Manchester United news and links

Sir Alex Ferguson has taken a dig at Jose Mourinho, saying that waving invisible cards should be a sanctionable offence.

TeamTalk - Manchester United’s Michael Carrick will miss the game at Aston Villa and could be out for up to a month with an ankle ligament injury.The £18.6million summer arrival from Tottenham has been a regular member of the Red Devils side that has risen to the top of the Premiership this term, and is finding top form after taking a while to settle at Old Trafford.

TeamTalk - A leading Manchester United fans’ group has attacked owner Malcolm Glazer for taking the Old Trafford club into even deeper debt.Reports have appeared from a leaked document, circulated in advance of the massive refinancing of the debts Glazer took on to complete his controversial takeover, which indicated United’s debt will rise from the current level of £656million to an eye-bulging £733million by 2012.

SIR ALEX Ferguson was in the mood to play Scrooge today after United gifted valuable Premiership points last week.

ALAN Smith has run through a brick wall to prove he wants to stay at Old Trafford.

UNITED’s young full-back Phil Bardsley will join Sunderland on loan next month.

Kevin McCarra: The packed Christmas schedule gives Man Utd the perfect opportunity tighten their grip on top spot.

The Manchester United manager yesterday took a sideways swipe at Jose Mourinho by adding his voice to the growing condemnation of players, and now managers, for brandishing an imaginary yellow card in an attempt to get an opponent booked.

Lord Ferg has called for refs to clamp down on players and managers who try to get opponents booked.

Sunderland sign Manchester United’s Phil Bardsley on loan and are chasing team-mate Jonny Evans.

SIR Alex Ferguson has insisted his annual transfer budget has not been capped at £25million by Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer.

SIR Alex Ferguson has warned Everton they have no chance of prising Alan Smith away from Manchester United next month.

SIR Alex Ferguson is expected to name an unchanged line-up forthe trip to Aston Villa as Manchester United look for a return to winning ways.

IF United supporters had been told at the start of the season they would have a two point lead over Chelsea going into the Christmas and New Year period they no doubt would have settled for it.

ARGENTINE ace Gabby Heinze says United must not dwell on their Premiership setback at West Ham last Sunday.

RYAN Giggs is one of a hat-trick of United stars closing in on a club record.

Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans is to join Sunderland until the end of the season.

Sporting Life - Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg believes Manchester United will hold off the challenge of Chelsea.

Sporting Life - Alex Ferguson has all the money he needs to keep Manchester United at the top of the Premiership.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has been promised all the financial muscle he needs in order to keep Manchester United at the top of the Premiership pile.Reports have emerged from a leaked document circulated this summer, around the time of the major refinancing of the loans Malcolm Glazer took out to complete his takeover of the club 12 months previously, that Ferguson’s transfer spending has been capped at £25million per year.

A year ago last week Roy Keane was presented as a Celtic player, so to find himself embroiled in a race for promotion to the Premiership as manager of Sunderland still comes as a shock.

Chris Eagles will return to Man Utd in January from a loan spell at NEC Nijmegen.

Team news ahead of Saturday’s Premiership match.

SIR Alex Ferguson has revealed Manchester United’s star men were staggered to learn Henrik Larsson would be joining them in January. Amid all the big names linked with United over the past few months, no-one predicted Larsson would be recruited to aid the pursuit of glory at home and abroad.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Manchester United’s star men were staggered to learn Henrik Larsson would be joining them in January.Amid all the big names linked with United over the past few months, no-one predicted Larsson would be recruited to aid the pursuit of glory at home and abroad.

Sir Alex Ferguson claims that Henrik Larsson’s arrival has “created a buzz” among the Manchester United players.

Sporting Life - Alex Ferguson says his players were staggered to learn Henrik Larsson would be joining Manchester United.

Nicky Campbell: Do you know how many Man United Official Histories make one Denis Law transfer fee?

Larsson’s contribution to Manchester United might be slender - he would not play enough games to qualify for a winner’s medal if he helped the club to a ninth Premiership title - but it could change everything.

With the race for the title between Manchester United and Chelsea shaping up to be one of the most exciting contests in years, the Premier League has rarely looked healthier, writes David Bond.

Sir Alex reckons Henrik Larsson will have made a large impact by the time he leaves Old Trafford in March.

Manchester United paraded Henrik Larsson ahead of his 10-week stay at Old Trafford yesterday then took out an insurance policy against accusations of focusing on the quick-fix by announcing a new four-year contract for Louis Saha. Having suffered the effects of his current strikers’ profligacy at Upton Park on Sunday, however, it was no surprise to hear Sir Alex Ferguson herald the incoming 35-year-old as the man who could have a decisive influence on this season’s title race.

AT 35, Henrik Larsson is old enough to know goals will determine whether his short-term spell at Manchester United is deemed a success.

MANAGER Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced 10 weeks of Henrik Larsson will be enough to help Manchester United seize the Premiership title from Chelsea’s grasp.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Henrik Larsson can help Manchester United seize the title from Chelsea’s grasp.

AFP - Louis Saha has signed an extension to his contract which will keep him at Manchester United until 2010, the English Premiership leaders’ website announced.

Former Sweden striker Henrik Larsson has admitted he just “could not say no” when Manchester United came knocking.

SIR Alex Ferguson is bulking up his senior squad with the return of a posse of on-loan youngsters.

LOUISSaha has signed a lucrative extension to his contract which will keep him at Manchester United until 2010.

Louis Saha has been rewarded with a lucrative contract extension for his superb start to the season with Man United.

Reuters - France striker Louis Saha has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Manchester United until 2010, the club said on Wednesday.

AFP - Henrik Larsson has admitted the prospect of joining Manchester United at a crucial stage of the season was too good a chance to turn down.

TeamTalk - Louis Saha has signed a lucrative extension to his contract which will keep him at Manchester United until 2010.Although the France forward’s previous deal was not due to expire for another two full seasons after the present campaign, the move represents confirmation of Saha’s elevation to senior status within Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.

Sporting Life - Henrik Larsson has admitted he could not turn down the chance to join Manchester United.

Sporting Life - Louis Saha has signed a contract extension which will keep him at Manchester United until 2010.

Striker Louis Saha signs a contract extension to keep him at Man Utd until 2010.

Louis Saha has signed a new contract to stay at Manchester United until 2010.

Reuters - New Manchester United striker Henrik Larsson said he could not turn down the opportunity to move to Old Trafford and join the Premier League title race.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Henrik Larsson is arriving at the most important juncture.

Henrik Larsson says the chance to join Man Utd on loan was just too big an opportunity to turn down.