Former England manager Steve McClaren still believes his old club Manchestern United will win the Premier League crown.
Manchester United remain on top, due to their vastly superior goal difference, despite a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge which left the clubs locked on 81 points with two games each to go.
But McClaren believes that his former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, has the experience and know-how to get United across the finishing line.
'There's always pressure at Manchester United and people take their lead from the manager. He has the experience, the belief, the stature, the charisma, and he has won it before,' McClaren told BBC Radio.
'That's what the players look to, they'll look to a manager and other players who have done it before.'
Ferguson has been criticised for resting star players against Chelsea ahead of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Barcelona but McClaren believes he was looking at the big picture.
'He (Ferguson) knew they had three opportunities to win the league. They have let one slip and they will make sure they don't waste the other two.
'With West Ham and Wigan still to play, I believe United are still favourites.
'They are phenomenal at home, and when they have to go to Wigan, they (Wigan) will be safe.
'If it goes down to the wire they (United) have the experience and character to come through that.
'Chelsea have to go to Newcastle. But look at how Newcastle are playing, and they will have 52,000 people there behind them. They will want to win and that means it is not an easy one for Chelsea.
'Sir Alex, this week, will be focused and relaxed. That is the key thing, not to panic.
'United did not get the luck yesterday, but they will get it in the future. This is where a manager comes into his own and earns the money.
'I think they are still favourites. I must give credit for Chelsea's great run but I do think it is still United's title. They hold all the cards with two games they should win.'
On the prospect of Rio Ferdinand being made England's new captain, McClaren explained the thinking behind his decision when in charge of the national team to appoint John Terry.
McClaren said: 'John Terry was a simple choice, he was my kind of captain. Terry was captain of Chelsea, they were winning the Premier League and he was on the top of his game.
'He has character and the players respect and listen to him in the dressing room.
'It just followed on from the great job he was doing at Chelsea to do the same with England. But other people have different opinions.
'An international captain is very important. He is your eyes and ears in the dressing room and can help you nip in the bud any problems before they could explode.
'It is important the captain is a leader and has great character in the dressing room. There are many who have been captain and cannot handle the responsibility.
'Terry will never lose what he has and his vocal side. But you need several leaders that drive the others on.'
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Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Bizarre pitch fracas follows Chelsea match
LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Chelsea ground staff and Manchester United players were involved in a bizarre fracas on the pitch in an almost deserted Stamford Bridge stadium after Saturday's Premier League match between the two teams.
None of the United players who played in the match were involved but players Patrice Evra, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Gerard Pique and John O'Shea were all warming down when an argument began with the ground staff tending the pitch.
Stewards quickly moved in to separate those involved but after the situation quietened down the row flared up again, although no punches were thrown.
The incident came a few minutes after Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-1 to pull level with United at the top of the table.
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None of the United players who played in the match were involved but players Patrice Evra, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Gerard Pique and John O'Shea were all warming down when an argument began with the ground staff tending the pitch.
Stewards quickly moved in to separate those involved but after the situation quietened down the row flared up again, although no punches were thrown.
The incident came a few minutes after Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-1 to pull level with United at the top of the table.
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Injured duo OK for Tuesday?
Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney were both in the wars again this weekend, as United lost the battle at Stamford Bridge.
Serbian centre-back Vidic, who missed the midweek match in Barcelona, saw just eight minutes of action against Chelsea. The defender came off worse in a duel with Didier Drogba and was treated by physio Rob Swire before leaving the field on a stretcher.
“He (Vidic) got kneed in the face by Drogba - and no foul was given," grimaced Sir Alex, who had certain other grumbles about the officials.
"He’s got a few stitches under his lip and he’s lost a tooth. He was dazed rather than concussed but if we’d waited for him to come round we would have played 10 or 15 minutes (with ten men) and you can’t afford that in such a big game. So we had to take him off."
United played the remaining 82 minutes with the same back four that started at the Nou Camp, with Owen Hargreaves coming on at right-back and Wes Brown replacing Vidic as Rio Ferdinand's partner in the centre. The reorganised rearguard kept Chelsea at bay for almost 40 minutes before Michael Ballack scored in first-half injury time - and for a similar length of time in the second period until Ballack scored his controversial penalty.
The scorer of United's goal, Wayne Rooney was the next casualty to be withdrawn, moments after scoring United's equaliser.
“Rooney’s got the same knock as he got last week, straight on the hip bone. It takes a while for that to clear because when you get a bang on it, it’s very painful. I’m hopeful he will be alright for Tuesday. Other than that, I think everyone’s okay.
“It reflected in my team selection today because we’re one step away from Moscow. We can’t turn that down and hopefully we can do it.”
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Serbian centre-back Vidic, who missed the midweek match in Barcelona, saw just eight minutes of action against Chelsea. The defender came off worse in a duel with Didier Drogba and was treated by physio Rob Swire before leaving the field on a stretcher.
“He (Vidic) got kneed in the face by Drogba - and no foul was given," grimaced Sir Alex, who had certain other grumbles about the officials.
"He’s got a few stitches under his lip and he’s lost a tooth. He was dazed rather than concussed but if we’d waited for him to come round we would have played 10 or 15 minutes (with ten men) and you can’t afford that in such a big game. So we had to take him off."
United played the remaining 82 minutes with the same back four that started at the Nou Camp, with Owen Hargreaves coming on at right-back and Wes Brown replacing Vidic as Rio Ferdinand's partner in the centre. The reorganised rearguard kept Chelsea at bay for almost 40 minutes before Michael Ballack scored in first-half injury time - and for a similar length of time in the second period until Ballack scored his controversial penalty.
The scorer of United's goal, Wayne Rooney was the next casualty to be withdrawn, moments after scoring United's equaliser.
“Rooney’s got the same knock as he got last week, straight on the hip bone. It takes a while for that to clear because when you get a bang on it, it’s very painful. I’m hopeful he will be alright for Tuesday. Other than that, I think everyone’s okay.
“It reflected in my team selection today because we’re one step away from Moscow. We can’t turn that down and hopefully we can do it.”
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Ryan rues Chelsea defeat
Ryan Giggs felt luck deserted United when they needed it most in the disappointing 2-1 defeat to title rivals Chelsea.
Michael Ballack scored the late winner from the spot after Michael Carrick was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box.
Even then United had chances to equalise, with Chelsea making last-ditch clearances from Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher shots at the death.
But it wasn’t to be and Chelsea are now behind United on goal difference only – although the Reds will win the title if they beat West Ham and Wigan in the final two games.
Giggs told MUTV: “When you concede a late goal it’s always hard to take, especially having got ourselves back in the game.
“The luck just didn’t go for us. Sometimes you get the breaks and Chelsea had them today. They cleared two shots off the line, they were given a penalty and Ronaldo got a dubious offside call when through on goal."
Giggs accepted Chelsea were dominant early on but was pleased with the fight United showed after the break, which culminated in Wayne Rooney's equaliser.
“Chelsea were the better team in the first half and we were disappointed because we didn’t keep the ball enough,” the Welshman said.
“But in the second half we played to our tempo and showed great character to get back in the game, so to lose the game to a penalty is disappointing.”
Giggs knows the Reds must put the defeat behind them and focus on the remaining games, starting with Tuesday’s titanic Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
“We’ve got to pick ourselves up,” the winger added. “There’s no bigger game than Barcelona. We want to win the league and we want to reach the Champions League final, and it’s still in our hands.
“We showed our battling qualities in the second half today, and we’ll need them in the next two games.”
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Michael Ballack scored the late winner from the spot after Michael Carrick was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box.
Even then United had chances to equalise, with Chelsea making last-ditch clearances from Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher shots at the death.
But it wasn’t to be and Chelsea are now behind United on goal difference only – although the Reds will win the title if they beat West Ham and Wigan in the final two games.
Giggs told MUTV: “When you concede a late goal it’s always hard to take, especially having got ourselves back in the game.
“The luck just didn’t go for us. Sometimes you get the breaks and Chelsea had them today. They cleared two shots off the line, they were given a penalty and Ronaldo got a dubious offside call when through on goal."
Giggs accepted Chelsea were dominant early on but was pleased with the fight United showed after the break, which culminated in Wayne Rooney's equaliser.
“Chelsea were the better team in the first half and we were disappointed because we didn’t keep the ball enough,” the Welshman said.
“But in the second half we played to our tempo and showed great character to get back in the game, so to lose the game to a penalty is disappointing.”
Giggs knows the Reds must put the defeat behind them and focus on the remaining games, starting with Tuesday’s titanic Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
“We’ve got to pick ourselves up,” the winger added. “There’s no bigger game than Barcelona. We want to win the league and we want to reach the Champions League final, and it’s still in our hands.
“We showed our battling qualities in the second half today, and we’ll need them in the next two games.”
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Boss troubled by major decisions
Sir Alex Ferguson added three more refereeing decisions to a growing list of gripes in the aftermath of United's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.
The manager criticised the call to punish Michael Carrick for handball in the 85th minute, given that the midfielder couldn't move out of the way and that Michael Essien's cross was destined to be cleared.
"It’s a major decision that’s cost us the game," Sir Alex rued on MUTV.
"To give a penalty kick for that in a game of such importance, on the linesman’s say-so, is absolutely diabolical.
"Granted the ball hit his (Michael Carrick's) hand but he couldn’t get out of the road. He didn’t lift his hands above his shoulders or above his head, and the ball was going straight to Rio Ferdinand anyway. The referee should have seen that.
"It was a major decision and if the title is going to come down to decisions like that, we’re in trouble. If we’re not getting the decisions we deserve, we’re going to have to perform really well.
"In the last few weeks we’ve been knocked out of the FA Cup after not getting a penalty kick. There should have been a clear penalty kick at Middlesbrough from Mike Riley when the Boro player dived and saved the ball. And the same linesman we had today, Glenn Turner, disallowed Wayne Rooney when he was clean through and he was five yards onside. Then last week at Blackburn, Rob Styles, who’s turned down five penalty kicks for us this season, doesn’t give one out of three.
"As for today, when Ronaldo came on he was grappled almost to the floor by Ballack (at a United corner) and it was a clear penalty kick. Then Michael Carrick went down in the same way, the referee (Alan Wiley) was right there and again he didn't give it. The game hinged on major decisions and unfortunately they didn’t go our way."
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The manager criticised the call to punish Michael Carrick for handball in the 85th minute, given that the midfielder couldn't move out of the way and that Michael Essien's cross was destined to be cleared.
"It’s a major decision that’s cost us the game," Sir Alex rued on MUTV.
"To give a penalty kick for that in a game of such importance, on the linesman’s say-so, is absolutely diabolical.
"Granted the ball hit his (Michael Carrick's) hand but he couldn’t get out of the road. He didn’t lift his hands above his shoulders or above his head, and the ball was going straight to Rio Ferdinand anyway. The referee should have seen that.
"It was a major decision and if the title is going to come down to decisions like that, we’re in trouble. If we’re not getting the decisions we deserve, we’re going to have to perform really well.
"In the last few weeks we’ve been knocked out of the FA Cup after not getting a penalty kick. There should have been a clear penalty kick at Middlesbrough from Mike Riley when the Boro player dived and saved the ball. And the same linesman we had today, Glenn Turner, disallowed Wayne Rooney when he was clean through and he was five yards onside. Then last week at Blackburn, Rob Styles, who’s turned down five penalty kicks for us this season, doesn’t give one out of three.
"As for today, when Ronaldo came on he was grappled almost to the floor by Ballack (at a United corner) and it was a clear penalty kick. Then Michael Carrick went down in the same way, the referee (Alan Wiley) was right there and again he didn't give it. The game hinged on major decisions and unfortunately they didn’t go our way."
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