Boss Keeps City In Sight

Sir Alex admits he would accept heading to Manchester City on 30 April knowing that a United victory would take the champions to the top of the table.

The Monday night showdown at the Etihad Stadium is already prematurely being billed as a title decider by some but there is no doubt that, following Tottenham's defeat to Arsenal, the likelihood of the Barclays Premier League trophy remaining in Manchester was increased.

United travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday two points adrift of City following the last-gasp victory at Norwich and the boss is determined to keep in touch with Roberto Mancini's men.

"It’s going to be a massive game," he said of the trip to Spurs. "If we can survive that one, then we’ll have a big, big chance of winning the league.

"Yes, I would take it [being two points behind going into the Etihad Stadium fixture]. I would rather go there on level points. But if we could go there within striking distance of being top of the league, I’d take it.

"I should have more players available than I’ve had in the last few weeks because we’ve had a terrible spell of injuries. But we’ve done the right thing in the treatment of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, we’ve given them a break. They are young players and they had been carrying little strains for weeks. Then all of a sudden it hits them, and we had to take stock, to get them back. We’ve given them a fair break and they’re fresh now."

The manager is hoping that United's greater experience of winning titles could prove crucial in the run-in.

"Wayne Rooney’s been with us for nearly eight years now and he’s won a few championship medals," Sir Alex added. "He knows what it takes to win it. When he and Cristiano Ronaldo first came to the club, it was all new to them – the demands of winning the league here.

"I think the aim for all the players is to try and get to four or five league medals, and then they’ll have great experience of how to handle the title race."

Welbeck's Title Aim

Danny Welbeck insists nothing will stand in his way of a Barclays Premier League winner's medal this season.

The Manchester United striker, who's played a key role in the Reds' season so far, is determined to continue his goalscoring form and get his hands on English football's biggest prize.

"I’m so hungry," he says. "I was just talking about it before [recently] in the canteen with Tom Cleverley. Clevz was biting his fork as well as his food and growling [laughs]!

"We both want it so much. I don’t think anybody understands how hungry we are for this title. We want to fulfil our dreams, win the title and keep winning and keep winning. There’s nothing going to stop us."

Although Cleverley and Welbeck have been Premier League regulars since the start of the 2010/11 season, both spent last term on loan away from Old Trafford so had to make do with watching from afar as their United team-mates celebrated last season's record 19th league title.

This season, though, both have the chance to go one better and have a major impact on what's shaping up to be an intriguing title race.

"These are exciting times," Welbeck told Inside United. "I feel I’m actually a part of it, playing in these big games and every single point counts. I'm going out there every weekend and playing in these games, there’s nothing better than that. It’s so exciting and you want to win so badly.

"You’ve just got to be confident within yourselves to know that once you come to these games, you’re going to win and get the points. If we win every single game then we’ll win the league, and that’s what we’re always looking to do."

Pogba Situation 'Precarious'

Paul Pogba's agent has admitted that his situation at Manchester United is 'precarious' as reports suggest he is set to agree a move to Italy.

The 18-year-old French midfielder is out-of-contract this summer, and United - who lured him from Le Havre in 2009 - are desperate to tie him down to a new deal.

Talks are on-going but sources in England and Italy both claim that Juventus and AC Milan are offering him bigger money than United.

"It is a precarious situation," his agent Mino Raiola is quoted as saying by The Independent.

"It is difficult at the moment. Manchester United want him. It is up to the boy to make some decisions.

"We know there are some clubs interested in him.

"We must finish first with Manchester and after that we will see other options, if they are there.

"The club give the indication that they want to keep him and we are talking contract terms. There is willingness from both parties at the moment."

Raiola confirmed that Pogba was not happy to be left out of the United squad to face Ajax in the Europa League last week.

"It is never nice for the player not to be in the squad. It is the same for [Mario] Balotelli [whom Raiola also represents.]

"We must keep our minds cool and heads cool. Some things are good. Some things are not good [in this situation]."

Ryan Giggs: 900 & Still Counting

Sir Alex claims he is the greatest British player of all-time, Zinedine Zidane is a fan, as is Johan Cruyff. In 22 seasons at Old Trafford Ryan Giggs has won almost as many plaudits as prizes. We look back at what some of the biggest names in football have had to say about the Welshman.

The scene was set on Sunday for Ryan Giggs to put in a big performance at Carrow Road and he delivered his lines to perfection as a last gasp winner kept Manchester United's title tilt on track. No player has enjoyed such a decorated career in English football as the Welshman and at 38 he shows little sign of slowing down. His 900th appearance for his only club at Norwich was full of vim and vigour and to mark the passing on yet another remarkable milestone, we look back at what the great and the good have had to say about him over the years...

Sir Bobby Charlton: "I saw him when he was 15 and he first came to the club - since that time he's not been anything other than good news. He's got a gift and he's a credit to the game."

Sir Alex Ferguson: "He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind."

Paul Scholes: "There have been so many outstanding players I have had as team-mates but if I had to name one, it would be Ryan. He could do everything."

Zinedine Zidane: "All of us at Juventus agreed Manchester United were the best side we met in the Champions League. They have so many talented young players and can only get better and better. Giggs is truly world class."

Alessandro Del Piero: Beckham and Scholes have shown their talents as goalscorers for England, but Giggs is the best. He was brilliant against us and he will be even better next year."

Rio Ferdinand: "He is a living legend and will probably be appreciated a lot more when he retires than he is now."

Roy Keane: "Ryan was two years younger than me but in terms of ability and maturity, he was light years ahead."

Steve Bruce: "I remember when he was a 14-year-old taking the mickey out of Viv Anderson, who was then England's right-back. What he has done is frightening."

Fabio Capello: "Like Best (George, not Leon), there is a special fantasia about him."

Brian Kidd: "His talent is God-given. He will have wonderful skill even when he's got his bus pass, because that sort of ability never leaves you.

House of Commons: "It (the House) recognises that his skills have been admired throughout the world, that 20 years on he is the country's most decorated player and that he is widely seen as a role model for team-mates and young footballers everywhere."

Gareth Bale: "He's an amazing person to follow and hopefully I can come a little bit near him."

Johan Cruyff: "Eric Cantona is a great player, but he's not as good as Ryan Giggs."

Tommy Docherty: "He has achieved so much, but he is still years away from his prime, a frightening concept for defenders."

Wayne Rooney: "Ryan's amazing. His energy, his work-rate, his passing and his movement are unbelievable. It's a privilege to play with him. He's 36 but plays more like a 26-year-old as he's up and down the pitch all the time; he's everywhere."

Ron Atkinson: "Ryan makes you believe there is a football God."

Park Ji-sung: "It's almost impossible to replace a player like Ryan Giggs - you do not find many players like him. He is a rarity. He has world class attributes and has achieved so much at one club. You can only look up to him."

Eric Harrison: "A young Giggsy was like a Ballet Dancer. I had never seen a young player like that and I had seen the Busby Babes."

Bryan Robson: "The first time I saw Giggsy, he was playing for Salford Boys against United's apprentices. He was thin and wiry but he just glided past four of our apprentices as if they weren't even there, then he put the ball in the back of the net. I just thought 'This kid's an absolute natural'."

Paul Scholes: "People have talked about Mourinho. It can change quickly - it's about who is successful at the time. Whether they are British or foreign, you just want the best man for the job. I could see Ryan Giggs becoming manager."

Dunga: "Any manager in the world would like a player like Giggs in their side, and I am no different."

Luis Figo:" "He has the most talent than any other football player.He is delicate and dynamic.He is the player chosen by God."

Denis Law: There's no way that Ryan Giggs is another George Best: he's another Ryan Giggs."

Sir Alex Ferguson: "It could prove to be very special, but for Ryan to score the winning goal with the last kick of the ball on his 900th game, well, he probably deserves that for the career he's had.

George Best: "One day they might say I was another Ryan Giggs."

A word from Ryan: "To play for such a great team, a great club and the team I've supported and grown up with, it's obviously special to play 900 games. I'll keep going and hopefully there's more goals to come. You've seen that from the celebrations right in front of the fans. And late on. It doesn't get any better than that. It's a feeling that won't change whether you're 17 or 38 like I am now."

He couldn't, could he...?

Sir Alex: "One hundred games from now? How old would that make him? Stanley Matthews played at 50 I suppose. We will just have to wait and see."

We wouldn't rule it out...

Giggs: Result Epitomises Spirit

Ryan Giggs admits the fans and Sir Alex must be frustrated with the overall performance at Norwich but the late matchwinner was obviously delighted to grab the three points in true United fashion.

The Reds took an early lead through Paul Scholes but failed to build on the fine start and there was a sense of inevitability about Grant Holt's equaliser with only seven minutes left. Lesser teams would have crumbled but, as is the trademark of any of the manager's teams, a late rally put the home defence under sustained pressure for the first time in the game and, in Roy of the Rovers fashion, the man making his 900th appearance snatched the all-important goal.

The celebrations showed just what it meant to everybody connected with the club and Manchester City's lead at the Barclays Premier League summit is now cut back to two points.

"I think it's team spirit," replied Giggs when asked by MUTV how United continually manage to conjure up late drama. "Knowing we are going to create chances late on.

"Probably today was frustrating as we created more chances in the last eight minutes or so than we did in the whole game. That's probably frustrating for the fans and the manager but credit to the lads as well. We kept going when our heads could have quite easily gone down. Norwich put us under a lot of pressure but we kept going and got the goal.

"It was a mixture of things really. Do Norwich stick or twist? Do they try and defend the draw or go for it? Obviously, we always go for the win and we've got players on the park who can score and create goals. Ashley [Young] came onto the pitch and put in some great crosses, obviously like the one for my goal, so we've got goals from all areas."

Giggs feels it could be a key moment in the title race but admits it's too early to say ahead of a tough assignment at Tottenham next weekend as Spurs will be smarting after their derby-day hammering by Arsenal.

"We'll know more at the end of the season," added the Welshman. "The pressure was on us today. Obviously, City played yesterday and won quite easily but Norwich is a tough place to come and we've managed to dig the result out. It's an important win for us."

To see Giggs rejoicing in front of the away fans after capping a landmark appearance at the death was evidence, if any was needed, of how much pulling on the Red shirt still means to him.

"You've seen that from the celebrations right in front of the fans," he recalled. "And late on. It doesn't get any better than that. It's a feeling that won't change whether you're 17 or 38 like I am now.

"To play for such a great team, a great club and the team I've supported and grown up with, it's obviously special to play 900 games. I'll keep going and hopefully there's more goals to come."

Ryan Hungry For More

Ryan Giggs admits he is enjoying his football more than ever after breaking through the 900-game mark for United.

The Welshman continues to rewrite the record books and the 38-year-old is relishing performing for at least another season at the highest level for his boyhood idols.

"To play 900 games for Manchester United is obviously something to be proud of," he told MUTV. "Especially growing up as a United fan.

"When you start off, you just set yourself little goals - to get into the team and obviously to stay in the team. Then you get a little bit greedy and want to win things, and then win more things. I don't think you ever envisage you're going to play that many games.

"I'm enjoying my football more than ever. The club want me to carry on so I want to carry on. I'm hungry and still want to play. I look forward to next season - hopefully after winning something this season."

Giggs admits that witnessing first hand how much Scholes missed playing during his brief retirement period is at the back of his mind as he continues to prolong his own career.

"Seeing how much Scholesy missed it and seeing him now enjoying training and games, and playing so well, that is something I've got to think of as well," he conceded.

Scholes' Victory Cry

Paul Scholes says the champions realise three points could be essential from every match until the end of the season if United are to retain the title.

The midfielder was outstanding again in the dramatic 2-1 win at Norwich, scoring the opening goal, and explained to MUTV afterwards that the players realised a point was insufficient in the title chase when Grant Holt levelled with seven minutes to go.

The gung-ho approach reaped dividends in glorious fashion, as it has done so many times in the past, when Ryan Giggs tucked in the winner to spark delirious celebrations and move the Reds to within two points of leaders Manchester City.

"There's no doubt we had to win today and we might not have done after them equalising," Scholes stated. "There was a chance we could lose a second goal as well but we needed to win. There's no point drawing games so we were throwing everyone forward going for that goal, as we will do in any game, and I'm sure we will do the same thing again. It doesn't always happen but, today, it did.

"Of course, three points instead of one is a big difference. That's what we're here to do now. We realise we may have to win every game to win the league but we're ready and prepared to do that. Hopefully, we can do it."

Deflecting attention away from his own splendid display in typically modest fashion, he was happy to heap praise on matchwinner Giggs, his fellow veteran.

"I'm happy to be back and can hopefully go some way to helping the team do well," he said. "Ryan is amazing. Just to play that amount of games for a top club is a great achievement from him and he's still going strong as he proved throughout the game and, thankfully, getting us the winner in the last minute. It was almost as if it was written for him really. 900 games is amazing and to do it for one club and Manchester United is even better. To win us the game after they equalised, it was a great day for him and the team as well."

Scholes agrees with Sir Alex that United failed to hit top gear until the closing stages but the match was rescued in the nick of time and it could prove crucial in the title reckoning.

"He's probably right," added the midfielder. "I think we had a couple of openings in the first half and they were decent chances, but we didn't manage to put them away. At grounds like this, they are always coming at you if you don't get the second goal.

"It can be a difficult afternoon, as it proved with them getting their goal. We knew it was a difficult place to come and getting a start like that was great but, for one reason or another, we didn't really build on that. They managed to equalise but Ryan managed to save us."

Boss: Win Could Be Pivotal

Sir Alex Ferguson believes United's last-gasp victory at Norwich, courtesy of milestone man Ryan Giggs, could prove crucial in the title race.

The Reds looked set to drop two vital points after Paul Scholes' early opener was cancelled out by Grant Holt's 83rd-minute equaliser.

But Giggs, playing his 900th game for the club, popped up with the winner two minutes into injury-time to secure what could turn out to be a huge victory.

"It's a great result and it will have an impact," the boss told MUTV afterwards. "Everyone knows we never give in and no matter who plays us they know they're going to have to play right until the very death.

"I have to say though we were lucky. Norwich were the better team and they had more purpose about them. They kept crossing the ball into our box and but for Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and David De Gea we'd have been behind. The three of them were brilliant.

"I thought we were lethargic and too casual on the ball," added Sir Alex. "But when we lost the goal we played brilliantly. That tells you something about the temperament of the players. They didn't get nervous, they kept playing and started to up their game, and that augurs well for us.

"Norwich deserved a point really today, but we scored a great winning goal and that was when you saw [the real] Manchester United."

As for the Reds' matchwinner, Sir Alex felt it was fitting that Giggs stole the headlines on his landmark appearance.

"To score the winning goal with the last kick of the ball in his 900th game... I think his career deserved that," added the manager. "It was a marvellous finish and a great cross from Ashley Young.

"For a player to play for one club for 900 games is exceptional and it won't be done again - an amazing career and an amazing man."

Oldies Save United's Day

United's title bid was dramatically put back on track by Ryan Giggs' late winner in stoppage time at Carrow Road.

Paul Scholes had threatened to steal the headlines from Giggs on the Welshman's 900th appearance by heading home an early opener that, for so long, looked like being the only goal of the match. Norwich were not killed off and, instead, maintained a foothold in the game when Grant Holt equalised with only seven minutes remaining.

But Giggs had the final say in the dying seconds when tucking home an Ashley Young cross to cap a remarkable spell of pressure after Danny Welbeck looked to have twice passed up the opportunity to take the points.

Giggs flicked over from a Phil Jones cross with six minutes gone and, while that would have been a fairytale start, a goal was still forthcoming a minute later. A steady build-up did not appear to carry too much threat but there was a real sting in the tail when Nani whipped in a teasing cross from the right. Javier Hernandez and Welbeck were unable to get a touch but Scholes arrived on cue to give his nod of approval to the inviting centre.

A splendid move almost brought a second on 16 minutes when Nani and Hernandez ferried the ball to Welbeck but the striker's goalbound shot was expertly tipped away by Ruddy's fingertips with the keeper at full stretch. But Norwich retaliated, with David De Gea matching Ruddy's excellence with a vital block with his right boot to deny Anthony Pilkington, who beat Patrice Evra to advance onto a fine pass by Kyle Naughton.

Hernandez was unable to get any power on his shot after receiving a pass from Welbeck, with Ruddy saving comfortably, but De Gea was arguably busier than his opposite number in the first half. Pilkington's cross was met by a deft header by Holt but the Spanish keeper was equal to it, not only reaching the effort but clutching it safely.

United were not in top gear throughout the opening 45 minutes but looked dangerous when knitting moves together as Scholes and Michael Carrick tried to get a grip in midfield. After the restart, the Reds asserted more control but there were few chances created.

Bradley Johnson drilled wide following a stray pass out of defence by Evra and Andrew Surman had a volley blocked but the champions' defence looked comfortable. United burst into life with another lovely move as Welbeck played a one-two with Giggs but his lob past Ruddy did not carry enough pace on it and Zak Whitbread was able to clear.

De Gea had to be alert to make a spectacular diving catch to cut out a Pilkington centre but Sir Alex's side conjured up another moment of inspiration when Phil Jones' cross was volleyed against the bar by Giggs, who was so close to marking his special day with a goal.

Nevertheless, the Canaries remained in the game and, after a hopeful penalty shout against Scholes, Holt headed off target when left unmarked inside the area. Evra then blocked a Wes Hoolahan cross at point-blank range and escaped more penalty appeals from the home upporters.

It then took a superb save from De Gea, who pushed away an Aaron Wilbraham drive after the substitute was gifted possession by a rare sloppy pass by Scholes, to keep United level but an equaliser had been on the cards when, seconds later, Holt was allowed to turn despite the close attention of three defenders and lash home after Whitbread's header fell to him.

You could almost hear the cheers from the blue half of Manchester. However, the champions mustered a spirited response with Carrick finding plenty of space and opting to pass to Young, whose shot was blocked by Naughton, before Welbeck was guilty of a bad miss when Giggs picked him out, failing to get a touch with his intended header.

Welbeck could only fire against Ruddy's legs during a frantic finale and Elliot Ward almost put through his own net. But Norwich's resistance was ended when Young provided a telling cross and Giggs was in the right place at the right time to make it a dream day for the veteran midfielder.


Giggs celebrates after hitting dramatic late winner at Carrow Road

Jones' Game Has Improved

Phil Jones feels he has improved as a player since joining United in the summer but appreciates it's been neccessary due to the competition for places at Old Trafford.

The shrewd capture from Blackburn started at centre-back in the defeat to Ajax, but slotted into midfield in the second half, after playing at right-back in the first leg.

His versatility has enabled him to rack up 30 appearances in all for the Reds in his debut season and learning from the senior professionals and coaches at Carrington has developed his game. It was an indication of how respected he is at the club by the fact that he was initially scheduled to captain the team on Thursday, before Ji-sung Park came out with the armband.

"I think I've come on a lot since I came from Blackburn," he told MUTV. "I've learnt a lot and pick up pointers every single day from the manager and players. You just try to improve yourself and make yourself the best player you can. Everyone says [being versatile] is sometimes a disadvantage but it's worked for me as I didn't think I'd make as many appearances as I have done when I started."

The squad system comes into full effect as the Reds look to chase silverware at home and abroad in the final few months of the season and Jones believes the picture looks healthy despite the well-documented injury problems this term.

"We've been unfortunate with injuries this season," he accepted. "There's no excuses as injuries happen but I think we've been unfortunate. Slowly, but gradually, everyone is coming back fit and raring to go and that's vital towards the back end of the season when you're pushing for that title.

"In training, there is a great atmosphere and it's good that you've got more people in your position to compete with. It's healthy for the club.

"That's why we're one of the best clubs in the world - we produce so many high-class players and it's healthy for the squad."

Nani Aims For Full Fitness

After completing another valuable 90 minutes in Thursday's defeat to Ajax, Nani has vowed to regain his match sharpness as quickly as possible.

The Portuguese winger missed almost a month of action after limping out of January's win at Arsenal. Despite an off-colour outing against the Dutch champions, Nani is itching to make a telling contribution at a key stage of the season.

"It's a bit difficult to get consistency for 90 minutes, but I'm getting there and I will work hard to come back," he told MUTV. "We need every player. Now I'm not at my best but in the next games I will work hard to be at my best as quick as possible."

Nani was similarly frank when assessing United's Europa League reverse, even though aggregate progress to the last 16 overshadowed a lacklustre display.

"It was a bad result," he admitted. "I think we played better in the first half, second half we gave them an opportunity in the last 10 minutes to believe they could score goals, and we made one or two mistakes and that caused the goal.

"I think in general we controlled the game most of the time, but if you don't score it doesn't matter what you did in the past. The most important thing is to score. Ajax did well. They played good football. They showed good confidence to believe they could score goals."

Smalling: We Will Improve

Chris Smalling insists United will perform better when Athletic Bilbao arrive at Old Trafford for next month’s Europa League last 16 tie.

The Reds progressed to the next stage of the competition on Thursday night courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate win against Ajax, despite losing Thursday’s home leg 2-1.

Now, Smalling says, the Reds will study footage of the match to ensure similar mistakes aren’t made in the future.

“We’re through to the next round,” he told MUTV. “That's what we can take from it, but it was a very disappointing game.

“When we came off the pitch we felt like we'd lost the tie. But at the end of the day we've made it through and we now have to make up for it in the next round.

“I've not seen too much of [Athletic Bilbao} but La Liga's a strong league. It's going to be another tricky tie.

“We'll have to look at the video [from tonight] and hopefully we'll play better at the weekend [against Norwich].”

Thursday’s defeat was all the more surprising given United’s electric opening to the game. Javier Hernandez gave the Reds the lead after just six minutes when he latched onto Dimitar Berbatov’s pass and coolly slotted the ball past Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.

But Sir Alex’s men let the Dutch champions back into the game and ceded first an equaliser and then large amounts of possession to the visitors before defender Toby Alderweireld headed Ajax in front – at least on the night – with three minutes remaining.

“We had a great start and had one or two spells throughout the game. But we dropped off and let them play and they started to dictate, especially in the second half.

“We knew Ajax were always in it. There were only two goals in it at the start of the game. We just didn't click into gear and were unfortunate.”

Boss: Changes Almost Cost Us

Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased to see United reach the Europa League last 16 but admitted his decision to rotate his squad against Ajax on Thursday night almost backfired.

The boss made four changes to the team that secured a 2-0 first-leg lead in Amsterdam and favoured youth over experience, with one eye, perhaps, on the weekend trip to Norwich.

It was a decision that initially looked to have paid off as Javier Hernandez’s early goal tightened United's grip on the tie. Ajax soon rallied, though, and eventually levelled through Aras Ozbiliz before Toby Alderweireld's late header sealed a 2-1 win for the Dutch champions.

“It was very nervy at the end of the game,” Sir Alex told MUTV. “We didn’t play well in the second half and they were by far the better team. I accept responsibility myself because I picked a team with too many youngsters in the back four positions. They all have great potential but on European nights you need experience in the back positions and it just made it a nervy night for us.

“You play Ajax and know that they can keep the ball all night. The problem is that they don’t really have a great deal of penetration. But they’re all good young footballers, they are a growing team.

“They are much like ourselves, which is why I thought playing young players would help us as it would give them experience. Of course, I had to play some who needed a game badly. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley have all been out for a long time so it was important to get them a game.”

Attention now turns to the last 16 and an eye-catching encounter with Athletic Bilbao, who United have not met in competitive football since the days of the Busby Babes and the 1957 European Cup quarter-final.

With the first leg at Old Trafford on Thursday 8 March, the Reds must improve on a disappointing European home record that has only yielded one victory from four outings this season. But as Sir Alex points out, he is yet to play his strongest team and promised to field a more experienced side when Bilbao come to town.

“In fairness, we have been changing the team around a bit. When we play Athletic, I think you’ll find it will be a far more experienced team. Their home record is very good and we expect a very difficult game. That will be more of a challenge for us in the sense that getting the result in Ajax put us in a comfort zone, whereas we’ll have to get the edge here before going to Bilbao.”

Man. United Progress Into Last 16 Of Europa League Despite Loss

United edged into the last 16 of the Europa League by virtue of last week's clinical victory in Amsterdam, as Ajax earned a deserved second leg victory at Old Trafford.

Chicharito capped a swift United breakaway to open the scoring in the sixth minute, only for the visitors to hit back and level before the break through Aras Ozbiliz's 20-yard effort.

The visitors went for broke after the interval, and had United on the ropes for a 10-minute period in which David De Gea produced a wonderful, point-blank save to deny Siem de Jong.

Nerves were set jangling with three minutes remaining when the unmarked Toby Alderweireld powered home a header from Ozbiliz's free-kick, but the Reds withstood the visitors' late pressure to squeak into the next round, where Athletic Bilbao await.

United's starting line-up featured four changes to that which had won in Amsterdam a week earlier, as Rafael Chris Smalling, Ji-sung Park and Dimitar Berbaov replaced Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney respectively. Ferdinand's absence meant Phil Jones moved into central defence, while Ji-sung Park skippered the side.

Ajax, with a two-goal deficit to overturn, reprised their 4-3-3 approach with two changes from the side beaten a week earlier; as Nicolas Lodeiro and Ricardo van Rhijn stepped in for Ismail Aissati and the injured Dmitri Bulykin.

United sought to swiftly put the tie to bed and threatened within the opening minute. Berbatov held up the ball on the left flank and fed Nani, whose shimmy inside and low shot worked visiting goalkeeper, Kenneth Vermeer. Fortunately for the Ajax stopper, the ball rebounded just out of the reach of Park.

The South Korean, who looked sharp from the first whistle, made a telling contribution as United took the lead in the sixth minute. Park's interception of a cross-field pass redirected the ball to Berbatov, who quickly released Chicharito. The Mexican shimmied away from Toby Alderweireld and arrowed a left-footed finish past the helpless Vermeer.

Another United counter-attack almost yielded a second goal in the 15th minute, as Fabio neatly won possession and burst forward before releasing Chicharito, whose sliding ball across the area was hooked away from the lurking Berbatov by Jan Vertonghen.

Ajax's noteworthy ripostes invariably involved the highly-rated Christian Eriksen. The Danish youngster had already had one 20-yard effort deflected narrowly wide before his surging run teed up Miralem Sulejmani, only for the Serbian to blaze over the bar.

Siem de Jong burst infield and scuffed a shot wide before Aras Ozbiliz drew a smart catch from David De Gea with a neat turn and shot, as the visitors sought to haul themselves back in the tie.

Inevitably, United's counter-attacking menace also spawned openings. A crafty reverse-ball from Nani released Berbatov but, as he bore down on goal, the Bulgarian attempted to square to Chicharito instead of going for goal himself, and Alderweireld was able to deflect the ball clear.

The hosts would soon rue that spurned chance to bury the tie. With eight minutes of the first period remaining, a sustained period of Ajax pressure culminated in Siem de Jong teeing up Ozbiliz just outside the area, and the Turk's shot rocketed past De Gea, via a slight deflection off Jones.

Though there was a hint of handball by Lodeiro in the build-up to the equaliser, United could only reflect on spurned chances to end the tie. To their credit, however, the Reds ended the first period in the ascendancy and Vermeer needed to palm away Cleverley's curling effort in the final act of an evenly-contested first period.

Ajax began the second period with an immediate change, introducing midfielder Davy Klaassen for left-back Dico Koppers and reverting to a three-man defence, with de Jong as a deep-lying midfield screen. The shift, allied to their pressing need to score at least twice more, gave Frank de Boer's side the greater impetus early on.

Lodeiro fired wastefully over from 10 yards before De Gea produced a stunning reaction save to tip de Jong's close-range header over the bar. United repeatedly nabbed possession, but squandered it in promising positions, prompting a swift rejig from Sir Alex Ferguson. Paul Scholes and Jonny Evans replaced Cleverley and Young, with Jones moving forward into central midfield.

The move stymied Ajax's pressure and put the game back on an even keel, before the introduction of Danny Welbeck in place of Berbatov added verve to United's attack. Within two minutes, Nani led a rapid Reds break and thundered a left-footed shot against the top of Vermeer's crossbar.

Just as the game was meandering to a close, however, Ajax breathed new life into it as Alderweireld rose, unmarked, to power home Ozbiliz's free-kick and send the travelling support wild.

It was too little, too late, however. United saw out the final nervy moments in relative comfort and booked a place in the last 16, which will provide another opportunity for this young, burgeoning side to test themselves in the unforgiving arena of European football.

Giggs Eclipses Maldini

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ryan Giggs is unique in football today and feels his remarkable longevity will never be repeated.

The midfielder is in contention to make an incredible 900th appearance for Manchester United in Thursday's Europa League tie against Ajax and he recently agreed another one-year extension to his Old Trafford contract.

When a team-mate like Tom Cleverley admits: "I remember pretending to be Ryan Giggs in the back garden," it illustrates the impact of somebody who was in the Reds' first team before the Premier League started in 1992.

Paolo Maldini, AC Milan's stalwart defender, remains slightly ahead of the Welshman after making 902 appearances and spending 25 years in and around the Serie A side's first team but Sir Alex is in no doubt that his player is the most exceptional.

"Maldini was a defender," stressed the boss. "And, although in his case, he did a lot of running as a full-back, wide players have more work to do than full-backs. That's the distinction between the two, although Maldini was obviously a magnificent player."

It's easy to forget many pundits expected Giggs to retire after overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton's number of appearances and scoring a crucial penalty in the Champions League final shoot-out victory over Chelsea in 2008.

"It's amazing," admitted Sir Alex. "When we went to Moscow he beat Bobby Charlton's record. It's phenomenal and he keeps defying his age. His performance level now is as it was then. Nothing's changed.

"I think Ryan's maturity and the fact we've changed his position has given a new aspect to his game. We remember him running up and down the touchline, running at full-backs.

"From my point of view, and not everyone will agree with me, is that being in the Premier League for as long as he has and achieved what he has, I don't think anybody else will ever do it."

Life of Ryan
Starts (Substitute appearances):

Premier League: 499 (91)
Division One: 33 (7)
FA Cup: 60
League Cup: 32
European Cup: 119 (20)
Cup Winners' Cup: 1
UEFA Cup: 3
Other matches: 15 (3)

TOTAL: 762 (137)

Man. United Boosts Revenues And Cuts Its Debt

Manchester United says its revenues for the last six months of 2011 increased to £175m, as it released its latest financial figures.

It is an increase of £18.5m on the Old Trafford club's revenues for the same period last year.

The Premier League club said debt was £439m at the end of 2011, less than the £508m reported 12 months previously.

Last year, United said it would partially float on the Singapore Stock Exchange, but that has yet to happen.

The team, currently second to rivals Manchester City in the Premier League, are also competing in the Europa League.

Match day revenues (up from £52.4m to £54.5m), media revenue (up from £53.7m to £60.9m) and commercial revenue (up from £50.4m to £58.6m) were all ahead.

United were taken over by the Glazer family in 2005 and have had a rocky relationship with many of the fans since then over the level of debt at the club.

A buyback of bonds, sold as part of a £500m refinancing operation two years ago, helped bring down the latest debt figures.

However, total operating costs - up from £96.9m to £110.8m - and net player capital expenditure - up from £11.7m to £47.9m - both rose.

The latter's rise was due to a summer outlay on players David de Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones, as manager Sir Alex Ferguson set about freshening up his team.

Other figures show a bank balance of £50.9m and a £10.4m rise in general capital expenditure, mainly due to upgrading hospitality areas.

Without the lucrative revenue streams garnered from competing in the Champions League, the club is expected to see a decline in income over the next half-year.

Rio Wants The Last Laugh

Rio Ferdinand has an added motivation to sustain his success with United: a peaceful school run.

The United and England defender comes into contact with his own children’s schoolmates each morning, leaving him open to playground ribbing whenever the Reds have suffered a setback.

“When you're walking up the path to school, dropping your kids off, you don't want little kids laughing at you or making fun of you because you've been beaten by so-and-so,” Rio explained to ManUtd.com and Press Association. “But that's what happens if you lose games or get knocked out of competitions.

“Young kids can be unforgiving. There's nothing in their minds that goes: 'he plays football, leave him alone'. If anything, they're even worse for it. But there's still a little kid inside of me who has pride and an ego and wants to make sure I can walk up that path and nobody can say anything to me because we've won.

“As soon as that feeling goes it's time to pack up my boots.”

Ferdinand was almost certainly on the receiving end of youngsters' mirth back in December when United tumbled out of the Champions League. At the time, he insisted the Reds would respect the Europa League and now maintains the squad wants to go all the way and win the competition.

“We just go out there and perform to the best of our capabilities,” Rio said. “We know we've got fans to go out and impress and we want them talking about us in the right way.

“The management feel the same. As players we demand the highest standards of ourselves and if we don't meet them the dressing room isn't a nice place to be.”

Loan Move For Kuszczak

United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak will spend the remainder of the season at Championship side Watford on an emergency loan deal.

The 29-year-old has found first-team opportunities limited this term, with duties between the posts largely shared by David De Gea and Anders Lindegaard.

Kuszczak, who began his professional career in Germany with Hertha Berlin, arrived at Old Trafford in July 2006, initially on loan from West Bromwich Albion before the deal was made permanent the following summer.


Tomasz has made 61 appearances for the Reds but will now have his sights set on helping Watford, currently in 14th place in the Championship, avoid relegation. He will face a battle for the gloves, though. Current Hornets stopper Scott Loach, a former England Under-21 regular who was also named in Fabio Capello's senior squad in August 2010, is almost ever-present between the posts at Vicarage Road, playing 31 of the Hornets' 35 fixtures so far this season.

Chicha Happy As A Supersub

Javier Hernandez insists he has no qualms about acquiring the “super sub” tag following an explosive first 18 months with Manchester United.

The Mexican striker made his competitive debut for the Reds in August 2010 and has already netted 29 goals, with 10 of those coming off the bench. It’s an incredible record, especially given that, in the club’s history, only one player has bagged more goals as a substitute.

“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,” Hernandez says, smiling. “I know.”

But even Ole took his time scoring them. Solskjaer’s 28 goals off the bench came from 150 substitute appearances; Chicharito already has 10 from 30.

“I don’t know what makes me effective as a substitute,” Hernandez says. “I don't have the answer.

“In football you can’t always come up with a reason, because of this or that. I don’t play any different [whether I start a game or come on as a substitute].

“If I play one minute, 10 minutes or 90 minutes I try to play the same. My mind is always to do my best and help my team. There are some times in the game when we need to score and perhaps I have had a little bit of luck.”

But is Hernandez concerned that the more he makes an impact from the bench the less he’ll find himself in the starting XI?

“I just want to help my team,” he says. “I don’t care if I’m on the bench. Last year I was on the bench at the start and then I was in the team towards the end of the season. The gaffer has the answers.

“Every player in every team wants to play as many minutes as possible, but I don’t care if I start or I’m a substitute. I just want to enjoy it. I am living a dream to play for Manchester United.”

Nobody would dispute that, although Hernandez has, at times this season, struggled to reach the dizzying heights he scaled in his maiden season as a Red. It’s understandable, though: a concussion injury suffered on the summer tour to the USA disrupted the Mexican’s pre-season preparations, while Danny Welbeck’s emergence as a leading figure in United’s frontline has further limited Chicharito’s opportunities.

The 23-year-old still has nine goals in 26 appearances in 2011/12, mind you, and remains upbeat.

“I think every season is difficult,” he says. “My first year was also very difficult. I’d changed all my life to come here to England.

“There isn’t going to be a season where everything is really good or a season when it’s really bad and I am suffering a lot. We need to keep the balance. Sometimes football is going to give you good things and sometimes it’s going to give you bad things. It’s part of the game.

“The only thing I can do is ensure my attitude is positive so I can help my team. The most important thing is that Manchester United wins all the games.”

Sir Alex Rejected The Chance To Sign Joe Hart

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his regret at passing up the chance to sign Joe Hart for £100,000 earlier in his career.

Hart, 24, joined Manchester City from Shrewsbury in 2006 and has become England's first-choice goalkeeper.

But Ferguson told BBC Radio 5 live: "I could have bought Joe Hart for £100,000 so we all make mistakes."

The Scot also said he would like an ambassadorial role at United after another "two or three years" as boss.

In a wide-ranging interview, the United manager claims Hart will be an England regular for at least another decade and is the best goalkeeper the country has produced for the last 20 years.

After struggling to replace Peter Schmeichel, who left Old Trafford in 1999, Ferguson eventually signed Edwin van der Sar from Fulham in 2005.

Van der Sar retired last summer and although Ferguson has defended the purchase of David de Gea , many United fans will be frustrated to hear that Hart could have been their player.

The United manager claims he could have picked the youngster up from Shrewsbury before he eventually moved to rivals City for an initial £600,000 in 2006.

Ferguson said: "I've no doubt [that Hart will be England goalkeeper for the next 10 years].

"If you look at the England goalkeeper situation for the last 20 years, I would think he's easily the best."

Under Ferguson's guidance, Manchester United have grown to become one of the most decorated club sides in the world, winning 12 domestic league titles and triumphing twice in the Champions League.

Ferguson was due to retire at the end of the 2001-02 campaign but had a change of heart.

And he seems to have been inspired to build the next great United side by the rise to prominence of Manchester City, whom he memorably described as "noisy neighbours."

"I think you always want to go out on a winning note," said Ferguson.

"Hopefully we can do that. I don't know how long I can last now but if my health stays up I don't think another two or three years would harm me."

He also says his wife is keen for him to remain active and has even suggested he becomes a milkman when he steps down as manager.

There has been constant speculation about who will succeed Ferguson, with a string of former players linked with the job at various times.

Ferguson himself is a long-time admirer of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and believes the Portuguese would get more 'freedom' to do the job in England than he gets in Spain.

Mourinho was hugely successful at Chelsea and in December spoke of his desire to return to management in the Premier League.

Ryan Giggs: Milestone Man

Ryan Giggs is about to make his 900th United appearance and, having signed a new one-year deal, the living legend isn't finished yet...

You’re on the verge of 900 appearances for United – have you stopped paying attention to all these landmarks?
[Laughs] I have. I never really paid attention, to be honest. The big one was obviously overtaking Sir Bobby [Charlton], so that was obviously a proud moment, but now I’ll just see where it takes me. I’m just proud. When I got to 800, I never thought I’d get to 900, and before that I never thought I’d reach Sir Bobby’s record. Every game’s a bonus now. I’m proud because 900 is a lot of games, especially with a club I’ve supported and loved for so long. I’m probably more comfortable with it now than I was a few years ago.

Are you going for 1,000 next – and playing into your forties?
[Laughs] Now that one’s a question! You can’t see it, but we’ll see.

You’re hardly a bit-part player; you tend to have a big influence whenever you’re on the field…
Yeah, when that changes, then that’s when I’ll want to stop. But I feel like I’m still an influence on and off the pitch, so I’ll carry on.

How much planning goes into how much you’re used, and how do you balance playing and sitting out?
It is hard. It’s a lot easier when you’ve got a full squad. In midfield, if we’ve got Anderson, [Tom] Cleverley and [Michael] Carrick all fit, we can usually plan it, especially early on in the season – you know those players will be playing before you. But when you get injuries, and you know the manager’s probably not got any choice but to play you, then it’s different. I probably feel at my best when I’m playing every 10 days or two weeks, but sometimes you can’t do that. You’ve got to try and keep yourself fit. I played 90 minutes against Newcastle, and four days later I played 90 minutes against City – you’re going to get that during the season. It’s not ideal and the manager probably doesn’t want that, but it’s going to happen. Hopefully we’ll get everyone back so we can rotate things and we’ll get that freshness for two games a week.

We often hear about rollercoaster seasons, but this season really has swung from highs, like beating Arsenal 8-2, to lows such as losing to City…
Yeah, we’ve had inconsistency, but I think some of the teams we’ve had to put out at times have really tested the squad to the limit. I think if we get everyone back then we’ll have a great chance of winning every competition that we’re in. You need a little bit of luck to win things in a season, but overall most teams could do better. We’re up there and we’re in a good position.

You mention inconsistency; is that to be expected given the number of experienced players who left the club last summer?
Yeah, I think so. We lost a lot of experience with Wes [Brown], Sheasy, Edwin [van der Sar], Nev, Scholesy as well [laughs]. Plus the young players coming in – new players need time to bed in. To be honest the likes of David [De Gea], Ashley [Young] and Phil [Jones] have all done well this season, as has Danny Welbeck coming back from Sunderland – he’s been in great form as well. But overall, yeah, the inconsistency could be down to the experience we’ve lost.

Scholesy’s comeback took a lot of people by surprise; you know him better than most – were you aware he was missing playing?
I chatted with him all the time because he was here. I’d just ask him how the coaching was going, because I was doing my ‘A’ licence at the same time. Personally, I thought he’d retired too early – and a lot of people did. Scholesy probably thought he’d made up his mind and when you’ve done that you can’t really change it, but you were seeing him still around the place and training. You’d speak to the Reserves and he was still the best in training with them, so he still obviously felt he could do it. Nobody was going to disagree with that, and I think it was a massive boost for everyone before the City game.

What will he add to the squad for the run-in?
So much – the experience he’s got, the qualities he’s when these young players are either injured, aren’t playing, or have lost form. That’s when, really, you need to help them. When they’re flying, you just let them get on with it, but if you see them losing confidence or maybe looking a bit down if they think they’ve not played well, that’s when you help them. That’s when your experience comes in because we’ve all been there. When I was younger I looked up to the likes of Bryan Robson and Steve Bruce, who helped me a lot.

How do you impart your experience and how can you tell when support is needed?
It’s just something that you can see. It’s that next tier from the coaching staff to the dressing room – there are things that you see first-hand. It’s especially so for me because I don’t play every game, so sometimes you’re watching games and you see things that can help young players. It might be the littlest pointer that helps them, but ultimately it’s just reminding them what they’re good at, about the importance of training hard, and to put their quality in at training. And sooner or later, when they have a little bit of bad form, it will all come back to them.

Manchester City have been the Premier League’s pace-setters for most of this season – what have you made of their recent emergence?
With the quality they’ve got, we knew that they were going to be right up there. But as well as putting all those players together, they needed to have that consistency which you can see they’ve developed now because they’re top of the league. We know that it’s a challenge, we know what lies ahead… now we’ll just have to see what happens.

Are they here to stay as challengers?
Oh, I think so. You can’t ignore the money and the quality they’ve got, and their strength in depth. It’s just keeping all those players happy. They’re obviously trying to lay the foundations for 10, 20, 30 years… whether it happens or not we’ll have to wait and see.

Is there more pressure on them to win the league this season because they’ve invested so much?
Yeah, I think in most people’s eyes they’re favourites because they’re top of the league, and because of the quality they’ve got, and the football they played early season. It’s just down to which team handles it best. Tottenham are up there as well. You always need that little bit of luck with injuries and decisions – hopefully it’ll go for us.

What might give us the edge approaching the sharp end of the season?
I think the experience of doing it before, with the manager. Saying that, they’ve got a lot of experience, they’ve got players who’ve won things. But we like to think we’ve got a good mix of experience and hunger: we’ve got older players who’ve been there, and younger players who haven’t and really want to win things, so hopefully that’s in our favour.

Ex-Reds Praise Cleverley

Former United midfield greats Nicky Butt and Bryan Robson are both looking forward to seeing more of Tom Cleverley as the season progresses.

The 22-year-old made his first apperance since October in Thursday's 2-0 win at Ajax and looks set to play a key role in the remainder of the campaign after being praised by Sir Alex in his enforced absence.

Butt and Robson, who are well placed to discuss any midfielders at Old Trafford, agree that Cleverley's ability is without question as he aims to cement a starting spot again after starting the first four 2011/2012 Barclays Premier League games.

"I've known Cleverley since he was a kid," Butt told ManUtd.com recently. "When I first started my coaching badges at United with Scholesy, Neville, Giggsy and Keaney, they were the team we were taking as 15-year-olds then.

"He was always a bright talent and, since he's been on loan, he's come back and been phenomenal really. He needs to keep working hard at it. I'm sure he will as he comes across as a good lad and he needs to listen to the manager, coaches and experienced pros. He can go anywhere really, he's got that much ability.

"Cleverley is a much better technical footballer than I ever was. It just goes to show how it's moving on with these players."

Robson, speaking to MUTV in a recent interview, admits it was disappointing that an ankle problem curtailed Cleverley's progress at a time when he was imposing himself in the top flight.

"Tom has done great," enthused the ex-England captain. "He's been very unfortunate with the injury side of it.

"He could have made a real name for himself as he was getting there but he's got time on his side. We know he's got great ability. He's got to build his reputation up and hopefully he'll become the real top player that a lot of people think he is going to be."

Smalling Dreams Of A Double

Chris Smalling insists United’s players are "giving our all" to win the Europa League this season.

A strong line-up and a professional display against Ajax last week dismissed the notion that Sir Alex’s men would not take the competition seriously following the early exit from the Champions League.

Smalling was on the bench for the 2-0 win at the Amsterdam ArenA but Sir Alex has confirmed the defender will return from a three-game absence in the second leg at Old Trafford on Thursday.

And though there are still plenty of tough games ahead, the former Fulham man confirms the Reds' sights are set on a league and European double.

"You only need to look at the teams who are still in the Europa League to realise it’s a competition worth winning," Smalling told Inside United and ManUtd.com.

"I mean, eight of the teams were competing in the Champions League earlier this season and a lot of the others have done so previously. The Europa League is a strong competition and there are plenty of mouth-watering ties in this phase.

"Obviously we’d still like to be in the Champions League but we’re looking at the Europa League as a second chance. We’re going to go out there and show Europe we can still perform and we can still win trophies.

"We want to reach the final, although we know it won’t be easy. All of the players will be going out on the pitch and giving our all to reach the final."

Smalling has already tasted league success in his short United career and admits he’s hungry for more silverware.

"I was lucky to win the league in my first season and, at the risk of sounding greedy, I want to win the league every year," the 22-year-old added.

"That’s how it should be at Manchester United. In fact, I’d be disappointed if we didn’t win at least one or two trophies every season.

"I don’t feel like a new boy at all anymore. I’ve been here for 18 months, so I feel well and truly settled.

"I think I’ve learnt a lot since I joined and I’m striving all the time to improve because I want to be a part of many more title wins in the future."

Rooney Answers Fans

Wayne Rooney responded to supporters in the latest United Review…

You recently bought a horse – what have you called it and is there going to be any racing rivalry between you and Michael Owen? LooneyRed
I've named it Switcharooney. I’m keeping it at Michael’s stables under a great trainer and it will probably start running around May time. Hopefully it does well.
What is the main thing you think about just before taking a penalty? Zakacham2
You just try to stay calm. I always know where I’m going to put the ball – I make my mind up the day before the game. I watch videos of the goalkeeper, have a chat with our goalkeeping coach and then decide. When you’re stood there you just try to avoid eye contact with the goalkeeper and wait for the referee’s whistle.

What’s been your best goal this season? Elspeth
I’d probably say my header against City in the Cup. It was a great cross from Antonio [Valencia] and, although I could see Nani coming towards the ball at the same time, my sole focus was on winning the header – and thankfully it went in.

Aside from football, which Olympic event would you like to do? James Hobson
[Pauses] I’d have to say boxing. I’ve always been a big fan and would enjoy taking part.

What is the best moment of football career so far? Connor Hughes
Winning my first league title. It was a great feeling and, by far, my proudest in football.

Phelan: I'm The Middle Man

Assistant manager Mike Phelan talks about his work with the boss and players...

In terms of your role, how do you assist Sir Alex?
You back up a lot of things and put things in place, becoming a buffer between the players and the manager. You also become a little bit of a sounding board for the manager at times and also for the rest of the staff. We have to communicate things with each other and get the message across. We make plans and, as an assistant, you do exactly what the word says and assist in every department and, hopefully, try and make things run as smoothly as you can.

Has your role changed over the years. Do you take more training?
I think the role has developed. Years ago, the assistant manager did do a bit more on the training ground. Certainly, when I was coaching out there on the training ground I was doing a lot of work out there but now we have different people to do different things. Rene [Meuelensteen] does quite a bit of the coaching and there's myself, who is hanging around with the manager to discuss coaching, the games and individual players. My role now is being in between everything. Sometimes that can be good and sometimes it can be frustrating as you want to do a bit more if you possibly can but it's important to be a good listener if you're an assistant manager.

Has the manager mellowed at all as some of the players suggest?
He has mellowed out, definitely. What the manager has created is a good working environment for people like myself and other members of staff to do their job. I think he's still in control of everything, still has the final word on everything but now has more of an oversee of everything that's going on and makes the major decisions. That's really important.

Do you have to treat each player differently?
I think you do. The modern player has now become quite open to situations where you have to think about them first. You need to give them an ear when they need to talk to you individually. You need to tell them sometimes what they want to hear and sometimes what they don't want to hear. You've got to get the balance right there. It's easy for players to find a member of staff who they can communicate well with. They know that they're not always going to get an answer they want all the time but we have that relationship amongst the staff and players. They understand what's required when they come to see a member of staff to discuss things and what they're being told is for their benefit.

How much has football changed since you played?
The game itself has not changed. It's still about individuals, the team and results. It's about being prepared well for the games. What has changed is the way we get these things out of them and become a little bit more about the individual and collective. The individual now has far more members of staff to use to get them to the peak performance - both in terms of fitness and mentality - and being available for football matches. That has changed a lot. In my time, you were either fit or unfit. You either trained or didn't train. Nowadays, you can find you're not fit to play but you are fit to train. It's a bit of a weird one and I'm not sure how it sits with me overall. But now the process is in place to take care of players and we have to use that facility to get them out on the football field.

Mike Phelan was interviewed for MUTV's Inside Carrington programme.

Boss: Scholes Can Continue

Sir Alex has described Paul Scholes as Manchester United's Xavi as he feels the 37-year-old could carry on playing next term if he continues his splendid form.

The veteran midfielder came out of retirement this season and looks as fresh as ever, producing another influential performance for the entire 90 minutes against Liverpool last weekend.

There has been a clamour for the unassuming star to stay on for another season and also to play for England at Euro 2012, although the boss doesn't think there's any chance of that happening.

"It's hard to describe Scholes," stated Sir Alex at the press conference in Amsterdam ahead of the Europa League tie with Ajax. "Honestly, on Saturday, he was unbelievable.

"I told Paul at the time he could play 25 to 30 games this season and he said that wasn't enough. He decided to retire after that - he didn't want to go from being a top player who's in the team all the time to a player playing only 25 games a season.

"He was approaching 37 years of age and it's difficult for players to do that at the top level. I was honest with Paul, though, and I told him that if I got 25 games of quality from him, I'd be delighted. When he decided to come back I saw no negatives. I was delighted.

"There couldn't be a negative attached to it because he was training really hard in the couple of months before that. He'd realised he'd made a mistake. He's come back refreshed and enthusiastic and his normal self in terms of his training performances.

"It's been an amazing turnabout for us in the sense of the order and class he brings to the team. Barcelona talk about Xavi in the same way we talk about Scholes."

As regards any international recall for England, Sir Alex is far from convinced that Scholes will be keen to play through the summer.

"His reason for refusing last time [at the World Cup] was that it was late in the day," said the boss. "He felt the players who got them there should be involved. Two years on, to go back to play for England after seven years... it's a big step.

"I haven't spoken to him yet about playing on for us next year. With the form he's showing at the moment, there's no reason to think he couldn't play on."

Evans: We Are Not Safe Yet

Jonny Evans feels United aren't safely through in the Europa League yet despite beating Ajax 2-0 on their own patch.

The centre-back admits the Barclays Premier League champions did not hit top form in Amsterdam and is wary that the Dutch side could pose problems at Old Trafford next week.

"We probably didn't play as well as what we'd have liked and controlled the game but it was Ajax's game," he told MUTV. "They were the home team and play a similar way to Barcelona. They are very open and like to play it out from the back.

"There were some harsh words from the manager at half time as we didn't get to grips with things in the first half. I think we were a bit too open ourselves but we got a better shape and went from there.

"I don't think anything is safe in Europe, especially the Champions League. Even in our home games, we probably didn't manage to get the right results, so we'll be looking to keep it tight at the back at Old Trafford and maybe stamp our authority on it a bit more."

While dropping into the Continent's second competition was a new experience for United, Evans insists there was still plenty of allure in a contest with the Dutch champions.

"No matter what, a game in the Europa League is still a European tie and they're still special nights," he added. "I'm sure the fans enjoyed it."

Rio Buoyed By Comeback Kids

The return from injury of Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones and Nani on Thursday night in Amsterdam were as important as the result, according to Reds defender Rio Ferdinand.

Goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez were enough to seal a 2-0 win and give Ajax a mountain to climb next week at Old Trafford. Barring a huge shock, United should now progress to the Europa League last 16.

Ferdinand, captain for the night in the absence of Patrice Evra, was all smiles at the final whistle, although he acknowledged the Reds' performance was far from vintage.

"It was a good result," he said. "I think before the game we would have taken 2-0 had you offered it. To come away with a victory and a clean sheet was pleasing.

"It wasn't one of our best performances, but sometimes you get that. In this type of tournament, in the knockout stages, the result is the most important thing."

The 33-year-old reserved his biggest praise for those returning from knocks. Jones and Nani hadn't featured for four matches and both completed 90 minutes, while Cleverley laced up his boots for the first time since late September. He completed an hour and looked sharp throughout.

"It's important to recognise we had a few players who have been out recently and were able to get a few minutes under their belts. That was good.

"In Tom's case, he's an all-round player and the sort of guy who's going to be beneficial to the team. He's got a lot of energy and he's a good passer of the ball. It's good to see him back."

The news from Amsterdam wasn't all good, though. In setting up United's second goal, Antonio Valencia picked up a hamstring injury and is now likely to spend the next month on the sidelines. A top player in fine form (he recently won ManUtd.com's Player of the Month award for his January performances), Valencia's absence is tough to swallow.

"It's a really big blow," Rio admitted. "Antonio's been a fantastic player for us this season. But when somebody gets injured or loses form at this club the manager can always call upon another player to perform."

Happy Return For Jones

Phil Jones was pleased with the contribution made by recently absent Manchester United players in the 2-0 away win over Ajax in the Europa League.

The defender made his comeback at the Amsterdam ArenA and performed well at right-back while Tom Cleverley made his long-awaited return in central midfield. Ashley Young and Nani also started again after spells out of the team.

Jones told MUTV: "I’ve been out for three weeks so I’m not going to get full match fitness straight away but it’s good to get 90 minutes under my belt and hopefully, if I’m selected, I can do well in the next game.

"I’m delighted for Tom Cleverley. He’s a terrific talent. We missed him on the pitch while he was out. But I saw him every day in the gym so I know his attitude’s fantastic. He deserved to be out there tonight. Ashley's also terrific. He's come back from injury and done really well and I was pleased for him to get our first goal tonight."

Jones expected Ajax would prove difficult first opponents in the Europa League but is hopeful that United can go a long way in the competition.

"It was always going to be a tough test coming here but I think we prepared well. We were probably not at our best in the first half but we still stuck at it and probably deserved the victory. The gaffer said at half-time we needed to move the ball quicker. We did that in the second half, we created more chances and scored two great goals. This is a competition we want to win. We’ve never won it as a club so it would be nice to go on and win it."

Chicha Enjoys 2nd Goal

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez's third goal in three games for Manchester United could make a big difference when Ajax come to Old Trafford next Thursday.

The Mexican made it 2-0 to the Reds at the Amsterdam ArenA with a cool finish six minutes from full-time and while he says the lead is not unassailable, it certainly makes life more comfortable for the English champions.

"I always say I don’t care if I score or not," said Chicharito, who also netted against Stoke and Chelsea recently before sitting out last Saturday's win over Liverpool. "The most important thing [about my goal against Ajax] is that we have two away goals instead of just one, that will help us a lot. We can’t say we are already through, however, as there are still another 90 minutes to play. We have to go and finish this at home."

Hernandez admitted he enjoyed his first taste of the Europa League - "Of course, because we won. We played against a very difficult team at their home and they played very well but thankfully we scored twice in the second half."

The striker agreed that David De Gea had also played his part in the victory. The United keeper produced his party-piece flying saves in the latter stages against Chelsea and Liverpool, but in Amsterdam, he pulled one off to deny Siem de Jong when it was still 0-0 early on.

"David is a great goalkeeper. He’s improving, he’s learning and he’s in a great moment," added Hernandez on MUTV.

Sir Alex Not Satisfied By Win

Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased with United's 2-0 victory at Ajax but disappointed with his side’s performance against the Dutch champions.

The Reds struggled to make any impression in a flat first half before recapturing some of the team’s recent domestic form after the interval to coast home with goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez.

With the second leg to come at Old Trafford next Thursday, United must be strong favourites to progress to face Lokomotiv Moscow or Athletic Bilbao in the next round of the Europa League with the Russians 2-1 ahead after their first-leg tie.

“I’m delighted with the scoreline but I think it was a very ordinary performance by us,” conceded Sir Alex. “We didn’t reach any great heights in the game.

"We did improve in the second half and I thought we deserved to win it but I didn’t think we played well at all. There was no rhythm to our game. I know Ajax can make it difficult with their system and they pressed the ball really well but we didn’t get any tempo to our game in the first half. We did improve in the second half but it was not a brilliant performance."

The boss was asked whether United should complete the job and continue to progress in the competition.

“Absolutely, it gives us a good opportunity but we’re taking nothing for granted, of course. We’re at home at Old Trafford and we have a good opportunity to get through.”

Sir Alex felt Javier Hernandez was out of luck for most of the evening so he was delighted the Mexican finished clinically when put through by Wayne Rooney towards the end.

"It didn't go well for Javier in the sense the final passes through were just too much for him," added the boss. "They were behind his feet. But he is always a threat. He might have had a penalty in the second half. It was difficult to see from where I was. He has that threat all the time and he has given us another goal."

The manager feels his team are in good form, even though he wasn't happy with the opening 45 minutes in Amsterdam.

"Winning is always a good habit," he insisted. "We are having a good spell just now. We are playing well. We were disappointing in the first half. It is away from home and we made a few changes.

"We don't have a game on Saturday. I wish we did to keep the momentum going. But we play next Thursday and then the league starts again. We go to Norwich the following Sunday."

Sir Alex Ferguson was speaking to Channel Five and at a press conference.

Happy Dutch Outing For Red Devils

Manchester United have one foot in the Europa League round of 16 after goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez in Amsterdam gave the Reds a 2-0 first-leg lead against Ajax.

But while Sir Alex's men will be confident of completing the job at Old Trafford next Thursday, nothing should be taken for granted. After all, this was no walk in the park.

Indeed, the Reds encountered stiff opposition in Ajax, themselves a club steeped in history and, like United, more accustomed to life in the Champions League. So it was no surprise that on Thursday night the four-times kings of Europe put aside poor recent domestic form to stand toe-to-toe with Sir Alex's men for almost an hour.

It was only in the 59th minute that Ashley Young broke the deadlock with a low, crisp finish that set the Reds on the way to what was Sir Alex Ferguson's first ever UEFA Cup win with Manchester United. And while it's not the European trophy supporters usually yearn for, the message from inside the Reds camp in the build-up to the game was clear: "We're in it to win it."

Sir Alex certainly picked a side he hoped would be strong enough to finish off the tie in the first leg. The spine was particularly robust, with starts for David De Gea, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney. There was also a much-anticipated return for midfielder Tom Cleverley, playing his first football since 29 October when he limped off against Everton at Goodison Park with an ankle injury.

Phil Jones and Nani, both of whom had missed United's last four fixtures were additional welcome returns, while Fabio was preferred at left-back with Patrice Evra left behind in Manchester.

Somewhat predictably, two teams with such rich footballing pedigree took time to size each other up. Short passing and an emphasis on keeping possession were key features in the game's opening stages; shots on targets and goalmouth action were not.

Indeed, it took until the 18th minute for either goalkeeper to be forced into making anything that even resembled a save, and even then it was unclear if Dico Koppers' tame effort was a shot or a cross.

Wayne Rooney's ambitious chip a minute later also proved easy pickings for Ajax stopper Kenneth Vermeer, who then showed great speed and courage to dart off his line and claim the ball at Javier Hernandez's feet. Rooney's clever pass had released the Mexican, but glimpses of Rooney's creativity were fleeting in the opening period, owning largely to Ajax midfielder Ismail Aissati.

It was Toby Alderweireld, though, who denied Wayne with a vital block just before the half-hour mark, less than a minute after Ajax had threatened themselves at the other end. Ferdinand did well to head clear a dangerous cross but the ball fell to Aissati, whose volley was cleared en route to goal by Fabio.

If De Gea's first save of the night was simple, his second was sublime. Siem de Jong unleashed a bullet from 25 yards that looked destined for the top corner until the Spaniard threw himself to his left and tipped the ball around the post.

A mini aerial onslaught followed, during which Ajax slung cross after cross into the penalty area. Dmitri Bulykin headed one presentable chance over the bar but otherwise the Reds' rearguard stood firm.

De Gea's palms were then stung once more - this time rumoured United target Christian Eriksen was allowed space to advance from midfield - and Ferdinand escaped a strong penalty appeal on the stroke of half-time when he tangled with Miralem Sulejmani, as the home side grew in confidence.

The half-time break stunted Ajax's momentum and the Reds emerged sharpest, Nani drawing a fine save from Vermeer within 90 seconds of the restart before the goalkeeper again thwarted Hernandez at the striker's feet. The 26-year-old also had his own defenders trying to beat him: Alderweireld's header would have crept inside the post were it not for his diving intervention.

Vermeer was finally beaten just before the hour mark by Young, who collected Nani's low cross at the back post before calmly stepping inside one onrushing defender and firing the ball low and hard down the centre of the goal. It was Young's first United goal since his dramatic equaliser against FC Basel at Old Trafford back in late September and it delighted the thousands of travelling Reds who made the short trip to Amsterdam.

Celebrations were almost cut short when Eriksen skipped free of Jones on the halfway line on 73 minutes and made a beeline for goal. De Gea was again equal to the test, though, and beat away the Swede's stinging effort to preserve United's slender lead.

With five minutes to play, substitute Antonio Valencia surged forward and Hernandez combined well with Rooney before tucking away United's second with a cool finish underneath Vermeer.

The Dutch may not be used to mountains, but Frank de Boer's men now have a sizeable one to climb next Thursday at Old Trafford. It's advantage United after a job well done in Amsterdam.

Sir Alex Eyes Man. United Youth Development

Sir Alex Ferguson is optimistic that a recent change in transfer legislation will help Manchester United develop more home-grown youngsters at the club.

United successfully brought through players like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville and Nicky Butt in the mid-nineties.

In recent years, Ferguson has bought players from abroad.

However, the Old Trafford boss said: "I'm optimistic we'll be able to get the production line going again."

The change in legislation to which 70-year-old Ferguson was referring was the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), which came in towards the end of last year.

The new proposals allow Premier League clubs to sign youngsters from Football League clubs without having to go to a tribunal if a fee cannot be agreed.

It guarantees lower league clubs more funding for youth football over a guaranteed four-year period but it could mean they receive lower fees for players under the age of 17.

It has been met with a mixed reaction in the lower leagues, with Gillingham chairman Paul Scally particularly critical of the new system.

"They can take our kids without paying what we regard as fair compensation," he told BBC Radio Kent in October .

However, speaking to Fifa's website, Ferguson, who is on a one-year rolling contract at United, said: "A few years ago the requirement was brought in that you could only sign young players that lived within an hour-and-a-half radius of the club's headquarters.

"It wasn't like that before, which was how we were able to sign such fantastic young lads.

"But since it became physically impossible to find six or seven players a year so close by, we decided to change the priorities of our scouting system.

"As a result, we started to bring in very talented players from abroad and we've had success that way.

"In terms of developing players from within the club, it's been a long time since we produced a player of Beckham's calibre.

"But the legislation changed again a short while back and it'll be like it was 15 years ago once more."

Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP)
•A new four-tier academy system
•Set tariffs to replace the tribunal system for the sale of home-grown players
•End of the 90-minute rule
•Increased payments to all clubs for youth development
•Will be introduced from the 2012-2013 season

Pogba Soaks Up Experience

Paul Pogba feels he is improving all the time at United as he learns from the experienced stars at Carrington.

The Frenchman was outstanding in the Reserves' 2-1 win against Bolton on Monday night in his first run-out since an impressive cameo as a substitute in the Barclays Premier League defeat of Stoke.

After an inviting free-kick allowed Reece Brown to grab the opener, the midfielder hit the bar with a ferocious drive and then headed the winner with six minutes remaining.

"It was very hard," he told MUTV at Moss Lane. "Seriously. We were winning 1-0 but they came back and we really wanted win the game. We wanted more and we won it and I think we deserved it.

"Because I hadn't scored since the Norwich game, I think, I wanted to score so badly today. So I scored and I'm really happy.

"In training, I've been practising all the time - passing and going in the box - and it paid off. I'll just carry on and hopefully score more goals."

Pogba celebrated with his brother Mathias, who plays for Wrexham, after getting the winner. "My brother always comes to my games," he added. "When I score, I go and see him and thank him for watching my games and am just happy."

In terms of pushing for more first-team inclusion, the 18-year-old was quick to stress he is soaking up the experience of sitting on the bench and watching his team-mates closely. After being an unused substitute in the victory against Liverpool, he was pleased to revel in the atmosphere.

"It's very good," he enthused. "Just to train with the talented players, top-class players, and improve and get more experience.

"When I'm on the bench, I just watch and want to play with them and get involved. Like against Liverpool, it was a great chance for me to be on the bench.

"I hope I will come on and do my best and show everyone what I can do."

Ryan Deserves His Place

Ryan Giggs is 38 years of age, in his 22nd top-flight season and on the brink of 900 appearances, yet he remains one of Manchester United’s best players.

It’s a remarkable fact that leaves Rio Ferdinand marvelling at what his team-mate has achieved over an incredible career, which was extended by another year on Friday.

Ferdinand insists there was no sentimentality in the decision to offer Giggs a new deal, nor in the fact that he’s still being picked by Sir Alex – not that any Reds needed convincing.

"There’s no reduction in his talent," Ferdinand said. "He’s still one of the better players in training and in games, and can play on both sides of the pitch during games.

"That tells you he’s not getting in because of who he is or what he’s done – he’s getting in the team on merit."

Giggs credits his longevity partly to yoga, which he’s been practising for the last decade, and this season he’s proved he can still drop a shoulder and accelerate away from players half his age.

"He’s just been blessed with a tremendous physique," Ferdinand continued. "He’s not carrying any weight, he’s not had any serious injuries... he manages himself really well.

"To have that many appearances at one club is phenomenal. Words can’t describe how great that is."

At 33, Ferdinand himself is one of United’s most senior players, yet even he can remember watching Giggs leaving defenders with twisted blood as a wiry teenager.

"I had a video of Giggs versus Barnes and Best versus Maradona," the Reds defender added. "I used to watch that all the time and I remember Giggsy scoring a goal against QPR where he danced past a couple of defenders and smashed it in.

"I also remember his curly hair! That’s what I remember of Giggsy when I was a kid. He’s a great player, he was quick, he was a breath of fresh air in the Premier League.

"To watch him continue where he left off as a youngster is great."

Ferdinand was talking to ManUtd.com, PA Sport, BBC Radio Manchester and Key 103.

Giggs: I Almost Quit

On the eve of his 900th Manchester United appearance, Ryan Giggs has revealed that a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson dissuaded him from retiring at the end of last season following a stuttered start to the 2010/11 campaign.

The veteran, who hopes to become the first and only Red to join the nine-ton club against Ajax on Thursday, says a hamstring injury coupled with his advancing years meant he considered calling it a day last term, but admits the lure of pulling on the red shirt maintained his desire to continue.

"When to retire is difficult. Do you quit too early or go that one too many games and let people see you on the slide? It’s hard for me, even with my experience, not to play or be involved and last season was difficult before Christmas," the Welshman told The Telegraph during an exclusive interview.

"I didn’t play many games, I had a hamstring injury and had a chat with the gaffer, saying I was frustrated, but he said I would get my games. I was thinking maybe it could be my last season, but towards the end, I didn’t want the season to stop."

Giggs also expressed his immense pride towards reaching the 900-game landmark and explained why a move into central midfield has aided his longevity at Old Trafford. However, United’s leading appearance-maker admits the question of when to retire still plays on his mind.

"Retirement is just a decision that I have to take my time with because I feel different after each game. After the 3-3 game at Chelsea recently, it was a really hard game, but I felt brilliant afterwards.

"Yet there have been other games when I haven’t felt so good. After the game at Arsenal, I didn’t feel so great, so it’s swings and roundabouts. You can’t decide after one game. It’s just something I really need to think about and take my time over.

"Moving into central midfield has definitely helped me. I had a taste of what it was like on the wing against Liverpool on Saturday and it’s just completely different – it’s a different game because you are up and down all the time.

"When I played on the wing, I would feel absolutely knackered after games. I obviously come off tired after games now, but not as tired as I used to be when I was a winger. Not many players get to 900 games, so to play at United for that amount of time and games is something to be proud of."

While Giggs has won almost everything in the game, one trophy that eludes him is the Europa League and, despite the obvious disappointment of this season’s early exit from the Champions League, the Welshman says he is desperate to add the competition to his vast medal collection.

"There is definitely a sense that it would be great to win because it is something I have never won. It was disappointing to go out of the Champions League, you never want to go out, but we’re out of it and there is nothing we can do about it, so let’s go and win the Europa League now."

Landmark Looms For Giggs

When Denis Irwin limped off the Old Trafford pitch after just 35 minutes against Everton on 2 March 1991, Alex Ferguson replaced him with a skinny 17-year-old.

Now, almost 21 years later, that talented teenager - namely Ryan Giggs - has won more trophies than any other player in the history of English football and is closing in on his 900th appearance for Manchester United.

As for Irwin, he can't believe Giggs is still terrorising top-flight defences, and recalls when the young Welshman first starting knocking on the first-team door.

"It's incredible," Irwin says as he stands on the forecourt at Old Trafford. "We all knew about him. He was like lightning, he was like the wind, and had such great ability and skill.

"The best thing about him was that he could do his defensive duties as well. He never shirked that responsibility and still doesn't. He played on the left wing in front of me for 10 years and it's incredible he's still as sharp and as driven as he is."

And important to the team. Giggs may be 38 now but he remains a vital component of Sir Alex's championship-chasing side. Games don't get much bigger than United vs Liverpool and Ryan's started all three encounters this season against the men from Merseyside.

The most recent, Saturday's eventful outing, was his 899th for the Reds, leaving him just one short of an astonishing landmark.

"To make 900 appearances for a club like this..." Irwin says, trailing off as he seeks the words to describe Ryan's impending achievement.

"Everyone knew him as an out-and-out winger. To change his thought process on a football field [and adapt to a role in the centre of midfield] is testament to how good a player he is. He not only stayed at the top of his game but changed it as well."

Giggs won't merely reach 900 games: it's likely he'll smash the landmark. After all, last Friday he signed a contract extension with the club that will keep him at Old Trafford until the end of the 2012/13 season. By that stage - remember, Ryan also boasts 64 international caps for Wales - there's every chance he'll be nudging 1000 senior games. But why stop there?

"He certainly looks sharp enough when he plays," Irwin says. "You should play as long as you can, especially at this level. And especially here."

With that, the Irishman, himself a veteran of 529 appearances for the Reds, gestures towards the stadium and we're reminded once more of that moment more than two decades earlier when Giggs trotted onto the pitch to make his first-team bow.

"Manchester United believe we may be seeing the start of a very special career this afternoon," announced Clive Tyldesley at the time, commentating for ITV.

"Special", it turns out, was a gross understatement.

Fletcher Taking It Steady

Darren Fletcher has confirmed that his health is improving, but stresses that he is keen to avoid rushing a return to action.

The midfielder has been given an indefinite break from training and playing in a bid to overcome ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel inflammation, and gave an update on his health as a special guest on Sky Sports.

"I'm still on the medication, I'm still not training, but slowly but surely I'm getting better," he confirmed. "I'm not putting a timescale on it (a comeback), I think that's the best thing. With the condition it's hard to tell.

"I want to be 100 percent when I come back. I think I've tried before when that's not been the case and it's proven very difficult, so this time I want to make sure I'm 100 percent, which is going to benefit Scotland and Manchester United."

The Scottish international has been working with Warren Joyce's Reserves in recent weeks, but admits that he has been longing to make a return to action.

"I'm in every day helping Warren Joyce with the Reserve team and enjoying the experience," he said. "It's great to pass on some knowledge to the younger players.

"I'm not a good fan watching at home. The further you are away from the action, I think you find it more difficult. I've been at home quite a lot watching it on TV, and only recently been able to feel fit enough to come to the games."