Ferguson: Title race still on

Sir Alex Ferguson says there is plenty of life left in the Barclays Premier League title race.
Ferguson says Manchester United are not out of the title race
"It's going to be a really good, tight finish"
- Sir Alex Ferguson

Reigning champions United's defeat to local rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday and Arsenal's subsequent victory over Blackburn Rovers have left Arsene Wenger's team in pole position with a dozen games remaining.

United have slipped five points off leaders Arsenal and the Red Devils face the Gunners and third placed Chelsea within a fortnight in April.

"It was an important weekend for Arsenal in that ourselves and Chelsea dropped points," United manager Ferguson said.

"But points will be dropped by the top teams. There is a long way to go and it makes it interesting now. It's going to be a really good, tight finish.

"It's something the neutrals will all be enthralled by. We know the job we've got to do. Arsenal still have to come to Old Trafford and they have got to go to Chelsea. It's like I said at the start of the season - I think it will go to the wire."

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Man Utd 4-0 Arsenal: Abject Gunners thumped

Manchester United may be lying in Arsenal's slipstream at the top of the table but they gained the high ground in the FA Cup following a 4-0 win at Old Trafford.
Two goals from Darren Fletcher and one each from Wayne Rooney secured their place in the quarter-final.

Arsenal's cause was not helped, however, by Emmanuel Eboue's sending off in the 49th minute.

Both United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger made five changes with vital Champions League matches ahead next week.

It was Ferguson, however, who was left smiling after this rout of their title rivals.

United made a blistering start and it was no surprise they made the breakthrough in the 16th minute following a corner from Nani.

Anderson flicked the ball on and Rooney headed it beyond Jens Lehmann for his 11th goal of the season.

Three minutes later United made it 2-0 after good work by Nani on the left.

The Portuguese player chipped the ball into the area and Fletcher marked his first start in two months by heading home, although his effort seemed to take took a deflection off William Gallas.

It was all United at this stage with Arsenal looking lethargic and out of sorts.

Nani and Anderson were showing good skill while Rooney was bright after missing the derby defeat by Manchester City at the weekend after suspension.

He latched on to a pass from Patrice Evra in the 32nd minute, only to clip his effort wide of the post.

Fletcher then picked out Rooney two minutes later but he failed to test Lehmann from inside the penalty area.

However Wenger must have been alarmed at the amount of room the England striker was being given by the Gunners' defence.

United made it 3-0 in the 38th minute following a pinpoint pass from Michael Carrick from deep.

Nani was alert and skipped goal-side of Justin Hoyte to score with a low drive into the corner.

United started the second half where they had left off with Rooney testing Lehmann in the 47th minute.

A minute later the Arsenal goalkeeper had to look alert as a free-kick from Rooney spun off Fletcher.

Arsenal's problems increased in the 49th minute when they were reduced to 10 men.

Eboue was dismissed by referee Alan Wiley after a clumsy challenge left Evra on the floor.

Eboue refused to believe it and questioned the decision before being led away down the touchline.

United were spraying the ball around, particularly Carrick, and Arsenal were being constantly stretched.

Evra then picked out Nani inside the six-yard box after 58 minutes but his effort was safely taken by Lehmann.

While Lehmann was being kept busy, his opposite number Edwin van der Sar was having little to do.

Rooney could have extended United's lead in the space of a couple of minutes but each time his finish was wasteful.

Arsenal launched a rare counter-attack in the 64th minute but substitute Eduardo da Silva headed over the top following a cross from Cesc Fabregas.

Anderson then found himself in acres of space, only to toe-poke his effort wide of the target.

Rooney came off after 68 minutes and was applauded by England boss Fabio Capello.

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor was introduced in the 71st minute but three minutes later United made it 4-0.

Fletcher scored his second goal of the game with a header at the far post following a cross from the irrepressible Nani.

Adebayor joined Eduardo and Gilberto in the book soon after with United well on top and Nani beginning to showboat - much to the delight of the home fans.

However he took exception to the way he was being marked and squared up to Gallas.

United could have added to their tally but this was a super show nonetheless which secured their place in the last eight.



Fergie: We're back on song


Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson felt the FA Cup drubbing of Arsenal was the perfect response to last week's Manchester derby defeat.
Ferguson told MUTV: 'It was a really fantastic performance. The players looked great. They showed tenacity and the passing was terrific.

'They were so disappointed with themselves (after losing 2-1 to Manchester City) on a really important day. I think all the emotions of the week probably caught up with them.

'But today they've made amends for that with a marvellous performance.'

United ran the midfield, and Ferguson reserved particular praise for Fletcher, who has had little opportunity to shine this season.

'Darren Fletcher is one of these players who always plays well against Arsenal,' he added on his club's TV station.

'I think he's had two man of the matches in semi-finals. Sometimes it's horses for courses and I think it was Darren's day.

'We decided to play three in the middle of the park to control things, which we did very well.

'Some of the passing was very good and the running off the ball was very good. It was a great performance by us.'

Arsenal's cause was not helped by the sending-off of Emmanuel Eboue early in the second half for a high challenge on Nani.

But Ferguson felt Gunners defender William Gallas should also have seen red.

'I thought Gallas should have been sent off,' the United boss said.

'The referee must have a look at that again. He kicked Nani from behind and the referee called both over because they sized up to each other. He should have been red-carded.'

Arsenal seemed unhappy with Nani's apparent show-boating, and Ferguson admitted the Portuguese winger's tricks were somewhat unnecessary.

The Scot explained: 'I agree, I think he shouldn't be doing that, he doesn't need to do that.

'In some ways it shows a great deal of courage to do what he did, that's one side of it, but you don't need to do that.'

Arsenal have a five-point lead in the Barclays Premier League title race, but Ferguson hopes today's result could prove the turning point.

'I hope so, I really do,' he added. 'Who knows? You never know what position both clubs are going to be in but it's certainly whetted our appetite for future games.'

The result was achieved without star man Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Ferguson revealed Ronaldo had a stomach upset while Giggs and Scholes were rested ahead of the Champions League meeting with Lyon on Wednesday.

__________________
The fact is:
when the stomach is hungry, one eats;
when the heart is hungry, one seeks romance;
and when the body is hungry, one desires sex.

United offer trial to Mpoklu
Manchester United are the latest club linked with 15-year-old defender Paul Jose Mpoklu, who has also attracted the interest of Tottenham

The Congolese, from Belgian club Standard Liege, has already had a trial with Spurs, who are keen to sign him when he turns 16.

But now United have offered a trial to the highly-regarded youngster, who has a Belgian passport, and want to snap him up before he signs any formal deal with Liege.

Speaking of the situation, Mpoklu told the Daily Mirror: "I will have to wait a few months before I make a decision.

"Now I have Manchester United to think about too but I did enjoy London and went to the Tottenham-Wigan game and it was fantastic."

Mpoklu is the cousin of Porto defender Jose Bosingwa and gets advice from him.

"I have spoken a lot with my cousin and he gives me good advice," he said, adding: "I love English football, they have great players and the atmosphere in stadiums is amazing."

__________________
The fact is:
when the stomach is hungry, one eats;
when the heart is hungry, one seeks romance;
and when the body is hungry, one desires sex.

Wes craving Euro tie with Lyon

Manchester United cannot wait for the Champions League to resume next week, according to defender Wes Brown

Sir Alex Ferguson's side face Lyon in the first leg of the last 16 in France on Wednesday night.

With this being the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash, United would love nothing better than to lift the trophy as a tribute to the 23 people who died, including eight of their players.

Certainly, their form in the group stages could hardly have been better as they look to emulate the class of 1999.

They managed to get their hands on the trophy with a nailbiting victory against Bayern Munich.

United won their group this season at a canter, recording five straight victories against Sporting Lisbon, Dynamo Kiev and Roma.

Then they had to settle for a point against Roma in December when qualification was already assured.

Two months on and England right-back Brown is anxious for the side to progress to the next phase.

He said: "We have all been looking forward to the Champions League starting again as we enjoy being in all competitions.

"We have played Lyon in the past and every time it has been difficult there.

"Perhaps they are not as strong as in previous years but they can punish you just the same.

"We are happy to be in the competition and want to progress to the next stage."

Lyon recovered from losing their first two group games to pick up 10 points from four matches, including a decisive 3-0 victory against Rangers at Ibrox.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is pleased the second leg is Old Trafford on March 4.

He said: "It's maybe the hardest of the five (possible draws) we could have got.

"Lyon have won their league for the last six seasons in a row - that's an incredible record.

"They've lost some players over the last few years but they're always capable of producing new ones.

"It's important to come back from France with a good result. Then our fans, with Old Trafford at its loudest, can help us go through."

United have registered an additional three youngsters for the competition - striker Daniel Welbeck (17), defender Craig Cathcart (19) and midfielder Rodrigo Possebon (19).

Possebon, who was recruited from Brazil's Sport Club Internacional, made his debut for the reserves in midweek.

Former United star Paddy Crerand was impressed by the rookie's performance.

"I'm looking forward to seeing an awful lot more of this boy," Crerand told MUTV. "He was fantastic.

"He can use both feet, he's very calm on the ball and his passing is very, good. He's a big lad too, so he's strong and can hold off players.

"Players like Paul Scholes are always looking around and know exactly where they want to play the ball before it even comes to them.

"This kid looks as if he could be that kind of player."

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when the heart is hungry, one seeks romance;
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when the heart is hungry, one seeks romance;
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FERGUSON HINTS AT BENZEMA DEAL


Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted that Manchester United could sign Lyon striker Karim Benzema.

The Reds boss watched Benzema, along with his team-mate winger Hatem Ben Arfa, when Lyon beat Sochaux 4-1 in Ligue 1 last weekend.

Ferguson will get a further chance to see the French international when his side face Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday and he has done nothing to dismiss speculation of a move for the forward.

"It is an area we tried to strengthen last summer and I don't think that's left us," Ferguson told the Manchester Evening News

"I have big hopes for Danny Welbeck and he's progressing well but he's young. And we have Frazier Campbell coming back who has done well at Hull, but he's young as well.

"Benzema is only 20 and Ben Arfa is also 20. Lyon produce young players and Benzema is a local boy, which I'm sure gives them pride."

Ferguson though knows the player won't come cheap, rating Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas as one of European football's best negotiators.

"The president is a very clever man," he said. "He's so clever he can sell midfield players (Mahamadou Diarra) for £20m. That's amazing.

"That Jeremy Toulalan he bought from Nantes just sits and does the same job Diarra did. When they sold Michael Essien, they took Tiago then sold Tiago to Juventus for £6m.

"Eric Abidal, £10m for a left back. They're a well-run club."

However Benzema has said he would reject a switch to Old Trafford because he wants to win the Champions League with Lyon.

"A move to United wouldn't be right for me at this time," Benzema told the News of the World.

"I have said I wouldn't leave Lyon until we've won the Champions League and I have no intention of trying to go too quickly."

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A HARD MAN IS GOOD TO FIND

Lyon v Man Utd
Venue: Stade Gerland
Date: Wed 20 Feb
Round: Last 16
Kick-off: 1945 GMT

BIG MATCH STATS
Olympique Lyon and Manchester United's only previous European meetings came in the 2004-05 Champions League group phase. The first match ended in a 2-2 draw in France and the return was a 2-1 win for United.

Six Lyon players who played in those matches are still with the club - Gregory Coupet, Anthony Reveillere, Cris, Juninho Pernambucano, Sidney Govou and Hatem Ben Arfa are the sextet. Manchester United have 10 survivors from those two matches - Michael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher. Cris scored in the opening leg, and Gary Neville in the return.

European history
Lyon's best European performance came in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup when they reached the semi-finals. Their Champions League best is three quarter-final appearances in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. Last season was the first time they had failed to successfully negotiate the last 16 knockout stage.

Manchester United have won three European trophies - the 1967-68 Champions Cup, 1990-91 Cup Winners' Cup and 1998-99 Champions League.

Current European form
Olympique Lyon are unbeaten in four Champions League home matches.

Manchester United have not lost in six Champions League matches. They are one of three unbeaten teams in this season's Champions League. Chelsea and FC Barcelona are the others.

Player and disciplinary info
Anthony Reveillere, Juninho Pernambucano and Sidney Govou (all Lyon) will be suspended for the second leg if they receive a yellow card.

Sebastien Squillaci and Remy Vercoutre have played every minute of Lyon's CL campaign this season. Juninho Pernambucano, Hatem Ben Arfa, Sidney Govou, Kim Kallstrom and Reveillere have also played in all six of Lyon's CL matches this season.

If selected, Ryan Giggs will play his 100th Champions League match and will become the eighth person to reach the century. He made his CL debut in United's 4-2 win against IFK Gothenburg on 14 September 1994.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo is joint top scorer in this season's competition. He has five goals, the same as Inter Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Nani is the only Manchester United player to have appeared in all six of his clubs CL matches this season.

Other miscellaneous facts
Manchester United are currently second in the Premier League, trailing leaders Arsenal by five points. They knocked the Gunners out of the FA Cup in convincing fashion (4-0) in the fifth round tie at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Olympique Lyon were defeated 1-0 by Le Mans in their Saturday encounter in the French league. They lead the Ligue 1 Orange from Girondins Bordeaux, whom they saw close in to one point.

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Champions League - Team news: Ton-up Giggs

Lyon v Man Utd

Ronaldo has recovered from the stomach upset that saw him miss the weekend's win over Arsenal while Giggs, Carlos Tevez and Owen Hargreaves, all rested against the Gunners, will return for the trip to play the French champions. Lyon boss Alain Perrin recalls Karim Benzema after resting him on Saturday, and must choose between Kim Kallstrom and Mathieu Bodmer in midfield. Captain and Brazil defender Cris, who has not played for six months due to torn right knee ligaments, has been included in the squad but is not expected to start.

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Vidic Hails United Squad Strength

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic believes his club represent the benchmark when it comes to squad depth.

The Serbian international says manager Sir Alex Ferguson is spoiled for choice and left with a constant headache about who to select.

Ferguson saw his side secure a 1-1 draw against Lyon last night in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, after taking 22 players to France.

The Old Trafford boss opted to use Wayne Rooney as a solitary striker and play wise old heads Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the middle of the park.

But when Karim Benzema put Lyon ahead in the 54th minute with a stunning strike, Ferguson reverted to plan B.

Giggs and Scholes came off and were replaced by summer singings Carlos Tevez - who was paired with Rooney - and Nani.

United suddenly had a sense of urgency about them and got a deserved equaliser, and a potentially vital away goal, three minutes from time.

Ferguson must have had a wry smile as Nani delivered the cross and Tevez scored at the back post for his 15th of the season, as Lyon failed to clear their lines.

Despite having his work cut out by Benzema, Vidic claims it is United who have good reason to be cheerful and the players to cope with a hectic schedule.

Darren Fletcher may have scored twice in the FA Cup victory against Arsenal at the weekend but he had to settle for being a substitute.

That scenario also applied to Louis Saha, Michael Carrick and John O'Shea - experienced players who can make a difference.

Vidic said: "We are capable of finishing games strongly because we have so much strength on the bench.

"Nani and Tevez made a big difference when they came on."

Vidic claims United have one foot in the quarter-finals going into the second leg at Old Trafford on March 4.

He said: "Lyon have some good players, and Benzema caused us some problems.

"But scoring near the end makes it feel a little bit like a victory."

Ferguson added: "With our attacking options we had on the bench and being 1-0 down, we were always going to make changes.

"You always wonder if a goal will come, but Tevez has given us a good opportunity to qualify."

Giggs, who made his 100th Champions League appearance in Lyon, will take another step towards a potential coaching career this summer.

He was delighted to have joined a select band of centurions - including Paolo Maldini, Raul, Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, Oliver Khan, Luis Figo and Clarence Seedorf.

He said: "I was pleased to get to the 100th Champions League milestone. To play that many is something special, and so it was a special night.

"It is always important to get the away goals and we got it, so we have to be happy.

"The job is half done, and we will need to play well to beat them at Old Trafford. We hope we will finish the job at home now."

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FERGIE WELCOMES GIGGS` INTIATIVE

Sir Alex Ferguson has welcomed Ryan Giggs' enrolment on a key coaching course and indicated he could have a future role to play at Manchester United.

Giggs is due to start studying for his UEFA 'A' licence under the control of the Football Association of Wales in Aberystwyth in June.

At 34, Giggs is United's most-decorated player and he marked his 100th Champions League appearance by helping the club to a 1-1 draw in Lyon in midweek.

He suffered a knock in that first leg match but is expected to recover in time for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Newcastle.

Giggs - as well as other long-serving players Gary Neville and Paul Scholes - could follow Ole Gunnar Solskjaer by graduating from the dressing room to the boot room.

United boss Ferguson said: "Ryan is 34 now and with all players who have had long careers, they start thinking about what they are going to do when they finish.

"Players like Ryan, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes will follow the pattern of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, I am sure of that.

"It is something we will be looking at in terms of a future with us in relation to a position at the club in some shape or form because they have been fantastic examples.

"It they take their coaching badges, it is a further addition to their CV in what they can offer the game.

"There is no doubt when it comes to personality, experience and lifestyle, they are absolutely perfect for a club."

Ferguson is convinced his side can close the five-point gap on Arsenal at the top of the table - but only if they stay at the top of their game.

He said: "We are in a position where we cannot afford any slip-ups now.

"We have to motor on and get a good consistency about us. We know some points will be dropped, and Arsenal and Chelsea are aware of that.

"The name of the game is not to drop as many as them. It is not easy but we have come from behind before.

"In 1993, we were well behind in November but eight points clear at the finishing line.

"What it tells you hopefully is that experience counts.

"Arsenal have an advantage of being five points clear, no question of that, but they also know they have some tough games coming up."

Ferguson is looking forward to locking horns again with Kevin Keegan.

The Newcastle manager is still reminded today of that infamous rant at his United counterpart in April 1996 in his first spell in charge at St James' Park.

That was when the wheels were coming of their title bid and he let rip on television about what he thought were underhand tactics.

Now Keegan has been charged with trying to revive Newcastle's fortunes again - and Ferguson feels he has a difficult job.

"It is not easy getting players in January. That was really Kevin's problem," said the Old Trafford boss.

"He has not really had time to get those in he wanted. He's had to rely on the players he's got.

"I haven't spoken to Kevin for ages. He was out of the game for three years of course. I am looking forward to seeing him.

"People go about mind games and get carried away with it. It is an over-played thing."

Ferguson has a full-strength squad to choose from, apart from long-term injury victims Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre.

The Scottish boss has an abiding affection for St James' Park.

He said: "Newcastle is one of my favourite venues. I have always enjoyed going there.

"Without question, it is one of the football occasions of the season.

"Going to Newcastle at any time is always a passionate game because their fans are passionate.

"Although our record is decent there, we don't take things for granted and expect a hard game. Kevin will be determined to try to get a result."

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A HARD MAN IS GOOD TO FIND

United’s Midfield Dilemma

Pick up a piece of paper, and write down United’s best XI. Picks itself, mostly, doesn’t it? You might be in the Giggs or the Nani camp for the left wing, but I’d bet my bottom dollar that 8 of the names down will appear on everyone’s list. The remaining two? Only the small matter of our central midfield partnership.

This is something that has elicited a lot of discussion in the comment sections recently. I don’t pretend to have the answer or anything approaching it, but what I’d like to do is present my take on the conflicting views and then give you my opinion. Which you can then rip apart (or try to!) in the comments.

As I see it, there are four players (despite Fletcher’s valiant performances recently, he’s never going to be a regular first choice), two general approaches and one big complicating factor. Let’s look at each in turn, and then try to draw the strands together.

The four contenders

All ranked in what I think are the key aspects: Tackling, Ball Retention (I’m thinking here about how well he keeps the ball under pressure, and also pass completion rate), Creativity (what he’s adding to the team going forward), Goal-scoring. I’ve also noted some other relevant points at the end of each.

Paul Scholes
Tackling - 3/10 - has always been dreadful, and is too old to improve now!
Ball Rentention - 10/10 - always seems to have time and space, regardless of pressure, and rarely misplaces a pass.
Creativity - 7/10 - prompts constantly by using the ball quickly and intelligently, but doesn’t crop up in as advanced positions as he used to. Still capable of finding a magic through ball (Milan first leg for Rooney last season, anyone?)
Goal-scoring - 6/10 - again, doesn’t get forward as much as he used to but remains a big threat from range.
Other - getting older now, and you can see the difference in his pitch coverage (and consequently his goal return). Despite everything Fergie says, I can’t see him featuring regularly beyond next season. On his day, though, in a league of his own.

Owen Hargreaves
Tackling - 9/10 - what he was bought for, and what he’s best at.
Ball Rentention - 7/10 - doesn’t try the spectacular, just gives it to his more talented team mates.
Creativity - 4/10 - rarely gets far enough forward to make a difference, and his stock pass goes sideways.
Goal-scoring - 0/10 - not as yet, and with Ronaldo around he’s not going to get many free kicks either.
Other - one word: injuries; we’re not going to see what he’s capable of until he’s fit enough to play 10 games in a row.

Michael Carrick
Tackling - 7/10 - you don’t often see him go to ground, but his positional sense is good and he screens intelligently.
Ball Rentention - 8/10 - has learned a lot from Scholes, but isn’t up there with the master yet.
Creativity - 9/10 - he always looks to pass the ball forward first, and can pick those eye-of-the-needle passes which undo tight defences.
Goal-scoring - 4/10 - picked up the message last season that he needs to contribute, and can score from distance.
Other - a confidence player, who lapsed badly at the start of this season when he found himself dropped for a spell.

Anderson
Tackling - 7/10 - very aggressive hustler, never gives opponents a moment’s peace
Ball Rentention - 6/10 - more inclined to try flicks or dribbles which don’t come off, but not bad.
Creativity - 8/10 - the only one who can beat a series of players and who will play down the channels as well; very good support for the front players.
Goal-scoring - 2/10 - the floodgates must open soon…the potential’s certainly there.
Other - he’s good this season, so god knows what he could be eventually.

The two approaches

I can see arguments for each of these, but they are broadly:

1. Have a first choice pair, who play 75% of the games together, with others providing ability to rotate and cover for injury.

Pros - first choice pair develop instinctive understanding (Carrick and Scholes had this going on last year, as did our whole Treble-winning midfield - they didn’t even need to look up to know where their mate was going to be)
- consistency also benefits the rest of the team, who know exactly what’s coming from the centre of the park.

Cons - Doesn’t make full use of the talent pool and may cause players to leave
- injuries etc have a more disruptive effect
- see the reasons for option 2 below

2. Pick a partnership based on the match you’re going into.

Pros - can tailor the strengths of the individuals to the requirements of the game (eg Hargreaves for big games to shackle dangerous midfielders, Scholes in games where experience is judged key, etc)
- retains freshness

Cons - just look at Liverpool for the downsides of constant tinkering
- players play as individuals rather than a partnership

As I said at the beginning, I can see arguments for both…I’ll discuss further in my conclusion section.

The complicating factor

Is, of course, injury. Scholes has been out for most of the season so far (which has proved to be a blessing in disguise, since it has allowed Anderson to emerge), and Hargreaves has yet to start more than 2 games in a row. Even if Fergie had decided on a first choice pair, this sort of thing makes it very difficult to implement.

Conclusion

I wrote the above without having a strong idea of where I was going - I was as much musing to myself as anything. But I am going to stick my neck out and say that Carrick and Anderson should be our first choice pair for the majority of matches. My reasoning is as follows:

- They both add a huge amount going forward. I absolutely adore Carrick’s instinct to find a piercing ball forwards to feet - Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez are all good enough to receive this sort of ball with a man at their back and do something with it, and are equally likely to be making runs in behind. I think we will get a lot of goals from Carrick’s passing. Equally, Anderson is a good passer of the ball and a potentially superb dribbler (great upper body strength, a la Rooney) who can support the front players.

- They both do enough defensively. Most teams set up very tight against us, and we’re happy to go man-for-man at the back if needs be, so the attacking penetration is crucial (this is the key argument against Hargreaves, other than injury). Which is not to say they can’t come out on top in a midfield scrap, or hold their own in a physical game.

- Carrick - who is the more controversial choice - is a confidence player. Give him responsibility and a long run in the side and he seems to grow into it. He is also a big game player (witness the two Roma games last season, where he was superb in each leg - a defensive midfield masterclass in the first, and a game-bossing, two-goal performance in the second). What he is not going to be is a useful squad player like Fletcher.

- Both are young and not injury-prone - you really can see them playing 30 games a season with each other without disruption, and doing this for the next 5 seasons. Continuity really makes a difference.

I think the nod to flexibility is that in big games against teams with dangerous midfields, we can lose Giggs/Nani and include Hargreaves as a screen, with Anderson detailed to get up and support the Holy Trinity up front when we have the ball.

But what of Scholes? Well, he has a role to play, but he is past his best and seems to be increasingly injury-prone. He doesn’t make those runs into the box as much anymore, either. As an impact player, an experienced head in some big games and a great alternative he will be unbeatable…but I think his star is waning along with Giggsy’s.

So, here’s my plea to Fergie - start Carrick and Anderson in every game possible, and don’t let the embarrassment of riches at your disposal lead you into tinkering.

Source: United’s Midfield Dilemma | Red Rants

__________________
The fact is:
when the stomach is hungry, one eats;
when the heart is hungry, one seeks romance;
and when the body is hungry, one desires sex.

Manchester United's big name players delivered the goods as they moved to within three points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with a scintillating 5-1 win at St. James' Park.

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals apiece and Louis Saha added a fifth in stoppage time as United took full advantage of the Gunners' 2-2 slip-up at Birmingham earlier in the day.

Newcastle got a consolation from Abdoulaye Faye while 3-0 down but they continue their dangerous slide towards the relegation zone as they remain winless since Kevin Keegan returned to the club.

The home faithful arrived with pleasant memories of the famous 5-0 victory over the Red Devils back in 1996, but this Keegan side is a long way from being in the same class as the outfit that destroyed United that day.

Instead, all the class on show was in the United side with Newcastle's endeavour and work-rate being no match for the clinical brilliance of the visitors.

The Magpies scrapped and fought in the opening 20 minutes with James Milner causing problems down the right and Michael Owen doing his best to make a nuisance of himself in the box but United took the fizz out of their performance when they took the lead in the 25th minute.

It was Rooney who sidefooted home from close range as he reacted quicker than the sluggish Charles N'Zogbia to get on the end of Ronaldo's brilliant cross.

Only being one goal down was enough to keep the home fans enthusiastic but the vast majority of the ground was sent into deathly silence when Ronaldo doubled the advantage just before the break.

It was a simple goal as Michael Carrick split the defence with a superb ball which allowed the Portuguese international to race in from the left before calmly placing a low right-foot effort past Shay Given.

Damien Duff had an early chance for Newcastle in the second-half but then awful defending from Faye allowed Darren Fletcher to again put Ronaldo in the clear.

Steve Harper had come on for the injured Shay Given at half-time, but he was outwitted by Ronaldo who coolly rounded the sub keeper before stroking home his 29th goal of the season.

United, who thrashed a then managerless Newcastle 6-0 last month, then showed the Magpies some mercy by taking Ronaldo off in the 67th minute.

However, when Faye had the cheek to hammer home Andy Carroll's header from a corner for a consolation 11 minutes from time, United responded by going up the other end and scoring a fourth.

It was Rooney who got it, and it proved to be the goal of the match, as he curled home a sweet drive from the edge of the area after a poor clearance from Alan Smith.

Both van der Sar and Harper made a couple of smart saves at either end too, but the depressing reality for Newcastle is that the final scoreline was only given a fair gloss when Rooney set up Saha for a fifth in stoppage time.

At the full-time whistle the tannoy played Keane's song "Everything Changes" and for the Newcastle fans still pining for 1996 it must have seemed painfully apt.

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