Manchester United news and links

CRISTIANO Ronaldo is expected to return to the United line-up in the FA Cup clash with Reading at Old Trafford.

DONG Fangzhuo has every reason to celebrate Chinese New Year, having finally made it to Old Trafford.

UNITED missed the chance to halve Middlesbrough’s advantage at the top of the Reserve League table when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Bolton Wanderers at Leyland’s County Ground on Thursday night.

FOOTBALLERS and supporters have united to back the Manchester Evening News campaign to get a fairer deal for fans.

UNITED captain Gary Neville wants agents removed from soccer - claiming he doesn’t know many good ones.

TOMASZ Kuszczak is convinced patience will prove to be a virtue in the battle to become Manchester United’s first choice number one.

UNITED are only now beginning to feel the full benefit of having such a strong squad, according to on-loan striker Henrik Larsson.

STEVE Coppell will walk out at Old Trafford on Saturday as Reading boss in the FA Cup. But Tommy Docherty argues that his former Reds winger could one day be emerging from the same Stretford End tunnel as United’s manager.

A PLACE in Old Trafford’s hall of fame could prove the decisive factor in United’s battle to keep Cristiano Ronaldo.

EVERTON have clinched the signing of goalkeeper Tim Howard on a five-year contract from Manchester United for a fee believed to be in the region of £3million.

MICHAEL Carrick insists he is not bothered about being left trailing in the United goalscoring stakes.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo is keen on a move to Spain despite Manchester United’s determination to hold onto him, according to a report.

MIDFIELD general Bryan Robson has hailed the form ofMichael Carrick.

GARY Neville is hoping United can persuade Henrik Larsson to remain at Old Trafford for the remainder of the season.

UNITED have confirmed the appointment of Michael Bolingbroke astheir first chief operations officer.

LIVERPOOL duo Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will join former Red David Beckham in the Europe XI line-up for next month’s celebration match at Old Trafford.

UNITED’S six-point lead in the title race has hardly come as a surprise to first-team coach Mike Phelan.

THE spectre of Roy Keane in United’s engine room has finally been banished.

UNITED youngster Ritchie Jones has moved to Championship side Barnsley on loan until the end of the season.

GARY Neville is convinced Manchester United can end three seasons of hurt and win the Barclays Premiership title. United have seen Arsenal and then Chelsea twice overtake them as kings of England.

FORMER Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis has decided to retire from football.

UNITED are planning a `substantial, permanent memorial’ in honour of the victims of the Munich air disaster. February 6 next year will be the 50th anniversary of the crash which killed eight players.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s hopes of becoming the highest paid footballer in the world were probably increased whilst he was tucked under his duvet with a Lemsip and hot water bottle.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo insists he is `big buddies’ with Wayne Rooney despite their frank exchange of views at the World Cup.

SIR Alex Ferguson wants United’s habit of keeping clean sheets to open up a major gap at the top of the Premiership. The Reds have kept their defence tight shut against Watford, Spurs and Charlton in an on-the-trot sequence that has harvested nine points.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo wants to be an actor once he hangs up his boots. If that is so, he had better start learning not to fluff his lines. In fact, what Old Trafford fans would love is for Ronaldo to stride manfully to the front of the stage and, in his best Laurence Olivier manner, declare his undying loyalty to Manchester United.

WAYNE Rooney kept his nerve when it mattered to ease Manchester United to a unconvincing win over Charlton.

See how we rated the United players against Charlton

SIR Alex Ferguson has urged Manchester United to look forward rather than back in the final stages of the Premiership campaign.

SIR Alex Ferguson is set to hand Wayne Rooney a few days off next week.

WHISPER it quietly around Old Trafford, and don’t even think about it in the presence of Sir Alex Ferguson … but there are a few people who are starting to get that Treble feeling again.

WAYNE Rooney has been passed fit for United’s Premiership clash with Charlton at Old Trafford.

SIR Alex Ferguson is convinced Cristiano Ronaldo can fulfil his massive potential at Manchester United.

RIO Ferdinand is set to make his 200th Manchester United appearance against Charlton at Old Trafford.

GABRIEL Heinze insists he is still happy with life at Manchester United.

UNITED remain totally behind the Premier League’s collective bargaining agreement even though their European rivals are reaping handsome rewards for going it alone.

SIR Alex Ferguson is almost ready to unleash his Class of 2007 on the Premiership.

UNITED keeper Edwin van der Sar expects to be back in action within a fortnight.

BARCELONA director of football Txiki Begiristain has denied his club has moved to sign United winger Cristiano Ronaldo through the player’s agent.

BEN Foster is set to be one of those future soccer trivia questions that will befuddle many a brain.

UNITED have slipped down world soccer’s Rich List but are still the top money-maker in the Premiership.

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted veteran striker Henrik Larsson has produced tricks in training that have left even United’s stellar names baffled.

PATRICE Evra believes he wouldn’t even be in Manchester were it not for Eric Cantona.

FIERY Scot Sir Alex Ferguson has helped to pick England’s goalkeeper for tonight’s Old Trafford friendly against Spain - but Steve McClaren can afford to smile about it.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo admits his future is unclear but the Manchester United winger insists speculation will not affect his excellent form this season.

PAUL Scholes is refusing to get carried away by Manchester United’s stunning four-goal triumph at Tottenham on Sunday.

UNITED youngster Ben Foster has been picked to play for England against Spain at Old Trafford tomorrow night. Foster, currently on loan at Watford, will find himself alongside United team-mates Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Michael Carrick.

NEMANJA Vidic can bulldoze his way to double figures for United and outpoint Chelsea’s John Terry. The Reds have not had a defender who can pile in with goals since Steve Bruce bravely forced home countless goals from set-pieces and crosses in the late 80s and 90s.

PORTUGAL coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has denied suggesting Cristiano Ronaldo should leave Manchester United to play in Spain. Scolari was reported to have said that Ronaldo would benefit from a move to Barcelona, but speaking in the build-up to Tuesday’s friendly against Brazil, the Brazilian claimed he had been misquoted.

JOHN O’Shea believes the current Manchester United squad is just as talented as the treble-winning vintage of 1999.