European Capital of Trophies

[shantanu_rooney]

Mourinho shrugs of City claims

By ANDREW HAIGH
Published: 19th September, 2009

Jose Mourinho has told Manchester City they must amass 10 league titles before they can begin to talk about bettering Manchester United. And the new Manchester United manager insists a Premier League and UEFA Champions League double is considered a minimum requirement at Old Trafford this season.

Mourinho, who was appointed as the successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, will do battle against his derby rivals City on Sunday for the first time and the 46-year-old has laughed off claims that Roberto Mancini's affluent outfit are now a bigger club than United.

The former Chelsea manager told The Sun:"They have improved their squad and look a much better team than last year, but to say they are the best team in Manchester is crazy. If they win the Premiership title for the next 10 years in a row then maybe we can talk again, but until then we don't just believe we are the best in Manchester but also the best in Europe. I won't be happy with anything but winning the Premiership and Champions League this year, one of them won't make us happy, that shows just how big this club is."

The Portuguese admits he will enjoy seeing Carlos Tevez again even though the Argentine striker has joined the Eastlands revolution. Tevez, who snubbed United to join the blue half of Manchester in a ?25million move, is all set to start at Old Trafford.

He said: "He is a great guy, the fans loved him, but I am not sure what reception he will get. But whatever team they put out we know we can beat any team in the world with any 11 we put on the pitch. At the end of the day the game represents three points on the way to the title."

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[shantanu_rooney]

Manchester United v Manchester City preview
19th September, 2009

Its the battle of Manchester​

Old Trafford
Kick-off: 13.30 BST

Tale of the game: City are five points behind city rivals United having played the same amount of games. And in Robinho they have a player who has been in form this season and scored four goals. Two seasons ago City did the double over United, who responded last season by winning both at Eastlands and Old Trafford. The game at United saw Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez score in the first half. United still miss goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar and midfielder Owen Hargreaves, while City are without striker Roque Santa Cruz, but Nigel de Jong and Michael Johnson are all closing in on a return.

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING

Jose Mourinho: "You cant say City are the best team of Manchester, becasue we are. We have won many trophies than they have ever seen. Its going to be the best local derby ever and I am very excited about. Hopefully we end up with the right result."

Roberto Mancini: "United are not the same team as they were with Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo. They played well against Arsenal and that was their best performance so far this season. We dont underestimate them but I think we have quality to defeat them at Old Trafford."

TEAMS

Manchester United (probable, 4-4-2): Kuszczak; O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Carrick, Silva, Valencia; Berbatov, Rooney.
Manchester City (probable, 4-4-2): Given; Richards, Toure, Lescott, Vargas; Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Robinho, Barry, Tevez; Mutu.
Referee: Steve Bennett. Matches: 15. Yellow Cards: 50. Red Card: 4.
Last season: City 0, United 1; United 2, City 0.

Betting Odds: Man Utd 4/7, Draw 5/2, Man City 4/1.​

 

[JD10]

Like "The Battle of Manchester" logo:banana2

 

[Ayub 95]

Nice update, can wait for the match to begin. Why doesn't Foster get a few games?

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Nice update, can wait for the match to begin. Why doesn't Foster get a few games?

I gave him some pre-season game but Foster didnt do that well, and then gave Kuszczak a chance in pre-season and he was great and also he played really well in the Community Shield. And since then he has been my first choice until the arrival of Van der Sar

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Fletcher brace sinks City
19th September, 2009

Darren Fletcher and Carlos Tevez battling for the ball​

Manchester United secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over their City rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford. Darren Fletcher grabbed both the goals for United who had too much pace and power for their city neighbors.

City goalkeeper Shay Given prevented United from adding to Fletcher's opener but it was then his mistake that gifted Fletcher his second in the second half. Robinho pulled one back for City two minutes before full-time.

United were ahead in the seventh minute through Fletcher. David Silva had fed Wayne Rooney down the left flank and his low cross found its way to the far post, courtesy of Dimitar Berbatov's flick. Fletcher did not take a touch and stroked the ball inside the near post, his first league goal for United this season.

Gareth Barry attempted to get City back into the match with a run and shot that was saved by Tomasz Kuszczak - but it could have got worse for the visitors. Fletcher had a cross deflected that sliced towards Shay Given's goal and hit the post.

Nemanja Vidic was booked for a trip on Tevez as Manchester City attempted to get themselves back in the match by breaking forward. They thought they should have had a penalty when Rio Ferdinand blocked a Ireland shot.

It made for an open match, and Given kept City within reach with two saves from the top drawer. The first was when Michael Carrick got on the end of Rooney's cross - the ball was behind the Irishman when he clawed it away. Then Rooney met Evra's cross at the far post and punched to safety. Midfielder Silva also tried his luck from long range and curled an effort just wide.

Mancini was forced into a change when Vargas picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Zabaleta. Tevez - booed on his Old Trafford return - got on the end of a Robinho free-kick but his finish went in the wrong direction, then he had another penalty shout when John O'Shea cleared for a corner, which would have been harsh on the Irish full-back.

Ireland got closer with a long-range effort that Kuszczak had to parry away. Mancini sent on Adrian Mutu at the break and the former Chelsea striker came sprinting out of the dressing room first, signaling his intent.

City pushed forward and Kuszczak was required to tip a swerving Tevez half-volley over the crossbar. United's second goal started with Carrick getting out of trouble in his own territory by tricking Zabaleta and Robinho with a sharp turn. He fed goal-scorer Fletcher on the halfway line and the Scot headed towards goal, breezing past Toure and then firing a skidding shot which crept under Given' dive.

Valencia's pace was causing City problems, and Richards picked up a booking for a block when the winger was running at the visitors at full speed. The response from the visitors was to send on Krasic, with Richards making way, while Berbatov had to be taken off after an injury sustained when he tried to clear the ball. Anderson came on to add numbers in midfield.

Robinho flashed a header wide for City as they tried to get themselves back in the match. He grabbed his goal with two minutes remaining when he failed to get out of the way of Zabaleta's shot - the ball struck his ankles and flew past Kuszczak. But City, despite plenty of late possession, failed to find an equaliser - and needed Zabaleta to prevent late substitute Michael Owen making it 3-1 to the hosts in injury-time.

__________________________________________________​

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho: "The first-half performance was unbelievable. We can attack, can score goals and are a delight to watch when on form like that. In the second half we got a bit tired. But we deserved to win the game - I thought we were exceptional."

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini: "It's about decisions. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I always take responsibility, as a player and as a coach. We have to share everything - when we win and when we lose. I thought we tried hard - there is nothing to complain."

__________________________________________________​

Man Utd: Kuszczak, O'Shea, Ferdinand(C), Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Silva(Giggs 87), Berbatov(Anderson 64), Rooney(Owen 84).
Subs Not Used: Foster, Park, Evans, Scholes.

Booked: Vidic, Berbatov, Rooney, Evra.

Goals: Fletcher 7, 56.

Man City: Given, Richards(Krasic 62), Toure(c), Onuoha, Bridge, Wright-Phillips(Mutu 46), Barry, Ireland, Vargas(Zabaleta 29), Robinho, Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Lescott, Kompany, Sylvinho.

Booked: Richards, Barry.

Goals: Robinho 88.

Att: 76,212.

Ref: S Bennet.

Man of the Match: Darren Flecther.​

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Barclays Premier League - Matchday Six Results
20th September, 2009

Diamanti celebrates scoring against Liverpool

Saturday, 19th September 2009

Burnley 2-0 Sunderland
Elliot 10, Fletcher(pen) 41.

Arsenal 2-1 Wigan
Eduardo 25, Bendtner 55 ; Scharner 28.

Bolton 1-1 Stoke
Steinsson 22 ; Lee Cun-Soo 80.

Hull 2-0 Birmingham
Geovanni 52, Vennegoor of Hasselink 53.

West Ham 2-1 Liverpool
Diamanti 7, 19 ; Torres 82.

Sunday, 20 September 2009

Man Utd 2-1 Man City
Fletcher 7, 56 ; Robinho 88.

Aston Villa 3-1 Portsmouth
Heskey 17, 81, Young 35 ; Utaka 78.

Chelsea 3-1 Tottenham
Terry 69, Lampard 78, Drogba 86 ; Keane 15.​

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[shantanu_rooney]

Red Devils through on penalties
23rd September, 2009

Ben Foster: Saved two penalties​

Ben Foster and Michael Owen were Manchester United's stars as the Champions scraped into the fourth round of the Carling Cup by beating Hull City 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Premier League stragglers looked to be home and dry when Geovanni, who had put them ahead after 20 minutes, crossed for the impressive Stehen Hunt to make it 2-0 with nine minutes remaining. But they had not counted on another late show from the Red Devils as Owen climbed off the bench to pull a goal back with five minutes to go and then, with his side down to 10 men because of an injury to Gary Neville, level in the third minute of stoppage time.

Extra time could not split the sides, and it came down to a test of nerve from 12 yards. Tigers skipper Venegoor of Hasselink and Owen both failed, but after Stephen El-Shaarawy had converted the Red Devils' fifth penalty, Foster dived to his left to keep out Geovanni's effort to complete an unlikely fightback.

It was harsh on the Tigers, who dumped Leeds out of the competition in the last round and were perilously close to doing the same to their Premier League counterparts. But for all Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho will have been delighted with the outcome, what transpired before it will have left him with as many questions as answers.

The Old Trafford faithfuls headed away from the Thearte of Dreams on Sunday evening celebrating a derby victory over Manchester City and manager Jose Mourinho completely changed the whole side by giving some youngsters like Joe Dudgeon, Oliver Gill, Marco Ezio-Fossati, Stephan El-Shaarwary their first satrt. But the quality was sadly lacking in the men who did take the field until Hull City had edged their way in front.

The Tigers enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges as Manchester United struggled for any kind of coherence, and the opening goal was far from against the run of play. Vennegoor of Hasselink's flick-on fell perfectly for strike-partner Geovanni, and his firmly-struck right-foot shot was too good for keeper Ben Foster.

Only a last-ditch block from Dudgeon denied defender Kamil Zayatte a free strike at goal eight minutes later, and the home fans were less than impressed. But it was then that the Red Devils finally managed to find their feet, and but for the excellence of keeper Boaz Myhill, they would have been at least back on terms by the time the first half drew to a close.

He dived full-length to claw away Danny Welbeck's flicked 33rd-minute header, then denied Darron Gibson in the final minute of the half - after Park Ji Sung and Marco Ezio-Fossati had gone close. Mourinho, never afraid to make changes, did just that at the break when he hauled Park Ji Sung and Welbeck off and replaced them with David Silva and, to the delight of the fans, Berbatov.

However, Hull City came close to a second goal with 57 minutes gone when Geovanni controlled Paul McShane's cross into space and then thumped a right-foot shot on the turn straight at Foster. The United goalkeeper was left exposed again six minutes later when Hunt and Geovanni combined for the latter to stand the ball up at the far post, but midfielder Seyi Olofinjana glanced his header wide.

Mourinho's men were making little impression, and Berbatov wasted a rare chance when he blazed a 70th-minute free-kick high over. Their woes increased markedly nine minutes from time when Geovanni picked out Hunt inside the box and he volleyed into the bottom corner. But Owen's 85th-minute close-range effort sparked a late flurry and when, with Foster up for the final throw of the dice in the final minute of injury-time, the striker headed Silva's corner in off the underside of the bar, the repair job was complete.

__________________________________________________​

Man Utd: Foster, Neville(c), Gill, Evans, Dudgeon, El-Shaarawy, Fossati, Gibson, Park(Silva 46), Macheda(Owen 70), Welbeck(Berbatov 46).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Carrick, Flecther, Anderson.

Booked: Gill, Fossati.

Goals: Owen 87, 90.

Penlaties Scored: Berbatov, Silva, Gibson, El-Shaarawy.

Penalties Missed: Owen.

Hull City: Myhill, McShane, Zayatte, Gardner, Mendy(Sonko 98), Jokic(Dawson 67), Olofinjana, Marney, Geovanni, Vennegoor of Hasselink(c), Hunt.
Subs Not Used: Warner, Halmosi, Cousin, Mouyokolo, Doyle.

Booked: Gardner, Olofinjana.

Goals: Geovanni 20, Hunt 82.

Penalties Scored: Marney, Dawson, Hunt.

Penalties Missed: Venegoor of Hasselink, Geovanni.

Att: 71,283.

Ref: A Marriner.

Man of the Match: Michael Owen.​

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Red Devils grind out victory
26th September, 2009

Wayne Rooney the goal scorer in action​

Premier League champions Manchester United maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a hard-earned 1-0 win at the Britannia Stadium.

Wayne Rooney's close-range header on 16 minutes proved enough for an fourth straight victory. Stoke City, though, had their chances - the best of which fell to Turkey forward Tuncay Sanli - but they also were indebted to keeper Steve Simonsen, who made a string of fine saves.

The Potterers have performed well against United in recent meetings at Britannia. However, the Red Devils are currently in blistering form and again started brightly. Inside the opening two minutes Manchester United broke quickly down the left, with Darren Fletcher cutting the ball back to Dimitar Berbatov, who drilled a low shot just wide from 15 yards.

Stoke, though, soon rallied and former Red Devil flop Eric Djemba-Djemba was unfortunate to be flagged offside when collecting a quick backheel from Tuncay on the edge of the Manchester United box. The Turkish striker was then sent clear himself, only to again be called up by the referee's assistant on the far side. Tuncay was leading the Stoke line with plenty of aggression, and turned to drill a 20-yard shot just over.

Manchester United, though, were ahead on 16 minutes as Berbatov held the ball up well on the right side of the area and fed a pass out to David Silva. His centre flew across the six-yard box, where Rooney arrived at the far post to glance a header past Simonsen, who was at full stretch and could only push the ball onto the post and in.

Stoke City continued to try to take the match to Manchester United, but the visitors were playing with a high defensive line and used the offside trap well. When the hosts did get in behind The Red Devils defence, they could not find a telling cross into the danger zone.

At the other end, Ryan Shawcross was penalised for handball just outside the area on the right. David Silva tried his luck with a low, 20-yard strike which the Stoke keeper got down well to stop. The hosts replaced Ryan Shawcross, who looked to have picked up a knock, at the restart and were then quickly forced into another change when George Ogararu hobbled off and Carl Dickinson came on.

Rooney came within inches of putting the visitors 2-0 ahead on 54 minutes. The Englishman sidestepped marker Dickinson on the edge of the area, and drilled his shot towards the top left-hand corner. Simonsen was again at full stretch and got his fingertips to the ball, which this time bounced back off the post and away.

Moments later it should have been 1-1 after Stasevich chipped the ball into the area from the right. Tuncay had timed his run perfectly to get a free header at the back post, only to then put it straight at a grateful Tomasz Kuszczak. This was a good spell for Stoke, Djemba-Djemba did get the ball into the net when he collected Dave Kitson's slide pass - but was flagged offside in what looked a marginal call.

However, Manchester United were dangerous on the break as Rooney and Berbatov exchanged passes on the edge of the Stoke box, which sent the Bulgarian striker clear and Simonsen came to the rescue with a fine reaction save low to his left. Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra was the next man to force a good save from Simonsen, the Stoke number two again at full stretch to turn the ball behind.

The Red Devils made a change with 12 minutes left when Owen replaced Berbatov, who looked to have a dead leg, before Simonsen once more pushed a goal-bound strike behind, this time from David Silva. Rooney booted a downward header from Tuncay clear in front of his own net as the Red Devils closed out the match - including four minutes of stoppage time - to stay at second.

__________________________________________________​

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis: "We competed as well as we could and we're disappointed we couldn't get back in it. If we had, it would have been anyone's match, but Manchester United defended very well and got bodies in the way."

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho: "There's room for improvement but I am very proud of what the team is achieving at the moment. I believe we can win it again. We are young, and we have to show we can eke out results."

__________________________________________________​

Stoke: Simonsen, Ogararu(Dickinson 48), Faye(c), Huth, Higginbotham, Lawrence, Shawcross(Wilkinson 45), Djemba-Djemba, Stasevich, Tuncay, Chun-Soo(Kitson 65).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Etherington, Griffin, Collins.

Booked: Huth, Stasevich.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, O'Shea, Ferdinand(c), Vidic, Evra, Valencia(Anderson 36), Carrick, Fletcher(Scholes 88), Silva, Berbatov(Owen 78), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Neville, Giggs, Evans.

Booked: Silva, Anderson.

Goals: Rooney 16.

Att: 27,500.

Ref: P Walton.

Man of the Match: Wayne Rooney.​

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Rampant Owen stars again
29th September, 2009

Michael Owen celebrates scoring his hatrick​

Michael Owen's Champions League goalscoring form continued with a sensational hat-trick, his first treble for Manchester United, as the English champions collected their second win in this year's UEFA Champions League in a lively Group E encounter against VfB Stuttgart.

Amid a buzzing Mercedes-Benze-Arena atmosphere, all eyes were on former England striker Owen as his team-mates tried to involve him from the start. But it was fellow forward Wayne Rooney who had the first attempt after five minutes - turning on a through ball but shooting tamely into the arms of Jens Lehmann.

Three minutes later Wayne Rooney, who put the three-time champions in front. Anderson won the ball in his own half, fed Ryan Giggs down the left and his cross was met by the marauding Rooney, whose brilliant header flew into the corner of the net.

A minute later, Owen showed the crowd what he could do, with a run from deep only for his shot to be cleared for a corner. Six minutes later he was at it again, picking the ball up on the edge of the Stuttgart area, showing Arthur Boka a clean pair of heels, evading the on-rushing goalkeeper but lifting his shot over the bar.

Owen eventually made it 2-0 just three minutes later, latching on to a perfect pass from Rooney and rocketing home his shot from the edge of the area. The German giants tried to hit back and won a corner in the 27th minute. The cross was met by Salomon Kalou, who buried his effort only for it to be ruled out by the referee because the corner had floated out of play.

That scare spurred United on, and they took the ball upfield with Giggs who passed to the inform Owen. He dummied the defence with ease and fired in ruthlessly from 20 metres out. Now everything the former England striker touched seemed like genius to an almost disbelieving Mercedes-Benz Arena and ofcourse Fabio Capello who was watching from the stands. His vision in the 37th minute put Park Ji Sung in sight of goal, but the Korean’s shot whistled wide.

United looked comfortable going into the second period, but within a minute of the restart Stuttgart gave their home fans something to cheer. United failed to clear a corner leaving Cacau to score from close range.

Four minutes later United restored their three-goal cushion after winning a free-kick on the edge of the visitors' area. Despite the presence of freekick specialists, it was Owen who placed the ball down and skilfully chipped over the wall to claim a superb hat-trick.

Stuttgart refused to lie down, however, and scored a deserved second when United failed to clear a corner conceded in somewhat bizarre fashion by Owen, who booted the ball behind from 35 metres out. Goalkeeper Ben Foster parried the first effort, but the ever-dangerous Cacau collected the rebound and finished off with an effort which crept inside the post for his second of the game.

The German side continued to press but United’s best defender on the field Nemanja Vidic got in on the act himself ten minutes from time. He controlled a cross from substitute Antonio Valencia on his chest, and smashed the ball in to end the hopes of the hosts.

A minute later it was 6-2 with Owen turning provider. He expertly headed a defensive clearance into the path of Park Ji-Sung, who stroked the ball past Lehmann to complete the scoring.

__________________________________________________​

Stuttgart: Lehmann, Celozzi(Kirilov 63), Delpierre, Boulahrouz, Boka, Hleb(Vogler 71), Kuzmanovic, Hitzlsperger(c), Kalou, Pogrebnyak(Rapp 81), Cacau.
Subs Not Used: Herzog, Gerber, Klein, Hess.

Booked: Boulahrouz, Pogrebnyak, Rapp.

Goals: Cacau 47, 60.

Man Utd: Foster, Neville(O'Shea 78), Vidic, Evans, Evra, Park, Anderson, Scholes, Giggs(Silva 88), Rooney(Valencia 70), Owen.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Carrick, Ferdinand.

Booked: Vidic.

Goals: Rooney 7, Owen 18, 27, 56, Vidic 79, Park 82.

Att: 51,709.

Ref: J Lapperriere.

Man of the Match: Michael Owen.​

 

[shantanu_rooney]

UEFA Champions League - Matchday Two Results
29th September, 2009

Alessandro Del Piero rescues a point against Barcelona

Tuesday, 29th September 2009

Group E
Rangers 1-0 FC RB Salzburg
Boyd 29.

Stuttgart 2-6 Man Utd
Cacau 47, 60 ; Rooney 7, Owen 18, 27, 56, Vidic 79, Park 82.

Group F
Dinamo Zagreb 2-3 Dinamo Kiev
Fedorov 28, Vrodljak 90+4 ; Valyaev 31, Jaliens 36, Milevskyi 61.

Juventus 1-1 Barcelona
Del Piero 80 ; Xavi 49, Toure(s/o) 83.

Group G
AC Milan 0-0 Standard

AZ 3-0 Kobenhavn
El Hamdaou 70, 81, Holman 79.

Group H
Arsenal 3-1 Rubin
van Persie 72, Bendtner 75, Fabregas 81; Stepin 68.

Bordeaux 2-0 FC Porto
Gourcuff(pen) 45+3, Cavenaghi 72.​

​

 

[hedger_14]

Good hattrick for Owen there. Good 6-2 win there. I actually have chosen Foster over Kuszczak as he has been in fine form only conceding 2 goals in the 8 matches he has started in this season (including friendlies). Kuszczak has only conceded 1 goal from 3 friendly starts though.

How long is Van der Sar expected to be out on your game now.

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Good hattrick for Owen there. Good 6-2 win there. I actually have chosen Foster over Kuszczak as he has been in fine form only conceding 2 goals in the 8 matches he has started in this season (including friendlies). Kuszczak has only conceded 1 goal from 3 friendly starts though.

How long is Van der Sar expected to be out on your game now.

He will be back in 2 games, 8 weeks was when I started the game, but I want him to get full fitness and so he will be playing a couple of games in the reserves.

 

[mattfb]

Top quality win for United, Owen played real well. I probably would of preferred if it was more like: "Bad loss for United, Owen was terrible" though

Good work mate.

 

[MaD]

I can't really be stuffed to read it, but I have to say, it looks really attractive