Manchester United Fans Club

Manchester United ended their Fratton Park jinx to grab a 1-0 win, their first Premier League victory of the season, with a scruffy goal in the 33rd minute which left Portsmouth still pointless.Darren Fletcher claimed the goal after Patrice Evra’s cross rebounded off Sol Campbell and then the Scot’s shins before creeping beyond stranded goalkeeper David James.

It may have crept over the line but Sylvain Distin’s frantic attempt to clear put the ball into the roof of the net and earned United only their second win at Fratton Park in the last six meetings. (more…)

Reports from major newspaper claim Manchester United had made a second formal bid for Berbatov on Saturday in the region of £25 million and expect him to sign in the next few days.

Apparently, Juande Ramos has told the Tottenham board it is time to give up the fight to keep Dimitar Berbatov from United’s clutches. Spurs have been angered by United’s public courting of their Bulgaria striker but the Spaniard wants an end to the feud so that he can bring in a replacement before the end of the transfer window on Monday.

Berbatov was left out of Saturday’s defeat against Sunderland and fined a week’s wages for not being ready for the game. The saga continue until a confirmed statement from both club.

Niko Kranjcar is a major doubt for Portsmouth’s home clash with Manchester United after limping off with an ankle injury during Croatia’s 3-2 midweek win in Slovenia. But Lassana Diarra has recovered from a knee injury caused by Deco’s unpunished bad tackle in the 4-0 defeat by Chelsea last week while Sean Davis and Richard Hughes are fit again after hip problems to provide plenty of midfield competition.

Manager Harry Redknapp, still likely to be without Kanu (ankle) and David Nugent (groin), remains committed to playing two strikers despite the Chelsea rout but his main dilemma could be where to fit in new defender Younes Kaboul, an emergency midfielder on his debut last week.

Other new signings Glen Little and Armand Traore might share Kranjcar’s left-sided role - one from the substitutes’ bench - if the Croat is sidelined.

Redknapp has made a habit of putting a spike into Manchester United’s lofty ambitions over the years but knows the clash at Fratton Park could be the biggest test yet of his Portsmouth team’s ability to compete with the elite.

He said: “I always look forward to these games and we have a tremendous record against them at Fratton Park. “Last season we did not lose at home to any of the big four.

“Sure, it looks a really big test for us now but I think we are still a very good team at home and we will take some beating. United won’t relish coming here. They never do.

“They have world-class players like (Wayne) Rooney and (Carlos) Tevez to name but too.

“You could frighten yourself thinking of how much quality there is.

“But the key to playing any of the big four is to match their work-rate. “We didn’t do that against Chelsea. I’ve seen the stats and they did more running than us and we got hammered. Hopefully, we’ve learned from that.”

Meanwhile, Anderson will return in time to face Pompey but the Brazilian is still a doubtful starter.

Although United are desperately short of midfield options, Sir Alex Ferguson does not think it would be the wisest move to bring Anderson back so quickly after flying back from Olympic duty in China.

Owen Hargreaves and Park Ji-sung trained with United’s first team squad at their Carrington HQ on Friday morning but only Hargreaves has even the slimmest chance of being involved against Pompey, with the Super Cup tie with Zenit St Petersburg next Friday a more likely comeback date after having injections to combat a tendinitis problem.

The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo on the training ground would have gladdened the hearts of United followers, although the Portugal international will not be back in action until October following an ankle operation.

Carlos Tevez has returned after a family bereavement kept him out of the opening day draw with Newcastle, while Nemanja Vidic is expected to be fit despite not training on Friday morning. Nani completes a three-game ban.

Dimitar Berbatov’s departure from Tottenham to Manchester United is expected to gather pace this week as the clubs work towards a transfer for the striker deemed psychologically unfit to play this weekend.The 27-year-old has handed in a transfer request to Spurs and wants to join United, with his departure appearing inevitable after head coach Juande Ramos deemed him unfocused to face Sunderland.

Ramos also feared Berbatov was having a negative effect on the dressing room, which suggests there may be no way back for the Bulgaria international who was signed two seasons ago for £10.9million from Bayer Leverkusen.

Spurs would be expected to receive more than double that amount but there has been no official bid since a £20.5million offer was turned down earlier this month.

It is understood the clubs are working towards closing a £10million gap in their respective valuations of the player, whose departure would leave Ramos with one out-and-out striker.

Berrbatov, meanwhile, could be fined for not being in the right state of mind to play against Sunderland, who took full advantage and defeated Spurs 2-1.

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.

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. (more…)

Arsenal has signed Manchester United’s defender Mikael Silvestre for an undisclosed fee.

The 31-year-old French, who missed a large part of last season with knee ligament damage, has agreed a two-yea deal at the Emirates Stadium after nine years at Old Trafford.

Silvestre is on the last year of his contract, having fallen down the pecking order at United and with Rio the Vidic partnership are Sir Alex first-choice partnership at the Red Devils heart of defence coupled with Brown and O’Shea can also provide cover in the center and have recently agreed new deals at the club, while Patrice Evra has made the left-back spot his own. (more…)