Manchester United news and links

TeamTalk - Gary Neville is convinced Manchester United can end three seasons of hurt by beating Chelsea to the Premiership title this season.United have seen Arsenal and then Chelsea twice overtake them as kings of England.

Sporting Life - Gary Neville says the rest of the Premiership is struggling to live with Manchester United.

TeamTalk - Gary Neville says the rest of the Premiership is “struggling to live with” Manchester United as they set the pace in the title race.Sir Alex Ferguson’s men maintained their six-point lead at the top by beating Charlton 2-0 on Saturday, despite never getting out of second gear.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson thinks Manchester United’s title destiny will be determined by their away matches.

Sporting Life - Manchester United are planning a memorial in honour of the victims of the Munich air disaster.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Manchester United to look forward rather than back in the final stages of the Premiership campaign.The Red Devils struggled for long periods against Charlton at Old Trafford but eventually recorded a 2-0 win over the relegation-threatened Londoners to maintain a six-point cushion over Chelsea at the top of the table.

Reuters - Premier League leaders Manchester United beat Charlton Athletic 2-0 at Old Trafford to stay six points clear of Chelsea on Saturday after the champions beat Middlesbrough 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

TeamTalk - Leaders Manchester United and champions Chelsea maintained their blistering form as the Reds’ six-point Premiership advantage remained intact.While United beat struggling Charlton 2-0 at Old Trafford, Chelsea won 3-0 at home to Middlesbrough.

TeamTalk - Rio Ferdinand makes his 200th Manchester United appearance on Saturday, with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming he has fully justified his £29.1m fee.At the time, it was a British-record sum - and even now has been eclipsed only by the £30million Chelsea splashed out on Andriy Shevchenko last summer.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson is set to hand Wayne Rooney a few days off next week.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson and Gareth Southgate have backed England coach Steve McClaren.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Manchester United.

Reuters - In-form Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo is playing his football at the best place possible, manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday.

TeamTalk - Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Cristiano Ronaldo can ‘fulfil his massive potential’ at Old Trafford.Once again, the brilliant Portugal winger has been linked with a big-money move to Spain after his agent Pedro Mendes was pictured sitting next to Barcelona’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson has leapt to the defence of England boss Steve McClaren and warned the public they will regret it if they drive him out.McClaren has been lambasted in the wake of Wednesday’s dismal friendly defeat to Spain, with many pundits claiming he will be axed should the the national team suffer another failure in their next Euro 2008 qualifier in Israel next month.

Reuters - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has warned the English media not to hound national coach Steve McClaren out of his job.

TeamTalk - Wayne Rooney has been passed fit for Manchester United’s Premiership clash with Charlton at Old Trafford on Saturday.Rooney missed England’s midweek defeat to Spain with a hip injury but came through training on Thursday and should be in Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting XI.

Sporting Life - Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Manchester United despite being linked with a move away.

TeamTalk - Cristiano Ronaldo insists he wants to stay at Manchester United despite reported interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.The 22-year-old’s future has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, with Barca forced to deny they had made an approach for the Portuguese winger after his agent Jorge Mendes was seen meeting the Catalan side’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain in London this week.

Sporting Life - Rio Ferdinand is relishing the “special” prospect of representing England at the new Wembley.

Sporting Life - Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze insists he has no intention of leaving Manchester United.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted to be faced with difficult selection dilemmas on a weekly basis.

Sporting Life - Manchester United still back the Premier League’s collective bargaining agreement.

TeamTalk - Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar expects to be back in action within a fortnight after breaking his nose.Van der Sar broke his nose in a hefty collision with Tottenham’s Robbie Keane during United’s 4-0 win at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Sporting Life - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted with the form of defender Rio Ferdinand.

TeamTalk - Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano has insisted the Catalan giants have made ‘no approach’ to sign Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.United’s brilliant Portugal winger has reportedly become a major transfer target of both Barcelona and their Primera Liga rivals Real Madrid.

Sporting Life - Manchester United are set to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona as the world’s richest club.

Sporting Life - Bryan Robson says Manchester United must do whatever it takes to keep Cristiano Ronaldo.

TeamTalk - Cristiano Ronaldo admits his future is unclear but the Manchester United winger insists speculation will not affect his excellent form.The Portugal international, who played in his country’s 2-0 win over Brazil at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, has been repeatedly linked with a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid since the World Cup last summer.

TeamTalk - Paul Scholes is refusing to get carried away by Manchester United’s stunning four-goal triumph at Tottenham on Sunday.The Premiership leaders began what was expected to be a tough set of away fixtures with the biggest win at White Hart Lane in their illustrious history.

Sporting Life - John O’Shea believes the current Manchester United squad is as good as their Treble winners.

TeamTalk - Manchester United utility player John O’Shea believes the current Red Devils squad is just as talented as the treble-winning vintage of 1999.Although O’Shea feels manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s latest crop of stars are not as experienced compared to those of eight years ago, he is adamant there is no reason why their feat cannot be emulated this season.

TeamTalk - Michael Carrick insists Manchester United are unconcerned by the returns of Chelsea captain John Terry and goalkeeper Petr Cech.United restored their six-point Premiership lead over Chelsea by thrashing Tottenham 4-0 at White Hart Lane on Sunday, with Carrick enjoying his return to the club he left in the summer.

TeamTalk - Tottenham could be in trouble for showing replays of Cristiano Ronaldo’s “dive” on the big screens during Sunday’s defeat by Manchester United.The Premier League may contact Spurs after a replay of the controversial incident was shown at White Hart Lane during the interval of United’s 4-0 win.

TeamTalk - Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz claims he has “never seen a player” with as much ability as Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.Ronaldo caused a storm of controversy during United’s 4-0 win at Tottenham when he went down under minimal, if any, contact from Steed Malbranque for the visitors’ first-half penalty.

Sporting Life - Manchester United have cleared Wayne Rooney to join England ahead of the friendly with Spain.

TeamTalk - Manchester United have cleared Wayne Rooney to link up with England ahead of Wednesday’s friendly with Spain at Old Trafford.The United striker limped off with an ankle injury in the latter stages of the 4-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday.

TeamTalk - Sir Alex Ferguson highlighted the importance of goal difference in the Premiership title race after Manchester United thrashed Tottenham 4-0.The Red Devils restored their six-point lead at the top of the table over champions Chelsea but are effectively seven ahead having scored 16 more and conceded one fewer than Jose Mourinho’s men.

Sporting Life - Alex Ferguson highlighted the importance of clean sheets in the title race after Manchester United beat Spurs 4-0.

TeamTalk - Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes Cristiano Ronaldo should leave Manchester United to further his ‘education’ with Barcelona.The 22-year-old Ronaldo, whom Scolari knows well from their national team get-togethers, is enjoying his best season for United and scored his 15th goal of the season in Sunday’s 4-0 win at Tottenham.

TeamTalk - Tottenham boss Martin Jol was unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty that set Manchester United on their way to a 4-0 win at White Hart Lane.Jol admitted Steed Malbranque left an outstretched leg when the United winger burst into the area just before the break, but replays showed there was no contact.

Sporting Life - Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Wayne Rooney is doubtful for England’s friendly with Spain.

TeamTalk - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson claims Wayne Rooney is doubtful for England’s friendly on Wednesday after he limped off at Tottenham.Rooney was replaced by Louis Saha in the 64th minute of United’s 4-0 win at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

TeamTalk - Paul Scholes hopes Manchester United will get their “just rewards” in May after another superb performance in Sunday’s 4-0 win at Tottenham.The Red Devils regained their six-point lead over second-placed Chelsea in the Premiership after brushing aside Spurs at White Hart Lane.

Reuters - Manchester United rattled in three goals in 10 minutes either side of halftime to set up a 4-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur and restore their six-point lead over Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

TeamTalk - Manchester United restored their six-point lead at the top of the Premiership with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane.Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener at White Hart Lane on the stroke of half-time but it was hard to tell the extent of the contact as Steed Malbranque and Lee Young-Pyo tried to stop his run.

Reuters - Manchester United rattled in three goals in 10 minutes either side of halftime to set up a 4-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur and restore their six-point lead over Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

TeamTalk - Manchester United made it 60 goals for the season after re-establishing their six-point lead over Chelsea with a superb 4-0 win at Tottenham.Spurs held their own for 45 minutes but Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the spot on the stroke of half-time before goals from Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs sealed a comprehensive victory at White Hart Lane.

Sporting Life - Manchester United restored their six-point lead at the top of the Premiership by beating Spurs 4-0.

Sporting Life - Ahead of the trip to Spurs, Sir Alex Ferguson says Wayne Rooney is returning to his best form.