Broken bridges have been rebuilt by Ferguson and Beckham since their fractured relationship paved the way for the midfielder's £25 million transfer from United to Real Madrid in 2003, but Ferguson has yet to take the step of lavishing the kind of nostalgic praise on Beckham that he has reserved for his successor in the No 7 shirt – Cristiano Ronaldo – since the Portuguese winger's defection to Madrid last summer.

Ferguson might have rolled an eye and cast doubt publicly on Milan's decision to deploy Beckham as a central midfielder following United's 3-2 first-leg victory in the San Siro last month, but the Scot retains a healthy respect for the former England captain's continuing ability to hurt opponents with his peerless right boot. Wayne Rooney, rather than Beckham, is the man Ferguson expects to dominate the headlines in Wednesday's last 16, second-leg tie in Manchester.

But, like the boxer who is wary of the old slugger with the ferocious uppercut, Ferguson admits that Beckham retains the ability to deliver a knockout blow for Milan with the one component of his game that remains as potent now as it always has been.

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MANCHESTER, England—Red Knights, an army of green and gold, a plan to bring down an empire. It sounds more like the plot of a fairy tale than a proposed takeover of the world's most valuable sports, but this is the story behind a bid by rebel fans and a group of financiers to buy Manchester United.

A group of wealthy backers known as the Red Knights announced plans this week to wrest control of the English Premier League club from its American owners, the Glazer family. The consortium, which includes Jim O'Neill, chief economist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and Paul Marshall, founder of London hedge fund Marshall Wace LLP, has joined forces with disgruntled Manchester United supporters.

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Manchester United's gross debt was down yesterday after a report published by Deloitte revealed their revenues topped 300 million euros. Publishing financial results to end of 2009, gross debt at the club fell to £507.5 million (559 million euros).

Despite earning large revenues, fans remained concerned and a consortium of city traders are believed to be interested in raising £1 billion to takeover the company. "We as Manchester United have always been run professionally and will continue to be run professionally." said David Gill to the media today in response to the 'Red Knights' takeover consortium.

The Glazer family, who bought the club by amassing over £700 million debts in their holding company, Red Football Ltd, face renewed protest from fans in the face of this takeover bid. Despite this, Manchester United continue to perform to extraordinary success on the pitch, winning the Champions League in 2007/8 and the Premier League the every year the Glazer family have been at the club.

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Villa were the first ever winners of the League Cup, in 1961, and return for the 50th final. And both teams are making their eighth League Cup final appearances – only Liverpool, with 10, have made more. Liverpool have won the trophy seven times while Villa are the next most successful side in the competition with five wins. United have won the trophy three times, including last season’s success, thanks to a penalty shoot-out success over Tottenham following a goalless 120 minutes at Wembley.

Villa are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but they are at Wembley already and will fancy the chance to cement European qualification. Route to Wembley: Villa: 3rd rd Villa 1 Cardiff 0. 4th rd Sunderland 0 Villa 0, won 3-1 on pens. QF Portsmouth 2 Villa 4. SF 1st leg Blackburn 1 Villa 2. SF 2nd leg Villa 6 Blackburn 4.
United: 3rd rd United 1 Wolves 0. 4th rd Barnsley 0 United 2. QF United 2 Tottenham 0. SF 1st leg Man City 2 United 1. SF 2nd leg United 3 Man City 1.

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has told centre-back Rio Ferdinand that he will have to play less games for the sake of his career, according to the Daily Mail. England captain Ferdinand is injured again with his troublesome back injury and there is little indication of when he will be fit, although Ferguson hopes it will be only a short spell out.

The Manchester United defender will miss the Carling Cup final on Sunday and having been a regular performer for the past few seasons has only made eleven appearances for United this season.  Only twice has he played in two consecutive matches.

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Almost embarrassed himself with sloppy handling from looped deflection in first half. Distribution sub-par and error-strewn. Gary Neville - 6 - Willing runner but Valencia didn't need to use him. Typically tigerish when asked to defend.

Wes Brown - 7 - Played it simple. Won lion's share of header and looked happy with deferential role to Vidic. Nemanja Vidic - 7 - Experience and class steadied the previously shaky United back line. Beasted Cole and Franco a number of times. Uncharacteristic charge forward sparked opener.

Patrice Evra - 7 - Found time to show exquisite dribbling technique. West Ham defenders found it impossible to steal the ball from his feet.Antonio Valencia - 8 - Tremendous first time cross put opening goal on a plate for Rooney. Used intelligence to play deep ball for the second.

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Manchester United: NO complaints over the result against Everton at the weekend -- we deserved to come away with nothing. To see us go ahead early on and then still lose was an unusual sight, but we were masters of our own downfall defensively and in other ways. It's hard to know why we waited so long to get Michael Owen off the bench and that is a bit of a recurring theme this season.

The Carling Cup final is coming up this week and it's going to take our first win of the season again Villa to win the trophy. I'd say they will be confident that they can win it, but at the end of the day ours is the team packed with players used to winning trophies, not theirs. Liverpool: I DON'T think the draw against Man City on Sunday was the worst result we could have had.

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Just hours before Manchester United, Everton’s great tormentors, arrived for their annual parade-ground drill at Goodison Park, David Moyes gathered his players together and informed them the time had come to throw off the shackles of 18 years of oppression. By 2.35pm on Saturday, the champions’ regime had been rocked to its foundations.

Few sides had acquiesced to United’s rule quite as obligingly as Everton. Just twice in the Premier League era had Sir Alex Ferguson come unstuck against sides managed by Moyes and his predecessors. A third defeat in 30 games is hardly a source of shame, but there will be plenty of concern in its nature.

The Gwladys Street uprising was no dogs-of-war affair, no cunning ambush. Everton were simply better equipped, better trained. What will worry Ferguson most of all is that Moyes and his side knew it. The night before the game we had a meeting with the players at the hotel and told them we were going after Manchester United to try and win the game,” said Moyes.

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Both Cole and Chelsea have made the right noises in recent times - saying they do not want to part company. However, it has been reported that negotiations have stalled over the midfielder's salary demands of £120,000  a week.

Cole's contract is due to expire this summer and if both parties fail to come to an agreement, the creative midfielder is certain to attract the attention of some high profile clubs.

According to the Daily Express, the biggest of them all - Manchester United - are looking to swoop. With Ryan Giggs in the twilight of his career, it is claimed that Sir Slex Ferguson is looking for a suitable replacement and that the wily Scot is an admirer of the mercurial Cole. Cole has also been linked with a move to Italy.

THE past met the present last night as David Beckham's Champions League future was left looking like history. Wayne Rooney swaggered around the San Siro before delivering a second-half two-goal show that sent Manchester United to the brink of the last eight. Milan will feel they can stun Sir Alex Ferguson's side on their own patch in three weeks' time. Of course they will.

But not even Clarence Seedorf's exquisite flick five minutes from time will have dented Fergie's belief. Not after Rooney had flattened the Italian giants to ground Siro. Fergie's pride was taken to a new level and the United boss said: "Wayne is in absolutely devastating form.

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