Manchester United Fans Club

Manchester United’s wonder goal scorer Nani has admitted he never expected to be given his opportunity so soon by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Although Ferguson was prepared to invest up to £17million in Nani when he signed the Portugal international from Sporting Lisbon during the summer, the United boss made it quite clear it was a purchase for the future.

Unfortunately for Ferguson, a massive injury list forced him to change those plans and Nani was making his 14th appearance in 15 games this season when he opened the scoring with a sensational 30-yard effort against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Although Owen Hargreaves has begun his comeback from a long-term knee problem and Michael Carrick is hoping to get the all-clear to return to training after dislocating his elbow against AS Roma earlier this month, with Paul Scholes now sidelined, Nani cannot expect much of a rest just yet.

“I must confess, I was never expecting to be in the first-team so soon,” said the 20-year-old. “I was well aware of the quality of my team-mates and I knew I would have to work very hard to break into the first XI. (more…)

Midfield maestro Paul Scholes will have a knee operation on Thursday and is expected to be out of action for three months. Scholes, 32-year-old reported the injury during training prior Red Devils’s Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev on last Tuesday.

United’s boss Sir Alex confirmed on Friday a first scan proved inconclusive, but a second examination on Monday has confirmed ligament damage, meaning Scholes will now be out of action until February.

It is a big blow for Scholes, and also for United, even though the return of Hargreaves in Saturday’s win over Boro and the imminent return to training of Michael Carrick - who dislocated an elbow against Roma earlier this month negate the impact slightly.

For over a decade, Scholes has been one of the mainstays of Ferguson’s side and his unerring ability to produce goals at vital times has aided many of the Red Devils trophy success down the years.

However, Ferguson will be delighted to note Scholes should be back in action and hopefully fresh and fit enough to resume United’s Champions League quest at the knockout stage towards the end of February.

Manchester United have gone goals crazy recently, with TEAMtalk’s Ian Watson insisting it is all down to Sir Alex Ferguson’s new formation.

You’d have thought I’d have learnt by now. Despite all Sir Alex Ferguson has achieved, I, and a great many others to be fair, keep doubting the great man. Yet time and time again, the wily old Scot leaves us all looking pretty stupid.

As United stuttered and spluttered to 1-0 win after narrow 1-0 win, I insisted the new continental style of play Fergie was forcing upon the champions would never work. Only three goals, two draws and a derby loss in the opening five games, suggested that I was right.

My argument was ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

United won the title last season playing the sort of football they’re famous for. Fast and free-flowing with Ronaldo sublime wide on the right and Giggs defying his years on the left. That is the United way. The club’s success has been built on wingers. From Best to Ronaldo, via Coppell, Kanchelskis and Giggs.

But anyone who has watched a lot of United this season will tell you that there has been a very noticeable change in the way the Red Devils have gone about breaking down defences. Gone are the traditional wingers in a 4-4-2 and in their place, a roving trio behind a lone frontman at the head of what is effectively a 4-2-3-1. (more…)

Man Utd and Holland no 1 goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar has revealed his intention to quit international football after Euro 2008.

Edwin who turned 37 on Monday, made his Oranje debut in June 1995 against Belarus and has since racked up 121 caps for his country. The former Juventus and Ajax keeper said:  ‘I will stop with the Oranje after Euro 2008.

The time has come for young blood to take over his Oranje duty, allowing him more time to rest in order to prolong, hopefully his United career.

Van der Sar is out of contract at United at the end of the season, he will be able to talk to others club come this January 2008.

Owen Hargreaves convinced the Red Devils will prove beyond doubt they are England’s top dogs when Manchester United go to Emirates Stadium next weekend match against Arsenal.

After a slow start to the campaign, United have now reeled off eight successive wins.

Their latest success saw Wayne Rooney score for the seventh straight game for club and country, providing more evidence his partnership with Carlos Tevez is virtually unstoppable and allowing Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to equal a 100-year-old scoring record by hitting four, four times on the bounce.

It is irresistible form in anyone’s book and while Hargreaves, happily restored to the United starting line-up after finally overcoming a long-standing knee problem, accepts Arsenal have been effective this term, he feels United are better. (more…)

Sir’s Alex Ferguson put Nani straight into the starting line-up ahead of Ryan Giggs in the search for freshness proved decisive, with the Portuguese wizard scoring a thunder-bolt in the 4-1 win over Middlesbrough.

Nani initiated the goal spree with a long-range missile in the third minute, after coming in from the left wing and tricking three Boro defenders.

“He doesn’t score tap-ins,” Sir Alex joked on MUTV. “He’s a thunderbolt-hitter. It was a fantastic goal and Nani’s coming along very nicely. I thought it would be refreshing to use him today instead of Ryan Giggs. I’ve got next Saturday to think about [so I rested Ryan] but Nani came on and had a good impact.”

The 20-year-old Portuguese international had a hand in most of the Red Devils meaningful attacks, particularly in the first half, and his contribution also draw Wayne Rooney into praising his new team mate.

“He came in today and did really well,” Rooney said. “His goal was a great strike – it bent and dipped all over the place.”

Nani’s two goal Manchester United goal have both come at Old Trafford, both are thunder-bolt goal and both with the scores locked at 0-0. Nani is settled down really well, hopefully he can play more major part or contribute more when the season heat up after Christmas.

Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the flourishing strike partnership between Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez as the bedrock of the Premier League champions current rich vein of form. A possible goal of the season from Nani, a Rooney strike and a second-half double from Tevez earned United a 4-1 win at Old Trafford on Saturday and Ferguson has rarely been more fulsome in his praise for a United team.

“They’re fantastic,” the Scot said of his front pair. “As they get maturity and develop as experienced players, hopefully we will see a complete partnership. “But even now it’s fantastic and they are still young. Some of our attacking play at times was very good. We took our foot off the pedal in the first half but their goal was a wake-up call.

“There was no doubt about the result in the second half, our attacking play (more…)

Manchester United equalled a 100-year-old scoring record as they stormed to the Premier League summit with an impressive 4-1 win over Middlesbrough, although the victory owed as much to visiting winger Stewart Downing as to the home team’s superb attacking talents.

Nani, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez, twice, were on the mark for Sir Alex Ferguson’s team as they recorded an eighth consecutive league victory, as well as scoring four goals in four consecutive matches for the first time in the club’s history. Sir Alex Ferguson’s free-scoring champions did it again to pile the pressure on Arsenal ahead of their visit to Liverpool.

For once, Ronaldo was not hogging the headlines either, as United’s ‘other’ Portugal winger took centre stage. Nani had already accounted for Tottenham earlier this season with one blockbuster. Yet even that memorable effort was eclipsed by his latest piledriver. (more…)

£17million summer signing Brazilian Oliviera Anderson has Rooney backing as Anderson is set to take the midfield responsibility in the absence of fellow midfielder in Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick.

After a difficult start to life at Old Trafford following his transfer from FC Porto, a problem Sir Alex put down to his stint at the Copa America in Venuzuela, Anderson has improved with each game.

Only 19 year-old, Anderson probably produced his most effective performance so far alongside Darren Fletcher against Dynamo Kiev, Ferguson seems certain to give the fledgling partnership more time to flourish.

He has great confidence and belief in his own ability and has produced some good performance recently. With his performance getting better and hopefully it remain so, no doubt he is certain to succeed and replacing the aging Paul Scholes in very near future.

Boss Sir Alex Ferguson was a happy man after his side’s big stars shone brightly to extinguish Dynamo Kiev’s Champion’s League aspirations with a 4-2 away victory. Midfield maestro Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice to put his side, unbeaten in Europe, within touching distance of the first knock-out round against the spirited Ukrainian champions.

Group F leaders United have won all three of their group stage matches – and 10 of their last 11 games – while qualification is now almost impossible for bottom side Kiev after three defeats. Defender Rio Ferdinand had given the English giants an early lead on 10 minutes with a bullet header at Kiev’s NSC Olympiyskiy Stadium. Then birthday boy England striker Wayne Rooney celebrated turning 22 by snatching the second on 18 – to add to the two he scored against Aston Villa on Saturday – before Ronaldo struck either side of half-time. ”With the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs and Tevez all back in form and fi t, we have plenty of ammunition in attack,” said a relaxed Ferguson.

”At the start of the season, Ronaldo was suspended, Wayne Rooney was injured, while Tevez and Anderson were involved in the Copa America, so it’s only really now we have got our best players
in action. ”But we have great strength in depth, we lost Scholes, but John O’Shea and Darren Fletcher
came in and were both oustanding, they are experienced players who know what it means to wear the shirt. ”And the newer players like Anderson and Tevez have also come in and adapted well to English
football.” – AFP