Date confirmed for Cup semi

United's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City will be played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 16 April at 17:15.

The initial draw was made on Sunday 13 March but confirmation of the game's date and time had to wait until Manchester City's European fate was known. With the Blues going out of the Europa Cup on Thursday night (they lost 1-2 on aggregate to Dynamo Kyiv) the possibility of City having to play on the Thursday before the FA Cup semi-final disappeared.

Consequently, United and City will now meet at Wembley on the Saturday, with the game screened live on ITV.

The two sides have met seven times in the FA Cup so far, with United winning five and losing two. The last Manchester derby in the competition was a fifth-round tie in the year the Reds last won the trophy, 2004. Ruud van Nistelrooy's double, plus goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes, sealed a 4-2 win on St Valentine's Day for Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

The other semi-final, Bolton v Stoke, will be played on Sunday 17 April.

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City Ingin Mourinho, Mourinho Ingin MU

Manchester City mulai tak percaya kepada Roberto Mancini.


Manchester City akan berupaya membujuk Jose Mourinho untuk barkarier di Eastland. Namun pelatih asal Portugal itu berambisi menjadi pengganti Sir Alex Ferguson di Old Trafford.


Peras Inggris melaporkan pemilik City relatif telah kehilangan kepercayaan kepada Roberto Mancini -- pelatih asal Italia. Mereka yakin hanya Mourinho yang bisa memberikan gelar instan dengan mengeluarkan banyak dana belanja.


Daily Mail juga melaporkan hubungan Mourinho dengan Florentino Perez, presiden Real Madrid, mulai tak harmonis. Mourinho juga terlibat perbedaan pendapat dengan Jorge Valdano, general manager Los Blancos.


Mengutip sejumlah sumber di Eastland, City akan segera mengirim orang-orangnya untuk membujuk Mourinho. Di sisi lain, kendati Sir Alex Ferguson masih akan betakhta di Old Trafford, Mourinho yakin akan kembali ke Inggris dan menangani Manchester United (MU).

Sebelumnya, Roberto Mancini mengatakan dirinya tidak melihat Mourinho sebagai ancaman tarhadap posisinya di Eastland. Mancini punya mimpi buruk dengan Mourinho, ketika pelatih asal Portugal itu menggantikannya sebagai pelatih Inter Milan.
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Rooney Senang Ketemu City Di Piala FA

Wayne Rooney menegaskan pertemuan dengan Manchester City adalah hal yang diinginkannya.


Striker Manchester United Wayne Rooney mengakui bertemu dengan Manchester City di semi-final Piala FA adalah gagasan yang memang diinginkannya.


Sejauh ini, Red Devils masih memelihara kans merengkuh treble winners di musim ini. Di Piala Fa United telah mencapai empat besar, tiket perempat-final Liga Champions juga sudah dalam genggaman serta titel Liga Primer Inggris masih dalam kendali karena klub tetap bertengger di puncak klasemen sementara liga.


"Saya benar-benar senang dengan hasil undian Piala FA dan kami memiliki kepercayaan diri untuk mengalahkan Manchester City," jelas Rooney.


"Saya tidak sabar ingin memenangkan Piala FA, yang mana kami gagal dua kali di final. Saya rasa kami punya kesempatan emas di jalan yang telah kami tempuh pada momen sekarang ini," tandasnya. Read more...

Fergie Sambut Hangat Jeda Internasional

Manchester - Jeda internasional beberapa kali disambutSir Alex Ferguson dengan gerutuan. Tidak kali ini karena manajer Manchester United itu justru sukacita menyambutnya.

Kelegaan Fergie tersebut tidak lepas dari faktor tipisnya skuad 'Setan Merah' saat ini, terutama di barisan lini belakang.

Dengan sejumlah pemain masih belum pulih, kondisi MU di sektor itu diperparah menyusul dikartumerahnya Jonny Evans akhir pekan lalu.

Maka dari itu, kendati laga internasional acap berbuntut pemain pulang ke klub dengan cedera, momen jeda internasional kali ini disambut hangat Fergie guna memulihkan kondisi para pemainnya.

"(Jeda internasional) Ini datang di waktu yang luar biasa tepat buat kami," komentar Fergie kepada MUTV.

Dengan jeda tersebut, MU kini akan berusaha memulihkan kondisi para pemainnya sebelum kembali berlaga pada 2 April mendatang di Liga Primer.

"Kami memiliki waktu istirahat dua pekan untuk memulihkan cedera-cedera dan semoga itu akan jadi jeda terpanjang di antara jeda lainnya," lugas Fergie. Read more...

Papers: Saints star bound for OT

Manchester United are ready to sign Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a £10million deal. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has outsmarted his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger in the race for the 17-year-old. Fergie has money to spend on several players this summer and wants to be sure that Oxlade-Chamberlain – son of former England winger Mark Chamberlain – is one of them. United will offer Saints £5m up front and double that money on appearances, with the bonuses paid in reasonable time. The whole package will be the biggest paid for a teenager. Fergie has been on the talented attacker’s trail for months and insiders reveal he has "pulled out all of the stops" to see off the Gunners... Southampton are keen to have the youngster back on loan if they sell him, but United plan to use him quickly – with a squad number and a first-team role for next season. Both the player and his dad want to be involved in talks and Fergie hopes to tie up a deal in the next few weeks.

Elsewhere, The Daily Star report Bryan Robson's message to fans - "It means a lot" - after the reaction he's received from United supporters to news of his battle with throat cancer. Robbo's name was sung loudly by the Stretford End immediately after kick-off on Saturday.

Former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp pays tribute to Sir Alex in his Daily Mail column. He writes: "Manchester United have broken my heart many times. It's bred into every player that a game is not over till it's over. Sir Alex Ferguson takes chances, throws attacking players on and is rewarded for it. Players win games; managers change them."

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Chicha relishing Chelsea tie

Javier Hernandez hopes being at home in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea will give United a slight advantage in the tie.

The Reds will travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 6 April, before the return leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday 12 April. The Mexican is excited about the tie and feeling positive over United's chances of progressing.

"They are two very important games. We play in the same league and it is going to be tough. It always is against Chelsea," he told ManUtd.com.

"It is a little bit of an advantage that we are at home in the second game. We know it won't be easy, but we try to win every game we play at Manchester United and Chelsea are another team that we need to beat."

It was Chicharito's brace against Marseille which sealed United's place in the last eight, taking his tally to three in the competition following his winner in Valencia during the group stages.

"I am very happy with the way things are going in the Champions League. I want to keep it like that," he added. "I want to maintain my confidence, whether I play for one minute or 90. I always want to be my best.

"Perhaps the style suits me a little bit but I need to think game by game, not to look too far in the future. I will just try to do my best."

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Res: Newcastle 1 United 2

Gabriel Obertan struck twice in the second half as the Reds claimed a hard-fought away win at Newcastle United on Monday afternoon.


The Frenchman made the breakthrough in the 68th minute, controlling substitute Davide Petrucci's ball over the top before advancing to beat Magpies keeper Tim Krul. Obertan then doubled the Reds' lead five minutes from time after again being picked out by Petrucci.


Newcastle pulled a goal back through Michael Richardson's close-range finish, but the Reds then held firm for the final few moments to end a winless streak of three games.


The three late goals reflected an improvement on the first half, when the most notable action reduced both sides to ten men. The Reds' Ravel Morrison and Newcastle's James Perch were both sent off on the brink of the interval following an off-the-ball incident. Morrison had come closest to opening the scoring just a few minutes before his red card, when a wind-assisted 30-yarder hit the crossbar.


Two goalline clearances prevented further goals, one for each team. Reds defender Oliver Gill thwarted Jeff Henderson's effort from a Newcastle corner when the score was 0-0, while Ryan Tunnicliffe's attempt, shortly before Obertan's second goal, was brilliantly blocked by Magpies sub Patrick Nzuzi.


United: Johnstone; R Brown, Wootton, Gill, Dudgeon; Vermijl (Petrucci, 53), Norwood, Tunnicliffe, Obertan; King (Blackett, 64), Morrison. Subs not used: M Keane, McGinty. Read more...

Wayne: 19th title would be special

Wayne Rooney speaks to ManUtd.com and United Review about the season run-in and his hopes of helping United reach a record number of league titles...


Do you think the recent FA Cup win over Arsenal has given you any psychological advantage in the title race?
I think so. We had a difficult week with the Chelsea and Liverpool results and we knew that beating Arsenal would give us that edge to push for the title. You can’t wait for the games to come at this stage of the season. The semi-final clash against [Manchester] City at Wembley promises to be some Cup tie. I was absolutely made up with the draw and I’m confident we can beat them. I’m desperate to win the competition, having lost in two finals. I think we’ve got a great chance of going all the way this year.


We’ve done well at home this season and made Old Trafford into something of a fortress…
Yes, our form has been good. We’re always expected to win at home, but we always believe we can win no matter who we play. I’ve been a player in the away dressing room and I know the fear you feel before the game when you’re not really expected to get anything from it. So we’ve got that psychological advantage even before the game starts, but we know we’re good enough to beat anyone here.


What’s your assessment of Javier Hernandez’s first season as a Red?
He’s just taken it all in his stride. He’s a lovely lad, who’s always smiling around the dressing room, and on the pitch he’s been brilliant. You can see he’s got a natural eye for goal, but what’s surprised a lot of us is how good he is in the air. He spends ages practising after training.And in the fit-again Antonio Valencia you have someone who is going to provide all the forwards with great service from the wing…
I was probably the happiest person in the team to see him back! And he looks like he’s never been away. Having Nani on one wing and Antonio on the other is fantastic because they each bring something different. Nani has created a lot of goals, but he’s more about dribbling and getting shots off, whereas Antonio is more focused on getting down the line and whipping the ball in. It’s a good mixture for us to have.

When you get to this stage of the season do you feel any nerves or do you savour the challenges ahead?
You just look forward to every game at this stage and you have to enjoy it, especially when you’re in the running for a few trophies. It’s exciting for the fans and it’s exciting for the players as well knowing that you’re just a few weeks away from possibly winning a major trophy or two.


Is the target of a record 19th title something that plays on the fans’ minds more than those of the players?
No, it’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about a lot. I’m obviously from Liverpool and grew up as an Everton fan, so to be part of the team that wins a record title and overtakes Liverpool would mean so much to us players as well as the fans. I know all the Everton fans want us to do it and that’s our aim.



"It’s exciting for the fans, and for the players as well, knowing you’re just a few weeks away from possibly winning a major trophy or two."

- Wayne Rooney  Read more...

Gibson: United Akan Membuat Saya Lebih Baik

Gibson menilai dirinya akan mendapat banyak pengalaman di United.

Darron Gibson tidak meragukan bahwa dirinya akan menjadi pemain yang leibh baik apabila tetap bertahan di Manchester United.


Gelandang asal Irlandia Utara tersebut dikabarkan dipaksa mencari klub lain oleh pelatih timnasnya Giovanni Trapattoni.


"Saya pikir saya akan bekembang secara pesat bila berada di bawah asuhan Sir Alex (Ferguson)," tegas Gibson.


"Saya pikir dia adalah pelatih yang luar biasa, tetapi bukan hanya di bawah Sir Alex tetapi juga pemain-pemain seperti Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney dan Rio Ferdinand dan semua pemain United dapat anda petik pelajaran dari mereka setiap hari. Dan saya pikir bermain dengan mereka dapat memberi anda banyak pengalaman, karena itu saya akan berkembang pesat di sini."
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Everton Membuat Motivasi Rooney Berlipat

Manchester - Wayne Rooney bertekad untuk membawa Manchester United meraih gelar Liga Inggris ke-19 musim ini. Salah satu hal yang membuat sang striker termotivasi adalah Everton. Mengapa?


Saat ini The Red Devils memiliki peluang cukup baik untuk meraih gelar Liga Inggris ke-19 mereka. Tim yang bermarkas di Old Trafford tersebut masih memuncaki klasemen sementara dengan poin 63, unggul lima angka dari pesaing terdekatnya yakni Arsenal.


Bila berhasil mewujudkannya, maka MU akan menjadi tim dengan koleksi gelar Liga Inggris terbanyak dan mengungguli rival mereka yakni Liverpool.




Salah satu pemain MU yang bersemangat untuk mengejar gelar tersebut adalah Wayne Rooney. Faktor Everton turut melipat gandakan motivasi pemain berjuluk Wazza tersebut.

"Saya berasal dari kota Liverpool dan tumbuh sebagai fans Everton, jadi menjadi bagian dari tim yang bisa memecahkan rekor gelar juara dan melewati catatan Liverpool akan berarti sangat banyak bagi pemain dan juga suporter. Saya paham bahwa seluruh fans Everton ingin kami melakukannya dan menjuarai liga Inggris adalah tujuan kami," ujar Rooney seperti dikutip dari situs resmi klub.

Liga Inggris bukan satu-satunya kesempatan yang dimiliki MU untuk mengukir prestasi. Anak asuh Sir Alex Ferguson juga masih berpeluang di Liga Champions dan Piala FA.

"Sungguh menarik bagi fans dan juga bagi pemain ketika mengetahui kita hanya beberapa pekan lagi untuk bisa merealisasikan kemungkinan meraih satu atau dua trofi besar," kata Rooney.

Di barisan belakang, "Setan Merah" memang saat ini tengah dihantam krisis pemain. Namun Rooney berharap barisan depan yang semakin paten dengan semakin tajamnya penyerang Javier Hernandez dan gelandang Antonio Valencia yang sudah bermain kembali.

Kembali ke Liga Inggris, di jadwal tersisa Rooney dkk. empat kali bermain di Old Trafford yakni saat menghadapi Fulham (9 April), Everton (23 April), Chelsea (7 Mei), dan Blackpool (22 Mei). Pertarungan di kandang sendiri itu bakal dimaksimalkan oleh MU.

"Performa kami di kandang bagus. Kami selalu berekspektasi bisa menang di kandang, namun begitu kami selalu yakin bisa menang di mana pun kami tampil. Saya juga pernah merasakan ruang ganti ketika di laga away dan saya paham ketakutan seperti apa yang dirasakan oleh pemain ketika Anda benar-benar tidak mengharapkan apa-apa dari itu," lugas Rooney.

"Jadi kami akan mendapatkan keuntungan psikologis bahkan sebelum laga dimulai, namun begitu kami paham cukup kuat untuk mengalahkan tim mana pun di sini (Old Trafford--red)," pungkas pemain yang pernah membela Everton tahun 2002-2004 itu.
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Redknapp: Rival Beri MU Gelar

London - Harry Redknapp menyatakan bahwa Manchester United tidak sekuat tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Namun The Red Devils akan menjuarai musim ini akibat para rivalnya sering terpeleset.


Kekuatan MU pada musim ini memang tampak jelas menurun. Di awal musim, anak asuhan Sir Alex Ferguson itu tidak menunjukkan performa menyakinkan dengan beberapa kali memetik hasil seri.


Meski demikian "Setan Merah" toh hingga kini masih bercokol di puncak klasemen setelah menang susah payah atas Bolton Wanderers Sabtu (19/3).




Tottenham Hotspur sendiri semakin sulit untuk kembali ke zona Liga Champions setelah ditahan imbang tanpa gol oleh West Ham. Sementara dua rival utama MU; Chelsea dan Arsenal sering kali terpeleset.

Setelah mengawali musim ini dengan fantastis, The Blues sempat terseok-seok dan bahkan terlempar dari zona empat besar kendati kini John Terry dkk. sudah berhasil kembali ke "habitatnya".

Arsenal yang jadi rival utama MU juga tampil angin-anginan belakangan ini. Dalam dua partai terakhirnya The Gunners malah memetik hasil seri dari dua tim yang berada jauh di bawahnya dan MU yang paling diuntungkan dengan situasi ini.

"Sungguh kami memberikan gelar kepada Manchester United tahun ini. Ini adalah Manchester United terburuk dalam beberapa tahun, mereka terus tersandung namun bisa memetik hasil ketika lawan-lawannya jatuh," ujar Redknapp di Mirror.

"Chelsea sudah membuat peluangnya melayang, demikian juga dengan Arsenal - MU menjadi tim yang akan memenangi kompetisi musim ini,"simpulnya.



sumber: detiksport.com Read more...

Hernandez: Saya Chicharito, Bukan Tevez Kecil

Hernandez menegaskan dirinya adalah Chicharito bukan Tevez.


Bintang Manchester United Javier Hernandez tidak ingin dirinya dibanding-bandingkan dengan kapten Manchester City, Carlos Tevez.


Chicharito telah membantu fans United melupakan sosok Tevez musim ini dengan gol-gol yang dicetaknya.


"Tevez kecil? Saya sangat bangga orang-orang membandingkan diri saya dengannya tetapi saya adalah Chicharito dan saya menjalani mimpi saya sendiri saat ini," ujar Chicharito kepada The Sun.




"Saya sangat bahagia karena saya tahu saya belum mengeluarkan semua kemampuan saya. Rahasia saya adalah mempelajari lini pertahanan lawan dan melihat kelemahan mereka. Saya mencoba untuk menaklukkan mereka dengan kecepatan saya. Jadi gol saya bukanlah keberuntungan."

"Mungkin persiapan fisik yang lebih baik di sini, Inggris, menjadi kunci dari performa saya. Aspek ini lebih baik daripada di Amerika Selatan dan saya menjadi lebih baik karena itu."
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Giggs: Javier Hernandez Is Similar To Ole mGunnar Solkjaer

Manchester United veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs has placed summer signing Javier Hernandez in the same mould as former strike star Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.

The Norwegian striker was deployed as a ‘super sub’ by Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson, bringing him on whenever the team was in need of a goal or a spark, and Giggs has already seen the likeness of the two who following Hernandez’s winner against Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Giggs said : “It’s hard not to get too excited by a player like Javier,”.

“We’ve seen it over the years. You can get excited by players and build them up. But I was genuinely excited in pre-season, seeing what he could do.

“Javier’s just a natural finisher and they don’t come along that often. You saw that when he scored against Valencia, it was just a great goal. His first touch was great as was his finish. It was just instinctive and when you’ve got that, you’ll score an awful lot of goals.

“He was only on for about 15 minutes but in that time he hit the post, ran through onto a cross when their keeper saved it, and he’s just a dangerous player.

“Ole had every finish – left foot, right foot, headers, the lot. And Javier’s goal reminded me a little bit of Ole, just because he always used to hit the side netting low and hard, whether it was with his right foot or left foot, and so it was similar in that respect.”
Manchester United veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs has placed summer signing Javier Hernandez in the same mould as former strike star Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.

The Norwegian striker was deployed as a ‘super sub’ by Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson, bringing him on whenever the team was in need of a goal or a spark, and Giggs has already seen the likeness of the two who following Hernandez’s winner against Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Giggs said : “It’s hard not to get too excited by a player like Javier,”.

“We’ve seen it over the years. You can get excited by players and build them up. But I was genuinely excited in pre-season, seeing what he could do.

“Javier’s just a natural finisher and they don’t come along that often. You saw that when he scored against Valencia, it was just a great goal. His first touch was great as was his finish. It was just instinctive and when you’ve got that, you’ll score an awful lot of goals.

“He was only on for about 15 minutes but in that time he hit the post, ran through onto a cross when their keeper saved it, and he’s just a dangerous player.

“Ole had every finish – left foot, right foot, headers, the lot. And Javier’s goal reminded me a little bit of Ole, just because he always used to hit the side netting low and hard, whether it was with his right foot or left foot, and so it was similar in that respect.”

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Beckham Angkat Topi Buat Chicharito

David Beckham menilai Chicharito telah menunjukkan kapabilitasnya bermain fantastis bagi Manchester United.

Penampilan menawan striker Manchester United Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez menuai punjian dari legenda Manchester United David Beckham.

Mantan sayap United itu angkat topi untuk penyerang asal Meksiko ini dan memujinya setinggi langit. Beckham mengakui, sang striker bermain "nyaris" tidak ada kekurangannya.

Dalam beberapa laga, Chicharito memang kerap membuat gol-gol penentu. Termasuk saat dirinya menjadi pahlawan pengantar Setan Merah merengkuh satu tiket ke perempat-final Liga Champions usai memborong semua gol dalam bentrokan kontra Marseille.

"Chicharito benar-benar luar biasa setiap kali ia bermain," ujar Beckham selepas latihan rutin timnya saat ini, Galaxy, Jumat kemarin.

"Ia mencetak gol, ia juga menciptakan peluang dan ia berjuang keras untuk tim. Sungguh hebat. Sungguh hebat melihat pemain muda mencapai performa terbaik yang mana penampilannya itu berbeda dari belahan dunia."

"Bergabung dengan Manchester United dan mampu bermain impresif merupakan hal yang luar biasa," nilai Beckham.

Beckham lalu beranggapan, menit bermain Chicharito harus ditambah porsinya, di mana sang pemain memang sejauh ini kerap bermain dari bangku cadangan. Beckham pun berharap ada kesempatan lebih dan kepercayaan dari sang mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson.

"Ia tidak bakal menyatu dengan tim dan ia juga tidak akan mencetak gol jika saja Sir Alex Ferguson tidak menganggapnya adalah pemain yang berkualitas," sambungnya.

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Panen Pujian, Chicharito Tetap Merendah

Javier Hernandez hanya memikirkan laga demi laga untuk membawa Manchester United meraih hasil maksimal.

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez terus panen pujian lantaran ia kerap mempertontonkan penampilan eksplosif di musim ini, yang menjadikan dirinya kian mendapat sorotan tajam dari berbagai media.

Chicharito disebut-sebut bakal lebih berkembang lagi untuk menjelma menjadi salah satu pemain terbaik dunia. Sejak memulai kampanye musim ini, pemain internasional Meksiko ini selalu memperlihatkan kelasnya ke publik.

Tak pelak banyak yang angkat topi dengannya. Salah satu yang paling teranyar, ketika dirinya mencetak dua gol kemenangan United atas Marseille di Liga Champions yang lantas membuat klub melaju ke perempat-final.

Mananggapi rentetan pujian ini, sang striker enggan jemawa. Ia memilih bersikap rendah hati dan tak memikirkan karirnya bakal meroket ke depannya.

"Biasa saja," ujar Chicharito merendah kepada pers.

"Saya hanya berusaha memikirkan pertandingan ke pertandingan dan tidak melihat terlalu jauh diri saya di masa yang akan datang," jelasnya.

Mananggapi timnya yang melenggang ke babak delapan besar, sang striker bersyukur dan siap mempertahankan konsistensi performa impresifnya ini.

"Saya sangat bahagia dengan pencapaian kami di Liga Champions. Saya bertekad menjaga performa saya agar tetap seperti itu," tandasnya.

Sesuai hasil undian babak perempat-final Liga Champions kemarin, Manchester United dipertemukan dengan Chelsea, ulangan final edisi 2007/2008.

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Transfer rumours: February

The transfer window may be closed for several months – but that hasn't stopped some of the world’s best players being touted with a move to Old Trafford as the press ponder who Sir Alex Ferguson might target in the summer.

With both Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar announcing their separate retirements in recent weeks, speculation has mounted over who might fill the void with Pepe Reina, Manuel Neuer and Taye Taiwo among those mentioned.

Manchester United has a policy of not commenting on transfer speculation.

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Boss relieved by timely break

While international breaks are often little more than a hindrance to Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans, the United manager admits the current gap in the domestic calendar is a welcome reprieve.

Having sidled past Bolton last Saturday with a patched up defence, the Reds’ depleted ranks were further thinned by the dismissal of Jonny Evans and an injury to Wes Brown.

Although an international fixture list is always fraught with the danger of more players succumbing to injury, the timely breather should allow a handful of squad members time to progress from treatment room to dressing room in time for next month's resumption of domestic duties.

“It’s come at an absolutely fantastic time for us,” Sir Alex told MUTV. “We’ve got the bonus of two weeks’ rest to patch up the injuries, and hopefully that'll be the biggest break of all.”

United go into the Premier League sabbatical with a five-point lead at the head of the table and Sir Alex feels the swelling of his playing roster can prove the difference in an absorbing title race.

“It’s a great lead,” he said. “Obviously they’ve got a game in hand, Arsenal, but we’ve got the points and we don’t need to worry about that part. If we get the players back, all our major players we’ll have a great chance.

“I’d have loved to have given Ji-sung Park a bit of game (against Bolton), but when we went to 10 men we were hamstrung a bit there, but I get Ji back in two weeks’ time, away at West Ham. Vidic will be back, Darren Fletcher hopefully will be back and hopefully if, bit by bit, we can get them all together we’ll have a great chance.”

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Rooney Akui Khilaf Saat Ingin Keluar Dari United

Rooney seakrang berkomitmen untuk membawa United meraih banyak gelar.

Wayne Rooney mengakui bahwa dirinya berbuat kesalahan dengan menyatakan keinginannya untuk keluar dari Manchester United pada awal musim ini.

Perpanjangan kontrak pada bulan Oktober silam membuat drama tentang Rooney berakhir, padahal sebelumnya Rooney menegaskan ingin hengkang karena ambisi klubnya tersebut sudah tidak sesuai dengan ambisi pribadinya.

"Saya mengakui saya berbuat kesalahan, seperti yang saya katakan sebelumnya, saya berkomitmen kepada United dan saya bahagia dan keluarga saya juga bahagia maka tidak ada lagi alasan untuk saya hengkang ke klub lain," ujar Rooney.

"Saya ingin mencoba untuk terus menang dan membawa trofi ke klub, dan juga membawa kesuksesan yang lebih banyak untuk United."

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Digging in for victory

Did Old Trafford witness another "Steve Bruce" moment on Saturday?

Certainly it was another memorable chapter in the burgeoning book of dramatic late winners United keep coming up with under Sir Alex Ferguson. I guess the biggest difference from 1993 was that the boss was unable to celebrate by running to the edge of the pitch this time – instead he had to make do with a slightly more modest raising of the arms in the conservative atmosphere of the Directors Box!

United handle on-pitch adversity like no other club. Defenders dropping like flies, Jonny Evans sent off and the boss banished to the stands... it really wasn’t shaping up to be the best of days. And yet the Reds showed a strength of character and the fabled winning mentality that only champions possess.

I really did fear the worst when Evans saw red. A powerful, physical team like Bolton are not the ideal opponents when you have to play a central midfielder like Michael Carrick at centre-back. But Carrick was actually excellent and brought composure to United’s backline. MUTV interviewed him after the Marseille game and we jokingly suggested that he might have to play centre-back if we got any more injuries. He wasn’t too keen and yet rode to the rescue superbly.

Incidentally, I thought Evans was a shade unlucky to be sent off. There was no malice in the tackle – he won the ball in a crunching 50/50 but also caught Stuart Holden. The gash on Holden’s knee must have led to Andre Marriner concluding that Evans had to go. All the more mystifying then that Jamie Carragher stayed on the field despite blood pouring from Nani’s wound at Anfield a couple of weeks ago.

What was most impressive was the fact United actually improved as an attacking force when reduced to 10 men. The Reds began to really knock on the door and build up a momentum – it was one of those classic Old Trafford scenarios when you just knew that something was going to happen and when Berba bundled home the roof lifted off the place. It was one of the most intensively celebrated goals seen at OT this season – everyone knew just how vital it was.

The international break would have lasted an eternity had United not have won that game. A five-point lead with eight games to go is a great position to be in. Hopefully we’ll have a defender or two back when the season reconvenes at West Ham in a fortnight.

In the meantime, I advise you to recharge the batteries. April is going to be a blockbusting month – big game following big game as United go full steam ahead on three points. If you thought Saturday was tense, you ain’t seen nothing yet!
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International Reds

A number of United players are away on international duty this week as the Reds take a break from a three-pronged trophy challenge.

Sir Alex will be hoping all his players return unscathed to ensure the injury problems affecting the squad are not exacerbated.

Wayne Rooney is United's sole representative in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier in Wales (26 March) and Wembley friendly against Ghana (29 March). However, Chris Smalling and on-loan duo Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck have been included in Stuart Pearce’s Under-21 party for Thursday’s trip to Denmark and the match at Preston against Iceland next Monday.

Welbeck, who spent time at Preston on loan last season, will be hoping for another Deepdale run-out but will need to first shake off the injury that led to his substitution against Liverpool on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Serbia have confirmed Nemanja Vidic (calf injury) will miss the Group C qualifiers with Northern Ireland and Estonia, although Jonny Evans and on-loan Corry Evans are both in Nigel Worthington’s plans for the tie in Belgrade. The game is set to be played in front of only 200 travelling supporters due to a ban on home fans following crowd trouble that led to a recent qualifier in Italy being abandoned.

Patrice Evra has been recalled by former United defender Laurent Blanc for France’s games against Luxembourg and Croatia, while Nani will be a key figure for Portugal in their friendlies with Chile and Finland.

Further afield, Javier Hernandez is in Mexico’s squad for internationals against Paraguay and Venezuela with fit-again Antonio Valencia included for Ecuador’s friendlies with Colombia and Peru - although both of those fixtures will be played in Europe (Madrid and Amsterdam).

Darron Gibson is back with Republic of Ireland after scoring his first goal at international level against Wales last month, ahead of their matches with Macedonia and Uruguay in Dublin.

Mame Biram Diouf, who is on loan at Blackburn, is in Senegal’s squad for African Cup of Nations play-off against Cameroon.

There are Under-21 call-ups for Federico Macheda and Bebe with Italy facing Sweden and Germany and Portugal lining up against Republic of Ireland.
At a younger level, FA Youth Cup stars Ravel Morrison, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Tom Thorpe are in the England Under-19 squad with Sean McGinty and Robbie Brady representing Republic of Ireland in the same age group. Paul Pogba, fresh from another incredible strike at the weekend, is with France Under-20s and Marnick Vermijl is away with Belgium Under-19s.

Goalkeeper Joe Coll has been called up by Republic of Ireland’s Under-17s and Gyliano van Velzen is with Holland’s squad at the same level after being promoted from stand-by duty.

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Fergie Bersedia Beli Rodwell £25 Juta

Dua pemain lain yang diinginkan Sir Alex Ferguson adalah Ashley Young dan Ciaran Clark.

Manchester United (MU) tak keberatan mengeluarkan £25 juta untuk mendapatkan Jack Rodwell dari Everton pada akhir musim.

The Sun melaporkan Rodwell baru saja meneken kontrak baru berdurasi lima tahun dengan Everton, dan tidak mungkin dilepas dengan harga murah. MU sebelumnya hanya bersedia membeli Rodwell dengan harga £15 juta.

Manchester City membuat perebutan Rodwell menjadi panas, dengan mengatakan bersedia membeli pemain berusia 20 tahun itu dengan harga £30 juta, seperti diinginkan Everton.

Sir Alex Ferguson, pelatih MU, menginginkan Rodwell sejak Januari 2011. Ia bahkan sempat berupaya memboyongnya, tapi pelatih David Moyes menolak melepasnya.

Saat itu, Moyes secara terbuka membandrol Rodwell £30 juta. Fergie keberatan. Alasannya, investasi £30 juta untuk membeli pemain usia 20 tahun terlalu berisiko.

Belakangan Fergie, panggilan akrab Sir Alex Ferguson, berubah pikiran. Ia menaikan tawaran, tapi tetap tak ingin memenuhi permintaan Everton.

Pemain lain yang diincar Fergie adalah Ashley Young dan defender Ciaran Clark, keduanya dari Aston Villa. Sedangkan striker Danny Welbeck dan gelandang Tom Cleverley akan kembali ke Old Trafford, setelah dipinjamkan ke Sunderland dan Wigan.


sumber: goal.com
 

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Rio: I've changed

Rio Ferdinand is a social networking aficionado and he says using his twitter account (@rioferdy5) has helped change people's perception of him off the field…

Away from the pitch, your Twitter account has proved extremely popular. What first prompted you to delve into the world of social networking?

It was mainly to show people the real me. A lot of people perceive me in a certain way and a lot of that’s down to how the media have chosen to portray me. It’s the image they’ve painted of me. I used to see loads of images in the papers of me with flashy earrings, big diamond chains or gold watches, but that’s not me any more. Obviously it was me at one point, but that was a long time ago, when I was a kid and the money was all new to me. But it’s unfair to use those pictures now. I’m a different person these days. I’m much more mature.

Do you think people understand that now?

Well, Twitter’s been good because it’s given me a platform to show people what I’m really like. I’ve heard people talking about me and they expect me to be on red carpets week in, week out. But I’ve only ever been on two red carpets in my entire life! At least on Twitter people can get an understanding of how you are, rather than how the media portray you. I’ve even had messages from fans thanking me for showing them what life for a professional footballer is really like.

But there are still misconceptions out there about footballers, right?

Definitely. Some people think being a footballer is all about beautiful cars, big holidays and private jets. I swear some people think I get a jet to go down to the shop to buy a pint of milk! When I get on a train people ask me what on earth I’m doing there. They think I must have bought the train or something. It’s weird. I’m on the train because I have to get from A to Band it’s the quickest and most convenient way for me to get there. Little things, like me tweeting when I’m sitting on a train, hopefully help people realise that footballers are actually human.

So would you say that Twitter has closed the gap between footballers and fans a little bit?
Absolutely. A lot of fans complain that they’re disconnected from players nowadays and that’s probably a fair comment. I can understand why they’d say that. But not all of us are like that. I love responding to fans and getting into debates with them. I think that it’s been a really positive experience. Every week – daily, almost – I get people telling me that I’ve inspired them or that my tweets have made them laugh. Some thank me for offering a connection to the club – some people feel that they get closer to Manchester United through it.

You’ve now amassed in excess of half-a-million followers. I think it was Spiderman who once said: “With great power comes great responsibility...”
Yeah, that applies to Twitter, without a doubt. I’m well aware of the audience that I’ve got and that I have a responsibility to make sure I stay within certain boundaries. And there are boundaries. I’m playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, so I have to be careful sometimes. There have been quite a few occasions where I’ve consulted the club’s communications department before tweeting about certain things, and there are other things that I know are definitely off limits. But that’s fine – I understand that: the club and the team always comes first.

This interview first appeared in Inside United, the official club magazine.

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Today at OT: Pogba stunner

Monday 21 March

11:35 There's bad news for Bolton's Stuart Holden, who was stretchered off against the Reds on Saturday. It looks like he'll now miss up to six months of football with a knee injury. Jonny Evans was sent off for the offending challenge, although Bolton boss Owen Coyle later admitted he felt "both players went into a 50-50 committed". (NC)

10:53 You've probably heard a few whispers about Paul Pogba over the last 12 months. And there's a good chance you'll hear a lot more about him if the young Frenchman keeps scoring goals like the one he netted on Saturday in the Under-18s' 2-2 draw. Click on the link in the left-hand menu to view his latest stunner. I say "latest" because he's developed something of a habit of producing the spectacular. (NC)

10:21 Who impressed you most in Saturday's victory? It wasn't a game that will live long in the memory, but it could prove crucial in the title race. So far, fans have voted overwhelmingly for Wayne Rooney in our Man of the Match poll. Do you agree? Have your say at www.manutd.com/polls. (NC)

09:22 Sir Alex's men weren't the only United players in action on the weekend. The Academy's Under-18s drew 2-2 at Derby on Saturday in a game that featured another fantastic goal from Paul Pogba. We'll hopefully have footage of that goal for you later today. In the meantime, read Steve Bartram's match report. (NC) Today at Old Trafford

the week, bringing you the latest news and views from inside Old Trafford. (Nick Coppack)

The views expressed in this article are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United.

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MU Sebut Costa Pengganti Scholes

Manchester United akan bersaing dengan Chelsea dan Manchester City untuk mendapatkan Douglas Costa.

Manchester United (MU) dikabarkan sedang mencoba membuka perundingan dengan Shakhtar Donetsk untuk mendapatkan playmaker Douglas Costa dengan harga £18 juta.

The Mirror memberitakan Costa akan menjadi pengganti Paul Scholes, jika pemain asal Brasil itu bisa diboyong ke Old Trafford musim panas mendatang.

Costa menyita perhatian publik Eropa, menyusul sukses Shakhtar mencapai perempat final Liga Champions. Costa adalah pemain kunci sukses klub asal Ukraina itu.

Costa berada di director box Old Trafford, ketika MU susah payah mengalahkan Bolton Wanderers di Old Trafford.

Publik Ukraina, bahkan juga Eropa, menyebut Costa sebagai new Ronaldinho. Sir Alex Ferguson tak membantahnya.

Namun Fergie tampaknya masih akan membujuk Scholes, yang kini berusia 36 tahun, untuk meneken perpanjangan kontrak satu tahun.

Langkah ini ditempuh sebagai antisipasi jika MU gagal mendapatkan pemain yang layak menggantikannya.

Mendapatkan Costa pasti tidak akan mudah. Chelsea dan Manchester City juga menginginkannya, dan berani membayar jauh lebih tinggi..

Bukan kali pertama Fergie menginginkan Costa. Saat Costa masih memperkuat Gremio, Fergie sempat berupaya mendapatkannya, tapi MU mengajukan tawaran terlalu murah.

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Sir Alex Tak Risau Kejaran Arsenal

Manchester - Arsenal masih menjadi pesaing utama Manchester United dalam perebutan gelar juara musim ini. Namun Sir Alex Ferguson tidak khawatir karena sang rival masih terpaut angka yang cukup jauh.

MU kini menjadi tim yang paling berpeluang untuk menjuarai Premier League. Kemenangan atas Bolton Wanderers akhir pekan lalu dibarengi dengan hasil seri yang didapat Arsenal atas West Bromwich Albion.

Saat ini Wayne Rooney dkk. masih memuncaki klasemen dengan nilai 63 poin, terpaut lima angka dari The Gunners yang tepat berada di bawahnya dengan satu laga tersisa.

Satu laga tersebut memang berpeluang untuk dimenangkan oleh pasukan Arsene Wenger ini. Kendati demikian, hal itu tidak membuat Sir Alex risau karena timnya tetap masih punya keunggulan dua angka.

"Ini adalah keunggulan yang bagus," ujar Ferguson kepada MUTV.

"Jelas mereka memiliki satu pertandingan di tangan, Arsenal, tapi kami punya angka yang kami tidak perlu khawatir tentang hal itu," lanjutnya.

Walau unggul, posisi MU masih belum aman. Pasalnya The Red Devils masih akan mendapatkan lawan berat justru di saat-saat terakhir kompetisi. MU akan bertandang ke Arsenal (1/5/2011) dan dilanjutkan dengan menjamu Chelsea (7/5/2011).

"Jika kami mendapatkan seluruh pemain kami kembali, seluruh pemain pilar kami, kami akan mendapatkan kesempatan besar (untuk juara)," yakin Ferguson.

sumber: detiksport.com
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