Preview: West Brom Albion v Manchester United

Date: Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Venue: The Hawthorns

Referee: Rob Styles.

The Red Devils plays a crucial game against West Brom Albion in the title race.  Fabio Da Silva (calf) and Danny Welbeck (ankle) are the latest additions to an equally long United's injury list.

Darren Fletcher may play at right-back and Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to shrug off the effects of a stomach bug.

United will set a new top-flight record of 11 successive clean sheets, if they manage a shut-out against the Baggies. If  Edwin Van Der Sar keeps West Brom at bay for 84 minutes, he will set a new Premier League record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. He will pass Peter Cech's mark of 1,025 minutes accomplished between 12 December 2004 and 5 March 2005. The Red Devils have registered as many wins on their Premier League travels, as the Baggies have managed at home; five. 

A clear three-goal victory for West Brom would see Sir Alex Ferguson's club losing top spot. Indeed a two-goal victory would have the same outcome. if the Red Devils scored no more than one goal.

Club's Statistics:

• Lost just one of 20 in all competitions.
• Won the last 4 Premier League games, against Stoke, Middlesbrough, Chelsea, Wigan and Bolton.
• Unbeaten in 10 league games; won eight and drawn two since losing 2-1 away to Arsenal on 8 November - their only loss in 18 top-flight outings.
• Not conceded in 10 games, or 942 minutes of Premier League football since Samir Nasri scored Arsenal's second in the Gunners' odd goal in three home victory on 8 November.
• Picked up 11 points from a last possible 15 on the road.
• Home to Everton on Saturday.

Player's Statistics: 

Edwin Van der Sar is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Glove with 14 clean sheets.

If Carlos Tevez plays will be making his 50th Premier League appearance in United's shirt.

If  Tomasz Kuszczak plays will be facing a former club.

Source: BBC Sports.

Thanks for reading!

Red's Interview with Michael Carrick

Who's the greatest midfielder of all time?

Wow, what a question! It's hard to single anybody out. I can only talk about the ones I've played with, or against. Scholesy's got to be up there, Roy Keane as well. They're that stand out for me.

What other sports are you good at?

Whether or not I'm good at it is another matter, but I like my golf. I don't get to play as much as I'd like, or enough to get any better, but I do enjoy it.

Who did you support as a boy and can you remember your first match?

I supported Newcastle United when I was young and I vaguely remember going to watch them play Queens Park Rangers at St James' Park. I don't know how old I was though.

You've been all around the world, but what's the strangest thing you've eaten?

To be honest, when we go away with United we tend to take our own chef or if not we try and eat similar things to what we'd eat here in England. We don't really dive into the local cuisine - purely because we need to make sure we eat the right food. Anyway, I'm not really mad on trying different things. I like to stick to what I know.

If you were Sir Alex, who would you like to sign for the Reds?

That's a hard question. I think we've got a really talented squad at the moment and I can't pinpoint any weaknesses. There are some very good players out there in world football but nobody really stands out for me.

You got married on the same day as Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard. Was that just a coincidence, or a clever way of limiting your dinner guest?

Both, in some ways! No, it was just a clash really. I know I'd been planning my wedding for two years, so it was just a coincidence.

Source: Red View

Thanks for reading!

Alex Ferguson doesn't want a FA Cup's replay

Sir Alex Ferguson said that he doesn't want to add congestion to United's fixtures list.

Ferguson had tried to exploit a little-known law in the competitions guidelines to make sure the game to be settle in one match.

Sir Alex was so desperate to avoid adding more United's matches to fixture list that he had tried to instigate talks with Tottenham about taking advantage of the Football Association's Rule 11a, which stipulates that a game can go into extra-time rather than replays providing the clubs agree in advance.

Alex Ferguson had intended to make a personal request to Harry Redknapp on the basis that Tottenham, like United, are in the midst of a fixture pile-up because of their involvement in 4-competitions. Redknapp has admitted that he will play his weakest team at Old Trafford, because of Tuesday's league game against Stoke City in mind, but he made it clear he would have rejected Ferguson's approach. "I wouldn't try to change the traditions of the FA Cup," he said.

The demands of Manchester United's matches have contributed to losing up a dozen of players through injuries. His defence is particularly affected with Darren Fletcher in line up in case of Gary Neville is unavailable and Fabio Da Silva could make his debut at left-back.

An FA spokesman said: "Replays are a significant part in the fabric and tradition of the FA Cup."

Source: The Guardian.co.uk

Thanks for reading!

 

Manchester United advances to the Carling Cup's Final

Manchester United beat Derby County 4 - 2 in the second-leg to secure their place in the Carling Cup's Final. 

In United scored Nani, O'Shea, Tevez and Ronaldo to booked Red Devil's team a place in the final with an aggregate of 4 - 3 against The Rams.

At 16th minute, Luis Nani scored a fantastic goal from a long range. Six minutes later, John O'Shea slotted a second followed by a third from Carlos Tevez before half-time.

United were awarded a penalty of their own minute later, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting.

Rafael Da Silva and Anderson picked up injuries and could face long lay-offs at a crucial stage of the season.

United's opponents will be decided this Wednesday, when Tottenham take a 4 - 1 lead in to the second-leg tie against Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Final will be in Wembley Stadium on 1 March and Manchester United can get their third League Cup to the Honours board.

Line-up: Foster, Neville (Chester), R. Da Silva (Fletcher), Evans, O'Shea, Nani, Gibson, Anderson, Giggs (Ronaldo), Welbeck, Tevez.

Subs not used: Kuszczak, Tosic, Scholes, Possebon.

Booked: R. Da Silva and D. Fletcher.

Goals: Luis Nani 16, John O'Shea 22, Carlos Tevez 34 and Cristiano Ronaldo 89 (penalty).

Attendance: 73,374.

Referee: Mike Dean.

Man-of-the-Match: Carlos Alberto Tevez.

Source: BBC Sports.

Thanks for reading!

 

We're at the top of EPL thank to Berba's goal

Gary Neville is convinced that Dimitar Berbatov can fire United to another Premier League title.

Gary believes The Bulgarian is beginning to show why Sir Alex Ferguson was prepared to spend  30m pounds to sign him from Spurs.

Dimitar Berbatov struck an injury time winner against Bolton on Saturday, which saw United move to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season.

"Dimitar's performances in the last couple of weeks have been really impressive," said Neville. "He's starting to look fantastic in certain games and now he's winning us matches."

His impressive form is at last seeing him shake off unwanted comparisons with Juan Sebastien Veron, who proved such a big money flop at Old Trafford.

"He has settled very well and I have the feeling that we are about to see the best of Berbatov," said Alex Ferguson

Gary Neville insist that the hard work is still to do. 

"The biggest games are still to come," said Neville. 

But he added: "Considering the difficult start, with all those away games, and the travelling, we're happy with the position we are in."

Source: Manchester Evening News.

Thanks for reading!

  

Palacios link unlikely to bear fruit

Manchester United might have a midfield packed with strength in depth, but Sir Alex Ferguson has still been linked with a move for highly-rated Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios.

Fergie got a view of the Honduras ace first hand on Wednesday night as the 24-year-old more than held his own against Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick as United beat Wigan 1-0.

Latics chief Steve Bruce had the player on loan at Birmingham and when he left for the North-West he was quick to pounce on Palacios with new Birmingham boss Alex McLeish failing to see much of him and unaware of his talents.

Palacios was forced to return home after his younger brother was kidnapped, but after his release in November 2007 Palacios was able to concentrate on his football and he has become a huge hit at Wigan.

His powerful running, tackling and ability to drive forward have already alerted the attentions of the big guns with Real Madrid also rumoured to be keen.

Tottenham have already had a £10million bid rejected by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, who revealed he's looking for considerably more for the former Birmingham ace.

It could just spur Sir Alex into action, who will have to offer closer to £15million to prise Palacios away from The JJB, but in truth the football odds are heavily stacked against Fergie opening his chequebook again before the end of the month.

Youngsters Ritchie De Laet, Adem Ljajic and Zoran Tosic have been snapped up already and the chances of Palacios following those three in the Old Trafford door seem remote.

However Fergie will undoubtedly be keeping tabs on the Wigan star, who signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at the JJB Stadium after joining from Deportivo Olimpia just over a year ago.

By Phil Tomlinson

United 3 - 0 Chelsea

United blasted out a title warning with a one-sided victory over second placed Chelsea.

Nemanja Vidic's injury time header gave The Reds the edge after Horward Webb had ruled out an opener when Ryan Giggs floated over the corner that Berbatov flicked on.

The linesman ruled that the corner had not been taken properly, sparking furious protest from Rooney and Giggsy.

Chelsea began the 2nd-half brightly but United killed the game when Evra exchanged passes with Cristiano Ronaldo down the left and floated over a cross that just evaded Dimitar Berbatov and Ashley Cole seemed to have covered, only for Rooney to stick his leg out and turn the ball past a startled Cech.

And with three minutes left Dimitar Berbatov completed an emphatic victory by volleying home from Ronaldo's whipped free kick to the near post.

Team line-up: Van der Sar, Neville,  Evans, Vidic, Evra (O'Shea), Ronaldo, Fletcher, Giggs (Carrick), Park, Rooney, Berbatov.

Booked: Ronaldo, Rooney.

Referee: Horward Webb

Man-of-the-Match: Nemanja Vidic.

Thanks for reading!