Posts for 'Matches' Category

The England captain showed no ill-effects from his injury during a 45-minute Manchester Senior Cup exertion against Oldham Athletic’s youthful second string at Stalybridge Celtic’s Bower Fold ground.

And with the trip to Everton beginning a crucial week of fixtures for United, who face Rangers in the Champions League on Sept 14 before entertaining Liverpool at Old Trafford five days later, Ferdinand is now likely to challenge for a swift return to first-team action after proving his fitness. The 31 year-old has been sidelined since suffering knee ligament damage while training with England in Rustenburg on June 4, a week before the start of the World Cup in South Africa earlier this summer.

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The news is a huge blow to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who regards 19-year-old Rodwell as the next big thing in English football and a future international star. But it will delight Goodison boss David Moyes, who lost Wayne Rooney to United in a £27million deal after he starred at Euro 2004 as an 18-year-old. United had been prepared to pay around £15m for Rodwell, whose wages increase to more than £20,000 a week. Rodwell is primarily a midfielder although he is also comfortable in the centre of defence. He scored his first goal for Everton at 17 and scored his side's third goal in a 3-1 win over United earlier this season. He has now played more than 50 times for the Goodison Park club.

Moyes has said the player could develop into the next Rio Ferdinand, stating: 'He's so comfortable on the ball. He is best in central midfield at the moment but by the time he's 23 or 24, he may be a top centre-half. 'Rio started in central midfield and eventually moved back. Jack has similar qualities. He's so laid-back, he is horizontal.'Rodwell only signed a five-year contract in February last year but due to his progress and interest from other clubs Everton have rewarded him with an improved deal. Only last week Moyes warned his players that leaving Everton was not always the route to success.

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Chelsea stayed at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, while Manchester United made sure the title race would go to the last day with a 1-0 win at Sunderland.

Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard scored Chelsea's goals at Anfield, and Nani's first-half strike at the Stadium of Light kept Man United a point behind going into the final round of games.

Chelsea hosts Wigan and United welcomes Stoke on May 9. United will need Chelsea to drop points if it is to become the first team to win four English league titles in a row. But Chelsea has won 16 of its 18 home games so far, scoring 60 goals at Stamford Bridge.

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Bayern Munich's Champions League preparations for the visit of Manchester United on Tuesday have suffered a setback with an injury to Arjen Robben. The Dutchman injured his calf yesterday during the 2-1 defeat by Stuttgart and is a major doubt for the game. It was Bayern's first defeat at home since early November and ended a run of 10 consecutive home victories.

"It is too early to say whether Robben will make it," said Louis van Gaal. "The doctors need to take a good look at his calf to see what's wrong." Robben underwent intensive treatment today. Ivica Olic put Bayern ahead in the 32nd minute, but Christian Träsch equalised just before half-time and Ciprian Marica headed.

The winner.Arsenal's opponents Barcelona warmed up with a 1-0 victory at Real Mallorca. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for the third successive match to fire Barça to a hard-fought win and send the champions three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

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Another own goal helped ten-man Manchester United salvage a draw at Aston Villa to keep the heat on league leaders Chelsea. Villa opened the scoring in the 18th minute when the impressive Stewart Downing crossed for Carlos Cuellar to head into the net – a move the duo had rehearsed minutes earlier.

Cuellar's beard makes him look a little like Villa's 80s centre forward Peter Withe and the Spanish defender seems to share the Villa Park legend's heading prowess. Another Villa defender got on the score sheet after 22 minutes, but this time the goal brought no celebrations from players in claret and blue; the unlucky James Collins kneeing a Ryan Giggs volley past goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

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Darren Fletcher will miss Manchester United's Barclays Premier League encounter with Burnley at Old Trafford. The Scotland captain was sent off for two bookable offences at Birmingham last week and serves a one-match suspension.

Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves will not be considered despite edging their way closer to a return after long-term absences but Edwin van der Sar is expected to feature for the first time since 21 November. Manchester United team from: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, De Laet, Brown, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Valencia, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Gibson, Giggs, Obertan, Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Welbeck, Diouf.

United's three defeats have all come away but at home they have taken 16 points from a possible 18. Dimitar Berbatov could be fit after a knee problem while Rio Ferdinand (calf) may also be available. But Gary Neville is banned.

Everton's lengthy injury list remains but Leon Osman and Stephen Pienaar have outside chances of returning. Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta remain on the sidelines while Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is suspended.

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Last season Salomon Kalou claimed an 80th minute equaliser, cancelling out Ji-Sung Park's early goal for United, to clinch a 1-1 draw when the teams met at Stamford Bridge. And United have failed to win at Chelsea in their last seven visits in the Premier League. During that period, Chelsea have won four and drawn three, while their last win was in April 2002 when they won 3-1.

Chelsea test Kalou, Yuri Zhirkov, Ashley Cole, Jose Bosingwa and John Obi Mikel. United have doubts over Ji-Sung Park, Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic and Danny Wellbeck while Gary Neville serves the second game of a three-match ban.

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Manchester United's Audi Cup victory over Boca Juniors was marked by the names of their goalscorers, with Brazilian midfielder Anderson, yet to net a senior goal for the Red Devils, scoring from a free-kick, and Antonio Valencia, the winger signed from Wigan Athletic in the wake of the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, slotting what proved to be the winner.

Anderson opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, after Valencia won a free-kick on the right of the Boca penalty area, with a superb strike.The Argentinians barely threatened in the early stages of the game, and United were soon two up. This time it was Valencia himself who scored, the Ecuador international taking advantage of some poor goalkeeping to slot in after showing good acceleration to beat a defender and shoot.

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is jubilant about the performance by Luis Antonio Valencia, who scored on his debut against South American stalwarts Boca Juniors.

The 23-year-old found the back of the net a little before half-time to propel the Red Devils into the final of the Audi Cup. "We're very satisfied with him," Ferguson has been quoted in The Mirror as saying.

"He's a good athlete who has great power and running ability." However, the manager insisted that the Ecuador international will have to improve his strike rate, since his goal scoring record with Wigan Athletic reads as seven goal in 89 appearances.
"His record at Wigan was not good in terms of goals, so we have to think why he's not scored more," he said.

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