Manchester United FC

[Laurencioso]

Originally Posted by den525player

yeah the league might be over by than... because he won it already but he will only miss 4 games... boro, roma, arsenal and blackburn. he will be back for the important game against chelsea and (the winner of schalke and barcelona). so it is kinda like a break. lucky we have back up.

rumour has it that gary neville might return... he wasn't going to return this season unless there is an injury in the back line and he will return if needed.... so he might return but i think Pique can do the job in the middle or brown in the middle and o'shea at right back...

If I had to choose I would rather have Neville on the right than O'shea to be honest.

[MaschPotato]

Sorry to intervene but Nevilles a load of ****e..O Shea and Brown are better

[fitz15]

o shea is not good enough, hargreaves right back is what we need to do. and to be fair neville was class but probably not anymore since he hasnt played in a year.

[DannyB]

Vidic will miss 4 games and should be back for the Blackburn game/the semis of the UCL. We'll miss him but we ahve Brown(hargreaves at RB), O'shea and Pique so plenty of cover

[.DJ]

yep

[den525player]

yeah there is plenty of cover but IF we need neville he should be available... but not fully fit.. maybe 90% he is our club captain so he will play if he think he is good enough... i would probably play hargreaves at RB as well... his over lapping runs are better that o'shea's... i find john's overlapping runs not very good.

[.DJ]

Originally Posted by den525player

... i would probably play hargreaves at RB as well... his over lapping runs are better that o'shea's... i find john's overlapping runs not very good.

Agreed. Or we could have him on the bench. Or we could have it like this:
RB: Hargreaves
CB: Brown
CB:Ferdinand
LB: Evra

[.DJ]

From BBC SPORT FOOTBALL

Neville returns to Man Utd squad


Neville has not played first team football since March last year

Gary Neville is back in Manchester United's squad for the first time in 13 months for the visit to Middlesbrough.
The 33-year-old club captain has recovered from a long-standing ankle problem and played 90 minutes for the reserves on Monday against Newcastle.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "It has been a long road back for Gary.
"It is not easy at his age but his enthusiasm for the game and his determination to get back gives you the most encouragement about him."

606: DEBATE
How important is Gary Neville to Man Utd?

Ferguson added: "I think he will figure in some games this season. His personality and experience will help us. I think he will figure in some games ."

[DannyB]

He should be on the bencih. Put Owen in RB with Brown at CB

[Rgmonster]

pique all the way

[.DJ]

Originally Posted by DannyBRonaldo

He should be on the bencih. Put Owen in RB with Brown at CB

same thing i was suggesting

[den525player]

hargreaves or pique definitely. i would prefer to have pique though for some reason. i think he has proved that he is a good player in spain, and whenever he played for man utd this season. i think this is another perfect opportunity to show what he is worth. because in away games i think hargreaves is very important holding the midfield together as well. but saying that we do have alot of midfielders as well. its a good headache for fergie to have

[Jason Holm88]

Agreed, we all talk about how hard it is for Pique to get to play when we have Rio and Vida, and now that the Serbian is out, let Pique play.

[.DJ]

Arsenal and L'pool draw 1-1

[.DJ]

From BBC SPORT FOOTBALL:

Middlesbrough v Man Utd



Riverside
Sunday, 6 April
Kick-off: 1330 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day

Middlesbrough welcome back Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback back from a ban for Manchester United's visit.
But manager Gareth Southgate must cope without Egyptian striker Mido, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hernia problem.
Gary Neville returns to the Manchester United squad for the first time in a year, following an ankle injury.
With Mikael Silvestre also fit, United have good cover for defender Nemanja Vidic, who is out with a knee injury.

• Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate:
"Recently we have shown that we can compete against the top teams in the country.
"We've got to attack the game in a way that puts them on the back foot. We know what they're capable of but we don't have an inferiority complex.
"We've got to try to hurt them because if we just sit back they will still create chances."


Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on defender Nemanja Vidic's injury:
"Of course he is a loss but I think we can cope.
"If we cannot, there is something wrong. We are very well covered in his position.
"I thought Rio [Ferdinand] was particularly impressive in the second half against Roma. He also has the pace to deal with players who try to get beyond him."

Middlesbrough (from): Schwarzer, Turnbull, Young, Wheater, Pogatetz, Huth, Taylor, Grounds, O'Neil, Boateng, Rochemback, Shawky, Downing, Johnson, Cattermole, Tuncay, Alves, Aliadiere.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Scholes, Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Tevez, Kuszczak, Foster, Pique, Welbeck.

Make your Premier League predictions


BIG-MATCH FACTS
Manchester United take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside, knowing that victory in their next four games would see them retaining the Premier League title at Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime, 26 April.
Tuesday's 0-2 victory over AS Roma in Italy in the Champions League was Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,200th match in charge of the Red Devils. Sir Alex has now overseen a fifth of United's league games in their entire history and is eager to lead them to a 10th Premier League crown, which would also be the 17th time they were installed champions of England - one behind Liverpool's record 18.
Middlesbrough have won 20 of 70 Premier League games under Gareth Southgate, who's looking for an improvement on their 12th placed finish last season.
The Riversiders have a comfortable eight point cushion between themselves and the relegation zone, but would dearly love to register their 100th all-time home win in the Premier League in this fixture.
United have won three times as many league games as Boro this season (24 to eight), scored 40 more goals (68 to 2, conceded 30 fewer (15 to 45); while the Teessiders have lost 10 more (14 to four).
This is the 100th league meeting of Middlesbrough and Manchester United, and the Red Devils are looking for their 50th win.

CLUB FORM
MIDDLESBROUGH

Club stats
Fixtures
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures, and refer to stats and sequences in the Premier League only, unless stated otherwise)
1. Won one of six in all competitions.
2. Won one of six, and lost three of six.
3. Not scored more than two goals in any game this season (all competitions).
4. Only scored more than a single goal in one of the last 16 matches; the odd goal in five defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on 23 February.
5. Not won by more than a single goal in 27 since a 2-0 home victory over Birmingham on 1 September.
6. The current tally of 34 points after 32 is their lowest to this corresponding stage in seven seasons.
7. Picked up more cards than any other club; 77 (75 yellows and two red).
8. Scored 18 of their 28 goals in the first half; at 64%, it is a league high proportion.
9. The run-in is:-
Tottenham (a)
Bolton (h)
Sunderland (a)
Portsmouth (h)
Manchester City (h)
MANCHESTER UNITED

Club stats
Fixtures
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures, and refer to stats and sequences in the Premier League only, unless stated otherwise)
1. Lost one of 11 (all competitions).
2. Won 10 of the last 12, including the last six against Newcastle (a), Fulham (a), Derby (a), Bolton (h), Liverpool (h) and Aston Villa (h).
3. Secured 24 victories, dropped 20 points, scored 68 goals, at one every 42 minutes on average, and conceded 15, at one every 192 minutes (three hours 12 minutes); the best in all four categories.
4. Registered the joint fewest draws (four).
5. Not conceded in 461 minutes (seven hours 41 minutes), since Abdoulaye Diagne Faye's consolation for Newcastle in the 5-1 home win over the Magpies on 23 February. Kept more clean sheets than any other club; their 20 shut-outs, is two ahead of the next nearest, Chelsea.
6. Opened the scoring in an unmatched 26 games (won 23, and lost just one of them); and allowed the opposition to score first in five matches - that's fewer occasions than any other club.
7. Scored 16 goals in the last 10 minutes; more than any other club.
8. On the longest current run since a goalless draw of 31 matches; and the longest since failing to score of 18 matches.
9. Won the last three away, and kept clean sheets in five of eight on the road, including the last two.
10. The home leg of the Champions League quarter-final against AS Roma follows this, next Wednesday. The league run-in is:-
Arsenal (h)
Blackburn (a)
Chelsea (a)
West Ham (h)
Wigan (a)

KEY PLAYER NOTES
MIDDLESBROUGH

Stewart DOWNING is Middlesbrough's top scorer with seven goals.
DOWNING is also the clubs' top Premier League marksmen, with six.
DOWNING is the only remaining player to have started every one of Middlesbrough's Premier League matches this season.
MANCHESTER UNITED

Cristiano RONALDO is Manchester United's top scorer with 36 goals.
The Portuguese is also United's leading Premier League marksman with 26 from 26 starts, and is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Boot.
If on the field from the outset:-
Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th club league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).
Long term injury, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start for Manchester United.

HEAD TO HEAD
Middlesbrough have a better Premier League record against Manchester United at Old Trafford, than they have on home soil. The Teessiders have won three and drawn four at the Theatre of Dreams, and won only two and drawn two at home.
United are hoping to complete the double over 'Boro for the fourth time in the Premier League, and first since 2000-01.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 29 wins, Man Utd 49, Draws 21
Prem: Middlesbrough 5 wins, Man Utd 14, Draws 6
at Middlesbrough only
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 18 wins, Man Utd 20, Draws 11
Prem: Middlesbrough 2 wins, Man Utd 8, Draws 2

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Middlesbrough 1-2 Manchester United
2 December 2006 - Ref: Chris Foy
Middlesbrough scorer: Morrison 66
Man United scorers: Saha 19 pen, Fletcher 68

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Manchester United 4-1 Middlesbrough
27 October 2007 - Ref: Alan Wiley
Man Utd scorers: Nani 3, Rooney 33, Tevez 55, 85
Middlesbrough scorer: Aliadiere 6

REFEREE
Mike Riley (Leeds, Yorkshire)

[naveenmarikar123]

i think its all over for the Gunners

[den525player]

basically

[Scouser_Dave]

Originally Posted by naveenmarikar123

i think its all over for the Gunners

Don`t worry mate chelsea will win it anyway

[.DJ]

and everton will get 4th

[Scouser_Dave]

Originally Posted by ---dj---

and everton will get 4th

Yer and liverpool will gelalala

[naveenmarikar123]

If Arsenal cannot win it..then Chelsea must win it coz they really deserve it..no man utd...

[.DJ]

Originally Posted by naveenmarikar123

If Arsenal cannot win it..then Chelsea must win it coz they really deserve it..no man utd...

so y dont man utd deserve it?

[DannyB]

Originally Posted by Danger Dave

Don`t worry mate chelsea will win it anyway

Originally Posted by ---dj---

and everton will get 4th

Originally Posted by Danger Dave

Yer and liverpool will gelalala

Originally Posted by naveenmarikar123

If Arsenal cannot win it..then Chelsea must win it coz they really deserve it..no man utd...

All thats bull****! United deserve to win it. We play the best football, have the best player in the world, have kept 20 clean sheets shared between 3 keepers! We have scored the most, and conceded the least in the league. We don't deserve to win it because...?

Good luck Everton tomorrow. Show the other scousers how its done and nick 4th place from them

[.DJ]

Originally Posted by DannyBRonaldo

Good luck Everton tomorrow. Show the other scousers how its done and nick 4th place from them

lol lol

[ForeverBlue'86]

Man Utd are over rated IMO. Look at what's happened so far to us. Lost TSO, got some unqualified one in as manager. JT, Percy, Lamps, Cech all have been out injured for over a month or more during this season. Drogs, Kalou, Essien and Obi Mikel were away for a month. Add in a couple of silly late goals against the Yids and Villa and also Everton at home etc...

We'd be top by a few points. Also add in Ronaldo having an unbelievable season. Your mob should be pi55ing the title without anyone else being able to get close but they dropped points many times this year and people are forgetting that.

Anyway, still think they'll win it - but really don't go along with the idea they are way better than the rest. Far from it when you consider all what we've been through this year.