Castrol

haha cheers bro, soccer may be a passion but you wont see any prejudice from me. man utd really deserves the epl title now - gary speed will agree to that. and alan smith is back to show how versatile he is.

Always enjoy your witty posts.

Originally Posted by Mafan

and more yao dao also just that alex put him in wrong place middle will never be his home.

Hope Smith can rediscover the form he was in during the early months of joining Utd and Saha retires this summer.

[qbdp]

Man Utd boss Ferguson: Dong involved for Middlesbrough clash

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed China international striker Dong Fangzhuo is in line to make his debut on Monday night in their FA Cup replay against Middlesbrough.

After their 4-1 victory over Bolton, Ferguson said he will draft youngsters Craig Cathcart and Dong Fangzhuo into his squad to face Boro on Monday night, when Ryan Giggs is likely to be rested.

[qbdp]

Hargreaves desperate to join United

Owen Hargreaves has reiterated his desire to join Manchester United, declaring: “They are the only team I want to join.”

Transfer negotiations between United and Bayern Munich have continuously stalled over the past year but Hargreaves, 26, could be on his way to Old Trafford this summer if the clubs can finally agree a fee.

England's star player of the 2006 World Cup said: "They (Manchester United) have invested so much time and energy in me. It's very rare to see a transfer drag on like this.

"A football team is a puzzle with different pieces and you need to find the right pieces and the right mix. United believe I am the final piece in their puzzle and that is an honour for me.

"There is a reason for me wanting to join United. I play for England and my family are from the north-west.

"I love Bayern Munich. I have grown up in Germany but I'm the only England player to have never played in England and Manchester United want to take me home. That prospect is a dream, especially when you look at the United team and the football they play."

Sir Alex Fergurson, United's manager, has relentlessly pursued Hargreaves - even when the Bayern midfielder was sidelined for several months with a broken leg last year.

"It is an honour to be wanted by Sir Alex, especially when you look at what he has achieved in the game," Hargreaves said. "I don't want to miss this opportunity to work with him before he retires.

Born in Canada to an English mother and a Welsh father, Hargreaves moved to Bayern as a 15-year-old and has been there ever since. He said: "I don't expect the Bayern fans to understand my reasons but it's difficult when you are talking about a player returning home.

"If Liverpool sold Steven Gerrard to Barcelona then the fans would go mad because he was born and bred there. But I am not a Munich boy and I am not a German player – that is why I hope the fans will see this is different.

"I still don't know what will happen because the situation is not down to me. My responsibilities are that I am paid money to play good football and win things for Bayern Munich.

"Of course, it is still possible that we could meet United in the Champions League semi-final. That will be a big game and something to look forward to.

"If we meet I will play hard because I want to win and that's my mentality. I have a Bayern Munich shirt on at the moment and if we meet United I owe it to Bayern to do well."

[dom01]

Any views on our two upcoming keepers? Foster? Tomasz Kuszczak ?

[imom]

Originally Posted by dom01

Any views on our two upcoming keepers? Foster? Tomasz Kuszczak ?

Was really funny seeing Paul Robinson do one over Foster last weekend... Talk was rife that Foster will usurp Robinson's no.1 position in England... and Robinson proceeds to give Foster an 'up yours' by SCORING a goal against Foster...

Kuszczak's seems to be a good shop stopper (except for that abysmal penalty against Bolton!), but doesn't have nor inspire confidence. Foster seems to be doing ok for Watford, but it's a different ball game when you play for MU!

[imom]

Originally Posted by dom01

I think simth plays better than saha, despite out of action for so long....

That flick for rooney, swee man!

Yes yes! I feel vindicated!!!

Originally Posted by Mafan

and more yao dao also....

Whoa, you like blondes too? kekeke

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by imom

...like blondes too? kekeke

Imomy, you missed our true blondie lover's great show on sat.. err, make that rear view. And swee sis gracing occassion... exotic looks spellbinding AC, TV. Hard sell their charms too.. excuse the pun hehehe

[imom]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Imomy, you missed our true blondie lover's great show on sat.. err, make that rear view. And swee sis gracing occassion... exotic looks spellbinding AC, TV....

Sigh... bo pian leh.... Wish I could have been there too.... But I still managed to catch Ronaldo the defence terrorist and the nice little link-up between Blondie and Roon...

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by dom01

Any views on our two upcoming keepers? Foster? Tomasz Kuszczak ?

Kuszczak looks uncomfortable and indecisive with crosses. Good to have as a second keeper from what I see of him so far.

I hope Forster goes on loan again for 1 more season at another small EPL team. No point coming back and sit on the bench. van der Sar is good enough for another season.

[yinyang]

Latest trivia (edited for MU bias)... Is there life for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after OT?

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham boss Martin Jol values in-form striker Dimitar Berbatov at over £40m, but insists he would never sell the Bulgarian despite reported interest from Manchester United and Liverpool (Various).

West Ham want to sign Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the summer whether or not they are relegated (News of the World).

Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves says Manchester United is the only team he wants to join as they have made such an effort to sign him (News of the World).

Inter Milan want to sign Chelsea's John Terry (Mail on Sunday).

OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez still tops Real Madrid's managerial wish-list for the summer (Mirror).

The Premier League is to introduce 'Hawkeye' equipment to rule whether or not the ball has crossed the line for the 2008-09 season (Various)

Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson's next job will be at Marseille (Mirror).

Barcelona's Frank Rijkaard is top of Chelsea's list if manager Jose Mourinho leaves in the summer (People).

Roman Abramovich could be under pressure from the Russian government to sell Chelsea to help fund a bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Express).

AND FINALLY...
Israel have called in Uri Geller to help with positive thinking ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifier with England (Mail on Sunday).

Uefa have refused to rule out the possibility of staging a Champions League game in Asia as a promotional event (Mirror).

[dom01]

1-0 this morning... Treble on the way!!!

Ronaldo made a meal out of Woodgate... Where is Dong? Wld like to see a chinese player in action..

[qbdp]

Ronaldo: "It was a penalty"

Manchester United's match-winner thinks that accusations of cheating from Middlesbrough are political - and because he is "too good."

Ronaldo won and scored the winning penalty in United's FA Cup quarter final replay against Middlesbrough. He went down in the area after being caught by the knee of Jonathan Woodgate after leaving the England defender trailing in his wake with a typical run on the left.

While Woodgate's initial tackle did not make contact with Ronaldo, replays showed that the knee of his trailing right leg did and that referee Mike Dean made the correct decision.

Ronaldo was adamant that he could have done little else in the situation:

"The referee makes the decision - for me it was a penalty," he told SkySports after the match. "If he touches me I lose my movement and I slip.

"Against Cristiano every time it is political, I don't know why," continued the Portugal star, who has been accused of diving repeatedly over recent reasons, in particular in United's Premiership win over Boro earlier in the season.

Ronaldo puts it down to one thing - jealousy:

"Maybe some people don't like me," he mused. "Maybe it's because I'm too good. I don't know why."

And of the semi final clash against Premiership relegation candidates Watford, Ronaldo is refusing to count his chickens:

"We are playing against Watford and you never know, all these are difficult games and it's the FA Cup, but we have a good team and a good chance."

[yinyang]

FA Cup semis -fixtures

Saturday, 14 April 2007
Blackburn v Chelsea 15:00
Watford v Man Utd, 15:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remaining dates:
Sixth round - March 10-11 2007
Semi-finals - April 14-15 2007
Final - Saturday, May 19 2007

[machoman]

Ronaldo books United FA Cup semi spot
Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 06:40:50 HRS

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring a penalty against Middlesbrough's during their FA Cup Quarter Final replay football match at Old Trafford , Manchester. Manchester won 1-0. - AFP

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring a penalty against Middlesbrough's during their FA Cup Quarter Final replay football match at Old Trafford , Manchester. Manchester won 1-0. - AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo's second half penalty was enough to secure Manchester United a single-goal victory over Middlesbrough in their FA Cup quarter-final replay.

Alex Ferguson's side now face a semi-final clash with Watford after the Portuguese winger claimed his 18th goal of an outstanding season.

Ronaldo has been United's stand-out player in recent weeks and it was his late penalty that had kept his side in the competition when the two sides played out a 2-2 draw nine days previously.

Then with Ferguson's side struggling to match their recent form against a determined Boro, the 22-year-old forced a careless lunge from Jonathan Woodgate to earn the 76th minute spot-kick he duly placed beyond keeper Marl Schwarzer.

Then in the dying seconds of the game, Ronaldo's torment of the frustrated visitors was complete when he was hacked down by James Morrison earning the Boro substitute a straight red card.

Morrison's ugly lunge sparked a confrontation between both sets of players and assistant managers Carlos Queiroz and Malcolm Crosby exchanged angry words after the final whistle.

Prior to Ronaldo's match-winning intervention, United had looked a pale shadow of the side that harbours hopes of repeating their treble of 1999.

Surprisingly it was England striker Wayne Rooney who was responsible for ensuring Ferguson's side endured an uncomfortable night with two glaring misses after being sent clear on Schwarzer's goal.

Gareth Southgate's move to rest three key players - Mark Viduka, Julio Arca and Jonathan Woodgate - for the weekend defeat to Manchester City had provoked an angry response from Neil Warnock, manager of City's relegation rivals Sheffield United.

Southgate admitted the decision had been taken with this fixture in mind and initially appeared to be justified as Boro's energetic approach unsettled the home side.

With Paul Scholes serving the final game of a three-match suspension, Ryan Giggs slotted in alongside Michael Carrick in central midfield but the makeshift pairing at first struggled to match the more upbeat display Arca and George Boateng.

And when Mark Viduka wastefully pulled a good opportunity wide when free on the edge of the United area, the visitors appeared capable of ending the home side's hopes of maintaining an interest on three fronts.

Slowly United made their presence felt with Cristiano Ronaldo once again the main focal point for their more impressive move.

For once, though, the Portugese winger lacked his usual cutting edge and was guilty of over-elaborating after working his way into the Boro box in the 34th minute, allowing Woodgate to clear from the toe of the lurking Alan Smith.

And the sense that United were not at their ruthless grew when Rooney wasted the first of two good chances when he allowed Schwarzer to snuff out the opportunity.

But fears that the home side would pay for their sloppy finishing were eased when Boro's Stewart Downing missed a good 55th minute chance before Ronaldo's late intervention eased home nerves.

- AFP

[qbdp]

Fergie rage over Sky's interview

Sir Alex Ferguson leapt to the defence of Cristiano Ronaldo after his controversial penalty.

United's manager launched an astonishing attack, accusing Sky television of trying to lure the 22-year-old Portugal winger into 'tripping himself up' during an after-match interview.

Earlier, the two benches also clashed at the end of a tense tie amid accusations that Ronaldo had fallen too easily under Jonathan Woodgate's 75th-minute challenge.

Ronaldo, interviewed by Geoff Shreeves on Sky, said: "Of course I felt the contact. He kicked me.

"Maybe people don't like me because I'm too good."

Ferguson raged: "That was a poor interview. I was disgusted. It was a clear penalty. I don't know what they are going on about.

"He was fouled nine times in the first game and got no protection. You need a strong referee.

"There's been a stigma attached to the boy which is not deserved. He's a fantastic player, a phenomenal player."

Boro boss Gareth Southgate said: "The referee felt it was a penalty and he gave it, end of story.

"Ronaldo is a fantastic player and is very, very good at what he does."

United's advance to the semi-finals means that their key Premiership trip to face defending champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which was scheduled for April 15, will now be postponed until May 8.

Southgate refused to either condemn the reaction of his bench, or apologise for it, insisting it was only to be expected at a moment of such high tension.

"In the heat of the moment, everybody is entitled to a reaction," he said.

"It is the 85th minute of an FA Cup quarter-final. People are going to react in a way you wouldn't normally.

"I can understand why the penalty was given but I am still not sure about it. The galling thing for me is that we have played them three times this season and conceded three dodgy penalties."