Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[mr_missile]

There are nine more games remaining in the league. Seems like the games on 1 May away to Arsenal and 7 May at home to Chelsea will decide who will be the champions.

Saturday 19th March 2011
Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers

Saturday 02nd April 2011
West Ham United v Manchester United

Saturday 09th April 2011
Manchester United v Fulham

Saturday 16th April 2011
Newcastle United v Manchester United

Saturday 23rd April 2011
Manchester United v Everton

Sunday 01st May 2011
Arsenal v Manchester United

Saturday 07th May 2011
Manchester United v Chelsea

Saturday 14th May 2011
Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United

Sunday 22nd May 2011
Manchester United v Blackpool

[mr_missile]

Arsenal's title run-in games : Looks like United will need a favour from Spurs and Pool to take points off the gunners prior to the big game on 1 May.

Saturday 19th March 2011
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

Saturday 02nd April 2011
Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers

Sunday 10th April 2011
Blackpool v Arsenal

Sunday 17th April 2011
Arsenal v Liverpool

Wednesday 20th April 2011
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

Sunday 24th April 2011
Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal

Sunday 01st May 2011
Arsenal v Manchester United

Saturday 07th May 2011
Stoke City v Arsenal

Saturday 14th May 2011
Arsenal v Aston Villa

Sunday 22nd May 2011
Fulham v Arsenal

[FunKid]

Sunday 01st May 2011
Arsenal v Manchester United

Saturday 07th May 2011
Manchester United v Chelsea

Sunday 17th April 2011
Arsenal v Liverpool

Wednesday 20th April 2011
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

the above matches will probably decide the title for this season.
MU ! MU ! MU ! all the way !!!

[asiancigar]

Originally Posted by FunKid

Sunday 01st May 2011
Arsenal v Manchester United - DRAW

Saturday 07th May 2011
Manchester United v Chelsea - United WIN

Sunday 17th April 2011
Arsenal v Liverpool - Draw

Wednesday 20th April 2011
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Spurs WIN

the above matches will probably decide the title for this season.
MU ! MU ! MU ! all the way !!!

How would we do?

Cheerz
AC

[jitlong69]

MU will get their 19th title. Let those Liverpoolrean drool.............

Losing a battle does not mean they had lost the war.

MU win over L'pool in the FA Cup was more significant than losing the 3 points to L'pool last week. No Big Deal.

MU lost to Chelsea, as all can see..............Chelsea was given the 3 points in a gift wrapped box by the referee.

But I think MU could go out in the Champion League. Marseille will score and MU could loose in the away goal.

FA tie with that French "granny" as manager, hmmm imteresting but I will put my money in Arsenal because the team that I betted on will loose...hahahaha

[A Red Devils]

hope that not only we can bounce back with an FA Cup semi-final spot but also recover and win all our matches,
record no. 19 on the way and probably 2010/2011 Manchester United is already craved on the trophy.

[Pankunchi]

a chance of MU winning the double again to create another history/record.

FA Cup and Premier League winner.

[machoman]

United send Arsenal crashing out of FA Cup
Sunday, March 13, 2011, 04:37:08 HRS

Manchester United's defender Fabio Da Silva celebrates after scoring the opening goal of their FA Cup quarter-final football match against Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England. Manchester United won 2-0.
Manchester United got their spluttering season back on track with a 2-0 win against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side had lost three of their last five Premier League matches, but goals from Fabio da Silva and Wayne Rooney restored the feel-good factor and booked a place in the Wembley semi-finals.

While United's morale will have been lifted by victory against a major rival, Arsenal's campaign is in danger of imploding.

The Gunners now have only the Premier League title to aim for after a miserable two weeks which has seen them lose the League Cup final to Birmingham and crash out of the Champions League and FA Cup.

United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar admitted it was important for his team to get back to winning ways.

"We got our goals, luckily I pulled off a couple of saves and we defended well," he said.

"It was important of course because we lost to Chelsea and Liverpool so the gap in the league is now non-existent. We needed to win tonight for another chance of silverware."

The 40-year-old has already announced his intention to retire at the end of the season and, asked if he is tempted to change his mind, he insisted: "No, definitely not."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger confirmed Swiss defender Johan Djourou will be out for the rest of the season after being stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder.

Wenger added: "I cannot fault our effort but things are not going our way at the moment.

"United were much more clinical, we have had a very difficult week. The team will recover from that and refocus."

Ferguson sent out a slightly weakened team which included seven defenders as he rested players ahead of Tuesday's Champions League second leg against Marseille, while Wenger played his strongest available eleven. It was Ferguson's selection gamble that paid off.

Fabio opened the scoring with a close-range finish in the 28th minute after Manuel Almunia could only push Javier Hernandez's header from a Rooney cross into the Brazilian's path.

Arsenal's Robin van Persie, controversially sent off for kicking the ball away against Barcelona in midweek, almost equalised before the break but the Dutch forward saw his low shot turned away by Van der Sar.

Bolton Wanderers' defender Gary Cahill (R) jumps for the ball over Birmingham City's midfielder Sebastian Larsson during their FA Cup quarter-final football match at St Andrews in Birmingham. Bolton won 3-2.
Laurent Koscielny was denied by van der Sar soon after half-time and United, who last won the Cup in 2004, took advantage of that escape to put the tie beyond Arsenal's reach in the 49th minute.

Rafael da Silva's surging run and cross forced Johan Djourou into a block that looped the ball towards Rooney and the England striker headed past Almunia from a tight angle.

In the day's other quarter-final, Lee Chung-Yong fired Bolton into the FA Cup last four as the South Korean's late goal clinched a 3-2 win over Birmingham at St Andrew's.

Owen Coyle's side looked to have been denied a place in the last four when Kevin Phillips hit a late equaliser for Birmingham, but Bolton midfielder Lee headed the winner in the 90th minute to send the visitors to the Wembley semis.

Bolton had taken the lead through Johan Elmander's cool finish in the 21st minute before Cameron Jerome lashed in Birmingham's first equaliser in the 38th minute.

Kevin Davies converted a 66th-minute penalty, awarded after Curtis Davies fouled the Bolton striker, only for Phillips to scoop in a superb equaliser with 10 minutes to play.

But Birmingham's dreams of adding the FA Cup to the League Cup they won against Arsenal last month came to an end when substitute Lee ran onto Davies's header and nodded past Ben Foster.

Coyle saluted Lee's influential display but admitted he will continue to rotate the winger in and out of the side to keep him fresh.

"I think Lee is capable of playing for any team. But he hasn't had a break for two years though and we have to be careful with him," Coyle said."

Sunday's two quarter-finals see Manchester City host Championship club Reading, while West Ham travel to Stoke.

- AFP

[A Red Devils]

an derby against City in the FA Cup Semi-Final.
what a draw. looking forward for it.
let get Marseille out of the way in the 2nd Leg of Champion League.

[RonaldoNani]

United 2 Marseille 1
United are through to the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to a close-range couple from Javier Hernandez - but it was a far from comfortable night for the Reds after conceding a late away goal at Old Trafford.

Wes Brown's unfortunate own goal created an anxious last-eight minutes but Sir Alex Ferguson's men held out to win 2-1 and book a place in the last-eight draw alongside the likes of Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s pre-match promise to go for it was reflected in his line-up as Nani and Ryan Giggs returned to the flanks and Paul Scholes was restored in the centre. The bench also had a strong emphasis on attack with the marauding midfield stars of Saturday’s FA Cup win over Arsenal, Rafael and Fabio, plus Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov among the seven subs. The defence, however, was not the expected quartet with a calf problem forcing Nemanja Vidic to join Rio Ferdinand on the sidelines.

Marseille, meanwhile, had top scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac back – he missed the first leg in France. Ex-United defender Gabriel Heinze started for the visitors in central defence, perhaps a safer haven than at left-back where Nani stretched him a fortnight ago.

The Reds engineered the perfect start from the opposite wing – United’s left. Rooney fed Ryan Giggs, scurried forward to collect the return

[jitlong69]

Originally Posted by FunKid

Sunday 01st May 2011
Arsenal v Manchester United

Saturday 07th May 2011
Manchester United v Chelsea

Sunday 17th April 2011
Arsenal v Liverpool

Wednesday 20th April 2011
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

the above matches will probably decide the title for this season.
MU ! MU ! MU ! all the way !!!

That is my predictions too. MU has 2 tricky games. The first one is Bolton. Bolton has always been a boo boo team for all the top 4. The edge is with MU playing at home. Dont bang too much on a MU win cause it could likely be a draw. Currently MU right back is weak with the ultility man O'Shea out and also Rafael

Nexy tricky game is with Everton on the 23rd. Again MU is at home so the edge on MU again but MU never has an easy game with Everton.

Arsenal will be out for revenge for their FA exit when they meet MU. Hopefully MU will score first because Arsenal back line is weak.

Arsenal also have to meet Bolton at Reebok on 24th so this will be an important game for Arsenal and MU.

Spurs should win at White Hart on the 20th when they meet Arsenal.

So everything points towards MU for their 19th League cup or maybe another treble. MU is on course anyway. Lets sit back and enjoy the game.

Chelsea, best is a 3rd position.

4th place will be very interesting between Spur and M city that everyone knows.

[machoman]

United edge into Champions League quarter-finals
Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 06:27:21 HRS

Manchester United's Mexican forward Javier Hernandez celebrates scoring against Marseille during their UEFA Champions League round of 16, second leg football match at Old Trafford in Manchester. United won 2-1.
Manchester United edged into the Champions League quarter-finals as Javier Hernandez's double-strike clinched a 2-1 win over Marseille in the last 16 second leg on Tuesday.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side were far from convincing for long periods at Old Trafford, but the predatory finishing of Mexico striker Hernandez moved United into the last eight for the fifth successive year with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

This was Ferguson's 100th Champions League victory and few of the previous 99 would have caused him quite so much anxiety as this.

Marseille gave United's defence too many scares for the Scot's liking and Wes Brown's late own goal ensured a tense finish for the Premier League leaders.

Despite the latest in a long line of underwhelming displays, United are closing in on the final at Wembley and remain on course for a treble.

Ferguson admitted that he hadn't been able to relax even at 2-0 up.

"It was nervy because players kept on coming off injured," said the 69-year-old Scot.

"But I think that the experienced players like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick did really well for us tonight."

Regarding who they got in the quarter-finals he was pretty relaxed.

"You just take what you get.

"You never get what you wish for."

His Marseille counterpart Didier Deschamps bemoaned an opportunity missed.

Manchester United's Wes Brown reacts after scoring an own goal against Marseille during their UEFA Champions League round of 16, second leg football match at Old Trafford in Manchester. United won 2-1.

"We missed a real chance to beat an under strength Manchester United side this evening," said Deschamps, who guided Monaco to a surprise spot in the 2004 final.

"We had our chances and didn't take them and despite conceding those goals we still could have won.

"We should have done better. But at this level you need to be playing these type of matches regularly, it is a learning process."

United, held to a 0-0 draw in the first leg, tore into Marseille at the start and it took only five minutes to open the scoring as a brilliantly constructed move pierced the French defence with surgical precision.

Wayne Rooney was the architect of Marseille's downfall as he played a sumptuous pass out to Ryan Giggs on the left wing and then surged into the penalty area to take the return ball.

Rooney's instant control gave him time to assess the situation and he drilled over a low cross towards Hernandez, who timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and tap into the empty net.

That dream start lulled United into a false sense of security and their defence was dozing as Andre-Pierre Gignac ran onto Andre Ayew's flicked pass.

Gignac had time and space to pick his spot, yet with the goal at his mercy he tamely lofted a chip way over the crossbar.

Steve Mandanda almost gifted United a second goal as the goalkeeper's woeful clearance fell to Nani just outside the penalty area, but the winger strangely decided not to shoot and his delayed pass to Rooney allowed Marseille time to regroup and clear.

United's own frailties at the back kept Marseille in the game and Taye Taiwo was left unmarked to cross towards Souleymane Diawara, who was also unopposed as his mistimed header drifted wide.

It didn't help that right-back John O'Shea limped off with a hamstring problem and Marseille, growing in confidence, threatened again when Benoit Cheyrou tested Edwin van der Sar with a long-range effort.

Ferguson sent on Antonio Valencia in place of Nani after an hour and the Ecuador winger's volley immediately forced Mandanda into action.

Another injury, this time to substitute Rafael da Silva, forced further reorganisation in United's defence as the Brazilian was stretchered off.

Cheyrou had a golden opportunity to take advantage when he ghosted onto Remy's cross, only to shoot straight at van der Sar from close-range.

Ferguson's side made Marseille pay for their wayward finishing in the 75th minute.

Valencia played a clever reverse pass to Giggs and his low cross was met with a typically predatory finish by Hernandez.

That should have been the end of the French champions, but Brown briefly gave them hope when he headed Lucho's corner into his own net in the 81st minute.

- AFP

[Rooney Strike]

Champions League - United through to quarters despite scare

Manchester United ensured their name will be in the hat for Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw after a nervy 2-1 win over Marseille at Old Trafford.

Javier Hernandez put United ahead early on and despite several scares at the back the Mexican netted a second with 15 minutes remaining to put the home side firmly in the box seat.

But a Wes Brown own-goal on 82 minutes meant stress levels inside the ground remained high with the tie still on a knife edge during an anxious finale.

Yet the French champions were unable to seriously test their hosts again and United held out to progress to their fifth successive last-eight appearance in the competition.

Hernandez broke the deadlock with a simple fifth-minute tap-in after Wayne Rooney had started the move and then delivered the killer pass across the face of goal.

The strike followed a bright opening by United, who knew that victory on the night would see them progress to the quarter-finals after the first leg at the Stade Velodrrome had ended goalless.

But even a goal to the good, the tie was delicately balanced and an away Marseille goal would have turned the tie completely on its head.

That knowledge appeared to play on the minds of United's back line, which was missing the influential Nemanja Vidic after the Serb failed a fitness test on the calf strain he picked up at the weekend.

As such, Alex Ferguson was forced into fielding Brown and Chris Smalling in the centre of defence - the same pairing that played in the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool in the Premier League a week and a half previously.

And during the opening period, the makeshift back line did little to suggest United were going to maintain their excellent defensive record in this competition, which had seen them concede just once in seven previous games heading into this one.

Soon after Nani had opened the scoring, Smalling nearly got caught out as an innovative flick-on from Andre Ayew looped over the defender's head and into the path of Andre-Pierre Gignac. Only an abject finish from the France international kept United's clean sheet intact.

Souleymane Diawara was then allowed to meet a corner unchallenged but, again, United were saved by another atrocious finish, this time as Diawara conspired to head wide.

And on 42 minutes, Smalling's attempted clearance only found Loic Remy, who blazed a vicious first-time effort over the bar.

Yet United survived those scares and were actually the better side during the opening period, bossing possession and only lacking the nous to unlock the visitors' defence for a second time.

The second half was a different story as Marseille, forced to attack more and with United sitting back a little, began to enjoy more of the ball.

Benoit Cheyrou brought Edwin van der Sar into action on 74 minutes as the pressure on United's goal mounted but the hosts relieved the pressure as Hernandez hit on the break in virtually a carbon copy of his first goal.

This time Antonio Valencia, a second half replacement for Nani, was the architect, slipping the ball through for Ryan Giggs to square to Hernandez, who had another simple finish from close range.

The goal should have put the tie to bed, but Marseille extended their interest in the match when Gabriel Heinze - booed on his return to Old Trafford - attacked a corner and Brown bundled the ball into his own net.

Yet Didier Deschamps's side failed to take inspiration from the goal and what should have been a grandstand finish saw the French side fail to fashion any more chances.

The result sees United maintain their impeccable record against French opposition at Old Trafford - they have never lost to a side from across the Channel at home - and means they join Internazionale, Tottenham, Barcelona, Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk in Friday's draw. Chelsea's fate will be decided on Wednesday when they meet FC Copenhagen, while Real Madrid play Lyon.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

[jitlong69]

May not be a bad idea as Rooney say, take on Barcelona in the quarter first......

[jitlong69]

More to add.
If MU win the EPL it will be a record 19 times, and win the FA, it will be 12 time (already holding the record now with 11 times) and the Champion League total will be 4 times but 3 times under the same manager. Won't it be wonderful but it is not going to be easy. I think for the EPL title and FA should be good chance but Champion League may be a steeper hill up with all the injuries. Best of luck MU.