Manchester United news and links

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves could return to action in September after a year out of the game, manager Alex Ferguson said.

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Arsenal that Manchester United only need one goal to kill off Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final.

Patrice Evra has admitted he was ‘very disappointed’ Manchester United failed to put their Champions League semi-final tie beyond Arsenal.The European champions dominated the first leg of their encounter at Old Trafford on Wednesday but only managed a 1-0 win via a first-half strike from John O’Shea.

Sir Alex Ferguson hailed the efforts of John O’Shea after the Irishman put Manchester United close to another Champions League final.

Guus Hiddink says he would “love it” if Chelsea could prevent Manchester United from completing a clean sweep of all the trophies this season.The Red Devils, with something short of a first-choice starting XI, beat Tottenham on penalties at Wembley on Sunday to lift the Carling Cup.

Ben Foster got a chance to meet Fabio Capello on Sunday but does not expect to play for England until he is a Manchester United regular.Capello is bound to have been impressed by Foster’s man-of-the-match display in the Carling Cup Final.

Ryan Giggs insists there will be no complacency from Manchester United in the Premier League title race, despite their seven-point advantage.After pocketing the Carling Cup at Wembley on Sunday, United are back on league duty at Newcastle on Wednesday night.

Ryan Giggs insists there will be no complacency from Manchester United in the title race.

The FA will take no action against Manchester United on goalkeeper Ben Foster for using an iPod during the Carling Cup final.

Norwegian side Molde have contacted Manchester United reserve boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about the possibility of taking some of his charges.Molde are hoping they might be able to persuade United to lend them a player or two.

Manchester United will carry on chasing progress in four competitions and try not to worry about winning the lot, according to Mike Phelan.The newly-crowned Club World champions have already booked a Carling Cup final appearance against Tottenham at the start of next month, and beat West Ham on Sunday to regain a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand on second-placed Liverpool.

Sir Alex Ferguson has said he finds it hard to believe it is more than 20 hours since Manchester United last conceded a Premier League goal.It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘we could have played all day and not got one’ and is more remarkable because United tend to be known as one of the top flight’s great entertainers.

John O’Shea knows Manchester United could have no greater incentive for beating Bolton than going top of the Premier League.Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Wigan means three more points at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday will take Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to the summit for the first time this season.

Manchester United youngster Rafael is starting to become well known at home in Brazil following his magnificent display in stopping Robinho.While Kaka is the Samba star who has been centre of attention this week, Rafael turned in another outstanding performance in United’s Premier League win over Wigan at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists his team will continue to treat the FA Cup with respect after Sunday’s comprehensive victory.United’s cruised to a 3-0 victory over Southampton on Sunday to set up a home clash with Barclays Premier League rivals Tottenham at Old Trafford.

European champions Manchester United land in Toyko ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Defender John O’Shea has spoken of his determination to get another run of games under his belt for Manchester United.The Republic of Ireland international returned to the first team at left-back in the 2-2 draw against Aalborg in the Champions League.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United’s below-par away results are down to some tough fixtures rather than any underlying problem.United would normally have expected to register more than just two wins on their travels at this stage of the season.

Wayne Rooney believes the present Manchester United squad can be ranked as one of the best in football history.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has pledged to take his strongest possible squad to Japan in a bid to win the World Club Cup.

Manchester United target Moa Abdellaoue, who admits he is a Liverpool fan, says he is flattered by reports linking him with a move to England.United are understood to have made an offer to take the 23-year-old, who has been dubbed the new Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on trial.

Pies, chips and Champions Leagues - Gerard Pique on his time at Manchester United.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed one of football’s finest careers might have been over virtually before it had begun.Fifty years ago on Saturday, Ferguson played his first match for Queen’s Park, starting a life in the game which saw him star most notably at Dunfermline and Rangers as a player and Aberdeen as a manager before moving south to United where he has earned iconic status in 22 remarkable seasons.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Anderson can follow in the footsteps of Bryan Robson and Roy Keane to become the next Manchester United midfield legend.The 20-year-old is set to be involved in the Carling Cup on Tuesday when United host Queens Park Rangers, and Ferguson is full of praise for the player who he paid Porto £18million last year.

Sir Alex Ferguson thinks Anderson can be a “terrific” player for Manchester United.

Rio Ferdinand has hailed the qualities of Jonny Evans but urged him to be patient in his battle for a regular place at Manchester United.Sir Alex Ferguson rebuffed Sunderland’s approach to buy Evans this summer and has already assured the defender he is a big part of United’s long-term future.

Midfielder Rodrigo Possebon will make a Carling Cup comeback for Manchester United against QPR at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.

Sir Alex Ferguson admits he feared the worst when he saw Manchester United’s Rodrigo Possebon being carried off against Middlesbrough.The young Brazilian had been bossing the Boro midfield in September’s third-round Carling Cup tie when he was crudely cut down by Emanuel Pogatetz.

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Rafael Da Silva is now an integral part of his first-team squad.

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to “win more” and is “at the right club” to do so after insisting he still has plenty to achieve at Manchester United.Ronaldo became embroiled in the longest running transfer saga of the summer when he expressed a desire to leave Old Trafford for Real Madrid.

Manchester United’s impressive Champions League and Premier League triumph last season has earned four players nominations for the European Footballer of the Year award, organisers announced Sunday.

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has revealed his love of playing alongside Wayne Rooney - no matter where Sir Alex Ferguson plays him.With seven goals in five matches for club and country, Rooney is clearly a man West Brom must watch when they take on the champions at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

Sir Alex Ferguson was targeted on no fewer than three occasions for the England manager’s job, according to former FA chief David Davies.Davies, who spent more than a decade at the FA before leaving his post as executive director two years ago, revealed the Manchester United boss was first in the frame after Terry Venables quit in 1996.

Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed centre-back Jonny Evans is “guaranteed” a Manchester United first-team berth at some point in the future.The Northern Ireland international stepped in for Nemanja Vidic at Chelsea a week ago when the Serbian was suspended.

Old Trafford king Eric Cantona has revealed how he fears for Manchester United’s future once iconic manager Alex Ferguson leaves his post.

Manchester United duo Owen Hargreaves and Gary Neville have not travelled to Denmark for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against AaB Aalborg.Hargreaves is struggling again with a knee injury that has bothered him since his arrival from Bayern Munich last season and has been left at home for more treatment.

Bolton will reportedly receive an apology from referee Rob Styles for the penalty he awarded to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.According to the Daily Mail, Styles immediately realised he had made an error after giving the spot-kick for Jlloyd Samuel’s perfectly good tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo on the area.

Sir Alex Ferguson has told Jonny Evans he has a big future at Manchester United.

Manchester United midfielder Anderson has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a notorious drug dealer was arrested at his home in Brazil.Richard Alex da Silva Martins ‘Gigi’ was detained at the home of the Brazil international after a year-long investigation, but Public Ministry official Ricardo Herbstrich stressed Anderson was not involved in the case.

Angola striker Manucho is in line to make his Manchester United debut in Tuesday night’s Carling Cup clash with Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.The African spent the latter half of last season on loan in Greece with Panathinaikos but has now received his work permit and recovered from a broken metatarsal, so should start against Gareth Southgate’s men.

Award-winning columnist Jim White says anyone writing off Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United wasn’t paying attention in the 1990s.

Ben Foster limped out of Manchester United’s reserve-team clash with Blackburn at Northwich on Thursday night.The England international twisted an ankle during the goalless draw and was replaced by Ron-Robert Zieler after 57 minutes.

Tottenham striker Fraizer Campbell admits he “can’t wait to pull the shirt on” as he prepares to make his first start for the Lilywhites.The Manchester United forward joined Spurs on loan for the season on transfer deadline day. He has since been on England Under-21 duty along with new team-mates Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon and Jamie O’Hara.

Former Manchester United defender David May has been impressed by the way Argentinian Carlos Tevez has started the season for the Red Devils.Tevez edged out team-mate Darren Fletcher to win the ManUtd.com Player of the Month Award for August, receiving 49% of the votes as Fletcher, who scored in United’s opening two Premier League games, picked up 39% of the poll with defenders Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra sharing the remaining votes.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson expressed doubt on Friday over the practicality of imposing regulations on club ownership.

Manchester United have added a striker to their squad for the second time this week after confirming Manucho as part of their first-team party.The highly-rated Angola international signed a three-year deal with the Red Devils late last year after impressing Sir Alex Ferguson during a trial spell.

Paul Scholes faces a European ban after being sent off as Manchester United lost 2-1 to Zenit St Petersburg in Friday’s UEFA Super Cup clash.The former England midfielder’s handball offence in a crazy attempt to equalise in the final moments of the match at Monaco’s Stade Louis II saw him dismissed by referee Claus Bo Larsen.

Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic has tipped Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe to be a potent partnership for Portsmouth this season.Vidic comes face to face with the England strike pair in Monday night’s clash at Fratton Park, where both sides could do with a victory.

Sunderland are close to a £750,000 deal for Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre.

Award-winning columnist Jim White identifies exactly where Wayne Rooney’s future lies - and it isn’t as Manchester United’s main striker.