Cathcart Revels In Senior Start

Although he had swapped the surroundings of Carrow Road to the Allianz Arena in just four days, Craig Cathcart was far from fazed during an impressive senior outing against Boca Juniors.

Having featured for Ole Gunnar Solskajer's Reserves against Norwich on Saturday, the young Northern Irish defender was drafted into the Reds' Audi Cup squad to face the Argentine giants on Wednesday evening - and he hardly put a foot wrong.

"It's brilliant," Craig told MUTV. "I played at Norwich on Saturday with the reserve team, then to fly over here and play in this brilliant stadium against good opposition was a good challenge and I really enjoyed it.

"It was a tough match. Boca Juniors are a different club to who you play against in the Premier League and overall it was nice to win. With great players around you, it makes you more comfortable and hopefully I fitted in quite well."

There was one heart-in-mouth moment for Cathcart, as his errant header ricocheted off his own crossbar ("It was like slow motion. Those Adidas balls move around a lot," he admitted), but he is eager for more senior action this season.

"I've been out on loan in the last three seasons, so hopefully I might get to stick around this year and try to get amongst the squad and get a few games," he said. "I'd like to see what happens. We've got a big squad and the manager will know which players to pick."

Antonio Aces Red Bow

Sir Alex Ferguson saw plenty of promise in Antonio Valencia's first appearance in a United shirt against Boca Juniors.

The Ecuadorian winger scored in the Reds’ 2-1 win over Boca Juniors, and although Sir Alex wasn’t entirely happy with the team’s performance he was pleased with the contribution of his summer signing from Wigan Athletic.

“I thought we were poor. It was a disappointing team performance,” Sir Alex told MUTV. “Boca pressed the ball and it was something we weren’t used to from the Far East games.

"No disrespect to the Far East teams, but that was a real game for us tonight in that sense. We’re back in the real world and hopefully we’ll come on from this game.

“There were positive moments though - we were very satisfied with Antonio’s first game," he added.

"He had to go back to Ecuador to get his work permit and that meant he missed some of the pre-season work, but he has shown that he has good talent, balance and he’s a good athlete. So we have got something to work with there.”

The boss was also pleased with the performances from the two youngest Reds on the pitch. Teenagers Craig Cathcart, who stepped in after Nemanja Vidic picked up a calf injury in the warm-up, and Fabio both excelled.

“Craig Cathcart made his first appearance for the first-team, and it was a very good night for him. And, of course, young Fabio is impressing all the time.”

Anderson’s brilliant free-kick also provided some joy for the manager. “It’s the miracle of Munich!” he joked. “But maybe it will spark the boy off, it might give him the incentive to shoot more. He’s got the talent, so hopefully he can do more.”

The only real negatives from the match were the injuries to Wes Brown and Vidic.

“Wes got a little pull in his thigh and there’s no point carrying on in pres-season games," confirmed the boss. "It was wise to just take him off. And Vidic pulled his calf muscle in the warm-up. Once again it’s our defenders falling down.”

Friendly: Boca Juniors 1 Man. United 2

The Reds reached the Audi Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors at the Allianz Arena, but Sir Alex's men had to work hard for the win.

United turned in a strong first-half performance, including a starring role and goal for Antonio Valencia in his first appearance in a red shirt, and a stunning goal from Anderson (yes, Anderson).

The Brazilian put United in front with a brilliant free kick before Valencia’s solo effort doubled the lead. Boca came back after the break and shaded the play in the second half, but the Reds did just enough to earn a place in the final against Bayern Munich, who crushed AC Milan 4-1 in the tournament's other semi-final.

Sir Alex gave young Northern Irish defender Craig Cathcart a rare chance alongside Wes Brown at centre-back. The boss said he wanted an up-close assessment of Cathcart, who spent last season on loan with Plymouth Argyle. And the Belfast boy did his hopes of gaining further opportunities no harm at all.

But the man most United fans were focusing on was Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian was regularly involved from the start, including an opening down the right after ten minutes as Park narrowly missed connecting with captain John O’Shea’s drilled cross.

As expected with a player like Juan Roman Riquelme pulling the strings, Boca Juniors looked technically adept in the opening exchanges, but as soon as United clicked into gear the Argentinians struggled to cope for the rest of the half.

United's breakthrough soon arrived, and in stunning - yet surprising - fashion after 23 minutes. Valencia earned a free kick on the right corner of the 18-yards box and it was Anderson who stood over the ball shaping to shoot. Although some onlookers perhaps didn’t hold out much hope, the Brazilian beautifully arced his shot into the top corner. It was an effort the departed Cristiano Ronaldo would have been proud of, and poses the question: Have we got a new free-kick taker?

It is Anderson's first United goal outside of a penalty shoot-out, although he’s still yet to score in a competitive match. But let’s not dampen the enthusiasm, and Sir Alex has said previously that once one goes in, many more could follow.

However, while Anderson’s fortunes appeared to be changing, the same could not be said for Wes Brown. In pre-season the 29-year-old seemed to be getting over the terrible luck he had with injuries last season, but a thigh strain forced him out of the game in the 37th minute, Rio coming on to replaced him.

Valencia, however, was starting to show the threat of his deliveries into the box, and one such centre set up Rooney, whose near-post shot was well blocked by Abbondanzieri in the Boca goal. But in the 42nd minute Valencia went one step further and scored his first goal in a United shirt. He collected a pass from Rooney 40 yards from goal, beat two men as he surged just inside the area and fired a shot past the Boca goalkeeper, who perhaps should have held onto the ball. Nevertheless, Valencia had helped give United a commanding half-time lead.

The Reds looked confident and comfortable immediately after the restart, moving the ball around in commanding style. But it was Boca who struck the next meaningful blow. Just 10 minutes after the break, Federico Insua found himself unmarked at the back post and met a high cross with a controlled volley to beat Tomasz Kuszczak.

With 25 minutes remaining, Sir Alex made three substitutions to inject a bit of energy into his side’s play. Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Nani replaced Federico Macheda, Ji-sung Park and Valencia, who can reflect on a hugely impressive first outing for the Reds.

For the players left on the pitch, the challenge was to wrest control of possession from an increasingly confident Boca, who threatened more and more as the half went on. They almost had an equaliser when Cathcart, who was standing up well to the challenge of facing one of Argentina’s top teams, headed against his own bar midway through the half. Then, with 15 minutes left, Riquelme forced a fine save from Kuszczak as Boca pressed for a second goal.

It never arrived as the superior Reds held on to secure a place in Thursday’s final against Bayern, although United may need to raise the performance levels further to compete with the powerful Germans.

Team Line-ups
Boca Juniors: Abbondanzieri; Soto, Lopez, Forlin; Diaz (Chavez 46), Battaglia, Riquelme (Marino 88), Insua (Gaitan 67), Lopez; Noir (Mouche 46), Palermo (Viatri 81).

Subs: Garcia (GK), Gunino, Krupoviesa, Philippe, Monzon.

Goals: Insua 55

Manchester United: Kuszczak; O'Shea, Cathcart, Brown (Ferdinand 37), Fabio (Evra 77); Valencia (Nani 68), Anderson (Fletcher 77), Carrick (Scholes 77), Park (Giggs 68); Rooney, Macheda (Berbatov 68).

Subs not used: Foster, Tosic, Vidic, Evans, Gibson.

Goals: Anderson 23, Valencia 42

The scorers, Anderson and Valencia

Valencia in his first appearance for Man. United

Q & A: Gary Neville

In an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com, the club captain talks about defeat in Rome, losing Cristiano Ronaldo and his own ambitions for 2009/10…

What’s your take on last season? Are you disappointed by events in Rome or proud of winning an 18th title?
I think the best way to describe it was that it was a great season tinged by disappointment. In 25 years when people look back on last season it will be seen as a tremendous success. The problem at this club is that the standards are so high that losing a European Cup final just isn’t acceptable. We just need to put that out of our minds now and try and move on.

How do you bounce back from losing a major European final?
What the experience told us is that we’re good enough to reach consecutive finals, which is something we haven’t done in the past. In the last three years we’ve been to two finals and reached the semi-final stage, so that’s not too bad. You can’t win everything all the time. In Rome we came up against a very good Barcelona team and we didn’t play as well as we know we can. That was disappointing but we’re realistic and we know it’s not the end of the world. Now we’re desperate to reach the final again and put right what happened in Rome.

What would you say to those suggesting United have been weakened by the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez?
A short-sighted observer who perhaps hasn’t followed United over the last 20 years will say that we won’t be able to recover, but I’ve always found big-name departures present an opportunity for somebody else to step up to the plate and deliver. I think that’s what will happen this season. You might see a slightly different style of football and you’ll definitely see players coming to the fore.

Will Chelsea provide the biggest challenge for the league this season?
They’ll be right up there, for sure. But I think Liverpool and Arsenal are just as strong. Manchester City have obviously spent a lot of money and they’ll be looking to be competitive, as will Aston Villa. But there’s no doubt Chelsea are a strong team and will push us all the way.

What are the goals for this season?
Ultimately I want the club to be successful and to win trophies. On a personal level I just want to stay fit and contribute to the team as much as possible.

New Away Kit!

The Reds' new away kit for the 2009/10 campaign has been officially unveiled!

Like the club's new red and white home strip, the black kit, features a special commemorative tag at the side of the shirt and large chevron across the chest, reflecting the design of the shirts worn by United when the team won its first FA Cup in 1909.

The black shorts have a blue stripe along the side, a red devil graphic on the back of the waist band, while the draw cords feature 'MUFC' on the tips. The black socks have a blue chevron on the calf.

"It’s a privilege to play for this club and whenever you put the kit on you know you need to give your best and show respect for the shirt."- Patrice Evra

"I particularly like the away kit - the black and blue colours are quite army-like. Hopefully we can be like soldiers on the pitch and win every game." - Park Ji Sung

Patrice Evra

Rio Ferdinand

Edwin van der Sar poses in the new goalkeeping attire

Rio: Evans Made The Right Decision To Stay

Rio Ferdinand has labelled young Reds centre-half Jonny Evans "fantastic" and claims the Northern Irishman made the right decision to stay at United, despite no guarantees of regular football.

Evans was a prime target for Sunderland last summer after impressing in the Championship during a loan spell at the Stadium of Light. But he opted to remain at Old Trafford, where Ferdinand says he's blossomed into a top-class defender.

"He's a fantastic young player," Rio Ferdinand told the Press Association. "For centre-halves it's always difficult to see the best of them at early ages. There's always a chance of them making mistakes but Jonny keeps that to a minimum.

"He's got a cool head on his shoulders. He's sat back and watched for a few years when he was younger. He went to Sunderland, did very well and they wanted to buy him, for obvious reasons.

"But he stuck to his guns, stayed here and last season he had opportunities to play. When he did so, he was fantastic."

And it wasn't just the odd Carling Cup game, either. Evans made 24 appearances in 2008/09, providing valuable cover for the established central-defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

But Evans, a full international and one of the game's most exciting defensive prospects, could easily have been lured by regular football elsewhere had Ferdinand not offered the youngster some valuable advice.

"I spoke to him in pre-season last year in South Africa," Rio said. "He was at a stage where he wanted to play every week. He'd been doing that the season before at Sunderland and he didn't want to come back and play for the Reserves again. He wanted to play first-team football.

"It's the same argument for any young player: Do you want to go and play for mid-table team or do you want to be in the squad of a team where you're going to get chances to play in a title-winning or European Cup-winning team?

"When you look at it like that it's a bit of a no-brainer. The manager didn't want to let him go anyway, but I think Jonny came round tothinking that it was better to be a part of the squad and play when the opportunities came."

Friendly: Hangzhou Greentown 2 Man. United 8

United saved their best performance until the last leg of the Asia Tour, winning a fabulously entertaining game 8-2 against Hangzhou Greentown.

Ryan Giggs grabbed a second-half hat-trick and was joined on the scoresheet by Michael Owen (2), Nani, Zoran Tosic and arguably the man of the match, the masterfully creative Dimitar Berbatov.

In truth, it probably wasn’t the most useful pre-season test but Sir Alex Ferguson will still take plenty of positives into the more arduous Audi Cup competition. Apart from the obvious glut of goals, he might reflect warmly on the creative play of Berbatov and Nani who tore the Chinese opposition apart before and just after the break.

The latter set up two chances in quick succession when United went for the jugular at the midway point in the first half - the first missed when Paul Scholes volleyed wide his teasing ball from the right, the second converted when Owen, after hovering in line with Greentown’s last man, slid into the six-yard box to prod home a low centre. Berbatov had sprayed the ball out to Nani on the flank.

The same architect was at it again for United’s second goal on the half-hour mark, following an initial surging run from right-back by Fabio. Although the Brazilian’s first attempt at a cross was poor, so too was Greentown’s attempt to clear it; when Nani regained the ball, he dinked it cleverly over the keeper and two defenders to slightly beyond the far post where Berbatov was lurking, ready to volley in from close range

With a goal to his name, the other side of the Bulgarian striker’s game – the sublime creativity – came to the fore as United doubled the lead with arguably the best two efforts of the Asia Tour.

For 3-0, Berbatov backheeled to Evra earlier in the flowing move that led to him bringing down Fletcher’s flighted pass with one touch and laying off to Tosic on the left with another. The Serbian finished the attack by taking on Greentown centre-half Wu Weichao and firing a left-foot shot across the goalkeeper and in off the far post.

Even better was to come from Berbatov. For United’s glorious fourth goal, he received Fletcher’s low pass with his back to goal, teed it up and flicked it over his shoulder for Owen to take on the chest and then rattle past Jiang Bo before the ball could touch the ground.

Jiang Bo’s experienced opposite number, Edwin van der Sar, wasn’t a mere spectator in the first period – he made one notable save by diving low to his left when Brazilian midfielder Otto’s shot took a deflection off Evans. He also had to be on his toes as a direct free-kick from Greentown skipper Ma Cheng only just cleared his top right-hand corner, while a shot across his bows from midfield talisman Yan Sang almost brought an unlikely equaliser when the score was only 1-0 to the Reds.

The Reds made two changes at half-time – Wayne Rooney replacing Owen and Ben Foster giving van der Sar a break – but there was no alteration to the style and swagger of the play. Berbatov carried on from where he left off, this time backheeling into the path of Nani inside the Greentown area. The Portuguese still had some work to do, and he produced a wonderful turn of his own to wrongfoot Varbanov before beating substitute goalkeeper Han Fen.

Five-nil up after 50 minutes, it was job well and truly done for the starting eleven. Cue a quadruple substitution with Anderson, Brown, Giggs and Park all coming on for Ferdinand, Fletcher, Scholes and Tosic.

Anderson’s first contribution was almost an assist, a pass rolled into the path of Patrice Evra who marched forward from left-back and let fly an unstoppable shot that cannoned back off the post with the keeper well beaten.

Three subs combined to make it 6-0 to United when Rooney dropped a delightful ball at the feet of Ji-sung Park on the right, and the Korean set up Giggs for a crack past Hen Fen in the 61st minute.

Ten minutes later, the Welshman enthralled the crowd again when he sprinted onto Rooney’s one-touch lay-off, held off the run of Chang Lin and dinked his second goal – and United’s seventh – over the keeper.

Gibson, on for Berbatov, tested the goalkeeper with a low drive shortly before Wang Hong Yu scored the eighth goal of the game, by powering a 78th-minute header past Foster from fellow sub Huang Long’s left-wing corner.

Patrice Evra should have made it 8-1 when his good friend Ji-sung park created a seemingly unmissable opportunity; instead the Frenchman struck the same left-hand post he’d terrorised earlier, only this time from close range. Anderson also hit that area of the woodwork, curling a left-footed shot against it after storming through a pack of Greentown players. Gibson knew he could have done better with the rebound than sidefooting it wide.

Ryan Giggs wrapped up a second-half hat-trick, when the ball fell kindly for him in the area and he dummied the keeper to coolly slot it into the net. But even that goal, in the 88th minute, wasn’t quite the climax as Otto thundered Greentown’s second consolation goal through the legs of Jonny Evans to make the final score 8-2.

The fervent Chinese United fans in the Yellow Dragon Stadium loved every minute of it, of course, and it was also a treat for the TV audience - with a number of encouraging signs for the campaign that lies ahead.

Team line-ups
United: Van der Sar (Foster, 45); Fabio, Evans, Ferdinand (Brown, 59), Evra; Nani, Scholes (Anderson, 59), Fletcher (Giggs, 59), Tosic (Park, 59); Berbatov (Gibson, 70), Owen (Rooney, 45).

Goals: Owen 23, 39; Berbatov 30, Tosic 32, Nani 50, Giggs 71, 81, 88.

Michael Owen in action against Hangzhou Greentown. He scored 2 goals against the chinese side.

Tomasz Aims For The Top

Ben Foster may be the popular choice to succeed Edwin van der Sar when the Dutchman hangs up his boots, but Tomasz Kuszczak is determined to challenge the Englishman all the way.

The Polish stopper conceded twice against FC Seoul on Friday, although there was little he could do little about either goal. He was otherwise terrific, handling well and commanding his penalty area in the air.

With the new season fast approaching, Kuszczak, who has made 37 appearances since arriving at Old Trafford (initially on loan) in 2006, told MUTV he hopes Sir Alex took note of the performance.

"I’ve been trying my hardest to impress the manager for three years now and I hope this year I can impress him so much that he gives me more and more chances to show what I can do.

"Pre-season is an important environment for me because I can get some games and work hard.

"I’m at United to play games and I want to be a regular here. That’s my focus. I feel settled here in the team and I feel I'm making steps forward all the time. I hope this will be a good season for me."

It's certainly started well for Tomasz, who admits he's had a great time on the Reds' Asia Tour.

"The trip has been great, although it’s disappointing we couldn’t get to Indonesia," he said.

"I hope we end up there at some stage, however, because we know we have a lot of supporters there and it would be nice to play in front of them.

"There’s a big following wherever we go in Asia and I always enjoy trips like this. It’s great to see the world and experience different cultures and people. The fans are everywhere – wherever we go they’re screaming and it’s impossible for us to go out anywhere. You feel like big pop stars."

Boss Talks Up Kiko Chances

Federico Macheda scored his second goal in as many starts on the pre-season tour of Asia in the 3-2 win over FC Seoul, prompting Sir Alex to declare that the 17-year-old Italian striker can make a real impact at Old Trafford this season.

Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen may be Sir Alex's main striking options, but Macheda's rapid adaptation to first-team life means he is knocking on the door. The United boss has already highlighted Kiko as "a hero in the making", saying that he can make a similar impact as Cristiano Ronaldo did as a young emerging talent.

"The goal Macheda scored was excellent," the boss said at his post-match press conference. "The lad has a real chance. His movement is very good and he does well when he gets onto the shoulder of the last defender.

"He took his goal very well. It’s pleasing to see our strikers scoring – obviously the main players are Rooney, Berbatov and Owen and I’m very comfortable with that. But if Macheda continues his progress then it gives me a big advantage. An extra player like that will do us the world of good."

The Reds were twice behind against FC Seoul, who provided a more demanding test of United's fitness than in previous matches against a Malaysia XI. Rooney and Macheda got the equalisers before Berbatov scored the winner. "It was a very good, open and entertaining game," added the boss. "Without question FC Seoul gave us our most difficult game so far. I enjoyed it.

"The match was played at a good pace and good intensity. It’s the type of game we needed. I’m pleased with the result and pleased with the quality of the match."

Friendly: FC Seoul 2 Man. United 3

United made it three wins out of three in the toughest test of the Asia Tour so far, beating FC Seoul 3-2 with goals from Wayne Rooney, Federico Macheda and Dimitar Berbatov, while Ji-sung Park was warmly received on his homecoming.

The 64,000 capacity Korean crowd had been baying for an appearance from their hero since he first emerged for the warm-up, but they would have to wait for a fifteen-minute cameo late on as the midfielder was named on a ten-man bench.

Another United player looking to make his mark was Federico Macheda, handed his second consecutive start on this Asia Tour, which suggests the 17-year-old may feature prominently this season. Indeed, pre-match, Sir Alex described him as a “hero in the making”. And Macheda was the creator of United’s first real opening. Charging down the left channel, he cut inside and squared his pass to Ryan Giggs, but the Welshman miscalculated his volley and swung an air-shot with his right boot.

At the other end Tomasz Kuszczak needed to be alert to deal with a few early attempts on goal from the home side, efforts which he dealt with admirably.

Any time the stadium’s big screens showed Park sat studiously on the bench, the Seoul crowd leapt up in rapturous applause as if they’d just witnessed a goal. And that’s exactly what they saw after 24 minutes, although it didn’t go the way even the most optimistic locals would have predicted.

A beautifully flighted pass over the top caught United’s defence cold, and the dangerous Dejan Damjanovic stole in and poked the ball past Kuszczak to give FC Seoul the lead.

It didn’t take long for United to restore parity, however, and there was little surprise over who scored it. Rooney had shown some nice touches in any forays forward and he was perfectly placed to head home John O’Shea’s curling cross.

Wes Brown, who is thankfully enjoying an uninterrupted pre-season after last term’s injury woes, was on hand to stop Damjanovic scoring a second. Shortly before half-time the Montenegro international had just Brown and Kuszczak to beat to put Seoul in front, but the Reds defender produced a brilliant block to clear the danger.

However, Damjanovic had the final say in a competitive first half, again unlocking United’s defence to dink his finish over the onrushing Kuszczak. With United 2-1 down at the halfway stage, this was certainly proving to be the Reds’ sternest challenge in Asia this summer.

There were two changes at the break, with Edwin van der Sar replacing Kuszczak and Darron Gibson coming on for Darren Fletcher. There was more purpose about United’s play, highlighted by an equaliser shortly before the hour mark. Rooney’s lofted pass found the run of Macheda and the Italian teenager let his natural instincts take over. He rounded the keeper before his elevated finish beat the last defender.

It was Macheda’s last touch - he was replaced by Michael Owen on 61 minutes, as part of four substitutions, which saw Rooney, Giggs and Anderson all exit to be replaced by Dimitar Berbatov, Paul Scholes and Nani. Sir Alex’s substitutions were clearly making the difference. Gibson, on at half time, did really well on the right flank to cross for new arrival Berbatov to nod in at the near post to give the Reds a 3-2 lead.

United had taken greater control and, combined with Seoul’s earlier enthusiasm ebbing away, were firmly in the driving seat. But the largest cheer of the night – or, more accurately, a deafening celebration – was saved for the 74th minute when Park replaced Michael Carrick. The fans inside the World Cup Stadium were delirious but, after all, two years ago when United were in Korea Park missed out due to injury.

Scholes hit the bar late on after a nice interchange with Park, who was being willed by 64,000 fans to score on home turf, but there were no further goals in what was still an entertaining match and a good work-out.

Team Line-ups
United: Kuszczak (Van der Sar 46); O'Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra (Fabio 74); Fletcher (Gibson 46), Anderson (Nani 61), Carrick (Park 74), Giggs (Scholes 61); Rooney (Berbatov 61), Macheda (Owen 61).

Subs not used: Evans, Tosic.

Goals: Damjanovic 23, Rooney 32, Damjanovic 45, Macheda 58, Berbatov 65.

Match winner Berbatov celebrating his strike against FC Seoul

Q & A: Tosic Aims High

Zoran Tosic was given a fleeting taste of first-team football with the Reds soon after his New Year arrival from Partizan Belgrade.

After making his debut in January's FA Cup win over Tottenham, he featured in the victories over West Brom and Hull City, but spent the remainder of the campaign plying his trade in the Reserves.

Now on tour in Asia with the senior squad, the Serbian international spoke exclusively to MUTV about his life at Old Trafford and outlined his ambitions for the 2009/10 season.

How have you enjoyed your time at Manchester United so far?
Well, I’m very happy to play for this club and I’m trying to do my best every day. I hope that in the next few games [during pre-season] I’ll get my chance and when I do I’ll try to play the best I can.

We’ve seen you play a lot in the Reserves. How has that been for you?
For me it’s important to play games. In the last six months I haven’t played for the first team so much. If I’m only training then that’s not good – you have to play. I’m happy to play a few games for the Reserves because it helps me keep in good condition and means I’m ready if I get a chance in the first team.

How does the game in England compare to that back in Serbia?
It’s a very different kind of football and I was very nervous during my first few matches here. You have to be strong and very well prepared for every game. Everything’s different but I’m used to it now. It’s normal for me. I think it’s the best league in the world, but also the hardest.

What have you had to do in order to adapt to playing in England?
I have to do more on the physical side. In a game you have so many challenges – you need to be very strong at all times. I’m working in the gym a lot and I’m improving so I hope I’m ready when the season starts. I’d like to play more.

Who’s been the biggest help since you arrived at the club?
Of course, Vida [Nemanja Vidic] has helped me the most. I know him from the national team. He’s told me a lot about the club, the way we like to play and what to do both on and off the pitch. He’s with me all the time and helping me a lot. But not only him – all the players have been very good to me.

What’s it been like on those occasions when you've played for the first team?
The day I made my debut was the most important day in my life because I played for the club that I loved since I first started playing football. There were 75,000 people there so it was a very good atmosphere. You can only enjoy that.

What’s it like travelling to the other side of the world and playing in Asia?
This is my first tour but I hope there’ll be more in the next few years. It’s very hot so the games are tough. We have to train very hard and it’s difficult in this weather. But I think it will help us for when we get back to England – it will help us prepare for the new season.

What are your aims for the upcoming campaign?
I’m trying to do my best in every training session and every game. I hope I’ll get a chance and I’ll try to make the most of that chance. I’m not thinking about how many games I want to play – I just want to train hard and take my opportunities.

From watching you in the Reserves we know you’re very quick and you have lots of tricks in your locker. What do you most enjoy about your game?
Playing for the first team is different to the Reserves. In the Reserves you have more space and you can play free football. In the first team it’s quicker and stronger – there’s not so much space to do tricks. Instead you have to play the ball quickly. I just want to do my best to do well for the team. Then after that, maybe I’ll try some tricks!

We've heard you can take a good free-kick. If you get a chance in the first team will you put your hand up to take them now Ronaldo’s gone?
Of course I will… if they let me! I’m practising every day on the training ground and I’m doing well.

What have you made of Michael Owen?
I’ve been watching Michael since I was a kid and I remember the goal he scored for England against Argentina 10 years ago. I’m very happy to be playing with him and the rest of the team. I’m happy for him because he scored on his debut and I hope that I’m going to score soon.

Macheda: I Will Learn From Owen

Pinched arms might be a common complaint in the United treatment room this summer as players young and old come to terms with their surroundings.

Federico Macheda and Michael Owen in particular could be forgiven for wandering around Asia in a state of disbelief - twelve or even six months ago, neither could have contemplated leading the Reds' attack, let alone together. But that was the situation in Kuala Lumpur on Monday evening local time, and Kiko is clearly grateful for every opportunity.

"I have to thank Sir Alex because without him I wouldn’t have the chance to play in the first team," Kiko told MUTV. "I know I have to work hard and make sure he gives me more chances."

Macheda is driven to take opportunities on and off the field, which includes maximising the time he spends training and playing with new signing Owen - his fellow scorer in Monday's 2-0 win over the Malaysian XI.

"It’s very important for me to learn from Michael because he is one of the best strikers. If I work with him and learn, I can get better, day after day."

Sir Alex not only praised Kiko after Monday's match, he also spoke highly of the Italian earlier on the Asia Tour.

In an interview with PA Sport, the manager said:

"Macheda is top drawer, a hero in the making, just as Cristiano Ronaldo was.

"He does not have the lightning reactions of Ronaldo but he is quick around the box and he has an eye for goal. He was way in front of everyone with his finishing in training the other day - and I mean everyone. It was magnificent to see.

"It is hard to believe he is just 17. We probably need to check his birth certificate because I reckon he is at least 28!"

Boss Impressed With Strike Duo

Sir Alex Ferguson was undoubtedly pleased to see both Michael Owen and Federico Macheda on the scoresheet in Monday's 2-0 win over the Malaysian XI, but he was further enthused by the pair's link-up play and movement in attack.

Macheda opened the scoring in Kuala Lumpur on 11 minutes, finishing with aplomb following unselfish play from Darren Fletcher. Owen found the net two minutes later, thrashing home from close range after pouncing on a loose ball.

The pair looked lively throughout and Sir Alex saw plenty of promise in their collaboration.
"We started the game well as we did on Saturday and I was pleased by the partnership of Owen and Macheda," he told MUTV.

"We've got big hopes for Macheda - that's one of the main reasons why we didn't move [for someone else] in the market. He's still only 17, but we've got great faith in the boy. He's strong, aggressive and a terrific finisher, he's got a lot of tremendous assets and is very much part of my pool of strikers though, along with Michael, Dimitar and Wayne.

"Of course, Federico played his part last season and scored two vital goals for us, but in essence he's still just a young lad improving his game, so having him alongside Michael is like having two new players really.

"Michael's goal was typical of him," added the boss. "He reacted first and took it well, just as he did on Saturday. His whole contribution was very good so we're very pleased."

Sir Alex would have liked to have seen his side register more goals, but he was happy with the overall display especially given the hot conditions.

"The humidity was unbelievable - we were all sweating buckets on the bench, never mind the lads on the pitch!" he joked. "The surface was actually very poor, it was bumpy and cut up a lot.

"We were far sharper in the first half than we were on Saturday, but we missed a lot of chances in the second half.

"Everyone came through okay, apart from Fabio who was suffering with a little bit of tiredness and cramp. But overall we're pleased with how things went."

Owen Strikes Again

Michael Owen struck his second United goal in as many games as the Reds completed the double over the Malaysian XI with a comprehensive 2-0 victory.

Owen blasted home from close range on 13 minutes after capitalising on a loose ball inside the area having played his part in the build-up. Two minutes earlier Federico Macheda had opening the scoring with a calm finish following Darren Fletcher’s set-up.

In truth, the Reds could have had more – substitutes Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Anderson all went close late on in the second half, but it was certainly another useful work-out for Sir Alex’s men.

Jonny Evans was the only survivor from Saturday’s starting line-up against the same opposition with Sir Alex opting to give everyone some minutes on the clock. Ben Foster, a second half substitute in the first match, kept his place in goal, while Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Jonny Evans and Fabio made up the back four. Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick both returned from minor knocks to take up right side and central midfield positions respectively. Ryan Giggs partnered Carrick in the centre with Zoran Tosic on the left flank. Saturday's matchwinner Michael Owen started his first game for the Reds alongside Federico Macheda up front.

There was a minute’s silence before kick-off in tribute to those who lost their lives in Friday’s bombings in Indonesia, the country, of course, where United should have been playing their second tour match.

Following Saturday’s impressive display, the home side were understandably full of confidence with goalscoring hero Mohammed Amri Yahyah getting the loudest cheers whenever he touched the ball. Another big favourite, Reds’ veteran Ryan Giggs, thrilled the partisan crowd with a host of tricks and flicks, alongside some exquisite close control, movement and vision, and it was he who orchestrated United’s first major venture forward on six minutes. A lovely one-two with Fletcher resulted in the Scot collecting possession on the right wing, but his lovely curling cross was just taken off the head of Macheda by Malaysia goalkeeper Mohammed Farizal Marlias.

There was nothing he could do to stop the young Italian from giving United the lead on 11 minutes, however. Fabio cut in from the left and whipped in a low right-foot cross towards Macheda whose speculative flick found the unmarked Fletcher on the right side of the area. The shot looked on, but he unselfishly chose to square the ball to Macheda who took a touch to set himself, before blasting home from close range.

Two minutes later United doubled their advantage. Owen found the lively Tosic on the left wing and although his low centre was initially missed by Macheda, it rebounded off Mazlizam and into the path of Owen, who had followed the ball into the area, and he made no mistake from three yards as he lashed past Marlias.

While the hosts struggled to conjure any real attacks, United continued to look dangerous going forward with Macheda and Owen linking up well. And the latter went close to grabbing his second of the match in the cheekiest of fashions on 33 minutes. Another low whipped cross from the left by Tosic was instinctively flicked goalwards by Owen who was hugely unlucky to see the ball bounce back off the far post and into Marlias’ grasp.

United made just one change at the break with Tomasz Kuszczak replacing Foster in goal. The Pole was almost thrust into action immediately when a low punt upfield nearly set Yahyah away, but Brown stood strong to hold off the midfielder and clear the danger.

It wasn’t long before Kuszczak’s opposite number was called into action once more, but he again showed great awareness and speed as he raced off his line to intercept a lovely through ball towards Owen from Giggs.

As expected, a string of substitutions ensued either side of the hour with Dimitar Berbatov, John O’Shea, Rio Ferdinand and Nani replacing Owen, Neville, Evans and Tosic respectively. A barrage of acclaim greeted the introduction of Wayne Rooney soon after and the striker went close to sending the decibel level through the roof two minutes later when he collected a long ball over the top from Wes Brown. Unfortunately, he dragged his left-foot shot wide of goal.

Anderson, Paul Scholes and Darron Gibson were next to join proceedings with the fresh legs bringing a fresh impetus to United’s play, as well as a raft of decent chances. Just seconds after coming on, Gibson saw his low shot from the right edge of the area deflected out for a corner following Berbatov’s neat set-up. The Bulgarian should have done better with a free header from Nani’s right-wing cross soon after, while Nani was next to test Marlias with a low drive.

Rooney fired into the side netting on 76 minutes after cutting in
from the left, while Anderson, still searching for his first United goal (both in a competitive and non-competitive sense), flashed a rising shot wide of the right upright after being found well by O’Shea.

Despite United’s dominance, the Malaysians refused to give up hope and were unlucky not to get themselves on the scoresheet in the final minutes. After Brown had made a brilliant interception as Shakir bore down on goal, Kuszczak was relieved to see Muhymeen’s right wing cross evade the same player seconds later. A well struck shot from Talaha followed, but was expertly palmed away by Kuszczak.

It was a lively ending to an entertaining 90 minutes as United held firm for the victory and clean sheet.

Team Line-ups
United: Foster (Kuszczak 46); Neville (O’Shea 62), Brown, J.Evans (Ferdinand 62), Fabio (Evra 58); Fletcher (Anderson 69), Carrick (Gibson 70), Giggs (Scholes 69), Tosic (Nani 62); Owen (Berbatov 62), Macheda (Rooney 67).

Goals: Macheda 11, Owen 13

Malaysian XI: Marlias; Asraruddin, Zafuan, Zamani (Muslim Ahmad, 75), Mazlizan (Thirumurugan 15; Mat Abu 78); Kunanlan (Muhymeen 58), Rahim (Gurusamy 57), Umar (Rohidan 66); Yahyah (Bakhtiar 64), Indra Putra (Shakir 72); Zaquan (Talaha 46).

Michael Owen celebrating with his teamates

Second Malaysia Match Confirmed

Manchester United have confirmed they will play a second game against a Malaysian XI on Monday evening (20 July) in Kuala Lumpur following the cancellation of their visit to Indonesia.

The Reds had been due to fly to Jakarta on Saturday evening after their opening tour game, but Friday's terrorist attacks in Indonesia resulted in the trip being cancelled.

Julian Kam, CEO of ProEvents, the tour organisers, revealed further details on United's second match in Malaysia at Saturday's post-match press conference."The game will take place on Monday 20 July at 20:45 local time (13:45 BST) again at the Bukit Jalil Stadium. Looking at the tremendous reception the team have received in Malaysia, and the capacity crowd on Saturday evening, we believe many fans will be eager to watch the team play again. A second match will give fans who missed out first time round another chance to watch the players in action, and those who would like to watch them again can also do so.

Boss Hails Owen Strike

Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased to see his side come through a tough work-out in Kuala Lumpur and hailed debutant Michael Owen after he came on to fire the winner.

The Reds took a two-goal lead in the first half through Wayne Rooney and Nani, before Yahyah drew the Malaysian XI level, first with a spectacular looping volley just before the break and then seven minutes after it when he took full advantage of Ben Foster's mistake.

Michael Owen was introduced just after the hour and struck a fine winner five minutes from time.

"Michael is different to the other strikers we have here. He's always searching for that space in and around the box and he reacted really well to take his goal," a delighted Sir Alex told MUTV afterwards.

"The goalkeeper blocked the ball as Ryan [Giggs] ran through, but you knew Michael would be the first man to get onto it.

"The game was big test for us. As we expected, they were full of energy, enthusiasm and speed, and they caught us on the counter-attack a few times. It was a very open game and I think anyone watching would have been quite happy with the quality on show.

"We got off to a good start with the two goals, but the problem we had was they scored right on half-time and, with it only being our first game, our energy dropped a bit in the second half.

"It was great vision from the lad [Yahyah] to get them back into it. As soon as he got the ball he spotted Edwin was a bit off his line and hit a lovely little chip over him.

"Obviously the second goal came about after a mistake by Ben. He just took his eye of the ball and it bobbled up a little bit. It's unfortunate because he's only just come back from injury and he'll want to get that out of his mind as soon as possible.

"You use the first two or three games of pre-season to get your rhythm, tempo and timing back," added the boss, "and that will certainly come."

Owen Delight At Debut Goal

Michael Owen was all smiles after he struck his first goal in a red shirt and ensured victory for United in Kuala Lumpur.

The 29-year-old striker made his debut in United's opening Asia Tour game as a 61st minute substitute and hit the winner five minutes from full-time, pouncing on a loose ball after Ryan Giggs had been tackled in the area.

Owen was delighted to open his account for the Reds and hopes it will be the first of many.

"It was a really nice feeling [to score]," he told MUTV. "You train for weeks in preparation for that all-important first game and to score on your debut feels great.

"It's always nice to get off the mark, not just when you join a new club but any time. I was sat chatting to Wayne [Rooney] in the dressing room afterwards and he feels the same way after getting off the mark for the season.

"It's obviously doubly good for me with it being my first goal for the club, and even though it won't really count in the grand scheme of things, it does make you feel better. Hopefully I can score a lot more."

After a bright opening period, United were made to work hard for their 3-2 victory by a determined and energetic Malaysian XI. Owen felt the team performed well in the hot conditions and expects further improvements to follow.

"It was very hot out there. We've played in these conditions before and you just have make sure you prepare properly and do the right things afterwards to recover for the next game," he explained.

"I think the fans saw a good match today and hopefully we can put in some more good performances."

Friendly: Malaysia XI 2 Man. United 3

Michael Owen secured a 3-2 victory for the Reds in their opening Asia Tour match, coming off the bench to fire the winner on his debut against a hard working Malaysian XI.

Sir Alex’s men had earlier taken a 2-0 lead through Wayne Rooney and Nani. Rooney opened the scoring on eight minutes, firing home from close range, and then turned provider for Nani 20 minutes later who finished with aplomb.

A stunning volley on half-time from Yahyah gave the hosts hope, before a mistake from Ben Foster seven minutes after the restart allowed Yahyah to grab his second. But Owen wrapped up the win with a cool finish five minutes from time.

In searing heat, the Reds were given a good workout by their enthusiastic and energetic opponents who were five minutes away from a famous result against United.

Sir Alex picked a strong side for his side’s opening tour match against a hugely inexperienced Malaysian side (only four players in their side were over 23), but opted to leave Owen on the bench. With Nemanja Vidic missing the tour through injury, Jonny Evans partnered skipper Rio Ferdinand in central defence, with John O’Shea and Patrice Evra on the right and left flanks respectively. In front of them, Darron Gibson took up a position on the right with Nani down the left. Paul Scholes and Anderson anchored the midfield, while Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov linked up in attack.

And it was the Bulgarian who had United’s first sight of goal after just three minutes. Having received the ball from Anderson on the edge of the area, he turned and looked to play in Rooney. A couple of ricochets off one of the Malaysian defenders prevented the pass from getting through, but the ball dropped nicely into Berbatov’s path who struck a first time right-foot dipping volley which was expertly pushed round the post by Marlias in the Malaysian goal. From Nani’s resulting corner, Berbatov flashed a header just wide.

Five minutes later Zaquan struck a speculative low drive from some 40 yards which bounced wide and Yahyah saw an effort easily collected by Edwin van der Sar after he’d stolen in following some miscontrol by Evra.

To the delight of the United-mad crowd inside the Bukit Jalil Stadium, the Reds took the lead on eight minutes through the lively Wayne Rooney. A superb cross-field pass from Anderson picked out Gibson on the right. The Irish international’s cross towards Rooney was cut out, but the ball bounced back into his path and allowed him to find Berbatov in the box. His first time effort was well saved by Marlias, but it fell to Rooney who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from two yards.

The striker almost doubled his tally two minutes later when he latched onto Nani’s left-wing cross. Only a brilliant fingertip save from Marlias prevented his first time volley into the ground from looping into the net.

United continued to look dangerous in attack and Scholes went close with a glorious effort from the edge of the box which flew just wide of Marlias’ right upright on 19 minutes.

Nine minutes later, the Reds made it two. A nice one-two between Rooney and Berbatov following a clearance upfield from Van der Sar set Rooney away down the left. He cut inside, before threading an inch-perfect ball into the onrushing Nani who calmly slotted home. Cue the acrobatics from the Portuguese winger.

A minute later, Nani played a free-kick short to Scholes who saw his well-struck shot well-held by Marlias, who breathed a sign a relief soon after when an unmarked Berbatov headed wide from Nani’s corner.

With the Malaysian side offering little going forward apart from some speculative long range efforts, United were in cruise control. But they were left stunned by a Malaysian goal right on half-time and what a goal it was. A long punt upfield by Marlias was misjudged by Evra allowing Yahyah to pick up possession, and the midfielder didn’t think twice before striking a brilliant looping volley over the head of van der Sar.

The Dutch stopper was given a breather after the break after being replaced by Ben Foster, whose pre-season got off to the worst possible start.

Just seconds after Rooney had flicked the ball just wide of Marlias’ right-hand post after a glorious set-up from Scholes, the Malaysians drew level on 52 minutes after a horrible error from the England stopper. An innocuous backpass from Gibson was completely missed by Foster allowing the ever-alert Yahyah to steal in and slide the ball home.

A quadruple substitution from Sir Alex soon followed with Michael Owen, sporting the No.7 shirt, given his first taste of action in a red shirt. Zoran Tosic, Fabio and Wes Brown, who took over the captain’s armband from Ferdinand, also entered the fray.

United set about regaining their lead and Nani went close in the 64th minute with a dipping cross-cum-shot from the right which was tipped away from Marlias. The Malaysian stopper saved again from Nani nine minutes later with Owen mis-hitting the rebound well off target.

He made no mistake five minutes from time as United wrapped up the victory. A lovely through ball from Gibson towards substitute Ryan Giggs, who had made his way into the area, was cut out brilliantly by the onrushing Marlias, but with the Malaysian stopper out of position Owen picked his spot and calmly slotted the ball home for his first United goal.

Team Line-ups
United: Van der Sar (Foster 46); O'Shea, Ferdinand (Brown 61), Evans, Evra (Fabio 61); Gibson, Scholes (Tosic 61), Anderson (Giggs 76), Nani; Rooney (Owen 61), Berbatov (Macheda 76).

Goals: Rooney 8, Nani 28, Owen 85

Malaysian XI: Marlias; Mazlizam, Zamani, Zafuan, Asraruddin; Rahim, Rohidan, Kunalan, Yahyah, Indra Putra; Zaquan.

Goals: Yahyah 45, 52

Owen scoring the winning goal in the 85th minute

Club Cancels Indonesia Trip

Following the explosions in Jakarta – one of which was at the hotel the team were due to stay in – and based on advice received, the Directors have informed the Indonesian FA that the Club cannot fulfil the fixture in Jakarta on the 2009 Asia tour.

We are working on a revised itinerary outside Indonesia with the promoters, and will make a further announcement when these decisions have been made.

We are deeply disappointed at not being able to visit Indonesia and thank the Indonesian FA and our fans for their support.

Our thoughts go to all those affected by the blasts.

Club statement ends.

Speaking at a press conference shortly after arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Sir Alex Ferguson said: "It was a shock. We got the news just as we landed and it’s very disappointing.

"The Indonesian FA have worked very hard to get us over there and it’s a terribly big disappointment for them. There’s no other decision we could have taken in regards to the safeguarding of our players. We feel we’ve made the right decision."

Club captain Gary Neville echoed his manager's sentiments:

"We’re all disappointed not to get the opportunity to go to Indonesia. One of the great things about playing for this club is the chance you get to play in different countries and meet our fans from around the world. The players are as disappointed as everybody else."

United Agree Terms For Striker

Manchester United and Molde F.K. are pleased to announce that they have agreed terms for the transfer of Mame Biram Diouf.

The 21 year-old striker is to attend a medical in Manchester next week with a view to joining the club in January. Until that time he will remain with Molde F.K. on loan.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur earlier today, Sir Alex Ferguson said: "We’ve been looking at him for two years.

"We weren't intending on signing anyone else after [Gabriel Obertan] last week - we feel we have a full squad - but the situation accelerated to a point where other clubs started to make bids, so we had a decision to make.

"We decided to act now and he’ll be the last person we sign this summer."

To date, Diouf has scored 38 times in 73 appearances for Norwegian side Molde, the same club from which United signed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a virtual unknown in 1996.

Diouf's impressive tally of 17 goals from 21 games so far this season includes a hat-trick in the first nine minutes of last Sunday's league match against Brann. He added a fourth strike, in the 27th minute, as Molde marched on to a resounding 5-2 victory.

A fellow countryman of several UK-based players including Blackburn's El Hadji Diouf and Portsmouth's Papa Bouba Diop, Mame Biram Diouf has represented his native Senegal at youth, Under-21 and Olympic (Under-23) level.

Manucho Moves On

Manchester United have allowed striker Manucho to join Spanish side Real Valladolid on a five-year deal.

The Angolan international, 26, failed to establish himself at Old Trafford, making just one Premier League appearance during his 18-month stay.

Manucho was initially loaned out to Panathinaikos in Greece and spent the second half of last season at Hull.

Despite enjoying moderate success at Hull he found himself surplus to requirements at United.

Former assistant manager Carlos Queiroz first alerted United to Manucho and the forward was handed a three-year contract after a brief trial period in December 2007.

However his application for a work permit was only granted in August last year and in the interim he was farmed out to Greece.

His United debut finally came as a late replacement for Ryan Giggs in a League Cup win over Middlesbrough last September.

His only Premier League appearance was also as a substitute against Stoke two months later.

Prior to joining United, he was the top goalscorer in the Angolan League for two seasons running with Petro Luanda.

Hargreaves Nears United Return

Manchester United's Owen Hargreaves is likely to return to action in September, says boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 28-year-old midfielder has not played since the start of last season following two operations to cure a tendinitis problem in both knees.

He was ruled out of the current Asian tour but could join the squad for the Audi Cup in Germany in two weeks.

"We are happy with his rehabilitation and while he won't be ready to play in Munich, he will train," Ferguson said.

"I think we are looking at the end of September depending on how he reacts."

Owen Will Be A Success - Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Michael Owen will be a worthy successor to him as Manchester United's number seven.

Owen was signed after Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for £80m this summer.

"Michael Owen is an experienced player. He has played at the biggest club" said Ronaldo, who scored 117 goals in 290 appearances for United.

"He has everything to win at United. He is at a fantastic club and he is a great player. It was a good decision to give him the number seven."

Owen was signed on a free transfer by the Premier League champions after his contract with relegated Newcastle expired at the end of last season.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker's injury record has been brought into question by his critics and he will be aiming to prove his doubters wrong as he tries to win back a place in the England squad.

There will be plenty of focus on his stint at Old Trafford and Ronaldo played down the significance of the 29-year-old inheriting a shirt that has also been worn by George Best, Bryan Robson, David Beckham and Eric Cantona.

"You don't have a lot of pressure just because you have the number seven. It was a good decision by United," added the Portuguese.

Gibson Agrees New Deal

Darron Gibson has agreed a three-year contract extension at Old Trafford and is aiming to challenge for regular first-team involvement.

The new deal keeps the 21-year-old Republic of Ireland international at the club until at least June 2012.

"I am very happy to commit my future to United," Darron told ManUtd.com.

"Last season I enjoyed every opportunity and when I got my chance I wanted to prove what I could do. I hope to continue that this season."

Gibson made 14 appearances for the Reds last season, playing an integral part in United's Carling Cup triumph. He also scored three goals, including an outstanding long-distance effort against Hull City on the final day of the league season.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Gibson expects even more from the Irish central midfielder this season.

"Darron was one of the young players who emerged last season as a United first-team player," he told us.

"His appearance ratio did not really reflect the high regard in which we hold him, as he has constantly worked hard to challenge for a first team spot."

Eckersley Joins Burnley

Burnley have completed the signing of young Reds defender Richard Eckersley.

The 20-year-old Salford-born right-back has agreed a four-year deal at Turf Moor and arrives for Burnley's first season in the Premier League.

As a result of the player's age, the Clarets must now agree a compensation fee with United.

Eckersley made his first-team debut for the Reds in the 2-1 FA Cup victory over Tottenham back in January, coming on as a second-half substitute.

Obertan: I'm Proud To Be Here

Gabriel spoke exclusively to MUTV’s Mark Sullivan, in fluent English, moments after being unveiled as a summer signing alongside Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia.

How does it feel to be here?
I am very happy. I am proud to be here. I will try to prove to the boss what I can do and then we will see.

What do you hope to achieve here at Manchester United?
I hope to become a better player, to improve and progress because I’m only 20. I know I’ll have to work hard.

There are many fantastic players here. Are you excited to be amongst them?
Yes, very excited. I look forward to playing with them. I know I’m surrounded by great players like Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney so I know it will be hard (to get into the team) but I am very excited.

Do you feel that playing with these great players can make you a better player?
Yes, even training with them is great. I hope I will have the chance to play with them on the pitch.

What can you tell us about your style of play?
I think I’m quick and technical – I do a lot of tricks. I like to dribble, to have the ball and take on a defender, face to face.

You’ve represented your country at various levels – for example you scored against England for the Under-21s. Is it your ambition to play at the very top for France?
Yes, although it is pretentious to talk about the first (senior) team now. I am an Under-21 international now and I will work hard. Maybe then, at the end of the season, I may have a chance to
get in (into the senior squad.)

Who are your sporting idols?
I love very much Rivaldo, the Brazilian footballer, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.
So will you try and emulate some of Ronaldo’s ability here?I will try but he is a great player. He won the Ballon d’Or last year so it will be difficult. I will have to improve and progress a lot, then we will see.

We have had some fantastic French players here in the past – Eric Cantona, Laurent Blanc and Fabien Barthez – and in the present with Patrice Evra. Do you hope to follow in their footsteps?
I hope so. It will be difficult. All the players you name are internationals so I hope I can follow them.

Did Laurent Blanc, your coach at Bordeaux, talk to you about your move to United?
Yes, I called him before I left and he told me it was a big club with a big structure. He also wished me good luck. So that’s all he told me but he was very confident (for me).

Has Laurent been an influence on your career?
A little bit, even if he was a defender and I am a forward. But he was an influence because he was very technical for a defender, clever with the ball.

Finally, we understand you have a slight injury at the moment. Nothing too serious, we hope?
No, it’s not serious. I just have to be patient and wait to have a full recovery, then come back stronger.

Manager's Praise For Wide Boys

Versatile players like Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia are "invaluable", according to Reds boss Sir Alex.

The new arrivals were unveiled at a press conference at Carrington on Monday, where the United manager was quick to sing their praises.

"They're both very quick and play in wide positions, although they can also play through the middle," he said. "Players who can play in several positions are invaluable in the modern game.

"You saw the contribution John O’Shea made last season – we played him in three or four positions and he was excellent in every one.

"But we like wide players at this club and [Obertan and Valencia] give us two more avenues to explore."

Sir Alex revealed United had been keeping tabs on French sensation Obertan for four years.

"We’ve monitored Gabriel since he was 16 years of age and he was probably the most sought-after youngster in Europe. His form dipped a little last year, possibly due to an injury, but he’s regained that form and was fantastic against England U21s earlier this year. That reignited our interest in the boy."

Most of the questions at the press conference were directed at fellow new recruit Michael Owen, although Obertan did manage to get a few words in.

"To play even a few minutes on the pitch in every game would be great. I'll work hard while I'm here and we'll see what happens...

"I think it would be pretentious of me [to talk about making France's squad for 2010 World Cup] but I'll work hard to progress and improve."

Valencia, too, had little to answer, but the Ecuador international did insist he felt no pressure to step into Cristiano Ronaldo's vacant boots.

"When I had my first conversations with Manchester United it was never said that I was coming here to replace Cristiano.

"Obviously Cristiano did very well here and he's a good player. But I’m here to do my job and to do the things that I do well. I’m keen to do well, I have a desire to do well, and I don’t really make any comparisons between myself and Cristiano."

Fergie Rules Out More Signings

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he will not make any further signings during the summer.

United have brought in Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Bordeaux's Gabriel Obertan to replace departed forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Ferguson revealed he had bid for Karim Benzema, who joined Real Madrid, but insisted he had no further targets.

"It is the end of our business," he said. "Stories about who we are supposed to be getting - forget it."

United pocketed £80m from Ronaldo's world record transfer to Real Madrid and the Old Trafford club had been expected to spend a sizeable proportion of the funds on new players.

Among those to be linked with a move to the Premier League champions are Brazilian forward Douglas Costa, French playmaker Franck Ribery, and Spain striker David Villa.

But Ferguson feels the market is now over-inflated and he does not want to pay over the odds for players.

Real Madrid, for example, have spent in excess of £170m this summer in capturing Kaka from AC Milan, Benzema from Lyon and Ronaldo.

And Ferguson added: "There are some amazing numbers being talked about, not all of them realistic. It is very difficult to get value now.

"In a way we benefited through the sale of Cristiano, although that figure was non-negotiable.

"But I feel we have a good squad, which meant there was no need for knee-jerk reactions.

"We asked about Benzema and we had a value for him. Lyon have done well because they got 42m euros but I think we took a sensible view."

Instead, Valencia has arrived from Wigan, 20-year-old winger Obertan has been recruited and Owen was signed on a free transfer after his contract with Newcastle expired.

And the England striker has been handed the number seven shirt - the shirt vacated by Ronaldo.

Owen will add extra experience to an attack that still boasts plenty of established talent in Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, plus youngsters Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda.

Ferguson hinted that Welbeck and Macheda, who scored vital goals at the end of last season, will be given opportunities to play their part.

"They are both young players - but young players with ability always get a chance here," added Ferguson.

Owen, meanwhile, has vowed to recapture his best form and show he will be an important part of the United team.

"I am hungry to do well and if this challenge doesn't create a hunger and put a spring in your step and a smile on your face then nothing will," he said.

"I honestly believe I can still do well in a top team like Manchester United."

Ferguson praised the desire of Owen to prove his critics wrong and is confident the 28-year-old can rediscover the scoring touch that made him one of Europe's most feared strikers.

"His experience is vital and with Michael you will see the experience he will give us in the penalty box," commented Ferguson.

"There is no question that he will score a lot of goals for us and he has been great for years and years.

"You always have to be aware of him in the last third."

Ferguson paraded his summer signings at United's training ground on Monday

Robbers Target Home Of Macheda

Masked raiders have targeted the home of Manchester United footballer Federico Macheda.

Greater Manchester Police were called to the property on Washway Road in Sale in the early hours of Sunday following reports of a robbery.

Two men stole cash and jewellery before running out of the house, police said.

A friend of the 17-year-old Italian striker suffered a minor cut to his head during the robbery, the spokesman added. Inquiries are ongoing.

The Italian, who signed for Manchester United as a 16-year-old from Lazio, was at home when the raid took place.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police was unable to confirm reports that the attack was linked to a row earlier in the evening outside a Manchester city centre nightclub.

Black Cats Seal Campbell Capture

Striker Fraizer Campbell has completed his £3.5m move from Manchester United to Sunderland after signing a four-year contract with the Wearsiders.

The deal for the 21-year-old forward, who was also wanted by Hull manager Phil Brown, could rise to £6m.

He passed a medical on Saturday to become Steve Bruce's first signing.

Campbell had a loan spell with Hull during the 2007-08 campaign, when he scored 15 goals, and spent much of last season at Tottenham.

He made just one league start for Spurs but played a part in helping them get to the Carling Cup final, although he was ineligible to play against United in the final.

The England Under-21 international came through United's academy set up and made his debut for the first team when he came off the bench against Manchester rivals City in August 2007.

His only Premier League start for the Old Trafford club came against Newcastle at the start of last season.