Manchester United news and links

Manchester United have received a Champions League boost after Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand declared themselves fit for travel ahead of Tuesday’s quarter-final with Bayern Munich.


The England duo missed Saturday’s 4-0 win at Bolton with a bruised foot and groin injury respectively.

Nemanja Vidic wants to bring a first-leg lead back from Germany.

Sir Alex is taking 22 players to Munich - including Ferdinand and Rooney.

Ji-sung Park has set his sights on playing in a Champions League-winning team.

Nick Coppack is behind the scenes as United prepare to face Bayern.

The Express says Sir Alex wants more from Munich than just a win.

Twelve hours of work and still today’s tell-all can’t sleep. Damn. Days go on and on. They don’t end

Loneliness has followed the Rumour Mill it’s whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There’s no escape. It is God’s lonely transfer tell-all. March 29. Their life has taken another turn again. The days can go on with regularity over and over, one day indistinguishable from the next. A long continuous chain. Then, suddenly, there is a change.

Manchester United’s goalkeeping coach Eric Steele has been keeping tabs on the Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who blew out 24 candles on his birthday cake over the weekend. Schalke want £10m. Manchester United want a worthy heir to Edwin van der Sar.

On the south coast, Championship-bound side Portsmouth are ready to sell Nadir Belhadj and Kevin-Prince Boateng in the hope of raising £9.5m. According to today’s Sun, the administrator Andrew Andronikou has received a £4.5m bid from CSKA Moscow for the Algerian left-back Belhadj, while the Spanish side Sevilla are believed to have £5m in readies to hand over in exchange for the German-Ghanaian midfielder Boateng. The imminent departure of both players, along with the ruptured achilles suffered by the unfortunate Hermann Hreidarsson and a host of other injuries to assorted players, means that Pompey may be able to raise additional funds by auctioning off places in their side to wealthy members of the public who fancy the idea of playing at Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.

You can’t beat a bit of Bullard, which might explain why Chris Hughton is interested in taking Hull City playmaker Jimmy to Newcastle in the summer. “We’ve got a scouting system set up to identify players doing well and there are ones we have on the radar once we’ve achieved promotion,” said Hughton, revealing the secrets that enable his club to unearth hitherto undiscovered talents such as the distinctive looking 32-year-old who bears more than a passing resemblance to the Dulux dog. Bullard’s team-mate Geovanni is in talks with AEK Athens about airlifting him out of the country in the wake of the surprise failure of his move to the KC Stadium.

Two goals in three games from Eidur Gudjohnsen have been enough for the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp to consider extending the Icelandic international’s loan spell from Monaco for another 12 months. Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Liam Ridgewell is standing outside Alex McLeish’s office holding up a placard with “I want a new four-year deal worth £20,000 per week, or else …” written on it.

Roy Keane expects to be sacked by Ipswich this week, but doesn’t seem as concerned as today’s Rumours about the avalanche of lame jokes about dog-walking. His dismissal would inevitably prompt gossip, possibly because he’s already being linked with a summer move to Celtic Park and his out shopping for tartan collars.

Having left his post at Bristol City by the kind of mutual consent that was almost certainly more mutual on the part of his chairman than it was on his own, Gary Johnson will take over at Peterborough United when Jim Gannon quits in May. Johnson will have his work cut out - with just six games of the season left to play, the Posh are rock bottom of the Championship and 14 points from safety.

Meanwhile, back at the Rumour Mill, too much sitting has ruined our body. Too much abuse has gone on for too long. From now on there will be 50 push-ups each morning, 50 pull-ups. There will be no more pills, no more bad food, no more destroyers of our body. From now on will be total organisation. Every muscle must be tight.

Thank God for the rain to wash the trash off the sidewalk.

Dimitar Berbatov has been Manchester United’s key figure away from home in March.



The Bulgarian striker has been overlooked for the starting XI glamour Old Trafford games against AC Milan and Liverpool.

As Manchester United check in for their breakfast-time flight to Munich this morning, the Chelsea players will be enjoying a lie-in at their baronial homes in Surrey, reflecting that even the funereal cloud that rained on their European parade may have a silver lining after all.

By common consent, the summit meeting between the two teams at Old Trafford this Saturday is almost certain to decide which of these monolithic giants goes on to win the Premier League, and while United have the slenderest of leads, Chelsea take heart from the contrasting preparations.

United will inevitably be wearied to some degree by their trip to Bavaria to renew old acquaintance with Bayern Munich in the Champions League tomorrow. Their title rivals, meanwhile, have a free week in which to plot and plan for the biggest match of the domestic season. Both teams had emphatic victories at the weekend, and their form is such that, with six games left, it would be no great surprise if they each won the last five, in which event Saturday’s titanic joust would tip the scales.

Chelsea, after routing Aston Villa 7-1 and rattling five past poor, stricken Portsmouth, have put their Champions League elimination by Internazionale firmly behind them, and see their clear week as a psychological advantage. It is a belief buttressed by United’s travails after their exertions in Europe, Carlo Ancelotti and company having caught them jaded once already, in November.

Recovery has been a problem for the league leaders all season. They beat Wolfsburg, then could only draw at home to Sunderland. The long journey to and from Moscow, to play CSKA, left them easy prey for a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool, and straight after the return with CSKA they lost 1-0 at Chelsea. A 3-1 win in Wolfsburg was followed by defeat at home to Aston Villa and, coming up to date, the euphoria that attended that 3-2 triumph in Milan was immediately punctured by a 3-1 loss to Everton.

The omens, then, are ominous, and it was with this record in mind that Sir Alex Ferguson rested Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick at Bolton on Saturday, and still came away with a resounding 4-0 win.

Bolton Wanderers are much improved under Owen Coyle, witness recent victories over Wigan Athletic, West Ham United and Wolves. United, however, are a class apart from the make‑do-and‑menders of the table’s bottom half, as Coyle admitted.

“We have to remember that they have better players,” he said. “If we both played to our maximum, then United would always win.” On a more positive note, he added: “I know what I’m doing, and we are progressing. We were in the bottom three when I came in and we haven’t spent any money, but we have managed to elevate ourselves to a better position.”

No expenditure to date, but Bolton have acquired the 18-year-old Jack Wilshere on loan from Arsenal, and the midfield prodigy looked entirely at home on the same pitch as Nani, Giggs, Scholes et al. Coyle, like Arsène Wenger, believes the young man from Stevenage will play for England one day, and both expect him to continue his education back at the Emirates next season.

Bolton began well enough, Johan Elmander testing Edwin van der Sar. Elmander was to suffer a head wound, requiring four stitches, in painful collision with a careless elbow from Nemanja Vidic, who was immense throughout. Coyle called it “a terrible challenge”, adding: “Vidic has caught him with an elbow. There was blood pouring out of it.” But the referee saw nothing remiss and TV replays suggest it would be impossible to prove intent.

Coyle had more pressing matters to concern him after 38 minutes, when Bolton were undermined by a ludicrous own-goal, Jlloyd Samuel needlessly turning a centre from Ryan Giggs past his startled goalkeeper.

With 11, “OG” is only one behind Dimitar Berbatov as United’s second highest scorer. Still Coyle’s charges seemed capable of gaining a draw, but just before half-time Van der Sar denied Fabrice Muamba with a high-class save, and midway through the second half another self-inflicted wound proved fatal. The goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen made a hash of Darren Fletcher’s shot from the edge of the D, leaving Berbatov with little more than a tap-in, and that was that as far as the points were concerned.

Bolton’s resistance was broken and Nani, in particular, took punitive advantage, setting up Berbatov and Darron Gibson, who was on for Fletcher, for numbers three and four.

“Stand up for the champions” chorused the red – or rather green and gold – legions, who could be accused of singing too soon. When Saturday comes, we will all have a better idea.

Series of issues has led to serious questions about game’s future and way it is run

On the pitch, England are looking forward to the World Cup with optimism, and one of the most exciting Premier League seasons yet has fans enthralled. But off it, a series of issues has led to serious questions about the game’s future and the way it is run.

Manchester United bonds

The need for the Glazer family to refinance the debt they loaded onto the club when they bought it in 2005 laid bare their business model and provoked the fury of fans. It emerged that the successful £509m bond scheme allowed the owners to take up to £127m out of Manchester United in the next year alone, in order to help them repay the additional £202m in high-interest hedge fund loans that are secured on their shareholding in the club. More than 140,000 supporters, who argue that the Glazers have raised ticket prices and failed to invest in the team, have joined a Manchester United Supporters Trust campaign to back the group of wealthy fans known as the Red Knights looking to engineer a buyout.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett

Liverpool’s American co-owners promised not to saddle the Anfield club with debt when they bought it, but it later emerged they had done just that – to the tune of £185m. Now, fresh investment is being sought to refinance the £237m owed to the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia as the pair, who have been engaged in a long-running feud, seek a way out and fans protest that their new stadium appears further away than ever.

Portsmouth

The club this month became the first Premier League club ever to enter administration and was docked nine points as a result. Prior to last summer, the 2008 FA Cup winners spent beyond their means in a bid to compete at the highest level. But when their owner had to sell up and banks withdrew support, the club entered an even murkier phase in its history. It has had four owners in the space of the current season and speculation about their motives continues to swirl around Fratton Park as the administrator looks for a buyer.

Struggle for survival in the lower leagues

Fifty-three Football League clubs have tipped into insolvency since 1992, as they gamble to reach the promised land of the Premier League or struggle to survive in the lower reaches.

‘Dysfunctional’ FA

Chief executive Ian Watmore shocked football insiders last week when he quit his role in frustration at the “vested interests” on the FA board, which is split 50-50 between the professional game and the amateur game. He was believed to feel that the dysfunctional setup left him with little real power to tackle the pressing structural and financial issues facing the organisation. His resignation has reignited a fierce debate about the best way to oversee the game that has raged since the Premier League clubs broke away in 1992 and again highlighted the bitter turf wars last exposed by the resignation of Sir Dave Richards from the World Cup 2018 board last year, when he furiously claimed he could no longer work with the FA chairman, Lord Triesman.

Uefa intervention

President Michel Platini has promised to introduce new rules in time for the 2012-13 season that will force clubs to live within their means if they want to play in European competitions. The only extra “benefactor” investment allowed will be in stadiums and youth facilities. But the Premier League, while agreeing with the need for stronger financial regulation, argues strongly that the move will rob football of its unpredictability and simply give the biggest clubs more power.

England stars Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand are set to return for United’s Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.


The pair missed Saturday’s victory over Bolton with a bruised heel and a groin injury respectively.

Sir Alex Ferguson defends Nemanja Vidic after the FA takes no action over his challenge on Bolton’s Johan Elmander on Saturday.

The four ties in the last eight of the Champions League look to be open affairs

Bayern Munich v Manchester United

Tuesday, 7.45pm (Sky Sports 2)

Second leg: 7 April, 7.45pm

Wayne Rooney’s bid to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring feats were dealt a decent hand when United were paired with Bayern, whose defence has been generous throughout this competition. Although United have the most famous of past encounters on their side, with memories of the 1999 treble crystallised in that extraordinary comeback in Barcelona, Bayern have historically been strong in this fixture. The Nou Camp final is the only time United have beaten them in Champions League competition. The Germans have weapons of their own in Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry (right), and have been lucky, and shown spirit to burn, in a topsy-turvy campaign.

Lyon v Bordeaux

Tuesday, 7.45pm (Sky Sports 3)

Second leg: 7 April, 7.45pm

Better the devil you know? This tie is a source of great pride and intrigue for French football, as the two most recent title winners lock horns for a spot in the semi-finals. Although Bordeaux’s consistency and resilience has made a huge impression on this Champions League, Lyon’s penchant for the dramatic in the competition so far betrays fantastic spirit to go with their technical prowess. Their manager, Claude Puel, feels the draw has not favoured them with the second leg in Bordeaux. “To play the French champions and Ligue 1 leaders with the decider away - it’s tricky,” he said. The two teams meet again in the league shortly after their European quarter-final fates are decided.

Arsenal v Barcelona

Wednesday, 7.45pm (ITV1)

Second leg:6 April, 7.45pm

When Gaël Clichy (right) returned to the Arsenal line-up after a spell out with a back injury, his game was shaky enough to cause considerable concern at the Emirates. To his credit he has recovered form. But nothing can test his renewed optimism quite like Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Given the Argentinian’s weekly miracles, it is hard not to boil Arsenal’s chances down to quite how brilliant he will be over the two games. Beyond the best player in the world, there will be plenty of clever ball players seeking to strut their stuff. Although Barça are hot favourites, Arsenal still managed to give them a scare before succumbing late in the 2006 final.

Inter v CSKA Moscow

Wednesday, 7.45pm (Sky Sports 2)

Second leg: 6 April, 5.30pm

CSKA Moscow have never before progressed to this stage of the Champions League. They are happy to fulfil the role of underdog against an Inter team who disposed so clinically of Chelsea. It suits them to be underestimated. Their achievement in knocking out Sevilla in the last round, and doing the damage away from home, is not to be underestimated. They were excellent from front to back. Although few of the elite teams relish a trip to Russia, Inter’s form in such encounters is promising. José Mourinho’s team beat CSKA home and away in 2008, and took four points off the Russian league champions, Rubin Kazan, earlier this season in the group stage.

Watch the highlights and post-match interviews on MUTV Online.

Van der Sar salutes the backroom boys after United’s win at Bolton.

Sir Alex explains the absence of Rooney and Ferdinand at the Reebok.

Sir Alex Ferguson refused to write off Arsenal’s title chances despite seeing United move four points clear of Arsene Wenger’s men.


United’s 4-0 win at Bolton saw them take advantage of the Gunners’ 1-1 draw at Birmingham earlier in the day, while they once again moved a point ahead of Chelsea, who had temporarily gone to the top of the table with a 7-1 win against Aston Villa. But Fergie insists it remains a three-horse race.

Sir Alex enjoys a “terrific result” at the Reebok.

See how we rated United and Bolton in the Premier League champions’ 4-0 win at the Reebok.

For all Sir Alex Ferguson’s talk of gauntlets being thrown down, Manchester United had no need to answer Chelsea’s goalfest with flamboyance of their own. All they were expected to do at the Reebok was tough out a gritty win and go back to the top of the Premier League. Which is exactly what they were doing until Bolton went into Aston Villa mode late in the game.

It may appear from the scoreline that even with an under-strength team United can pick up points in style, improve their goal difference and still stay in good shape for the Champions League. Yet the rather more mundane reality is that only an own goal separated the sides until Bolton clocked off early.

“The score makes it look as if it was easy, but we never dominated the game,” Ferguson said. “It was hard, as it always is here. It’s difficult to play when the ball’s in the air all the time. It took two magnificent saves from Edwin van der Sar to keep Bolton out in the first half.”

A clearly deflated Owen Coyle had no choice but to agree. “Losing 4-0 was not a fair reflection,” the Bolton manager said. “Until about 25 minutes from the end we were chasing an equaliser. But you can’t switch off against a team of United’s calibre, you get punished and that’s what happened.”

Ferguson omitted Wayne Rooney despite denying with some vehemence the previous day that his striker might be rested. Rio Ferdinand was another absentee, with Tuesday’s game against Bayern Munich clearly the immediate priority. The reverse side of that coin is that some or all of the evergreen threesome of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs may not start in Germany, although they can hardly complain, 11 years after the treble campaign that ended with victory over Bayern in Barcelona.

Even more remarkably, in all that time, Scholes has still not mastered the art of tackling. He was soon pulled up for what might be termed a “trademark” foul on Johan Elmander, although it was a Scholes run into the Bolton penalty area that led to Jussi Jaaskelainen making the first save of the game when Dimitar Berbatov met Darren Fletcher’s cross with a sidefoot volley. Bolton made a couple of chances around the half hour; Nemanja Vidic blocking Tamir Cohen’s shot and Van der Sar making an excellent near-post save to deny Elmander, who might have done better from Jack Wilshere’s clever through ball.

United were playing with two touchline-hugging wingers in Antonio Valencia and Nani, yet the expected width rarely materialised until Giggs popped up on the left to send in a low cross that produced one of the most bizarre own goals of the season. All own goals are slightly bizarre, although you can usually see what the defender is attempting to do. Here, Jlloyd Samuel appeared to visualise himself in a red shirt, scoring the goal of his dreams for Manchester United. It was an exquisite first-time finish, certainly one that Fletcher would not have managed even had he been able to reach the ball. The danger appeared to have passed; indeed it had passed, until Samuel turned into United’s 12th man at the far post and slotted past Jaaskelainen.

Bolton had a chance to equalise before the interval but again Van der Sar produced another good save – this time diving to his right to tip away Fabrice Muamba’s rising shot from another opportunity manufactured by Wilshere. Bolton kept United penned in their own half for a 20- minute spell in the second half. Yet for all their pressure, there was only one save for Van der Sar to make; a routine one from Elmander, just before he was clobbered by an elbow from Vidic that appeared clumsy rather than malicious. Coyle was still upset about it after the match, when he ought to have been more annoyed at the way his defence melted away almost as soon as United crossed the halfway line.

Jaaskelainen could not hold Fletcher’s shot and made the mistake of pushing it out to Berbatov, who had enough composure to reach the ball and slip a low shot under the goalkeeper. Bolton looked a tired team by the time Berbatov added another 12 minutes from time, easily escaping his marker to score from Nani’s cross, before an almost identical invitation from the winger allowed Darron Gibson to score the fourth with his first touch.

“We’ll all drop points before the end of the season, we just have to make sure we don’t drop as many as everyone else,” Ferguson said of the three-way title race. “Chelsea scoring seven did not put extra pressure on us, but when you see that turnaround in goal difference in four days it represents a challenge. Put the gauntlet down, though, and United will always accept it.”

A Dimitar Berbatov-inspired United moved back to the top of the Premier League and on course for a record fourth successive title.


The £30.75m Bulgarian was in masterful form, playing as a lone frontman in the absence of Wayne Rooney – scoring twice and having a role in another as United blasted their way to a 4-0 win against Bolton.

Berbatov bags two as the Reds roar back into top spot.

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal could be without Arjen Robben for the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United due to a calf injury.

The Premier League title race is heading for a nerve-jangling final day shoot-out. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has analysed the run-in for the champions, Chelsea and Arsenal and believes a 90-minute May 9 nail-biter is unavoidable.



The Reds, gunning for a historic fourth league crown, went into today a point clear of Chelsea and two ahead of Arsenal.

The Blues annihilate Villa while Arsenal are pegged back at Birmingham.

Nicky Ajose’s late double yields three points in the Academy League.

Dimitar Berbatov scored twice as United returned to the top with a thumping victory

Preamble Hello. You don’t need to tell Manchester United about the perils of a trip to Planet Reebok during a title race. The decisive point of United’s memorably improbable title triumph in 2002-03 came not when they were playing but when Arsenal lost a 2-0 lead, a fair bit of their dignity and effectively their title in a tumultuous Saturday-lunchtime match at Bolton.

Any dropped points today aren’t likely to be terminal, with six games still to go, but this is a trickier assignment for United than the morning positions of 14th v 1st would suggest. Bolton haven’t lost in the league, or even conceded a goal, at home since Arsenal won 2-0 on January 17, and the excellent Owen Coyle is starting to work his not inconsiderable magic.

United’s away form has been mixed all season; they’ve lost five, the same as Stoke. With the European Cup quarter-final in Munich kicking off only 74 hours after this one, Sir Alex Ferguson is sure to tinker – it’s 115* games since he named an unchanged side – so we should be in for an interesting couple of hours. I reckon** United will go behind and win 2-1***.

*Make that 116

* guardian.co.uk cannot be legally held responsible if you spunk your entire boxset collection on the prediction of a man who can’t even use predictive text, never mind correctly call the result of a football match in advance

** Having seen the team news I’d like to revise that prediction ever so slightly: Bolton 5-0 Manchester United

Kick off is at 5.30pm.

Over the line! This has nothing at all to do with the game, but it’s joyous and includes the most famous shout of “over the line!” outside The Big Lebowski.

Bolton (4-4-2) Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Samuel; Lee, Muamba, Cohen, Wilshere; Elmander, Kevin Davies.
Subs: Al Habsi, Taylor, Riga, Mark Davies, Klasnic, Andrew O’Brien, Weiss.

Man Utd (4-2-3-1) Van der Sar; Neville, Vidic, Jonathan Evans, Evra; Fletcher, Scholes; Valencia, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov.
Subs: Kuszczak, Park, Carrick, Rafael Da Silva, Macheda, Gibson, De Laet.

Team news Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand aren’t in the squad for Manchester United, while Michael Carrick is only on the bench. Jonny Evans, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov are their replacements. It’s seems legitimate to presume that Rooney has a knee injury, although there is no official word as to whether Ferdinand is injured or simply being rested because of old age. (He’s 31.)

Bolton also make three changes from their last match, all in the back four: Sam Ricketts, Gary Cahill and Jlloyd Samuel come in for Gretar Steinsson, Andy O’Brien and Paul Robinson.

Rooney and Ferdinand update Both could have played, says Lord Ferg, but United gave them the day off. It’s only Bolton! they have minor injuries and are consequently rested.

1 min United, in red, kick off from right to left. I would describe it in greater detail but, well, it wasn’t all that.

2 min “Is there anything more soul-destroying that spending Saturday afternoon shopping for work shoes?” asks Phil Sawyer. “Actually, asking MBMers that is probably the wrong move…” Go in wearing these and see what happens. People will see you as the rock star of the office and you’ll be having illicit liaisons before you know it.*

* You won’t.

3 min Bolton have started the faster, as you’d expect. Wilshere dragged a long-range shot wide in the first 90 seconds and Davies’s header down almost gave Elmander the chance to miss from 10 yards.

4 min Those old friends Patrice Evra and Kevin Davies come together for the first time, and Davies dives to win a free-kick. It’s 35 yards out, right of centre, and Wilshere’s inswinger is headed away by Evans. Bolton look very lively.

5 min “What is the point of the six-yard box?” randoms Edward Taylor. “It seems to have no function, rather like the aptly monikered FA.”

6 min United have their first concerted attack, but Berbatov overhits a return pass to Evra, who consequently slashes his first-time cross away for a goalkick.

7 min Matthew Lever has located these gems for Phil Sawyer. I like the fact that those shoes would look equally at home in a bowling alley, a boardroom, or a seriously depraved orgy.

9 min Wilshere clatters Gary Neville, to widespread cheers. I know he’s never been the most popular, but when did everyone start to really hate Gary Neville?

10 min United have kept the ball very well for the last few minutes, albeit without making any significant progress behind the Bolton defence. It’s all pretty-pretty stuff, as you’d expect with Giggs, Scholes and Berbatov on the field.

12 min This isn’t very good.

13 min “People started to hate Gary Neville as soon as he started growing that terrible moustache,” says Ian McCourt.

14 min Bolton win the first corner of the match. It’s on the right, swung in by Wilshere, and claimed authoritatively by Van der Sar.

15 min Neville’s brilliant pass frees Valencia down the right, and his lobbed cross is just cleared by the head of Cahill on the six-yard line. It was a vital intervention because Berbatov was lurking jsut behind.

17 min Scholes lashes a bouncing ball well over the bar from 30 yards. A minute earlier he drove a glorious 60-yard crossfield pass to Nani, which lead to the corner which lead to the clearance which lead to Scholes walloping it over the bar.

18 min Fletcher’s low cross from the right brings an instinctive flicked volley from Berbatov, ahead of the near post, and Jaaskelainen reacts quickly to concede the corner. That was sumptuous from Berbatov.

20 min Evans hammers over from 10 yards. From the corner, Berbatov and Fletcher did superbly to keep the ball alive, and Fletcher eventually laid it to Evans, ten yards out and in line with the near post. With bodies converging he had to hit it first time; he screwed it miles over with his left foot. That was a decent chance.

21 min Evra wins the ball with a sliding tackle on Ricketts, and both players come together with a strong impact. Ricketts, accidentally it should be said, kicked Evra flush on the knee. Sir Alex Ferguson is unhappy, because United – and Evra in particular – have been kicked off this pitch in the past. But I think it was an honest challenge. Evra is really struggling here. He’s back on but he’s limping heavily.

23 min “Pessimist that I am, I can see Bolton winning this one,” says Scott W. “Or does this make me an optimist? I don’t support either side. Thinking that Bolton are going to win just seems like a pessimistic thing to think. Yours, a confused neutral.” I’d hate to see you at the bingo.

24 min Giggs and Scholes have been excellent so far, presiding over the game like old dons. But United, for all the authority of their possession, still haven’t got behind Bolton. Berbatov’s link play has been excellent but they inevitably miss the on-the-shoulder threat of Rooney.

25 min Evra seems to be okay. “There’s an upside to the tribalism that leads everyone to hate Gary Neville,” says Gary Naylor. “Did Birmingham really need that last-minute equaliser? Probably not - at least not before Professor Wenger stirred up the tribalism with ill-judged pre-match comment. It’s why run-ins are neither easy nor hard, just there, staring at you, saying, ‘Do you
want some?’”

26 min Cohen runs on to Davies’s flick on, slips past Vidic and shoots from 15 yards, but Vidic recovers excellently to block the shot.

27 min A delightful angled through-ball from Wilshere puts Elmander through on goal in the inside-left channel, albeit at a tight angle. He hammers it towards his near post with the left foot from around four yards, but Van de Sar’s reaction are superb and he plunges to his right to tip it round for a corner.

29 min Davies and Elmander are starting to cause problems, simply because being two big, hard buggers. Bolton have sensed this and are going long a lot more than they were earlier in the game. It’s still not a great game, really.

32 min Giggs slips Knight in the D with a delicious touch after being found by Berbatov, but then he shoots a few yards wide.

33 min Lee’s clipped free-kick, from a very straight position 35 yards out, is headed wide by Cahill.

34 min Berbatov runs onto Nani’s excellent flick and to the edge of the box, but he gave Knight enough time to get back and take the sting out of the shot.

35 min It’s often been said, slightly dubiously, that United played 4-3-3-0 when they had Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo, when in fact they simply had three rotating forwards. Yet today their formation really does resemble 4-2-4-0, because Giggs and Berbatov are both dropping into the hole. The consequence has been some seriously sensual foreplay, but nothing beyond that. Mick Harford would have applied a couple of rugged knee-tremblers already.

GOAL! Bolton 0-1 Manchester United (Samuel own goal 38) A marvellous finish from Jlloyd Samuel, passed coolly into the corner of his own net. That, rather absurdly, is the 11th own goal scored for United in the league this season. The build-up was excellent. Nani lobbed the ball down the wing to Giggs, who ran from centre to left and behind the defence. Then he pinged a very dangerous, first-time ball across the face of the area, 10 yards out. It just evaded Fletcher but Samuel, at the far post, had a brainmelt and sidefooted it into the far corner. That was farcical.

40 min Van der Sar makes a sensational save. Wilshere, coming infield menacingly from the right, played a short, square pass to Muamba on the edge of the area, who was under pressure but managed to improvise and thrash a lofted shot towards the far corner. It looked certain to go in but Van der Sar leapt to his right, straining every sinew of his right arm to just fingertip it wide. That’s a remarkable save for a keeper of any age, never mind a 92-year-old.

42 min “Can Own Goal and Rooney play well together?” asks Niall Donegan. “Seems like a lot of his goals come when the scouser is rested.”

44 min The Manchester United fans are in good voice, with their version of This Is How It Feels by the Inspiral Carpets. This is how it feels to be City, this is how it feels to be small, this is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all.

45+2 min Bolton hump another ball towards the edge of the box, and Vidic is rightly penalised for baulking Kevin Davies. It’s a free-kick in the D, a wee bit right of centre. It’s laid off by Davies to Cohen, whose shot is blocked by the charging Scholes.

45+3 min A remarkable incident. When the ball went for a corner, Van der Sar was muscled off the ball by Knight, who wanted to take the corner quickly. Van der Sar was stood behind the goal, complaining to the referee Martin Atkinson, who allowed Bolton to take the corner regardless. Had a Bolton player got a head on it Van der Sar would have been nowhere, but a United defender managed to clear.

Half time: Bolton 0-1 Manchester United That was a very lively end to a largely mundane half. Just before the whistle, Ricketts caught Nani in the face with a flailing arm. Martin Atkinson gave nothing, and at the whistle Sir Alex Ferguson came marching onto the pitch to have a square go at the officials, quite possibly beginning every sentence with the word “youse”. He was given a ban for complaining to the referee – Mark Clattenburg I think – at half-time of this fixture two years ago. He has a bit of a case: Bolton haven’t crossed the line, but they’ve come pretty close, and Ricketts’ flailing arm into Nani’s face was irresponsible at best. It should make for a lively second half. See you in 10 minutes.

Half-time Anyone got anything to talk about?

ESPN are interviewing Mark Halsey, who is recovering from cancer and who makes his return to the Football League on Tuesday. All the very best to him, mostly because he seems like a thoroughly good bloke but also because he is England’s best referee by a fair distance.

46 min Bolton kick off. Apparently Sir Alex Ferguson apologised to Martin Atkinson at the start of the second half.

47 min “Just wondering when you think Fulham’s £25,000 fine will come through for fielding a weakened side, a change that probably had more of an impact on the result of the game than wolves’s against Man Utd,” says Jon Dean. “I expect the FA to act swiftly to punish Hodgson for bringing the game into disrepute. Also, with Rooney rested, shouldnt Man Utd be fined as well, for not fielding their best 11?” That Wolves fine, as I ranted here, was a complete disgrace, another example of clueless frackwits making it up as they go along.

48 min Nothing is happening. “Right,” says Tom Hopkins. “Total Wipeout’s finished so I’m back with you. Did I miss anything?”

49 min Berbatov seems set to score United’s second - and then slips over. He played a lovely one-two with Fletcher before running into the area, away from Knight, and was about to shoot from about 15 yards when he lost his footing completely. The reason he slipped was that he had lost his right boot in a challenge with Muamba as he muscled elegantly towards the box. Not enough grip on the United socks, clearly. He was so close to repeating this legendary goal from Preben Elkjaer.

51 min United have started the second half really well, dominating possession to a degree that will disconcert Bolton.

53 min Fletcher plays an aggressive, Veronesque one-two with Berbatov but then slices a first-time shot wide of the near post with the outside of his right foot.

55 min Bolton can’t get in the game at all. United are keeping the ball with disdainful ease. For all that, Jaaskelainen still hasn’t had much to do.

56 min Valencia dry-humps Samuel from behind. The referee decides that this probably contravenes the laws of the game and awards a free-kick to Bolton. It’s curved in by Lee, and cleared desperately at the third attempt by Scholes I think. Bolton had a half-appeal for handball; the ball came off the top of Scholes’s arm as he tried to block Cahill’s overhead kick, but there was no intent.

59 min “I would like to milk some applause given a feat of earlier afternoon, I ran 13.1 miles,” says Liam Maloney. “For my troubles, no other reason.” Running? For kicks? Humans do the funniest things.

60 min A decent little spell for Bolton brings a corner on the left, swung in by Lee and headed miles wide by Ricketts.

61 min “Supposing that United go on to win the league this year, where do you think it would rate against the others that Ferguson has won?” asks David Wall. “It’s true that they’ve often been less dominant and less expansive in the style of play this year, but if you think about the financial hardship at United this season and the extent to which managers of other clubs use that as an excuse, then perhaps it should take on added worth.” Absolutely, even more so as it would be No19 overall and No4 in a row. Off the top of my head I’d say it would rank below only 1995-96 and 2006-07. If it happens.

62 min “Tum te tum te tum te tum,” says Phil Sawyer. “There’s a quite good Indian feast going down on Come Dine With Me.” Sssh. Bolton are having a decent spell here.

63 min Giggs takes Valencia’s low cross beautifully in his stride on the edge of the box, but Cahill gets round to clear for a throw-in just as Giggs was lining up a shot.

64 min “I know I’m pushing on an open door praising Elkjaer, but I’m going to ask the question anyway, as that goal and memories of his play bring it on,” says Gary Naylor. “With CR7 gone, Aaron Lennon laid up and Theo Walcott seemingly turning to Holden Caulfieldesque introspection, is there anyone left in the Premier League who really runs at defenders full tilt? It’s not really Ashley Young’s game nor Stephen Pienaar’s. For all the recent talk of players on the ‘wrong side’ of the pitch, there’s not many that run, feint then lash one in like Kanchelskis used to do whenever his blood was up.” Valencia is very similar to Kanchelskis, although without the same levels of self-belief at this stage in his career. But he demolish a player over 10 yards.

66 min Bolton’s direct approach is starting to trouble United, and Vidic heads behind for another corner. (It actually came off Elmander, but the point remains.) Either way, it comes to nought.

67 min “Congrats to Liam Maloney,” says Zersenay Tadese. I myself ran 13.1 miles just the other day, in Lisbon. It took me 58 mins and 23 seconds.” 13.1 miles! For fun! The things that folk do.

68 min Vidic elbows Elmander in the face in the process of heading a long cross clear. He flattened him but I don’t think there was any intent or malice. In fact I’m sure there wasn’t; it was all about getting the leverage he needed. But it was a real whack and Elmander is bleeding.

GOAL! Bolton 0-2 Manchester United (Berbatov 69) With Elmander off the field, United double their lead. Giggs, on the right wing, opened up the middle of the field with a forensic pass to the onrushing Fletcher, who marauded to the edge of the box before crunching a left-footed shot to the left of Jaaskelainen. He could only fumble it straight out in front of goal, and Berbatov finished coolly from eight yards. Jaaskelainen should have done better but it was a nicely conceived goal, particularly the pass from Giggs, which was like a man whisking away another’s towel in the locker-room.

73 min Three substitutions. United bring on Michael Carrick for Paul Scholes, while Bolton replaces Johan Elmander and Tamir Cohen with Ivan Klasnic and Matt Taylor.

76 min “Ref: Gary Naylor on 64 mins,” says Nick Smith. “In answer to your question, Dirk Kuyt runs at people. He just doesn’t go past them.”

GOAL! Bolton 0-3 Manchester United (Berbatov 78) This is a beautiful goal. Nani tormented Ricketts on the left of the box, dummying him about 84 times before going down the line and passing it across the face of goal to Berbatov, who finished the job with an insouciant flick of the outside of his right foot. That wasn’t an easy finish, but he made it look so.

80 min Taylor shoots well wide from 20 yards.

81 min Darron Gibson replaces Darren Fletcher, who was again terrific and has become irreplaceable for this side.

GOAL! Bolton 0-4 Manchester United (Gibson 82) Gibson scores with his first touch. Berbatov played a nice pass down the left to Nani; he completely embarrassed Ricketts again before laying the ball back for Gibson, running into the box, to open up his body and sidefoot a crisp right-footed shot through Jaaskelainen and in off the underside of the bar. That was another very good goal.

84 min Federico Macheda – remember him – comes on for Ryan Giggs, who played expertly in the hole behind (or alongside) Berbatov.

85 min “So, Darren Fletcher,” says Ben Dunn. “Players’ Player of the Year?” Rooney or Fabregas, you suspect, but if he’s not in the top six it will confirm once and for all that footballers are very stupid.

88 min The excellent Nani and Macheda combine to free Gibson on the left of the box, but his low cross is cleared for a corner.

90 min Muamba’s curving shot from 25 yards is straight at Van der Sar.

90+1 min There will be three minutes of added time. Can Bolton turn this round?

Full time: Bolton 0-4 Manchester United The scoreline is harsh on Bolton, but United were deserved winners and played some very good stuff indeed. Nani gave Sam Ricketts a fearful chasing in the second half and made the third and fourth goals. United go back to the top, which sets up a serious humdinger against Chelsea a week today. Thanks for your emails; night.

The Premier League title race is heading for a nerve-jangling final day shoot-out. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has analysed the run-in for the champions, Chelsea and Arsenal and believes a 90-minute May 9 nail-biter is unavoidable.



The Reds, gunning for a historic fourth league crown, went into today a point clear of Chelsea and two ahead of Arsenal.

Our experts cast an eye over the title chances of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal

Joe Royle on the managers

Manchester United
At the risk of upsetting a great friend, Sir Alex Ferguson has brainwashed the English public, and his players, into believing that United will automatically be stronger during the second half of every season. It has become a self-fulfilling prophecy and this year, the title is now his to lose. United have not been at their best this season and they have missed Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez but Sir Alex knows his remaining players inside out and how best to use them. He hasn’t even felt the need to bother involving his rivals in mind games

Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti has won an awful lot of trophies in Europe but I just have a feeling that maybe his lack of Premier League experience will count against him. That’s why Chelsea are now only my third favourites for the title. I don’t know the man and I don’t like to criticise but Ancelotti does seem a much colder fish than José Mourinho. Maybe he’s a bit too cold with players who responded so well to Mourinho’s extrovert streak and openness

Arsenal
Where Arsène Wenger has been clever is by not complaining about the loss of Robin van Persie, who is such an important player for them. It almost seems as if Van Persie never existed. His injury has not been allowed to turn into an excuse. I don’t buy Arsène’s theory that rival teams have a vendetta against Arsenal but he is very good at protecting his players and they appreciate that. Arsène deserves to be rewarded for Arsenal’s fantastic football but they are my second favourites

Joe Royle’s verdict: Manchester United

Alan Kennedy on the defences

Manchester United
United have missed Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand playing together and it’s a huge plus that they’re both fit for the final games. When they had to draft in players like Darren Fletcher to help out at the back it was a severe test of their resources. If they have their first-choice back four out it’s a formidable-looking defence: Neville, Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra. Patrice Evra in particular is a fantastic player – as a full-back myself I’m full of admiration for him

Chelsea
The controversy surrounding John Terry’s private life has affected his form but there were problems earlier on in the season too. Petr Cech had trouble deciding whether to come for crosses or not. The defence have a system that suits them well but there have been games where the defence have let them down badly: they conceded four against Manchester City at home and that wouldn’t have happened a few years ago. You get the feeling the Chelsea defence will always give the opposition at least one chance a game

Arsenal
Some people question Manuel Almunia’s consistency: he makes some fine saves but he also makes a few errors. Overall they do have a good defence, though. Their main problem is that sometimes the likes of Thomas Vermaelen and Gaël Clichy are so keen to get forward and help out the strikers that they forget to defend. It’s fantastic to watch but sometimes you’ve got to grind out cagey games to win the title and I don’t know whether they have the players to do that

Alan Kennedy’s verdict: Manchester United

Andy Gray on the attacks

Manchester United
Against the top clubs Ferguson plays Wayne Rooney centrally with two wide players flanking him. In other matches Dimitar Berbatov joins Rooney up front. There is nothing that Rooney does at the moment that does not work for him – he can even miss a penalty and the rebound drops back for him to score. His colleagues in that part of the pitch – Ryan Giggs, Park Ji-sung, Nani – have developed a nice blend. Luis Antonio Valencia particularly has grown at Old Trafford

Chelsea
When Didier Drogba went away to the Africa Cup of Nations, Chelsea had to tinker their shape and go with a three-man midfield and three-man forward line. They had good results playing this way and Carlo Ancelotti has persisted with this approach. It has caused Nicolas Anelka to be pushed wide and he is undergoing a bit of a dip, but Florent Malouda is playing tremendously well. Drogba, meanwhile, is one of the most difficult attackers to stop in the world. At the top of their game, Chelsea’s attack is the most fearsome

Arsenal
Nicklas Bendtner central, Andrey Arshavin on the left and Samir Nasri on the right – technically that’s a very good front three, with excellent mobility. They are all comfortable on the ball but they do not have what I would call a natural goalscorer. They will all contribute goals but you get the impression they’d all rather be creating a goal than scoring it. If Robin van Persie was fit and had played all season then I might be assessing it a little differently

Andy Gray’s verdict: Chelsea

Gary Speed on the dressing rooms

Manchester United
United are certainly my favourites because of the experience of the manager and coaches that they have at Old Trafford. They have won the title the last three years and looking from the outside they seem to have a fantastic team spirit. If they didn’t then I think Sir Alex would have something to say and do about it! At this level the players are all so good that a lot of it comes down to spirit and the man-management of the players to get that little something extra out of them. I think there is no one better than Sir Alex at doing that

Chelsea
They have a lot of experience in players such as John Terry and Frank Lampard who have won the league before. Losing Ricardo Carvalho this week was a big blow. He has maybe not grabbed the headlines like the others I’ve mentioned but I think people have come to appreciate how good he is now and he has lots of experience from winning the Champions League with Porto as well. Going out of Europe was a major setback but it might just help with all the injuries they have. I would have to put them as my third favourites, though

Arsenal
Arsenal don’t have that many experienced players but maybe Arsène Wenger will turn that round and use it as a positive. I’m sure he will just be telling them to enjoy playing football. When you have a lot of players in a squad who are of a similar age they seem to gel quite well usually and even though Cesc Fábregas is still a baby in footballing terms, he has vast experience already and is the catalyst for the team

Gary Speed’s verdict: Manchester United

David Fairclough on the run-ins

Manchester United
United got past one of the tougher games in their run-in when they beat Liverpool last week and I thought they were a bit lucky. United were there for the taking and Liverpool should have been more aggressive. Vidic and Ferdinand haven’t been 100% fit this season and that may well hurt United as the season comes to a close. There’s also the small matter of the Manchester derby to negotiate

Chelsea
Not too long ago the title was Chelsea’s to lose and they’ve managed to let their grip on it slip. It’s vital that they re-establish themselves and what better way to do it than by victory at Old Trafford on 3 April. I’ve got a sneaky feeling they’ll get at least a point out of the game: Terry and Lampard have seen their form slump but players of that quality don’t play badly for long. But even if Chelsea do get a good result at United there’s a couple of tough away games they have to play: they’re also going to have to visit Tottenham and Liverpool

Arsenal
On the face of it, Arsenal definitely have the easiest run-in. They don’t have to play either of their rivals for the title and while United and Chelsea are battling it out with each other, Arsenal will be playing teams such as Wolves. I’m not saying the teams they’re due to play are pushovers but momentum can be crucial at this stage of a title race and it’s a lot easier to build up if you’re not playing the big teams week in and week out. There’s no reason why Arsenal can’t go unbeaten between now and the end of the season

David Fairclough’s verdict: Arsenal

Sir Alex admits to feeling the pressure at the business end of the season.

• Even the Manchester United manager admits to nerves
• Makes familiar attack at FA inconsistency

After 11 league titles Sir Alex Ferguson should be immune to nerves but, as he prepared for the climax of a season he feels instinctively will be settled on the final afternoon, he offered a rare glimpse into his emotions in the final hour before a match kicks off.

At Old Trafford, the Manchester United manager has his office in which to collect his thoughts but away games, such as the one at Bolton, offer no kind of refuge. “It is probably the time when the players are doing their warm-up that you feel on your own because your staff are out there doing their jobs,” he said. “It is all right at home because you have your office, but, away from home, there is always that killing time, walking about and sitting in your dressing room or whatever.” And, as Ferguson remarked, time seems to seep away before a 5.30pm kick-off more slowly than any other.

Ferguson may have mellowed slightly with age. Should Bolton win, he is unlikely to describe their performance as “obscene”, as he did when a West Ham side careering towards relegation fatally derailed Manchester United’s attempt at the title in 1992. However, three years ago he still managed to get himself sent to the stands by Mark Clattenburg during a 1-0 defeat at the Reebok Stadium.

“Some people don’t show it but deep down inside they are all churning like the rest of us,” Ferguson said. “That is what the game does to you. The thing, I think, for managers is the win, lose or draw situation. You are in to win and you can’t lose too many or you lose your job. There is no one in the game more directly responsible for results than the manager. No matter which way you look at it, we are all subject to winning games of football and, if we are not, we are on the dole line. Players carry on, coaches carry on, directors carry on, journalists carry on.”

Ferguson appeared supremely relaxed. Nani, a footballer he had once chided for his immaturity but who has grown up considerably since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure for Real Madrid, had agreed a new four-year contract. The Red Knights, the group of investors including a few men Ferguson knows well who are attempting to wrest control of United from the Glazer family, announced they would suspend any bid until the summer. This, at least, would spare the manager any further questions on where he stood on the matter.

Ryan Giggs’s revelation to the Western Mail that he would consider returning to international duty with Wales was met with a guffaw that the paper “had caught Ryan at a weak moment”.

After Chelsea’s failure to win at Blackburn last Sunday, United are masters of their own destiny. “On paper, Arsenal have the easier run-in but I don’t think it matters who you play at this time of year because you can drop points to anyone,” Ferguson said. “I have been trying to work out the run-ins and what the eventuality will be. I can’t see anything other than it going to the last game, unless somebody blows up. On the final day, we are all at home. Arsenal have got Fulham, Chelsea have Wigan and, if we have to win our home game [against Stoke] to win the title, then I’d be happy with that.”

However, he was irked that whereas Rio Ferdinand had been given an additional one-match ban for a “frivolous” appeal against his three-game suspension for elbowing Hull’s Craig Fagan, Arsenal’s centre-half, Thomas Vermaelen, had not been similarly punished when his appeal failed following his dismissal against West Ham. “It is so inconsistent,” Ferguson said. “Only the FA can answer that and they don’t come out with a report do they? It is in the chambers of their minds.”

Fit-again Giggs is looking forward to playing his part in the title run-in.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says striker Wayne Rooney has no injury fears ahead of United’s Premier League clash at Bolton on Saturday.

Burnley’s loss has been Bolton’s gain, Owen Coyle steering his new club away from relegation danger with recent alliterative wins against Wolves, West Ham and Wigan. Bolton have Gary Cahill, an England contender, fit and available for the first time since the end of January. United, on one of those familiar charges after six successive wins, have tied Nani to a new, four-year contract. Wayne Rooney has shaken off knee trouble and two evergreens, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, are back in contention after injury. Owen Hargreaves was pulled out of the reserves to rejoin the first-team squad. Joe Lovejoy

Venue Reebok Stadium, Saturday 5,30pm (ESPN) Tickets £27-£35 (0844 871 2932) Last season Bolton 0 Man Utd 1 Referee M Atkinson

This season’s matches 23 Y97, R4, 4.39 cards per game

Odds Bolton 15-2 Man Utd 4-9 Draw 15-4

Bolton

Subs from Al Habsi, Ricketts, Gardner, M Davies, Taylor, Klasnic, Weiss, Samuel, Riga

Doubtful None

Injured Holden (leg, 24 Apr), Basham (knee, 24 Apr), Davis (knee, Jun), McCann (ankle, Aug), J O’Brien (knee, unknown)

Suspended Steinsson

Form guide LWLWWL Disciplinary record Y61 R5

Leading scorer Taylor, Klasnic 6

Man Utd

Subs from Kuszczak, Rafael, Evans, Fábio, Park, Scholes, Gibson, Obertan, Nani, Diouf Doubtful None

Injured Hargreaves (match fitness, unknown), Brown (foot, 25 Apr), O’Shea (thigh, 25 Apr), Owen (hamstring, Jun), Welbeck (knee, Jun), Anderson (knee, Sep) Suspended None

Form guide WWWWLD

Disciplinary record Y41 R4

Leading scorer Rooney 26

Match pointers

• United have won nine of their last 10 meetings with Bolton and won nine out of 10 league matches at Reebok Stadium

• Bolton have kept four consecutive clean sheets at home, having not kept one in their previous 12 league games there

• Wayne Rooney has scored 17 goals in his last 13 appearances in all competitions

• Bolton have scored the joint-most goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season (21), though United have conceded the fewest in this way (seven)

Away goals are rare at the Reebok. Will you back United to bag one?

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists Wayne Rooney has no injury problems ahead of tomorrow’s match at Bolton.


Rooney had a knee injury earlier this month and looked to be limping heavily as he left Old Trafford following Sunday’s win over Liverpool.

• Ferguson says Rooney is not hampered by knee injury
• ‘He had some bad bruising while but he’s played since then’

The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, insists Wayne Rooney has no injury problems ahead of tomorrow’s match at Bolton Wanderers. Rooney had a knee injury earlier this month and looked to be limping heavily as he left Old Trafford following Sunday’s win over Liverpool.

However, Ferguson said: “He’s OK, there’s no problem. He had some bad bruising for a couple of weeks but he’s played [since then] and there’s no problems with the knee.”

Ferguson may start with Ryan Giggs, who came on as a substitute against Liverpool after five weeks out with a broken arm, at the Reebok Stadium. John O’Shea, meanwhile, is back in training and should be available from the beginning of April.

United, who are still missing Michael Owen and who cannot count on Owen Hargreaves for another few weeks, are one point ahead of Chelsea and two points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

Dimitar Berbatov scores twice to inspire Manchester United to victory over Bolton and restore the champions’ narrow lead at the top of the Premier League.

Boss says scoring is vital as the title could be decided by goal difference.

• 36-year-old could return for Euro 2012 qualifiers
• At this stage, I wouldn’t dismiss the idea, says Giggs

Ryan Giggs has told the Wales coach, John Toshack, he would consider coming out of international retirement to cover for the injured Aaron Ramsey. Giggs, 36, has not played for his country since the summer of 2007, but with the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign looming and Wales without Ramsey following his broken leg, that could soon change.

Asked about a possible international return, Giggs told the Western Mail: “It is something that I would have to talk about with John and Sir Alex Ferguson. But, at this stage, I wouldn’t dismiss the idea.

“If I had that call from John I would have to think hard about it. I would properly consider the idea. I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Wales open their qualifying campaign in Montenegro on 3 September before facing Bulgaria, Switzerland and England. “Starting off well in a fresh campaign is vital,” Giggs added. “Those first two or three games are so important to get the whole country fully behind the team.”

Ferguson, however, has said he cannot see Giggs coming out of international retirement. “Ryan? You must be joking. I can’t see it, it must have been a weak moment for Ryan. I can’t see that happening.”

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The Red Knights consortium have revealed they do not expect to make a bid for United before the end of the season.


The group of wealthy fans confirmed earlier this month they were considering the feasibility of putting a proposal to current owners the Glazer family.

• Group of wealthy United fans will not rush a bid
• Decision has ‘advantage of minimising external distractions’

The Red Knights consortium has revealed they do not expect to make a bid for Manchester United before the end of the season.

The group of wealthy United fans confirmed this month it was considering the feasibility of putting a proposal to current owners the Glazer family.

Since then the consortium, which includes the Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill and leading football deal-maker Keith Harris, have progressed with their planning.

A statement from the Red Knights read: “In the next few weeks we will continue to work on our proposal. We do not expect this to be finalised before the end of the current football season.

“This will have the advantage of minimising external distractions as the team enters the decisive period of the season.”

Michael Carrick has never lost a Premier League title race with United - the England midfielder has been a champion every year since he signed from Tottenham in the summer of 2006.


He has yet to suffer the pain of a losing fight for the league crown but he won’t become blasé as he seeks an historic fourth success in a row.

The Red Knights consortium says it will not make a bid for Manchester United before the end of the season.

United winger Nani has committed his future to the club by signing a new four-year contract.


The 23-year-old, who joined  from Sporting Lisbon in 2007, had two years to run on his previous deal.

Manchester United winger Nani signs a new four-year contract that ties him to Old Trafford until 2014.

Sir Alex has vital trio available for Bolton trip, while John O’Shea returns to training.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle salutes Sir Alex ahead of Saturday’s game.

• Ferguson praises winger for ‘developing tremendously’
• Nani: ‘I’m looking forward to winning many more trophies’

Nani has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United which will keep him at Old Trafford until at least June 2014. The Portugal international, who joined United from Sporting Lisbon in 2007, has been rewarded for a good season so far with an improved contract.

“I am delighted to have signed a new contract,” he told United’s official website. “It has been like a dream come true to play for Manchester United. The coaching staff have taught me so much about the game and I’m playing alongside some of the best players in the world. I’m looking forward to winning many more trophies with this team.”

Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Nani is an emerging talent within the team and has developed tremendously since joining the club. We are delighted he has signed a new contract and I am sure he will have a long and successful future here at Manchester United.”

United are one point ahead of Chelsea and two points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League going into this weekend’s fixtures. Ferguson’s team face Bolton Wanderers away in the late Saturday game.