Manchester United news and links

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has been reluctantly forced to accept Henrik Larsson will leave Manchester United as planned next week.On his final competitive appearance at Old Trafford, the veteran Swede signed off in perfect style by grabbing the only goal as United defeated Lille to ease into the Champions League quarter-finals.

AFP - Sir Alex Ferguson defiantly predicted that Manchester United can cope with a mounting injury crisis as his side chase a repeat of their 1999 treble of Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League trophies.

Reuters - Manchester United’s mounting injury crisis took a turn for the worse on Wednesday when French defender Mikael Silvestre was taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

Reuters - Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven booked their places in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, dashing English hopes of making European football history.

Reuters - Manchester United and Lille renew Champions League hostilities at Old Trafford on Wednesday, two weeks after a stormy first leg of their first knockout round tie sparked protests, insults and UEFA charges.

AFP - Lille will be hoping it is a case of third time lucky here on Wednesday when they attempt to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit in their acrimonious Champions League tie with Manchester United.

Sporting Life - Lille coach Claude Puel has accused Sir Alex Ferguson of showing a lack of respect.

TeamTalk - Gabriel Heinze insists Manchester United’s sensational campaign cannot make up for the despair of missing most of last season through injury.With Patrice Evra struggling to be fit, the Argentina left-back is expected to start for the Red Devils in their Champions League return against Lille at Old Trafford tonight.

TeamTalk - Lille coach Claude Puel has accused Manchester United fans of triggering trouble between the two clubs and labelled travelling Reds ‘violent’.In an astonishing attack ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League return at Old Trafford, Puel deflected criticism of his own side’s conduct in the immediate aftermath and subsequent days following Ryan Giggs’ controversial winner, by blaming United’s supporters.

Sporting Life - Alex Ferguson has launched a scathing attack on Lille for their behaviour in their first-leg clash.

Sporting Life - Lille coach Claude Puel accused Manchester United fans of triggering trouble between the two clubs.

Reuters - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and his Lille counterpart Claude Puel stoked up the war of words ahead of Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie at Old Trafford.

Reuters - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson stoked up the war of words with Champions League rivals Lille on Tuesday ahead of their return meeting at Old Trafford.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United players not to get sucked into a war with Lille.

Sporting Life - Henrik Larsson will not stay at Manchester United despite injury concerns surrounding Louis Saha.

AFP - Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been given the all clear for Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 second-leg clash with Lille at Old Trafford.

AFP - Manchester United striker Louis Saha will miss Wednesday’s Champions League second leg tie against French side Lille through injury, while Paul Scholes and Patrice Evra are both doubtful.

AFP - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Tuesday ruled out extending Henrik Larsson’s stay at Old Trafford despite injury concerns surrounding Louis Saha.

Reuters - UEFA has once again rejected a complaint by French club Lille against the controversial Champions League goal scored last month by Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs.

Reuters - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has told Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho to “button his lip” and stop talking about referees.

Reuters - Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be out of action for most of March after undergoing minor knee surgery.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson has told Jose Mourinho to “button his lip” for the title run-in.

TeamTalk - Darren Fletcher and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have both been ruled out of Manchester United’s crucial Premiership trip to Liverpool on Saturday.Fletcher picked up an ankle injury in the FA Cup win at Reading in midweek that will rule him out for a fortnight, while Solskjaer had a minor knee operation that will keep him out until the end of the month.

TeamTalk - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has told Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho to “button his lip” as the fight for the title hots up.The Red Devils head to Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime knowing victory will open up a 12-point lead over Mourinho’s side, who visit Portsmouth later in the day.

Reuters - Manchester United seek to intensify the pressure on Premier League title rivals Chelsea, who kick-off more than four hours later, by opening up a 12-point lead with victory at Liverpool on Saturday.

TeamTalk - Louis Saha has called on his Manchester United team-mates to put Chelsea through mental torture by beating Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.Already nine points clear in the title race, the Red Devils would widen the gap to 12 if they become the first team to beat Rafael Benitez’s men on home soil in the Premiership this season.

TeamTalk - Sunderland manager Roy Keane has appointed Mick Brown as the club’s new chief scout.The 67-year-old, who will take up the post with immediate effect, spent eight years as chief scout at Manchester United as well as working for the Football Association under England manager Steve McClaren.

TeamTalk - John O’Shea insists Manchester United cannot afford to believe they have won the title even if they return from Liverpool with three points.The Red Devils can briefly take a 12-point lead at the Premiership summit with victory at Anfield.

Sporting Life - Wayne Rooney has hailed Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as “the best player in the world”.

Sporting Life - Sepp Blatter has blasted Lille’s decision to use Lens’ stadium for their clash with Manchester United.

TeamTalk - Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd reckons Ben Foster is already better than Edwin van der Sar and has backed him to become the world’s best keeper.Foster, who is expected to recover from a dead leg in time to face Charlton on Saturday, will leave Vicarage Road at the end of the season following a successful two-year loan spell from Manchester United.

Reuters - Twice World Player of the Year Ronaldinho has been confirmed in a Europe squad to play Manchester United in a jubilee charity match on March 13.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson claims Manchester United’s win at Reading vindicated the changes he made.

AFP - Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate can’t wait to pit his wits against Sir Alex Ferguson after his side set up an FA Cup quarter-final clash against Manchester United.

Reuters - Three goals in the first six minutes helped Manchester United beat Reading 3-2 in an enthralling FA Cup fifth-round replay on Tuesday and earn a place in the quarter-finals.

TeamTalk - Manchester United struck three times in the opening six minutes to seal a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 win at Reading.But the brave Royals were the width of a crossbar away from completing one of the finest comebacks in FA Cup history at the Madejski Stadium.

Reuters - Three goals in the first six minutes helped Manchester United beat Reading 3-2 in their FA Cup fifth-round replay on Tuesday and earn a place in the quarter-finals.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted there are ‘no problems’ between him and David Beckham.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson says he has no plans to step down as Manchester United manager.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson claims Barcelona have a ‘near impossible’ task to overhaul their first-leg deficit against Liverpool in the Champions League.Rafael Benitez’s men stunned Barca in the Nou Camp, taking a 2-1 lead back to Merseyside despite falling behind early in the game.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson reckons Barcelona have it all to do to stay in the Champions League.

TeamTalk - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted there are ‘no problems’ between him and former Red Devils hero David Beckham.The ex-England skipper is set to return to Old Trafford for the UEFA gala game on March 12, when Marcello Lippi’s European XI tackle United in a match to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both the Treaty of Rome and the Red Devils’ entrance into European competition.

TeamTalk - Jose Mourinho says Manchester United have enjoyed more than their fair share of luck - and has also taken a pop at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.United are nine points clear of the champions in the Premiership after their last-gasp 2-1 win at Fulham on Saturday, although Mourinho’s side have a game in hand.

Sporting Life - Manchester United will find out on Friday if their controversial win at Lille will stand.

TeamTalk - Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher insists he is loving every minute of a season he has labelled as “very exciting” for the Reds.Nine points clear at the Premiership summit and already with one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals, United head to Reading on Tuesday night looking to book an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with either Middlesbrough or West Brom.

TeamTalk - Lille are to appeal against UEFA’s decision to allow Manchester United’s winning goal to stand in the Champions League last week.UEFA disciplinary chiefs rejected a complaint from Lille, who argued Ryan Giggs’ quickly taken free-kick - which secured a 1-0 win for the Red Devils in the last-16 first leg - should not have stood.

TeamTalk - Carlos Queiroz has backed Manchester United’s fringe players to see them through to the FA Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday night.After slogging their way through narrow wins against Lille and Fulham over the last week to keep alive their hopes of glory on the Champions League and Premiership fronts, Sir Alex Ferguson is intent on giving some of his senior men a rest ahead of the next huge challenge at Liverpool on Saturday.

TeamTalk - Key Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is a doubt for the Red Devils’ televised FA Cup fifth-round replay with Reading on Tuesday night.The Serbian defender missed training on Monday as he was still feeling the after effects of tough games against Lille and Fulham and seems certain to miss the trip to the Madejski Stadium as the Red Devils look to book a quarter-final meeting with Middlesbrough or West Brom.

Sporting Life - Manchester United talisman Cristiano Ronaldo is not ready to put away his shooting boots just yet.

AFP - Cristiano Ronaldo’s late winner put Manchester United in complete control of the Premiership title race as his side snatched a 2-1 victory at Fulham on Saturday.