Manchester United news and links

• Official played lengthy injury time in United’s win in September
• City seek official explanation about replacement referee

Manchester City are demanding an official explanation after the referee responsible for the infamous “Fergie Time” controversy was put in charge of tomorrow’s Manchester derby.

Senior officials at Eastlands are so concerned about Martin Atkinson’s appointment that, with Roberto Mancini’s agreement, they were trying to contact the Premier League’s head of referees, Mike Riley, tonight to express their concerns. The club will demand to know why another referee was not appointed.

Atkinson has been switched from Stoke’s match against Bolton Wanderers despite being heavily criticised when the teams met at Old Trafford in September. He was the official who awarded four minutes of stoppage time but actually played seven, with Michael Owen scoring a 96th-minute winner for Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.

tomorrow’s match was due to be officiated by Steve Bennett but he has been on a Uefa course in Romania and contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) this afternoon to inform them that he had not been able to fly back because of the Icelandic volcano eruption.

Mancini was not at the club at the time of the earlier game but his predecessor as manager, Mark Hughes, was so incensed by Atkinson’s timekeeping that he requested an explanation from the Premier League, and the club was not satisfied with the response. Atkinson was absolved by Riley, and the PGMOL has taken the stance that it cannot be influenced by what it perceives to be unfair criticisms.

Atkinson will go into both dressing rooms before the match to remind the players to do nothing to incite the crowd in what Ferguson described as potentially the most important Manchester derby since he took control of United in 1986.

Ferguson’s side are four points behind Chelsea at the top of the league and a defeat would all but end their hopes of a fourth successive title. City are fourth in the league, hoping to qualify for the Champions League, and the club Ferguson derided as “noisy neighbours” have scored 14 times in the last three games.

Six have come from Carlos Tevez, taking his total to 28 in a season when he has been nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award, but Ferguson said he had “no regrets” about losing the Argentinian to City, even though Wayne Rooney’s ankle injury has been a devastating blow.

“You cannot dispute the fact that he [Tevez] has had a great goalscoring season but I’ve got no regrets at all. None whatsoever. We tried to buy him but we didn’t match the money they wanted [the consortium that owned Tevez’s registration] and therefore the boy moved on. There is no bitterness for me. Players leave here – some do well, some don’t. You just have to move on.”

Ferguson added: “I thought he had a good first season with us, I must admit, but in the second season he didn’t feature as much. This is a very big club and there is a big demand here. And he had far more competition with us than he has at City, there is no doubt about that.”

City’s decision to put up a “Welcome to Manchester” billboard after signing Tevez led Ferguson to describe them as a “small club with a small mentality” and the striker has continued to be a central figure in the rivalry, most notably by describing Gary Neville as a “boot-licking moron”.

But Tevez also angered his own club this week with a newspaper interview in which he said the players were “not happy” with Mancini’s double training sessions. Mancini will not fine his leading scorer but he will summon him to his office for an explanation. “This week, the most important thing for me has been the game,” he said. “I will have time, though, in the coming weeks.”

Mancini hopes the striker will regret his remarks. “I know how footballers work. When I was a player [at Sampdoria] I publicly criticised the manager for his training. I would say: ‘Oh, this training is no good for us and blah blah blah’ but when that manager, [Vujadin] Boskov, was sacked I was sad because I knew he was the best manager and that I had made a mistake. I knew I was wrong.”

• Manchester United manager feels ‘no bitterness’ over Tevez
• Wayne Rooney may return for Manchester derby

Sir Alex Ferguson has described tomorrow’s Manchester derby as “the most significant for a long time”, with City battling to secure a Champions League berth and United still in contention for the title.

The Manchester United manager has confirmed that Wayne Rooney could return for the game at the City of Manchester Stadium, but despite his team’s injury problems up front in the latter part of the season, Ferguson insisted he was still happy with his decision to let Carlos Tevez leave the club last summer. The Argentinian subsuquently signed for Manchester City and has scored 28 goals this term.

“I have no regrets about that whatsoever,” said Ferguson. “There is no bitterness from me. Players leave here from time to time. Some do well, others don’t. We move on.

“Carlos had a good first season with us, I must admit. In the second he didn’t feature in as many games. I cannot dispute that he is having a great goalscoring season.”

Ferguson said he had no doubts that City would spend heavily in the summer once again should they make it into the Champions League.

“It is the most significant derby for a long time,” he said. “City and Spurs are trying to get into the Champions League for the first time in their history. It is the first time since I have been manager that we are facing City when they have a genuine chance of achieving something.”

Ferguson confirmed that Rooney had been training over the past two days with United and suggested that the team would “see how he is” before making a final decision on his availability. He also confirmed Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand have an outside chance of being involved at Eastlands.

Rooney has been linked in the last few days with a big-money bid from Real Madrid, who will be looking to reinforce their squad. Questions have been raised about the Old Trafford club’s ability to resist an offer that could match the world record £80m that Real paid them for Cristiano Ronaldo last year, but Ferguson was quick to brush off such talk.

“It is the silly season isn’t it,” said the United boss. “It always happens at the end of the season. Wayne Rooney will still be here next year.”

There was further good news for United, meanwhile, with Owen Hargreaves set to be included in Ferguson’s squad for tomorrow’s game, giving him the chance to make his first senior appearance in almost 20 months. Hargreaves’ fitness is one of the matters Ferguson must wrestle with this summer as he looks to reshape a squad that has already been bolstered by the signings of Javier Hernández and Chris Smalling, with more set to follow.

“We have a reasonable structure here. There is nothing wrong with it,” said Ferguson. “We may look at one or two things, but nothing serious. It is important not to confuse us with others who have much more buying power. We do not need to worry about them.

“It was the same with Chelsea. We didn’t bother ourselves when they were buying. We just try to concentrate on what we are doing.”

Ferguson was not referring to any restrictions placed upon him by the Glazer family, but rather City’s vast spending power.

• Greater Manchester police keen to stem further crowd trouble
• Both players made provocative gestures in earlier meetings

Carlos Tevez and Gary Neville, the two central figures in the acrimony that has surrounded this season’s Manchester derbies, will be under police orders not to do anything that could incite crowd trouble when City and United renew hostilities tomorrow.

Greater Manchester police, planning one of the biggest football operations of the season, are to speak to both clubs to emphasise the importance of the two sets of players behaving responsibly rather than fuelling existing tensions.

The police are anxious about the way the players celebrate goals, and it will be made clear to the two clubs that this should not involve deliberately goading opposition supporters.

When United beat City at Old Trafford with an injury-time goal in September the United captain Neville, an unused substitute, ran along the touchline to celebrate provocatively in front of the away end. The Football Association subsequently wrote to Neville to warn him about his future conduct but the former England player was involved in more controversy in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final in January, when he flashed his middle finger at Tevez after his former team-mate had scored from the penalty spot.

Tevez had gestured towards Neville after running to celebrate in front of Sir Alex Ferguson’s dugout and, still nursing a grievance from the way he perceives he was treated at Old Trafford, cupping his ears towards United’s officials in the directors’ box. The striker subsequently called Neville a “boot-licker” and a “moron” in an interview on Argentinian radio, an outburst that led the police to contact his club because of their concerns that he was fuelling the potential for trouble.

Eighteen people were arrested before, during and after that encounter at Eastlands and police confiscated items including darts and golf balls from United’s fans. Other objects were thrown on to the pitch by both sets of supporters, including a cigarette lighter that struck the United left-back Patrice Evra.

Roberto Mancini, the City manager, has been warned and fined £20,000, suspended until the end of the 2011-12 season, after admitting misconduct following his touchline clash with David Moyes during his side’s home defeat to Everton last month.

• Leading Knights putting finishing touches to summer bid
• Glazers continue to say Man United is not for sale

The wealthy group of Manchester United fans known as the Red Knights are expected to finalise their proposal to make an offer for the club by the end of this week, with an approach expected at the end of the season.

The leading figures behind the audacious plan to buy out the Glazer family, including the Goldman Sachs chief economist, Jim O’Neill, Freshfields partner Mark Rawlinson and Wace Marshall hedge fund co-founder Paul Marshall, met advisers in London today to discuss their plan.

The investment bank Nomura, appointed on 12 March, has contacted the 40 or so individuals who have signalled a desire to become involved in the bid and is understood to be in a position to fashion a final draft of its scheme.

The bank’s team is led by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught, who advised the Manchester United board in 2005 as it unsuccessfully attempted to repel the initial approach by the Glazers.

The final structure has yet to be decided but it is expected that the group will opt to retain the £509m bond that was a significant factor in rallying fans to protest against the Glazers’ financial model. The bond prospectus showed that the Glazers could take up to £127m out of the club in the next year alone to pay the £202m hedge fund loans that are secured against their shareholding in Manchester United.

Those close to the Red Knights’ plans have been at pains to insist that the proposal is not viewed as a money-making scheme. It is likely that the investors will be guaranteed a modest annual return but face restrictions on when and how they can sell their stakes. The model is expected to envisage a greater share of the club being transferred to a wider base of supporters over time, with guaranteed representation on the board.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust, the prime mover behind the Old Trafford green and gold protests, now has more than 151,000 members. It has been involved in the discussions and would co-ordinate any offer made to the wider fanbase to become involved.

“The reports of the ongoing meetings are going to encourage supporters because the vast majority want to see a change of ownership,” the chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, said. “They want to see these plans develop. This is a chance for supporters to have an opportunity to have a real stake in the club.”

The club’s owners recently announced they would freeze season ticket prizes for next season, following a rise of around 50% since they took over, which MUST interpreted as a sign that its pressure was having an effect.

The Glazers continue to say the club is not for sale. Any bid is unlikely to be put forward until the close season, with no public comment expected until then. The group, in its last public statement, said it did not want to distract from events on the pitch during the title run-in.

• Leading Knights putting finishing touches to summer bid
• Glazers continue to say Man United is not for sale

The wealthy group of Manchester United fans known as the Red Knights are expected to finalise their proposal to make an offer for the club by the end of this week, with an approach expected at the end of the season.

The leading figures behind the audacious plan to buy out the Glazer family, including the Goldman Sachs chief economist, Jim O’Neill, Freshfields partner Mark Rawlinson and Wace Marshall hedge fund co-founder Paul Marshall, met advisers in London today to discuss their plan.

The investment bank Nomura, appointed on 12 March, has contacted the 40 or so individuals who have signalled a desire to become involved in the bid and is understood to be in a position to fashion a final draft of its scheme.

The bank’s team is led by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught, who advised the Manchester United board in 2005 as it unsuccessfully attempted to repel the initial approach by the Glazers.

The final structure has yet to be decided but it is expected that the group will opt to retain the £509m bond that was a significant factor in rallying fans to protest against the Glazers’ financial model. The bond prospectus showed that the Glazers could take up to £127m out of the club in the next year alone to pay the £202m hedge fund loans that are secured against their shareholding in Manchester United.

Those close to the Red Knights’ plans have been at pains to insist that the proposal is not viewed as a money-making scheme. It is likely that the investors will be guaranteed a modest annual return but face restrictions on when and how they can sell their stakes. The model is expected to envisage a greater share of the club being transferred to a wider base of supporters over time, with guaranteed representation on the board.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust, the prime mover behind the Old Trafford green and gold protests, now has more than 151,000 members. It has been involved in the discussions and would co-ordinate any offer made to the wider fanbase to become involved.

“The reports of the ongoing meetings are going to encourage supporters because the vast majority want to see a change of ownership,” the chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, said. “They want to see these plans develop. This is a chance for supporters to have an opportunity to have a real stake in the club.”

The club’s owners recently announced they would freeze season ticket prizes for next season, following a rise of around 50% since they took over, which MUST interpreted as a sign that its pressure was having an effect.

The Glazers continue to say the club is not for sale. Any bid is unlikely to be put forward until the close season, with no public comment expected until then. The group, in its last public statement, said it did not want to distract from events on the pitch during the title run-in.

• Leading Knights putting finishing touches to summer bid
• Glazers continue to say Man United is not for sale

The wealthy group of Manchester United fans known as the Red Knights are expected to finalise their proposal to make an offer for the club by the end of this week, with an approach expected at the end of the season.

The leading figures behind the audacious plan to buy out the Glazer family, including the Goldman Sachs chief economist, Jim O’Neill, Freshfields partner Mark Rawlinson and Wace Marshall hedge fund co-founder Paul Marshall, met advisers in London today to discuss their plan.

The investment bank Nomura, appointed on 12 March, has contacted the 40 or so individuals who have signalled a desire to become involved in the bid and is understood to be in a position to fashion a final draft of its scheme.

The bank’s team is led by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught, who advised the Manchester United board in 2005 as it unsuccessfully attempted to repel the initial approach by the Glazers.

The final structure has yet to be decided but it is expected that the group will opt to retain the £509m bond that was a significant factor in rallying fans to protest against the Glazers’ financial model. The bond prospectus showed that the Glazers could take up to £127m out of the club in the next year alone to pay the £202m hedge fund loans that are secured against their shareholding in Manchester United.

Those close to the Red Knights’ plans have been at pains to insist that the proposal is not viewed as a money-making scheme. It is likely that the investors will be guaranteed a modest annual return but face restrictions on when and how they can sell their stakes. The model is expected to envisage a greater share of the club being transferred to a wider base of supporters over time, with guaranteed representation on the board.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust, the prime mover behind the Old Trafford green and gold protests, now has more than 151,000 members. It has been involved in the discussions and would co-ordinate any offer made to the wider fanbase to become involved.

“The reports of the ongoing meetings are going to encourage supporters because the vast majority want to see a change of ownership,” the chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, said. “They want to see these plans develop. This is a chance for supporters to have an opportunity to have a real stake in the club.”

The club’s owners recently announced they would freeze season ticket prizes for next season, following a rise of around 50% since they took over, which MUST interpreted as a sign that its pressure was having an effect.

The Glazers continue to say the club is not for sale. Any bid is unlikely to be put forward until the close season, with no public comment expected until then. The group, in its last public statement, said it did not want to distract from events on the pitch during the title run-in.

• Leading Knights putting finishing touches to summer bid
• Glazers continue to say Man United is not for sale

The wealthy group of Manchester United fans known as the Red Knights are expected to finalise their proposal to make an offer for the club by the end of this week, with an approach expected at the end of the season.

The leading figures behind the audacious plan to buy out the Glazer family, including the Goldman Sachs chief economist, Jim O’Neill, Freshfields partner Mark Rawlinson and Wace Marshall hedge fund co-founder Paul Marshall, met advisers in London today to discuss their plan.

The investment bank Nomura, appointed on 12 March, has contacted the 40 or so individuals who have signalled a desire to become involved in the bid and is understood to be in a position to fashion a final draft of its scheme.

The bank’s team is led by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught, who advised the Manchester United board in 2005 as it unsuccessfully attempted to repel the initial approach by the Glazers.

The final structure has yet to be decided but it is expected that the group will opt to retain the £509m bond that was a significant factor in rallying fans to protest against the Glazers’ financial model. The bond prospectus showed that the Glazers could take up to £127m out of the club in the next year alone to pay the £202m hedge fund loans that are secured against their shareholding in Manchester United.

Those close to the Red Knights’ plans have been at pains to insist that the proposal is not viewed as a money-making scheme. It is likely that the investors will be guaranteed a modest annual return but face restrictions on when and how they can sell their stakes. The model is expected to envisage a greater share of the club being transferred to a wider base of supporters over time, with guaranteed representation on the board.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust, the prime mover behind the Old Trafford green and gold protests, now has more than 151,000 members. It has been involved in the discussions and would co-ordinate any offer made to the wider fanbase to become involved.

“The reports of the ongoing meetings are going to encourage supporters because the vast majority want to see a change of ownership,” the chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, said. “They want to see these plans develop. This is a chance for supporters to have an opportunity to have a real stake in the club.”

The club’s owners recently announced they would freeze season ticket prizes for next season, following a rise of around 50% since they took over, which MUST interpreted as a sign that its pressure was having an effect.

The Glazers continue to say the club is not for sale. Any bid is unlikely to be put forward until the close season, with no public comment expected until then. The group, in its last public statement, said it did not want to distract from events on the pitch during the title run-in.

• Cech warns title rivals they cannot afford any more slip-ups
• ‘They are under pressure … this can be a decisive week’

Petr Cech has warned Chelsea’s title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal that they cannot afford any more slip-ups during the run-in.

Chelsea moved four points clear of United at the top thanks to a 1-0 victory over Bolton. Nicolas Anelka’s first-half strike, his first in 14 games, settled it, and kept Chelsea on course for an historic League and FA Cup double.

Arsenal have the chance to close the gap against Tottenham at White Hart Lane tonight but Cech warned the Gunners and United that one more mistake could be crucial.

“Arsenal have a big game tonight against Spurs because they’re the furthest away and if they don’t win, the gap will open,” the Czech goalkeeper said. “They know they’re under pressure. Then at the weekend there is the Manchester derby and we play a London derby at Tottenham. It can be a decisive week.

“It can change the position in the Premier League a lot if we manage to win our game and the others lose theirs. It could also go the other way and change everything for the last three games.

“But beating Bolton was a massive step forward. We can play good football and score goals but when a game isn’t going our way and we have to fight and dig deep, we can do that. We showed it against Bolton.

“I have been at Chelsea for six years and just kept my first clean sheet at home against Bolton so now it’s time for our record at White Hart Lane to change, too.

“Last season everything went wrong. There was a bomb alert, the game was delayed, we were kept waiting and then we started slow and lost 1-0. Even though we had chances, it was not our day. This time it’s going to be different for us.”

Meanwhile John Terry admitted Chelsea were affected by a touch of the jitters against Wanderers. Bolton had chances to snatch a draw and Owen Coyle, their manager, was furious that referee Lee Probert rejected two penalty appeals.

“We were probably a bit slow in the tempo of our play and were taking too many touches,” Terry, the Chelsea captain, said. “We were not at our best but fair play to Bolton, they came to win the game. They were pressing and staying man-to-man which made it difficult for us at times.

“Nerves took their toll late on but we managed to hold on. We are getting closer week by week but it is just important that we keep winning. Man United, Arsenal and us have all got tough away games this weekend. We are just concentrating on ourselves and we have a little cushion now.”

Coyle claimed that Bolton should have had a first-half penalty when Didier Drogba handled and another one in the second period when Terry appeared to commit the same offence.

But Terry said: “I don’t know what it looked like on TV but it certainly felt like it came off my chest. Over 40-odd games you are going get some penalties and you are not going to get others. Late on it hit Zat Knight’s hand as well so we could have had one and maybe they could have had one as well, but over the course of the season you get your rewards.”

Knight insists they should be proud of their performance against Chelsea which has put them a confident mood ahead of their weekend trip to Stoke.

“We worked our socks off and put in a very good performance and made it very difficult for a very good Chelsea side,” the Bolton defender said. “We stuck in there and gave a good account of ourselves. We created a number of chances and we were disappointed that we didn’t get the decisions we deserved. At the moment it is in our hands: Stoke will be a tough game but we have the belief and now we have to get on with preparing for Saturday.”

• Manchester City manager wants to play full strength United
• ‘Then the side who wins can truly say the best team won’

Roberto Mancini wants Wayne Rooney to face his Manchester City side on Saturday, so that there will be no excuses from Manchester United if they lose the derby.

Rooney has been the key figure for the faltering champions this season, scoring 34 goals in all competitions. However he has been troubled by an ankle injury and sat out the goalless draw against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

United would appear to need Rooney more than ever as Chelsea’s victory against Bolton Wanderers took them four points clear of Sir Alex Ferguson’s side with only four games remaining.

City have already beaten United at home this season in the Carling Cup with Rooney playing, and Italian manager Mancini does not see why his team cannot repeat that win again.

“I think it is better if Rooney plays on Saturday. He’s a fantastic player and has had an amazing season. He will be a danger, of course, but United have many fine players in their team – but we have beaten them once at home already and can do it again.

“I think it is best if both teams are full strength and then the side who takes the three points can truly say the best team won and there is no reason that cannot be us.”

Mancini, a veteran of Milan derby battles, believes there are many similarities between the two big city clashes.

“Supporters live for these games and look forward to them more than any other match each year, ” he said. “It is about passion and desire and results do not always go to form. Of course, this isn’t just a game about local pride: we want to finish in fourth place and every match from now until the last will be just as important.

“We need our fans to keep doing what they do each week and get right behind the team from the first minute to the last. They can inspire us to even greater heights and they have a huge role to play against United.”

• ‘This is a fantastic result for Chelsea,’ says United manager
• United’s title hopes now reliant on Chelsea dropping points

Sir Alex Ferguson may not quite have waved a white flag and surrendered to Chelsea but the Manchester United manager did acknowledge that the Premier League title is sliding from his team’s grasp.

United’s disappointing 0-0 draw at Ewood Park yesterday handed the initiative to Carlo Ancelotti’s side and, four days after the frustration of a Champions League exit to Bayern Munich, Ferguson could not disguise his disappointment.

“The title is slipping away when you don’t get a result in a game like today,” said the United manager, who is now dependent on his rivals faltering. “We are now a point behind Chelsea and they have a game in hand which would take it to four points. It’s a big gap.

“I think it has slipped away from us today. It’s going to be difficult to win this league but we have a lifeline if Chelsea blow it.”

Lacking the injured Wayne Rooney, United struggled in the face of some obdurate Blackburn defending with Rooney’s replacement, the deep-lying Dimitar Berbatov, cutting an increasingly frustrated figure. “We created plenty of chances and had enough opportunities to take them,” said Ferguson, whose gamble in selecting Federico Macheda in attack failed.

“The pitch wasn’t great but we should have done better in this game. It was a disappointing result – it’s a blow, there is no doubt about that. This is a fantastic result for Chelsea.”

Whether Ancelotti’s men maintain their advantage depends on the events of tomorrow night. “They have a home game against Bolton on Tuesday which they will be fancied to win, of course; to my mind they have an easy game,” said Ferguson who, having used all his substitutes, was forced to leave the injured Rio Ferdinand to play out the last 10 minutes as a virtual passenger. The England captain picked up a groin strain on a day when Ryan Giggs collected a hamstring injury and John O’Shea also received a knock.

Ferguson was hopeful they would recover in time for Saturday’s Manchester derby. Their manager hopes they will recover in time for a meeting with United’s “noisy” neighbours. “We have a derby game against Manchester City next week,” he said. “It’s a derby game that takes away the business of chasing the league. It is a different kind of game. It will be entertaining in terms of the pride of the supporters.”

Safe from relegation worries but out of European contention, Allardyce’s team were playing for pride yesterday. Not to mention honour. The Blackburn manager, a good friend of Ferguson who enjoyed a day out at Aintree races with him last week, had been affronted by pre-match suggestions that, after holding Chelsea to a recent draw at Ewood Park, he might quietly allow his players to concede this game.

“We’ve left Manchester United in a difficult position, I think we’ve done a good bit of damage to United’s title aspirations,” he said. “The position at the top of the table has changed 20 times this season but Sir Alex knows he’s got to win every game now and hope Chelsea slip up. I wouldn’t say it’s all over but it’s going to be difficult for them. Everyone thought Chelsea were out of it but they’ve fought back.”

Allardyce, who lost his key defender Chris Samba to injury in the first half and saw Samba’s partner Phil Jones, an 18-year-old novice centre-half, win the man-of-the-match award, was not surprised his impressive goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, had relatively few important saves to make.

“Teams can’t expect to come to Ewood Park now and create a lot of chances,” he said. “And United are not as potent without Wayne Rooney. The stats tell you that. Their second top scorer after Rooney is OG [own goals], all their other players are in single figures. It’s very unlike Man United. The creativity is still there but perhaps their finishing is not quite so good this year – you would have expected them to score from the chances they had.”

It will be scant consolation to Ferguson that he is not the first manager to have come away from Ewood cursing this season. Blackburn have lost only twice – to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur – at home in the league this season. “We’ve now drawn with Liverpool, Chelsea and United here, defensively we were outstanding today,” said Allardyce, whose side host Arsenal on 1 May. “Teams can’t expect to come to Ewood and have it easy.”

More than 40 wealthy individuals recruited in attempt to buy club from the Glazer family

The Red Knights, a group of investors trying to buy Manchester United, have recruited more than 40 wealthy individuals to help provide a £1.25bn bid kitty.

The Knights, initially 10 people led by Jim O’Neill, chief economist of investment bank Goldman Sachs, are now hammering out a deal structure.

In weekly meetings at the London offices of financial adviser Nomura, the Knights are in the process of deciding whether 50 investors will contribute £10m each, or a slightly lower number will provide more funds per head, but still bringing in £500m.

A further £250m will be found by issuing securities to United’s estimated 3.8 million supporters in the UK. The Knights also plan to retain the outstanding £500m bond issued by the club this year in order to reach the £1.25bn valuation.

Manchester United insists that it is not for sale, but experts see it differently.

“It will be [for sale] – everything’s always for sale,” said Philip Long, a partner at PKF, an accountancy firm that has been involved in football deals. “The model at the moment isn’t profitable unless they sell players. The club can’t continue making the losses it’s made.”

The latest accounts of United’s parent company, Red Football Joint Venture Ltd, showed debts of £716m and a profit of £6.4m in 2009, compared with a loss of £47m the previous year. The club sold Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m last summer.

The Red Knights admit it will be difficult to come up with a deal structure that satisfies the “egos and testosterone” of all the individuals in its investor group. O’Neill’s idea is they will only get a small dividend or return on investment as the bid is conceived as an act of altruism.

But some investors may be after more than a seat in the directors’ box and a small dividend, especially those who have individually approached the owners, the Glazer family, with offers of about £1bn.

The plan is for fans to eventually buy out the investors. The institution would be governed by a board that would elect its officials and chairman along the lines of the model used by Barcelona, the Spanish club owned by its 100,000 socios, or members.

But some experts believe such a deal will be hard to reach. Jimmy Burns, author of football books including Barca: A People’s Passion, said: “It’s going to be incredibly difficult to put together a capital structure which satisfies individual egos – the natural instinct of entrepreneurs is to see a return on their investment – and which in the medium and long term gives a sense of involvement and power to the fans.”

Debt-laden English clubs have not had the funds to strengthen their squads this season, and for the first time in seven years England will not have a representative in the semi-finals of the Champions League, Europe’s premier competition.

Despite an exit in the quarter finals last week to Bayern Munich, United insist earnings will only improve with the digital and mobile revolution, which will bring games and other appliances to mobile phones.

Manchester United and the Red Knights declined to comment.

• United can regain top spot by beating Blackburn
• They will have to do so without Wayne Rooney

As someone who spent the afternoon after his side’s Champions League defeat watching his horse win at Aintree, Sir Alex Ferguson is a man who understands the racing phrase “course and distance”. Which is why, with five Premier League games remaining and two points to claw back, the Manchester United manager is likely to turn to the veterans who have travelled this path many times before.

“In one way, the racing was a release from it all,” he said before taking the champions to Blackburn for the first of those five games. “It takes you away from the grind of the job here and it was good for me to get out.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about football at Aintree; you can never stop thinking about these kinds of games. But even if we had got through against Bayern Munich, it would still have weighed greatly on my mind. I always analyse games and it is very important to do so in defeat.

“And now we will have to depend on the experience of some of the players. I think this is a game for Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and probably Gary Neville. That experience is useful. Blackburn is never an easy place to go. The pitch is not very good; it is bare and will be lively now that the weather has turned. But we will take massive support there. We will have 7,000 supporters.”

In Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and John Terry, league leaders Chelsea can match the experience of Giggs, Scholes and Neville. However, Ferguson said the one advantage Manchester United have is that Chelsea know one slip at this stage of the season would give them no time to recover.

Manchester United will play most of their five games before Carlo Ancelotti’s team take to the field and, unlike earlier in the season,when Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick were pressed into service as makeshift centre-halves, the club are not bogged down with injuries.

“I am stronger, squad-wise, than I have ever been,” Ferguson said. “The test is as much mental as physical, but they have to go for it. They can only achieve it by winning those five games. It is straightforward now in terms of how those games fall. We don’t play in midweek and I have the strongest squad I’ve had all season.”

However, the most important member of that squad, Wayne Rooney, may not be back in action until this Saturday’s Manchester derby. Although Ferguson was still vehemently critical of the way Bayern’s players encouraged the referee to dismiss Rafael da Silva at Old Trafford, he absolved the Germans of blame for targeting Rooney’s already-injured ankle and said he would have expected his players to have done the same.

Nevertheless, if he took a risk by starting a man whose injury – sustained in the closing seconds of the first leg in Munich – had been expected to rule him out for three weeks, Ferguson said the decision was not his alone. “He [Wayne] had burst a blood vessel in Germany,” he said. “But, once the swelling had gone down on the Sunday, Steve McNally [the Manchester United doctor] said he could be ready for Wednesday.

“I said I doubted that very much, but Steve said that the swelling and the bruising had gone and the scan was perfect. The work Wayne did on Tuesday persuaded me to put him in a practise game with the other players. He was perfect – shooting and tackling all over the bloody place.

“Then you have to decide if it was worth the risk. I spoke to him on the Wednesday morning and he said he’d had no reaction. He wanted to play.”

• United manager criticises coverage of Bayern defeat
• Munich players ‘bullied young referee’

Still nursing the wounds from Manchester United’s controversial elimination from the Champions League, Sir Alex Ferguson rounded on what he called a “mist of venom” surrounding the club.

The United manager was aggrieved that the excellence of his side’s first-half performance against Bayern Munich had been forgotten amid his comments that the way Bayern’s players had surrounded the referee in a successful attempt to get Rafael da Silva dismissed was “typical Germans“.

“The most important thing about Wednesday night’s game is how well we played. But you have lost that in the mist of your venom,” he told reporters at the club’s training ground at Carrington. “The Germans let themselves down in the way they behaved by getting the boy sent off. If they don’t recognise that, there is nothing I can do about that. It was totally unfair – they bullied a young referee into it.”

“He [Rafael] has barely touched him. [Franck] Ribéry did more to him than he did to Ribéry. The issue was how the Germans reacted; they knew the boy was on a yellow card, they surrounded the referee. We see that happen time and time again with players waving an imaginary card to the referee – and he succumbed.

• United spark new cash fears with no to £40m Villa
• Dara O Briain: Ferguson needs parallel universe
• Berbatov still has my trust, insists Ferguson
• Evra calls on United to finish season strongly

“I don’t know if it was last season or the season before, but there was a referee’s edict that anyone showing an imaginary card should themselves be booked. Well, there were six that should have been booked. What has been lost in all this is our performance. We were 3-0 up and it could have been 5-0. We were magnificent and that has been lost just because you want a headline about what I say about the Germans. That is disgusting, absolutely disgusting. The players deserved some praise from you lot because their performance was outstanding. At the end of the game you are forced by Uefa rules to do a television interview. It is a bad time to do it.”

Ferguson has always been suspicious of flash interviews conducted immediately after the final whistle when emotions are at their height. His sometime mentor Jock Stein told him a manager should wait at least 48 hours before commenting on a controversial game. And he has long been suspicious of the club’s press corps, whom he accused of celebrating United’s defeat in last year’s European Cup final.

“Someone told me the other day that when the press came back from the Rome final [against Barcelona] they were all delighted,” he said. “They were on the press bus and pleased that we lost. It is disappointing when there is a British team in a European final and even one member of the British press wants us to lose. Someone on the bus told me he was absolutely disgusted at the behaviour of the British press at the European Cup final and he had no reason to lie to me.”

His accusations carried echoes of an incident in December 2005 when Ferguson was appalled by suggestions that some journalists flying back with the team from Lisbon after United’s elimination from the Champions League by Benfica ordered champagne.

Ferguson did not comment on reports in the Guardian that Manchester United’s debt had meant they were unable to fund a bid for the Valencia forward David Villa. The signing of the 21-year-old Javier Hernández and the Fulham centre-half Chris Smalling is evidence that Manchester United’s transfer policy will be aimed at younger, cheaper footballers.

“There is always conjecture about players,” Ferguson said. “Last summer it was Ribéry and Karim Benzema, and he was one of the targets that we set out to get because he was 21, and now it is David Villa. I am sure by the end of the season there will be half a dozen more.”

Ferguson has admitted he did not bring Benzema to Old Trafford because he thought the €35m (£30.7m) fee Real Madrid paid Lyon was inflated, adding that United had to move swiftly to sign Hernández from Chivas de Guadalajara once he made the Mexican national squad because his price was in danger of rising. “That created a problem for us,” he said, “because, if he went to the World Cup and did well, we were going to lose him.”

The manager was adamant that Wayne Rooney would play no part against Blackburn on Sunday after aggravating his ankle injury at Old Trafford against Bayern in a match that Ferguson had said the striker would miss. However Rooney’s wife, Coleen, at Aintree for the Grand National meeting, suggested the England international was making a typically rapid recovery. “He is fine and his ankle is fine,” she said. “He has been into training today.”

• Evra believes United can win all their remaining games
• Defender insists Rafael is not to blame for Bayern defeat

Patrice Evra called on his Manchester United team-mates to forget their recent disappointments and pour their energies into finishing the season strongly. Evra has won the league in every one of his three seasons with Manchester United since joining from Monaco for £5m in January 2006, and the full-back said he believed his team could win all of their remaining games, even if they would still need Chelsea to slip up in order to win the title.

“When the league is finished I want to go to the mirror, look at myself and know I have done everything,” said Evra. “I don’t want any regrets. It is not about what I expect Chelsea to do. If we want to win the league they need to drop some points. But I am focused on Manchester United.

“Is it difficult for us to win five games in a row? I don’t think so. We can do it. I was very sad and upset on Wednesday night but when I woke up the next day I realised I had the privilege to win the league again, for the fourth time in a row.

“I am not saying that just to look good. I believe it. I am ready for the fight.”

Evra is still struggling to understand how United ended up losing to Bayern after charging into a three-goal lead. However, he is not pinning the blame on his defensive colleague Rafael, whose dismissal four minutes into the second half was seen by many as the turning point.

“I hear a lot of people are blaming Rafael,” said Evra. “I cannot believe that. He is a young player. OK, he got the red card but Manchester United can win games with 10 men. If something needs to be blamed it is the team. Maybe we did not do the job properly in the first leg.

“I do know it was a huge shock. I was so disappointed and so sad. I have not turned the TV on or read a paper since.”

• Berbatov was left on bench until last 10 minutes against Bayern
• Ferguson says he has ‘no reason’ to doubt striker’s talents

Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted he still trusts Dimitar Berbatov, despite having left the £30.75m striker on the bench until the final 10 minutes of Wednesday’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich.

Wayne Rooney started up front against Bayern despite carrying an ankle injury, and when the time came to replace him after 55 minutes, Ferguson sent on the defender John O’Shea. Berbatov was only introduced after Arjen Robben had scored to give Bayern an away-goals lead.

Ferguson’s actions raised questions about Berbatov’s future at the club, but the manager insisted today he has no concerns about the overall contribution of the Bulgarian striker, who is set to be included for Sunday’s trip to Blackburn after Rooney aggravated his ankle injury against Bayern.

“Yes, I still trust him,” said Ferguson of Berbatov. “He is a good player and there is absolutely no reason why we should doubt that. Dimitar has done well in a lot of games recently but we prefer to play with one striker. When we got the man sent off on Wednesday there was no need to bring a striker on because all we were trying to do was go over the line in terms of defending.”

• Ferguson happy at signing of Mexican striker Javier Hernández
• United spurned opportunity to sign Valencia’s David Villa

Sir Alex Ferguson today defended Manchester United’s transfer policy following the signing of the unheralded Mexican striker Javier Hernández.

In a tacit admission that the club were no longer prepared to splash out on big name players, the United manager said: “Players like Hernández we have been historically very, very good at developing. This is what this club has always done.

“Every summer you will have big name players who are made available by agents. Last summer it was [Franck] Ribéry and [Karim] Benzema.” He said of Benzema, who eventually went from Lyon to Real Madrid for £25m: “We were in for one as you know and at 21 he was the right age but as I said before we didn’t think we would get value for the transfer fee.”

Ferguson said they moved now for Hernández because if he had had a good World Cup his fee, which was undisclosed, would have shot up.

The Guardian revealed today that United had turned down the chance to sign the prolific Spain striker, David Villa, 28, who would have cost up to £40m, because they felt they could not afford such a sum for a player looking for his last contract.

“Occasionally we do go into the transfer market for mature players,” insisted Ferguson. “[Dimitar] Berbatov was 27 when he came to us but you have to ask yourself if when a 27-year-old fulfils his contract for five years he will have little resale value.”

• Glazer family debt rules out deal for Valencia international
• Manchester United sign Mexico striker Javier Hernández

Manchester United have turned down the chance to sign David Villa, the Spain striker, because of the financial restrictions placed upon Sir Alex Ferguson by the club’s ruling Glazer family.

Villa, one of the most revered forwards in the world during five prolific years at Valencia, is to leave the Mestalla in the summer and, after initially stating that he wanted to stay in Spain and move to either Barcelona or Real Madrid, has changed his position with information reaching United in the last few weeks that they are his preferred destination.

Ferguson is a long-time admirer of the 28-year-old but Valencia want around £35m to £40m and United’s position is that the fee will have to be lowered otherwise it will be financially prohibitive at a time when the club has accrued debts in excess of £700m. This is despite Ferguson’s repeated insistence that the balance from the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid last summer is available, United having already spent £20m.

Instead, United responded to their eliminationfrom the Champions League by announcing that they had agreed a deal with Chivas de Guadalajara to sign the Mexico striker Javier Hernández, dependent on the 21-year-old gaining a work permit.

Hernández, also known as Chicharito or “Little Pea”, has passed a medical and becomes the seventh striker on United’s payroll alongside Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov, Federico Macheda, Daniel Welbeck and Mame Biram Diouf. However, his arrival for an undisclosed fee will do little to dispel growing concerns among United supporters that Ferguson is being deprived of significant transfer funds to bring in a player who can ease the level of dependence on Rooney.

Villa would have been one such man, second only to Raúl in La Liga’s list of all-time scorers, and is so intrigued by the possibility of playing in the Premier League he is already taking English lessons. He has also spoken to Fernando Torres, his international team-mate, about Liverpool but accepted they would not be able to afford him. Villa thinks less favourably of Chelsea and Manchester City, the two clubs who would have fewer problems matching the fee.

As well as currently being out of United’s price range, however, Villa does not fit the Glazers’ policy of avoiding spending large sums on players who are 26 or above and who would, in theory, have little resale value at the end of a four- or five-year contract. The club made an exception for Dimitar Berbatov, who was 27 when he signed from Tottenham Hotspur for £30.75m in September 2008, but that transfer has been described by the chief executive, David Gill, as the last of its kind.

Hernández has scored 11 goals in Mexico’s Primera División this season, putting him joint third in the scoring charts, and has won four caps, scoring against New Zealand, Bolivia and North Korea. As part of the deal, United will play a friendly to open the new Chivas stadium in July.

“I am delighted to reach agreement with Chivas to bring in such an exciting young striker, who has been in such prolific form for both his club and his country,” Ferguson said. “He will be a great addition to our squad and we look forward to welcoming our first Mexican player in the summer.”

“I feel like I am living a dream,” Hernández told the club’s television station. “All the impressions I have of the club are good and Sir Alex Ferguson is a great person, maybe the best coach in the world.”

The signing was announced as Wayne Rooney underwent further tests on the ankle injury he aggravated during the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Rooney had initially been ruled out of the match and is in danger of missing Sunday’s game at Blackburn Rovers, but Ferguson said he did not regret rushing him back.

“I never force the medical staff into anything,” he said. “It is important they make the right decisions about players’ fitness. And they made the right decision. The medical staff did not see any problem.”

The Football Association has been monitoring the situation closely but, despite Fabio Capello’s obvious concerns about seeing his main striker limp off for a second time in eight days, England’s management team are said to understand United’s position and the reasons for playing Rooney. Capello and his medical team had been aware since last weekend that there was a good chance Rooney could play and that the injury was nothing like as serious as Ferguson had portrayed when he ruled the player out for up to three weeks.

After Wednesday’s game Ferguson accused Bayern’s players of deliberately targeting Rooney and he was also angered by the way they had surrounded the Italian referee, Nicola Rizzoli, to demand that Rafael da Silva be sent off for a second bookable offence. United’s manager described them as “typical Germans” and the Bayern president, Uli Hoeness, condemned those comments yesterday.

“When we lost the Champions League against Manchester United in 1999 we lost like gentlemen,” Hoeness said. “We were good and fair losers and I think that’s what Manchester should do now. It’s an over-reaction on his part, maybe because he is disappointed to lose. Normally he is a fine gentleman but I think what he has said is not right.”

• Mexican striker to move to Old Trafford subject to work permit
• 21-year-old has impressive scoring record for club and country

Manchester United have announced a deal with Chivas de Guadalajara to sign the striker Javier Hernández for an undisclosed fee subject to a work permit.

The 21-year-old striker, also known as Chicharito or “Little Pea”, has an impressive scoring record in the Mexican league and has won caps for his country. Personal terms have been agreed and Hernández passed a medical in Manchester this week.

As part of the deal United will play a match to open Chivas’ new 45,000-capacity stadium in Guadalajara ahead of next season.

“I am delighted to reach agreement with Chivas to bring such an exciting young striker, who has been in such prolific form for both his club and his country,” said the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. “He will be a great addition to our squad and we look forward to welcoming our first Mexican player in the summer.

“We are equally excited to play our first game in Mexico, opening the magnificent new Chivas Stadium in July.”

Hernández has scored 11 goals in the Mexican Primera División this season, putting him joint-third in the scoring charts.

The United manager, Alex Ferguson, said: “I am delighted to reach agreement with Chivas to bring such an exciting young striker, who has been in such prolific form for both his club and his country.

“He will be a great addition to our squad and we look forward to welcoming our first Mexican player in the summer.

“We are equally excited to play our first game in Mexico, opening the magnificent new Chivas Stadium in July.”

• Manager insists club made right decision to play Rooney
• ‘I never force the medical staff into anything’

Sir Alex Ferguson insists he did not put any pressure on the Manchester United medical staff to declare Wayne Rooney fit for last night’s Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

After declaring Rooney had “no chance” of being involved barely 24 hours before the game, Ferguson named the England striker in his starting line-up for the quarter-final second leg.

• Kevin McCarra’s report: Man Utd 3-2 Bayern (agg: 4-4)
• Paul Hayward: United seal English retreat from Europe
• German press reaction: “Bayern to write history”
• David Pleat’s tactical analysis of last night’s game
• In pictures: All the best images from Old Trafford

Ferguson confirmed the decision had only been taken following consultation with his medical team and Rooney, who all agreed the risk to the ankle he damaged during the first leg in Munich a week previously was minimal.

As it turned out, Rooney went over on the same ankle in the first half and was clearly struggling before Ferguson substituted him with over half an hour remaining following the dismissal of Rafael.

Ferguson is confident the 24-year-old will be fit for the Manchester derby at Eastlands on 17 April, although he is unlikely to make Sunday’s trip to Blackburn.

That assessment should at least ease the concerns of the England manager, Fabio Capello, who was at Old Trafford last night, with Ferguson adamant the correct procedures had been followed.

“I never force the medical staff into anything,” said Ferguson. “Their job is difficult. It is important they make the right decisions about players’ fitness. They made the right decision. The medical staff did not see any problem.”

Although Rooney did not add to his 34 goals, he was a central figure in United’s flying start, that seemed certain to secure a semi-final berth. His presence alone galvanised the Old Trafford crowd, which Ferguson also recognised as he went through his starting line-up.

“Wayne was keen to have a go and it did have an impact on the crowd,” said the United manager. “It gave them all a lift.”

Ferguson, though, is confident that the club can bounce back from their European exit. “Three disappointing results in a row isn’t something we’re used to, but it’s happened and we’ve had to face this many times before,” Ferguson told MUTV. “[Bouncing back] is in the nature of our club and is part of our history. We’ve got five league games to go and we need to win them, starting at Blackburn on Sunday.”

• ‘At 3-0, I would not have bet even a cent on Bayern’
• Louis van Gaal praises ‘incredible’ second half

Bayern Munich’s honorary president, Franz Beckenbauer, spoke of “one of the most beautiful defeats in the club’s history” after his side qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League despite going down 3-2 to Manchester United last night.

Arjen Robben’s volley 16 minutes from the end secured Bayern’s passage after United had raced into a 3-0 lead on the night. Ivica Olic brought Bayern back into contention in the 43rd minute and their cause was aided by the United defender Rafael’s dismissal for a second bookable offence five minutes into the second half.

“We were asleep at the start and Man U were superior in every aspect,” said Beckenbauer. “At 3-0, I would not have bet even a cent on Bayern. But they turned it around magnificently.

• Kevin McCarra’s report: Man Utd 3-2 Bayern (agg: 4-4)
• Paul Hayward: United seal English retreat from Europe
• German press reaction: “Bayern to write history”
• David Pleat’s tactical analysis of last night’s game
• In pictures: All the best images from Old Trafford

“Two moments were decisive: the goal for 3-1 from Olic just before the break and then Rafael’s red card. Bayern then played with composure, let the ball roll and Robben then scored a dream goal. It was one of the most beautiful defeats in Bayern Munich’s history.”

It was Bayern’s first defeat at Old Trafford after two draws and a win, and the club chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, added: “That is the first time we have lost in Manchester, but it is a loss we are happy to accept.”

It was not the only defeat for Rummenigge last night, as the Bayern president, Uli Hoeness, explained. The pair had made a bet before the game on whether Wayne Rooney would play, despite the striker seemingly being ruled out due to injury on the eve of the match.

“Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has got to pay for a dinner with 10 guests,” said Hoeness. “We had a bet and I said that he would play.”

Unlike Beckenbauer, Hoeness always fancied his side’s chances, even after United’s impressive opening. “In the stands, we never had the feeling that it would go down the pan,” he said. “That is a magnificent thing. We played cleverly and just waited for our chance to arrive. What really distinguishes the team and the coach is that they always believe in themselves.”

The Bayern coach, Louis van Gaal, was delighted with his side’s fighting spirit. “I am obviously proud,” he said. “Given that we were 3-0 down, it is incredible what we achieved in the second half. We played like a big team. Robben’s goal was unbelievable.”

Bayern’s focus now turns to reaching the final for the first time since winning the trophy on a penalty shoot-out against Valencia at San Siro in 2001.

“It would be fantastic to go one more round,” said the midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. “We made a pact in the interval that we would go out and play like men. The red card also helped us. Manchester have a great stadium with great fans who spur them on. But we held our own against them.”

• Bild hails ‘miracle Munich’ after victory over Manchester United
• ‘After this herculean effort now everything seems possible’

The German press hailed the impact of Arjen Robben after his late goal for Bayern Munich knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League last night.

The Dutch winger scored the decisive away goal at Old Trafford, volleying home Franck Ribéry’s corner in the second half. “Robben, we love you!” gushed the tabloid De Bild, while Spiegel went for: “Robben shoots out Manchester.

“He is the man for the special moments at Bayern this season. So who would have scored this goal if not Arjen Robben?”

De Bild hailed “miracle Munich”, just as they did after the comeback victory in the first leg. “This Bayern are on the way to write history,” says the tabloid. “Bayern, now go and win the cup! It would be important for German football.”

“Swimming lesson, dream goal – semi-finals!” was the headline in Süddeutsche Zeitung, a reference to the way in which the Munich defence came close to sinking with United 3-0 up before half-time. “After this herculean effort now everything seems possible in the semi-final against Olympique Lyon.”

Sir Alex Ferguson’s gamble with Wayne Rooney was also prominently noted. “The medical department of the Bavarians had mobilized all its forces for the big game,” said Süddeutsche Zeitung. “Arjen Robben (calf) and central defender Daniel van Buyten (knee) were on the teamsheet, as hoped. As feared by many people in Munich, the strategy of the opposing coach did too, with – abracadabra – Wayne Rooney in the starting XI.”

• Manager says Bayern targeted Wayne Rooney’s ankle
• Van Gaal calls complaints unfair and Rafael unprofessional

Sir Alex Ferguson responded to Manchester United’s elimination from the Champions League last night by accusing Bayern Munich’s players of resorting to underhand tactics, branding them “typical Germans” for what he saw as deliberate attempts to injure Wayne Rooney and persuade the referee, Nicola Rizzoli, to send off Rafael da Silva.

Bayern’s victory on away goals, after Arjen Robben’s volley saw a pulsating and ultimately rancorous quarter-final finish 4-4 on aggregrate, means there will be no English club in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in seven years and Ferguson was incensed about the manner in which his team were removed from the competition, despite winning 3-2 on the night. The United manager reported that Rooney would miss Sunday’s Premier League match at Blackburn Rovers after taking several kicks to his injured right ankle but most of his ire was reserved for the way the Bayern players had urged the Italian referee to show Rafael a second yellow card after his 50th-minute pull at Franck Ribéry’s arm.

“They got him sent off,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that and they would have never won if we had 11 men. He [Rafael] is a young boy, inexperienced and there’s a bit of immaturity about what happened but they got him sent off. Typical Germans.

• Kevin McCarra’s report: Man Utd 3-2 Bayern (agg: 4-4)
• Paul Hayward: United seal English retreat from Europe
• German press reaction: “Bayern to write history”
• David Pleat’s tactical analysis of last night’s game
• In pictures: All the best images from Old Trafford

“That sending off changed the game. I thought they were typical professionals in the way they saw the opportunity and forced the referee. It was only a slight tug at the boy and, Jesus, he was 35 yards from goal.

“He [Rafael] was having a marvellous game and it’s a tragedy for him but the ref wasn’t going to do anything until they forced him to get a card out. But we’ve seen that before from teams like that.”

Rooney, who had been ruled out for up to three weeks in a classic piece of Ferguson misinformation last Friday, lasted only 55 minutes of a match in which Ferguson felt Bayern’s players were deliberately targeting the England striker.

“I think that’s obvious,” he said. “I don’t think there was anything serious, but there were a couple of challenges. We expected that, and the referee should have handled it.” Ferguson went on to describe Bayern as “lucky”, asserting that United had been the better team over the two legs.

“I don’t think the best team got through,” the manager said. “They got a deflected free-kick [in the first leg] and a goal in injury-time, so you have to say they carried their luck. We have had occasions when we have had luck and I think they have this time. It’s hard to digest. In one way we could say we have thrown it away; in another we’ve been very unlucky.”

His comments drew a terse response from the Bayern coach, Louis van Gaal. “I don’t share his opinion,” the Dutchman said, referring to Rafael’s red card. “Every player must know that, if he picks up a yellow card, a second means a sending-off.

“I’m certainly happy my players knew that and that those who were booked carried on professionally. I believe it was a yellow-card offence [from Rafael] and that the player made the foul.”

Van Gaal heard that Ferguson had said Bayern would not have won but for the red card. “It’s easy to say that after a loss,” he said. “But we shall never know that because this game shall not be played again. I think Sir Alex was disappointed. But I also thought England was noted for fairness and I’ve now been confronted with three different comments [from Ferguson] and that’s not what I call fair play.”

• Commander wants to explain tactics during Chelsea defeat
• Officers occupied Stretford End 20 minutes before final whistle

The police commander for Manchester United matches has called for a meeting with fans to explain the unusuallyrobust policing tactics during the Premier League champions’ 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last Saturday. Chief superintendent Mark Roberts issued a statement through Digger to explain that he had taken legal advice before deploying his officers to accompany the stewards, who occupied the aisles in the Stretford End 20 minutes before the final whistle.

That move angered a section of the United fans, who interpreted it as Greater Manchester Police siding with the club to prevent them unfurling banners in protest against the Glazers. But Roberts said: “I would welcome a conversation with the fans engaged in the protests to reassure all parties that the police remain impartial, that we are not and never will be agents for any interest, but that we will deal with any disorder or allegations in an even-handed manner.

“Additional police resources were deployed at the Chelsea game as a contingency to deal with any confrontation between club officials and supporters. Before agreeing to the deployment, [I sought] advice from the force solicitor.”

Roberts conceded that dealing with fans would ordinarily be a matter for stewards but that he sent in his officers because in past weeks stewards had been attacked while trying to clear the aisles of protesting fans. Roberts stressed that his officers have received public-order training and were directed to step in if stewards’ actions were deemed heavy-handed. He added: “The officers were to intervene if they witnessed disorder, intimidation or abuse directed at the stewards and it was made clear to the club that the officers would also act if they witnessed inappropriate behaviour by club officials towards fans.”

Clarke’s feisty first day

Greg Clarke will be thrown into the thick of it when he formally takes up his position as the Football League chairman today. In his first day in post at Gloucester Place, Clarke will chair the league board meeting, at which directors must grasp the nettle of Notts County’s breach of the salary-cap regulations. At a meeting of all league clubs in Walsall a fortnight ago there was widespread anger about the Magpies’ possible promotion from League Two with an illegal wage bill. Currently, breaches are dealt with through the application of a transfer ban – which has clearly been an ineffective instrument for the Meadow Lane club. The matter has been referred to the board for discussion today, with directors mandated to come up with ways of strengthening the rules to ensure better deterrents to clubs in future. Indeed, in his farewell letter issued to clubs yesterday Lord Mawhinney urged them to strengthen their financial rules in other areas, calling for a ban on director loans in favour of equity-based gifts. A thoroughly sensible measure that would be – however the ideas are the easy bit: Clarke may find it altogether harder to push it through a vote of the clubs.

Shankly’s family values

From the Spirit of Shankly to his flesh and blood. Karen Gill, the granddaughter of the man who created Liverpool’s boot room, pictured, has joined the campaign to persuade the Royal Bank of Scotland to withdraw its financial support for Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s ownership of the club. Her message, which has been sent to the bank’s chief executive, Stephen Hester, along with hundreds of other emails from a group called the Kop Faithful, announces her desire to “force the American owners out”. She adds: “I call upon Hester to stop the renewal of crippling loans and urge Gillett and Hicks to sell the club with immediate effect to more suitable custodians.”

Hill hedges its bets

William Hill has become the first commercial organisation to attempt to capitalise on the changing tides among Manchester United fans. During the bookie’s television advert for its “I Will” marketing campaign – which was broadcast around United’s Champions League fixture last night – the camera focuses on a fan wearing a distinctive green-and-gold scarf. The voiceover says: “Show your true colours.” Hill says the campaign was designed to reflect fans’ rituals while being topical, but stressed that alighting on the anti-Glazer symbol was not meant to be an attack on the Old Trafford regime. And this despite Betfair being Manchester United’s official betting partner and Hills having its head office in Leeds.

matt.scott@guardian. co.uk

• Manager felt Bayern players influenced referee’s decision
• ‘They got him sent off … typical Germans’

Sir Alex Ferguson slammed the behaviour of the Bayern Munich players for their part in Rafael da Silva’s red card during Manchester United’s Champions League exit at the hands of the German side.

Several Bayern players seemed to gather around the referee, Nicola Rizzoli, after Rafael appeared to pull back Franck Ribéry and the Manchester United manager, described their behaviour as being that of “typical Germans”.

The Italian official subsequently showed United’s Brazilian full-back his second yellow card and United were forced to play the final 40 minutes with 10 men.

“There is no doubt about it,” Ferguson told ITV when asked if the dismissal had changed the course of the game. “They were never getting through that tie; with 11 men we had no problem. The young boy showed a bit of inexperience but they got him sent off. Everyone sprinted towards the referee – typical Germans.”

The Scot also believed United had been the better side across the two legs. “We played better today than they did in their own ground. Without the extra man they made the ball work and I thought we defended very well. It’s taken an exceptional strike to settle the tie. We have done well, the performance was excellent, we were very unlucky.”

Ferguson’s gamble on starting Wayne Rooney appeared to backfire when he was withdrawn after 55 minutes, the same time as Rafael’s dismissal, but Ferguson denied that playing had worsened his ankle problem. “I don’t think it is serious. It’s just that tissue and the blood vessel has just burst. I am sure he’ll be fine for the following week.”

• Assistant referee Beck also dropped
• United manager Ferguson criticised both officials

The Premier League referee Mike Dean has been demoted to the Championship this weekend, as a punishment for his erratic display in Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat by Chelsea at Old Trafford last Saturday.

Simon Beck, an assistant referee in the same match, will join him in the second tier after failing to raise his flag when Didier Drogba was clearly offside for Chelsea’s second goal. The pair will take charge of Bristol City’s home game against Swansea on Saturday.

After the United vs Chelsea match the two officials were criticised by Sir Alex Ferguson for their “poor, poor performance”. United’s manager was also unsparing in his match report to the Premier League. However, Professional Game Match Officials Limited decided the mistakes were serious enough to demote Dean and Beck without any interference from Old Trafford.

Beck has not been informed when he will next be involved in a Premier League match and is missing from the list for next week’s midweek fixtures. Dean, a member of the elite group of Fifa referees since 2002, will be the fourth official for Wigan Athletic’s home game against Portsmouth on Wednesday 14 April.

It follows Dean’s failure to award penalties for United, when Yuri Zhirkov tripped Park Ji-sung, and Chelsea, when Gary Neville barged into Nicolas Anelka. The 41-year-old also allowed Federico Macheda’s goal to stand, rather than awarding a handball against the teenager.

Dean’s appointment for such an important game had come under scrutiny because of his performance in Burnley’s 1-0 defeat by Blackburn Rovers the previous weekend.

Brian Laws, the Burnley manager, said Dean had been “conned” into awarding a match-winning penalty when Martin Olsson went to ground despite there being no contact from the goalkeeper, Brian Jensen. Olsson has since admitted that he went into the game aware of Dean’s reputation for awarding penalties.

Laws said Dean’s subsequent appointment to the biggest match of the Premier League season to date was “mad”.

After the loss to Chelsea, Ferguson said: “When I saw it was Mike Dean I did worry, I have to say.”

• Manager says ‘no wholesale buying needed’
• Critics say money will be used to pay off Glazer loans

Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out a summer spending spree at Manchester United. Ferguson’s likely transfer budget has been the subject of intense speculation since Cristiano Ronaldo’s world‑record £80m move to Real Madrid last year.

“No wholesale buying is needed as we have a very good squad that just needs tweaking here and there,” Ferguson told Inside United. “Looking at potential squad additions is an ongoing process – it is not just confined to a certain time of year – although we obviously don’t reveal our plans.

“We have some ideas at the moment but not many players will be joining the club. In any case, I think the transfer market prices have been terribly inflated over the last year.”

Club officials, including Ferguson himself, have insisted that it will be the manager’s decision alone if he leaves most of that money unspent.

Those who attack the ownership of United have claimed the Ronaldo money is earmarked to pay off part of the loans taken out by the Glazer family in order to complete their controversial 2005 takeover of the club.

Last Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea has raised doubts over the longevity of the stalwarts Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville and the suitability of their present replacements.

Karim Benzema has been heavily linked with Old Trafford, given Ferguson tried to sign him from Lyon last year. The French striker has since failed to make an impression with Real Madrid. A goalkeeper may be needed, given that Edwin van der Sar will celebrate his 40th birthday next season.

Ferguson has recently given contract extensions to Nani and the Da Silva twins, Rafael and Fabio.

• Sir Alex Ferguson rules out starting role for recovering Rooney
• Striker desperate to play some part against Bayern Munich

Sir Alex Ferguson is planning to go into Manchester United’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich without Wayne Rooney but will give the England striker as long as possible before making a decision.

A week after Rooney went over on his ankle in the Allianz Arena, damaging ligaments in the process, Ferguson began his pre-match news conference by saying there was “no chance” that the Premier League’s leading scorer would be able to take any part in the return leg.

Later, however, Ferguson confirmed the player was well ahead of schedule. Rooney was initially ruled out for up to three weeks but has not given up hope of persuading Ferguson that he can be on the bench and he will be closely examined tomorrow morning.

“We have made some good progress with the lad and the medical team have done fantastic work,” Ferguson said. “But I am not prepared to take a risk on a player who is not 100% fit. They are looking more at the Manchester City game [on 17 April], or maybe Blackburn Rovers [on Sunday] as a substitute. It is an ankle injury, the same as any other, and he is no different to anyone else.”

Ferguson, however, then appeared to backtrack on his earlier comments when he was asked whether Rooney could be named among the substitutes. From issuing an unequivocal denial, his position had noticeably softened. “I don’t think so,” he said, “although he will maybe talk me into it. It is a difficult one.”

Rooney was conspicuous by his absence when the rest of the squad trained and, though the forward was working on his fitness inside the club’s gymnasium, the Bayern coach, Louis van Gaal, dismissed suggestions that Ferguson, notoriously economical with the truth when it comes to injuries, was trying to deceive United’s opponents.

“I don’t think that will happen,” Van Gaal said. “I don’t think Ferguson will do that [play Rooney] and I’d also like to say that we did win a game with Rooney [playing] – it’s not as if we can’t win when Wayne Rooney is playing for Manchester United.”

United have a 2-1 deficit to overcome from the first leg in Bavaria and, with Chelsea winning by the same score in the league at Old Trafford on Saturday, Ferguson is demanding an improvement.

“Two bad results don’t happen often here,” he said. “We have to recover and, if we get a better performance than we had in Germany last week, we have a great chance. The tie is certainly not over. There is still work to be done but the away goal makes a difference, especially in the modern game.”

Bayern have been encouraged by the return to fitness of Arjen Robben, the Bundesliga’s outstanding player this season. The former Chelsea winger missed the first leg and Saturday’s league victory at Schalke but when he was asked whether he expected to play at Old Trafford he replied: “Yes, I hope so. I’m ready, I’m here and I didn’t travel just to be in the stands. Of course, in the end it is for the trainer to decide but I think I can be ready for tomorrow.”

• Bundesliga leaders are beaten with with 10 men
• ‘I’m optimistic’ says sporting director ahead of United match

The Bayern Munich sporting director Christian Nerlinger believes Saturday’s Bundesliga win at Schalke will prove the ideal preparation for tomorrow night’s Champions League match with Manchester United.

Bayern moved to the top of the table by beating previous incumbents Schalke 2-1 despite playing for the entire second half with 10 men following the dismissal of Hamit Altintop.

Nerlinger is confident his side can preserve their 2-1 quarter-final first-leg advantage against United at Old Trafford if they show the same battling qualities in the last-eight tie.

“I thought we were outstanding in the first leg in Munich. Against Schalke we were the fitter team over the 90 minutes. And that makes me optimistic for tomorrow night,” he told the Tz newspaper: “There is nothing decided yet, that is clear. But what the team did against Schalke was exceptional. I am very satisfied.”

• Winger ready for Champions League quarter-final second leg
• Missed first leg with calf injury

Arjen Robben has declared himself ready to play for Bayern Munich’s against Manchester United in their Champions League quarter-final second leg tomorrow.

“I have not come here just to sit in the stands,” the Dutch winger said. “I am here so that’s a good sign and I feel fit enough to play.”

Robben, whose goal against Fiorentina sent Bayern into the quarter-finals, missed the first leg with a calf injury, but the German club’s coach, Louis van Gaal, said yesterday that he hoped the winger would have recovered for the Old Trafford match.

Bayern are defending a 2-1 first-leg lead at Old Trafford.

• Forward had been rumoured to make shock return from injury
• Ferguson says he has ‘no chance’ of starting tomorrow

Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out the possibility of Wayne Rooney starting Manchester United’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg tie against Bayern Munich tomorrow.

There was speculation over the weekend that the forward could feature at Old Trafford despite twisting his ankle in last week’s first leg and subsequently being ruled out of action for “two to three weeks” by Ferguson.

The United manager this afternoon, however, suggested that Rooney has “no chance” of returning from injury, an outcome that appeared likely after the player did not train with the rest of the United squad this morning.

“We’ve made some good progress with the lad, the medical team have done fantastic, but I’m not prepared to take a risk on a player who is not 100% fit,” said Ferguson. “The boy is making good progress. The medical team have done a fantastic job but it is an ankle injury the same as any other ankle injury. You can’t take a risk with a player who is not 100%.”

However, Ferguson did not rule out the possibility of Rooney being in the squad. He said: “I don’t think he will be on the bench although he might talk me into it, it is a difficult one.”

United go into tomorrow’s match trailing Bayern 2-1.

• Forward did not feature in full session with rest of squad
• Sprained ankle in first leg of Champions League tie last week

Wayne Rooney did not take part in full training with the rest of the Manchester United squad today ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second leg tie against Bayern Munich.

It had been speculated over the weekend that the forward could make a shock return for the match tomorrow evening, having sprained his ankle in the first leg, last week. He was expected to be out for “two or three weeks” according to the United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rooney’s absence from United’s initial training session today makes that less likely but the player could yet recover in time to feature at Old Trafford in a match United have to win if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

Ferguson is expected to confirm whether Rooney will play against Bayern or not when he meets the media at 1pm today.

• Company under fire from fans uses old video message
• Stewards blocked anti-Glazer protest at Chelsea match

The security firm whose controversial stewarding of matches at Old Trafford has angered Manchester United fans is using a years‑old video message by Sir Alex Ferguson to boost its image. Ferguson’s support of Controlled Event Solutions was apparently recorded in 2007 as part of its bid submission for security contracts at the 2010 World Cup.

But three years later it still has pride of place on the front page of the company’s website. In a two-minute video message Ferguson says: “I know [CES’s director-owners] Henry Kirkland and Mike Halligan very, very well. Solid, absolutely wonderful professionals. We are a team and they are part of that team. I include physios, doctors, coaches, my players and myself. We are 100% a team, otherwise we’re never going to win the things we want to win. I hope when South Africa have the World Cup games, CES will be a part of that.”

Whether Ferguson’s message was intended for public consumption or simply for a private World Cup tender is unknown – CES could not be reached for comment yesterday. But the firm’s reputation among a section of United’s support has suffered with its handling of increasing anti-Glazer protests. A United spokesman said: “There are tens of thousands of United fans who turn up every week and have a very good relationship with CES.”

CES’s actions at United’s 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea on Saturday, in which stewards and police blocked the Stretford End’s upper-tier aisles to prevent anti-Glazer banners being hung, has prompted formal complaints from fans who claim it contravened the club’s own stadium-safety policy. United say the blockage was necessary to fulfil its obligations to all supporters under the terms of the stadium safety licence.

Praise meant sweet FA

One of the passages in the fateful email that confirmed Ian Watmore could have no future as chief executive of the Football Association three weeks ago was an attempt at high praise for the chairman, Lord Triesman, that backfired. Watmore, who had worked with Triesman as a senior civil servant in the latter’s government department, wrote of him: “He is a man of ethics, character, courage and intellect rare in my experience of any walk of life, let alone football.” But those last three words alienated his audience, who were principally the board of the FA. In the return email, Phil Gartside wrote: “The inference ‘let alone football’ could be used by any recipient to imply that those in football do not [possess] any of the qualities which are mentioned.” Within 24 hours Watmore was gone.

No Chance for County

Interesting developments at First London plc, the finance house Notts County fans feel should stump up £5m after the collapse of Munto Finance’s ill-starred ownership of their club. First London provided the proof of funds to County’s then owner, the supporters’ trust, which persuaded it to sell up. That document stated: “The bank will guarantee any sum short of the £5m not invested by or on behalf of the ‘client’ [Munto] up to and including a total figure of £5m.” Munto disappeared from the scene following Guardian investigations into the club’s and bank’s links with Russell King, who had £1.9m of assets frozen by the courts in the Channel Islands. The new owner, Ray Trew, says the previous regime left more than £6m of debt, suggesting the spirit of the guarantee was not upheld. Now Companies House documents record that First London’s non-executive directors, the Tory MP Tim Yeo and Princess Michael of Kent’s private secretary, Nick Chance, resigned their posts last month.

Fayed’s favourite salute

Mohamed Al Fayed, below, has given so many two-fingered salutes lately it is a wonder he is not suffering from repetitive-strain injury. After West Ham complained about Fulham’s fielding of a weakened side in their recent defeat by Hull City, Fayed said: “I stick two fingers up to West Ham.” Then, speaking about takeover approaches for Harrods, Fayed said: “I put two fingers up to them all.” Proof positive that you do not need a British passport to uphold the Agincourt tradition.

• Dutch winger will travel to Old Trafford
• Daniel van Buyten and Bastian Schweinsteiger also available

Arjen Robben, the Dutch winger who missed last week’s first leg with a calf injury, has been cleared to travel with Bayern Munich for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

“I have hopes he’ll be able to play, but we’ll have to wait and see. His muscles are still strained,” the Bayern Munich coach, Louis van Gaal, told the club’s website this morning.

Bayern said the former Manchester City defender Daniel van Buyten would also make the trip to Old Trafford where the Germans will defend a 2-1 first leg lead.

The Belgium centre-half was substituted during Bayern’s 2-1 win over Schalke on Saturday after suffering a bruised knee in a collision with Jefferson Farfan.

The Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is also available for selection after completing his suspension.

• Tiredness no excuse before Bayern Munich game
• Neville: ‘We have big enough and talented squad to cope’

Gary Neville, the Manchester United captain, does not believe tiredness can be offered as an excuse should his side fail to defeat Bayern Munich and qualify for the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.

Manchester United must bounce back from losing to Chelsea at the weekend and beat Bayern at Old Trafford if they are to make the semi-final stage for the fourth year in succession.

Chelsea, who were knocked out of Europe at the last 16 stage, were the superior side on Saturday, with even Sir Alex Ferguson admitting his players were “leggy”.

Having performed equally poorly in Germany last Tuesday, when United squandered possession and threw away their lead and Wayne Rooney succumbed to the ankle injury that Ferguson has said will keep him out of the decider, it may be argued United’s arduous season is having a major effect.

But Neville is having none of it. “We are more used to playing Wednesday-Saturday than having free weeks,” said the full-back. “I don’t think it becomes a telling factor. Sometimes when you get a free week you can find yourself wondering what to do with yourself because you are so used to playing.

“We are happy to be playing the big games and being in Europe. We have a big squad as well, so the manager may freshen things up. We are fine with where we are at.”

Although Dimitar Berbatov has been heavily criticised for his generally less than dynamic performance and failure to take a difficult late chance on Saturday that would have given his side a draw, unless Rooney makes a surprise recovery, the Bulgaria centre-forward will again carry United’s attacking hopes.

Clearly, Rooney’s absence adversely affected United at the weekend. But they also performed badly with him in the side against Munich and the recent defeat at Everton proved Rooney’s presence does not guarantee success.

Neville is certainly not lamenting Rooney’s absence and he insists United have the strength in depth to cope.

“The successful teams are usually the ones that have the most money and the biggest squads, and we believe we have a big enough and talented enough squad to cope with the fixtures,” Neville told the Sunday Times of Malta. “If we don’t we will have to live with it.”

• United forward was expected to be out for two to three weeks
• Club’s medical staff rate his chances of playing as 40%

Wayne Rooney has been tipped to make a shock return for Manchester United ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

The striker was expected to be out for at least two to three weeks after he injured ankle ligaments in last week’s first leg in Germany, which United lost 2-1. However, according to reports last night, Rooney has responded well to treatment and could be in line for a surprise recall to Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad if he comes through a training session today.

Rooney has been wearing a protective boot on his injured leg since hobbling off at the end of last week’s defeat in Munich. Ferguson will not risk the England forward if there is a chance of aggravating the injury further and last night United’s medical staff attempted to play down the chances of a comeback by only rating his chances of playing as “40%”.

Rooney’s return would be a boost for a United side that lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the Premier League without him on Saturday. They now trail Carlo Ancelotti’s side by two points with five games left to play.

• Chelsea’s manager questions United’s trophy hopes
• ‘It’s going to be difficult for them now,’ he claims

Carlo Ancelotti has backed his Chelsea team not to relinquish their lead at the top of the Premier League and questioned whether Wayne Rooney’s absence with an ankle injury may have caused irreparable damage to Manchester United’s hopes of winning the title or the Champions League, although the striker could make a shock return in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

Chelsea’s 2-1 victory at Old Trafford yesterday left them two points clear of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team and three ahead of Arsenal with five games left to play.

“The players have a great desire to win this title because it has been a lot of years since Chelsea last won the league,” Ancelotti said. “They have had a fantastic reaction from the Inter game [losing in the Champions League]. I’ve been very impressed with their character, their strength and the way we have bounced back to play some really good football.”

Chelsea have now beaten United and Arsenal home and away and they will have the chance to do the double over Liverpool when they go to Anfield in their penultimate match of the league season. “I think we should be further clear,” Ancelotti said. “We have done very well against the top four but have lost points against the other teams. The important thing now is that we maintain good control because we still have a lot of games to go and we have to stay focused. But I think the character we have shown to bounce back from the Inter defeat proves we are very professional.”

United have lost seven times in the league this season – no side has won the title with that number of defeats since the move to a 38-game format. They trail Bayern 2-1 going into their Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday. Ancelotti hinted that Rooney’s absence could be key in that match.

Talking of the frequency with which United’s players lost possession, the Italian said: “I’m not surprised because this is not a good moment for their team after losing to Bayern Munich during the week and because they have lost a very important player. It’s not easy for United to maintain their characteristic and momentum without him. It’s going to be difficult for them now, having lost against Munich, having lost Rooney and now this game.”

“United are not the same team without Rooney,” Ancelotti said. “He is a fantastic player, very difficult to replace. [Dimitar] Berbatov is good, but Rooney is totally different.”

• United centre-back says players were down after Bayern loss
• ‘We need to seize the moment and make sure we finish well’

Nemanja Vidic has urged his Manchester United team-mates not to feel sorry for themselves and to focus on regaining their form ahead of their crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

United handed the advantage in the Premier League title race to Chelsea after losing at Old Trafford to cap a miserable week in which they conceded a last-minute winner in the first leg of their quarter-final against Bayern and also lost Wayne Rooney to an ankle injury.

Bayern, who could be bolstered at Old Trafford by returns of Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger, won their own battle of the top two at Schalke last night, but Vidic insists that United must now show their character.

“We were down after the Bayern game but we cannot afford to be down again,” the Serbian said. “We need to get our heads up and face the facts. We have lost two games but we shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves. We need to seize the moment and make sure we finish well this season.”

United are two points adrift of Chelsea in the Premier League, with an inferior goal difference, and Vidic knows only victories will do from now on.

“Chelsea have just the league and the FA Cup to focus on, which helps them, but if we win all five games then we still have a good chance,” he said. “I hope there will be more twists and turns and there will be more dropped points before the end.”

• ‘We knew we would be fresher’ says French midfielder
• Ageing United trio find third game in a week tough

According to Florent Malouda, who engineered the opening goal, Chelsea came to Old Trafford with a plan. “We knew we would be fresher than United, we didn’t have a game in midweek,” the French winger said. “That’s why we started the game so quickly. We knew if we kept at a high intensity they would have some problems, and that’s how it worked out.”

Sir Alex Ferguson said beforehand that United were used to playing two games in a week and extra rest would not necessarily work to Chelsea’s advantage, though Carlo Ancelotti’s post-match summary appeared nearer the mark. “Of course we were fresher than United,” the Chelsea manager said. “When you play a Champions League game you lose a lot of energy.”

Ferguson accepted as much in the end and admitted his players looked leggy in the first half, yet he surely contributed to the effect by giving his ageing trio of treble veterans their third game in a week. It was one thing to select Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs against Bolton last Saturday, and another to involve them to varying degrees against Bayern Munich, 11 years after the Camp Nou event, but to start the trio again in a title-decider against Chelsea smacked of either loyalty, or United’s resources, being stretched too far.

After confessing he possibly blundered in Germany by playing Park Ji-sung instead of Antonio Valencia, Ferguson came to the mystifying conclusion that the Korean was worth a try in the centre of midfield here, with Giggs returned to his old left-wing beat and Nani left on the bench. It was scarcely a success, with both Park and Giggs anonymous and Nani having to come on to create United’s goal before the end, though at least the pair avoided being booked for failing to keep up with the pace of the game, which is effectively what happened to Scholes and Neville.

Scholes had an off-day with his distribution, repeatedly hitting overoptimistic passes no winger could hope to reach. In addition to a foul on Malouda that earned him his caution, Neville was out of position when the winger came down the right to set up Joe Cole’s early goal. Wayne Rooney may be injured, though Ferguson had younger alternatives on the bench in Rafael da Silva, Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson. While it is no secret the Scot values experience in big games, here he appeared to overdose on it. Chelsea, the side he politely suggested last season were not getting any younger, were the ones to take advantage. It would appear United are not getting any younger, either, and, though it would not be the first time they have suffered through taking on Europe as well as the rest of the Premier League, this may be the first self-inflicted setback.

It remains remarkable that United are still getting service from three players in their mid-30s who have been with the same club all their careers. It would be more remarkable still, beyond even Camp Nou improbability, for the old guard to save United’s season now. Ferguson has not only been blessed with a golden generation; he can be congratulated, as can the players, on extracting full value from it. But nothing lasts forever.

• ‘It was a poor, poor performance,’ says Ferguson
• Managers agree Chelsea are now title favourites

Sir Alex Ferguson criticised the match officials after Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat by Chelsea, which put Carlo Ancelotti’s side two points clear at the top of the table. Joe Cole put the visitors ahead but it was Didier Drogba’s goal 11 minutes from time that angered Ferguson, with replays showing the striker was offside.

“What I can’t understand is the linesman’s directly in front of it. He has no one near him and he gets it wrong,” Ferguson said. “A game of that magnitude, you really need quality officials and we didn’t get them today. It was a poor, poor performance.”

The referee Mike Dean has been in the spotlight this week after Blackburn’s Martin Olsson admitted he deliberately went down in the area at Burnley because of Dean’s reputation for giving penalties. United had two penalty appeals turned down today while Chelsea looked to have a good shout when Gary Neville barged Nicolas Anelka.

Asked whether Dean had been affected by the comments, Ferguson said: “I don’t know about that but when I saw Mike Dean I did worry, I must admit.”

Chelsea lead United by two points with five games to go, and Ferguson said they are firm favourites. “Five games left, they’re two points ahead and four goals better than us – they’re in the driving seat,” he said. “Chelsea are favourites now, there’s no question. I’m certain we’ll respond but we could win the next five games and not win it.”

While United had a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich in midweek, Chelsea were able to prepare solely for this game following their elimination by Internazionale in the last round. Both managers felt that proved a crucial factor.

“The first half we looked leggy, it took us too long to get going and Chelsea were by far the better team,” Ferguson said. “The second half we did well, we were unfortunate not to get something from the game. We dominated it in the second period but we just didn’t get there.”

Ancelotti said: “We kept a high intensity in the first half. We had good control of the game. We trained very well during the week because we didn’t have a Champions League match. You lose a lot of energy. We played very well in the first half. It’s a very important victory for us and a very important performance. To win here is not easy, we did a good job.”

The Italian chose to leave Drogba out of the starting line-up and stick with the side that beat Aston Villa 7-1 last week. “It was very tough to take out Didier but he understood because he trained not 100% during the week,” Ancelotti said. “I preferred to put him on during the match and he did very well because he was fresh and he scored a fantastic goal.”

Regarding his team’s title chances, Ancelotti said: “We are favourites, it’s normal, we are back at the top of the league. There are five games left and we have to stay focused. We are happy but nothing is decided so we must stay calm and focused on our game. [It has been a] good reaction after the defeat against Inter. My players are strong.”

• United striker could return for Manchester derby in two weeks
• ‘It is a loss but it could have been worse,’ said Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of his belief that Wayne Rooney’s injury has made it a “good week” for Chelsea and given them a psychological lift as they come to Old Trafford tomorrow for a match that could go a long way to determining the destination of this year’s Premier League title.

The scans on Rooney’s damaged ligaments have shown that he will miss the next two to three weeks, a diagnosis Ferguson described as “good news” in light of his initial concerns that the leading scorer in England’s top division might have been ruled out for the season.

Ferguson described himself as “relieved” but he also conceded that Manchester United’s main rivals for the title would be lifted by the knowledge that they would not have to face a player who has already scored 34 times this season. “It’s been a good week for Chelsea in the sense they know Wayne Rooney has picked up an injury,” he said.

Rooney has targeted the derby against Manchester City on 17 April for his comeback or, failing that, the first leg of a possible Champions League semi-final against Lyon or Bordeaux, should United overcome a 2-1 deficit to get past Bayern Munich in the second leg of their quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

“We’re all relieved, particularly when I saw him hobbling off the pitch like he did,” Ferguson said. “It is a loss but it could have been worse. There’s no bone damage, no serious ligament damage, which is obviously good news for us – so the nation can stop praying.”

That last comment was a reference to what Ferguson described as the mood of English football being “one of panic” once Rooney had gone down, in obvious pain, seconds before Ivica Olic scored Bayern’s winning goal in the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night.

But Ferguson admitted that he had also feared the worst for a player who has suffered three metatarsal breaks in the past six years. “You just hope that when you send a player for a scan or an x-ray you are going to get some good news out of it, and we have got good news out of it,” he said.

“It is not as serious as we first feared and the important thing is that he will be back before the end of the season. We think he will be out for two to three weeks.”

In the meantime Dimitar Berbatov will take over as the spearhead of the team’s attack. Michael Owen has already been ruled out for the season, as has Daniel Welbeck, but Ferguson can call upon the fit-again Federico Macheda, who will be on the substitutes’ bench tomorrow.

“We don’t want injuries, particularly to our best players,” Gary Neville, the United captain, said. “Wayne will be a big miss for us because he has been in such great form but in the past people have always stood up to the plate and contributed.

“We have had key players out for big matches before and still won them. We have gone into finals without two or three major players and come through it. Chelsea have players missing too. They don’t have Michael Essien or Ashley Cole. All teams get injuries and suspensions on the run-in. You have to cope.”

United are one point ahead of Chelsea as they aim to establish two new records by winning a fourth successive league title and their 19th in total. “If one team wins tomorrow, it is a significant step forward for them,” Ferguson said. “If we win, we go four points clear with five games left. If Chelsea win, they are two points ahead of us. A draw, nothing changes and it will be very tight until the end of the season.”

The league championship has not been settled on goal difference since Arsenal won the title in 1989 but part of Ferguson’s reason for missing Rooney is that he believes it could come into play this season. “With Chelsea putting seven past Aston Villa last weekend, it has turned the whole goal difference upside down. We had a nice advantage before that but it is only two goals and that can change in a couple of games.”

United, nonetheless, may have to improve significantly from their midweek performance in Germany. “We just could not keep possession of the ball in the way we normally do,” Ferguson said. “It was ridiculous. I think there are goals there [without Rooney] but first of all we have got to improve our performance level because we were well under our normal form and it is difficult to say why.”

Owen Hargreaves, who has been out for 20 months with knee problems, and John O’Shea, sidelined since November, are both in contention for a place on the bench.

• New deal will keep Fabio at Old Trafford until 2014
• Brazilian teenager viewed as major talent of the future

Fabio da Silva, the Manchester United defender, has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2014. The Brazilian teenager has made 13 appearances for the Old Trafford club this season and is viewed as a major talent for the future.

“Fabio is a natural footballer who will make a fine Manchester United player in the years to come,” Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said. “He has had some bad luck with injuries but he will make a fine Manchester United player.”

Fabio’s brother Rafael signed a two-year contract extension last season. The pair are viewed as likely United full-backs of the future given their attacking instincts. Fabio was sent off against Wolves in the Carling Cup earlier this season but that misdemeanour has not dampened his enthusiasm for life at Old Trafford.

“Playing for Manchester United is every young player’s dream,” said the Brazilian. “I am very happy and proud to commit my future to the club. In the time I have been here, I have learned a lot from the world-class players I train with and I hope that as time goes on, I can contribute more and more to the success of this great club.”

• Chelsea hope to make most of Wayne Rooney’s absence
• Carlo Ancelotti boosted by return of Didier Drogba

Carlo Ancelotti admits that Wayne Rooney’s absence could allow his Chelsea side to seize the initiative in the title race from Manchester United when the two clubs clash at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Rooney is certain to miss this potentially crucial match after suffering ankle ligament damage in United’s 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The United striker has scored 35 goals in all competitions, 26 of them in the Barclays Premier League, and his absence at Old Trafford has already given Chelsea a massive incentive.

Chelsea have smashed 12 goals in their last two games and, with 30-goal Didier Drogba fit again, Ancelotti is hoping the Blues can make the most of Rooney’s loss and go back to the top of the table.

“Everyone knows how Wayne Rooney is important for this team, he is a fantastic player,” Ancelotti said. “He has had a fantastic season but his injury could be an advantage for us.

“Maybe sometimes a team can give more than 100% when an important player is out. We have to pay attention to this.

“We need to show our play and do it for 90 minutes and stay concentrated. Man Utd are a very dangerous team and have a lot of players who can create difficulties for us.

“But we want to keep control of the game and to do this in Old Trafford is not easy. But we will try.

“Saturday is a very important game because we play a fantastic team who are top of the league now but I have always said the title will be decided at the end of the season.

“We will have a very good chance because our moment is good. We are fit and our confidence has improved after wins against Portsmouth and Aston Villa.

“We want to do our best. The destiny after the game will be with the winners, but nothing will be decided.

“If we are able to win, it is better for us. A draw is not a bad result because there are a lot of games and everyone of them is very important.

“But it is very difficult to win at Old Trafford. It is a fantastic stadium for me also, not only for Sir Alex. I won the Champions League there in 2003 and that is the best memory for me in my career.”

Ancelotti does not believe United’s players will be dispirited following their defeat in Munich.

He is also aware that Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad has too much experience to have their minds on the return leg against Germans.

“I don’t think that players of Manchester United will think about that defeat to Bayern,” Ancelotti said. “They have a lot of experience and will be able to look forward to the next game against us and then, after that, stay in focus for the return game against Bayern.”

Ancelotti has been boosted by the return to fitness of Drogba, who missed two days’ training with a minor groin problem.

“Drogba was out but trained very good today,” said Ancelotti. “We have trained very well this week. The team is fit.

“He is a very important player. He has scored 30 goals. The other strikers did a great job against Villa without him, but he is very important to us.”

So far, Ancelotti has twice triumphed over Ferguson this season. Chelsea won the Community Shield 4-1 on penalties at Wembley and then beat United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a goal from John Terry.

But Ancelotti insists that this time the pressure will be different because victory is so important for both sides.

Chelsea remain one point adrift of the Red Devils at the summit and so a United win would give Ferguson’s team a massive advantage on the run-in.

“This game is more important than the previous two,” added the Italian. “We are playing for the title so psychologically it is different.”

• Owen Hargreaves in line for place on Manchester United bench
• Jon O’Shea also close to first-team return

Owen Hargreaves could be back in the Manchester United squad to face Chelsea tomorrow. Sir Alex Ferguson revealed this morning that he is considering bringing Hargreaves – who has not played a first-team game since September 2008 after undergoing surgery to both knees – and John O’Shea back into the fold.

O’Shea has been absent since suffering complications in his recovery from a dead leg sustained in the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup play-off defeat to France in November. Although it appears O’Shea is closer to a comeback, the fact that Hargreaves is not part of United’s European squad and therefore unavailable for Wednesday’s quarter-final second-leg against his former club Bayern Munich lends weight to the belief Ferguson will have the 29-year-old on the bench against Chelsea.

“John O’Shea and Owen Hargreaves have trained very well with the first team,” said Ferguson. “They are not far away and I may use one of them as substitute tomorrow and the other on Wednesday.

“John O’Shea in particular has done a lot of work. The boy has come on terrifically well in the last two or three weeks. If I include one tomorrow and one on Wednesday it will give them the confidence that they are back. That is what they need.”

• Wayne Rooney will miss Bayern Munich return game
• Striker’s injury confirmed as minor ligament strain

Wayne Rooney will be out injured for two to three weeks, Sir Alex Ferguson said this morning. The Manchester United striker’s injury was confirmed as a minor ligament strain by the club yesterday and the Old Trafford manager said in this morning’s press briefing that the England international would be back within three weeks.

That rules Rooney out of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich but could enable him to return for the derby against Manchester City on 17 April.

Rooney limped off in pain at the end of United’s 2-1 defeat in the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, provoking fears that his involvement in his club’s run-in and England’s World Cup campaign could be curtailed. But his club manager is now confident of a relatively quick return.

Ferguson said: “[There is] no bone damage or serious ligament damage. The nation can stop praying.

“It was panic,” he continued. “We are relieved. When we saw him hobble off, you are hoping when you send him for a scan, you get some good news. And it could have been worse given the way he hobbled off.

“But it’s out of the way, we can put it to one side and get on with our job on the pitch.”

Rooney’s participation in the World Cup will not now be threatened, which will come as an immense relief to the manager Fabio Capello.

United, however, will suffer, starting tomorrow against Chelsea and continuing to Wednesday’s Old Trafford return with Bayern Munich, matches that could shape their season.

Yet Ferguson knows his 34-goal forward will be back at some point this month, which is all he could have hoped for when he saw Rooney strip his right boot off as Bayern celebrated their stoppage-time winner in the Allianz Arena this week.

“We are relieved,” admitted the Scot. “When we saw him hobbling off and then sent him for a scan you are hoping to get some good news out of it – and we have. It could have been worse.”

The loss of Rooney clearly causes Ferguson a problem. Yet in sticking with a single striker, a formation in which Berbatov has no role, Ferguson has given himself an instant replacement.

The Bulgarian cannot be expected to match Rooney’s workrate – few in the United squad could – but the club spent a club record £30.75m on him for a reason and Ferguson does not expect the former Tottenham Hotspur striker to let him down.

“I haven’t liked leaving Dimitar out – and now he is in,” said the United manager. “Having one striker has been quite successful for us away from home in Europe in particular. It suited the pattern of our game away from home.

“But it is not easy leaving out a good player like that because he can make something happen in the last third. We just have to decide the best formation.”

It suggests Ryan Giggs will be asked to supply more forward momentum, possibly at the expense of Nani, with the energy of Park Ji-sung and Darren Fletcher complementing the central midfield talents of Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia’s guile out wide.

Ferguson is also set to name either Owen Hargreaves or John O’Shea on the bench after their long injury-enforced absences, which will give United a useful end-of-season fillip ahead of a game where a point will be enough to retain the Premier League leadership.

Irrespective of his side’s make-up, Ferguson is aware they must produce a more effective performance than they managed in Munich.

Although most observers felt the flying start Rooney gave United against Bayern would set the scene for a memorable victory, Ferguson detected a slackness in possession that got no better as the evening went on.

“We have to improve,” said Ferguson. “It is difficult to say why we were so poor at keeping possession because it has always been a really strong part of our game. Maybe it was just one of those nights. I suppose I have to think that way.”

• Didier Drogba recovers from knock in time to play
• Chelsea still have five players ruled out of United match

The Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has recovered from a training knock and will lead their attack against Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Drogba sat out last weekend’s 7-1 victory over Aston Villa and missed two training sessions after collecting a minor leg injury in training.

Michael Essien (knee), Ashley Cole (ankle), Ricardo Carvalho (ankle), and José Bosingwa (knee) are all sidelined along with Branislav Ivanovic (knee).

The Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, also believes Wayne Rooney’s absence with the injury picked up at Bayern Munich on Tuesday will give his side the edge at Old Trafford.

• Ancelotti says, ‘without Rooney, it is better’
• Italian has happy memories of Old Trafford

Carlo Ancelotti believes that Wayne Rooney’s ankle injury may give Chelsea an advantage for Saturday’s match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The game could be pivotal in the Premier League title race.

Rooney suffered the injury in a 2-1 Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich on Tuesday and United released a statement this afternoon that said: “We’re pleased to report that Wayne has not suffered a fracture. The scan revealed only minor ligament damage.”

While Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to reveal on Friday how many games Rooney will miss, Ancelotti said that the 34-goal striker’s absence would give Chelsea an edge. He said: “I was sorry for him but I think without Rooney for us it’s better. Everyone knows how important Rooney is for them. He’s fantastic player and had a fantastic season. This injury could be an advantage for us. Sometimes a team gives more than 100% when a very important player is out and [so we] have to pay attention to this. Manchester United have the experience and the players to support the loss of Rooney.”

Ancelotti has fond memories of Old Trafford. “We want to go there to win. It’s difficult to win at Old Trafford,” he said. “Old Trafford is a fantastic stadium for me. I won the Champions League [in] 2003 there and I have good memories, the best memories of my career. I will always love that stadium.”

>>He also managed a 1-0 win there with Milan when they knocked United out of the Champions League in 2005, though two years later his side lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, a defeat salvaged with a 3-0 victory at San Siro.

Since being knocked out of the Champions League by José Mourinho’s Internazionale, Chelsea have scored 12 goals in two Premier League games, leaving them a point behind the champions and two goals better off on goal difference.

Ancelotti is keen to maintain such momentum. “The destiny after this game [of the title] will be in the hands of the winner,” he said. “Saturday is very important because we play against a fantastic team, top of the list now. I think we’ll have a very good chance. Now our moment is good. We’re fit and confidence has improved after Portsmouth [who were beaten 5-0] and Aston Villa [7-1]. It’ll be a very important game. We want to do our best [and] have the possibility to do this. Our moment now is good. But nothing will be decided.

“A lot of time in the season we’ve been top but United are now top, and Arsenal are very close to us [two points behind]. It’s very difficult to stay top to the end for all the teams. We hope to arrive there before the others.”

Although United will be missing Rooney Ancelotti was keen to name his own, lengthy casualty list. He said: “I want to remind you that we have [Michael] Essien, Ashley Cole, [José] Bosingwa, [Branislav] Ivanovic, [Ricardo] Carvalho all out.

“Essien is doing recovery and working in the water. He will come back to train in 15 days. He had some problems at the start but now is good and proceeding well. We hope he will come back to play the last game of the season but we’re not sure. With Ashley we’re sure he can play before the end of the season.

“[Juliano] Belletti is back from Brazil and ready to play. [Didier] Drogba had a little problem and [was] out for two days after a kick on his knee but trained very good.”

Ancelotti also said that Didier Drogba is being troubled by a hernia. “He’s living with this problem for three or four months. Sometimes he has a problem after the game but during the week he is OK,” the manager said. “He doesn’t need an operation now. If he has one at the end of the season he will be ready [in] seven days – it would be a small surgery [but] I don’t know if he needs surgery. Now he’s fit and has to play.”

Chelsea’s captain, John Terry, underlined the importance of Saturday’s match while recalling the team’s 3-0 humiliation there last season. “There is so much on the game,” he said. “We go there not only with confidence but still hurting from that defeat, and that will spur us on.”

• Blues captain eager to ease memories of last year’s 3-0 defeat
• ‘There is so much on the game on Saturday’

John Terry says his Chelsea side must approach Saturday’s meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford with no fear and use the momentum gained in recent weeks to take a potentially crucial lead in the title race.

Chelsea travel to Manchester this weekend one point behind the leaders United with six games to play. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side will be without Wayne Rooney, but Carlo Ancelotti today suggested that Didier Drogba could return to the Chelsea line-up after injury.

“There is so much on the game on Saturday and the way we have played the last couple of games, we have to take that momentum and that same gameplan into this match,” said Terry. “We have to approach the game with no fear and we must go into it playing our own game. It is a tough place to go and the way we got beaten there and the way we played there last year was not good enough.”

The Chelsea captain said that the experience of last season’s visit to Old Trafford – when they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 – would be a motivation. “We go there not only with confidence from the last few games but still hurting from that defeat, and that will spur us on,” he said.

• Manchester United striker injured against Bayern Munich
• Club refuse to disclose how long Rooney is likely to be out

Wayne Rooney suffered “only minor ligament damage” against Bayern Munich, Manchester United have confirmed, but the club have refused to disclose how long the injury is likely to keep the striker on the sidelines.

Initial reports suggested the player may be out for two to four weeks, potentially missing all but two of United’s six remaining Premier League fixtures. Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to reveal more details in his weekly press conference tomorrow morning, though the fact that there is no break means that, as expected, Rooney should recover in time for this summer’s World Cup.

Manchester United statement on Wayne Rooney’s injury in full

“Manchester United have confirmed the extent of Wayne Rooney’s injury, sustained in Tuesday night’s match against Bayern Munich.

“A spokesperson told ManUtd.com, ‘We’re pleased to report that Wayne has not suffered a fracture. The scan revealed only minor ligament damage.’

“For now, the club is not commenting on how many games Wayne is likely to miss. However, Sir Alex Ferguson will say more about the matter in his regular press conference at Carrington on Friday morning.”

• Former Chelsea player is scathing about midfield
• ‘First they need to get rid of four or five players’

Marcel Desailly has offered a scathing assessment of Chelsea’s chances of regaining the Premier League title this season before Saturday’s trip to Manchester United, with the club’s former centre-half claiming “five players have to leave the club” in the summer.

The former France star spent six years at Stamford Bridge, joining them after winning the 1998 World Cup. He made 222 league appearances, before leaving in 2004, a year before José Mourinho secured the club’s first league title in 50 years. He pinpointed United’s consistency in midfield as potentially crucial as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side pursue a fourth consecutive league championship success, with Chelsea still suffering from the loss of Michael Essien’s dynamism in the centre.

“It looks like the [Chelsea] midfield have not really delivered protection to the defence,” Desailly said. “The defensive block have had some problems this year. That is why they are not four, five or six points ahead because they have lost many points on free-kicks and just generally losing their concentration. Previously the midfield was absolutely amazing.

“Even if they weren’t winning the Premier League, it was holding the team. The midfield was really playing well. Now Joe Cole is not expressing himself as he wanted, [Michael] Ballack has disappeared the last two months, [Jon Obi] Mikel is playing his best but the team misses Essien. So this is why the defence is suffering.”

With those failings in mind, Desailly predicted a summer of change in south-west London. “First they need to get rid of four or five guys who are not Chelsea players,” he told the Premier League’s website. “I think five players have to leave the club. After that it depends on the finances. People are talking about [the Bayern Munich winger Franck] Ribéry but Ribéry is a problem because they have [Florent] Malouda on the left. I’m not sure if they will spend again.

“When you look at the two teams, United have a small advantage on the consistency they are showing in the midfield. Absolutely amazing. Players like [Darren] Fletcher, Nani coming back at a high level and [Antonio] Valencia have made a contribution. Let’s not even talk about [Ryan] Giggs. Right the way back to [Edwin] van der Sar, it’s a real team, a group. That’s why I believe that Manchester United today have more energy than Chelsea.”

• United striker expected to be out for four weeks
• Fabio Capello’s concerns eased after initial examinations

Fabio Capello, the England manager, has been assured that Wayne Rooney’s ankle injury should not be regarded as a serious threat to his participation in this summer’s World Cup. While the expectation is that Rooney could miss most of Manchester United’s title run-in, Capello’s initial concerns have been eased during a series of telephone calls between the medical staff for Sir Alex Ferguson’s team and their counterparts at the Football Association.

Rooney’s employers, on Ferguson’s instructions, are refusing to make any official pronouncements until the manager’s press conference on Friday. But various messages have been sent to Capello to let him know that, unless anything more serious is diagnosed in the scans, Rooney is facing a lay-off of up to four weeks and will have recovered fully, with time to spare, before the pre-World Cup friendlies against Japan and Mexico next month.

That prognosis emanated from an examination of the inflamed area before the team flew back from Munich on the back of what degenerated into a chastening experience against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena last night – one, for Rooney, that left the most prolific scorer in the Premier League walking on crutches with his right foot in a large protective boot.

He was taken straight from the runway at Manchester airport to a private hospital in the city’s Whalley Range district but the fact he was able to undergo a scan is being regarded as significant. Had there been extensive ligament damage, the area would have been so swollen the procedure would have been delayed for another day or two.

One of his team-mates reported the expectation within the United dressing room was that Rooney would miss three to four weeks.

At the very least United are planning for Dimitar Berbatov to take Rooney’s place for the next fortnight, starting with the game against Chelsea on Saturday that could go a long way to determining the destination of this season’s championship, and then the return leg against Bayern next Wednesday.

If United can overcome a 2-1 deficit to reach the semi-final, they will play both legs before the end of April, as well as league fixtures against Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Rooney, the scorer of 34 goals this season and the overwhelming favourite for the footballer-of-the-year awards, could be in danger of missing them all, or at least most of them.

Capello described the situation as “terrible news” but the ramifications could be far more serious for United than the national team.

Not too much, however, should be read into the club’s reluctance to clarify the issue. This is standard practice at Old Trafford in the case of injury stories and Ferguson was never likely to break the habit just to satisfy a media obsession that had the Sun asking its readers to “pray”, and so many television crews at Munich airport that a car was arranged to take Rooney straight on to the runway, bypassing passport control.