Ryan Giggs says United's players are targeting victory at Portsmouth on Monday in order to avoid being cut adrift from the Premier League title race.
The champions dropped two points at home to Newcastle last Sunday, and are on UEFA Super Cup duty after Monday's trip to Pompey.
By the time the Reds are next in action - at Liverpool on September 13 - the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool could be up to eight points clear - depending how United fare at Fratton Park.
"Last season was the exception," Giggs told a pre-Super Cup press conference. "Before that Chelsea and Arsenal had been getting off to good starts, and then it’s very hard to peg them back.
"We want to start winning and we don’t want a massive gap to open up between ourselves and the other teams that are going to be up there.
"It was obviously disappointing the first game with Newcastle, but that’s gone now so we’re looking towards Portsmouth and then the Super Cup in Monaco. After that it’s a two-week break, so we want to go into that break with two wins under our belt."
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Saturday, August 23, 2008
Six Reds up for UEFA awards
The Reds' sensational Double success of last season could lead to more honours this week at the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year awards.
United are the best-represented club with no fewer than six players shortlisted as the best performers in their positions for the 2007/08 campaign.
Edwin van der Sar is up for the best goalkeeper award while Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are in contention for the defender gong.
Paul Scholes’ name is in the hat for the midfielder prize while front men Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo will be vying for the forward of the year honour. All six Reds could also win the overall Club Footballer of the Year award.
The shortlists reflect the Premier League’s dominance of the Champions League last season, with 17 of the 20 candidates for the awards plying their trade in England. Added to United's six are five from Chelsea (Peter Cech, John Terry, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba), four from Liverpool (Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres) and two from Arsenal (Manuel Almunia, Cesc Fabregas).
The three nominees from outside the English game are Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Barcelona defender Carles Puyol and his team-mate, forward Lionel Messi.
Coaches of the 16 teams that reached the knockout phase of the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League were invited to cast their votes. The award winners will be announced at the draw for this season's group stage on Thursday 28 August – the day before United face UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup final at Monaco's Stade Louis II. Read more...
United are the best-represented club with no fewer than six players shortlisted as the best performers in their positions for the 2007/08 campaign.
Edwin van der Sar is up for the best goalkeeper award while Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are in contention for the defender gong.
Paul Scholes’ name is in the hat for the midfielder prize while front men Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo will be vying for the forward of the year honour. All six Reds could also win the overall Club Footballer of the Year award.
The shortlists reflect the Premier League’s dominance of the Champions League last season, with 17 of the 20 candidates for the awards plying their trade in England. Added to United's six are five from Chelsea (Peter Cech, John Terry, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba), four from Liverpool (Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres) and two from Arsenal (Manuel Almunia, Cesc Fabregas).
The three nominees from outside the English game are Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Barcelona defender Carles Puyol and his team-mate, forward Lionel Messi.
Coaches of the 16 teams that reached the knockout phase of the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League were invited to cast their votes. The award winners will be announced at the draw for this season's group stage on Thursday 28 August – the day before United face UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup final at Monaco's Stade Louis II. Read more...
Friday, August 22, 2008
Fergie confirms Rio will be next United captain
Sir Alex Ferguson has assured Rio Ferdinand that he remains in line to lead Manchester United despite missing out on the England captaincy.
England coach Fabio Capello chose John Terry ahead of Ferdinand to become the new national team captain on a long-term basis ahead of England's 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
Ferguson said however that he would hand 29-year-old Ferdinand the United captain's armband once Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs were no longer around.
'The way I operate is through seniority,' Ferguson told reporters. 'That's why Gary Neville is captain and when he's not playing Ryan has taken over. If Ryan is not available then Rio stands in.
'In the long-term Rio will be captain, no question about that. I'm very comfortable with that.
'His qualities of leadership have improved tremendously over the last two or three years and ability-wise, it is there for all to see.'
Ferguson said the selection of Terry ahead of Ferdinand for the England job was not a major issue and will not have a bearing on Ferdinand's form or state of mind.
'It was always him or John Terry and it was the flip of a coin,' he said. 'It could have gone either way. I am sure it was a close call.
'It's not a reflection other than a personal choice and John Terry has been captain of Chelsea for quite a while and that has to go into consideration.
'It was the manager's choice to go for John Terry so he (Ferdinand) will just get on with it. It's straightforward. He should not be worried about the effect of that.'
Meanwhile, Ferguson has given Mikael Silvestre's move from Manchester United to Arsenal his official seal of approval saying: 'I could have been selfish and put Mikael in the reserves but we are bigger than that.'
Silvestre knew he had no United future at the end of last season.
At that point he asked Ferguson's permission to leave and the United boss was happy to let the 31-year-old get on with it.
'Mikael said he wanted first-team football,' said Ferguson.
'He had lost his position to Patrice Evra, so, after nine years' service, there was no point holding the boy against his will.
'He is a really nice lad and a great professional, so I more or less let him conduct his own affairs.
'We knew the price we wanted and informed the teams who came in for him.
'He went up to Sunderland last Friday, and was very positive about that, then Manchester City came onto the scene.
'He was halfway through his medical when Arsenal came in. We have no complaints with the deal at all.'
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England coach Fabio Capello chose John Terry ahead of Ferdinand to become the new national team captain on a long-term basis ahead of England's 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
Ferguson said however that he would hand 29-year-old Ferdinand the United captain's armband once Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs were no longer around.
'The way I operate is through seniority,' Ferguson told reporters. 'That's why Gary Neville is captain and when he's not playing Ryan has taken over. If Ryan is not available then Rio stands in.
'In the long-term Rio will be captain, no question about that. I'm very comfortable with that.
'His qualities of leadership have improved tremendously over the last two or three years and ability-wise, it is there for all to see.'
Ferguson said the selection of Terry ahead of Ferdinand for the England job was not a major issue and will not have a bearing on Ferdinand's form or state of mind.
'It was always him or John Terry and it was the flip of a coin,' he said. 'It could have gone either way. I am sure it was a close call.
'It's not a reflection other than a personal choice and John Terry has been captain of Chelsea for quite a while and that has to go into consideration.
'It was the manager's choice to go for John Terry so he (Ferdinand) will just get on with it. It's straightforward. He should not be worried about the effect of that.'
Meanwhile, Ferguson has given Mikael Silvestre's move from Manchester United to Arsenal his official seal of approval saying: 'I could have been selfish and put Mikael in the reserves but we are bigger than that.'
Silvestre knew he had no United future at the end of last season.
At that point he asked Ferguson's permission to leave and the United boss was happy to let the 31-year-old get on with it.
'Mikael said he wanted first-team football,' said Ferguson.
'He had lost his position to Patrice Evra, so, after nine years' service, there was no point holding the boy against his will.
'He is a really nice lad and a great professional, so I more or less let him conduct his own affairs.
'We knew the price we wanted and informed the teams who came in for him.
'He went up to Sunderland last Friday, and was very positive about that, then Manchester City came onto the scene.
'He was halfway through his medical when Arsenal came in. We have no complaints with the deal at all.'
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Rooney on the attack
Wayne Rooney admits he is digging far too deep for club and country. Boss Fabio Capello told Roon to drop deep against the Czechs leaving Jermain Defoe on his own. But at times the Manchester United ace was effectively playing as a FIFTH midfielder. Alex Ferguson has already been on at Rooney to concentrate on attacking. And the striker said: “Maybe at times I am a bit too honest and at club level the manager is telling me not to defend too much, to try and save some energy for when we are attacking. Sometimes you just want to win the ball back and work hard for the team. That is just how I play.” Rooney had his pre-season build-up hampered by a virus picked up in Nigeria. He added: “I’ve probably only had seven days training since we came back from Africa. Playing on Sunday and for England will have helped my fitness. Hopefully I can get a few more games under my belt and be 100 per cent fit for the qualifiers.”
Steve Brenner, The Sun Read more...
Steve Brenner, The Sun Read more...
Wes: Rio will be fine
Wes Brown expects Rio Ferdinand to shrug off the disappointment of not being named permanent England captain.
Three Lions coach Fabio Capello opted to continue with John Terry in the role of skipper, despite Ferdinand being widely tipped for the armband, but Brown doesn't expect his United colleague to be ruffled by the snub.
"Rio will be fine," he said. "He knew he had a good chance of being captain and then the gaffer picked John Terry so we all just get on with it now.
"Rio has got a great attitude, is a great footballer and I am sure he will take it in his stride and continue to do well for his country and United."
While he concedes that Ferdinand would have been his personal preference as captain, Wes is fully behind Terry as England bid to reach the 2010 World Cup.
"I play alongside him (Rio) every week so he would have been my choice," said Brown. "But then the Chelsea players would have said exactly the same about John Terry.
"He has been a great captain for us and hopefully he can take us all the way to the World Cup finals in two years' time."
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Three Lions coach Fabio Capello opted to continue with John Terry in the role of skipper, despite Ferdinand being widely tipped for the armband, but Brown doesn't expect his United colleague to be ruffled by the snub.
"Rio will be fine," he said. "He knew he had a good chance of being captain and then the gaffer picked John Terry so we all just get on with it now.
"Rio has got a great attitude, is a great footballer and I am sure he will take it in his stride and continue to do well for his country and United."
While he concedes that Ferdinand would have been his personal preference as captain, Wes is fully behind Terry as England bid to reach the 2010 World Cup.
"I play alongside him (Rio) every week so he would have been my choice," said Brown. "But then the Chelsea players would have said exactly the same about John Terry.
"He has been a great captain for us and hopefully he can take us all the way to the World Cup finals in two years' time."
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