Manchester United Vs. Espanyol Highlights Video Clip

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played 25 minutes in his testimonial, as United beat Spanish side Espanyol 1-0 thanks to a goal from Fraizer Campbell.

That the youngster left it until the 82nd minute to seal the victory was ironic given Solskjaer’s penchant for late winners, as was the calm Campbell exuded in dinking the ball over goalkeeper Alvarez Cristian.

Ole, now 35, looked sharp during his time on the pitch and you can’t help but wonder what role he would have played in the 2008 European Cup final had injury not forced him to retire in August 2007. Against Espanyol he proved he still has the smarts to play at the top level.

Of course, the score on Saturday was always going to take a backseat to Solskjaer on his special day. The Norwegian, who scored 126 goals during his Old Trafford career, emerged last out of the tunnel to walk with his children through a guard of honour formed by the two teams.

Presentations of gifts followed before the match kicked off, the Reds attacking the Scoreboard End. Solskjaer didn’t start – instead he would come off the bench, as he did 150 times for United.

The match began at a sharp pace, with Espanyol winning two quick corners before the Reds clicked into gear. Carlos Tevez was his usual busy self, harrying defenders at any opportunity and keen to get touches on the ball. Nani, making his first pre-season appearance, almost sent the Argentine clear on 14 minutes with a delightful clip over the Espanyol defence.

Nani should have opened the scoring five minutes later when Paul Scholes’ cheeky chip bounced off the post and into his path. He only needed to hit the target, but pulled his shot wide of the right-hand upright. Fletcher and Tevez were similarly wayward shortly afterwards, before Espanyol had their captain, Daniel Jarque, to thank for keeping scores level.

Jarque slid in to block Scholes’ shot on the line after a wonderful, flowing move that began with Tevez skipping past Ivan de la Pena just inside the visitors’ half. In fact, Tevez was the star of the first 45 minutes and Espanyol struggled to come to grips with his speed and strength.

After the break, Nemanja Vidic headed wide from close range, but it was the Spanish side who soon set the tempo. Manager Bartolome Marquez rung the changes at half-time and it was a new-look Espanyol who emerged for the second period.

Sir Alex, too, reshuffled his deck, bringing on Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Mikael Silvestre and Fraizer Campbell at the interval.

But it was the substitution made in the 68th minute that really brought Old Trafford to its feet. After a brief warm-up on the south touchline, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer entered the fray to a rapturous standing ovation. His first touch was met with resounding cheers, a trend that continued until the final whistle.

He may have lost a little pace since his retirement, but Ole’s footballing brain is as sharp as ever. He very rarely lost possession and made intelligent runs in search of the ball.

In a two-minute spell just after his his introduction, he very nearly found the net, first with a sumptuous left-foot half-volley that brought a spectacular finger-tip save from Alvarez Cristian, and then with a curling shot from the edge of the box that Cristian dealt with somewhat less convincingly. Two chances, two shots on target: it summed up Solskjaer perfectly.

When the fourth official held up his board indicating three minutes of added time, you couldn’t help but cast your mind back to that memorable night at the Nou Camp in May 1999. This time there were no injury-time heroics, just a cacophonous appreciation for one of the greatest men to ever pull on a United shirt.

Attendance: 68,868

United: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 46); Simpson, Ferdinand (Brown 46), Vidic (Evans 62), Evra (Silvestre 46); Gibson (O’Shea 62), Fletcher, Scholes, Nani (Campbell 46); Giggs, Tevez (Solskjaer 68)

Booked: Tevez, Scholes
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Manchester United Vs. Espanyol Highlights Video Clip

Manchester United [1 - 0] Espanyol
82' [1 - 0] F. Campbell

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Neville continues fitness bid

Gary Neville aims to continue his bid to be fully fit for the start of the season with some more minutes on the pitch over the coming week.

Old Trafford will play host to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial match on Saturday against Espanyol and a friendly with Juventus the following Wednesday.

After completing the full 90 minutes of United's 2-1 over Portsmouth in Nigeria on Sunday evening, the skipper is hoping to be involved in at least one of the Reds' upcoming games.

"It was important for me to play 90 minutes in Nigeria, but I did feel it in the last 15 minutes," he told MUTV.

"But then, when I was 23, I would have felt it in the last 15. I think everyone felt it. It was a tough game in humid conditions.

"Now I'm hoping to play in at least one of the games against Espanyol or Juventus."

Having been forced to watch from the sidelines as his team-mates sealed a glorious double last season, the 33-year-old is determined not to miss out this time round.

"Last season was very frustrating from a personal point of view. It was very disappointing not be involved in what was such a great season for the club," he admits.

"Playing in these matches in pre-season will help my fitness and sharpness and hopefully I can be a part of another successful season."

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Silvestre keen to stay, despite PSG interest

Mikael Silvestre, the Manchester United defender, is wanted by Paris Saint-Germain but he is still holding out for a testimonial.
The France international, 30, made just three Barclays Premier League appearances last term but will clock up 10 years at Old Trafford this season. PSG plan to offer £3.5m.
They also fancy United's injury-prone France striker Louis Saha but he would prefer to stay in England.
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Eagels joins Burnley after Ferguson's advice

Chris Eagles revealed Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded him to quit the European champions and join Coca-Cola Championship outfit Burnley.

The 22-year-old has signed a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee believed to be in excess of £1million after finally admitting defeat in his fight to become a first-team regular at Old Trafford.

Eagles joined the Red Devils at the age of 14 and despite being prominent in their pre-season campaign - scoring against Kaizer Chiefs and Portsmouth on their tour of Africa - he accepted his future lies elsewhere.

'I spoke to Sir Alex a lot about it because he's looked after me since I was 14,' said Eagles, who spent time on loan at Watford, Sheffield Wednesday and Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen in recent seasons.

'He told my mum and dad he was going to look after me and he did.

'He said it's going to be a big decision but he believes that with the talent I've got I need to go and play.

'It's no good me sitting in the stands.

'United need to win every game and they're not going to play someone who hasn't been playing regularly.'

Eagles spent United's tour of Africa agonising over the move but he knew he was in a 'comfort zone' as a fringe member of the club's first-team set-up.

'People don't realise that a decision like this bangs at your head and you need to just get it signed and sealed,' said Eagles after becoming Burnley's sixth summer signing.

'But I don't need to move here - I can still live in Manchester - and I think altogether the whole package was very good.

'I was in a comfort zone because I had been there since the age of 14.

'It was a hard move to leave a club where I knew everyone from the cleaner to the manager.

'It's a big step but I believe it's a step in the right direction. I was very impressed with Owen Coyle (Burnley manager) and am just looking forward to playing regularly.'

Eagles insisted his decision to leave United was in no way related to Cristiano Ronaldo's apparent failure to secure his dream move to Real Madrid.

Ronaldo's departure may have paved the way for Eagles to make his mark, but the winger said: 'It may have done but you just don't really know.

'I need to concentrate on myself and I don't need to worry about whether someone is leaving.

'He's a great player and I wish him all the best whatever he does.'
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