Manchester United news and links

Sir Alex Ferguson says his Manchester United thoroughbreds now have “the bit between their teeth” in the title race.

MANCHESTER United hammered the Hornets to maintain their lead at the top of the Premiership.

FIND out how the Reds rated against Watford.

TeamTalk - Manchester United maintained their six-point lead at the Premiership summit with a 4-0 victory stroll against rock-bottom Watford.In the aftermath of the gut-wrenching defeat at Arsenal 10 days ago, Ferguson admitted he ‘did not sleep a wink’ as he mulled over the manner of the last-gasp loss.

AFP - Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Manchester United’s four-goal rout of bottom-club Watford to maintain Sir Alex Ferguson’s side’s six-point advantage over Chelsea at the head of the Premiership table.

Sporting Life - Barcelona’s Xavi claims Manchester United have contacted his agent about a possible switch.

BAYERN Munich, the club who have shown such stern resistance to United’s overtures for midfielder Owen Hargreaves, have announced the sacking of Felix Magath and replaced him with former boss Ottmar Hitzfeld.

BARCELONA midfielder Xavi claims United have spoken to his agent about a possible switch to Old Trafford.

Gareth Bale waves away interest from Spurs and Man Utd and decides to stay at St Mary’s for the rest of the season.

UNITED booked a place in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Ewen Fields.

UNITED are set to go through the January transfer window without any major business activity.

RIO Ferdinand can be forgiven for feeling that, even when United’s name is written on the FA Cup, his own has gone missing.

SIR Alex Ferguson believes United are ready to blast an unlucky opponent with both barrels.

THE pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo by Spanish giants Real Madrid is unlikely to let up despite United’s insistence that the Portuguese star is not for sale at any price.

CARLOS Queiroz has warned Watford that Wayne Rooney is still on fire after his FA Cup wonder goal at the weekend.

TeamTalk - Cristiano Ronaldo could still head to Spain this summer despite Manchester United’s insistence that the winger is not for sale at any price.The 21-year-old has been in superb form for the Red Devils this season and Spanish giants Real Madrid are reported to have renewed their interest in the player.

Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Man Utd to deliver the 12 wins they need for the title.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent has refused to rule out a move to Spain for the Man Utd ace.

TeamTalk - Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz has urged the Reds not to use their six-point Premiership lead as a safety net.United head into Wednesday’s Old Trafford encounter with rock-bottom Watford knowing 12 victories from their final 14 matches would ensure they reclaim their title after a three-year barren spell.

Five years after abandoning Milan in a welter of acrimony, Ronaldo returned to the city to an uncertain welcome. By Tim Rich.

Sir Alex Ferguson has set the clock ticking on Manchester United’s championship countdown by claiming that his team require 12 victories from their final 14 league games of the season – starting against Watford at Old Trafford.

Man United and Spurs will have to be patient if they want to prise Gareth Bale from the Saints’ grasp.

Digger: Manchester United chief executive David Gill’s paypacket has soared to match that of Peter Kenyon.

Gareth Bale is believed to have turned down the chance to join Tottenham Hotspur for £10m and will remain at Southampton until the end of the season.

UNITED target Owen Hargreaves has been named Nationwide England Player of the Year.

TeamTalk - Carlos Queiroz has warned Watford to beware Wayne Rooney as Manchester United look to consolidate their six-point advantage in the title race.After struggling for form over the opening half of the campaign, Rooney has suddenly sparked back into life again.

BBC One will show the FA Cup fifth round tie between Man Utd and Reading.

TeamTalk - Louis Saha will miss Manchester United’s Premiership encounter with Watford after failing to recover from a knee injury.Sir Alex Ferguson had hoped the French striker would be available to face the rock bottom Hornets - but Saha will only return to training in the morning and has an outside chance of making Sunday’s trip to Tottenham.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes it is time for football’s law-makers to embrace video technology as is done in rugby and cricket.

Boro new boy Lee Dong-Gook is back on Teesside after receiving a visa to complete the formalities of his move.

EDWIN van der Sar is confident United are still well in control of the Premiership title race.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson calls on video technology to be introduced into the Premiership.

Manchester United are believed to be tracking Juventus’ Michele Paolucci.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has called on football’s law-makers to follow the lead of rugby and cricket and embrace video technology.Manchester United were on the wrong end of two incorrect decisions in their FA Cup tie against Portsmouth at the weekend.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson has called on football’s law-makers to embrace video technology.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo has been ordered to let his boots do the talking.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes football is currently in a period of vastly inflated transfers.

Without wishing to alarm Sir Alex, who can be a sensitive peach, Manchester United’s dominance of the Premiership could be seriously undermined by Watford’s latest acquisition in the transfer window. It’s called Confidence, says Tony Francis.

Sir Alex Ferguson has forbidden Cristiano Ronaldo from talking publicly about speculation linking him to a move to Real Madrid.

Fortune favoured the rich and powerful once more when the draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup was made yesterday, both Manchester United and Chelsea being handed home ties for the third time running in this season’s competition.

The depth of disquiet at Manchester United over Real Madrid’s blatant courtship of Cristiano Ronaldo became apparent last night when the Portuguese winger admitted he has been banned from mentioning the Bernabeu by Sir Alex Ferguson.

AFP - Reading manager Steve Coppell believes his side have got the FA Cup tie “nobody wanted” after being drawn away to Premiership leaders Manchester United in the fifth round.

UNITED’S clash with title rivals Chelsea has been moved to Sunday April 15.

SIR Alex Ferguson has confirmed promising goalkeeper Ben Foster will return to Manchester United in the summer after spending a second year at Watford.

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Ben Foster will return to Old Trafford in the summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson insists Ben Foster will return to Man United in the summer after impressing while on loan at Watford.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed goalkeeper Ben Foster will return to Manchester United in the summer after spending a second year at Watford.Although the 23-year-old actually signed for the Old Trafford outfit 18 months ago, he has yet to make a senior appearance for United, having been sent to Vicarage Road by Ferguson in an attempt to further his experience.

MANCHESTER United have been drawn at home against Reading in the FA Cup fifth round.

SIR Alex Ferguson reckons United’s Ben Foster will be the next England goalkeeper.

Team news ahead of Wednesday’s Premiership match.