Latest News …
Man Utd.Com: Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Louis Saha’s ongoing absence will only end once the striker is completely free of lingering injury doubts.
The French striker’s United career had been blighted by knocks until the start of the 2006/07 season, when his sustained run in the team prompted regular goalscoring form.
However, a recurrent hamstring injury has restricted Saha to just four starts this calendar year, and Sir Alex admits Louis is understandably keen to be in optimum condition before returning for the season’s run-in.
“We feel he’s back, it’s just the confidence to make sure he feels right,” said Sir Alex. “Louis in his own mind has got to feel 100 percent fit.
“He just felt his hamstring a bit after the game against Roma over there when he came on as a substitute. In training the next day he felt it a little bit. I think there’s a cautious approach, that he wants to feel 100 percent fit.”
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Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed Alan Smith’s “unbelievable” return to duty which may carry Manchester United to treble glory this season.
Fourteen months and two aborted comebacks after suffering horrific leg injuries in an FA Cup tie at Liverpool, Smith has wasted no time in making his presence felt with three superb individual displays in a week.
The former Leeds star responded to his surprise inclusion for the Champions League quarter-final second-leg meeting with Roma by getting his name on the scoresheet.
And, by following up with equally effective displays against Watford and Sheffield United, Smith has proved to be an influence Ferguson barely thought possible and is virtually guaranteed a starting spot against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
“Alan has been absolutely unbelievable,” the United boss said.
“He has brought a freshness and an infectious enthusiasm which is spreading right throughout the team. I cannot speak more highly of him than that.
“When you think of what he has been through, how he has handled it and the way he is approaching his football, he has been first class.
“His form in the last three games has been outstanding and, after four days’ rest, we expect him to be fine against Middlesbrough.”
Smith’s form has certainly helped compensate for the extended absence of Louis Saha with a hamstring problem.
Saha has not figured since the first leg of the Roma encounter, when he reported a further problem and Ferguson has admitted it could be the second leg of the semi-final against AC Milan before the Frenchman returns.
By then, the Red Devils hope to have taken a mighty stride towards clinching the Premiership title.
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Wayne Rooney is being sued by his former manager David Moyes over comments made in his autobiography.
The book, entitled My Story So Far, accuses the Everton manager of being overbearing, controlling and ultimately responsible for Rooney’s £27million transfer to Manchester United in 2004.
Moyes is reportedly claiming more than £300,000 in libel damages from his former player.
In the book Rooney claims he told Moyes he wanted to leave Everton FC after a newspaper revealed he had visited prostitutes.
The footballer goes on to suggest Moyes leaked details of the conversation to the Liverpool Echo newspaper, which led Rooney to controversially quit the club he had supported from childhood.
In the writ issued at the High Court in London, Moyes claimed the allegation had “injured his professional and personal reputation and caused serious embarrassment and distress”.
Moyes has also issued libel proceedings against the book’s author Hunter Davies and publishers Harper Collins.
He has asked for an injunction preventing the offending passage of the book from being published again.
If the writ is not settled the case will go before the High Court.
A spokesman for Rooney refused to comment on the proceedings and Moyes’s solicitor was unavailable.
Rooney has faced severe criticism from Everton fans since his departure from the club where he made his debut at the age of 16.
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Uefa.com: AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti expects Paolo Maldini, Filippo Inzaghi and Serginho to be available for next week’s UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at Manchester United FC, although the prognosis is less optimistic for goalkeeper Dida.
Maldini, Inzaghi and Serginho are all short of fitness after injury, but Ancelotti said on the eve of tomorrow’s Serie A home match with Cagliari Calcio that he anticipates all three being able to make the trip to Old Trafford for Tuesday’s game. “Inzaghi has a problem with his foot that he is having difficulty shaking off, Serghino won’t play against Cagliari because of a niggle while Paolo Maldini is following a personal fitness regime,” the coach explained. “I think those three will recover in time to play against United.”
Ancelotti has admitted, however, that his No1 Dida is a major doubt to face United after he suffered the recurrence of a shoulder injury against FC Messina Peloro last Sunday. “Dida won’t play against Cagliari and will probably start to work with the ball instead. We don’t know yet if he could be available for the game in Manchester, we will decide at the last minute.”
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Guardian: Nemanja Vidic will return to training on Monday after a broken collar bone while Gary Neville could be fit next weekend. Louis Saha, Ji-sung Park and Mikael Silvestre are sidelined.
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M.E.N : REAL Madrid director of sport Predrag Mijatovic insists the club has not given up hope of signing United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 22-year-old Portugal international recently committed his future to the Reds by extending his contract at Old Trafford until 2012.
Mijatovic admits that the new contract complicates matters but will not rule out a big-money bid for Ronaldo.
Mijatovic told AS: “We expected Manchester United to extend his contract because he is a young player and he draws a lot of media attention.
“No one can stand that pressure. The solution to the problem was to extend his contract, but he will end up on another team this summer if that’s what was meant to happen all along.”
And Mijatovic did not deny that Real were still interested in bidding for the player.
“We never said he would come here, but I must say we like players like him,” said Mijatovic.
“It all depends on the club allowing him to leave and on the player’s desire to join the team.”
Mijatovic also revealed that he considers Ronaldo as potentially the best in the world.
“He is in great shape right now,” he said.
“He is the most promising player in the world. We watch many players closely throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to sign them all.”
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