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[capodetutticapi]

Premier League Preview: Manchester United – Sunderland
A former Red Devil will bring his new team to his old club...
Oct 2, 2009 4:09:22 PM
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Man Utd.

Kick-Off: Saturday 3 October, 17.30 BST
Old Trafford, Manchester


Victory over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium last weekend sent champions Manchester United back to the top of the table and with Chelsea taking on Liverpool on Sunday, they have the chance to consolidate that position with the visit of Sunderland.

Despite failing to really sparkle so far in this campaign Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have won their last eight games in a row thanks largely due to the impressive form of the evergreen Ryan Giggs.

After inspiring his side to victory last weekend at Stoke, the Welshman took the plaudits again in midweek with a vital contribution in United’s Champions League win over Wolfsburg, a match which also saw him notch up his 150th goal for the club.

Yet the Red Devils cannot continue to rely on the 35-year old who may, indeed, be rested for Sunday’s match after his recent heroics. However, having beaten Sunderland in 12 of their last 16 Premier League meetings, United should not lack for confidence.

Even so, the champions may need some form of inspiration to beat a buoyant Sunderland side who almost held on for a famous win at Old Trafford last season. A terrific defensive performance almost yielded a vital point until Nemanja Vidic popped up in the 90th minute to snatch a crucial win.

Breaking records

Sunderland, meanwhile, are enjoying their best ever start to a Premier League season and a 5-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend will have filled the Black Cats with confidence.

Despite the win, manager Steve Bruce bemoaned his team’s defending after the game, blasting it as “comical” at times, and the visitors will certainly need to tighten up if they are to emerge from Saturday’s fixture with any points.

Yet whilst defensively there are question-marks, offensively Sunderland are a different proposition and with Darren Bent, Kenwyne Jones and former Red Fraizer Campbell on the books, they boast a strike force to fear.

Indeed Bruce has this week hailed his forwards, describing them as “terrific”, and with 12 goals between them already this season, they are certainly delivering the goods.

Of course more will be needed if they are to secure victory over United for the first time since March 1997 - and their first at Old Trafford since May 1968.

FORM GUIDE

Manchester United

Sep 30: Manchester United 2-1 Wolfsburg
Sep 26: Stoke City 0-2 Manchester United
Sep 23: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Manchester United
Sep 20: Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City
Sep 15: Besiktas 0-1 Manchester United

Sunderland

Sep 27: Sunderland 5-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sep 22: Sunderland 2-0 Birmingham
Sep 19: Burnley 3-1 Sunderland
Sep 12: Sunderland 4-1 Hull
Aug 29: Stoke 0-1 Sunderland

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

Ben Foster will replace Thomas Kuszczak in goal after missing the Wolfsburg game. Michael Owen is out after aggravating a knock in midweek so Dimitar Berbatov should regain his place in the starting XI.

Possible Starting XI: Foster, O’Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney

Sunderland

Lee Cattermole has recovered from a heel problem and should start, as will skipper Lorik Cana who has shaken off an ankle knock. However, John Mensah is a doubt with a thigh injury and will have a late fitness test.

Possible Starting XI: Gordon, Turner, Mensah, Ferdinand, Richardson, Malbranque, Cana, Reid, Cattermole, Bent, Jones

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester United – Darren Fletcher

The Scot has been one of United’s key players this season and therefore it was something of a surprise to see his name missing from the Red Devil’s team-sheet to face Wolfsburg in midweek.

Fletcher will surely be needed on Saturday, however, and against a Sunderland side that proved tough to break down last season, his drive and determination from midfield will certainly be required.

Sunderland – Darren Bent

Darren Bent is in superb form with seven goals in his last seven games and he has this week admitted he is full of confidence and playing as well as he has done for years.

Despite bagging a brace last weekend, the forward got a ticking off from his manager for handing spot-kick duties to Kenwyne Jones and he may be keen to make amends at Old Trafford.

PREDICTION

Games between these two have been tight in recent seasons and this fixture looks to be no exception. Sunderland were notoriously defensive on their last trip to Old Trafford, a policy that almost worked, but are likely to be more adventurous this time with strikers Bent and Jones in top form.

Yet that approach may just suit United, who will shuffle their pack from midweek, but should still have enough quality to sneak another win and maintain their place at the top of the pile.

Manchester United 4 -1 Sunderland

[dinho]

if allyuh men honest with allyuh self, allyuh will admit that Ben Foster is shit and there is no reason Tomas Kusczak should be on the bench..

If Kusczak was English he wouldve been playing.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

if allyuh men honest with allyuh self, allyuh will admit that Ben Foster is shit and there is no reason Tomas Kusczak should be on the bench..

If Kusczak was English he wouldve been playing.

You may have a point about the English thing

but he has shown great potential and some stunning performances while on loan and when he got the chance last season and the season before he has done very well...

but he has been poor in his run of games this season..obviously suffering with nerves and confidence

I hope we dont let go of him in the summer as I think he will be a top class GK but he is going through a bad patch at the moment

Anyway VDS should be back very soon... good news for United

[xixgon]

if allyuh men honest with allyuh self, allyuh will admit that Ben Foster is shit and there is no reason Tomas Kusczak should be on the bench..

If Kusczak was English he wouldve been playing.

You may have a point about the English thing

but he has shown great potential and some stunning performances while on loan and when he got the chance last season and the season before he has done very well...

but he has been poor in his run of games this season..obviously suffering with nerves and confidence

I hope we dont let go of him in the summer as I think he will be a top class GK but he is going through a bad patch at the moment

Anyway VDS should be back very soon... good news for United

It's just favouritism on the part of Foster really - because Kuzcack has done nothing not to deserve a shot at the #1 spot as well. If it had been Tomas making all these mistakes - I seriously doubt that Ferguson would have given him such leeway.

Neither of them are likely #1 keeper material (for Utd anyway - definitely not Foster) - but I have more faith in Kuzcack in the goal, simply because he's a more all-rounded keeper.

They're both not the best decision makers or the strongest mentally - but Kuzcack is at least 2 footed, not as rash as Foster, is more calm in goal, as good - if not better a shot stopper and is basically the same age (neither are that young for goalkeepers).

Foster has shown nothing to me in his time at Utd to suggest that he can take over once VDS leaves - he's made at least 1 crucial mistake in every game this season and has shown flaws in every department - Arshavin & Lampard goals (shot-stopping) - Tevez goal (decision-making) - Bellamy goal (positioning) - Jones goal (tenativeness on crosses & in general). He's just not a guy you can rely on when you need a calming influence at the back - this is something which destabilizes not only his confidence, but that of the defenders in front of him - which can only lead to more goals. Give him an easy basic game like against Stoke las week and sure he can look ok - but give him a high pressure fixture and he just wilts. It's not that I think he has potential but just won't fulfill it - I don't think he's that good period.

His spell at Watford I think overhyped him - because he was made to look better on a bad team. When you're the las line of defense on a poor side, and the expectations of you are only so high - you can afford to let in a few as long as u make a few nice saves. At Utd you can hardly afford to make any mistakes in goal - something which I cannot say I don't now expect out of Foster on a match to match basis.

Ferguson has never shown himself to be a great judge of true ability in the goalkeeping department (Taibi, Bosnich, Barthez, Ricardo, Carrol) - and it's unfortunate, but Foster is quickly becoming another one to add to that list. The sooner VDS returns the better - but until that time I'd like to see Tomas in goal for the remaining games - he can't be any worse than Foster's been so far, and I'd really be upset if Foster's left in goal to cost us future points.

[2cents]

I don't ever post in these types of threads for my own reasons, but I have taken a good look at Man Utd over d course of this season and made some observations.

I wanted to c wha impact no Ronaldo would have on d team and after watchin them 3-4 teams my first and biggest observation is that d team have way too many 'needy' players. Ah don't know wha better word to use so excuse my poor vocabulary but i'll explain. They don't really have players who don't need d ball to be successful, matter of fact most of the men in this Man Utd team need to have d ball at they feet to get d best out of them. Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Berba, Carrick, Scholes. Other than Owen and Valencia who like to run in behind ppl and Fletcher and Anderson who are workers d main men need d ball. Look at d goal Ronaldo score for Madrid las week, jus a ball over d top and a finish, Man Utd don't have that in they arsenal. Lookin around d EPL Torres, Anelka, Defoe, Adebayor, Saha etc all these men can play off d ball...they just need one touch to kill you. And yes i know men gonna say Berbatov score off a bicycle but thats gonna happen less than 1% of d time, he needs d ball to be effective. A man like Nani...i think he have major potential but he like Quaresma needs to be in a team almost built around him where he have d ball all d time. So i jus think Sir Alex needs to look for more men who u could jus play a through ball too rather than men who need it at their feet all d time, so one time let me say I don't support any pursuit of David Silva cuz he need it too...there is after all only one ball on d field at a time.

if allyuh men honest with allyuh self, allyuh will admit that Ben Foster is shit and there is no reason Tomas Kusczak should be on the bench..

If Kusczak was English he wouldve been playing.

I support this fully as well, Foster is rubbish...period.

Anderson needs to play...end of story. Scholes is a luxury. Hargreaves will help. bless

[dinho]

when VDS got injured, Ferguson say it is a toss up between Foster and Kusczak..

Foster play one game and look nervy.. Kusczak play one and make some big save.

next thing boom, Fergie bawl he going with Foster.. And is only shit after that.. The Arsenal game to begin with.. then the Man City howler of a game.. Then today's game.. He eh looking good one bit.

Rush Foster when he get a backpass and is madness.. up to today, Vidic play one back to him and he nearly shit on heself... again. Then KJ outjump him for a floater.

Me eh no Man U fan but fair is fair.. How long now Kusczak paying dues?

This is why I never like Fergie, the man does clearly play favorites and this is just the latest example.

[capodetutticapi]

Pogba joins Man Utd after Le Havre row endsAssociated Press

LONDON (AP) - FIFA has cleared French teenager Paul Pogba to play for Manchester United, though his former club Le Havre said Thursday it would still pursue the England champion for breach of contract.

FIFA said Man United could provisionally register Pogba through the English Football Association "with immediate effect" after it issued an international transfer certificate clearing the 16-year-old midfielder to play.

But the decision by a judge working for the FIFA Players' Status Committee does not prevent Le Havre formally asking for an investigation into how United came to sign the France youth international.

"As always, the decision of the single judge was with regard to the authorization to provisionally register the player in question," FIFA said in a statement.

Le Havre issued a statement calling the issue of Pogba's transfer certificate "a nonevent."

"Moreover, and as outlined in the FIFA decision, the issue of the provisional international certificate does not prejudge the outcome of the case," the club said.

Le Havre said it will now ask FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber to rule on the case.

The disputes panel has twice issued transfer bans this year - against Chelsea and Swiss club FC Sion - in breach-of-contract cases involving players who previously had received international clearance.

Last month, Chelsea was banned from signing any players until January 2011 after the panel judged it had lured Gael Kakuta to break his contract with French club Lens.

The London club signed Kakuta as a 16-year-old in 2007 and got FIFA permission to play him - then was punished two years later.

Chelsea and Kakuta were also ordered to pay Lens €910,000 ($1.34 million) and the player was banned for four months.

Chelsea's lawyers are studying the FIFA panel's full ruling before launching an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

FIFA's player status panel granted Sion permission to register Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary in April 2008. But 14 months later, the disputes panel ruled that El Hadary broke his contract with former club Al-Ahly.

Sion was banned from signing players until after the 2009-10 season and ordered to pay the Egyptian club ?900,000 compensation. El Hadary also got a four-month ban.

Sion appealed to CAS despite a request from FIFA president Sepp Blatter to accept the verdict, and the court froze those punishments while it considers the case. A ruling is expected later this year.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

was never worried..we are professionals... we're not Chelsea

[Mad Scorpion a/k/a Big Bo$$]

was never worried..we are professionals... we're not Chelsea

Now is not when yuh need to worry so be easy an keep Blues out yuh mout yute!!

[Cantona007]

Andy Cole Memories... From the Manchester Evening News... a good read.


http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1161922_cole_on_keane_and_sheringham

Cole on Keane and Sheringham

October 08, 2009
IN the second and final part of M.E.N. Sport's serialisation of Andy Mitten's new book `Glory, Glory' about United in the 1990s, Stuart Mathieson takes a look at extracts from the chapter on striker Andrew Cole.

Cole signed for the Reds from then major rivals Newcastle United in a sensational transfer £6m transfer in January 1995, with Keith Gillespie going in the opposite direction.

COLE ON HIS DEBUT SEASON

Cole scored five times in the record 9-0 victory over Ipswich Town seven games into his Old Trafford career but losing out on the league to Blackburn on the final day of the season at Upton Park is the match that stands out in his memory.

"I got a lot of criticism that day," said Cole. "Ludek Miklosko was unbelievable in the net. I hit the post but we couldn't get a winner.

"Those people in the media who had said I had been brought in to win the championship were now saying that I had cost United the league.

"I took too much of it to heart. I was devastated by how much flak I took because it implied that I wasn't committed to United. I was - I'd even missed the birth of my first child to play for United a few weeks before."

COLE ON ERIC CANTONA

"He was the only player I saw who the manager never had a go at. We all went to a film premiere and were told to wear black ties. Eric turned up in a cream lemon suit with Nike trainers. The manager told him that he looked fantastic. I liked Eric and considered him friendly."

COLE ON TEDDY SHERINGHAM

"Our problems started when I made my England debut. I replaced Teddy. I was making my debut. Maybe I was naive, but I think he should have wished me all the best.

"I was nervous, as anyone would be. Instead, he walked straight past me and blanked me. It's not like I told Terry Venables to take Teddy off.

"So I was devastated when Teddy Sheringham signed for United because I couldn't stand him. We played a friendly in Milan in 1997, just after he'd signed. He said something on the pitch. I didn't like it. 'I'm only trying to help you,' he said. 'I don't need your help,' I replied."

Ironically, the striking partnership between the two thrived.

COLE ON ROY KEANE

Roy Keane and Cole enjoyed a positive relationship.

"Not everyone did," said Cole, "but we didn't have a cross word. He knew my character and I knew his. I called him 'Schiz' and got away with it so he must have liked me.

"We came in at half-time at Highfield Road one year. We'd not been playing well and Schiz started raving at Gary Neville. Nev gave it him back and Roy flipped and started chasing him around the dressing room. It was hilarious.

"The manager came in and settled him down.

"We went to Spain one year to train. Schiz always ended up taking Quinton Fortune out with ferocious tackles. The gaffer saw this one and came over, telling him to calm down.

"Roy told him to keep his oar out. The manager abandoned training. The lads couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"I had a set-to with Teddy on the pitch. Everybody knew that Teddy wasn't my cup of tea and I wasn't his. We came in at half-time and it was going to go off between me and Teddy.

"Schiz calmed me down, but then he wanted to start fighting Teddy.

"He could be really, really cutting. He used to hammer Yorkie. During a game. He'd hammer him for his touch. Yet he never did it to me."

COLE ON YORKE

"I liked Yorkie. We were totally different. Dwight was, 'Look at me, I play for Manchester United, I've got a nice bird and car.' I'm the opposite.

"I bought a Porsche one year but was so self-conscious that I couldn't drive it. It took me two months to drive it to training. Yorkey had no such worries."

COLE ON LEAVING UNITED

United signed Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2001. Here, finally, was the new striker who pushed Cole to the sidelines.

"One day I knocked on the manager's door. I'd always had a brilliant relationship with him and he was great in that meeting.

"I told him that I didn't want to be sat on the bench. I didn't want to steal a wage. I wanted fans to come up to me and say that I had put a good shift in for my wages.

"The manager told me that he didn't want me to go, but said, `I know how you are, understand where you are coming from and will let you go.' In hindsight, I should have swallowed my pride."

GLORY, Glory! Man United in the 1990s - The Players' Stories written by Andy Mitten is published by VSP and comes out October 12.

[Pur_Trini]

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/article.html?Edwards_has_debt_concerns&in_article_id=749581&in_page_id=43

Edwards has debt concerns
Thursday, October 8, 2009

Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards has expressed concern about the debt accrued by the club under the Glazer family.

Edwards, himself no stranger to controversy during his time at Old Trafford, resigned as chairman in 2002 but remains an honorary life president at the club, a non-executive role.

"It concerns me that the club are in so much debt," he said. "The club are not in control; that family are in control of the debt."

Malcolm Glazer completed his takeover in 2005 amid much anger from supporters' groups, leaving the club with debts in the region of £700million.

"I can understand where the fans are coming from with their concerns," said Edwards.

"The crunch time will come when they [the Glazers] exit. Will they saddle the club with the debt or just sell the club on for a profit because that's all they are interested in? How will they leave the club?

"I'm not going to make any accusations because up to now they have behaved fairly well, supporting the manager, and they haven't disrupted the running of the club or the personnel. Time will tell."

Edwards recommended a takeover bid from BSkyB, worth £623million, when he was at the Old Trafford helm.

"I thought Sky would have taken Manchester United to a level where nobody could have got near us," he said in a new book by Andy Mitten, Glory, Glory! Man United in the 1990s. "That's why I recommended their offer in 1998. When they approached us, we had gone 30 years without winning the European Cup.

"I felt that they could have pushed us on to the next level."

[Cantona007]

Martin Edwards can f*$k right off...

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

 
 


Villa 2 Chelsea 1

United 2 Bolton 1

BACK ON TOP BABY!

[GunnerStunner]

still think its funny pepe eyes follow the red ball

even funnier, it was a liverpool beach ball too funny

i wonder if manu trying something different this season and try to be the first team to win the league with the most amount of points earned through opposition scoring won goals arsenal and bolton haded manu 6 points so far, who's next?

[capodetutticapi]

Rooney, Giggs, Evra, Park & Fletcher miss Manchester United's trip to CSKA Moscow
Five big names miss midweek trip to Russia...

Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher, Park Ji-Sung and Patrice Evra will all be missing when Manchester United face CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The quintet have been ruled out of the game at the Luzhniki Stadium with a variety of knocks and strains, according to United's official website.

Two players who have made the trip who were originally thought doubtful are striker Dimitar Berbatove, whose girlfriend gave birth in Bulgaria in last week, and centre-back Nemanja Vidic.

Full squad:

Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster; Neville, Rafael, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Brown, J Evans, Fabio; Valencia, Scholes, Carrick, C Evans, Anderson, Nani; Owen, Berbatov, Macheda, Welbeck

[Mr Fix-it]

Ah little off note, anyone can help ah manu brudder out as I'm looking for some baby gear.  De baby coming in Dec and I want to out fit dem right.  PM if you know when I can get some stuff. Thanks

MANU 4 EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Ah little off note, anyone can help ah manu brudder out as I'm looking for some baby gear.  De baby coming in Dec and I want to out fit dem right.  PM if you know when I can get some stuff. Thanks

MANU 4 EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

http://store.manutd.com/stores/manutd/products/product_browse.aspx?category|category_root|1549=baby+and+infants

congrats 

[Mr Fix-it]

Ah little off note, anyone can help ah manu brudder out as I'm looking for some baby gear.  De baby coming in Dec and I want to out fit dem right.  PM if you know when I can get some stuff. Thanks

MANU 4 EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

http://store.manutd.com/stores/manutd/products/product_browse.aspx?category|category_root|1549=baby+and+infants

congrats 

Thanks man

[capodetutticapi]

game live on fsc @ 12:30

[capodetutticapi]

CSKA Moscow 0-1 Manchester United



An Antonio Valencia halfvolley five minutes from time was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Mancester United at CSKA Moscow as they returned to the scene of their Champions League triumph back in 2008.

Nemanja Vidic looked shaky during the early stages of the match, and on five minutes his Sloppy play in the middle of United’s half presented Milos Krasic with an opportunity to attack.  The midfielder proceeded by dummying Rio Ferdinand, but unfortunately for CSKA his struck effort from the edge of the box lofted shot wildly over van der Sar’s goal.

Igor Akinfeev, relatively untroubled thus far in the half, demonstrated a moment of uncertainty on the quarter-hour mark as the Russian goalkeeper flapped unimpressively a deep cross from Fabio Da Silva.

Brazilian midfielder Anderson, under much scrutiny so far this season attempted to impress his manager a fans with a free kick on 25 minutes, but his tame effort made easy picking for Akinfeev.   

Moments later, veteran Paul Scholes hit a far more impressive effort.  Incorporating the much talked-about artificial surface, Scholes hit a strike from around thirty yards which bounced awkwardly in front of Akinfeev, and the goalkeeper could only parry away nervously. 

On the half hour mark, Berezutsky whipped in a cross towards Necid; but the forwards headed attempt was tentative, and van der Sar was able to gather the ball effortlessly.

The best effort of the half surfaced on 38 minutes, but via the most unlikely of sources.  Latching onto a Berbatov knock-back after good initial work from Nani down the left flank, United captain Gary Neville hit a curled effort with his weaker left foot, which flew tantalisingly over with Akinfeev grounded. 

The first half petered out during the final ten minutes with neither side willing to commit too many players forward, and subsequently the half ended goalless.

With the start of the second half, it was apparent that an increased emphasis and willingness to attack had entered the match, with both sides looking to test their opposing goalkeepers. 

United started brightly, dominating the play from the restart.  Nani continued to impress down the left wing, and fired in a delightful cross into the box, only to find that there was no-one in Red at the attacking back post.

Rio Ferdinand continued his stuttering start to the season, losing the ball with a misplaced pass which Necid intercepted.  The striker opted to hit his strike early, but it was a tame effort that drifted wide of van der Sar’s left post.

With ten minutes played in the second half, the match looked to erupt into life, as two key decisions were made in quick succession.  When Berbatov broke into the CSKA box, before going down under pressure, the movements of referee initially indicated that he was about to award United a penalty; but proceeded to book the Bulgarian for simulation. 

Moments later, Moscow had the ball in the net, only for the referee to disallow Dzagoev’s goal for offside to relief of Fabio.  The young Brazilian gave the ball away to Necid, who found Dzagoev in space, but the midfielder was offside when he applied his finish.

Ferdinand was spared further discomfort when he was removed on 56 minutes and replaced by Wes Brown, with Sir Alex Ferguson no doubt preserving the England centre for the weekends match with Liverpool.

A great save from Akinfeev denied United the opener on 59 minutes, as the away side continued to dominate possession.  A superb delivery from Neville picked-out Nani in the box, and the Portuguese winger latched onto to it majestically with a diving header, only for Akinfeev to pull off a world class save, tipping the ball wide at full stretch.

Sir Alex Ferguson looked to capitalise on his sides domination of play, and brought on Michael Owen for the final twenty minutes of the half.  The striker missed a glorious chance to put United a goal up on 75 minutes, after great work by Valencia.  Finding space inside CSKA’s box, Owen had a golden chance from six yards but failed to make contact with the ball to the dismay of the travelling support.

Valencia almost rewarded United with the lead they deserved when on 81 minutes the lightning quick wizard rattled Akinfeev’s crossbar after a great one-two with Nani.

However, the Ecuadorian was not to be denied for a second time.  After more good wing wizardry from Nani, Berbatov’s knocked the ball down to the explosive midfielder, and Antonio Valencia out-paced his marker to fire a half volley past the impressive Igor Akinfeev with less than five minutes remaining on the clock.

United looked to seal the game in the final moments but to no avail. Nevertheless Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted with his sides performance this evening, and more importantly the victory.

[WestCoast]

who buying one of these gift sets for the match tomorrow? 

[GunnerStunner]

i have a sneeky suspicion that shitty liverpool just might poison you lot tomo


but its the same sneeky suspicion i have that rafa is going to cock it up

[triniairman]

Liverpool v Man Utd preview
Liverpool will be looking to kick-start their season when they welcome arch-rivals Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds' 2-1 reverse at home to Lyon in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday was their fourth consecutive loss - their worst run of results for 22 years - and defeat against United would further increase the pressure on manager Rafa Benitez.

As if things couldn't get any worse for Liverpool they face the prospect of going into the must-win match without inspirational captain Steven Gerrard.

The England ace returned to action, having missed the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland last week, against Lyon but lasted just 25 minutes due to the troublesome groin injury he picked up while on international duty.

The hosts will take heart from the fact that they were victorious the last time the Premier League champions visited Anfield with Gerrard and star striker Fernando Torres both on the bench.

Although Red Devils defender Gary Neville insists revenge is not on the cards United must still be smarting over the manner of the defeat at the hands of Liverpool last time out when they were hammered 4-1 at Old Trafford.

United have been dealt an injury blow of their own with the news that Wayne Rooney remains a doubt for the game with a calf strain.

The 23-year-old had said previously that he would miss the game to be at the birth of his first child with the baby expected on the day of the game. However it appears the frontman could be about to miss the match anyway.

United have performed well without Rooney having beaten Bolton 2-1 last weekend and CSKA Moscow on the plastic pitch on Wednesday in the Champions League.

Although both set of players would never admit it victory for United could effectively end Liverpool's title hopes with a possible three points for champions taking them 10 points clear of their rivals and inflicting their fourth Premier League defeat of the season.

Liverpool news
Despite Gerrard being a major doubt, Liverpool do expect to have Torres back after the Spaniard missed the defeats against Sunderland and Lyon with a groin strain.

Glen Johnson was another to miss the Lyon clash with a groin injury but the right-back is hopeful he will recover in time for the visit of United.

Summer signing Alberto Aquilani made his long-awaited first appearance in a Reds shirt when he played 15 minutes for the reserves in midweek but the game on Sunday has come too soon for the Italian international.

Another summer arrival in Sotiros Kyrgiakos is out after suffering a knee injury while playing for Greece earlier this month.


Man Utd news
Despite question marks being raised over Rooney's fitness, United have both Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra back in contention after the pair missed the Champions League match in Moscow.

However midfielder Darren Fletcher remains a doubt with a knee injury while Park Ji-Sung (knee) looks certain to be ruled out.

Rooney's possible absence could hand Michael Owen the chance to start against his former club although manager Sir Alex Ferguson could opt to use Dimitar Berbatov as a lone striker should Rooney miss out.

Nemanja Vidic came through the clash with CSKA unscathed after missing the Bolton match with an ankle problem so he will start again.

Owen Hargreaves (knees) is nearing full fitness but is unlikely to be named on the bench.

Possible starting XIs:

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Agger, Mascherano, Benayoun, Lucas, Kuyt, Babel, Torres.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Giggs, Scholes, Anderson, Valencia, Rooney, Berbatov.
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_preview/0,19764,11065_3162388,00.html

[Mango Chow!]

liverpool will be going down faster than an anchor today.......not quite the result I prefer, but, it is what it is. CHELSEA FOREVER!!

[Bakes]

No Gerrard today... but Torres is back.  Odds are stacked against us but I think we'll acquit ourselves well regardless.

[Mango Chow!]

good to see liverpool enjoying such a good start.....but we know all too well (as manu fans can so painfully attest) that a good start is not enough.

[Warrior30]

de bird sitting next to Gerrad not to bad looking  no wonder he out injured today

[dinho]

good fast paced game so far, with liverpool having the better of it.. Both teams trying real hard to intimidate the referee, probably given its his first game at this level.

there is a player in Liverpool's central midfield that bears a striking resemblance to Lucas.. he playing real good, who is he?

[Mango Chow!]

there is a player in Liverpool's central midfield that bears a striking resemblance to Lucas.. he playing real good, who is he?

 



  Why kuyt didn't shoot de blasted ball?!

[Bakes]

Superb opening hour by Johnson... although as I type that it was his mistake that led to that last break out leading to the United free kick.

Carra's played his best game of the campaign thus far... solid turn by Agger filling in for Skrtel as well.

Torres, Kuyt and Benayoun are having really good games up front... an all around good performance by Liverpool thus far.