My Theatre Of Dreams

Rooney may face charges over swearing

2011-04-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

After completing his fifth hat-trick for Manchester United, first of the season, Wayne Rooney is to suffer consequences, as FA reveal they are to decide tomorrow whether he’ll be punished for inappropriate goal celebration.
Following yesterday’s incident, after he uttered a curse into a camera, for reasons unknown, Football Association’s director Sir Trevor Brooking stated for BBC Radio 5:
“Tomorrow there will be a decision.
“It was a surprise, after scoring a hat-trick, to react that way.
“It is something we will have to look at.”
Immediately after the incident, 25-year-old expressed his sincere apologies by saying:
“I want to apologise for any offence that may have been caused by my goal celebration, especially any parents or children that were watching.
“Emotions were running high, and on reflection my heat-of-the-moment reaction was inappropriate. It was not aimed at anyone in particular.”

Spur of the moment thing or not, Rooney won’t be able to escape punishment this time, as we all remember the moment he elbowed Wigan’s James McCarthy for which he was given the benefit of the doubt, however the rules are strict and very well defined, he’ll just have to abide.

FA rules state: “A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.”

Rooney hat-trick, United come back after 2 - 0 at West Ham

2011-04-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

A quickfire Wayne Rooney hat-trick rescued Manchester United on Saturday as they stormed seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after coming from two goals down to beat West Ham United 4-2.

Their march towards a record 19th top-flight title was helped by second-placed Arsenal failing to break down Blackburn Rovers in a 0-0 draw at The Emirates that left Gunners manager Arsene Wenger concerned by his side's lack of energy.

Chelsea's hopes of retaining their title are all but over after being held 1-1 at Stoke City. The Londoners trail the leaders by 11 points in third spot.

Manchester United have 66 points from 31 matches, ahead of Arsenal with 59 from 30 and Chelsea on 55 from 30.

West Ham looked like recording a second victory over United this season, following a 4-0 rout in the League Cup, as sloppy mistakes by Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic gave away two penalties in the opening 25 minutes that Mark Noble converted.
Revived by the introduction of Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov and lucky to still have Vidic on the pitch after the Serbian defender escaped a red card for bringing down Demba Ba when the striker was set to go clear on goal, United fought back.
Rooney curled in a free kick midway through the second half before levelling with a low drive. The England striker completed a 14-minute treble by converting a penalty given for Matthew Upson's unlucky handball.
Hernandez added a well-taken goal from close range after being set up by Ryan Giggs and United manager Alex Ferguson said later that his team "played like champions."
HUGE BUMP
Rooney's joy at scoring his first league hat-trick of a below-par season culminated in him having to apologise for swearing on live television while celebrating.
"Emotions were running high and on reflection my heat of the moment reaction was inappropriate," he told the club's website (www.manutd.com) after chalking up 101 league goals for United.

One thing running high at The Emirates was Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri's huge bump on his head which bulged through his bandage when he opted to play on in the second period following a first-half clash of heads.

Arsenal's best chance came late on when a Nicklas Bendtner shot was blocked on the line and they could not make the most of Steven N'Zonzi's 76th-minute sending off for a two-footed challenge as relegation-threatened Blackburn held firm.

"Overall it was a flat performance with a lack of energy level, lack of sharpness, and it's quite a big concern to see what we have seen today," Wenger told a news conference.

"Very few players looked to have the resources to pick the pace up in the game ... before we speak about the title we have to focus on our performance level because it was not good enough today."

April is the key to tittle race

2011-03-31T22:58:00.000-07:00

Gary Neville believes April could be as big a month for Manchester United as he saw during his 20 years at the club.

United are eyeing a repeat of their historic 1999 treble and will be involved in some high-voltage encounters this month.

They'll face Chelsea over two legs in the Champions League quarter-finals and Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final while trying to maintain their five-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League title-race.

Neville, who retired earlier this season after a stellar career believes manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be primarily concerned with keeping his players fit.

In comments quoted on the club's official website, he said: "I think it's just simple things, there's no complication. Keep the players fit, make sure they're fresh and not over-trained, make sure they're prepared.

"You really have got games now every weekend and midweek - it's probably as big a month as I've seen in my 20 years here when you look at the matches coming up in the next four or five weeks and the scale of them.

"From that perspective, it's just about making sure the preparations are the same and keeping the players fit and you don't get sending offs. So discipline is important - they're the ones out of your control a little bit as the manager needs his full squad at this time of the season."

The injury-hit United defence was dealt a further blow during their last Premier League encounter when Jonny Evans was shown red for a reckless tackle on Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden.

With Rio Ferdinand still nursing a niggle and doubts over the fitness of captain Nemanja Vidic, there is an air of vulnerability to the United backline. Luckily for them though, challengers Arsenal have problems of their own as well.

However, Neville still thinks they, along with Chelsea are the biggest obstacles to United's title charge. The Red Devils play West Ham at Upton Park while Arsenal host Blackburn at the Emirates this weekend.

"I think it probably is Chelsea and Arsenal ," he said.

"Arsenal had a couple of bad results when they could've put some pressure on us, particularly in the week we lost to Chelsea and Liverpool. But it is there for us and we've got so close. It is the run-in.

"I think Saturday's a big one to be honest with you, coming back from the internationals and playing away to West Ham with a lunchtime kick-off. That's got a danger to it. That's good in some ways though because the lads have been there before.

'It's really, really important, they'll know it's a danger game. We've seen those times and how difficult those games are. I think we'll be ready for it."

However, Neville cautioned against entertaining thoughts of a treble just yet.

"You never know with the Treble," he explained. "If you get past the FA Cup final on the Saturday, you think it's here now but you never think to win a treble.

"It doesn't enter your thinking as a player. With all the matches ahead of us, you haven't got time to think about [what might happen] in six weeks' time.

"I would love to see us win the league as that's our bread and butter but the cups are always a bonus and the Champions League is massive and, when the games come around, you always want to win them. But let's just win that championship first."

Wayne Rooney desperate for no 19

2011-03-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

Wayne Rooney has stoked up his bitter feud with Liverpool by revealing just how desperate he is to help Manchester United finally overtake their record title haul. The arch rivals each possess 18 titles but United are on course to make it 19 as they enter the crucial run-in at the top of the Barclays Premier League. Roo beauty: The United ace scoring one of the goals of the season in the derby win over City at Old Trafford Rooney, who is despised by Liverpoolfans after growing up as a vocal Everton fan as well as going on toplay for United, is determined to finally complete Sir Alex Ferguson'swish of 'knocking them off their f****** perch'. Rooney, who is hardly welcome in theblue half of Merseyside either, also revealed how he is keen to curryfavour with Everton fans by pouring more misery on their neighbours. Ferguson's side are on course to winthe league as they prepare to face West Ham on Saturday. United arefive points clear of Arsenal, who have a game in hand, while reigningchampions Chelsea and Manchester City complete the top four. International duty: Rooney starred for England in their 2-0 win over Wales on Saturday Rooney said: 'I grew up an Evertonfan so to be part of the team to overtake Liverpool's record would bebrilliant. It would mean so much to us players as well as the fans. 'It is something I have been thinking about a lot. I know all the Everton fans want us to do it and hopefully we can. 'You look forward to every game atthis stage and you've got to enjoy it, especially when you are in therunning for a few trophies. 'It is exciting for the fans andit's exciting for the players knowing that you are just a few weeksaway from possibly winning a major trophy or two.' Once a blue: Rooney began his career with Everton before his mega-money move to United in the summer of 2004 United face Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final first leg next week and City in the FA Cup semi-final next month. Rooney is convinced they willbanish their local rivals and told Inside United: 'I am confident wecan beat them. I am desperate to win the competition, having lost twofinals. We have a great chance of going all the way this year. 'It is a massive competition with alot of history. I watched it religiously growing up and going so closetwice has been hard to take.' Rooney believes it is a massivebonus to have Antonio Valencia fit for the run-in and said: 'I amprobably the happiest person in the team to see him back. 'Having Nani on one wing and Antonio on the other is fantastic because they each bring something different.' Fergie: My referee comments are fair... and I'm not paranoid about treatment!He has one goal in his last 15 games: When will we see the real Rooney? Big match dossier: Rooney hits 70 with plenty to prove after poor season Explore more:People: Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia Places: Liverpool

Man Utd 2-1 Marseille

2011-03-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hernandez double puts United throughJavier Hernandez is already a Manchester United cult hero but two goals from the Mexico striker opened the door to European success in his debut season at Old Trafford.The summer signing scored in each half, propelling the club into the quarter-finals of the Champions League for a fifth successive season as Marseille were beaten 2-1.An own goal by Wes Brown in the 82nd minute ensured a nervous finish but United were not breached again by Marseille and secured their passage.The only downside for manager Sir Alex Ferguson was that both John O'Shea and his replacement Rafael went off with suspected hamstring injuries.United, with Hernandez selected ahead of Dimitar Berbatov, got off to a flying start with an opening goal from the Mexican in the fifth minute.A minute earlier, however, they had shown their intentions when Wayne Rooney played the ball out to Ryan Giggs but his cross was blocked by Souleymane Diawara.United took the lead with a sweeping move, Giggs finding Rooney from the left flank with a short pass. The striker played the ball to the far post with Hernandez tapping it in.It was just what Ferguson was looking for as it put his side one goal ahead on aggregate.However Marseille, who came into the match on the back of five wins in six league games, responded in the ninth minute.Andre-Pierre Gignac found himself in the clear, only to hook the ball high and wide from a good position.United had the momentum, though, with Giggs finding plenty of space on the left. The Welsh veteran delivered a cross into the box in the 19th minute but goalkeeper Steve Mandanda made the interception.Hernandez was then booked two minutes later for a challenge on former Old Trafford favourite Gabriel Heinze before testing Mandanda in the 23rd minute with a header after being released by Rooney.United maintained the momentum and O'Shea picked out Nani but he dragged his effort wide of the post.They poured forward again in the 35th minute following a break by O'Shea. However he sent his cross behind Hernandez before limping off.Marseille should have equalised when Diawara got on the end of a cross from Taye Taiwo but from six yards out and unmarked he somehow contrived to head wide.It was a scare for United and showed just how finely balanced this tie was despite Hernandez's early goal.Hernandez then had a claim for a penalty waved away after he went to ground under pressure from Taiwo before Loic Remy went close for Marseille.United were looking to build on their lead at the start of the second half and Rooney slipped the ball through to Hernandez in the 54th minute but he had strayed offside.Rooney was beginning to see more of the ball and tried to release Hernandez three minutes later when it had seemed he would go for goal. It proved to be the wrong option as his pass was cut out.Back came Marseille and Remy skipped to the byline but failed to pick out anyone with his cross.Ferguson made a switch in the 61st minute, bringing on Antonio Valencia for Nani who had failed to make an impact after a quick recovery from a gashed leg.Valencia had only returned to action in the victory against Arsenal on Saturday after being out since September with a broken ankle.United were finding it hard to carve out any openings after a bright start and Marseille were coming more into the game as it entered a crucial phase.The home side made another enforced change with Rafael also appearing to suffer a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Fabio.Hernandez extended United's lead in the 76th minute with another clinical finish for his fifth goal in five games, taking his tally to 16 for the season.Giggs started the move by releasing Valencia and he in turn whipped the ball across to Hernandez, who made no mistake.But Marseille responded and Brown headed into his own net in the 82nd minute under fierce pressure from Heinze.That set up a nerve-shredding final few minutes but United held firm to reach the last eight.

Sir Alex may faces ban over referee comments

2011-03-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing the possibility of a minimum two-match touchline ban for his outspoken criticisms of the referee Martin Atkinson.The Football Association's lawyers are deliberating over whether to open proceedings against the Manchester United manager following his reaction to the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. United have already spoken to their own legal advisers and Ferguson has indicated he intends to plead not guilty if he is to face disciplinary action for the fifth time in as many years.
The expectation within Old Trafford is that he will be charged and Ferguson already has two matches of a four-game touchline ban hanging over him as a suspended sentence for his condemnation of Alan Wiley in 2009 as not being physically fit to officiate in the Premier League.

That punishment will be triggered automatically if Ferguson is found guilty of misconduct for the post-match outburst in which he castigated Atkinson for not sending off the Chelsea defender David Luiz and blamed the defeat on a series of refereeing decisions.

"You hope you get a really strong referee in games like this," he said. "It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee, you know ... You want a strong referee, anyway, and we didn't get that. I don't know why he's got the game. I must say that, when I saw who was refereeing it, I feared the worst."

The FA's investigation is heavily focused on the word "fair" and the implication that Ferguson was alleging impartiality on the part of a referee who has been a source of frustration to him ever since an FA Cup tie against Portsmouth in March 2008, when both the United manager and his then assistant, Carlos Queiroz, were charged for their criticisms of his performance.

The FA has asked Sky and MUTV for an unedited copy of their post-match interviews from Stamford Bridge and the governing body has until 4pm on Friday to decide what to do next. In Ferguson's defence, the way he appears to backtrack a little on the "fair" comment may help him in what is considered a difficult and tight decision for the FA.

If charged, Ferguson would be given one working day to respond and a hearing would take place next week, ruling out the possibility that Ferguson will have to watch Sunday's game at Liverpool in the stands. Instead, a possible ban would come into place for two home games, the FA Cup quarter-final on 12 March and the Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers a week later.

In the case of a proven charge, the FA would also have the power to add to that punishment if it felt the offence was serious enough, and it would be held against Ferguson if he has chosen to deny any wrongdoing.

United's manager is facing problems in his back four for the match at Liverpool because Nemanja Vidic is suspended after being sent off at Chelsea and Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans are injured. It means Chris Smalling is likely to be partnered in central defence by Wes Brown, who has fallen out of favour and has not featured in the Premier League since November. The left-back Patrice Evra, meanwhile, is having treatment after coming off at Stamford Bridge with an injury.

Michael Carrick has called on United to react swiftly to their second defeat in four league games. "We feel pretty down but we can move on quickly," the midfielder said. "We have to. We're used to doing it and normally we are good at it. That is the nature of the beast."

After defeat

2011-03-03T22:51:00.001-08:00

The matches against Crawley Town and Marseille were unbearable for most Manchester United fans. Old Trafford, famous for fans loudly urging the team to attack, has become a boring place of late – a sad thought for anyone who has witnessed classic matches at the stadium. Despite United scoring more goals than any other side in the Premier League, the Reds performances have also been sub-par this season.

The problem lies in the squad. United does not lack numbers but the quality is noticeably missing. Pundits, such as Didier Deschamps last week, have long pointed out the lack of “stardust” in midfield, with Michael Carrick and Anderson performing poorly and Paul Scholes no longer able to cope with pressure. The engine room is remarkably pedestrian.

Fans point to Mesut Özil and Rafael Van der Vaart as missed opportunities but neither of the two would have fitted in well at Old Trafford. Panic buys are not the answer either but, at the same time, it is hard not to blame Sir Alex Ferguson and his scouts when another outstanding midfielder, Shinji Kagawa, was purchased for almost nothing in the summer.

Just as the season before, Ferguson probably intended to funnel attacks through wide men this campaign. Ferguson’s tactical experiments this season – the new 4-4-2 and the gridiron style 4-5-1 – rely heavily on wingers. The plan has worked to a degree – after all, only Barcelona has scored more domestically than United in major European leagues.

It remains a doubt whether the anticipated return of Antonio Valencia will help United though – after all, there is no guarantee that the Ecuadorian will regain his pre-injury form. Even should the winger miraculously recover, the 25-year-old’s return to the first eleven will see Nani moved to the left. On the left, the Portuguese is predictable and easy to defend against. It is true that Nani has become much better decision maker this season but there is no guarantee that he will perform on the left as well as he has on the right.

Indeed, the most realistic scenario is playing Park Ji-Sung on the left, once he comes back from his knee injury. United will most probably persist with the 4-5-1 and rely on Nani and Rooney to come up with moments of magic. But as previously noted, the 4-5-1 system stifles United’s full-backs and John O’Shea will normally be preferred to Rafael da Silva in the formation. It remains to be seen whether Rio Ferdinand’s return will prompt Sir Alex to reinstate the Brazilian full-back – after all, the need to protect the “quarterback” trumps having an attacking right full-back.

United is in perilous position after the defeat at Stamford Bridge last night. Given the hamstrung morale of Arsenal after the Carling Cup final loss, the Red Devils still remain the favorite for the league. Most realistic challengers to the FA Cup have already been knocked out and United will be the main contender for the Cup should the Reds triumph against Leyton Orient or Arsenal.

It is harder to judge United’s prospect in Europe though – it isn’t bright but the semi-final remains a viable goal assuming a kind quarter-final draw.

There is a more interesting question is about the future though. How can United turn its fortunes around and fashion both an exciting and winning team? Fluidity is hard – the club cannot simply buy it’s way to becoming Barcelona overnight. Indeed, United has an effective set-up and Ferguson will probably invest in only a player or two to fit into the current system, rather than attempt a complete overhaul.

Moreover, the current 4-5-1 can be entertaining; theoretically, the emphasis is on width and tempo. The key is the deep-lying playmaker. He must be able to withstand pressure, in order to free both full-backs. A physically robust “quarterback” will allow Rafael to play, instead of O’Shea.

In this system, the “quarterback” starts all the attacks, mainly through balls out to flanks, so he can’t just be a defensive midfielder either. Candidates include Nuri Sahin of Dortmund, Ever Banega of Valencia, Luka Modric of Tottenham, Sergio Busquets of Barcelona and Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern Munchen.

Another feasible idea is to acquire a playmaker and deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation. With two defensive midfielders, the full-backs are freed. It has another benefit – with lots of players in the middle, possession maintenance is easy. Counter-attacking football, against sides that perhaps take the initiative, is also easier with two wingers placed high up the pitch. The system is also tailor-made for high-tempo, attacking game – the system was conceived in Spain to press.

Finding a playmaker to fit in such system is slightly more nuanced than it appears though – classic trequartisti are much harder to build a side around than their modern cousins who are more direct and busy. Candidates include Luka Modric of Tottenham, Kagawa of Dortmund and Javier Pastore of Palermo.

A left-winger also remains an issue. This column has extensively written on Park and specifically why playing a defensive winger is actually a bad idea. Ryan Giggs can’t play forever and Nani’s ability to play on the left is questionable. Juan Mata of Valencia, Ashley Young of Aston Villa and Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina are possible targets.

Other options exist too. Mario Gotze of Dortmund, Kagawa and Modric are playmakers by trade but they have all played on the left. In fact, buying a playmaker who can play on the left will allow United to rotate players on the fringe – Dimitar Berbatov, Javier Hernández and Valencia – with ease.

United is still on course for a pretty good season – just a player or two away from becoming more entertaining. The dull games over the past two seasons have been painful but United fans must not forget that they been more blessed than most football fans in experiencing glory and good football. The very ability to soldier through bad times separates the real fans from the fair-weather ones – after all, the option to “**** off and support Chelsea” or any other fashionable team always exists.

What a player!

2011-03-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

Former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen believes Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has unearthed another gem in the shape of Javier Hernandez following the Mexican international’s brace against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
The Match of the Day pundit believes Ferguson will soon have to select the precocious 22-year-old from the start of games given his rapid rise to the fore, but argues Manchester United will be severely weakened if the FA decides to suspend Wayne Rooney for three games due to his controversial elbow on Wigan Athletic’s James McCarthy. Should the FA retrospectively ban Rooney for the Premier League games against Chelsea, Liverpool and the potential FA Cup tie against Arsenal, the former Anfield stalwart believes it could undermine the Red Devils’ season, because Hernandez is not quite ready to replace the 25-year-old England international.
Hansen suggests Hernandez has all the hallmarks of a world class forward, highlighting the player’s movement and instinct finishing as the youngster’s two main attributes.
Speaking about the possibility of losing Wayne Rooney to suspension, Hansen told the Daily Telegraph: “Without him, they will be short of one of their very best players and despite the terrific form and progress of Javier Hernandez, he is a star of the future and not a star of now.
“Some might argue that United will not miss Rooney if he gets suspended, simply because of the way Hernandez has been playing and scoring.
“But the reason why Sir Alex is not choosing to start Hernandez regularly is because the Mexican forward still has a bit to go before he is the finished article.
“It might not take too much longer for that to happen, though.
“For a 22-year-old, Hernandez possesses every attribute you want in a striker. He is clinical with both feet, quick and just gets on with it, whether he comes off the bench or is taken off by his manager.
“He is going to be some player and, sooner or later, Ferguson will have no option but to go with him from the start.
“But at the moment, all that Hernandez lacks is experience and that is why losing Rooney to a suspension for his clash with McCarthy would be a huge blow for United.”

20 years of Ryan Giggs: I may have 11 titles, but I'm not done yet!

2011-03-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

Twenty years on, Ryan Giggs claims not to remember much about his Manchester United debut.

English football's most decorated player is similarly reticent when it comes to talking about his favourite team-mate, biggest influence and favourite moment.

Interestingly for a man who has won so much, he becomes much more animated when asked about the other side of a sportsman's life. Giggs, it seems, can talk all day about defeat.

Take, for example, his views on some key disappointments. 'Last year when Chelsea won the Double . . . it winds you up,' said Giggs. 'You don't want it to happen again. You don't want to feel like you did last summer. You want to feel like the year before when you won the league.

'It's not the fear of failure. It's just craving that feeling of winning the title. We lost by one point last year and it stays with you.

'You go away on holiday, you're lying on the beach trying to enjoy yourself with the kids, and you do, but then you have a quiet moment, it comes back to you what happened and, I'll say it, you're p****d off.

'You're on holiday and you're just p****d off.

'The worst I've ever felt was after my first full season when we lost the league to Leeds, but the European Cup final in Rome, getting beaten by Barcelona, was a close second. That feeling of emptiness. You're on the coach outside the stadium, you know you haven't played well personally and you haven't played well as a team.

'It's the last game of the season and you'll never get it back and you're just gutted. It's an emptiness.

'But you don't jump to any conclusion and, slowly, it goes. You look forward to the next season and the challenge.

'But that final, I've never even watched the game back. The manager has probably watched it six or seven times but I've not.'

It seems appropriate, here, to mention some Ryan Giggs statistics. He has played 862 times for United since his debut against Everton on March 2 1991 - 20 years ago. He has won 11 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, eight Charity Shields, two Champions Leagues, one Super Cup and one Club World Cup.

He is 37 years old and has two young children. Doesn't there come a time when you have simply won enough? When one more title or cup doesn't actually make that much difference? It is apparent that there does not.

'At the beginning of your career you are just driven by a desire to get in the first team and stay there,' said Giggs. 'Then in later years, the desire is still there, the challenge is still there, and you enjoy it more when you are older because you can savour it.

'But I don't think about the titles I've won. I just look at the future. Like I said, I want that feeling back again.'

Locked in the vaults of Granada TV is a video of a teenage Giggs playing for his boys team in a final at Anfield. He is the star, hogging the ball on the field and the camera off it. He is cocky and confident, full of it.

These days, the image is different. The dignified elder statesman of the Barclays Premier League, the one everybody eventually wants to be. Somewhere along the way, after the skirmishes with Lee Sharpe and Nicky Butt and the celebrity girlfriends, something changed.

'Probably an accumulation of things made me change,' he added. 'I remember in my first full season, Today newspaper ran, like, a week-long sort of feature, delving into my family, my dad's family, the rift between my mum and dad, that sort of thing. That wakes you up quite quickly and toughens you up.

'I went out with a few girls who were famous as well, and you get photographers following you. It was just . . . I just didn't like it. I was 18 or 19 at the time. Sharpey was great. We got on really well and there's that famous incident at his house when the manager came and found us and dragged me out.

'That probably had a big impact on me in terms of the fact you've got to live your life right.

'But Becks coming played a part too. I was trying to keep out of the limelight, then Becks came and everything happened, so that was good timing for me I suppose.'

Giggs is expected to mark his 20-year anniversary by playing for United at Chelsea. It will also see him equal Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 606 league games for his one and only club.

For the record, his debut came as a substitute against Everton at Old Trafford in the old Division One. Giggs didn't appear again until he started against Manchester City two months later.

'I remember Dave Watson going through the back of me,' Giggs smiled. 'I remember having a big cut on my knee for ages.

'I remember my full debut a lot more, but Everton? Not a lot really.

'I remember crossing a ball and Danny Wallace heading it just wide. That's about it really.'

Interestingly, United lost 2-0 to Everton that day. Clearly, even Giggs doesn't remember every defeat.

Cover story: Ryan Giggs is featured in the latest issue of Sky Sports magazine, where the picture (above) was first published. See this month's issue for an anniversary interview and more images.

MAnchester United Vs Wigan

2011-03-01T00:56:00.000-08:00

Manchester United obtained only their 4th away win of the league season on Saturday on what proved ultimately to be a comfortable afternoon. With the decisive second goal only appearing in the 74th minute, the previous action had been fairly even with the relegation threatened side holding their own against their title chasing opposition.

Ultimately there were various reasons for the eventual result and below are my thoughts on the main talking points.

Javier Hernandez - Baby faced assassin Mark II
Following his introduction onto the global stage during last summer's World Cup in South Africa, the "Little Pea" settled immediately into life in the goldfish bowl that is Manchester United on the pre-season American tour. He completed the rare feat of playing against and for United in the same game when he played for his old team Chivas in the first half and then swapped sides after half time.

What is impressive about Hernandez is the quality of his all round games at such an early stage of his career. He is adept with either foot, has immense pace, good spring for someone of 5ft 9" and the well used phrase "natural goalscorer" seems to fit his abilities comfortably. He also appears to have a fantastic attitude to the game. Stories abound how he is often first into training and the last to leave and it is very noticeable how he promotes the team ethic rather than concentrate on his own performances. All in all, it brings back memories of a certain Norwegian who arrived at Old Trafford as an unheralded youngster but left as a genuine club legend having beguiled everyone who encountered him with his sincerity and focus.

The one trait that has impressed me the most has been his movement. Both on and off the ball, he is never still, always looking to play on the shoulder of the last defender and then use his lightening pace to get away from the last man. Once through on goal, he seems to have ice running through his veins and invariably outwits the keeper to slot the ball home with either foot.

A perfect example of his movement to create goal scoring opportunities was seen at the DW Stadium on Saturday during the build up to his two goals.

Figure 1 below shows Hernandez on the edge of the box (circled) with the ball about to be picked up by Nani. At this point in the move, he is lurking behind Maynor Figueroa and about to make his decisive break. The defender will know he is there but will be happy that he has the danger covered.

Figure 1

Hernandez currently behind Figueroa heading towards goal anticipating a Nani cross

Figure 2 below is taken just three seconds later and look at the difference in positions of the two players. Hernandez has darted past Figueroa to the near post anticipating the cross from Nani while the defender was unable to react to the movement and is now a good distance away from the player that was in his pocket a few seconds ago.

Figure 2

Just three seconds later, he is at the near post applying the finishing touch and defender has lost him completely

The second example was seen in the Mexican's second goal. A long punt down field from Van Der Sar saw Hernandez deflect the ball off to Rooney and then he was alive to the prospect of a goal scoring opportunity as he darts towards the penalty box. Look at the distance at this point between the little Mexican and the last man Gary Caldwell shown by the arrow.

Figure 3

Laying the ball off and then "on his bike" towards goal

Figure 4 below is once again taken just three seconds later. By this time, Hernandez has collected the return pass from Rooney and is away towards goal with Caldwell struggling. A calm assured finish puts United two up and on the way to a valuable three points.

Figure 4

Three seconds later, clear of the last defender and on the way to his 2nd goal.

No doubt Hernandez will be back on the bench when Tuesday's match against Chelsea rolls around but he is certainly given the manager plenty of food for thought as he looks to how best to rotate his squad as the climax to the season approaches.

More United positives
Edwin Van Der Sar continues to defy the ageing process with yet another vital contribution. Key saves from Moses and McCarthy kept the home side at bay at a time when the destiny of the game could have gone either way. It could be argued that the giant Dutchman like a fine wine, is getting better with age. After a spell a few seasons ago when his powers seemed to be on the wane, he has recovered and is now arguably the form keeper in the league. His retirement will leave a massive void at the end of the season and he deserves a trophy laden end to a career that places him in the higher echelons in the world game.

Darron Gibson has been much maligned over the course of this season. Some of this criticism has been justified as he has struggled to make any impression but the last few games have offered a glimpse to a certain improvement. He clearly has ability and needs to capitalise on this over a longer period of time in the hope of winning over his critics.

Clearly the key to success this season is going to be based on our defensive solidity. Vidic has been a mainstay in the side and has visibly grown with the responsibility that being awarded the captaincy has brought. Smalling once more continued to show his composure and maturity deputising for the injured Ferdinand. The full backs Evra and O'Shea have been solid for the last few games and have done well to supplement the attack whenever possible. This solid base will be essential in the games to come as the ability to notch up regular clean sheets will result in victories in the vast proportion of matches.

Wayne Rooney - Elbow incident
If Rooney escapes without punishment for this incident then he will be a lucky boy indeed. To commit such an offence late in the game could be described as irresponsible but to do so as early in such an important game as he did is reckless in the extreme. He is on thin ice with many fans at the present time anyway and reducing his team to ten men would have brought a serious examination of his credibility as a United player seeing as he has been "rewarded" with the biggest contract in the club's history.

Obertan & Bebe

The image of Gabriel Obertan and Bebe in the stands at the DW Stadium seemingly more engrossed in an Ipod and a phone respectively, provoked a surge of messages to my twitter timeline. In some ways,the image was symbolic of many of the fears that the United faithful have in these two characters. The feeling is that they do not yet fully understand the privilege and responsibility that comes with being connected to Manchester United. It is widely thought that they do not have a sound grasp of the finer points of the game of football and that they would be well served taking the chance to listen to the observations of Ryan Giggs sandwiched between them. The image became even more iconic due to the presence of Sir Bobby Charlton in the row in front who would surely not have been impressed by their lack of enthusiasm for the match in front of them. I can give Bebe the benefit of the doubt as it may have simply been poor timing to catch him the exact moment that a message came through. There is however, no excuse for the Frenchman sat there in massive headphones looking distinctly bored. This is a player let's not forget, schooled at the much famed Clairefontaine academy in France that has produced numerous examples of quality over the years. I would imagine that the management will have a quiet word in his ear to explain the situation and why it looks disrespectful to his team mates.

Marseille 0 - 0 Manchester United

2011-02-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Manchester United will have no safety net at Old Trafford in three weeks' time after they ground out a goalless draw in their Champions League last-16 meeting with Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.

United have failed to clinch victory from similar positions before.

But they will still be favourites to progress against a limited Marseille outfit, even if life would have been so much better had a Darren Fletcher snapshot been able to break the deadlock in a drab contest.

Nani blazed one early effort over and he was involved in United's best chance of the first half. It was not in the way he would have wanted though as his woeful corner was only half-cleared to Fletcher.

The Scot had little time to pick his spot. But the shot was clean enough and as it left his boot, keeper Steve Mandanda initially appeared wrong-footed. Mandanda is clearly blessed with quick feet though, and was able to get back in position to make the save before the ball crossed his goal-line.

Marseille offered little evidence of how they won the French title last season. It eventually came at the start of the second period, when Lucho Gonzalez seized on Dimitar Berbatov's failure to control deep inside the United half and whipped over a curling cross for Brandao, whose firm header was directed straight at Edwin Van der Sar.

Andre Ayew then had a shot blocked before a kind bounce from Lucho's deflected effort provided a clear sight at goal. The angle was not great though and with Brandao charging in at the far-post, Ayew seemed caught in two minds and in the end neither threatened United's goal or to pick out his team-mate.

Paul Scholes was introduced for Darron Gibson and his willingness to get hold of the ball instantly brought some direction to United's attacks. Berbatov fed Patrice Evra, then continued his run to collect a return pass from the full-back before firing a long-range effort over.

Berbatov almost managed to thread a pass through to Nani but Mandanda pounced.

What appeared to be a golf ball was thrown into the United area as they set themselves up to defend a Marseille corner three minutes from the end. UEFA might take a dim view of that, although if nothing else it provided a talking point as a desperately disappointing contest petered out.

Patrice Evra set for stormy reception at Marseille

2011-02-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

Patrice Evra has been warned to expect a hostile reception when Manchester United play Marseille on Wednesday as he returns to France for his first match in his own country since his part in the nation's implosive World Cup campaign.

Evra's popularity in France has been grievously harmed by his contribution to France's troubles in South Africa, with the United left-back not forming a part of Laurent Blanc's squad since serving a five-game ban imposed by the national football federation.

Marseille have some of the more vociferous fans in Europe and their one-time manager, Jean Fernandez, believes Didier Deschamps's players should target the man who was deposed as France captain in the wake of their early and ignominious exit from last summer's competition.

"It will be his first match in France since the 2010 World Cup, so people are certainly going to boo him," Fernandez said. "Deschamps can play on that and tell whoever's directly up against Patrice to wind him up as much as he can until he snaps and eventually is booked. If that happens, Evra won't be able to defend effectively.

"That could be key in the end because his aggression is a big part in winning the ball back and you can't lose control. If you win [the tackles against him], you can move forward. If you lose them, you retreat."

United are set to announce on Monday that Evra, who has been with the club for five years, has agreed a new four-year contract. The 29-year-old had considered leaving Old Trafford, tempted by the possibility of playing in Spain, but has decided to stay.

Manchester United tie down Evra untill 2014

2011-02-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has put pen to paper on a contract extension to keep him at Old Trafford until 2014 - and remains as hungry as ever for medals.

The 29-year-old has already helped United land three Premier League titles, a Champions League, plus three League Cups - the last of which he lifted after skippering the team to victory over Aston Villa last year.

The left-back said: "Ever since I arrived at United, it's been a dream come true playing here. The fans, the players, the manager and the staff all work hard to make this club the best in the world."

He added: "I have won a lot in the last five years, but I want to win more and I know that's the mentality of everyone here."

Manchester United could host Arsenal

2011-02-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

Manchester United have been handed the prospect of an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
United, who edged past non-league Crawley Town on Saturday, were drawn against Arsenal or Leyton Orient who were meeting at Brisbane Road on Sunday.
Carling Cup finalists Birmingham meet the winners of the tie between Fulham and Bolton at Craven Cottage.
Stoke have a home tie against either West Ham or Burnley and Manchester City or Aston Villa will face Everton, who knocked out holders Chelsea, or Reading.
The ties are due to be played on the weekend of March 12 and 13.
FA Cup quarter-final draw (ties to be played on March 12 & 13): Stoke v West Ham or Burnley; Man City or Aston Villa v Everton or Reading; Birmingham v Fulham or Bolton; Manchester United v Leyton Orient or Arsenal. YEVAGGME572D

Lindegaard : "We can't be proud of what we did".

2011-02-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

New-boy Anders Lindegaard has admitted Manchester United can take no pride from their performance against non-league Crawley.

Virtually the only positive from an insipid display from a team currently top of the Premier League and about to resume their quest to lift another Champions League trophy is the fact they are in the FA Cup sixth round.

United created just a handful of decent opportunities, one of which Wes Brown glanced home to give them a 1-0 win over their lowly opponents.

And Lindegaard accepts it was just not good enough.
"That was not as straightforward as we would have wished for," said the Denmark international.
"We didn't play a good match and we can't be proud of what we did.
"The manager and the coaches were telling us for a couple of days, especially us foreigners who are not used to the FA Cup, how it is played. We were told that anything could happen. Anything nearly did. We should definitely do better."
As Lindegaard's appearances look like being restricted to the FA Cup for the foreseeable future, he welcomes the prospect of a quarter-final tie, and the prospect of a trip to Wembley should United advance still further.
The 26-year-old admits he is still getting used to his new surroundings.
After arriving from Norwegian league side Aalesunds in December, Lindegaard has been forced to make some pretty big adjustments.
And they have not always gone to plan.
"I feel more like a Manchester United player now but I am still making my way around and sometimes I get lost at Carrington," he laughed, emphasising the sheer scale of the Red Devils' training complex.
"I would like another FA Cup tie or two. We are close to Wembley now which is nice and when you get a little experience of playing for this club, it gives you a taste for more."
Whilst Lindegaard was making only his second United appearance, and his first at Old Trafford, matchwinner Brown is a veteran of over 350.

How many more chances the 31-year-old will have is open to question given the sporadic nature of his games this term.

Saturday represented only his 11th appearance - and a sixth start - and it is widely expected the one-club man will sever ties with United this summer.

However, a fifth United goal was something to savour, Brown quick to confirm he had touched Darron Gibson's cross into the far corner.

"It was my goal. I got a touch," he said.

"It was good to be back. I haven't been getting in the team recently but I have been working hard in training and keeping my feet on the ground.

"I just had to wait and see what happened."

Unconvincing Manchester United squad win over Crawley

2011-02-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

Crawley and their 9,000 travelling fans headed home with an aching sense of a chance missed as Wes Brown's first-half header proved enough to give Manchester United an unconvincing FA Cup fifth-round win.

A defiant display from the proud non-leaguers nearly gained its just reward when Richard Brodie guided a stoppage-time header against the bar.
The hosts survived though, despite being so poor, ending the game with Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez occupying wide positions, either side of an ineffective Gabriel Obertan and an anonymous Bebe.
Indeed, Rooney's frustrations bubbled over into a cynical lunge on Kyle McFadzean that earned the England striker a yellow card.
It will be of no consolation to Crawley that Brown's header was a collector's item. His first goal since October 2008 and only his fifth in over 350 games for the Red Devils.
The Blue Square Premier promotion contenders started brightly and grew in confidence as the contest went on, their valiant push for an equaliser gathering momentum with each passing minute.
If it was not a surprise Brown was named in Ferguson's starting line-up, it was a shock he received the captain's armband ahead of central defensive partner John O'Shea.
The 31-year-old has drifted out of the first-team picture since he featured in the 2008 Champions League final, to the extent this was only his 11th appearance of the season.
Indeed, he was tipped to leave Old Trafford during last month's transfer window and given the performances of Chris Smalling this season, his future beyond the end of this season is uncertain to say the least.
However, Brown can always be relied upon to give everything in the United cause.
Goals have never been part of his repertoire. But with United's second-string outfit struggling to turn their possession into something more tangible, he led from the front.
Darron Gibson had just picked out Javier Hernandez with an excellent pass that led to a corner.
Gibson drifted the ball over from the left touchline, Brown leapt highest, and the faintest of touches took it past Michel Kuipers and into the bottom corner.
The hosts should have doubled their lead before the interval.
Gibson's defence-splitting pass to Fabio left the Brazilian to race through on Kuipers' goal.
However, he prodded the ball with his right foot instead of shooting with his left and the end product rolled disappointingly wide of the target.
A second goal would have been harsh on Crawley though.
Their performances so far this season have led Ferguson to predict Crawley will be in the Football League next term.
The money being thrown at the aim has not won favour with all their rivals, with plenty questioning exactly where it is coming from.
However, this represented the biggest day in their history given Manchester United are on a different scale altogether.
Had Ben Smith's 30-yard strike been on target, it might have given them a shock lead too.
Unfortunately for the visitors, it dipped narrowly wide of a goal being manned by Anders Lindegaard, who was making his home debut.
The introduction of Rooney at the break indicated Ferguson was not entirely satisfied with what had gone before.
Chris Smalling's arrival in place of Rafael 10 minutes after the re-start was a statement of the dominance Crawley enjoyed in that period, even if O'Shea's stout defending kept them at arm's length.
Rooney had barely touched the ball but eventually he advanced into a shooting position, even if he was unable to keep his 20-yard effort on target.
By that point though, Crawley had realised there was nothing to fear and attacked in the same manner they will probably do against Southport on Tuesday.
Hunt got on the end of Brodie's cross and flashed an effort just wide, then, aiming for the same goal Rooney found in such spectacular fashion seven days earlier, Matt Tubbs' overhead kick sailed narrowly over.
There was one chance left, which Brodie was unable to take, failing to provide the perfect end to a dream day.

Spectacular Rooney's goal to end Manchester derby

2011-02-16T22:33:00.000-08:00

Wayne Rooney provided the most astounding finale to a Manchester derby - then told United's ecstatic fans: "I owe you that."

There is no superlative that can do justice to the manner with which Rooney spun round, manipulated his body four feet into the air, then connected with Nani's cross with such power Joe Hart didn't move before it flashed into the top corner of his goal.

It will be replayed many years from now and the goal of the season prize might as well be parcelled up and sent to Old Trafford right now.

However, given Rooney's tepid form since he suffered the first of a succession of ankle injuries in Munich last March, the 25-year-old accepts there was an element of payback as well.
"The Manchester United fans deserve that from me," he said.
"I haven't had the best of seasons and I know how big this game is in Manchester, so I hope they enjoyed that.
"Now the aim is to keep scoring and help us get that title back."
In that regard, Rooney was somewhat more forceful than Sir Alex Ferguson.
Unlike his manager, who has spent the last few months emphasising just how crazy this season has been and is presumably far too experienced to take anything for granted, Rooney was prepared to look at United's imposing eight-point lead over their neighbours, check they also have a game in hand in a season which, for them, has 12 hurdles left, and discount them from the battle.
"It almost certainly rules City out of the title race unless a disaster happens," he said.
"We are the team to catch. We know how it feels to be top of the league and to get over that finish line.
"We have the experience with the manager and the players and we know what we have to do.
"Hopefully within the next six or seven games, we can maintain that gap, or make it bigger."
For City, it is agony.
Evidently, the gap to United, which for so many years was a yawning chasm, has closed dramatically.

But they just cannot take that final step to bridge it completely.

Knocked out of the Carling Cup semi-final last season, when they were also beaten by two injury-time goals in the league.

They have now collected just a single point from two meetings this season when the difference between the sides has been wafer thin, if it has existed at all.

Little wonder Blues legend Mike Summerbee grew increasingly indignant in his role as a Sky Sports pundit as the post-match analysis concentrated on where United had gained the crucial edge.

"There were two teams out there?" he grumbled. "Show our chances.

"Manchester United have spent fortunes, don't worry about that. They gave us a game. We have created more chances than them.

"One day Manchester City will come here and take them."

There was a mixture of bitterness and resignation in Summerbee's voice, born of spending so long in the Red Devils shadow, a place, for this season at least, they are destined to remain.

"I don't think they were that unlucky," continued Rooney.

"They played OK. They moved the ball well at times. But they didn't hurt us. They didn't penetrate us.

"Other than the Silva chance in the first half, they didn't really have a clear chance. We had two or three.

"Based on that, we deserved to win."

Had David Silva converted the third minute chance given to him by Carlos Tevez, the outcome may well have been different.

The Blues looked more likely to claim victory once Edin Dzeko's effort had bounced in off Silva's back to level Nani's first-half opener.

Rooney had other ideas, with a goal even Ferguson struggled to describe.

"All the talk will be about the winner, and quite rightly so, because I have never seen a goal like that in my life," he said. "It was absolutely magnificent."

Even Roberto Mancini had to agree with that.

"When a fantastic player like Rooney scores a goal like that, you can only clap," said the Italian. YEVAGGME572D

Park Ji Sung Injury training, bad news for reds!

2011-02-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung has been ruled out for four weeks after suffering a hamstring injury on Friday.

The South Korea international, only recently back from a month-long stint at the Asian Cup in Qatar, damaged the muscle in training.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website, www.manutd.com: "We got a blow on Saturday morning with the news that Park Ji-sung did his hamstring on Friday afternoon in training.

"It was very unfortunate because it was his last kick of the ball in training as well.
"We were really looking forward to having him back after being away for a month at the Asian Cup. He'll be out for up to a month, which is a blow to us."

Park, who retired from international football after the Asian Cup, has been a vital player for Ferguson this season with United having to seek alternatives in wide positions after Antonio Valencia broke his ankle and suffered ligament damage against Rangers in September.
Valencia rejoined training over the weekend and Ferguson is hoping the Ecuadorian can play a part for the Barclays Premier League leaders over the closing stages of the season.
He added: "The good news is that Valencia started training with the reserves on Saturday.
"So he's on his way back and that will be a real boost to have him available for the run-in."

Lloris reveals manchester united dream

2011-02-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has hinted that he would be interested in a move to Manchester United.

United are thought to be drawing up a list of transfer targets to replace current No 1 Edwin van der Sar when he hangs up his gloves at the end of the season.

French international Lloris is thought to figure highly on United's wanted list and the keeper has admitted his huge admiration for the Old Trafford outfit.

However, the 24-year-old has played down talk linking him with a move to United by saying he is happy at Lyon.

"Manchester United is a great football club," Lloris told RMC. "They are one of the most successful clubs in the world, so, of course, Manchester is one of the clubs that make me dream.

"Moreover, it is unfortunate to lose a keeper like Van der Sar because even at 40 he is still able to do exceptional things. I also think he could keep playing.

"But for me, there is no question of leaving Lyon for the moment."

Manchester United Bonds Soar Amid Qatari Takeover Speculation

2011-02-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

Bonds of Manchester United rose to a record amid speculation the 18-time English soccer champion may be sold to the Qatari royal family.

Manchester United’s 250 million pounds ($400 million) of 8.75 percent notes due 2017 were at 111.44 pence in the pound, taking their gain since Feb. 8 to 5.59 pence, or 5.28 percent, according to generic prices on Bloomberg. Newspapers including the London-based Daily Mail reported that Qatar Holding LLC is interested in buying the team.

“A lot of investors expect the Qatar deal to happen now,” said Jonathan Moore, an analyst at Evolution Securities Ltd. in London. “As a result, you would have a stronger owner financially with no real concerns about them taking cash out of the club. Plus, a new owner might decide to take out the bonds, which would mean paying a premium.”

The Qataris were offering 1.6 billion pounds, compared with the 1.8 billion pounds demanded by the Glazer family, the current owners, the Daily Mail reported Feb. 13. Philip Townsend, a spokesman for Manchester United and its owners, said no approach has been made to buy the club, and the team isn’t for sale.

The Glazers, who loaded the club with debt in their 2005 leveraged buyout, are unpopular with Manchester United fans because of the strain they’ve put on the team’s finances.

The club also has $425 million of bonds due 2017, which gained 4.75 cents to 110.875 cents on the dollar, Bloomberg data show.

Make-Whole Clause

Both notes have a so-called make-whole clause, which would force a new owner wanting to redeem the bonds early to make an additional payment equivalent to the present value of the bonds plus a premium. That would probably cost about 100 million pounds, Evolution’s Moore said.

The bonds also have change-of-control clauses, allowing investors to sell them back to the club at 101 pence in the pound.

The team has been the best performer in the Premier League since the Glazer’s 2005 takeover, winning three straight championships between 2007 and 2009 and the 2008 Champions League.

Still, United, which tops the table this year, is overpriced at 1.6 billion pounds, according to Stephen Schechter, founder of London-based investment bank Schechter Co., a sport finance firm that has helped soccer teams including Newcastle United, Southampton and Germany’s Schalke raise money.

“I don’t know today who has the horsepower to buy it,” he said. “I thought the Glazers paid top dollar when they bought it. So if you add 15, 20 percent to that, that’s its maximum. I don’t think it’s worth more.”

Bond holders should cash in while the price is high, Schechter said. “If I saw a bid of 110 I’d sell because until the deal is closed there’s no guarantee that it’s going to close,” he said.

Manchester United Football Club

2011-02-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.

In 1968, under the management of Matt Busby, Manchester United was the first English football club to win the European Cup, ten years after the Munich air disaster that claimed the lives of eight players. The current manager, Alex Ferguson, is the most successful manager in the club's history, having won 26 major honours since he took over in November 1986.

Having won 18 league titles, four League Cups and a record 11 FA Cups, Manchester United is one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. The club has also won three European Cups and is unique in having won a Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League Treble, in the 1998–99 season.

Manchester United is one of the wealthiest and most widely supported football teams in the world,

enough said.