Manchester United VII: Moscow Dream is ALIVE!!!

[melvin]

Match Pack: Wigan

United and Chelsea are level heading into the final game of the season. As long as the Reds equal or better Chelsea’s result, the title remains at Old Trafford…

Form guide: United travel to the JJB Stadium on the back of a resounding 4-1 win over West Ham, although Wigan haven’t lost at home in the league since January. The Latics are also on a high after last weekend’s 2-0 win at Aston Villa, a result that secured Wigan’s top-flight survival. Sir Alex’s men haven’t been firing on all cylinders away from home in recent weeks (just one win from the last four matches), although the Reds have gained maximum points in all five previous league meetings.

Ins and outs: Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney are expected to be passed fit after recent injuries (concussion and hip, respectively), although the Reds are still without striker Louis Saha (hamstring). Wigan, meanwhile, are still missing the services of former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot (groin) and long-term absentee Erik Edman (knee).

Star men: Antonio Valencia and Wilson Palacios have been so good for Steve Bruce this season that media sources claim Sir Alex wants both men at Old Trafford in the summer. Valencia, a tricky winger and Ecuador’s brightest star at the 2006 World Cup, netted twice last weekend against Aston Villa.

Rivals watch: Chelsea v Bolton (Sun, 15:00 BST)

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Skipper ready and willing

Gary Neville says he is ready to do his bit for the United cause should Sir Alex Ferguson need to call on him as the Reds bid for double glory.

The skipper has struggled with a series of niggling injuries following ankle ligament damage sustained in March last year.

He returned to action in the Reds' quarter-final victory over Roma at Old Trafford, coming on a substitute for the final nine minutes.

The right-back has not been involved since, but insists he is ready and willing should he be called upon at Wigan on Sunday and in the Champions League final later this month.

"I am feeling good. I have been training and travelling with the team for the last seven or eight matches and really enjoying being back among the lads," he said.

"It is going to be difficult for the manager with the defence playing so well, and I understand that it is almost impossible for him to get me in. I totally accept that.

"The matches are too important to help players get their fitness back but I am there. I am fit and have been for six to eight weeks and if I am required or am needed at any point, I have to be ready.

"It has been a frustrating season for me. But that will all be lifted if we win the title and the Champions League. Players get injuries. The most important thing is that this club wins trophies."

A true :devil: indeed!:thumbsup:

 

[melvin]

Masters of our own destiny

After a long, gruelling fight for the Premier League crown, Owen Hargreaves is calling on the Reds to ready themselves for battle one more time, and clinch the title against Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

Hargreaves’ former Bayern Munich team-mate Michael Ballack claimed that, for United’s players, this would be “the longest week of their lives”. The Chelsea midfielder's claims that all the pressure is heaped on United are an attempt at psychological mind games, but Hargreaves isn’t paying much attention.

“As long as we’re controlling our destiny I don’t think we need worry too much,” he told MUTV.

“We are full of confidence. We believed we would beat West Ham because our home record is so good. Wigan have done themselves a favour by beating Aston Villa, so this game doesn’t mean a lot for them. But to us it means everything.

“We’ve got 90 minutes to play and it’s a great position to be in. We’ve had no midweek game so we’ve put in some good training and hopefully we will be ready for the weekend.”

Going into the last day of the season needing to win the league is not an alien concept for Hargreaves. Back in 2000/01, Hargreaves helped Bayern beat Schalke 04 to the Bundesliga crown in dramatic fashion on the season’s final day.

Bayern led Schalke by three points, needing a draw their match against Hamburg to clinch the title. Schalke beat relegated Unterhaching 5-3. Bayern’s match started five minutes late after fan disruptions, but with 90 minutes gone and the score 0-0 they looked to have done enough. Then Sergej Barbarez headed Hamburg in front.

Over at Gelsenkirchen, Schalke’s fans ran onto the pitch celebrating a first title since 1958. But their jubilation lasted just three minutes and 43 seconds.

Back at the Parkstadion, defender Patrik Andersson, struck a free through the wall and into the net – his first and only goal for the club – and sealed the title for Bayern. Three days later they beat AC Milan on penalties in the Champions League final.

“To be in this position feels comfortable for me, I’ve been there before,” says Hargreaves. “At the start of the season if somebody had offered us one game, just 90 minutes, to win the league, we would have jumped at that. We’re in a good position.

“We’ve worked so hard all season. Not just the players, the staff, and all the time and energy everyone puts in at this club. That’s what makes this a special club. So for them, to see us win the league would be a fantastic moment. We’ll go out on the pitch on Sunday and give everything we have for 90 minutes.”

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Rewind: Which bring us back to Last Day Drama: 94/95

ManUtd.com looks back on the three past occasions when United's Premier League title races have gone down to a dramatic last day. First up, 14 May 1995, at Upton Park...

United had been gamely reeling in Kenny Dalglish's faltering Blackburn for weeks, although Rovers' midweek win over Newcastle ensured they would go into the final weekend two points ahead of the Reds. Blackburn travelled to Liverpool, while United headed south to face West Ham.

"We've got bottle," bellowed a madcap Tim Flowers after the victory over Kevin Keegan's Magpies. That outburst looked prophetic as Alan Shearer swept Rovers into an early lead at Anfield.

Matters soon worsened for United, who adopted a cautious 4-5-1 formation at Upton Park, as Michael Hughes volleyed the Hammers ahead after half an hour. At half-time in both games, Blackburn were strolling to the title by five points.

Shortly after the matches resumed, however, two minutes changed the face of the afternoon. Brian McClair thumped home a fine levelling header for United in the 54th minute, while almost immediately John Barnes equalised for Liverpool at Anfield. United's superior goal difference meant that one more goal would mean the title.

Just one problem - Ludek Miklosko. The Czech stopper had never moved mountains against United before, but suddenly became unbeatable. At the opposite end, Peter Schmeichel stood unemployed while Miklosko produced a string of ridiculous saves.

Lee Sharpe's header was clawed away in an act of near-levitation, Mark Hughes and Paul Scholes saw efforts beaten away, while time and again Andy Cole was thwarted when he seemed certain to score.

Scuffed shots, last-ditch defending and teeth-grinding goalkeeping were all soundtracked by a baying Hammers faithful, all eager to see United fall at the final hurdle. Despite the Reds' heroic exertions, they got their wish.

When referee Alan Wilkie blew the final whistle, United were spent. News filtered through that Jamie Redknapp had scored a winner for Liverpool. The Merseysiders had done United an unlikely favour, but the Reds couldn't help themselves.

Sir Alex Ferguson ushered his players towards the dressing room. Those who could, trudged solemnly away, while others were reduced to tears. A season's work had counted for nothing. One year later, however, there would be a happier dose of last day drama.

Sunday, 14 May, 1995
Results
West Ham United 1 Manchester United 1
Liverpool 2 Blackburn Rovers 1

Final Table
1. Blackburn P42 W27 D8 L7 Pts 89
2. United P42 W26 D10 L6 Pts 88

What The Boss Said
"We did more than we needed to win the game, but maybe it was fate that was against us."
- Sir Alex Ferguson

What The Papers Said
"You could have wept for United. To watch a side perform so heroically and still lose was heart-stopping for the neutral, heart-breaking for those more closely involved."
- Today

:bheart:

But on a brighter note IIRC we were playing almost half of the 2nd half season wif mostly reserve players as most of the first team players are out! :devil:

 

[melvin]

Papers: Rooney to return?

Roon’s fit for crunch
Wayne Rooney will be back to help Manchester United gun for the Premier League crown on Sunday. The Old Trafford star came through a tough session at their Carrington training ground yesterday and is available for the final-day trip to Wigan. Striker Roo was feared to have suffered a hernia, but a United insider said: “There was nothing Wayne could not do. He was whizzing around and flying into tackles. Not once did he wince. He’s a tough cookie and this is not going to keep him out.”
Phil Thomas, The Sun

The Sun also claim Nemanja Vidic has declared himself fit to face Wigan on Sunday after sitting out the Reds’ last two matches with concussion.

In Moscow, the grass pitch, grown specifically to replace the artificial surface at the Luzhniki Stadium for the Champions League final, had to be ripped up almost as soon as it was laid, the Daily Mail reports. Another pitch has been bought from Slovakia at a cost of £160,000 and was hastily imported last week.

In transfer news, the Daily Express claim Sir Alex has his eye on Dutch striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar. The 24-year-old currently plies his trade for Ajax in the Eredivisie.

Round up by Nick Coppack

Yeah....secure Huntelaar!!!!!!

:devil:

 

[afbug]

Papers: Rooney to return?



Yeah....secure Huntelaar!!!!!!

:devil:

Huntelaar or Benzima, which one is better? :devil:

 

[Big Kahuna]

No need...Manucho is coming next year....he will gang bang the Russian and French and Spaniard army :lovegrin:

 

[afbug]

No need...Manucho is coming next year....he will gang bang the Russian and French and Spaniard army :lovegrin:

lol this guy is off the radar for sometime, dunno can he make it in EPL or not.

 

[melvin]

Huntelaar or Benzima, which one is better? :devil:

Both are as good!:thumbsup::devil:

 

[melvin]

Rooney on the bench?

Wayne Rooney has a chance of making the bench for United's title-decider at Wigan on Sunday.

The striker has been struggling with a hip injury, sustained in the draw at Blackburn last month, for the past few weeks and has missed the Reds' last two games.

Sir Alex will wait and see how the striker is over the next 48 hours, but believes a substitute's role is the best he can hope for.

"He may be on the bench," Sir Alex told reporters at his pre-match press conference. "He'll certainly be fit for the Champions League final."

The United boss also confirmed he is hopeful of having Nemanja Vidic available for the trip to the JJB Stadium.

The Serbian defender has been suffering from concussion following an accidental clash with Didier Drogba in the defeat at Chelsea last month, but is likely to be back at the heart of United's defence on Sunday.

"I'm hopeful of having Vida," added Sir Alex. "The next two training sessions [Friday and Saturday] are going to be very important for him.

"We'll have had eight days to prepare by the time the game comes round on Sunday which is a bonus," he added.

"The training sessions have been quite light and all the little niggles have cleared up. The mood is very good in the camp."

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Title will carry us to Moscow

Darren Fletcher says winning the Premier League title will significantly enhance United’s chances of beating Chelsea in the Champions League final later this month.

The title race has gone right to the wire, with Sunday’s finale seeing United travel to Wigan Athletic and Chelsea entertain Bolton Wanderers to decide the trophy’s destination.

The Reds are clearly in the driving seat, needing to equal or better Chelsea’s result to clinch the Premier League crown in successive seasons.

"If we can win the league it will give us great momentum to take into the Champions League final,” says Fletcher. “Pipping Chelsea to the league and winning it for the second year in a row would give us great confidence. And we owe Chelsea one. We lost the FA Cup final and then lost the league game recently."

But before attentions turns to the Luzhniki Stadium on 21 May, United must finish the job in the league. Flether concedes it is unlikely to be an easy ride on Sunday.

"Wigan is not going to be an easy game,” he said. “A lot has been said about the pitch and it doesn't suit our style of play. These are things you come up against. You play away from home on dry pitches that haven’t been cut, and they are cutting the grass after the game.

"There's all sorts of things go on away from home and teams are not going to make it easy for you. But we have been in these situations before and the dressing room is full of players that have experience of it and have come through it."

:devil:

 

[afbug]

Both are as good!:thumbsup::devil:

Buy both! :devil: Got rumours that Man Utd now willing to pay double of 10m (Last season's price) for Berbatov! :bigeyes:

 

[plsoong]

haiz
sell saha, buy huntelaar....... so good deal!

start giving Pique more right back experience

and hope manucho comes over next season..

then will be a good balance of young and experienced players....

 

[Zaknafein]

hmm... sell saha, who wan to buy? lol

 

[calebk]

hmm... sell saha, who wan to buy? lol

And you'd think no one like Juventus would buy someone like ex-pool midfielder Momo Sissoko...

 

[mystudio]

hmm... sell saha, who wan to buy? lol

haha... sell cheap cheap can?

Otherwise, he is going to take up one striker position but never play.

Still remember beginning of this season, we have so many strikers on paper, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Ole, Dong Fangzhou. But throughout the whole season, only Rooney and Tevez are regular and when they are injured, there is no other first team striker to rely on and we often have to play either one upfront or with someone else out of position.

Hopefully, we can replace Saha and Dong with someone who are at least capable of replacing the two main strikers when needed.

 

[melvin]

hmm... sell saha, who wan to buy? lol

Bro u forgot we still got our dumping ground!:bsmilie::devil:

Talking abt La Liga saw in the papers yday, snice 2000 whenever RM won the La Liga we win the EPL n when Barca win Chelsea win best of all when Valencia win Arsenal win!:bigeyes:
And so this season our Dumping ground already secure their title its abt we do so!:devil:

 

[melvin]

haha... sell cheap cheap can?

Otherwise, he is going to take up one striker position but never play.

Still remember beginning of this season, we have so many strikers on paper, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Ole, Dong Fangzhou. But throughout the whole season, only Rooney and Tevez are regular and when they are injured, there is no other first team striker to rely on and we often have to play either one upfront or with someone else out of position.

Hopefully, we can replace Saha and Dong with someone who are at least capable of replacing the two main strikers when needed.

Best is to sell Saha n dun think Dong will be sold he is more for commercial use and Ole goes into retirement we really are shortage of striker esp when Rooney no form we really need a strong finisher in the box area someone like RVN! And can try to dig into the youth team think there is 1 or 2 gems to be polished!:devil:

 

[melvin]

Buy both! :devil: Got rumours that Man Utd now willing to pay double of 10m (Last season's price) for Berbatov! :bigeyes:

I tot Berbatov had already sign for or going to another team err.... forgot which one!

 

[melvin]

Last Day Drama: 95/96

Just a year after the heartbreak of Upton Park, United's youngsters banished those painful memories and heralded a new era with the first part of a domestic double at the Riverside Stadium.

Kevin Keegan's Newcastle had failed to take six points from their two games in hand (a win at Leeds and a draw at Nottingham Forest), thus handing Sir Alex Ferguson's side a two-point lead going into the final weekend.

The action was confined to the north east, with Newcastle hosting Tottenham at St James' Park and United travelling to Middlesbrough. King Keegan had insisted, quite vociferously, on national television, that his side were still in the hunt for the title. In order to retake the lead at the last minute, the Magpies would have to win and hope for a United defeat.

The chances of the latter happening were virtually banished after 13 minutes, as David May headed home Ryan Giggs' right-wing corner in front of the jubilant travelling Reds.

Middlesbrough, half-heartedly cheered on by a home support happy for United to overcome their north-east rivals, were left buried when substitute Andy Cole - with his first touch - audaciously flicked in the loose ball from another Almost simultaneously, Newcastle fell behind as Jason Dozzell curled home a lovely finish. Not only had former Magpies striker Cole essentially ended their lingering title hopes, the prospect of a second home defeat of the season loomed large for the St James' Park faithful.

That threat was averted after 77 minutes when Les Ferdinand tapped in an equaliser, but Giggs lashed home a 25-yard belter - met by widespread applause from all corners of the ground - at the Riverside to end the scoring on a memorable afternoon for United.

Inspired by old heads like Cantona, Keane, Bruce and Schmeichel, Fergie's Fledglings had silenced all the doubters. The likes of Scholes, Beckham, Butt and the Nevilles, in their first full season, reigned supreme over English football. Six days later, the FA Cup would be added to their haul with victory over Liverpool at Wembley.

The scene was set for a period of unrivalled domestic dominance. Barring Arsenal's triumph in 1997/98, the Reds' Premier League stranglehold would continue into the next millennium - although there was a close call in May 1999, when United had to overcome another final day furlong.


Sunday 5 May, 1996
Results
Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 3
Newcastle United 1 Tottenham 1

Final Table
1. United P38 W25 D7 L6 Pts 82
2. Newcastle P38 W24 D6 L8 Pts 78

What The Boss Said
"The players deserve it. They've played good football from the turn of the year and made no mistakes."
- Sir Alex Ferguson

What The Papers Said
"The reincarnation of the Busby Babes gathered at Boro's Riverside to express themselves in a fashion which made you wonder if anyone can take the bauble from them by the year 2000."
- Daily Mail

:devil: