Aaron Ramsey’s second-half goal – his first since January 2010 – saw United’s lead remain at just three points from Chelsea, whom they face next week at Old Trafford.

Both sides claimed a penalty at the Emirates Stadium, but the officials were unmoved when first United captain Nemanja Vidic handled the ball in the area and Michael Owen went down following a challenge from Gael Clichy.

Although Ferguson admitted Arsenal had a good case for their own penalty, he felt hard done by.

“It’s too big a game not to get the decisions right,” Ferguson told Sky Sports News.

“It balances out in that respect but I think it was difficult to see that one (Vidic’s handball) but the one at the end, Clichy knew, he put his hands up in horror.”

Ferguson added: “Obviously, it gives Chelsea a major chance now and that’s what happens when you get these decisions.

“They got one at Old Trafford last season so that’s the worry now.

“But in terms of ability – a game at Old Trafford, the supporters will be ready for it – and so will our players.”

The Scot conceded his team had disappointed until Arsenal scored through Ramsey in the 56th minute.

“After that we dominated and I think we deserved something,” he said.

“I think we didn’t use the ball properly but once we lost the goal we were in their half most of the time.”

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “You can give a penalty [to United] as well. I saw it on television, but I feel it is less obvious than the Vidic one by far.”

Owen himself claimed he was fouled, although he accepted United did not play well.

“Not seen TV replay but don’t need to as I know mine was a pen,” said the former England striker on Twitter.

“Heard people saying Arsenal should of (sic) had one too so can’t complain too much.

“That was a kick in the teeth. We were not happy with our performance but it is important to put today behind us now and focus on things we can affect in the future.

“Still in a great position so time for one final push.”

Owen also observed that all four Champions League semi-finalists lost this weekend, although Ferguson has already vowed to do something about that on Wednesday, when United will try to defend a two-goal advantage against Schalke at Old Trafford.

“We have a big week ahead,” said the United boss.

“Wednesday is a European semi-final second leg and then the game on Sunday, so two massive games.

“We will regroup and freshen it up.

“I will make some changes on Wednesday without question. I will bring Paul Scholes back in, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen.

“We’ll need to do that but I will probably keep my experienced players at the back.”

Should United lose next week, they will surrender top spot, on the slimmest of goal differences, with two games remaining and turn the title race into a two-game shoot-out

“We are in as good a position as you could ever wish for at the start of the season – semi-final of the European Cup, second leg, two-goal lead and go into a home game on Sunday level on goal difference.”

Source: football365.com

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti feels that Sir Alex Ferguson‘s 5-match ban from the sideline by the FA might be a bit harsh.

The Manchester United manager was hit with the penalty and a £30,000 fine following his outspoken attack on referee Martin Atkinson in the wake of their defeat at Stamford Bridge last month.

However, his Blues counterpart feels that the punishment is too severe and does not understand what the governing body is hoping to achieve.

“I think that, my opinion, is that Ferguson has always had good behaviour and I think five games now is too much,” he said.

“There is no reason he has to be out for five matches and I do not think that can change their strength and the power of Manchester United.”

He added: “I know what he said after the game. Obviously it was not good behavior but five games is too much.”

Ferguson criticised Atkinson’s failure to send Blues defender David Luiz off for fouls onJavier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney after the Brazilian had already been booked, then expressed comments the FA disciplinary panel felt had questioned the official’s integrity.

“You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway – and we didn’t get that,” said Ferguson in the aftermath of the 2-1 defeat.

“I must say, when I saw who the referee was I feared it. I feared the worst.”
Ferguson will spend the whole of April in the stands.

Source + Pic: skysports.com

Making it clear that he ends to stick around at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future, Manchester United’s manager said: “I’m in no mood for it; as long as my health is good I intend to carry on.

“If my health deteriorated it would be different but retirement is for young people – they can do something else. If I get off that treadmill where do you think I’d go – only one way, down.”

When it was put to him that three years ago he tentatively mentioned 2011 as a potential date for stepping down, Ferguson replied: “I’ve changed my mind – again.”

Addressing a sports congress in Doha, where he has been lending his enthusiastic support to Qatar’s bid to stage the 2022 World Cup, Ferguson had warm words for the Glazer family, United’s controversial owners.

“We have a great relationship, they never bother me, they never phone,” he said, beaming. “They never interfere. What more can you ask for? I’m in a privileged position. I’ve heard of English owners texting managers during training sessions.”

Not that the United manager’s horizon is entirely irritant-free. Indeed Ferguson made it clear that he regards Paul Stretford, Wayne Rooney’s agent, as a particular nuisance.

“Some young people today take bad advice,” he said, referring to Rooney’s expression of a desire to leave Old Trafford, before the England forward’s well- documented U-turn which has furnished him with a handsome new contract.

“He’s got an agent who is not the most popular man in the world, certainly not at our club. But there’s nothing wrong with making a mistake as long as you recognise it. He [Rooney] has apologised and signed a new contract. I think what we want is Wayne back to his best. When that happens I think everyone will be OK.”

Asked if his prized possession had been unsettled by illicit contact with Manchester City, Ferguson merely said: “You’re never going to find out.”

Quizzed on the vexed subject of his “noisy” Mancunian neighbours, Ferguson initially appeared conciliatory before directing a sharp jab at Manchester City’s seemingly soft underbelly.

“You CAN buy success if the structure is right,” he said. “They’ve bought some good players, no question, but building spirit is not easy when a collection of different individuals come into the dressing room. It’s a big challenge, it’s not easy.”

Few managers are more expert at taking the locker-room temperature than Ferguson. In what could be construed as a tacit warning to Rooney, he said. “My concern will always be control. The minute a player threatens my control in the dressing room I have to take it seriously. If he’s affecting results or morale or spirit he has to go. My strength has to be obvious for all to see.”

United’s manager proved entertaining on the subject of that beast otherwise know as the modern player. Describing the species as “cocooned”, Ferguson then lamented the present day “look at me” culture. “Young people today have an image of themselves and they need to be seen, so they have these tattoos and earrings,” he explained.

As the call to prayer drifted through the desert air from nearby minarets, the Scot temporarily forgot he was in the Gulf. “You all play for your pub teams on a Sunday,” he told a puzzled audience, many of whom celebrate their weekend on a Friday and, as Muslims, do not drink.

It was a rare slip on a day when Ferguson also endorsed the candidature of Sunderland’s Steve Bruce as a future England manager, admitted that, as a much younger man, he would have relished the challenge of coaching Barcelona and sang the praises of José Mourinho.

When he does eventually accept the Glazer family’s equivalent of a farewell carriage clock before bowing out, it would be no surprise if Real Madrid’s “Special One” proves his preferred choice of successor.

In the interim Ferguson has made it clear that he rather than the next United manager will build the next Old Trafford side. He envisages it comprising a mixture of youthful promise and established talent and appeared fully confident the Glazers would stump up the necessary cash.

“It’s important to sign young players but the time will come when we have to deviate from that,” he said. “Several players from the squad are going to be going soon. Next year or the year after I’m going to have to sign some experienced players.”

Source + Pic: guardian.co.uk

Ferguson was linked with a surprise move for Reds star Reina as the United boss looks for a long-term replacement for his veteran keeper Edwin Van der Sar.

It has been reported that Reina and other Liverpool stars like Fernando Torres may consider leaving Anfield due to the club’s recent financial problems and current poor form under Hodgson.

Liverpool are currently languishing in the Premier League relegation zone, but Reina only signed a six-year contract in April and Hodgson has no intention of letting the 28-year-old leave.

Hodgson told the Liverpool Echo: “It was just one of those stories that seems to occur – it’s just disappointing and annoying.

“Pepe is fantastic here, he is a lifeblood of this team. Everything he does around the club is excellent – he is always lively in the dressing room, he is always first class in training and he always wants to do more to improve.

“He demands better from those around him, he is always pushing people on. He is a player who we hold in the highest esteem.

“We have heard nothing from Manchester United and, more to the point, we don’t want to hear anything from Manchester United.

“If (Sir Alex) Ferguson is looking around at the end of the season and he has got lots of money to replace (Edwin) van der Sar, he might very well want Pepe Reina because he is the best around.

“But we do not want to sell him. I would like to think that we are going to become a successful club once again and Pepe is crucial to that.”

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: breakingfootballnews.com

Officers were called out late on Thursday after a mob of up to 30 supporters descended on the star’s 4.5-million-pound mansion in Prestbury, close to Manchester.

It came shortly after a crisis meeting at the club failed to resolve the future of Rooney, whose decision to walk away from Manchester United after six years has sent shockwaves through the world of English football.

Fans have been incensed by the news, and reports that the striker could be snapped up by local arch rivals Manchester City have only added to their sense of betrayal.

The balaclava-clad fans arrived at Rooney’s house – which he shares with his wife Coleen and son Kai – in a convoy of cars and repeatedly buzzed on his intercom, reported Britain’s Sun newspaper.

They warned the striker not to sign for Man City before police arrived and threatened to arrest them unless they dispersed, said the paper. Six security guards reportedly came to stand watch at the house after the incident.

A local police spokesperson said at 21:30 SA time “a call was received from a resident in Prestbury regarding 20 to 30 people assembling outside their address.

“Police attended the scene and the group dispersed peacefully. No offences were committed.”

Earlier Thursday, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson held talks with the club’s chief executive David Gill and Rooney’s representatives but the club said afterwards there were “no developments” and asked fans to remain patient.

On Wednesday, Rooney said he was leaving because he believed United were no longer able to match his ambition by being able to compete in the transfer market for the world’s best players.

Rooney’s comments appeared to slam shut any chance of the striker being able to settle his differences with the club after Ferguson said on Tuesday the door was still open to a solution.

A furious Ferguson had reacted on Wednesday by telling reporters following United’s 1-0 Champions League victory over Bursaspor that the club had called a meeting in order to “put the issue to bed”.

But the club did not release any further details on why Thursday’s talks had failed to resolve the issue.

Ferguson has not speculated on what course of action he may take but it seems likely that Rooney has played his last game in a United shirt and that the club will seek to sell him as soon as the January transfer window opens.

Rooney, the figurehead of the United team and one of the world’s most talented footballers, had stunned his employers by breaking off negotiations over a new contract and informing them he wished to leave.

With only 18 months left to run on his current 90,000 pounds (140,000 dollars) per week deal, United are now likely to offload Rooney as quickly as possible before his value, around 50 million pounds (79 million dollars), begins to depreciate.

Rooney would be able to leave United for free if he saw out the remainder of his contract.

Most reports have said that Manchester City are the favourites to sign Rooney.

City, owned by Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, would comfortably be able to pay both the 50-million-pound transfer fee and Rooney’s salary demands, expected to be more than 200 000 pounds per week.

Ferguson warned Rooney that any move to a new club was unlikely to be an improvement on United, where he has already accumulated eight major trophies in the six years since he signed from Everton as a teenager in 2004.

“Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it’s a better cow than the one you’ve got in your own field,” Ferguson remarked.

“And it never really works out that way.”

While the football world waits to discover Rooney’s fate, his team-mates are trying to block out the controversy as they focus on Sunday’s Premier League trip to Stoke. United are already five points behind leaders Chelsea.

Source: sport24.co.za

“I’ve been training for the last two months and I haven’t missed a training session so there’s no problem with my fitness.” Asked why Sir Alex Ferguson had said that he did have an ankle injury, Rooney replied: “Don’t know.” Cue frenzied talk of a rift and reports that new contract talks are on the rocks.

The football media loves nothing better than a Fergie feud, and especially when it is with a leading player. Rooney’s declaration flew in the face of his manager’s statement that his striker would miss the trip to Valencia and a visit to Sunderland because of a need to recover from the putative injury. It also acted against TV evidence of his being treated with an ice-pack at Bolton, and photographic evidence of his leaving a hospital after a reported scan.

“I think Wayne will be two to three weeks,” Sir Alex Ferguson had said before going on that attacking form of defence familiar to those who brave his press conferences. “It is a straightforward ankle injury.

Nobody likes to be injured but he is. There is nothing you can do about it. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to describe every ligament? Christ.”

Could this be the beginning of one of those long goodbyes that have littered the Fergie years? Is Rooney to follow the likes of Strachan, Leighton, Ince, Beckham, Keane and Van Nistelrooy in a gradual cold-shouldering that leads to an exit in which it is agreed by all parties, though really Ferguson, that it really was time to move on?

The warnings signs are there, and Rooney may have already broken a golden rule in lifting the lid on his manager’s machinations. But then, perhaps Rooney is different to such predecessors. Is he of the elite group of players that Ferguson will indulge? That list contains Robson, Schmeichel, Cantona and, latterly, Ronaldo. Keane was of that number until that bitter end, while both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have also escaped the black spot when becoming embroiled in run-ins with the boss.

All of that group were able to escape when on-field performances protected them, and this is where problems may lie with Rooney. His level of performance so far this season has been well below-par, with effort being no substitute for influence. It will barely cheer his manager that the better Rooney performances of the season came in England’s double-header with Bulgaria and Switzerland. And then there are the possible corroding effects of those tabloid revelations: if anything, Rooney’s performances have looked limp in spirit if not in left ankle.

Ferguson has indulged players in the past, with Peter Schmeichel’s mid-season tanning session in the midst of the 1998-99 campaign being a prime example, and this may have been been his aim this time around. Yet Rooney’s words at Wembley reflected some level of irritation at being granted a similar rest to thus open up a series of end-game scenarios.

Should Ferguson still be minded to again protect his charge, expect his response to any questioning on the subject – slim pickings at best considering that self-imposed media ban – to talk of Rooney’s unremitting to desire to play in any state and hence the Wembley words.

After all, Rooney’s reappearance in the second leg last season against Bayern Munich came against all known medical advice, and as a result of the man himself’s desire to be on the field. A non-appearance against West Brom this weekend, seemingly unlikely after that 90 minutes on Tuesday, would send the headline-writers into an orgy of overdrive.

A cynical watcher of the Ferguson years will now be readied for a drawn-out exit, with both sides briefing against the other. After all, Rooney’s representatives have previous here, too. Or, once Rooney has recovered his form, the optimist can expect a kissing and making up between a pair who have previously indulged each other in the glowing terms of father and son.

Whatever the outcome, any sign of a schism between Ferguson and his leading light is certain to dominate headlines, even in a Liverpool-dominated week such as this. We shall keenly await the reasons behind Rooney’s breaking of the Ferguson code.

Source + Pic: soccernet.espn.go.com

Ferguson’s men were missing Wayne Rooney because of a virus and they lost ground on Premier League leaders Chelsea when Nani missed an 87th-minute penalty that would have secured a 3-1 lead – a spot kick the United boss thought Ryan Giggs should have taken.

Nani’s effort was well saved by David Stockdale and in the final minute Brede Hangeland, whose own goal had nudged United ahead, nodded home the equaliser to earnMark Hughes’ side a share of ther spoils.

“When you get the opportunity to seal the game with that penalty you should be taking it,” Ferguson told MUTV. “It was a missed opportunity and it galvanised them, got the crowd up and they scored the equaliser in the end.

“I thought Ryan should have taken it. In the last game we played against Tottenham at home Ryan scored two penalty kicks and Nani was on the pitch the same day. Maybe Ryan should have taken it.

“When we got that second goal I thought ‘we’ve escaped here’. But to miss a penalty kick to make it 3-1, you’re throwing two points away there I’m afraid.

“You don’t want to be dropping silly points and we dropped silly points today. We can’t escape that. There was an opportunity to go 3-1 ahead with three minutes left and we didn’t take it.”

Ferguson’s frustration at failing to join Chelsea at the top of the table was tempered by the admission Fulham deserved a point from an enthralling contest. An ominous start from United saw Paul Scholes fire a powerful 25-yard drive in the 11 minute only for Simon Davies to equalise in emphatic fashion during a second half controlled by the Cottagers.

“In fairness to Fulham they were the better team in the second half. I don’t think we deserved to be in front at 2-1,” Ferguson said. “They caused us a lot of problem, particularlyBobby Zamora who was very good for them. We can’t complain in terms of the run of the game.”

Ferguson added: “We’ve seen that before from Paul – he’s done that so many times. Once again it was an outstanding performance from him. It’s just disappointing we didn’t ram home the advantage.”

The United boss confirmed that Rooney, who has gone 13 games for club and country since his last competitive goal, was ruled out through illness. “Wayne has a virus,” Ferguson said. “The problem is he turned up yesterday with it and he had no chance in 24 hours.

“If it had been a Thursday or Friday we may have been able to patch him up. Sometimes these viruses are 24-hour things and that could have been the case but there was no attempt to see if he could recover from this.”

Fulham had Stockdale’s reflexes to thank for keeping them in contention but boss Mark Hughes was wary of lavishing praise on the 24-year-old. Arsenal target Mark Schwarzer, who has handed in a transfer request, failed to recover from his back injury so Stockdale continued between the sticks.

“Stockdale has done very well, he’s a good young keeper,” Hughes said. “We’re pleased with what he’s producing at the moment but it’s always difficult for young keepers. They get by initially on enthusiasm, but can they keep it up over time? We’ve got to be careful with him.”

Source + Pic: soccernet.espn.go.net

Ferguson has not completely given up on landing a fourth consecutive Premier League title.

However, the Scot does accept his side are in need of improbable assistance from neighbours Wigan and the situation looks “bleak”.

Yet even if United somehow overturn the odds and become the first team to win four consecutive championships, Ferguson feels changes in personnel are inevitable.

“You have to take a decision about where we can improve the team,” Ferguson told MUTV.

“When you are challenging for four trophies it can have a draining effect. You have to be aware of that and spot the moment when it is time to freshen up one or two players.

“It is not a desire to do it but you need to do it because the demands and pressures on players can, over time, be quite exacting.”

Wayne Rooney will certainly be part of United’s future.

The impact he has made at Old Trafford this season was confirmed at the club’s annual player of the year awards as he lifted the three major prizes; fans and players’ player of the year, plus the best goal.

“It was my best hat-trick,” reflected Rooney, who will go into the final game with 34 goals to his name but knowing it should never have come to this.

“It has probably been the hardest Premier League. All the teams have lost games.

“If we could have been more consistent we would have won it.

“We shouldn’t be losing seven games, even if other teams have dropped points as well.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson will not torture himself by wondering where it went wrong if Manchester United fail to land a record fourth title on the trot.

Currently a single point adrift, there are a number of obvious points where the gap could have been made up.

“I used to look at every game but you can torture yourself with that,” he told MUTV.

“We lost at Burnley at the start of the season. That was three points and we also missed a penalty. If we had scored that we might have won or at least got a draw that might have made a difference.

“We had a couple of refereeing decision against Chelsea. You could look at all things.

“You can twist and torture yourself but it happens. We get breaks ourselves sometimes.”

Source: teamtalk.com

As Carlo Ancelotti’s men are on FA Cup semi-final duty at Wembley on Saturday, United will return to the top of the table if they can end a desperate week by beating Blackburn at Ewood Park on Sunday.

They must try and do so without Wayne Rooney, who has been ruled out by the ankle injury he aggravated against Bayern Munich in midweek, and with confidence on the floor following their away-goals exit in the Champions League.

That setback came just four days after the home defeat by Chelsea which saw the Red Devils surrender pole position and leave them outsiders to clinch an unprecedented fourth successive title.

After some personal joy at Aintree with his horse What a Friend on Friday, Ferguson has been able to raise a smile.

Now he is looking to transfer that feel-good factor back to his players ahead of the Blackburn clash.

“Five wins would give us a great chance,” said Ferguson.

“Chelsea will be thinking five wins gets them the title and, at a crucial time of the season, the advantage is with them.

“But we hope that something can happen.

“You would rather be in Chelsea’s position but we have a chance of winning the league, and so have Arsenal, who are a point behind us.”

The absence of Rooney seemed likely the moment he limped out of the Bayern game following the second-half dismissal of full-back Rafael.

Yet Ferguson insists the problem is not long-term and should have his 34-goal forward fit for next weekend’s Manchester derby at Eastlands.

“We won’t have Wayne for Sunday,” confirmed Ferguson.

“It is nothing serious, as we said the first time he got the injury.

“I think he will be ready for the Manchester City game because we have more time to work on it.”

Ferguson is expected to make further changes given the energy United expended on Wednesday, with Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs all set to be included, along with John O’Shea, who was introduced as a substitute in midweek, his first appearance since November.

Source + Pic: football365.com

“Chelsea are definitely favourites now, there is no question about that,” United boss Ferguson acknowledged. “Two points clear with five games left, it’s a great position for them to be in.”

Ancelotti echoed the United manager’s comments. “Now we are the favourites, yes. That’s normal when we are back at the top of the league.

“But nothing is decided. We have to stay composed, quiet and maintain focus in our game.”

Chelsea looked comfortably in control for most of the match although there was controversy over the Didier Drogba strike which gave them a two-goal cushion with the Ivory Coast striker adding to Joe Cole’s first-half effort from a clearly offside position.

“It is very disappointing,” Ferguson said. “Chelsea were by far the better team in the first half but in the second half we did well and we were unfortunate not to get something from the game.”

A late goal from substitute Federico Macheda gave United hope of salvaging a draw at the end of the match but it was telling that the Italian teenager’s scrambled effort was the only clear chance the home side created from open play.

“At Old Trafford, we always think we can rescue it, unfortunately not today,” Ferguson added, before turning his attentions to the match officials.

“On the Drogba goal, the linesman was directly in front of him, there was not a soul near him and he gets it wrong. “In a game of that magnitude, to get that wrong, it’s very poor.”

Ferguson refused to be drawn on three debatable penalty appeals for his side but could not resist a swipe at the match referee, Mike Dean, who also denied Chelsea what appeared to be a stronger claim for a penalty than any of United’s.

“I don’t want to get into that,” Ferguson said, before adding: “When I saw it was Mike Dean I was worried.”

Ancelotti shrugged off the controversial decisions. “I never comment on the referee’s decision,” he said. “It is offside when the linesman’s flag goes up, it is a penalty when the referee blows his whistle.”

Man-of-the-match Florent Malouda admitted that United had been below their best following their exertions in the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich which resulted in Wayne Rooney sustaining an ankle injury that has ruled him out for up to three weeks.

“We wanted to be top after this match,” Chelsea’s French winger said. “It was hard but we played really well. It means a lot after the bad week we had (when Chelsea went out of the Champions League last month). We knew we had to react and we reacted in the best possible way.

“Champions League matches take up a lot of energy and that is why we started the game so quick. We knew that if we played with a high intensity they could have some problems.”

Source: premierleague.com