Ji-sung Park gave United another Boxing Day boost when he made his first appearance since injuring his knee against Blackburn Rovers in March.
The South Korean put the misery of almost nine months on the sidelines behind him when he came on for Cristiano Ronaldo in the Reds' 4-0 win at Sunderland.
Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted to see Ji back on the pitch, especially at this busy time of the year.
"I was delighted with Ji-sung Park's performance," United boss Sir Alex told MUTV.
"It was an important day for him. He came on and got more than half an hour under his belt so we are all pleased with him."
Park looked his usual busy self on the right side of midfield and showed no signs of his extended absence.
"He's a natural mover," the manager said. "When his team passes the ball he moves – he's always had a great talent for that and today was another great example of that. He kept moving, he kept passing, he kept running behind the Sunderland defence. He gave us a lot of energy today and it was good to see."
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Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Saha praises strike partner
United's number nine was delighted to be back in the starting eleven at Sunderland, especially in the presence of an in-form number ten.
Louis Saha was full of praise for the man who set up his first goal since September. The Frenchman told MUTV: "Wayne (Rooney) was unbelievable, for his movement and the way he controlled the game for us. It was a winning performance."
Saha's near-post volley from Rooney's left-wing cross doubled the Reds' early advantage at the Stadium of Light. Rooney himself had scored the first, while the third was fired home by Cristiano Ronaldo - also before half-time.
Saha said: "Going into an atmosphere like the one you can have at Sunderland's stadium, it was very important to make a good start. That's what we did and I think we scored at good moments. I think we were very professional."
United barely eased off after the break, although they added just one more goal to their tally when Nani was fouled in the area. With Ronaldo substituted, Saha stepped up to score the penalty and claim a confidence-boosting double.
"I needed to get back to the basics as a striker which is obviously scoring goals," admitted Saha.
"I had a couple of chances today and it's good to be on the scoresheet."
Sir Alex Ferguson said of Saha's two goals: "They will do his confidence the world of good, as will completing the full 90 minutes. I thought he and Wayne linked well and I thought the front players were a real threat today." Read more...
Louis Saha was full of praise for the man who set up his first goal since September. The Frenchman told MUTV: "Wayne (Rooney) was unbelievable, for his movement and the way he controlled the game for us. It was a winning performance."
Saha's near-post volley from Rooney's left-wing cross doubled the Reds' early advantage at the Stadium of Light. Rooney himself had scored the first, while the third was fired home by Cristiano Ronaldo - also before half-time.
Saha said: "Going into an atmosphere like the one you can have at Sunderland's stadium, it was very important to make a good start. That's what we did and I think we scored at good moments. I think we were very professional."
United barely eased off after the break, although they added just one more goal to their tally when Nani was fouled in the area. With Ronaldo substituted, Saha stepped up to score the penalty and claim a confidence-boosting double.
"I needed to get back to the basics as a striker which is obviously scoring goals," admitted Saha.
"I had a couple of chances today and it's good to be on the scoresheet."
Sir Alex Ferguson said of Saha's two goals: "They will do his confidence the world of good, as will completing the full 90 minutes. I thought he and Wayne linked well and I thought the front players were a real threat today." Read more...
Sunderland Vs. Manchester United Result Report
Sir Alex Ferguson re-asserted his authority over talismanic former skipper Roy Keane as Manchester United maintained the pressure on Arsenal.
United cruised to a 4-0 victory at the Stadium of Light to leave Keane in little doubt as to the gulf in class between the teams at opposite ends of the Barclays Premier League.
United's victory was every bit as comfortable as the scoreline suggests as they cut through the Black Cats at will to expose goalkeeper Craig Gordon at regular intervals.
Goals from Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo before the break left the result in no doubt, and Ferguson was even able to withdraw the hugely impressive Portugal international with more than half an hour remaining.
Saha rubbed salt into the wound with an 86th-minute penalty after Nani had been tripped by Danny Collins.
United headed back across the Pennines having reached the mid point of the season firmly in the title race, while the man who for more than 12 years led their charge for glory on the pitch has just 14 points in the bag and a long haul towards safety.
Keane knows the bulk of his side's points this season will not be taken from the likes of United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, but from the sides in the battle for top-flight survival.
However, having seen them compete creditably in narrow defeats at both Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium already, that was the very least he expected at the Stadium of Light today.
What he got in the opening 45 minutes was graft and commitment, but what his players lack was abundantly clear as United, despite barely getting out of second gear, took them apart so comprehensively that damage limitation was the only thing on the minds of the bulk of a Boxing Day crowd of 47,360.
Despite leaving Ryan Giggs and Anderson at home and Carlos Tevez and Patrice Evra on the bench, Ferguson was able to field a side which had simply too much class, pace and guile for Keane's team, which included for the first time 17-year-old striker Martyn Waghorn.
Where Tomasz Kuszczak had only one save to make in the first-half when he tipped over Ross Wallace's 40th-minute drive, opposite number Craig Gordon was peppered throughout.
Had he not pulled off fine saves from two Ronaldo free-kicks and a Wes Brown header, United could have been six goals to the good by half-time.
As it was, they were 3-0 up courtesy of some scintillating passing and movement, as well as top-class finishing.
Rooney set the ball rolling on 20 minutes when, after full-back Brown had played a one-two with Ronaldo, he slid the striker in to fire nonchalantly past Gordon.
Rooney turned provider 10 minutes later, accepting Ronaldo's pass from the United half before cutting inside Wallace to pick out Saha at the near post.
But it was the Portugal international who set the seal on a blistering start when he smashed home an injury-time free-kick with Gordon rooted to the spot.
Keane's response was to replace Wallace with the more combative Grant Leadbitter and withdraw Waghorn into a five-man midfield for the second half, although the Black Cats were pinned back inside their own half as United threatened to cut loose.
The was a brief glimmer of hope for the home side when Michael Chopra's enterprising run set up Dickson Etuhu to shoot on 51 minutes, but he skied his effort harmlessly over.
Former United defender Paul McShane denied Rooney a second with a 54th-minute block, but Kuszczak had to dive low to his right to keep out Kenwyne Jones' 56th-minute striker.
Ronaldo departed to warm applause from both sets of supporters a minute later with his job done as Park Ji-Sung was handed his first taste of first-team action since undergoing knee surgery in March.
The home side rallied as the clock ran down, but with the visitors in cruise control, genuine openings were few and far between.
Chopra saw a 75th-minute shot beaten away by Kuszczak, but it came either side of another Gordon save from Rooney and an uncharacteristically wild close-range volley from the United man.
There was, however more to come, and when Nani went down under Collins' challenge, referee Uriah Rennie pointed to the spot and Saha obliged. Read more...
United cruised to a 4-0 victory at the Stadium of Light to leave Keane in little doubt as to the gulf in class between the teams at opposite ends of the Barclays Premier League.
United's victory was every bit as comfortable as the scoreline suggests as they cut through the Black Cats at will to expose goalkeeper Craig Gordon at regular intervals.
Goals from Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo before the break left the result in no doubt, and Ferguson was even able to withdraw the hugely impressive Portugal international with more than half an hour remaining.
Saha rubbed salt into the wound with an 86th-minute penalty after Nani had been tripped by Danny Collins.
United headed back across the Pennines having reached the mid point of the season firmly in the title race, while the man who for more than 12 years led their charge for glory on the pitch has just 14 points in the bag and a long haul towards safety.
Keane knows the bulk of his side's points this season will not be taken from the likes of United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, but from the sides in the battle for top-flight survival.
However, having seen them compete creditably in narrow defeats at both Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium already, that was the very least he expected at the Stadium of Light today.
What he got in the opening 45 minutes was graft and commitment, but what his players lack was abundantly clear as United, despite barely getting out of second gear, took them apart so comprehensively that damage limitation was the only thing on the minds of the bulk of a Boxing Day crowd of 47,360.
Despite leaving Ryan Giggs and Anderson at home and Carlos Tevez and Patrice Evra on the bench, Ferguson was able to field a side which had simply too much class, pace and guile for Keane's team, which included for the first time 17-year-old striker Martyn Waghorn.
Where Tomasz Kuszczak had only one save to make in the first-half when he tipped over Ross Wallace's 40th-minute drive, opposite number Craig Gordon was peppered throughout.
Had he not pulled off fine saves from two Ronaldo free-kicks and a Wes Brown header, United could have been six goals to the good by half-time.
As it was, they were 3-0 up courtesy of some scintillating passing and movement, as well as top-class finishing.
Rooney set the ball rolling on 20 minutes when, after full-back Brown had played a one-two with Ronaldo, he slid the striker in to fire nonchalantly past Gordon.
Rooney turned provider 10 minutes later, accepting Ronaldo's pass from the United half before cutting inside Wallace to pick out Saha at the near post.
But it was the Portugal international who set the seal on a blistering start when he smashed home an injury-time free-kick with Gordon rooted to the spot.
Keane's response was to replace Wallace with the more combative Grant Leadbitter and withdraw Waghorn into a five-man midfield for the second half, although the Black Cats were pinned back inside their own half as United threatened to cut loose.
The was a brief glimmer of hope for the home side when Michael Chopra's enterprising run set up Dickson Etuhu to shoot on 51 minutes, but he skied his effort harmlessly over.
Former United defender Paul McShane denied Rooney a second with a 54th-minute block, but Kuszczak had to dive low to his right to keep out Kenwyne Jones' 56th-minute striker.
Ronaldo departed to warm applause from both sets of supporters a minute later with his job done as Park Ji-Sung was handed his first taste of first-team action since undergoing knee surgery in March.
The home side rallied as the clock ran down, but with the visitors in cruise control, genuine openings were few and far between.
Chopra saw a 75th-minute shot beaten away by Kuszczak, but it came either side of another Gordon save from Rooney and an uncharacteristically wild close-range volley from the United man.
There was, however more to come, and when Nani went down under Collins' challenge, referee Uriah Rennie pointed to the spot and Saha obliged. Read more...
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Manchester United Vs. Sunderland Match Preview
Two of English football's winners will go head-to-head on Boxing Day as an enduring partnership blossoms into a new rivalry. Former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane will lead Sunderland into battle against his old club with opposite number Sir Alex Ferguson determined not to allow the young pretender to dethrone him just yet.
The two men will be in opposite dug-outs for the second time since Keane launched his managerial career with the Scot having got the better of him - if only just - at Old Trafford in September when Louis Saha's 71st-minute strike secured victory by the narrowest of margins. United ruled the roost in English football for more than a decade with Ferguson at the helm and Keane his leader on the pitch - the 36-year-old won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and only missed out on a Champions League winners' medal through suspension.
British football's pre-eminent boss continues to add accolades to his curriculum vitae long after his planned retirement, but that comes as no surprise to a man who watched him work his magic at close hand. Keane said: ``What you find with all these top managers and top people, whether it be sport or business, they like to win.
``That's what you find with all these people - and they never get sick of winning, and that's why they are so good. They love winning, they never get sick of it. ``Some people like to win once or twice and that's it. These people like to win year after year after year, and to have that drive and desire is fantastic. ``That's why you have got to admire these people.''
Perhaps one of the reasons for their success together is that Keane and Ferguson share at least some of the same characteristics, a fact acknowledged by the younger man. He said: ``I like to win, yes, I like to win.'' That is something Keane has struggled to do so far this season, and Sunderland dropped back into the relegation zone once again as a result of yet more late misfortune as Reading snatched all three points with a controversial winner on Saturday.
The former Republic of Ireland captain's commitment and intensity have never been in question, although as he unburdened his soul following his appointment at the Stadium of Light, he admitted that might not always have served him well. He arrived on Wearside having brought down the curtain on his playing days at Celtic following his split with United after more than 12 glittering years at the Theatre of Dreams.
His departure was preceded by a difference of opinion with Ferguson, although he insists he has no regrets. Keane said: ``I don't have any regrets about the way it ended - maybe one or two people might, but I don't. ``All good things come to an end and that was it. It ended the way it ended. ``It was brilliant, it was everything I thought it would be. It was fantastic.
``I loved it, I loved every minute of it.'' An apology was offered and accepted as Keane launched the latest phase of his career, although while Ferguson was a big help during his first year in management, the advice has dried up more recently. Keane said: ``Of course it does when you are in competition. It's all right when you are in the Championship and one or two managers are keen to help you with certain players or whatever.
``But then when you are in the same league as them - and rightly so - then all that stops.'' Keane is one of several United old boys in the Sunderland camp - Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Danny Higginbotham and Paul McShane are likely to be involved, and 36-year-old Yorke admits he will be as excited as anyone. He said: ``It does not make any difference that I am a little bit older than some of the guys and have been there and done it, I am still as excited as those who have never played against them before.'' Read more...Keane: Mind on the job
Roy Keane insists there'll be no room for sentiment when his Sunderland side welcome the Reds to the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day.
Keane, who spent 12 years at United, is still afforded hero status on the terraces at Old Trafford and United's travelling support will undoubtedly pay vocal tribute to the Black Cats boss on Wednesday afternoon.
But Keane, 36, has warned Reds fans not to expect too big a reaction.
"United are a top club with great supporters but we're in a professional business," Keane told Sunderland's official website. "You don't get sucked into an old pals' act. It's nothing to do with personal feelings; it's about Sunderland. We want to win the game, we need the points. I'm not a great one for looking back."
Keane's team have won just two of their last 13 games, with last weekend's late loss to Reading leaving the Black Cats in the relegation zone. Read more...
Keane, who spent 12 years at United, is still afforded hero status on the terraces at Old Trafford and United's travelling support will undoubtedly pay vocal tribute to the Black Cats boss on Wednesday afternoon.
But Keane, 36, has warned Reds fans not to expect too big a reaction.
"United are a top club with great supporters but we're in a professional business," Keane told Sunderland's official website. "You don't get sucked into an old pals' act. It's nothing to do with personal feelings; it's about Sunderland. We want to win the game, we need the points. I'm not a great one for looking back."
Keane's team have won just two of their last 13 games, with last weekend's late loss to Reading leaving the Black Cats in the relegation zone. Read more...
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