UNITED 2 - 1 FC BARCELONA: Friendly match

The Red Devils had won 2 - 1 against FC Barcelona on July 30 in Washington D.C. 

It was a good show though it was a friendly match. Barcelona's rising star Thiago had an absolutely brilliant game and stole the show with his goal, but United did a better job of finishing their chances despite a lack of possession.

The first goal of the game and only goal of the first half was scored by Nani on a counter-attack. Played through by Danny Welbeck, who hit a fantastic through ball, Nani barely stayed onside before taking off towards the goal and finishing a one-on-one opportunity.

Thiago's equalizer came in the second half off of an absolutely fantastic strike. Dribbling towards goal, Thiago took a shot from 25 yards out when United's defenders failed to close him down. The ball curled towards the side netting, making for an absolutely unstoppable shot for David De Gea.

United answered quickly, though, as substitute Michael Owen scored the winner, once again giving United a goal on the counter by running onto a through ball. Owen would have another chance to score shortly afterward, but badly missed an empty net, partially thanks to a bad cross by Gabriel Obertan.

Manchester United will play the Community Shield against Manchester City next week before kicking off their Premier League campaign a week later. 

Source: SBNation.com

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Man Utd’s Future Safe With Sir Alex

Under the circumstances, Sir Alex Ferguson could certainly be forgiven for calling it a day at Old Trafford, picking up his golf clubs and his gardening tools and enjoying a well earned retirement. After 25 years, the United boss has seen and done it all in the game and the retirement of Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, along with the imminent end of Ryan Giggs, marks the end of an era for Sir Alex.

Many critics have claimed the current stars wearing Man Utd shirts are not as good as previous generations and it could certainly be argued that much like over at Stamford Bridge, Ferguson has been trying to squeeze the last few drops of ability and success from his side before a major rebuilding job takes place. Having lost the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in recent years, United have lost much of their flair and starpower that saw them lift the Champions League trophy in 2008.

After seeing his side torn apart by Barcelona at Wembley last month and with major reinforcements needed if they are to retain their grip on the Premiership trophy, nobody would have blamed Sir Alex had he decided the time was right to pass the torch to his successor and give him the task of building the next great United side. However, even at 70, Ferguson has the drive and motivation to begin the rebuilding job to lay the foundations for the next 10 years of Manchester United success.

Following last years shrewd capture of the excellent Chris Smalling, United are close to sealing a deal for his long-term central defensive partner in Phil Jones. It’s a duo which may well be paired together in England football shirts for many years to come and will be a long term replacement for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea – who looked the part in last night’s 1-1 draw with England in the under 21 tournament – is set to come in and at 20 years ago, could be destined to be Old Trafford’s number 1 for many years to come. With Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez both with many, many years ahead of them and other young stars such as the Rafael twins and Danny Welbeck also in the squad, United have more than enough potential to form the basis of their side for many years to come.

Ashley Young is also hotly tipped to join from Aston Villa, not only adding another of England’s hottest young talents to the squad, but also much creativity and flair to the midfield area. While to compete with Barcelona United do undoubtedly require some genuine, proven quality along the lines of Luka Modric or Wesley Sneijder, Ferguson is quite rightly addressing the issue which has led to the recent downfall of Chelsea by building for the future while also putting a winning team on the park.

Written by Eddie Smith, a sports blogger who writes about football shirts.

Sir Alex Ferguson Sets Sights On Another Title

Just over a week since the Champions League final and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is already looking forward to the new season, issuing a chilling warning to his Premier League rivals that the Red Devils are gunning by more titles.

United achieved a record breaking 19 league titles to make them the most successful team in English football history, despite claims that the current squad is a poor reflection of previous generations. While many would dwell on such a remarkable success, Ferguson is already looking ahead to the new campaign as he guns for title number 20.

It’s clear there is a rebuilding job needed at Old Trafford to see of the latest bulk spending from Manchester City and Chelsea. The new Manchester United home shirt was released this week and it is likely a number of new stars will be gracing it for the 2011/12 season.

Ferguson will have to do without two of his most experienced and talented players as both Edwin van der Sar and Paul Scholes have announced their retirement, with many other stars including Dimitar Berbatov and Darron Gibson tipped to move on, but new faces will arrive.

Spanish keeper David de Gea is widely rumoured to be joining in a £17m deal from Atletico Madrid, while Ashley Young and Luka Modric remain firmly on the United boss radar. It is not yet out of the question that a major star such as Wesley Sneijder will arrive in what would be a significant boost to sales of Manchester United shirts.

The veteran gaffer stated the latest Premier League title was “particularly special” as it took them ahead of Liverpool in the record books but he is not going to rest on his laurels as he wants more trophies next season.

Ferguson said: “Hopefully we’ll be better next season. The only thing you can do at this club is win – that’s all that matters.

“We have to carry on, there’s nothing else you can do. We have a responsibility and expectation to live up to and that carries on next season.”

Written by Eddie Smith, a sports blogger who writes about kids football shirts.

Dimitar Berbatov strikes Golden boot

Dimitar berbatov with his prize.

After holding the Premier League trophy aloft, Dimitar Berbatov has now got his hands on a personal trophy for his efforts during the title-winning campaign.

The Bulgarian’s 20 goals were enough to share top spot in the scorers’ chart with City’s former Red Carlos Tevez and pick up the Golden Boot award from Barclays.

In a season where the classy striker hit three hat-tricks, including an incredible five-goal show against Blackburn, the prize is certainly well merited.

“On a personal level I’m delighted to win this award,” he told ManUtd.com. “To finish as the joint-top scorer in the best league in the world is a huge honour and something I’ll always be very proud of. I love scoring goals and providing entertainment for the fans – I hope I’ve done that this season.

“Most importantly, though, I feel happy knowing that my goals helped the team win the league. We made history this season by winning the title for the 19th time and it was a great feeling to be involved in that achievement. Individual awards are fine, but they mean nothing if you don’t win trophies as well.

“I want to thank the United fans for their support and, of course, my team-mates, who make it very easy for me to enjoy my time here and score goals.”

Source: manutd.com

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Sir Alex Ferguson says that United can beat FC Barcelona

Alex Ferguson has said that Manchester United have What it takes to beat Barcelona at Wembley Stadium on next May 28. 

The Scotch man is convinced that United can add European glory to a likely Premier League league title. 

Now, I am going to add my thoughts:

I think this time United can beat Barcelona for two reasons, first, We play in England and that's all the motivation that we need and second these year United is playing much better than in 2009. 

I hope that United can lift both trophies, Premier league and Champions league at the end of the seasons. We are the best team in around the world and we have the best coach forever. 

What do you think? Could United win both trophies? 

Have your say!

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United Ready For Barcelona Game

Manchester United all but secured the Barclays Premier League title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea which put them six points ahead of their closest challengers with just two games to go. Although United still need a point to officially secure the title, they can now start turning their attention to the prospect of a mouthwatering final with the Spanish Champions on May 28th.

The general consensus among the football media is that Barcelona are unstoppable and that United are very much second favourites for the Wembley showdown. The opinion is that this is not as strong a Manchester United side in recent years and as a result Barcelona will be too strong for them.

On a player by player basis, I would agree with the first half of that statement. Wayne Rooney aside, United do not have a truly world class player in the mould of Cristiano Ronaldo or Carlos Tevez. However, as a collective unit, this is arguably one of the most dogged and determined United sides of recent times.

Sure, away from home United have been nothing more than ordinary this season and have leaked goals at an alarming rate. But as has always been a trait in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, when they have needed to get the job done, they have got it done. Last weeks defeat at Arsenal was disappointing but owed as much to a strong performance from Arsene Wenger’s men than it did to poor play from United. However as they have done in responding to defeats by Manchester City and others this season, United bounced back with a victory when it mattered to all but clinch the Premiership title.

That new additions are required in the summer is without question, but there is enough about this group of players - who have scored in every home match this season and are unbeaten at Old Trafford - to win the trophy at Wembley later this month.

United are capable of organising their defensive line in a way that Barcelona do not regularly encounter and with the pace on the break of Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Luis Antonio Valencia, they have more than enough to cause Pep Guardiola’s men problems. Ferguson will still hope to get Darren Fletcher back into his side to face the Catalans but with the pressure off in the remaining games with Blackburn and Blackpool, he has time and freedom to tinker with his side to find a winning formula.

Written by Eddie Smith, a sports blogger who writes about classic football shirts.

Can Manchester United Defeat Barcelona?

Manchester United cruised into the 2011 Champions League Final last night after an emphatic 4-1 victory over Schalke 04 in the second leg of the semi final to setup a mouthwatering clash with Barcelona.

Sir Alex Ferguson was criticised by many prior to the match when the team lineups were announced as the United boss opted to rest a number of top stars including Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, ahead of Sunday’s vital clash with Chelsea. However it was a very comfortable night for those stars in Man Utd shirts and in truth, Schalke never looked likely to cause United any problems. As Champions League semi finals go, this was about as easy as they are going to come.

The problem United now have is that on one hand, eyes and minds are already turning to a revenge mission at Wembley on May 28th as they look to avenge their 2009 defeat to a team hailed as the greatest of all time. However, for the players and manager, this must be forgotten about as there is still a considerable amount of work to be done in the race to regain the Premiership title.

Defeat at home to Chelsea on Sunday would hand Carlos Ancelotti’s men an almost unthinkable chance at the title as the Blues would go top of the table with just two games to play. Having already lost the reverse fixture 2-1 at Stamford Bridge back in March, United will be well aware of the threat posed, despite a home and away victory over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter finals.

Many critics have suggested that this Manchester United team is a poor reflection of previous versions and many doubt the ability of Sir Alex’s side to go to the full distance. However, I expect them to beat Chelsea on Sunday and in doing so all but regain the title they lost to the Blues on the final day of the 2009/10 season. I also expect them to beat FC Barcelona in the Final at Wembley later this month.

As poor as United have been at times in the Premiership this season, they have been emphatic in Europe. Schalke were absolutely blown away, Chelsea were dispatched without difficulty and wins in Turkey, Valencia and Ibrox in the group stages underlined both the quality and depth of the United squad. Barcelona may pose a different threat entirely but as Arsenal and Real Madrid have recently showed, they are not unbeatable.

As good a side as Barcelona are, they struggle to break down the type of well organised defence they are not accustomed to playing in the attack minded La Liga. Arsenal went to the Nou Camp and until the ridiculous sending off of Robin van Persie, Barcelona had created relatively little. Similarly, Madrid shut them out in the Copa del Rey and were reasonably comfortable until Pepe’s red card opened the space and the floodgates.

While this United side may not be as flamboyant as previous generations, they are well organised and a strong defensive unit. Barcelona will find it difficult to break United down and with the pace and flair going forward of the likes of Nani and Luis Antonio Valencia, they can expose the defensive weaknesses of the Catalans.

It will be a difficult task and they will certainly have to ride their luck, but Manchester United CAN beat Barcelona.

Written by Eddie Smith, a sports blogger who writes about La Liga.

Barcelona v United for a Champions rematch

Manchester United and Barcelona both got a lead for 2-0 in the first game in semi-finals for the champions league. And could will be a rematch of the 2009 champions league final, but this time in Wembley Stadium later this month.    

Both teams have a chance to win a fourth European title, but this will require to negotiate the second-leg semi-finals in the UCL.

Manchester United is certainly confident that Schalke’s longest run in the competition will end at Old Trafford.

Wayne Rooney is not set to play on Sunday's premier league match against Chelsea,  which is just three points behind United with three matches to go. 

"I will make some changes on Wednesday without question, I will bring Paul Scholes back in, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen. We'll need to do that but I will probably keep my experienced players at the back. We have a big week ahead. two massive games, so we will regroup and freshen it up," said Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Source: National Post

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Manchester United are not maximising Anderson attacking's strengths

Anderson

Carlos Alberto -The Brazilian legend- has told Sir Alex Ferguson to let Anderson play a free role in Manchester United team, so that he can fulfil his early promise and become "The best player in around the world"

He used to be compared to fellow Gremio Ronaldinho, for his skill with the ball and the ability to create and score goals.

"Anderson is a very good player, but I knew him when he played in Brazil and, in my opinion, he is playing in a different way to the way he played back there. He is not playing in his real position. In Brazil, we would like to see him play with freedom on the field because he creates chances and he scores.” said Carlos Alberto, according to Manchester evening news.

In Brazil, he is compared with Ronaldinho because he is a very skilled player, but over here, he seems to be playing more defensively and this is not the best way for him to play. Carlos Alberto hopes AF change their ideas and give him a free role. And then, he can start to show just how good he is. 

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Source: Goal.com

Luis Nani into the PFA Team of the year

Luis Nani 

Luis Nani has had his most productive season since arriving to Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon. 

"I'm very proud to be named in the PFA Team of the Year," said the portuguese star. 

"Being part of this great club brings great responsibility and great achievements." added Nani.

You can follow him at his official Twitter account at: @luisnani

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Anderson back to play on Saturday

Brazilian player 'Anderson'

Anderson is set to return for the clash against West Ham United this Saturday, but AF still have some doubts for the right-back position. 

The Brazilian midfielder has not played for seven games because of a knee problem, but he's got great chances for playing on Saturday because Paul Scholes is suspended and Darren Fletcher is out with a virus. Ji-Sung Park who was unused for win against Bolton, is also available. 

Nemanja Vidic will be the captain and Chris Smailing will be at the centre alongside with Vida. Rio Ferdinand is back to training but not likely to be available until the home game with Fulham.

In their last visit to Upton Park, The Reds losing 4-0 for the Carling Cup; but Sir Alex is expecting another tricky game in East London and hopes his players can produce the goods this time. 

"You always expect a hard game when you're away from home at this stage of the season no matter where you go," said Sir Alex on the pre-match press conference. 

These game is also important for West Ham who is at the bottom of the league fighting for relegation. United are at the top of the league trying to win it. So it would be an interesting encounter. Hopefully We can get (and must) the result we need.

So, What do you think about this tricky game in Upton Park? Could United get the Three points for the Premierleague trophy? Have your say!

Thanks for reading and enjoy this game as I will do! 

Eric Cantona Exclusive Interview

Hi, everybody! 

I hope you're all fine. Today, I want to share with all of you a GREAT video that I saw on YouTube about Eric Cantona. It is an exclusive interview on ESPN. Don't miss it and view it now!!

Thanks for reading & watching!

Brought to you by Pablo Grippo, a pasionate United fan.