Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Manchester United rejected a request to play Everton at 8pm on Christmas Eve as 'a non-starter'.
The club were approached by TV company Setanta, who are screening the match live, to move the kick-off to the night before Christmas but it was dismissed out of hand.
Ferguson said: 'The club were asked to play and it was a non-starter. Who wants to play on Christmas Eve?
'The players will be wanting to get their Christmas presents out for their children. That was an easy one to decide.'
United will now play the match at Old Trafford at noon on December 23.
Their decision to reject Setanta's request was also backed up by Greater Manchester Police.
The issue of kick-off times being moved in order to satisfy the demands of television has become an increasing headache for clubs. This weekend, only one Premier League match is kicking off at the traditional 3pm start, with six out of 10 top-flight games taking place on Sunday and one on Monday.
Clubs do sometimes prefer to play on Sundays however. United's home match against Blackburn this weekend is a case in point.
It was moved to the Sunday as there was a slight possibility Blackburn could have been involved in the UEFA Cup - Rovers were 2-0 down from the first leg at the time the decision was made.
It is thought Ferguson was more than happy to play the game on a Sunday to allow an extra day to recover from United's Champions League encounter with Dynamo Kiev.
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Peter Schemeichel
Full name: Peter Bolesław Schmeichel
Date of birth: November 18, 1963 (1963-11-18) (age 43)
Place of birth: Gladsaxe, Denmark
Height: 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position: Goalkeeper
Appearances: 296
Goal: 1
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Date of birth: November 18, 1963 (1963-11-18) (age 43)
Place of birth: Gladsaxe, Denmark
Height: 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position: Goalkeeper
Appearances: 296
Goal: 1
Read more...
Rooney out for a month
Wayne Rooney will be out of action for up to four weeks after injuring his ankle in training on Friday.
The striker will miss Sunday's match against Blackburn Rovers. Fortunately the upcoming international break means he could miss as little as three further games, against Bolton, Sporting Lisbon and Fulham.
Sir Alex will be hopeful of having the 22-year-old striker ready for action for the trip to Anfield on 16 December.
A club spokesperson told ManUtd.com: "Wayne Rooney injured his right ankle in training and will be out for about four weeks."
It is even more frustrating considering Rooney's scintillating form since overcoming a fractured metatarsal sustained on the opening day of the season.
He has only just been named Barclays Player of the Month for October, having netted eight goals in his last seven games.
Sir Alex had said earlier on Friday that he wants to use Louis Saha sparingly and from the substitutes' bench, but he will now be forced to call on the Frenchman as Carlos Tevez's regular strike-partner. Read more...
The striker will miss Sunday's match against Blackburn Rovers. Fortunately the upcoming international break means he could miss as little as three further games, against Bolton, Sporting Lisbon and Fulham.
Sir Alex will be hopeful of having the 22-year-old striker ready for action for the trip to Anfield on 16 December.
A club spokesperson told ManUtd.com: "Wayne Rooney injured his right ankle in training and will be out for about four weeks."
It is even more frustrating considering Rooney's scintillating form since overcoming a fractured metatarsal sustained on the opening day of the season.
He has only just been named Barclays Player of the Month for October, having netted eight goals in his last seven games.
Sir Alex had said earlier on Friday that he wants to use Louis Saha sparingly and from the substitutes' bench, but he will now be forced to call on the Frenchman as Carlos Tevez's regular strike-partner. Read more...
Saha set for new role
Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed plans to use Louis Saha as a substitute more often.
Six of the Frenchman’s seven appearances this season have come as a sub, and Sir Alex increasingly envisages the 29-year-old forward being an impact player to come off the bench and change games.
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez have performed exceptionally this term. But where Saha was once seen as a first-choice starter, Sir Alex now plans to use him tactically and, he hopes, to greater effect.
“The situation Louis finds himself in with his knee condition means he won’t play every game,” said Sir Alex. “The dilemma is whether to start him or bring him on.
“If you look at the composition of the side, he is different from everyone else, so he makes a bigger impact as a substitute. He makes a great impact. Therefore my inclination is to use him as a sub. He’s fine with that.”
United had great success using Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a substitute. The Norwegian forward – 150 of his 366 appearances for United coming as a sub – often struck the winning goal or a last-gasp equaliser. Although Sir Alex was keen to point out that Solskjaer and Saha are not in the same mould, he will be hoping the French striker can make a similar impact. And with Solskjaer now on United’s coaching staff to work with the strikers, he may impart some of his vast knowledge.
“They are different types of players,” he said. “Ole could come on and score a goal in any situation. He was the best at it. His ratio of goals coming on as sub – and in important games, too – was incredible. But Louis does more for the team in terms of his speed, physical presence, aerial ability. He brings a lot of qualities to the team.” Read more...
Six of the Frenchman’s seven appearances this season have come as a sub, and Sir Alex increasingly envisages the 29-year-old forward being an impact player to come off the bench and change games.
Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez have performed exceptionally this term. But where Saha was once seen as a first-choice starter, Sir Alex now plans to use him tactically and, he hopes, to greater effect.
“The situation Louis finds himself in with his knee condition means he won’t play every game,” said Sir Alex. “The dilemma is whether to start him or bring him on.
“If you look at the composition of the side, he is different from everyone else, so he makes a bigger impact as a substitute. He makes a great impact. Therefore my inclination is to use him as a sub. He’s fine with that.”
United had great success using Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a substitute. The Norwegian forward – 150 of his 366 appearances for United coming as a sub – often struck the winning goal or a last-gasp equaliser. Although Sir Alex was keen to point out that Solskjaer and Saha are not in the same mould, he will be hoping the French striker can make a similar impact. And with Solskjaer now on United’s coaching staff to work with the strikers, he may impart some of his vast knowledge.
“They are different types of players,” he said. “Ole could come on and score a goal in any situation. He was the best at it. His ratio of goals coming on as sub – and in important games, too – was incredible. But Louis does more for the team in terms of his speed, physical presence, aerial ability. He brings a lot of qualities to the team.” Read more...
Quartet back in contention
Ryan Giggs, Owen Hargreaves, Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown are all in contention for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford after being rested for the midweek win over Dynamo Kyiv.
The quartet watched from the stands as the Reds thrashed the Ukrainians 4-0, booking their place in the Champions League knockout stages.
Sir Alex Ferguson has no fresh injury worries ahead of the game with only long term absentees Paul Scholes, Ji-sung Park, Mikael Silvestre and Ben Foster absent from the squad.
“There are no injuries," the Reds boss said on Friday. "Everyone is fit and the players that we rested on Wednesday are all available, too.
"It gives us our strongest squad of the season going into the Blackburn game, so we’re happy with the way things are going.” Read more...
The quartet watched from the stands as the Reds thrashed the Ukrainians 4-0, booking their place in the Champions League knockout stages.
Sir Alex Ferguson has no fresh injury worries ahead of the game with only long term absentees Paul Scholes, Ji-sung Park, Mikael Silvestre and Ben Foster absent from the squad.
“There are no injuries," the Reds boss said on Friday. "Everyone is fit and the players that we rested on Wednesday are all available, too.
"It gives us our strongest squad of the season going into the Blackburn game, so we’re happy with the way things are going.” Read more...
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