Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:46 AM
Nemanja Vidic's attitude following the hard-fought win over Inter was as pragmatic as his defending against the Italian champions.
On his return to the side following a one-game European ban, the Serb headed United's opening goal and was once again unflappable at the heart of the defence.
He was pleased to reach his second successive Champions League quarter-final but insists the Reds won't be celebrating the 2-0 aggregate win for too long, especially with another huge clash
to come on Saturday against Liverpool.
Vidic told MUTV: "We are happy that we got through against a team with lots of experience and who are tactically very sound, with a good coach.
"But the United way is that, win or lose, we quickly forget and look to the next game, trying to correct any things we have done wrong."
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all joined United in the draw for the last eight and Vidic believes that reflects the continuing pre-eminence of the Premier League.
"The Premier League has been the best in the world for the last three years, and English teams have proved that by how far they have gone in the Champions League," he said. "Liverpool,
Chelsea and Arsenal are ourselves all through again.
"Whoever we play in the next round will be a big team, with quality. They’ll be difficult to play against but we’re not thinking about it right now."
Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:44 AM
United will play Everton in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on Sunday 19 April, KO 16:00 BST.
It will be the 11th FA Cup meeting between the pair with the last cup clash - an FA Cup fifth round tie in February 2005 at Goodison Park - ending in United's favour.
The Toffees famously defeated the Reds in the 1995 FA Cup final thanks to Paul Rideout's winner.
This latest meeting will be shown live on ITV1.
United booked their place in the last four of the competition thanks to a 4-0 victory at Fulham following goals from Carlos Tevez (2), Wayne Rooney and Ji-sung Park.
Due to United's involvement in the FA Cup, the Reds' Premier League trip to Wigan, scheduled for Sunday 19 April, has now been postponed.
The other semi-final sees Arsenal or Hull take on Chelsea on Saturday 18 April, KO 17:15 BST. The game will be screened live on Setanta.
Arsenal, who beat Burnley 3-0 in their delayed fifth round tie on Sunday, will entertain Hull at the Emirates Stadium later this month in their delayed quarter-final clash.
Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:40 AM
I’m sure this is going to be one of those nights that will live long in the mind, one of those special occasions that reflects the high drama and intensity of the UEFA Champions League.
I always feel highly privileged and fortunate to be involved in this kind of European night as we welcome Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan team to Old Trafford. We feel good about the game,
not only for the atmosphere I know it will generate, but also for our chances of getting through to the next round. Yes, I was disappointed we failed to score over there but we put up a good
performance, especially in the first half, and we will play with every confidence of winning the second leg.
We have come a long way since we played in the San Siro against AC Milan a couple of years ago and were swamped. There is a maturity in the side now that I thought made us look the better team
a fortnight ago. People said when we faced Barcelona in the semi-final last season that we might struggle after a goalless draw in the away leg, but on another of those fabulous European nights
Paul Scholes scored a marvellous goal to take us through.
We will need to pull out something special again tonight if we are to go through because we are up against a very experienced Italian outfit and a clever manager who will try harder than ever to thwart us. We have a good record in Europe at home, though, and our form is excellent. Things are going well with a very useful win at Newcastle last week to keep the League championship very much a realistic possibility. Their early goal galvanised Newcastle, and despite our great record at St James’ Park, any points you get there you have to earn. I thought we did just that. We didn’t panic and the maturity I have just spoken about enabled us to pull the game out of the fire.
The Newcastle crowd always make life difficult for visitors. They are quite inspirational, but happily, our lads matched them. Although they were tucked away up in the gods we heard them all night, reminding me of our support when we played in the FA Cup at Derby last month and setting the scene for another bout of fantastic encouragement at Fulham. That’s the kind of backing I am looking for this evening. There is no doubt that a surge of encouragement from the stands can make all the difference.
Incidentally, talking of support, full marks to the West Ham fans who bucked the trend of booing the return of former players. When we were there last month they applauded Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Carlos Tevez when their names were read out. I thought it was very refreshing and appreciative. So we came home from Newcastle with a seven-point lead in the title race and a game in hand. Everything is fine on that front and obviously the Carling Cup went well for us with victory at Wembley against Spurs.
I was delighted for the boys who underlined my faith in them. It’s not easy playing at Wembley in a Cup final. Experienced players can sometimes freeze because it’s an occasion that tests the nerves. For instance young Danny Welbeck got an early chance to score but you could almost hear him thinking, this is Wembley, I must make sure of this opportunity, and the slight hesitation saw him slip and miss the chance. But you can bet that the next time he will crack it first time, whatever the occasion, because he has knowledge of a big occasion under his belt. It’s a learning curve that young players like Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans and Nani have to go through, which is why I have been giving them their head in the Carling and FA Cups. I was just sorry that Rafael missed the final through injury.
The success of the youngsters gives us good backing as we enter a key phase of the season. A manager’s nightmare is finding that injuries suddenly force him to bring in an untested player for a vital match. That can’t happen at United because, happily, I can call on a squad that has experience in depth. I can make changes with every confidence from a pool of players who have all tasted the big-time and have grown up together.
With this reassuring knowledge in mind I was able to freshen up the team yet again for our FA Cup tie at Fulham at the weekend and there was a zip and zest about our perfomance on the way to a comfortable 4-0 win. As you would expect Fulham came at us strongly in the opening phases but once we had got over that we moved smoothly into top gear to earn an exciting semi-final tie against Everton. I thought Wayne Rooney was tremendous and I was even more pleased for Carlos Tevez who deservedly got man of the match. It was another excellent team display to add to my problem of picking the right team to play Inter tonight.
The main thing, though, is that we were able to maintain our momentum that, with your encouragement from the stands, I trust will see us sweep through to the last eight of the Champions League.
Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:38 AM
Wayne Rooney reckons United can finally end Liverpool's lingering title hopes with victory at Old Trafford on Saturday.
With only 11 matches left in the league, the champions are seven points ahead of Rafael Benitez's side and Chelsea, with a game in hand over both.
And Rooney is relishing another chance to take on his and United's arch-rivals, to hopefully put paid to their dreams of ending a 19-year wait for the championship.
"We’re in pole position in the title race and we know if we can beat Liverpool on Saturday then that’ll more or less end their chances of winning the league," the striker told MUTV.
"I’m very excited about the game because I grew up as an Everton fan hating Liverpool – and that hasn’t changed!"
At white-hot atmosphere at Old Trafford helped United overcome Milan to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, and Rooney is calling for more of the same
at the weekend.
"I don’t know if they [the fans] realise how important they are," he added. "They drive the players on and it’s a big factor for us."
Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:37 AM
Internazionale boss Jose Mourinho believes United have a real chance of winning every trophy on offer this season.
Mourinho was humble in defeat after United beat Inter 2-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday. And such was the Reds' strength that the Inter boss has backed a clean sweep for Sir
Alex.
"Right now they're at their maximum level," he said. "They have experience, quality, great physical condition and intensity in their game.
"That's why they're European champions. That is why they can win everything. I think they can win five trophies."
Echoing Sir Alex's comment that the Reds deserved to go through, the Inter boss said: "I'm honest in my way of analysing things and they (United) are better than us. My team played to their
maximum of their potential. They couldn't have given any more.
"The result could have been completely different, yes, because Inter could have won the tie with a little bit of luck at the right moments.
"We had four big chances to score in the first half. We had a really big possibility of going in front (on away goals) with 1-1 at half-time. At the start of the second half they (United) did
nothing to score the second goal, but they did it.
"Still we had a good reaction. We had another big possibility to leave the fear in the air with Adriano (hitting the post) but we didn't score. We didn't have that little bit of luck you need
to win big matches."
Thursday, 12 March 09, 07:40 AM
Sir Alex Ferguson laid bare his burning ambition to retain the Champions League after United overcame the toughest draw on offer in the last 16.
The boss enjoyed the result against Inter, if only parts of the performance, and now anticipates the quarter-finals draw on 20 March with an appetite to take on all-comers.
"I don't think it matters who we get now. We're just happy to be there," Sir Alex told MUTV.
"If we're going to win this cup, and we're really desperate to win this cup, then you've got to face somebody.
"I'm delighted with this result. I said at the time when the draw was made that Inter were the most difficult team we could have got and it was a very hard night for us. They're a very
experienced team and they played at their maximum."
While Sir Alex was pleased to have seen off Inter's challenge, he was less than impressed by what he saw on the pitch at times - in particular the latter part of the first half when Zlatan
Ibrahimovic hit the bar amid several threats to Edwin van der Sar's goal.
"I don't think we played as well as we could have done," admitted Sir Alex.
"We made a great start - Vidic gave us the lead with a fantastic header, a typically brave header from a brave centre-half - and we played some magnificent football in the first 15 minutes of
the match.
"But then we started to give the ball away and you can't do that in Europe. The players know that - they're probably more angry with themselves than I am with them.
"We allowed Inter into the game and they should have been level at the break. They were the better team in the later part of the first half and to be honest with you, I couldn't wait to get
inside at half-time."
If Sir Alex had plenty to say at the interval, then it quickly paid dividends with Cristiano Ronaldo making it 2-0 to United within minutes of the restart. This scoreline changed the complexion
of the tie, although it still wasn't easy viewing for the boss.
"Ronaldo put us in more of a comfort zone, but I was never relaxed. When Inter brought Adriano on and Figo on, their intent was clear but fortunately Ferdinand and Vidic were in
fantastic form. In fairness I think Edwin only had one save to make in the game."
On the whole, the United manager felt his side were worthy winners - "We had a fantastic performance in the first leg, we could easily have won it by four goals.
"There are two pages in these ties - you turn over to the second page, you're at home and everyone's expecting you to win. But tonight showed just how difficult these games can be."
Tuesday, 10 March 09, 05:38 AM
Manchester United are on course for an unprecedented quintuple this season, and this is how they can achieve it.
United's comprehensive 4-0 rout of Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday kept Sir Alex Ferguson's side on course for an unprecedented quintuple this season.
With the Club World Cup and League Cup safely stowed in the locker, it is a case of two down, three to go for the imperious Red Devils.
Here, We examine United's quintuple progress so far, and looks at what still must be done if Ferguson is to orchestrate yet another moment of football history:
CLUB WORLD CUP
Discounting the Community Shield, United's first piece of silverware this season was clinched on the other side of the world in the Japanese city of Yokohama. Ferguson's side played just two games in the Far East, defeating Japanese side Gamba Osaka 5-3 in the semi-finals before a Wayne Rooney strike 17 minutes from time settled a tight final against Ecuadorian outfit Liga de Quito.
CARLING CUP
United dispatched Middlesbrough, QPR and Blackburn en route to the semi-finals where they came unstuck with a 1-0 loss to Derby. A 4-2 win in the return at Old Trafford booked United's passage to the final, where they and holders Tottenham huffed and puffed for 120 minutes without managing to break the deadlock. The writing was on the wall early in the penalty shoot-out when the iPod-inspired Ben Foster saved Jamie O'Hara's first penalty for Spurs, while David Bentley's subsequent miss paved the way for Anderson to seal the victory.
PREMIER LEAGUE
A slow start to the season did not fool seasoned observers, and while United trailed leaders Liverpool by seven points at the turn of the year, matches in hand meant United were always likely to close the gap to the Reds. United are currently riding on the wave of a 10-game winning streak which has seen an overall swing of 14 points between themselves and stuttering Liverpool. They now lead the way by seven with a game in hand over their rivals, and few would bet against Ferguson leading his charges to a third league title in a row, and their 11th of the Premier League era.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
The reigning champions made heavy weather of qualifying from their group section, never getting out of second gear despite topping the standing. Four draws in six games - among them a home stalemate with unfancied Danish outfit Aalborg - was hardly form that would have their elite European rivals quaking in their boots. A last-16 clash with Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan followed, but a 0-0 draw in the first leg at the San Siro was scant reward for a dominant United display. The return leg promises to be a nervy affair, with the 'Special One' again threatening to end United's European hopes.
FA CUP
While the FA Cup ranks third on Ferguson's list of priorities, the injustice felt after last year's quarter-final exit to eventual winners Portsmouth no doubt still rankles. United started this year's quest with a straightforward win against a young and inexperienced Southampton side while Tottenham made them work a bit harder before booking their fifth-round berth with a 2-1 triumph. A comfortable win over Derby was followed by this weekend's imperious display at Fulham where two first-half goals from Carlos Tevez quickly defused the Cottagers' threat. United will next face David Moyes' Everton in the semi-finals, in what will be their third trip to Wembley already this season.
Tuesday, 10 March 09, 05:36 AM
Crisitiano Ronaldo has engaged the help of sprint demon Usain Bolt to help him go even faster than he already is.
Usain Bolt who is took the world by storm last year when he cruised to a effortless world record timing of 0.69 seconds in Beijing has agreed to work with the Manchester United winger this summer.
Bolt is a huge football fan and has a room full of autographed jerseys from some of the best players in the world.
The Sun reported that it all started when Bolt sent Ronaldo a text message asking for a signed shirt with the Portuguese winger only willing to oblige in return for a favour.
Ronaldo who is one of the speediest wingers in the world wants to go even faster next season and has requested Bolt to teach him a trick or two.
Bolt's agent Ricky Simms said: "It's definitely going to happen.
"We'll sort something out when Usain comes to Europe to compete this summer."
So if defenders think the current Ronaldo is already too hot to handle, they will be in deeper trouble after the Ron-Bolt training regime.
Tuesday, 10 March 09, 05:33 AM
Favourites Manchester United and Chelsea have been kept apart in Sunday's draw for the FA Cup semi-finals.
Chelsea will face either Arsenal or Hull, who have yet to meet, while United take on Everton.
United and Chelsea met each other in the FA Cup final two years ago with Chelsea winning 1-0 in extra-time through Didier Drogba.
But Sir Alex Ferguson's side got the better of the Blues on penalties in the Champions League final last May and their latest Premier League meeting resulted in a 3-0 victory for United.
Neither side will take a final appearance for granted, though, with Ferguson well aware of Everton's capabilities in the cup.
The Toffees' last major trophy was their FA Cup victory in 1995, when they upset United 1-0 in the final. The pair have met 10 times in the competition and are tied at 5-5.
Everton striker Louis Saha, who scored the winner in today's 2-1 quarter-final victory over Middlesbrough, admitted United's 4-0 win against Fulham yesterday gives the Toffees plenty of food for thought.
The former United player told evertonTV: "When I remember the game yesterday, it is a difficult one, but it is a special thing to go to Wembley.
"I think it is going to be a really tough game but we have been great all season so far.
"We have shown great commitment in the FA Cup so, obviously, we have to show that to keep winning the next two games.
"You have to beat the big teams at some point and this will be a big test for us because they are the best team around."
United winger Park Ji-sung is just hoping to be part of the Wembley experience after missing out on playing at the national stadium thus far.
"I'd love to be involved because I haven't yet experienced what it feels like to play there," he told MUTV.
"Injuries have meant I've missed out when we've been there and I didn't play in the recent Carling Cup final win.
"I know what a great stadium it is and hopefully I'll get the chance to play this time."
Arsenal won their delayed fifth-round tie this afternoon, beating Burnley 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
And Arsene Wenger's side will be firm favourites to get past Hull, despite the Tigers' shock victory in north London in the league this season.
The Gunners and Chelsea, who beat Coventry 2-0 yesterday to reach the last four, last faced each other in the FA Cup in the fifth round in 2004, when Arsenal triumphed 2-1.
Indeed, Guus Hiddink's side may have to overcome more than 60 years of history if they are to reach the final again - they have not beaten Arsenal in the FA Cup since 1947.
The matches will be played at Wembley Stadium on April 18 and 19.
Tuesday, 10 March 09, 05:27 AM
A decade ago, United became the first (and only) side to win the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
And while the Reds are in a position to repeat the feat this term – oh, and you can throw in the Carling Cup and FIFA Club World Cup for good measure – Patrice Evra insists none
of the players are getting carried away.
"We're not thinking about winning five trophies," he told MUTV after United booked a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals after a scintillating 4-0 win over Fulham. "None of the players are
talking about this – it's just the media."
The key, Evra says, to success on multiple fronts is taking each game as it comes, even if bigger tests lie just around the corner.
"When you're on the pitch the game in which you are playing is always the most important – not the next one .
"You could see against Fulham that everybody was hungry to win the game. It was more important than Wednesday's match against Inter.
"We have to concentrate on every game and when you pull on the Manchester United shirt you have to give your best. That's the spirit of Manchester United and with that spirit we can go far and
reach the end of our mission."
At Fulham on Saturday, Carlos Tevez produced a man-of-the-match performance. He scored twice in the first half, including a 25-yard scorcher that fizzed into the top corner.
"I'm very happy for Carlos," Patrice said. "He doesn't play every game but whenever the boss picks him he performs so well.
"He's different class, an unbelievable player. He deserved to score two goals and now Sir Alex will have a small problem when he chooses the team to play Inter."