Speculation

After 26 years in charge of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson’s honours include 13 Premier League titles, he’s won the FA Cup five times, picked up four League Cups and has guided the club to Champions League glory twice. With that in mind, the next manager has very big boots to fill.

Online betting favourite David Moyes who is now 1/18 at Ladbrokes is contracted to Everton until the end of the season. Many are convinced that it will be Moyes who is named as Fergie’s successor over the next couple of days and if I were to put my money on anyone, it would be him.

Yesterday saw over £50,000 staked on Ferguson’s replacement, with David Moyes being backed from 6/4 to 1/10 – with over three bets a second struck for the Everton manager at its peak.

Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said “It’s been the most exciting morning in managerial betting history. Record sums have been staked and in the blink of an eye the money has put Moyes firmly back in the frame.”

So who else is in the frame?

It’s no secret that Jose Mourinho would love to manage United but a return to Chelsea seems more likely which would see him replace interim manager Rafa Benitez. If given the choice, could he really turn down the opportunity to manage at one of the biggest football clubs in the world? (and I’m not talking about Chelsea!)

One of the other favourites, but not as widely mentioned is Jurgen Klopp who has done an outstanding job at Borussia Dortmund and could still see his team lift the Champions League trophy if they beat Bayern Munich at Wembley.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a favourite amongst the United faithful and after managing Norwegian club Molde to two league titles and was heavily linked with a move to Aston Villa back in May 2012 after they sacked Alex McLeish but Solskjaer turned them down. Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement may have come too soon for Ole, would he be ready to take over immediately?

Unsurprisingly other former reds (and some current) have been linked with the job, such as Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs but none of them are likely to replace the gaffer.

According to the Daily Mail, Rooney has handed in a transfer request at Old Trafford, and is desperate to move at the end of the season.

The England international has been frustrated at playing second fiddle to Robin van Persie at Old Trafford, while the Metro reports that Rooney is also unhappy at the immiment arrival of David Moyes to replace Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rooney and ex-manager Moyes have a rocky relationship following his controversial exit from Everton, and it’s now claimed that he has had enough.

Chelsea are believed to be ready to offer United around £25million for Rooney, while Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG are also thought to be keen.

United would prefer to sell Rooney abroad, rather than to a direct rival, but ideally he would stay next season and speadhead a push for the Champions League under Moyes.

United are expected to raise extra funds by selling players like Anderson, Anders Lindegaard and Kiko Macheda, while you too can get extra funds if you sell your Xbox on musicMagpie.

Wilfried Zaha will be United’s first arrival of the summer, when he completes his switch from Crystal Palace.

“I do not know football without you,

I do not know passion without you,

I do not know loyalty without you,

I do not know winning without you,

I do not know anything without you.”

These must be the gut-wrenching emotions overwhelming the United fans around the world. Red devils born in and after 1986 can’t even comprehend Manchester United without Ferguson. The emotional shock waves felt by the news of the greatest manager in the history of the beautiful game border on the seismic. The serial-winner finally takes his last bow.

Now let’s put some perspective here. When he joined United in 1986, the club was in shambles. It was a ‘sleeping giant’ that had forgotten how to win. There was a non-existent youth system, a first team whose favorite energy drink was alcohol and supporters who had got tired of mediocrity. But the man, whose personality was molded in the shipbuilding yards of the granite city of Govan, changed all of that. The transformation of the club from mid table mediocrity to arguably the biggest club in world sport, let alone football, has been awe-inspiring. Agreed that he was given time, but the size of the task he was faced with was gargantuan. He ripped up the club setup and remodeled it based on his own philosophy. It was his way or the highway. There were casualties along the way, but everything was done with a purpose: To make Manchester United the greatest club in the world, and how he has succeeded!

Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson has won 49 trophies in 27 years at United. The club is now one of the most successful and valuable institutions in world sport. But that is not his biggest achievement. His biggest triumph is the sheer joy he has brought to the millions of Red Devils in the United Kingdom and around the world. He won a lot, but he won with style, panache and daring. The club got back the identity and soul that was lost since the era of the Busby babes. The reason why ‘The United Way’ was revived is solely due to one man. He has often said, ‘We do things the right way at this club’. The ‘right way’ or the ‘United way’ is why the Red Devils are one of the aristocrats of European football. Day in, day out, he has been to office at 6:50 am in the morning till the age of 71, but the fire has always burned bright. The purpose has always been the same: Win, but do it the United way.

The quintessential survivor: From being gunned down by Arsene Wenger’s Gunners to being swept away by the Russian Rubles and the Abu Dhabi oil, he has met every challenge head on. Finally, he has decided to slow down. He has given it all for the club. The greatest managerial career is over. He is revered around the world, he has been immortalized in sculpture, he has a stand at Old Trafford, but finally he gets what he deserves the most: A Rest.

Players will come and go, managers will come and go, but Sir Alex Ferguson will forever remain etched in the fabric, the history and the ethos of Manchester United football club. No eulogy can be enough for him. So, let’s end with the words of his favorite son:

“There can be another Eric, Scholes, Giggs, Ronaldo but there can never ever be another Sir Alex Ferguson.”

– Eric Cantona

As in football, rarely do we see a partnership that heralds such trust, belief, and ultimately, tactical match winning know-how than the truly great centre-half pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

The signs have been there in recent months or perhaps more than a year that these two would gradually be separated on a more regular basis. Only late last season, we were hearing from Sir Alex that Rio had lost a yard of pace, therefore having to use his positional sense more acutely.

In line with this was the six month loss of Vidic. Having suffered a nasty twist of the knee against Basel in the Champions League Group Stage defeat in Dec 2011, he could only grimace from the side-lines as Man.City took a strangle hold on the league title to pip United by a point.

Many fans have strongly contested that had the bedrock of so many past United successes played out those first five months of 2012 together, the noisy neighbours would maybe never had a sniff of the title – a valid point when you see how many goals the Reds shipped, especially in the final ten games, usually a Red Devils strong point.

Yet another factor to take in account is that both players have been captains of United at one time or another as well as for their countries. Born leaders who will always die for the cause is precisely the kind of player that every United die-hard loves. Think back to the amount of injuries which occurred to Bruce and Pallister or Moran and McGrath when throwing themselves in the face of danger after trying to stop a goal-bound effort.

Thankfully, reds fans can look forward to the progression of more talent being fostered once the two giants of European football do finally retire. The increasingly reliable Jonny Evans is now playing so regular, it’s easy to forget how long he’s been there. Hot on his heels are the laid-back ‘Rio-like’ Chris Smalling and the versatile ‘Vidic clone’ Phil Jones.

Despite not quite being up to full scratch just yet, one can look to the future with pride knowing that the next generation of great United centre -half pairings will soon fulfil their promise…not if, but when.

To help them on their journey, they may want to watch hundreds of DVD’s of the current legendary pair from the United archives in an attempt to raise the bar even higher…most notably of the unbeaten run in 2008-09 where the team kept 14 consecutive clean sheets.

Or the match Rio recently claimed as his personal favourite ever performance for United; Highlights of the first-leg away tie against Barcelona in the 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp in 2008.

…and of course they will…if a certain Knight of the Realm has anything to with it.

Rio & Nemanja – We shall miss you both.

Ryan Colley

Could it be time to take a break from domestic games and give some of the European games a go? Let’s take a look at the price comparisons between Manchester United vs. Ajax Amsterdam.

If you compare Man United to, say, Arsenal, you’re already making a saving. Whilst Arsenal are charging up to £1,955.00 for a season ticket according to a report by the BBC, you make a saving of over £1000 when paying for the most expensive Man United season ticket available.

It’s still not cheap though. The cheapest season ticket available is £532.00 which is a couple of months savings for most people, while you’re looking at £950.00 for the most expensive ticket available.

You can always take your chances with a day ticket priced between £30.00 and £52.00, but thanks to the universal popularity of Man United, you’d be lucky to get one. On top of that, your pie will cost you £3.10, a brew will be £2.50, and a programme is priced at £3.00.

If you’re taking the family, it’s an eye-watering prospect. On top of this, travel can cost anything between £5.00 and £100.00 per person.

Now let’s take a look at their European counterparts…

Ajax may play in the Eredivisie, which isn’t as prestigious as the Premier League, but you’ll be in for a treat. This league is renowned for being the best location for passionate, competitive football, so you’ll always get your money’s worth.

The league also tends to charge less for entry to games than any other in Europe. You’ll be looking at around €20 (£17) for the cheapest ticket to watch Ajax play, and €37 (£32) for the most expensive. Included in that price you’ll also receive food credits and a tour of the stadium, meaning for around £40 you’ll be getting a full day out.

Of course travel prices are more expensive if you’re leaving the country, but with flights online from £76 (source), it’s a cheap way to have a mini-weekend away. You should also look around for deals on hotels and board as well, as these can stack up.

The point here is that Phil Jones is in danger of being labeled the quintessential man of all positions. His role needs to be defined clearly and he needs to be given a run of games in that role. It is perfectly okay for him to be doing a one-off man-marking job when United encounter the likes of Ronaldo, but long term he has the ability to be the spine of United’s midfield. His potential partnership with Chris Smalling has been labeled the future bedrock of United’s and England’s central defence  but Jones’s qualities suggest he might have a compelling case to be United’s lynchpin in central midfield. The fact that Jonny Evans is steadily establishing himself as the mainstay of United’s back four might also lead to Jones ending up in the Roy Keane role. He is fast, strong and agile with an uncanny and rare ability to carry out tactical instructions to the tee at the tender age of 21. He has leadership qualities bordering on the talismanic. His tackling is an asset to a certain extent. He needs some refinement on the tackling front but that will come with age. He will need to become more refined, learn that the ‘give it the kitchen sink’ approach to tackling isn’t always needed. Sir Alex might have put on positive spin on it in the media by comparing his approach to Bryan Robson, calling it brave and whole-hearted, but privately he would have had a word with him to be a bit more clever and selective. And finally Jones’s intelligence is the biggest asset for his role in midfield.

We all know that Jones will keep on contributing to the United cause in whatever role he is given, but I am sure the United fans would ultimately like to remember him as a great player, who had the additional quality of versatility, at the end of his United career. It would be a travesty of gargantuan proportions to his talent if he were ultimately remembered as a player who was great because he was multi-purpose.

Youth played a vital part in last Wednesdays well deserved Champions League (second round, first leg) 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu as the likes of Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones and the much derided David De Gea proved the future of Manchester United was in safe hands.

This season, Welbeck has barely featured in the Premier League and on the odd occasion that he has, so far flattered to deceive as Alex Fergusons continued rotation policy allows for each of the four main strikers at the club to show they deserve a place in the starting eleven on a much more consistent basis.

However for Welbeck, a pattern has emerged of late and this match highlighted his rough-diamond talent to its fullest when he put on what could be considered his finest performance in a red shirt against the might of Jose Mourinho & Co. What must be remembered is that Welbeck started the match on the left wing, and it was in this first half which he also grabbed what could yet prove to be all important goal come the second leg at Old Trafford on 5^th March.

Yet whenever the youngster plays as a striker, he seems too overawed and out of his depth, plus when you put his overall ability up against Van Persie, Rooney and Hernandez, it’s little wonder that Sir Alex doesn’t put faith in him more often. His goals to games ratio of just 2 goals in 25 starts is testament to that, which is why many believe he should now continue his career as a winger.

He is clearly blessed with pace to burn, is lean and not afraid to beat a man or three as he has also proved at international level. When played up front, Welbeck is too prone to falling over, or is far too easily brushed of the ball by a defender more physically built. The arrival of a more robust Wilfred Zaha would make an obvious swap in a positional sense and ensure that Welbeck makes up a fast and tricky wingers quartet alongside Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Nani.

As for Phil Jones, we have all heard him being labelled, and perhaps far too soon as the next Duncan Edwards, however such performances as the one against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, Everton at Old Trafford, then again in Madrid underline the reason why United forked out £18m for his services just over 18 months ago.

When you also consider he has barely just turned 20 years of age, and the potential the player is already showing, Jones remains a mouth-watering prospect and a possible future Man.Utd and England captain. An occurrence which hasn’t happened since Bryan Robson’s heyday of the 1980’s.

Then we also have goalkeeper De Gea who has taken more flak this season than any other United player since David Beckham after his world cup 1998 sending off against Argentina. The reasons for this are obvious, but undoubtedly unfair. Let’s take the perspective that he’s replaced a guy who was twice his age and in the sphere of European and World Football, a ‘monster’ who won everything possible in the game at club level, in Holland and Italy before winding up his career on a high in England.

Therefore, if De Gea is as all United fans must surely know, a budding Van Der Sar in the making, he can be forgiven the odd mistake in every other game. The other important factor to take into account is that United have not trusted such an inexperienced goalkeeper as their No.1 since probably before the war (If any red fans can point out who this was and when, it would be interesting to know).

The Spaniard is also having to take his apprenticeship under the scrutiny of the TV cameras and press almost every game and any minute detail is going to be picked on and analysed. Something that no other United keeper has ever had to deal with at just 22. Van der Sar was 35 when he signed for United and even Peter Schmeichel was 27 when he joined in 1991 – Their tender and more error prone years already behind them.

Added to this roster are Rafael de Silva who didn’t exactly cover himself in glory against Madrid and the ever increasingly important Jonny Evans.

Wednesday night aside, Da Silva has proved to be the most improved player at United this season with many of his performances at right-back displaying a maturity beyond his years. One can only hope that brother Fabio follows suit if and when he returns to the Red Devils fold once his loan spell at QPR ends in May.

Centre-half Evans is fast emerging as the man to replace Rio Ferdinand on a permanent basis now that the ex-United captain appears to be slowing in terms of both match time and consistency despite his ability to roll back the years every now and then. With Nemanja Vidic also starting to show signs of wear and tear from years of playing at the highest level, Evans consistency in the heart of defence makes him seem older than his years at just 24.

A superb collection of young players indeed and with Nick Powell, Wilfred Zaha, Shinji Kagawa and Chris Smalling waiting in the wings too, I feel duty bound to quote from a past successful mobile phone advert, but with an added twist.

The futures bright….The futures RED….

Ryan Colley

Team News

Sir Alex Ferguson is set to rotate the squad following United’s 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League during the week. Nemanja Vidic was missing for the midweek game but should return for Monday’s game. Paul Scholes is the only confirmed absentee for Man United.

Reading will travel with an almost fully fit squad with only Jason Roberts and Alex McCarthy set to miss out.

Head-To-Head

Manchester United and Reading have played each other a total of 17 times and it is United who have come off the better in most of the games. Man United have won nine of the games, there have been seven draws and Reading have only won once, which was back in January 1927.

Betting

Manchester United are 1/4 to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup: https://sports.bwin.com/en/sports/4/betting/football

However, if you’re feeling generous you can get odd of 2/7 at William Hill. If you fancy a draw you can put a bet on at 1/6 with Bet365 and finally if you think that Reading can beat United, which the bookies don’t fancy then the best price is with BoyleSports at 1/12.

Form

Man United: DWWWW

13th February: Real Madrid 1-1 Man United (Champions League)
10th February: Man United 2-0 Everton (Premier League)
2nd February: Fulham 0-1 Man United (Premier League)
30th January: Man United 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
26th January: Man United 4-1 Fulham (FA Cup)

Reading: LWDWL

9th February: Stoke 2-1 Reading (Premier League)
2nd February: Reading 2-1 Sunderland (Premier League)
30th January: Reading 2-2 Chelsea (Premier League)
26th January: Reading 4-0 Sheffield United (FA Cup)
19th January: Newcastle 1-2 Reading (Premier League)

Pre-Match Quotes

Sir Alex Ferguson:

“Reading are a team who are showing plenty of fighting qualities, as you would expect given they are down near the bottom.”

“We’ll take nothing for granted. In the FA Cup you always expect the unexpected. You just hope you’re not a casualty or a shock.”

Brian McDermott:

“Monday will give us the opportunity to experience what it’s like. I’ve never managed at Old Trafford before either so I’m really looking forward to the occasion as much as anyone else.

Managers

Sir Alex Ferguson: Man United’s gaffer has managed 1484 games at the club, United have won 887 of the games, drawn 334 and lost 263.

Brian McDermott: Over two periods at Reading McDermott has 166 games at the club, which has seen him win 76, lost 46 and drawn 43 games.

Referee

Andre Marriner

Marriner has taken charge of 25 games this season, showing 74 yellow cards but no red cards. He has refereed two matches involving Man United so far this season; their 1-0 loss to Everton on the opening weekend of the season and United’s 4-0 away win against Wigan.

Harry The Viking, one of Sir Alex’s most prized racehorses is set to compete in this year’s Grand National at Aintree Racecourse. This alone might provide the Reds manager with plenty of excitement, but on April 6, he’s got something else to contend with – the Manchester derby at Old Trafford!

Once in a lifetime

Potentially, this could be one of the best days of his life, as their commanding lead at the top of the table could mean that, by the time they meet City, they could regain the league against their big rivals while winning the National on the same day! On paper, the chances of Fergie clinching the title and Harry The Viking to win the Grand National on April 6 seem remote.
Despite being under the steady hand of master trainer Paul Nicholls, Fergie’s horse is seen as being somewhere in the middle of the pack as far as contenders are concerned. Also, with big names such as Seabass in the field, a place might be the best he could hope for. However, staying the course could put Harry The Viking in with a chance of winning.

Derby day: do or die?

While Fergie may have one eye on Aintree, his focus will firmly be on events at Old Trafford. Despite being so far ahead of their rivals, it’s no certainty that the Premier League is firmly in Manchester United’s grasp just yet. They have a tricky Champions League tie against Real Madrid coming up, plus City have nothing else to play for.

However, there’s a slight chance that if the Reds continue to perform well, they could win the title beforehand. This would mean that both teams would only be playing for pride, but the Manchester derby is still a huge fixture.

There are of course many candidates for this tag. Robin Van Persie is United’s leading scorer, while Nemanja Vidic is often a rock at the back.

Then, you could make an argument for the experience of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes being the most invaluable asset for the Red Devils. However, nobody can quite trump the excellent Rooney.

It may be nothing compared to the loyalty of Giggs and Scholes, but Rooney has been at Old Trafford since 2004. Every season he has grown into more and more of a United legend and it is difficult to imagine the team without him.

Goal-scoring team-mates of Rooney have been and gone during his time at the club. Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dimitar Berbatov are just three names to mention, while it is Van Persie’s term at the moment.

All of these players have benefited by playing alongside Rooney. He creates space and chances out of nowhere for his team-mates and United lose a significant threat when he is injured or suspended.
Rooney has set up seven goals in the Premier League this season – only three players have assisted more – and this says a lot. Goals have then been more consistent during his time at the club.

He is in cracking form at the moment too. Rooney has scored nine goals in his last nine appearances for United, including a brace on three occasions since the start of December.

United have won every single game that Rooney has found the back of the net this season as well. He makes them tick, he strikes fear into the opposition, he creates goals, he scores goals and he works incredibly hard for the team.

United have some truly world-class players, but none of them are as crucial to their success as Rooney. He will keep on giving too – you can never see him leaving the club.

At 27-years-old, he is at his peak and United are reaping the benefits. Set to pass the 150 goal mark in the Premier League before the end of the current season, this is a man that is irreplaceable as Sir Alex Ferguson’s men chase major honours.

There’s only one Wayne Rooney and Manchester United are extremely lucky to have him in their ranks.
Arguably the best thing about him? This article could still be relevant in five years time as Rooney builds his Old Trafford legacy.

Written by Thomas Rooney, editor at Footballtips.com

1. Mr. 15%

Noun

Definition: A person usually seen busily flexing his texting thumb and touting players to football clubs with the ‘magnanimous’ aim of getting the best deal for his client while making a few million quid by himself

Example: Lucas Moura’s Mr. 15% earned a small fortune from his move to PSG.

2. Swoop

Verb

Definition 1: move rapidly downwards through the air.

Definition 2: a club making an offer for a player. It should almost compulsorily be described as a ‘swoop’. Apparently, the club ‘swooping’ is like some Golden eagle while the player is like some Leporid (hare or rabbit).

Example: Manchester United swooped for Wilfried Zaha.

3. Top Top

Adjective

Definition: A term usually used to describe the species of footballers who are ‘triffic’ players and sign for a club for bloated wages in a desperate attempt to avoid the drop. This species is different from the ‘top top top’ players, which are very rare and include footballers like Van Persie, Ronaldo, Rooney, Messi, etc. The ‘top top’ players cost big money while the ‘top top top’ players are rarely for sale.

Example: Christopher Samba is a ‘top top’ player.

4. Sensational

Adjective

Definition: causing great public interest and excitement. It is mandatory for all transfers to be described with the use of the term ‘sensational’ or ‘shock’ at the very least.

Example: Manchester United were linked with a ‘sensational swoop’ for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina recently. Although I am not really sure of the kind of ‘sensation’ felt by United fans. I have a sneaking suspicion it might have been nausea.

5. Raid

noun

Definition 1: a rapid surprise attack on an enemy by troops, aircraft, or other armed forces: a bombing raid.

Definition 2: a rapid surprise attack to commit a crime, especially to steal from business premises: an early morning raid on a bank.

Definition 3: a surprise visit by police to arrest suspects or seize illicit goods.

Definition 4: a purchase of a player. This definition does not exist in the dictionary, but is exclusively used for the transfer window. The intention of its use is not particularly clear. Whether the player’s are illicit goods or suspects or stolen, the surprise involved is also pretty iffy, but the important point is that every purchase has to be described as a ‘raid’.

Example: Manchester City raid Arsenal every year.

The bookmakers have Real a best-priced 8/13 to qualify after the two legs with United at 6/4, which looks a pretty insulting price considering the seasons the clubs are having.

Here are five reasons why United will gain revenge for 2000 and 2003 by ousting Real Madrid in the Champions League knock out phase for the first time:

1) Real are in disarray

The reigning Spanish champions are a shadow of the side that conquered Barcelona in La Liga last term. Coach Jose Mourinho has fallen out with the main domestic influences in the dressing room, especially Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, and looks set to leave the Bernabeu at the end of the season. Real have looked shambolic defensively at times and United will fancy their chances of opening them up.

2) Robin van Persie

The free-scoring Dutchman has made a huge difference to United since his £24million move from Arsenal last summer and the Red Devils have a striker capable of finding the net against any team in the world. Van Persie made a swift Champions League impact, scoring three goals in four appearances in the group stage, and has been so consistent in United colours that it’s difficult to see him failing to add to that total.

3) United have home advantage in the second leg

It didn’t work in 2000 and 2003, but this time Sir Alex Ferguson will be confident his side can produce a performance and result in the Bernabeu that gives them every chance when they return to Old Trafford. United are even more experienced now and know how to approach two-leg ties against their fellow European giants – an away goal or even two in the Spanish capital would give them a great chance of advancing.

4) Cristiano Ronaldo is still loved at United

Ronaldo left on great terms when he headed for Real in an £80million deal four years ago and still texts Fergie. Indeed, there is even talk of him returning when his contract expires. Flair players like him often produce their best when the crowd are on their back giving them plenty of stick, but that won’t happen at Old Trafford because the fans still adore him. Feeling the love may subdue him, playing into United’s hands.

5) United are winning the big games

Liverpool away – three points; Chelsea away – three points; Manchester City away – three points; United’s record in the big games on the road this season is superb and Tottenham would have been added to that list but for a last-gasp error. There is enough maturity in their squad these days to apply the right tactics and approach at the Bernabeu and that record on their travels is sure to worry their opponents.

Written by Jon Wilde from Bettingpro.com

Reading have a tough challenge ahead of them, especially considering that it was Man United who were drawn at home; some sports betting news sites have made Man United the favourites.

The two clubs have already faced each other this season at the Madejski Stadium, with Man United just beating Reading 4-3 after goals from Anderson, Wayne Rooney (x2) and Robin van Persie cancelled out Reading’s three from Hal Robson-Kanu, Adam Le Fondre and Sean Morrison.

The head-to-head stats between United and Reading look like this:

Stats taken from soccerbase.com

Reading manager Brian McDermott reacted to the news saying,

“If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it the hard way, no doubt about it! Listen, going there in front of 70,000 people is fantastic for the lads and the supporters. We’re looking forward to it, being on the touchline next to Sir Alex is always great. I’ve spent some time in his company recently which was great.”

The game will take place on the weekend of 16th/17th February at Old Trafford.

His goal against Sunderland in the 3-1 win mid-December at Old Trafford is a case in point. Devastating simplicity! English football loves the all-action heroic figure in midfield, but Cleverley brings something different. He doesn’t take games by the scruff of the neck. He won’t ever single-handedly lead his team to wins. But what he does bring to the table is the invaluable and underrated ability to just keep the play cohesive. People always marvel at the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ when the quintessential ‘heroic’ midfielder of the Premier League rescued Liverpool from the brink in the second half.

But we tend to overlook the fact that the reason why Milan were 3-0 ahead was because of the acres of space given to Kaka by the marauding of the Stevie G. Now, I have nothing against Gerrard. In fact, I greatly admire the way he plays the game. He scores the screamers, makes the Hollywood passes, leads by example. But, while that is one way to play in midfield, I am more of a believer in the ‘pass and move’ cult of football. Cleverly might not single handedly dig you out of holes, but at least he doesn’t get you into them, which is important when playing in midfield. Although that point is moot for the current season, as United have managed to find a variety of other ways to get into trouble!

Tom hasn’t had it easy at United. He has had to slog his way to fulfill his dreams of playing week-in week-out at the Theatre of Dreams. He served his apprenticeship with back-to-back loan spells with Leister and Watford respectively, before finally getting the chance to play in the Premier League with Wigan. Roberto Martinez gave him a chance in the first team, and he grabbed it with both hands, with superb performances. The beginning of the 2011-12 season, he finally came back to stake a claim at his beloved United. The media and fans had been screaming hoarse for Sir Alex to sign a marquee midfielder. Those screams became just a little less pronounced following Cleverley’s second half showing against Man City in the Community Shield, before stopping all together following United’s blistering start to the 2011-12 season. He forged a promising partnership with Anderson as United threatened to run away with the title. But then, one Kevin Davies tackle later, that momentum was brought to a shuddering halt. Tom never quite managed to regain full fitness or his place in the team for the whole season. He is back this season, doing what he does best. This time it’s the impressive Carrick at the base of United midfield with Cleverley doing his familiar pass and move routine around him. The way they smothered Yaya Toure in the Manchester Derby at the Etihad spoke volumes about the effectiveness of the partnership.

Cleverley’s performances for England have also been impressive. He went against a grizzled and battle-hardened veteran Daniele De Rossi on his debut for the three lions. Yet, he seemed unfazed and came through the test with flying colors. The only fear with Tom playing for England is that the English teams don’t historically seem to appreciate midfielders of his type. The ‘Golden generation’ typifies that when the most talented midfielder of his generation got shoved to the left of midfield to make room for the ‘superstar’ midfield of ‘Lamps’ and ‘Stevie G’. Legends in their own right, but somehow England never seem to appreciate the ‘player’s player’, the one who makes others around them play, the one who makes the team tick. They aren’t necessarily the Greatest Midfielders in the World TM , they don’t provide you with fireworks, but they are simply good footballers in the pure sense of the term, they make the team play. Tom Cleverley is one of the few of that breed. Nobody’s saying he is the best midfielder in the league, and he may never be, but he has that uncanny ability to make United and potentially England tick. Long may it last!

The F.A. Cup Final, May 1999. Newly crowned league champions and soon to be treble winners Manchester United have just clinched their 10^th FA Cup and third double in five years.

An unprecedented achievement by any standards, and one that is unlikely to be beaten, but little did we know then  that this would be the last time a United side would lift the famous old trophy at Wembley Stadium, the home of English football.

And now in 2013 with the nation’s favorite cup competition having been back at the new Wembley since 2007 and an FA Cup 4^th Round tie at home to fellow Premier League side Fulham looming on Saturday evening, what does this seasons tournament hold for the Reds?

Despite not having won the trophy since 2004 in a 3-0 whitewash over Millwall, United have appeared to reduce the FA Cup to lower billing in the pecking order ever since the Champions League win over Bayern Munich all those years ago.

Could this be down to Sir Alex placing much more emphasis on the Premier and Champions Leagues purely for financial reasons? If we are brutally honest, the FA and League Cup rewards do not hold a candle to the former even though they offer routes into Europe, but of course into the lesser competition of the Europa League which the Red Devils clearly did not wish to take part in during last season’s ultimately disappointing campaign.

Man Utd fans will hope that the man from Govan lives up to his recent words in which he claimed his charges were determined to give it a real go this year, especially as a majority of the more senior players at the club are still rankled by having this one anomaly on their trophy winning haul. This statement has been echoed by defender Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, and more recently Michael Carrick.

With two final defeats in 2005 and 2007 plus heartbreak at the Semi-Final stage in 2009 and 2011, our dreams of winning the trophy for a 12^th time and first at the new Wembley would surely be met with much delight by all Reds fans and it would also bring home the message that the boss still does harbour dreams of getting out the Mr Sheen and a dusting cloth ready to give the trophy with the big ears a buffing once more.

United probably have had more ups and downs in the FA Cup than any other team in history, experiencing wonderful highs, but also devastating lows in equal measure and for those of you whose knowledge of the Reds dalliance with the trophy may be sketchy, even the great Sir Matt Busby only ever won the FA Cup twice in 25 years as United boss winning in 1948 and 1963, but suffered two consecutive defeats in 1957 and 1958 coming both before and after the Munich Air Crash.

What is relatively unknown during Sir Matt’s time with the Red’s, is that he also reached the Semi-Final stage only to lose agonizingly in 1962, 1964, 1965, and 1966. The United faithful were then put through the mill again losing to Leeds Utd after a 2^nd replay in 1970 when ex-United player Wilf McGuiness carried the torch, if only briefly.

The best and most important achievement to remember however is that United are still the country’s record holders for most FA Cup wins on 11 and with Arsenal hot on their heels at 10, it’s about time the Red’s re-wrote the history books for yet another occasion.

Ryan Colley

After the game, you could celebrate the result with a game or two at CasinoJuggler

That crown has to bestowed upon a certain Scot who has taken Manchester United from a lacklustre, declining club to a global giant within 26 years and he’s still going strong at 71. Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarkable tenure at Old Trafford has seen our club go from strength to strength, overcoming obstacle after obstacle. He broke our 26 year title hoodoo, delivered two European Cups and presided over one of the most exciting and thrilling teams that English football has been blessed with.

Ferguson has never sought personal recognition. It has never been all about him; it’s been Manchester United 100%. At a press conference in 2011, Ferguson said he hoped one day the FA would appreciate what Manchester United has done for English football; a far cry from Jose Mourinho’s ‘I think I am the Special One’ rhetoric with which he ran Chelsea for a meagre three seasons. Mourinho may be a world class manager, but Ferguson’s undying spirit and selfless attitude compounded by his infatuation to be the best propels him to a level which Mourinho, Guardiola and the like can only aspire to.

One of the key factors in ensuring Ferguson’s continued success is definitely his longevity in the job. Credit to Martin Edwards for the earlier years and despite their massive unpopularity, the Glazers have been wise enough to stick with Fergie; let’s not forget how easily they could have sacked him after our dismal 2005 European campaign and the fact that the Premier League had eluded us for two seasons. Most Premier League owners would have been only too happy to pull the trigger but credit to Glazer, he stuck with the boss and his decision was vindicated with another hat-trick of league titles, three Champions League finals and a Club World Cup trophy. Now that is how you become world football’s greatest manager; longevity and building an empire, both of which Ferguson has achieved in abundance.

His 1,400 plus games as Manchester United boss with a 59% winning rate are unparalleled and we will probably never see such an achievement again because Ferguson is one of a kind. From an apprentice toolmaker in Govan to the manager of a world famous brand is a remarkable feat but he has had to work hard, setting a great example not only to those who work for him, but for those who are watching in the stands every week. Ferguson once remarked that ‘working hard is a great quality…[and] failure’s not a problem, how you deal with it is a problem’ and never have we witnessed the epitome of hard work in football until we reflect on Ferguson’s career at the Theatre of Dreams.

However long he lasts at Manchester United, one thing’s for certain: he will toil for every honour possible as if his life depends on it until the day he leaves. To paraphrase his own words; Fergie, bloody hell!

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Written by Sir Manchester

These aren’t the words of a sports travel agent warning of the perils of overseas national celebrations.

Rather, they can be and often are celebrations of a completely different kind.

Yes, what we’re dealing with here is the coming together of two of the world’s greatest football teams and furthermore, the 2 greatest club sides in English Football history, Liverpool and their arch rivals, Manchester United with both having amassed a total of 37 league titles between them.

With this Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford being spiced up in the media, we are duty bound as supporters of either of these sides to drop everything (even the traditional roast) to scream at and cheer on our idols to victory. At present, the gulf between the teams in terms of league status and outright collection of silverware is somewhat greater than it has been for some year’s, however only a fool will believe the hype that this has any bearing on a fixture where form is almost always irrelevant.

United currently, appear to be still smarting from last season’s late title collapse which came in a manner, highly unlike them despite the form shown in previous campaigns when usually displaying a killer instinct for ending a season so strongly, especially when a Premier League title is at stake.

Not that Liverpool have ever let this reputation bother them, most notably in the last ever season of the old Football League Championship in 1991-92 with visitors United, on the brink of their first championship for 25 years and having run into trouble in the recent clutch of games against apparent inferior opposition such as eventual relegation fodder West Ham, they needed to silence the Kop to keep their title hopes alive on a sunny Sunday April afternoon.

As we all now know Liverpool toppled United 2-0 that day, but the Red Devils were not to be denied for much longer of course.  Something was deeply stirred in the mind of Sir Alex Ferguson that day and as fate would have it, Liverpool have not won the league title since United won their first Premier League and 8^th Overall.

Whether this is down to bad luck or a poor continuation to maintain the level of success they once regarded as their right is debatable, but one thing that is certain and no doubt what every Liverpool fan will tell you is that nothing gives them more satisfaction than turning United over whether it be at home or away apart from the other great twice yearly clash against neighbours Everton.

So what of this weekend’s fixture? Can we expect to see new recruit and instant Old Trafford hero Robin Van Persie continue to steal the headlines or will Anfield bad boy Luis Suarez silence his critics by bagging the winner in front of the Stretford End?

Or could it be the tussle in the midfield between local Scouse hero Steven Gerrard and the Red Devils own Tom Cleverley that wins all the plaudits? Gerrard loves nothing more than to put one over United and all Manc fans will still be having nightmares about the 4-1 home defeat in 2009 which saw Gerrard run up to and kiss the Sky Sports camera after slotting home the equalizing penalty.

In a polar opposite to this, a match winning performance from the 23-year old Cleverley would see him give Fergie yet another reason to keep the Glazer’s chequebook safely locked in his office draw, in spite of widespread claims that Frank Lampard and Wesley Sneijder are being touted as an immediate answer to their lack of goals from central midfield.

One thing we don’t want to witness is a repeat of the same fixture in 2012 when the bitter leftovers of a non-football related incident between Suarez and United’s Patrice Evra that marred the game at Anfield then spilled over a few months later onto the Old Trafford turf both before and after the game overshadowing United’s 2-1 victory.

If by some miracle, we are lucky to avoid this then both sets of fans can look forward to a defending and attacking master class which on their day, both sides are the best at producing anywhere on these shores.

Something tells me, we might just get it…

Ryan Colley

Shipping 32 goals (In all competitions) makes this the most that the Red Devils have conceded before the xmas period since the Premier Leagues inception in 1992 and clearly won’t have aided any MU fans optimism going into Sundays titanic clash of the two Manchester giants.

Not that this will bother the Blues as they look to extend further misery on their local rivals and in the process continue their impressive unbeaten run not only in the League this season, but have also yet to be beaten on their own patch since David Moyes Everton grabbed a 2-1 victory back in the fledgling Roberto Mancini days of Dec 2010, almost two years to the day.

Whatever the outcome of this meeting between the two, it will have to go some way in topping these 5 great Man.City v Man.Utd derby days of the Premier League era. As the game on Sunday is hosted by City, I have listed matches with the Blues as the home team only. Don’t worry Reds fans, even with home advantage, City couldn’t win them all.

1)      Man.City  1-0 Man.Utd (30 Apr 2012) Starting with the most recent bout between these two heavyweights of the English game, this was a match which had huge emphasis on the destination of the title just a few weeks later as City emerged victorious in a derby which unlike recent matches, they totally dominated. With United never getting out of first gear, Vincent Kompany’s header from a cross on the stroke of half-time proved to be a vital stepping stone in clinching the not only their first ever Premier League title, but also their first league triumph since the days of Summerbee, Bell, and Lee back in 1968.

2)      Man.City 0-1 Man.Utd (17 Apr 2010) In the days when City weren’t considered a serious threat to their trophy collecting neighbours, this game had nothing riding on it for Mancini’s men, and an all or nothing feel for Sir Alex’s Red’s as they sought desperately to keep the championship race alive. Chelsea looked to have it all sown up should United fail to collect all three points, which they duly did courtesy of a Paul ‘Archie’ Scholes header seconds before the blow of the referees whistle.

3)      Man.City 4-1 Man.Utd (14 Mar 2004) Starting off in the newly opened Etihad Stadium as they’d left Maine Road, Kevin Keegan’s City blew their arch rivals away once more with a young Shaun Wright-Phillips taking centre stage and sealing his place in City v Utd folklore with a 25-yard stunner which Fabien Barthez could do nothing about.

4)      Man.City 3-1 Man.Utd (9 Nov 2002) This being City’s last ever Manchester Derby at Maine Road, the blues naturally wanted to out with a bang to give their fans long life lasting memories of a stadium that was their home since 1923. And how they did when a Shaun Goater inspired side played United off the park to grab their first home derby win since the famous 5-1 thrashing of United back on 23 Sep 1989.

5)      Man.City 2-3 Man.Utd (17 Nov 1993) When City raced into an early 2-0 lead through two Niall Quinn efforts, Reds fans feared they were about to be on the end of a hiding which was to eventually come on their home turf  some 18 years later. Not on this occasion however, as Utd rallied in the 2^nd half to stage one of the Premier Leagues greatest fight backs. A quick one-two sucker punch from Eric Cantona pulled United level and with just 5 minutes remaining, new signing Roy Keane popped up at the far post to steer home and send the United faithful into delirium.

Just in case you thought it was all bitter rivalry and hatred between these two Mancunian adversaries, cast a thought back six decades or so when for a few short years between 1941 and 1949, City offered United the use of Maine Road as a ground share option while Old Trafford was being rebuilt due to substantial bomb damage during WWII.

Who says neighbours can’t get on with one another?

Ryan Colley

Ok, so QPR had lost their boss and ex-United hero ‘Sparky’ Hughes just prior to match day therefore completing a brace of West London managerial sackings in one week, however this was not the right time to take pity on them and gift another early advantage to the opposing side.

Part of me wonders if there is a conspiracy going on around OT at the moment in that they have this mantra of silently saying to the other side, ‘right we’ve given you a head start now we’re going to show you how good we really are’.

That’s the theory I prefer to go with anyway.

But in truth, its most likely down to the attacking style of which we’ve become so accustomed to with the reds over the years and let’s face it, would we really want to watch a side that gets an early goal then sits back and defends a lead for 80 minutes in a manner Chelsea fans came to reluctantly accept under potential future United boss Jose Mourinho?

I think not…

One things for sure though, if we are to end up with another trophy laden cabinet come May 2013, I wouldn’t imagine for one ‘Fergie time’ minute that any MU fans would argue , especially if the current campaign ends up culminating akin to the treble winning season of 1999.

Was it really that long ago that I was at home toasting our Champions League Final victory over Bayern Munich with glass of champagne whilst laughing at Dwight Yorke prancing around the Nou Camp in a Sombrero?

I wonder if I will be able to sing that old song again when we reach the Semi-final of this season’s Champions League against the arch enemy from Catalan in the 2nd leg back at the Nou Camp…

…’We rolled em’ over, in Barcelona’…

For a change, let’s try not to give the first goal away though, please Sir Alex.

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Let’s start with our current batch of youth players. Centre halves Scott Wootton and Michael Keane have looked solid in the Capital One cup games they have played this season and I was very impressed how they handled big Shola Ameobi and Papiss Cisse in the Newcastle match this season.

Irish winger Robbie Brady impressed on a loan spell at Hull last season and although we haven’t seen much of the youngster, with a record of 7 goals in 11 appearances for the Republic Of Ireland U21’s and scoring and setting up two on his senior debut against Oman I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of the 20 year old. Another hot prospect is young Norwegian striker Joshua King. After a bit of an injury hit start to his United career Joshua has already won 4 caps for Norway’s senior team scoring 1 goal. Another young man to keep your eye out for is midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe who had a successful loan deal with Peterborough last season.

Now moving on to past and present United players who have made the step up from being an exciting prospect to a first team player. Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley are two players who made their breakthrough season at United last season after very successful loan spells at Sunderland and Wigan Athletic in the 2010/2011 season. They are both now England Internationals with Welbeck getting picked for the Euros, scoring a great goal against Sweden in the tournament, and he has won 13 caps for England scoring 4 goals. Cleverley has won 5 caps for England and he was named in Stuart Pearce’s Team GB squad for the London Olympics making 5 appearances.

Players who came through the academy but moved on include Spanish International Gerard Pique, who is rated by many as one of the best centre backs in the world, Italian International Giuseppe Rossi, who was rumoured to be the subject of a £30 million failed bid by Spurs last January, French youngster Paul Pogba, who joined Juventus this summer and Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross.

Yes we do buy big names…what big club doesn’t? But unlike Man City we believe in bringing youth players through and giving them a chance and I honestly believe the batch of youth players we have at the moment are the best we’ve had in quite a while and anyone who says our youth academy has gone stale obviously have not seen how well some of are players have done in recent years.

Hopefully this fresh wave of new faces will prove to be as successful as those from the 90s. If it does then we know where to place our money (betfair.com!) on the title race for the next few years.

This article was written by Derek, you can follow him on Twitter: @thebiscuittaker