Will Power

Monday, March 31, 2014

Fellaini Will Not Face FA Action Over Spit Row

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini will not face any action from the Football Association over an alleged spitting incident.

Fellaini was pictured standing over Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta during last week's Manchester derby and was at risk of a three-match ban.

However, United have now been informed the Belgian will not face any sanction

"Having reviewed all available footage, the FA has decided that there is no case to answer," said an FA source.

On Friday, United manager David Moyes revealed Fellaini had already protested his innocence.

"Marouane is adamant that at no time did he do that," said Moyes.

"We'll work with the FA to clear it if that's what we have to do."

Fellaini has endured a troubled time since signing from Everton in a £27.5m transfer last September.

He is still to score for his new club and has struggled to have any significant impact.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old is expected to be involved in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first-leg against holders Bayern Munich at Old Trafford.

Büttner Ready To Play His Part

Alex Büttner insists he’s ready to face Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday night in Manchester United’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.

With Patrice Evra suspended, Dutch defender Büttner is expected to line up for the Reds against the German champions in what will be his first start in Europe’s knockout stages.

Bayern, already Bundesliga champions, boast two of the top wingers in the world, with Büttner likely to come up against his fellow Dutchman Arjen Robben.

"I know him a little," Büttner told MUTV. "It's not under discussion how good he is! We all know that. "I think he’s very good one against one, especially when he comes inside.

"I have never played against Arjen before but I know what he can do and I am ready for him. It would be good for my career if I could do well against him.

"I have to focus and be confident in my own quality. I know I can get the better of him. It’s going to be a tough day but this kind of big game is why you play football. It's what it's all about."

Despite making only his eighth United start this season against Aston Villa on Saturday and admitting he "felt his hamstring a little", Büttner is adamant he’s ready for a match he admits would be "a dream" to play in.

"I think everybody wants to play in a big game like this," he said. "I’m always ready. I train hard every day and even do extra training, so I’m fit and ready when I have to play.

"I might do some extra sprints or some extra work in the gym after training. You need to make sure you’re ready if you’re asked to play.

"It’s going to be a tough game against Bayern but we have to be confident and I’ll do everything I can to stop Arjen Robben and help the team get a win at home. I hope we can beat them.

"For me, this will be one of the biggest games I’ve ever played. I’m looking forward to playing against Bayern Munich. I think everybody dreams to play against them."

Büttner feels both he and the team can take a lot of positives from the 4-1 win over Villa.

"It was great for our confidence that we beat them," he added. "If we had lost the confidence would have been low but now we have a good feeling.

"I have played two games now and I thought I played well against West Ham and Villa, putting in some good challenges. It has been vital for me to get the two matches because it would have been difficult not to play and then to have to face a big game like Bayern.

"I hope I can build on this, not just Bayern but after that as well. It is a big game on Tuesday but it is a chance for me to show what I can do."

Fletcher: Bring On Bayern

Darren Fletcher says the Manchester United players cannot wait to face Bayern Munich in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final showdown.

Results have see-sawed for the Reds in recent weeks but Fletcher says David Moyes' side are determined to put on a good showing against Pep Guardiola's side.

"I can't wait for it," he told MUTV. "What an occasion it's going to be. It's a Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford against Bayern Munich – it doesn't come any bigger than that. We've got to get up for this game and really believe in ourselves. And we will. We’re really looking forward to it. Everyone is writing us off but we've got some good players here who will be desperate to do well."

As always on these big European nights at Old Trafford, the crowd have an important part to play. "We've seen [the fans at Old Trafford] at their best all season," Fletcher added. "They've been fantastic. Everyone else seems to be criticising and writing stuff but the fans have really stuck behind us as a team and we see that as players. There are times where we’ve lost matches and they still applaud us coming off the pitch.

"We've got a special bunch of fans and we want to reward them. Winning 4-1 against Aston Villa was good and sent the fans home happy. But I know they'll all be looking to Tuesday and getting behind us again. Hopefully we can do them proud."

Jones Plots Bayern Downfall

Phil Jones is relishing pitting his wits against Champions League holders Bayern Munich in the "biggest game of the season" on Tuesday night.

The Reds welcome Pep Guardiola's Bundesliga champions to Old Trafford for what promises to be another emotionally-charged evening in Manchester.

"It’s always nice to win and to get back to winning ways," Jones said after the 4-1 defeat of Aston Villa. "It was important to do that ahead of what is probably the biggest game of the season for us, against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

"We will study them, I am sure, see what they are good at and try to exploit any weaknesses they have. Listen, we are realistic and know how difficult the game is going to be. We know how well they are playing, they are in form and have won the league with seven games to go. But who knows? It is the Champions League, it is a home tie at Old Trafford and if we get the crowd behind us then you just never know.

"I think if we were top of the league, Bayern would still have been favourites because they have got a superb team full of individual class. We have got to work on how to beat them."

Jones, who played at centre-half in the first period on Saturday before switching to right-back after Rafael went off injured, was impressed with the support received against Villa, particularly coming on the back of a 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City.

"The fans have stuck with us throughout the season and they deserve an enormous amount of credit for the support they have shown," he stated. "Hopefully they can keep doing that.

"We have not done anywhere near as well as we would have liked this season but we can only stick together, keep doing the right things and it will change. When you suffer a defeat like the one against Manchester City, the first thing to do is leave everything in the changing room. There is no point in dwelling on defeats like that because you could be dreaming about it for months to come. The best thing to do was to let it go. Obviously, we were all bitterly disappointed but we had to move on quickly and pick ourselves up."

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Boss Prepared For Bayern Test

Manchester United boss David Moyes appreciates Bayern Munich will provide a stiff task in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Despite facing the European champions, who will be confident of progressing, United must approach the quarter-final first leg with belief. Following the remarkable turnaround in the previous round against Olympiacos, the Reds need to show similar resolve against Pep Guardiola's side.

"When we drew them, I felt we'd drawn probably the best team in Europe at this present time," stated Moyes. "I think most people would agree with that.

"I really enjoyed watching them last year as they have great energy. I quite enjoy German football actually and going to the games but Munich are a little bit of a class above the other teams, including Borussia Dortmund.

"We have got a really tough game and know exactly what we are going to get but we'll try to exploit little bits of weaknesses they have got. Pep has taken over a really good team and added a bit himself with his own style. They have already won the Bundesliga quite comfortably so the focus is on the Champions League now."

Moyes admires Guardiola's work but feels the Spaniard benefited from having a break after leaving Barcelona.

"It's been different [for Guardiola]," he said. "I am sure he had done a lot of homework and had a year's preparation before taking the job in Munich. He learnt German, watched the games and learned a lot about the players.

"I do think he took over maybe a little more prepared and ready and, with respect, they were the champions of Europe as well so he had a lot of things in place."

Duo Earn Manager's Praise


David Moyes has praised diminutive duo Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa for their performances in the 4-1 success against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The classy schemers started a game together for only the second time to help inspire a fabulous comeback, swapping positions and passing the ball with penetration and intelligence.

Kagawa, who performed superbly against Bayern Munich in his Borussia Dortmund days, could have played himself in contention for a starting role in the midweek Champions League encounter with Mata, who scored his first goal for the club, cup-tied.

"I think Mata is popular with the fans and the players because everyone can see what a good footballer he is," explained Moyes to MUTV. "I think he’s played well and really helped us and his goals were one of the reasons why we wanted to sign him.

"He’s always had a record of scoring goals and I thought he came very close against West Ham. There were signs that it was coming and, thankfully, he got his first today.

"I'm glad with Shinji. I thought he played very well at West Ham, too, but he made a very good pass to Juan for the penalty kick [on Saturday]. I want see more from Shinji in those moments because he's a very good footballer. He is technically gifted and can create good situations. It was also an excellent pass [for Wayne Rooney's header]."

Fletch Admires Attacking Trio

Manchester United scored four goals in the Barclays Premier League for the first time since the opening day of the 2013/14 campaign as Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Javier Hernandez netted to give the Reds a 4-1 comeback win over Aston Villa.

David Moyes’ men went 1-0 down to Ashley Westwood’s free-kick on 13 minutes at Old Trafford on Saturday, but Rooney led the Reds’ riposte – and it was an emphatic one, leading to a repeat of August’s scoreline against Swansea City.

“Wayne has been a talisman for us this season,” Darren Fletcher told MUTV. “He’s been fantastic. He’s a real leader and he’s really starting to show that now in his performances. You could say he has always done that but his consistency levels are really good; he’s a fantastic player and we’re glad he’s staying with us. He’ll go on to achieve more great success.”

Rooney headed home Shinji Kagawa’s cross after 20 minutes and added a second goal from the penalty spot before the break, with Mata getting off the mark with his first goal for the club in the second half.

Fletcher said of the Spaniard: “He’s a fantastic player and is a great lad in the dressing room. He’s come here and settled in at the club; we’re pleased to have him here. He’s been desperate for that goal and he’s glad it’s come now. Hopefully he can kick on and get a few more towards the end of the season.”

Hernandez bagged United’s fourth goal of the afternoon to complete an impressive win, but it was the build-up play of substitute Adnan Januzaj that caught Fletcher’s eye and served as another reminder of the 19-year-old’s talent.

“The fourth goal was a fantastic team move,” added the Scot. “Adnan played a one-two with Fellaini and then it was a great delivery for Chicharito. Adnan can be a great player and he is going to have a big future at this club. People just have to be patient with him.

“He’s had a fantastic season. He’s maybe not played as regularly as he would have liked in recent weeks but he’s showed that he’s hungry and he came on and impressed. That’s all you can do – when you get your chance you go on and impress and give the manager a selection headache for the next game.”

That next game, of course, is against Bayern Munich, but the performances from Rooney, Mata and Januzaj, allied to Kagawa – voted Man of the Match award by fans on the club’s official Twitter account – illustrate Moyes has plenty of attacking options going into the Champions League quarter-final.

Mourinho: Sir Alex Not To Blame

Jose Mourinho cannot comprehend why some Manchester United supporters blame Sir Alex Ferguson for the club's struggles this season.

Mourinho's Chelsea side head into this weekend's fixtures in a title fight with Manchester City and Liverpool while Premier League champions United are 18 points adrift in seventh place.

David Moyes is enduring a challenging first season in charge but some fans have pointed the finger of blame at Ferguson, who hand-picked as his successor.

"Lots of people are speaking about Sir Alex. He made Man United what Man United are," said Mourinho.

"He decided to retire. When somebody decides to retire, especially a person like him, he deserves to retire. He deserves to enjoy his life.

"And now he's responsible for what? Man United lose a match it's his responsibility? Man United struggling in the Premier League is his problem?

"(Wayne) Rooney misses a goal, it's his fault? Or (David) de Gea makes a mistake and it's his fault?

"He can only be blamed for one thing: Man United being the club Man United are. He's retired. Let him retire in peace."

Fellaini Innocent Of Spitting

Marouane Fellaini insists he did not spit at Pablo Zabaleta during this week's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Match footage has emerged appearing to show Manchester United midfielder Fellaini spitting near to Zabaleta's head while the City defender is laying on the floor following a clash between the pair.

The Belgium midfielder had been yellow carded for a nasty elbow on the Argentina full-back.

The Football Association is aware of the clip and is now considering whether it should charge Fellaini for misconduct.

The FA will request clearer footage of the incident from broadcasters Sky before making a decision on the matter early next week.

David Moyes has discussed the claim with Fellaini and says the Belgian is adamant he did nothing wrong.

"I've spoke with Marouane and he says it isn't the case," the United manager said.

"We will work with the FA if that is what we have to do. Marouane is adamant that at no time did he do that (spit at Zabaleta). I don't think it is completely conclusive, from what I've seen."

The FA banned Hull's George Boyd for three matches after he spat at Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart earlier this month.

Tuesday's referee Michael Oliver booked Fellaini moments before the alleged spit towards Zabaleta for the elbow.

After the 3-0 win for City, Zabaleta claimed Fellaini was lucky to stay on the pitch.

"I was elbowed by Fellaini. It was a red card," he said.

Manchester United Fans Rally Round Manager David Moyes

Manchester United fans showed their support for David Moyes by applauding the beleaguered manager - and booing the 'protest plane' - during the game against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

The under-fire Scot - who came out to his place in the dug-out earlier than normal - was cheered by those inside the stadium and he raised his hands while applauding all four corners in response.

As anticipated, the plane carrying the message 'Wrong One - Moyes Out' flew over the ground shortly after kick-off.

A group of disgruntled fans were reported to have clubbed together £840 to pay for the airborne protest against Moyes.

However, the demonstration appeared only to have a galvanising effect on the Stretford End; there were boos when the plane passed overhead followed by chants of 'One David Moyes'.

When asked about the banner after United's 4-1 win over Aston Villa, Moyes said: "You just have to remain focused on the game - and that's what we have done.

"It is going to happen but I think, for the people who have spent money on the plane, it would have been better served by putting it into Darren Fletcher's colitis charity instead."

Moyes: Ferguson Would Have Struggled

Manchester United manager David Moyes says predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson would have struggled this season.

The defending champions are seventh in the Premier League, 26 points worse off than at the same stage under Ferguson last year.

"If Sir Alex was here it would be difficult for him as well," said Moyes.

"It could have been the case no matter what this season. But it has been so un-Man United, which is why we have to look to continue a policy of building, improving, getting better."

Ferguson retired at the end of last season after United won the Premier League by 11 points. He won 38 trophies, including 13 league titles, during his 26-year reign and played a key role in Moyes' appointment.

Moyes, 50, gained an impressive reputation at Everton despite not winning a trophy in 11 years.

However, he has been heavily criticised for United's poor form this season, and both he and Ferguson - now a director and ambassador for the club - were abused by some supporters following the 3-0 home defeat by Manchester City on Tuesday.

Moyes said after the game that he took responsibility for United's decline, and insisted on Friday that he has the support of the majority of fans.

He highlighted the number of players approaching the end of their career as evidence that even Ferguson - the most successful manager in the history of British football - would have struggled to improve United's form.

Midfielder Michael Carrick and defenders Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic are 32, centre-back Rio Ferdinand is 35 and 40-year-old Ryan Giggs is in his 24th season at the club, now as a player-coach.

Moyes said: "People are aware there is a squad that is ageing, so I think it would have been a tough season for whoever was in charge of Manchester United this year."

Rio Quizzed By Youngsters


Rio Ferdinand faced some searching questions from a group of youngsters during the re-launch of a football charity initiative this week.

The Premier League and the Professional Footballers’ Association have been working with youth charity the Prince’s Trust since 1997, using the power of football to help more than 18,000 vulnerable and unemployed young people in the UK.

Ferdinand has been an ambassador of the Trust since he was a teenager at West Ham and was at Old Trafford with PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor to help kick off the next three years of the partnership.

During the event, the United defender answered several questions posed by youngsters involved in Trust programmes, who also spoke about the positive impact it has had on their lives.

Asked what advice he would give to people who might not be sure what they want to do in the future, Rio said: "You’ve always got to have a dream, an idea in your head, even if you’re not sure sometimes. If you’ve got a passion, find a way into it and go for it, 100 per cent.

"And believe in what you’re doing. Set yourself targets and then go for them. Once you start ticking them off, set new goals – you need that to succeed."

Afterwards, the 35-year-old centre-back spoke to MUTV about his role with the Trust.

"I’ve been involved since I was 18," he said. "They asked me to come along and it was something I really believed in and felt was important. To give kids an opportunity to get into work and have a positive outlook on life – how can you turn that down?

"The most rewarding part is coming to events like this and listening to the young people who’ve come through the system, hearing how positive their lives are now compared to how they were before they got involved with the Prince’s Trust.

"The partnership the Trust has with the Premier League and United is great. Leveraging football clubs highlights the good work they’re doing and lets young people know that there are good outcomes to be had, if they work hard."

Mata Delight At Maiden Strike


Manchester United's record signing Juan Mata capped a fine personal display with a well-taken goal against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday.

With the Reds already 2-1 up, United's playmaker-in-chief struck to secure a two-goal cushion just before the hour mark. It was his first for the club and afterwards he spoke to MUTV, expressing his glee after scoring for his new club in the 4-1 triumph.

“It feels very good, it's taken a few games but today was the day," the Spaniard commented. "I felt that it was coming and, thankfully, it was today. I feel very happy and very grateful to the fans who were supporting me in the game today.

"I will try to score as many as I can between now and the end of the season and hopefully it is the first of many in my Manchester United career."

Mata also moved to praise fellow goalscorer Wayne Rooney, not just for his contribution in front of goal, but also his all-round importance to this United side.

"He's doing very well for us, scores almost every game and is so passionate about playing for this club," Mata added. "I'm very happy for him and hopefully he can keep scoring until the end of the season."

"I really enjoyed linking up with him as we had spaces to play between their lines. I really like to play with him because he is top striker - he does everything up front."

Rooney Leads Reds To Victory

Wayne Rooney scored twice to set United on the way to a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday, and in so doing he became the Premier League's fourth-highest scorer with 171 goals.

The Reds had fallen behind after just 13 minutes when Ashley Westwood scored from a free-kick, but Rooney hit back with an expertly-executed glancing header from Shinji Kagawa's cross on 20 minutes and then put United ahead from the penalty spot just before half-time.

Juan Mata scored his first goal for the club in the second half before substitute Javier Hernandez added a fourth just before the final whistle, but it was Rooney who spearheaded the team's response.

The United no.10 admits he doesn't pay too much attention to such records. "I wasn't aware of that but obviously it's great. Today was an important game after midweek and we had to respond and show what kind of team we are. It was difficult as we made a slow start, we went behind and it was difficult. We came through it, played some good stuff and got the win we deserved."

Mata added on BT Sport: "Wayne is a very important player for us. If he scores two goals every game then we will move up the league! I'm very happy for him, he's a top scorer, top player and a top guy.

"As Wazza said the start wasn't very good, but I think we came back well. My first goal arrived in the second half, I knew it had to come one day and it was today."

The result tees United up nicely for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich at Old Trafford. "It's a massive game, it's the quarter-finals of the Champions League. We're excited, we're looking forward to it. Hopefully we'll get a good result."

Moyes Has Injury Worries


David Moyes admits he could be facing a selection headache in defence for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich.

Rafael was withdrawn at half-time in the 4-1 beating of Aston Villa due to injury after Antonio Valencia, another option at right-back, was unavailable. With Patrice Evra suspended for midweek, at least Alex Büttner got through the 90 minutes, even if he stayed down for a spell after winning a brave header during the build-up to Juan Mata's goal.

"With Rafael, it's an injury and we need to check it out," revealed Moyes. "Valencia had a bit of tendinitis in his knee, which is why he wasn't involved. He was probably one I would have put to full-back if we had lost one, so we knew we'd be short if that was the case.

"The young boy Guillermo Varela might have got on the bench but he was injured as well so we had to juggle it around. We have injuries but we will probably know more about them tomorrow. I've just got to hope that Rafa's injury isn't too bad."

Pleasing Day For Moyes


Manchester United manager David Moyes appreciated both the backing of the supporters and the players' performance in the 4-1 defeat of Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

The Reds conceded an Ashley Westwood free-kick early on but rallied to run out convincing victors thanks to a Wayne Rooney double and second-half goals by Juan Mata and Javier Hernandez.

"We didn’t get off to a great start," Moyes told MUTV. "I think everyone was a bit nervy in that first five to 10-minute period. Once we regrouped and got going, it was good that we got the equaliser and we scored the second goal at a really good time just before half-time.

"I thought the players took the challenge on and rose to it after that and we got better.

"I love my football and the fourth one was a great goal with the interplay on the wing between Adnan Januzaj and Marouane Fellaini and Adnan put in a great cross for Chicharito. It was a goal for a football supporter."

The crowd was clearly supportive from the outset and stuck with the players, even after the Westwood opener. Moyes had made his way to the dug-out before the players left the tunnel for the kick-off and received warm applause from the stands.

"I just wanted everybody to know I'm the manager of the club," he stated. "They know where I am. I stand by the side of the pitch. Ever since I’ve been at Manchester United, I’ve only had support. I don’t where people are trying to change this from but I believe that all Manchester United supporters are behind me and they all understand the situation we are in. The players are incredibly focused, that was an important thing as I wanted the focus to be right.

"My be-all and end-all was to make sure we won the game. Nothing else. I thought the fans inside the ground got behind the club and the team. I'm really looking forward to the game against Bayern Munich. It's been a difficult season for us but we can go a long way to doing an awful lot better if we can get a result on Tuesday."

The Match: Villans Punished

Following our match report, we take a closer look at the confidence-boosting Old Trafford victory over Aston Villa...

The match United looked up against it when Aston Villa scored with a set-piece, following their first real attack of any threat, but Wayne Rooney's brace and second-half strikes by Juan Mata and Javier Hernandez turned things around in style. The Reds were pretty ruthless in front of goal and played with more confidence than was displayed in the derby defeat to Manchester City to ensure spirit is high ahead of Tuesday's visit of European champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

The goals Rafael fouled Gabriel Agbonlahor after Ashley Young lost possession to allow Ashley Westwood to flight a free-kick past David De Gea, despite the Spaniard getting a hand to it. The Reds responded with a cushioned header by Rooney from a Shinji Kagawa centre which kissed the post on the way in. Rooney added a first-half stoppage time with an unerring penalty, awarded for Leandro Bacuna's clear trip on Juan Mata after he had been fed by Kagawa. Mata calmed any nerves by steering in his first goal for the club on 57 minutes when the ball broke for him in the box. Adnan Januzaj provided menace when coming off the bench and his left-wing cross allowed fellow substitute Javier Hernandez to round things off nicely in the closing stages.

Star man Rooney led the line superbly but was ably supported by Mata and Kagawa, who showed their footballing nous. With David Moyes giving Rooney and Kagawa a breather, the fans were able to show an appreciation for their efforts while Mata clearly enjoyed notching his first goal for the club.

Sub-plot Many felt the Reds would have one eye on Tuesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich and the selection of Alex Büttner suggested the manager wanted to give the Dutchman another run-out with Patrice Evra suspended in midweek. Much of the build-up had concentrated on unwelcome off-the-field distractions but the match-going public voiced their opposition to an unsettling publicity stunt and, eventually, United took control of matters on the pitch.

The opposition Villa were described as a 'Jekyll and Hyde' team by Moyes beforehand and started well. However, they appeared susceptible to lofted balls over the defence and struggled to contain the Reds' fluid front-runners. To be fair, if Christian Benteke had been sharper in attack, they might have made life more difficult but they were well beaten in the end - even if Chicharito's fourth was perhaps a little unfair on them in terms of the margin of defeat.

Move of the match The first United goal illustrated the creative impact Mata and Kagawa can have on the team. Rafael pounced on a slip by Agbonlahor to feed Mata, with the Spaniard intelligently switching the ball wide to Kagawa. The Japan international drifted inside to deliver a ball with real purpose that was superbly finished by an unmarked Rooney.

In the stands Moyes unusually walked to the dug-out before the teams made their entrance and he received warm applause from the supporters. Villa's opener in front of the Stretford End dampened the mood but there was plenty of noise again once Rooney levelled the scores. A huge roar greeted the announcement of Mata's maiden strike ahead of a rousing chorus of '20 times' from all four ends of the ground as the Reds fans went home happy.

Premier League: Man. United 4 Aston Villa 1

Manchester United roared back from conceding first to Aston Villa thanks to a brace by Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata's first goal for the club since his record move from Chelsea and Javier Hernandez's late effort.

David Moyes' men made a disappointing start and fell behind when David De Gea was unable to keep out Ashley Westwood's powerful free-kick on 13 minutes. Yet Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa switched positions regularly to good effect and both were involved in the move that led to the equaliser as Rooney expertly headed past Brad Guzan.

Rooney was on the scoresheet again with an emphatically-taken penalty just before the interval, after Leandro Bacuna chopped down Mata as he dragged the ball back inside the area. Christian Benteke missed a sitter when miskicking and allowing substitute Michael Carrick, on at centre-back, to clear. The muscular striker also headed over a Marc Albrighton cross moments later.

However, Alex Büttner's brave header led to Marouane Fellaini supplying a touch inside the area and the ball broke to Mata, who calmly found the net in front of the Stretford End for United's third. Guzan thwarted substitute Adnan Januzaj and Rooney, with Benteke and Aleksandar Tonev unable to convert openings for the Midlanders.

With time running out, the lively Januzaj crossed for fellow sub Hernandez to poke home a fourth as the Reds warmed up nicely for Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Adnan Absence Explained

David Moyes admits Adnan Januzaj has been used sparingly in recent weeks because he does not want the 19-year-old to suffer from exhaustion.

Januzaj made his United debut in August and has since become the breakout star of the 2013/14 season with three goals and 29 appearances to his name. As a result, the Belgian-born youngster has also become a firm fans' favourite at Old Trafford.

Despite such a blistering start to his Reds career, Adnan has featured in just two matches in March and was notably not involved in Tuesday's 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City. However, as Moyes explains, there are valid reasons behind his absences.

"I think Adnan has played an incredible amount of games for an 19-year-old," the boss told reporters at the Aon Training Complex on Friday. "We have to be mindful of that. We have seen signs in training that we have to be careful what we do with him.

"He is a great talent and he is someone we know will go a long way at Manchester United. But we are just being careful with him. We have to do the right things and he has played a lot of football."

Moyes: I Have Support Of Fans


Manchester United manager David Moyes remains convinced he is the best man to lead the club forward, insisting he retained the support of the majority of club's fans ahead of the visit of Aston Villa.

A group of supporters have clubbed together to pay for a light aircraft to fly over Old Trafford on Saturday, trailed by a banner that reads "Wrong One - Moyes Out".

The United boss said fans were "entitled" to organise such a protest after recent results, but the Scot insisted he was supported by most fans, the club's board and the playing staff.

"Everywhere I go I get great support from Manchester United supporters," Moyes said.

"I was at a dinner last night for Darren Fletcher and there were Manchester United supporters who came up to me and said 'come on, keep going, we understand exactly the situation the club is in and team is in'.

"They were really supportive and every time I have been to Old Trafford they have been great.

"I am seeing a lot different from what a lot of people are saying but I understand that results matter."

When asked about the fly-by, Moyes said: "I have heard of it and what they are saying about it, but this is something which is a long journey here, this is only the start of the journey.

"People can do that. They are entitled to do that."

Moyes, whose team lie seventh in the Premier League, claimed the protest against him only strengthened his resolve to turn United's fortunes around.

"I am more driven to succeed more than ever. I want to change this position we are in now and I believe we can do that," he added.

"You work hard to get to this place in the first place. I want to turn the team around, I want to change the position we're in just now and I think we can do that.

"I am hurting and the players are hurting but we are working hard."

Reports of unrest among the playing staff emerged following Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City - the club's sixth home defeat of the campaign.

When asked if he retained the support of the playing staff, Moyes said: "Definitely. I have no reason to suggest anything else.

"Everybody's hurting. The players are, you can tell. They're really good professionals, they work incredibly hard in their job. (And) it's the same for the management staff as well, we're working hard trying to make sure we've got winning teams but the players are working hard as well.

"We have a great relationship as far as I'm concerned but what I really want is a winning team, me and them together.

"I understand that results are what really matter. Results are football, the business is results driven. I'm keen to get those results to move up the table.

"There's a rebuilding plan under way, anyone who understands the game, understands that has to happen.

"The people who put me in place in the job here, are top football people who understand the game, know what's needed at Manchester United and understand the characters we need at Manchester United."

Another defeat at Old Trafford would give United their worst home record since their last relegation from the top-flight in 1974.

They are already guaranteed to end the campaign with their worst points total in Premier League history.

Sir Bobby Charlton said before the derby defeat that Moyes was "absolutely" the right choice to replace Sir Alex Ferguson even though some have claimed that results have suggested differently.

United defender Rio Ferdinand, who played in the 3-0 derby reverse, said he had been "embarrassed" by the team's form at times this year.

'Chosen One' Banner Threatens To Write Off Moyes

If six ravens are not kept at the Tower of London, legend has it the entire United Kingdom will fall.

If a single banner hits the floor at Old Trafford in the coming weeks, could David Moyes's Manchester United empire crumble?

Such is the significance attached to legends and symbols that, for Moyes, the future of the "Chosen One" banner draped across the Stretford End at Old Trafford could play a crucial role in his future at the club. His chances of addressing the growing issues facing the reigning Premier League champions may hinge on whether that banner stays or goes.

Fans' group Stretford End Flags (SEF) raised the money for it in the summer, in recognition of Moyes's status as the man personally selected by Sir Alex Ferguson to fill the first managerial vacancy at United for more than 26 years.

As Moyes lurches from one damaging result to another, the banner has become a parody of itself and some supporters have called for its removal.

"The Chosen One - by Liverpool", goes one replica. "David Moyes is a football genius", another proclaims sarcastically, held up earlier this month by the visiting fans during a 3-0 Old Trafford loss to a Liverpool side on their way to taking United's Champions League place and, maybe, their status as champions.

Even amongst United fans there is no consensus on Moyes's future, if internet chat rooms, social media and general conversation are any guide.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing," says Andrew Kilduff, of SEF. "Do we regret making the banner? Absolutely not. David Moyes was chosen by the man who brought unprecedented success to Manchester United for 26 years.

"It has created banter, but that is what banners do. We had the clock that ticked around for each season Manchester City did not win a trophy. Liverpool had one that said something like 'come back when you have won 18 titles'.

"Maybe in hindsight we should have taken it down after that first home game against Chelsea, before such significance could be attached to it.

"But maybe in hindsight, David Moyes would not have got rid of all the old coaches. Maybe in hindsight, Sir Alex Ferguson would not have recommended him at all."

On Tuesday, Sir Bobby Charlton said Moyes is still the right man for the job, and that remains the word from other influential figures in the United hierarchy too.

Yet they are also monitoring supporter sentiment. And there is no more visual sign of it than that banner.

Some fans plead for patience and for Moyes to be afforded the time envisaged when he was given a six-year contract following his arrival from Everton in the summer.

A growing number want him out.

A request for donations towards the £840 cost of a light aircraft - intended to fly over Old Trafford ahead of Saturday's game against Aston Villa displaying an anti-Moyes message - was met almost instantly.

The "Wrong One: Moyes Out" banner could be towed over the stadium as the Scot and his team emerge from the tunnel.

"I can understand their feelings, but it is not the way I would do it," said Ian Stirling, vice chairman of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust.

"This is part of a bigger story about the appointment of David Moyes.

"The board laid down some criteria to Ferguson on choosing his successor and Moyes was one of the recommendations, but the owners should be taking responsibility for the appointment."

For now, the "Chosen One" banner remains, and will do so both for the visit of Villa and Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich.

Moyes is, of course, the central figure in discussions about Manchester United's fortunes, but Ferguson cannot escape the spotlight.

Debate did take place amongst United's powerbrokers about who would replace such a mighty figure. Club sponsors Aon even offered their expertise when it came to how the succession should be handled.

Ultimately, though, it came down to Ferguson. It was the 72-year-old who made the call, summoning Moyes to his house to give him the news he was to become Manchester United's next manager.

Moyes was Ferguson's call, his "Chosen One".

This process is being questioned. Supporters criticising Ferguson at Old Trafford this week blame him as much as they do Moyes.

Now, it appears, a banner stands as judge and jury.

"We are going to do something but we will play it by ear a little bit," said Kilduff.

"It is possible we could have a poll that will stay open for a week, which takes it past the Bayern Munich game, or maybe we will do it after the match has taken place.

"Whatever we do, we will make it clear that if the banner comes down, it will be seen as the fans turning against David Moyes. That is how it will be interpreted by the media and the fans have to understand that."

Simple logistics mean the banner will be there when Pep Guardiola brings his newly crowned Bundesliga champions to Old Trafford. The top and bottom of it is that it is tethered to the Stretford End. Realistically, only United themselves can organise its removal once SEF asks for it to be done.

Would they really sanction such an obvious slight on their own manager ahead of such a key game? Not a chance.

"The banner has become a symbol. But there are symbols everywhere at Manchester United," said Kilduff.

"The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. All the trophies, the statues. The ground is on Sir Matt Busby Way.

"I don't see that a banner adds any additional pressure. The banner is not picking the team or buying the players."

Moyes Plane Banner Protest Explained


Disgruntled Manchester United fans say Saturday's controversial plane banner protest will prove manager David Moyes does not have the backing he claims.

A banner with the words: "Wrong One - Moyes Out" in seven-foot high red lettering will be flown above Old Trafford before the Aston Villa game.

"The rumblings of discontent have started in the stands," said protest organiser Wes Jones.

"We wanted to show that support isn't as 100% as Moyes would like to think."

The move has split opinion among supporters, some of whom feel the protest is heaping unnecessary humiliation on Moyes, who has endured a torrid debut campaign at Old Trafford.

For pilot Chris Mustow, who will be responsible for flying the light plane trailing the banner, it is just a bit of fun.

"I am not a football fan, so it doesn't bother me in that sense," he told BBC Sport.

"But of course I am aware of the situation.

"I just find it all quite amusing really. No-one is going to miss the message, that's for sure."

It has also been confirmed that a second plane has been booked to fly around the ground at the same time.

While the company involved in that venture is refusing to say who has arranged the flight, or what the second banner will say, it merely heightens an already surreal situation.

"I have heard of it and what they are saying about it, but this is a long journey," said Moyes of the 'Wrong One' protest in his Friday news conference.

"This is only the start of the journey. People are entitled to do that."

The latest developments underline the massive shift that has taken place at United following Sir Alex Ferguson's departure as manager last summer.

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor said he was not impressed by the supporters' plans.

"I don't think it's something you need to see or want to see," he told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes as supporters you can feel quite upset but sometimes you've also got to show a bit of class.

"Everybody can support a team when they're doing well - that's easy. But it's like life, the time you find out who your friends and supporters are is when things are going wrong.

"That is a real test of good supporters."

FA Asks For Fellaini 'Spit' Footage

The Football Association has requested further TV footage to establish whether Marouane Fellaini spat at Pablo Zabaleta during the Manchester derby.

Footage on the internet showed United's Fellaini standing over Zabaleta during the 3-0 loss at Old Trafford.

The video suggested Fellaini spat at the Manchester City defender.

The FA feels there is insufficient evidence from that posting to warrant a charge and is trying to find out if there are any clearer images.

Should such evidence be forthcoming, the FA would then need to decide whether to charge the Manchester United midfielder.

Last week, Hull forward George Boyd was banned for three games after being found guilty of spitting at Manchester City keeper Joe Hart.

Immediately prior to the alleged spit, Fellaini caught Zabaleta in the face with his forearm. Fellaini was booked for the clash, although many observers believed the incident warranted a red card.

The Belgian was again a peripheral figure as United were soundly beaten.

Moyes has since come under huge pressure, with some fans raising enough money to have a light aircraft tow a banner over the stadium ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa bearing the words: "Wrong One: Moyes Out".

Fellaini's lack of success since his £27.5m move from Moyes's old club Everton in September is viewed as one of the major negatives in the Scot's short reign so far.

Manchester United Troubles 'Affect Premier League Brand'

Manchester United's troubled defence of their Premier League title is harming the English top flight's worldwide brand, says the competition's chief executive Richard Scudamore.

Under new boss David Moyes, United are seventh in a disappointing campaign.

The 20-time champions are 18 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

"It's a double-edged sword," said Scudamore. "When your most popular club isn't doing as well, that costs you interest and audience in some places."

Former Everton manager Moyes has watched the Red Devils suffer 10 defeats in 31 league matches since he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired last summer after almost 27 years in charge.

His team were knocked out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage before being eliminated from the Capital One Cup in the semi-finals.

They have reached the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face defending champions Bayern Munich next month.

"There are lots of fans around the world who wish Manchester United were winning it again," Scudamore told Bloomberg.

"But you have to balance that off against, generally, we're in the business of putting on a competition and competition means people can compete."

Overseas television deals will earn the Premier League more than £2bn between 2013 and 2016.

The Premier League sold its domestic broadcasting rights to Sky and BT in a record-breaking deal, worth around £3bn, last year.

Man. United Stars Agree Salford Deal


Ryan Giggs and four former Manchester United team-mates have agreed a deal to purchase non-league Salford City.

Giggs, in his 24th season as a player at Old Trafford, is joined in the venture by the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

United player-coach Giggs, 40, said: "We want to use our football experience and knowledge to nurture young talent."

Subject to Football Association and Northern Premier League approval, the deal will be completed in the summer.

Salford are 11th in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the eighth tier of English league football.

Gary Neville, who had his first United trial in Salford, said: "Salford City represents those early years, the commitment, hunger, enthusiasm, desire and spirit of football and I am very excited about this venture."

The former England defender added on Twitter: "For clarity, [there will be] no name change, no ground change and management and committee as before!"

His younger brother Phil, now United's first-team coach, added: "It is important to safeguard the hard work that is done in the lower leagues and it is going to be exciting to be able to feed our experience into the young players."

Giggs, who made his 961st appearance for United in the 3-0 victory over Olympiakos on 19 March, is the only one of the six United youth-team graduates who came to be known as the Class of '92. still playing.

Along with former England captain David Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers were part of one of the most successful periods in the club's history, having made their senior debuts in the early 1990s.

Under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, United won 13 league titles, two Champions League crowns, four FA Cups and four League Cups with at least one of those six graduates in his squad.

Scholes, who was born in Salford, said: "We know it will be tough but we will be committed to this from the start and have some very exciting plans going forward."

Club chairman Karen Baird said the agreement would give the club "a very bright future".

Friday, March 28, 2014

Welbeck Answers Junior Reds


Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck answers questions that were posted by Junior Reds in the Family Stand at Old Trafford...


What schools did you go to and who was your most inspirational teacher? Joseph Deegan
I went to Manchester Road Primary School and then moved on to Trinity Church of England High School in Hulme. Like most kids, my PE teacher was my favourite. His name was Mr Westmoreland and he was very inspirational, encouraging me to chase my dream of becoming a footballer. Other teachers would say ‘not everybody makes it as a professional’ but I was determined and nothing was going to get in my way. Thankfully, I achieved my dream of playing for United.

Who has the best banter in the changing room? Rio Stuttard
I would have to say Rio Ferdinand because he has great banter and is always up to no good in the dressing room, playing pranks on other players and messing around. Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher are also great characters to have around the club and they’re great for team morale. Both are experienced players and command lots of respect too. I think they’ve earned the right to take the mickey out of us younger players – but I give it back as well, don’t worry.

Who is the toughest defender to get past in training? Ben Sapora
Wow, that is not an easy question to answer because we’ve got loads of top defenders at the club. But in all seriousness, I would have to say Chris Smalling is the most difficult to get past in training. He’s one of our fastest players and can rival most of the forwards for pace. He also reads the game really well and is always in the right place at the right time, clearing up any danger. I’m just glad that I get to play with him for both United and England. I’d hate to play against him!

Rooney Up For Fans Award

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney’s recent fine form has earned him a nomination for the FTBPro PFA Fans Player of the Month award.

The Reds' no.10 started March with a strike away at West Brom before trebling his tally for the month at West Ham, where he notched a brace including that stunning long-range effort to leave the Hammers' keeper Adrian well and truly beaten.

Wayne's two goals at Upton Park moved the forward up to third place in the list of United's all-time top scorers with only Sir Bobby Charlton and Denis Law now standing in the way of Rooney's route to the top.

His game isn’t all about goals, though, and his all-round sweat-soaked displays have been just as likely to land him a place on the same shortlist as Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Eden Hazard, Seamus Coleman and Laurent Koscielny.

The FTBPro awards are designed to give supporters a say and are endorsed by the players and supported by the clubs. If your vote helps Wayne to win the prize, you could be in with a chance of winning two tickets to a Barclays Premier League match where you will meet and present the award to the striker before the game.

To register your vote for Rooney, please go to ftbpro.com/fanawards. Voting closes at midnight GMT on Friday 28 March.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Robson's European Call

Manchester United legend Bryan Robson insists it is important for the Reds to at least clinch qualification for Europe next season with a top-six finish.

There has been plenty of debate regarding the merits of the Europa League with it requiring an extensive programme of fixtures but the former skipper is in no doubt regarding the importance of competing on the Continent.

Of course, winning the Champions League this season would earn United a spot in the premier tournament again next term but Robson also wants the team to make up ground in the Barclays Premier League table, in case an alternative route into Europe is required.

"In my opinion, people are completely wrong to dismiss the Europa League," said Robson, in his club ambassador's column for United Review.

"When you have been used to playing in Europe every year for such a long time, you get into that habit and always want to be competing in it, in any format. The club has been used to European football in most seasons, ever since the Sir Matt Busby days, and, certainly over the last 26 years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, the fans have been accustomed to having European nights.

"The way the Europa League is set up, it is more or less a merger of the European Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Cup. I fondly remember beating Barcelona in the 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup final - it was a fantastic night and the memory will never leave me.

"Maybe the Europa League is not as prestigious as the Champions League but it still has some of the best teams in Europe who have just missed out in their domestic leagues. As a former player, I think it would be a great achievement to win the Europa League."

Fellaini Protests Innocence

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has protested his innocence after his forearm smash on Pablo Zabaleta during Tuesday's derby.

Fellaini was lucky to escape a red card after appearing to catch Manchester City defender Zabaleta on the jaw during City's 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

The Belgian international only picked up a booking from referee Michael Oliver for the incident which flattened Zabaleta.

Fellaini insists he did not hit Zabaleta intentionally and that the Argentine defender ran into his elbow.

Asked if he was lucky to only pick up a yellow card for the clash, Fellaini is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail: "I don't know, but I certainly didn't do it on purpose.

"I put my arm up to try and protect possession of the ball, and Zabaleta bounced (his jaw) against it. He was unlucky to make contact.

"The movement by me was not in an aggressive manner. It was a defensive move to protect the ball."

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Man. United Fans Losing Patience After Man. City Embarrassment

The sight of a line of Old Trafford stewards guarding "The Chosen One" banner draped over the Stretford End since the appointment of David Moyes as Manchester United manager suggested the mood has started to sour.

And the sound of loud and mutinous voices - not too many but enough to be noticed - raised against Moyes and even in the direction of Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who did the choosing, in the directors' box as Manchester City inflicted the latest embarrassment on the fallen Premier League champions carried even greater significance.

Liverpool winning 3-0 at Old Trafford less than a fortnight ago was arguably a greater shock to the system than City winning by the same margin on Tuesday as the Merseysiders have barely appeared in United's rear view mirror in title terms in recent years.

But there was a difference. United's supporters stayed in place in a noisy show of defiance as Liverpool fans taunted them, but here thousands left long before Yaya Toure added to Edin Dzeko's two goals to deliver a scoreline that still failed to accurately reflect City's overwhelming superiority.

For the second home league game in succession, Old Trafford echoed to the elation of opposing fans as the chasm in class once more highlighted the alarming decline that has engulfed United since Ferguson went into retirement.

It was not a vintage United squad last season but they still won the title by 11 points. There is more than Ferguson's departure behind the current position, which sees them trailing 18 points behind leaders Chelsea and struggling to claim the questionable consolation of a place in the Europa League.

Put simply, United were a mess against City.

They looked and played like a team in disarray, led by a manager struggling horribly to get to grips with his task. Old Trafford's inhabitants have shown great patience but there were signs that the latest demonstration of their current reduced circumstances was starting to eat away at this precious commodity.

The fact that United were fortunate to survive the first 43 seconds before Edin Dzeko put City ahead illustrated that any fear factor at Old Trafford has disappeared.

Manuel Pellegrini's City side opened with the confidence and menace of a team knowing they were so much better than their opponents and determined to prove it very quickly.

United's position on the future of Moyes has remained steadfast but his performance will surely come under greater scrutiny as the season moves to its close - and defeats on the scale of those against Liverpool and now City pointed up the size of the rebuilding job.

It will take huge investment to even start to move United back towards City. It will be a considerable show of faith in Moyes if he is handed the cash to do it and it would be a huge embarrassment to Ferguson and the rest of United's hierarchy should they even think about a change of manager 12 months after awarding him a six-year deal.

A run through the numbers makes depressing reading for United. This is the first time they have lost 10 matches in a season in the Premier League era. It was also their sixth home league defeat.

Few connected with United emerged with much credit here. Goalkeeper David De Gea was blameless and Wayne Rooney tireless, although his shifts in position - tackling at left-back one minute then challenging at inside-right the next - perhaps reflected Moyes's tactical bankruptcy.

Tom Cleverley is hardly Old Trafford's favourite son but deserved some sympathy, thrust into his first start for a month. Occasionally drifting out to the right flank when he was not being overrun by Yaya Toure, it was a mercy when he was removed at half-time.

Moyes was also guilty of muddled thinking when he did not play a winger, namely Antonio Valencia, to attack the left-side of City's defence, which has been vulnerable this season. It smacked of the caution that has often been levelled at Moyes as his default position.

Ferguson's teams were renowned for the pace and power that accompanied their quality. Not on this night. No pace. No power. Little quality. Pedestrian and predictable came in their place.

In Moyes's defence, there was undoubtedly work to be done post-Ferguson but he cannot escape responsibility - and he made no attempt to in his post-match briefing - for a season that is making a mockery of United's standing as defending champions.

Moyes praised the performance of Juan Mata but it was a judgement at odds with plenty of other observers, while Marouane Fellaini is emerging as the symbol for the ills of United under the Scot.

Fellaini looks a poor fit and hugely over-priced at £27.5m. There were ironic cheers from many United fans when he was replaced by Valencia after 66 minutes.

He was very lucky to even be around to hear the irony as it is a mystery how he escaped a red card in the first half. In a moment of utter senselessness, Fellaini took time out from actually being in possession to deliberately thrust his arm into the face of Pablo Zabaleta, felling the City defender.

It was unprompted, unprovoked and appeared to be premeditated. It summed up Fellaini's performance. Quite what referee Michael Oliver saw that persuaded him to give the hapless Belgian only a yellow card takes some understanding.

United must now summon up a way of closing the gap that has opened up, not just with City but with Liverpool and Chelsea. Moyes insists there is no quick fix - one assessment that he got spot on.

A complete new defence must be assembled this summer and Rio Ferdinand's struggles to cope with Dzeko were another example of why the credits must now surely be rolling on his outstanding United career. Time has caught up with Ferdinand. There is no shame in that but he was exposed by City's movement and creation.

Moyes will hope to be the manager entrusted with this mammoth undertaking but he looked as badly beaten as his players in the closing moments, sitting disconsolately in Old Trafford's elevated manager's seat while assistant Steve Round gave out orders on the touchline.

United still have the Champions League quarter-final to clutch at, but who can make a serious case to suggest they will offer holders and new Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich any trouble?

Moyes had hoped wins against Olympiakos and West Ham United might offer some late-season optimism, but once again United were found wanting against the quality opposition they used to relish facing.

It was enough to provoke the first signs of public revolt and acrimony among some United fans. The position inside Old Trafford's boardroom may not have changed, but the deterioration this season has been alarming and Moyes simply cannot afford too many more nights like this.

Zabaleta Condemns Welbeck Tackle

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta says he was fortunate to come away from Tuesday night's Manchester derby at Old Trafford without serious injury.

The full-back claimed that a first-half tackle on him by Danny Welbeck, for which the Manchester United forward was booked, was "very dangerous".

"I was very lucky because I could have broken my leg," said the Argentine.

Zabaleta also claimed Marouane Fellaini was lucky to receive only a yellow card for an elbow on him.

"They were two bad challenges," the 29-year-old said after City's 3-0 victory.

"I saw them on TV in the dressing room. The first one was a very dangerous tackle by Welbeck,

"The second one was an elbow by Fellaini. It was also a red card but at the end of the day we should respect the referee's decision."

Gary Neville: Manchester United Woes Can't All Be Solved With Money

Gary Neville says a summer spending spree is not necessarily the solution to David Moyes' problems at Manchester United.

The champions' demoralising season suffered a fresh setback at Old Trafford on Tuesday night as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Manchester City, a result which sees them fall 15 points behind their neighbours despite having played two more games.

That prompted former United right-back Neville to question a recruitment policy which has seen them sign the likes of Wilfried Zaha (£15m), Marouane Fellaini (£27.5m) and Juan Mata (£37m) in the last 15 months - despite being linked with world-class talents like Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Sky Sports expert says there are obvious weaknesses throughout Moyes' current team, particularly in defence and midfield, but that the manager must be careful to make the right signings when he goes back into the market.

"The worrying thing is people think the right answer is just to go and chuck another £150million at it," Neville said.

"But it's almost like you've got to know what's wrong with the soup before you throw more ingredients in to make it better - and at the moment I'm not quite sure where you'd start.

"The defence does not push up the pitch, they're not front-foot defensively, while in midfield you need pressure and drive and they haven't got that.

"They are not risk-takers in midfield so the passing is slow at times. Ryan Giggs is the first midfielder, in the Olympiakos game last week, that I've seen pass the ball forwards.

"Up front I think they've got good players, but it's where you fit them in and how you position them together. Moyes has got some work to do in working that out over the next few months.

"The idea that United need to spend a load of money is very well. They've got money, but they have spent £80million already on Zaha, Fellaini and Mata in the last eight or nine months.

"City have spent £100m and people in this area say they have spent a load of money, well United have spent a load of money as well.

"So it's not going to be a case of just throwing a load of money at it. They've got to get the actual signings right and get the recruitment right.

"In the summer they wanted players of the quality of Fabregas, Bale, [Leighton] Baines and Ronaldo. Those types would have been fantastic and would have given everybody a lift.

"They didn't end up getting them and that was the problem."

City's derby win has reaffirmed Neville's belief that Manuel Pellegrini's side - now three points behind leaders Chelsea with two games in hand - are the favourites for this season's Premier League title.

And despite having tough trips to Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton to come he expects the title race to be a hard-fought battle between City and Chelsea.

Neville added: "I think Liverpool have done brilliantly well, but I think City and Chelsea have got more power, strength and experience and in the end that will count.

"City will get confidence from tonight and I think they'll beat Arsenal on Saturday. I'd be amazed if they didn't.

"The trip to Liverpool is a big game, but you'd say it's as difficult for Liverpool as it will be for City. Anfield is a tough place to go for any team.

"But you've seen Manchester City tonight. They are strong, powerful and they've got goals from different areas of the pitch.

"They are keeping clean sheets at the moment, even though you still suspect that potentially is an area that's weak for them, the centre of defence.

"You'd have to say Martín Demichelis and Vincent Kompany were outstanding tonight and I would say they will go forwards and win the league.

"But that's with not with any great certainty. I wouldn't go rushing to the bookies or anything like that!"

Scholes: Stick With Moyes

Paul Scholes feels his old club Manchester United should stand by boss David Moyes and back him in the transfer market.

Moyes has already shelled out £27.5million on Marouane Fellaini and £37.1million on Juan Mata since taking the reins at Old Trafford from Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, Tuesday night's 3-0 defeat by rivals City marked the sixth time this season that the reigning champions have been turned over at home in the Premier League.

They have also slipped 15 points behind Manuel Pellegrini's title chasers in the table but former Red Devils star Scholes, a guest pundit on Sky Sports' Football Special, is of the opinion that United must back their manager.

"You have to," said Scholes. "He's only nine months into the job. You have to stand by him.

"OK, he's made a couple of signings that haven't quite worked out yet, as he would have liked.

"In the summer, he's going to need backing - there's no doubt about that. Was he backed as well as he could have been last summer? I'm not too sure. But this summer, he has to be backed - and I think he knows he needs players."

Many United fans have long been crying out for midfield additions to the squad but Scholes says there are several departments of concern.

"It looks to me like there's a few areas that need addressing," he added.

"You could say that they've been looking for a central midfielder for quite a few years now, and maybe haven't quite come up with the answer.

"But it's defensively as well. (Nemanja) Vidic is going, it looks like Rio (Ferdinand) and maybe (Patrice) Evra are going as well so that's three of your back four. That's another area he's got to look after.

"I think going forward we're alright, with the quality of (Robin) van Persie, and Wayne Rooney, and (Juan) Mata in his right position. I think we're alright up there, so it's probably midfield and defence where we need to look."

United still have a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich to play, but Graeme Souness says that is unlikely to put any gloss on their troubled campaign.

"This season, it's obviously down to the Champions League," said Souness.

"They're going to play the team that many regard as the best around, so that's not going to be easy.

"The Manchester United supporters will not be happy, understandably so. And I think they're going to have to be very patient, because I don't see this as a quick fix.

"I don't think, when you're talking about putting it right, you can talk about it in terms of month or years.

"I think you have to talk transfer windows. Because with every transfer window, you're not going to get the players you ideally want.

"You might have to wait six months or a year to get the ones you want. So for me this is not a quick fix here, and these supporters are going to have to accept that."

United look increasingly unlikely to qualify for Europe's elite competition next season, but Souness believes they should still be able to attract top players, though some of their targets will turn them down.

"You can put United in a group of maybe half a dozen clubs that are uniquely special," added the former Liverpool star.

"In terms of finance, they don't have to be in the Champions League to go out and buy the very best players. The transfer fees and the salary will not be an issue.

"Playing for United but not being in the Champions League might be an issue for some players - but this is a unique club."

Moyes: City's Second Was Key


David Moyes felt Edin Dzeko's second goal - rather than his lightning first strike - was the one which killed the derby in Manchester City's favour.

The Bosnian forward put the Blues ahead at Old Trafford after just 45 seconds and although he was denied a swift follow-up when David De Gea made a stunning save, he went on to double his tally in the 56th minute. In between, Moyes felt his team gained a foothold in the contest and were, for many pundits, the better side towards the end of the first period.

"City started very fast, we lost a goal after 40 or so seconds and because of that we were on the back foot right away," Moyes admitted on MUTV.

"I thought we got to grips with the game after 15 minutes. We were better then and maybe a little unfortunate not to get a goal back before half-time. I thought we were a little careless a couple of times going forward - we didn't pick out the right cross or the right pass. That was the disappointing thing for me."

Even though United entered the break still trailing, the margin was slender enough to encourage Moyes and the watching faithful. The boss said: "The message at half-time [to the players] was: 'Look, we're right in this game. Let's make sure we do things and let's get a goal back as the half wears on.'"

As it was, the better start to the second half was made by City, who piled on the pressure again. But the United boss felt some of his players were the architects of their own downfall as Dzeko stole in to convert Samir Nasri's corner with relative ease.

"I thought we brought it on ourselves," he said. "We didn't play well enough from the back to get it out and then we conceded a corner and the marking let us down. We conceded a goal from a corner when we should have been defending tighter and making sure we didn't concede. The key was that second goal. We started the second half badly and it was poor marking for the goal."

When Yaya Toure rattled in City’s third strike in injury time, it rounded off “another difficult night” for the United manager and meant the Blues matched Liverpool’s victory at Old Trafford nine days previously, goal for goal. “March has been a really difficult month,” he added. “I thought it would be a tough year for us but I hoped we'd be more competitive and closer to the top than we are."

The main positive for the manager was, as per previous defeats, the vociferous support his side received from the stands. "Thanks everybody for the support," he said. "It was great tonight - we had a lot of support for the team during the game.

"I genuinely feel that most people understand that this [United's situation on the field] is something that's going to take a bit of time to alter.

"It can't be something that we're going to do from one Saturday to the next. It's not going to change dramatically in the short time between now and the end of the season."

Rooney: Night To Forget

Wayne Rooney admits Manchester United were distinctly second best against Manchester City and says the players need to forget the 3-0 derby defeat quickly.

United endured a nightmare start on Tuesday, conceding a goal inside the first minute to Edin Dzeko, and never recovered as the title-chasing Blues won for the third consecutive season at Old Trafford.

Rather than dwell on the loss, Rooney wants the Reds to bounce back quickly against Aston Villa on Saturday, in order to restore confidence ahead of next week’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

The striker told MUTV: "It's a bad night and we didn't deserve to win. We weren’t clinical enough and we didn't create enough chances.

"No-one likes to lose a derby game – they're big games and they're great to win, but when you lose it's not a great feeling. For the fans and for us, we have to win more and stay together.

"It was a poor start – I'm not even sure whether we touched the ball before they scored. After that, I thought we did okay and got back into the game a little bit before half-time. But we started the second half on the back foot and their second goal was a killer.

"We've got two big games coming up against Bayern Munich but first we have to focus on the Villa game and try to end the season on a positive note."

While United have the best away form in the Barclays Premier League, this was a sixth defeat of the season at Old Trafford and Rooney was at a loss to explain why.

"I don't know but it's not good enough," he accepted. "We can't lose six homes games in a season and we have to put that right, and make this a place which teams fear again.

"It's probably been the story of our season so far that we've got a couple of good results and then one which sets us back a bit. We know we have to respond. It's a bad night for us all but we have to move on."

United’s fans once again got behind their team and Rooney added: "They were great again tonight. As a team, we need them to be strong and to understand there has been a big change at the club.

"We have to step up and start giving the fans something to cheer about with some good performances and wins."

The Match: Derby Dismay

Following our match report, we take a closer look at the factors that settled the Old Trafford derby in Manchester City's favour...

The match United boss David Moyes said his team had every right to approach the game with confidence after last week’s two wins but City instantly put his team on the back foot with an early Edin Dzeko goal, and they carried a much greater threat than the Reds in the opening exchanges. Only a brilliant David De Gea save denied Dzeko a second but United grew into the first half and both Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata went close. But City assumed control again after the break and Dzeko’s second did not come as a huge surprise. United, with Shinji Kagawa and Antonio Valencia now on the pitch for Tom Cleverley and Fellaini respectively, sought to raise their game but never seriously threatened to get back into it, though Joe Hart kept out efforts from Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney. Yaya Toure’s late goal merely confirmed City’s superiority.

The goals After just 45 seconds, Rafael denied David Silva with a last-ditch tackle inside the box but the loose ball was played out left to Samir Nasri, who cut inside and shot against the inside of the post, leaving Dzeko with the simplest of tasks to tap home the rebound. And the Bosnian made it 20 goals for the season when he escaped his marker to volley home Nasri’s corner. Toure added City’s third when he collected the ball just inside the box, made room for himself and drilled a low shot past De Gea.

Star man Rooney, a constant menace as a lone centre-forward, ran his socks off and did not deserve to be on the losing side.

Sub-plot Aside from all the emotion and local pride at stake in the derby, there was plenty else for both teams to play for in this game, with United hunting a European place and City very much in the title race. But it was the Blues who came out on top to complete a league double over their crosstown rivals, following September’s 4-1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium.

The opposition City manager Manuel Pellegrini surprised some by leaving 23-goal Alvaro Negredo on the bench but the Blues still boasted plenty of potency in attack with Dzeko, Silva and Nasri, while Fernandinho and Toure impressed in midfield. Six points behind leaders Chelsea with three games in hand, City came to Old Trafford to win and, despite United’s efforts, they did just that.

Move of the match A slick first-half counter-attack involving Welbeck and Rooney culminated in Mata being played in on the left of the box, but the Spaniard’s dangerous low cross was cut out by Vincent Kompany.

In the stands The atmosphere was everything you’d expect from a derby – noisy and intense, with both sets of fans trading chants from well before kick-off and throughout the game. The away end was giddy after the early opener but it only amplified the support of United’s fans, whose vociferous support for the Reds never wavered. Dzeko’s second had City’s fans singing ‘Ole!’ every time they touched the ball and it was they who came away with the bragging rights.

Premier League: Man. United 0 Man. City 3

Manchester United fell to defeat in the derby as Manchester City kept themselves very much in the hunt for the Barclays Premier League title.

The Reds showed plenty of fight and endeavour but lacked the necessary guile to break down a confident and free-flowing City side, who came away with the points thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko in either half and a late Yaya Toure strike.

Dzeko stunned Old Trafford inside the first minute when he converted from close range after Samir Nasri’s low shot came back off the post, and he volleyed home his second from Nasri’s corner 10 minutes into the second half, before Toure netted a low effort at the death.

After their early opener, the visitors took a grip on the game, with David Silva going close and David De Gea denying Dzeko with a superb fingertip save. It wasn’t until midway through the first half that Joe Hart was tested for the first time, but the City keeper comfortably clung on to Marouane Fellaini’s shot, before Juan Mata curled over from the edge of the box.

David Moyes brought on Shinji Kagawa in place of Tom Cleverley at the interval but City began the second period as they had the first, and Fernandinho glanced a header inches over before Dzeko guided home the second goal.

It was a game-breaker and, though Danny Welbeck, twice, and Wayne Rooney went close to reducing the arrears – Hart denying them on each occasion – City were able to close out the game with relative ease. And Toure added gloss when he fired past De Gea in the 90th minute to make it five derby wins from six for City in the league.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Sir Bobby Charlton: Moyes Is The Right Man For Man. United

Sir Bobby Charlton is "absolutely certain" Manchester United were right to appoint David Moyes as manager.

United legend Charlton concedes the Premier League champions, who face Manchester City on Tuesday, have played "really, really badly" this season.

But the 76-year-old insisted: "It doesn't mean we are going to change everything. I'm absolutely certain that we picked the right man."

United are seventh in the league with only eight games left.

They lie 11 points adrift of Arsenal in fourth and 18 behind leaders Chelsea, though they are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

They can make up some ground if they beat Manchester City at Old Trafford, but are unlikely to finish in the top four this season.

"We are trying our best to make sure that we can beat them," said Charlton ahead of the derby.

"If we can, it will be a tremendous stride because we've had a bit of criticism leading up to this, but I never doubt Manchester United."

Former United and England midfielder Charlton was one of the famed Busby Babes and made his league debut against Charlton Athletic in October 1956.

Charlton left the club in May 1973 having made 758 appearances, winning three First Division titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup, scoring one of the goals in a 4-2 win after extra time against Benfica at Wembley in 1968.

He also played 106 times for England and appeared in four World Cups, having a key role when England won the tournament in 1966, beating West Germany 4-2 after extra time in the final.

Charlton, who is in Malaysia for the Laureus World Sports Awards, said part of him was "glad" he would not be at the game because he gets "too excited" at derby matches.

"I always try to keep myself together when I'm in the directors' box, but sometimes I have to get on my feet," he said. "That is one of these occasions."

Writing in Tuesday's match programme, Moyes insisted United would soon be fighting for the title again.

"Football is cyclical and it will not be long before we are on the up," he said in United Review.

"At this present time we sit behind City in the Premier League table, but that is something we will be looking to rectify in the future.

"The title race is something we are aiming to be involved in over the coming campaigns, just as we have been in the past."

The Scot, who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson last summer, added: "Until it is impossible for us to qualify for next season's Champions League with a top-four finish, we will continue to try and reach that goal.

Moyes Expects Fellaini Goals

David Moyes is hoping Marouane Fellaini can bring goals to the Manchester United team from midfield.

The summer signing from Everton has still to get off the mark for the Reds after a debut season interrupted by injuries but the manager is aware the midfielders need to contribute more in front of goal.

Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick both have one strike to their name this term but Fellaini, Juan Mata, Shinji Kagawa, Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher are yet to register. With Manchester City star Yaya Toure's hat-trick against Fulham taking his tally to 16 for the league campaign alone, the boss was asked about the threat posed from that area by the Blues.

"I take that point," he admitted. "They have got goalscoring midfield players and it's something which is important - to have goalscorers all over the field who can contribute lots of goals.

"We've got good midfield players. I still think Fellaini can get some goals. He was unlucky at West Ham when he could have scored a header and maybe you could argue he deserved a penalty kick when he went through at the end.

"He's beginning to show signs he can get some goals for us as well but I do agree City have very good midfield players who are goalscorers."

De Gea Inspiration

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea endured a difficult start to life at Old Trafford before blossoming. Ian Watson thinks David Moyes should be inspired by the Spaniard's dramatic turnaround...

If David Moyes requires any inspiration as he attempts to overcome a woeful start to life at Manchester United, the manager only has to glance at the name on the top of his team-sheet.

David De Gea struggled to fill Edwin van der Sar's gloves when he arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2011, just like Moyes is having trouble stepping into Sir Alex Ferguson's shoes. Many feel the 'Chosen One' is under-qualified and lacks the necessary experience for his position at Old Trafford, which are the same accusations plenty of us threw at De Gea when he made a desperately poor first impression.

Two-and-a-half years later, De Gea has made those critics - including me - choke on our words.

While United and Moyes have floundered this season, De Gea has continued to blossom into one of the Premier League's very best goalkeepers. Behind a back four hopelessly inconsistent in selection and form, the Spaniard's performances have prevented the new manager's reign from getting off to an even more inauspicious start.

In my defence, I was certainly not alone in my premature judgement. In The Times, De Gea was described by James Ducker as "a kid who won a competition to play in goal for Manchester United," while Patrick Barclay commented on the same paper’s podcast: "The goalie is like a jelly. He isn't physically capable. He's Heurelho Gomes without the shot-stopping."

Mick Dennis was equally as damning in the Daily Express: "He's called David de Gea Quintana. But don't bother learning all those names. There will be another chap along soon. There has to be."

At the time, it was difficult to make a case against those judgements. Even De Gea's coach and mentor, Eric Steele, admitted in an interview in October’s United We Stand fanzine that the goalkeeper's first six months in England were "horrendous".

Ferguson's faith certainly wavered but despite dropping De Gea twice - midway through his first season and at the start of his second - the manager refused to give up on his £18million project. That, as it has transpired, is one of the few favours Ferguson has afforded his predecessor.

De Gea's importance to Moyes and United was never more evident than last Wednesday night, when he helped United keep a clean sheet against Olympiakos which enabled his side to atone for their horror show in Athens three weeks previously.

De Gea's all-round performance was equally as impressive as his crucial first-half double save. Such reliability when it comes to the more mundane aspects of goalkeeping will surely be what pleases Steele and new coach, Chris Woods, the most.

De Gea's shot-stopping ability was apparent from the start, even through his error-strewn first half-season at United. Saves to deny Stoke's Andy Wilkinson and Jordan Henderson at Liverpool stand out before the defining moment of his debut campaign - a brilliant full-length dive at Chelsea to keep Juan Mata's injury-time free kick out of the top corner with his top hand.

It was the supposedly-routine tasks De Gea struggled with, especially when it involved leaving his goal-line to dominate the penalty area. Looking back now at particularly costly mistakes against Blackburn and Basel highlights his dramatic improvement.

Perhaps understandably given he had only just turned 20 when he arrived at United, De Gea's immaturity - physically and mentally - certainly hampered his start to life at Old Trafford, as Steele admitted.

The coach said: "I told him he needed to train better. There were times in his first season that he trained poorly."

"One issue with him was that he was just 71 kilos. We worked with him on and off the field to make him more powerful. We changed his lifestyle. He would finish training and want to go home. When I told him to come back in the afternoon, he would ask why.

"There were lifestyle issues. He'd sleep two or three times a day, he'd have his main meal late at night. He'd eat too many tacos. We pushed protein drinks on him straight after training. We physically made him drink. We had him in the gym a lot. He hated it."

Steele, who also revealed De Gea was "lazy in his desire to learn English", persevered with the "matchstick of a goalkeeper" who had first wowed him at the European Under-17 Championships in 2007.

The physical results were obvious by the start of his sophomore season. De Gea no longer looked like the waifish youngster struggling to fill his untucked jersey, which made him appear even more spindly when it hung over his shorts.

Despite the improvement in his physique, inconsistency remained. Ferguson benched De Gea for four Premier League games and even after he retained the gloves, questions continued to be asked. Only three clean sheets in 17 games preceded the January trip to Tottenham, when De Gea's poor punch allowed Spurs to equalise in the dying minutes.

In the days and weeks that followed, the media linked countless keepers with United, with the club reportedly resigned to replacing De Gea. Instead, Ferguson defiantly backed his young number one, who was named in the PFA Team of the Year shortly after, and the club have reaped the rewards ever since.

The only blight on De Gea's season so far is the gaffe which saw Phil Bardsley's low drive squirm through his grasp late in extra-time of the Capital One Cup semi-final 2nd leg against Sunderland.

The Black Cats also provided the opposition in October when De Gea made what many consider to be the save of the season; a dive back towards the post he had only just vacated to parry Emanuele Giaccherini's header to safety.

Any best save compilation would have to feature De Gea's stunning one-handed stop to deny Luis Suarez in the second half of United's humiliation at home to Liverpool - the lowest of too many lows for Moyes. So it was lucky for the manager that De Gea remained in similar form for the visit of Olympiakos three days later.

It was also apt that the white latex on De Gea's gloves remained unblemished after his double save against the Greeks, with the kick-save having almost become his signature move.

Few keepers use their feet and legs as the last barrier as much as De Gea, which may be due to his wide stance and gunslinger-style 'set', where his hands stay close to his hips. He shares these traits with many of his countrymen, but though the likes of Victor Valdes and Iker Casillas have hardly suffered, De Gea does seem to be making an effort to keep his hands slightly more forward, therefore drawing his weight forward too. Still, sometimes he remains unorthodox which, as Peter Schmeichel proved, is not always a bad thing. Goalkeeping is an art, rather than a science.

While De Gea is more continental in approach to his shotstopping, the way he dominates his area has become far more anglicised.

Rarely do you see De Gea flap, which was in stark contrast on Wednesday to Olympiakos stopper Roberto, who gave way to De Gea when he made his senior debut for Atletico, aged 18. When De Gea leaves his line, it is usually to catch and in the instances he opts to punch, he uses his newly-chiseled frame to great effect. The goalkeeper and his coaches should take huge credit for that.

The fact De Gea's development has gone unchecked through the handover of power at Old Trafford is also a major achievement.

Moyes raised many eyebrows when he dispensed with Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen, but Steele's exit was perhaps the most surprising. The coach, who now works with Steve McClaren at Derby, learned Spanish to help De Gea and deserves as much credit as anyone for the goalkeeper's improvement.

With Woods following Moyes to United from Everton, it left De Gea without his two most infuential mentors at Old Trafford - Ferguson and Steele.

Goalkeepers are creatures of habit. Christophe Lollichon has been Petr Cech's rock through eight different Chelsea managers and the Czech stopper has certainly benefited from that stability. Liverpool, though, thrust four different coaches on Pepe Reina and he suffered because of that.

Perhaps it is because of De Gea's "calmness, composure and inner strength" - his biggest assets, according to Steele - that the Spaniard did not regress like compatriot Reina did at Anfield. The fact that "nothing fazes him" is surely the reason he got through such a poor start at United, though only those closest to De Gea will know if his coolness comes from an innate strength of character or the apathy of youth.

Even though De Gea is settled in Manchester, Steele admitted to United We Stand that "there are still issues". He did not identify them specifically, but talk of a return to La Liga is rarely far away.

De Gea could guard the United goal for at least another decade. Moyes has spoken of his desire to tie down his goalkeeper to a longer term deal, but does De Gea see his future that way? The former Atletico keeper was quoted as saying last summer that "it is clear that Madrid is my city and someday I would return". The fact his long-term girlfriend still lives in Spain may also eventually become a factor.

However, for now, the future does not seem to concern De Gea and, apparently, nor does anything else. His new manager is certainly not as carefree, but if Moyes can prove his critics wrong in a similar fashion to his goalkeeper, then perhaps he might have a future at Old Trafford after all.

Credit: Skysports.com