Hm..for our back four problem.. I think we can go with this,

Fabio - O'Shea - Rio - Evra

I think its the best we can have with all the injuries, shouldn't be a problem as long as no silly backpass and mistakes, no disrespect to Birmingham but we should be able to win this. Fingers crossed early season slow start syndrome won't affect us this time.

James Robson

August 14, 2009
SIR Alex Ferguson is hoping a mounting injury crisis does not undermine Manchester United's title defence before it has even begun.

The Old Trafford boss has seen his rearguard ripped apart by a swathe of injuries to key players in pre-season.

Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Rafael have already been ruled out for the start of the season, while there are concerns over the fitness of Ben Foster, Jonny Evans, Wes Brown and Gary Neville ahead of Sunday's clash against Birmingham.

Fergie is hopeful the withdrawals of Foster and Evans from international duty in midweek will give both every chance to recover in time for the opening fixture of the campaign.

But in his mind he will be drawing up plans for a makeshift back five that will bear virtually no resemblance to the defensive unit that proved pivotal to United's title success last season.

He is potentially looking at a rearguard consisting of third choice goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, Fabio, Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea and Patrice Evra.

Darren Fletcher is another possibility to fill in at right-back, though United would miss his combative qualities in central midfield.

Fergie is hopeful the "minor injury" that forced Foster to pull out of England's 2-2 draw with Holland on Wednesday is not serious enough to rule him out of Sunday.

Evans' stiff ankle, meanwhile, will have had plenty of time to repair after Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington sent him back to Manchester for treatment.

Fergie had hoped Gary Neville would have been able to play some part in last weekend's Community Shield defeat to Chelsea, but the United captain's tweaked groin did not heal in time. It remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to make the squad for Birmingham.

Fergie said last week that Brown should recover from his thigh strain in time for Sunday, but having had only limited involvement in pre-season, he is likely to be eased into the first team picture.

It leaves Fergie with unwelcome concerns as he bids to win an unprecedented fourth successive title.

Fergie will hope his injury concerns are not a precursor for the rest of the campaign, having had to juggle his defence last term in the face of injury and suspension to the likes of Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra and Brown.

The form of Evans and Rafael proved crucial in absorbing the affects of their absences, but it is those two who are on the treatment table at the start of this campaign.

Fergie said: "This season will be a challenge for us. Every year there is a lot of expectation, that never changes. But our aim is always to be No1.

"In the search for that kind of success we have to accept the challenges from everyone. It doesn't matter if it's from Liverpool, Chelsea, City or Arsenal. All the big clubs pose challenges.

"We hope they find us very difficult."

Fergie comes up against one of his protégés in Alex McLeish on Sunday.

Newly-promoted Birmingham will be one of the favourites to go down this season, but veteran striker Kevin Phillips believes they can avoid the drop.

"We've definitely got the players, it's just about trying to find that formation, that consistency, and settling down, which I'm sure will happen," he said.

"For me, the first game of the season is a good start for us. Everyone says: 'Oh, Manchester United away' but I'd rather it be that than Wolves at home because the pressure would then be straight on you.

"We go to Old Trafford and there's no pressure on us, no-one is going to give us a hope in hell's chance. Newcastle went there last year and nicked a 1-1 draw, Reading the year before as well.

"It's a good start for us then we follow it up with two home games."

Manchester United kick-off their bid for an unprecedented fourth successive title with a home meeting against newly-promoted Birmingham.

The Red Devils may have seen Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez depart for pastures new this summer, but Sir Alex Ferguson has brought in Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen to bolster his squad.

United remain the team to beat as they bid to make history on two fronts in becoming the first team to be crowned champions four years on the trot, and overtake fierce foes Liverpool as the most successful side in the English league.

For Birmingham, an opening weekend trip to Old Trafford represents the toughest possible examination of their top-flight credentials having secured promotion from the Championship.

And their Premier League record at the home of the Red Devils leaves much to be desired, with no points and no goals from their five previous visits.

But Ferguson's men are not always the fastest starters in the top-flight marathon, having been held on home turf by Newcastle and Reading on the opening day of the past two campaigns.

Team news

Nani confirmed he had made a rapid recovery from the shoulder injury he sustained in the Community Shield against Chelsea with a substitute appearance for Portugal against Liechtenstein on Wednesday.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is out after finger surgery so Ben Foster continues to deputise despite pulling out of the England squad in midweek, while inspirational centre-back Nemanja Vidic is out with a calf problem.

Jonny Evans would be the first choice to replace the Serbia international, but he missed Northern Ireland's encounter with Israel this week after suffering an ankle injury.

Wes Brown should be available but has not played for over a fortnight since injuring a thigh during a pre-season tournament in Munich.

Craig Cathcart could be drafted in, while Ferguson would also have the option of using John O'Shea in the centre of his defence and allowing Ritchie De Laet to build on his Premier League debut at Hull City last term.

Blues boss Alex McLeish faces major selection problems with defenders Liam Ridgewell, Martin Taylor, Scott Dann, Giovanny Espinoza and David Murphy all unavailable.

Midfielder Lee Bowyer is suspended while striker Marcus Bent is sidelined by a hamstring problem.

New signings Joe Hart, Roger Johnson, Gregory Vignal and Barry Ferguson will all make their debuts, while fellow new boy, striker Christian Benitez, could be on the bench as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Possible starting XIs:

Man Utd: Foster, Brown, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani, Park, Berbatov, Rooney.

Birmingham: Hart, Carr, R Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal, Larsson, Carsley, Ferguson, McSheffrey, Jerome, Phillips.

One to Watch: Wayne Rooney

August 14, 2009

MANCHESTER United defender Danny Simpson has gone on loan to Championship side Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old, who has made just eight first-team appearances at Old Trafford, has joined the Magpies until January.

Simpson has had loan spells at Royal Antwerp, Sunderland, Ipswich and Blackburn since signing with the United academy in July 2003.

United’s defensive injury problems have subsided slightly ahead of Sunday’s season opener at Old Trafford against Birmingham.

Nemanja Vidic started training with the first team again on Friday after overcoming a calf problem, while Jonny Evans will miss Sunday’s match against Birmingham with an ankle injury, but should return for the trip to Burnley on Wednesday.

United are also without Edwin van der Sar (hand) and Rafael (shoulder), but Wes Brown is likely to partner Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence, Ben Foster has recovered from a swollen knee which kept him out of England’s game against Holland as a precaution in midweek, while Gary Neville is over his groin problem and may make the bench.

“Jonny Evans picked up an injury against Chelsea, which resurfaced during training for Ireland,” Sir Alex confirmed on Friday afternoon. “He’s doubtful for Sunday, but it’s not serious and he should be ready for Wednesday against Burnley.

“Rio returned from international duty with a sore back, but we think he’ll be OK. Wes and Gary both trained with the first team this week. Wes is more advanced than Gary and he is in contention for Sunday. We might put Gary on the bench.”

Nani’s shoulder “popped out of place” after falling awkwardly following a challenge from John Terry during the Community Shield last weekend, but he made a substitute appearance for Portugal in midweek and he will hope to repeat his dazzling Wembley performance.

Manchester United Squad Numbers 2009/2010 

(1) van der Sar
(2) G. Neville
(3) Evra
(4) Hargreaves
(5) Ferdinand
(6) Brown,
(7) Owen
(8) Anderson
(9) Berbatov
(10) Rooney
(11) Giggs
(12) Foster
(13) J.S. Park
(14) Tosic
(15) Vidic
(16) Carrick
(17) Nani
(18) Scholes
(19) Welbeck
(20) Fabio
(21) Rafael
(22) O'Shea
(23) J. Evans
(24) Fletcher
(25) Valencia
(26) Obertan
(27) Macheda
(28) Gibson
(29) Kuszczak
(30) De Laet
(31) C. Evans
(35) Cleverley
(36) Gray
(37) Cathcart
(38) Zieler
(40) Amos


Changes:
26 - Obertan
27 - Macheda
30 - De Laet
31 - Corry Evans

Photo shoot..


See here for more..
http://www.redcafe.net/f6/manchester-unite...-2010-a-263330/

tonite match i wanna see citeh in action, how they perform with 5 strikers 3 defenders. a bit interesting tough. blackburn rovers ftwwww... 

didnt strengthen the squad apart from signing jo permanently and all the rumours surrounding lescott perhaps?

---

Added on August 16, 2009, 12:50 pmWe will draw the first game firing blanks and will continue to misfire till after the 10th game of the season.

fabio evans oshea evra...omfg.....not even a regular starter for defensive side...and we put up calencia + nani also..no need park ji sung for some def buck up....

Our passes are a bit woeful...

Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton have all been alerted to the 21-year old's possible availability and are ready to battle it out to prise him away from the Britannia Stadium.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez let it be known, as he put the finishing touches to his £20m signing of Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, that he wanted his next acquisition to be a tall, young English central defender.

Chester-born Shawcross fits the bill, but Benitez faces competition after Everton counterpart David Moyes stepped up his quest for defensive reinforcements, in the wake of Saturday's 6-1 home hammering by Arsenal and Manchester City's unrelenting pursuit of Joleon Lescott, and United's Sir Alex Ferguson emerged as a potential bidder.

After allowing Shawcross to leave Old Trafford for £1m 18 months ago, United retained first refusal on any subsequent deal and could be about to activate the clause after being impressed with his early-season form.

Sir Alex Ferguson will consider entering the transfer market after expressing concern last night at an injury crisis that has left Manchester United without five defenders.

Rio Ferdinand will undergo a scan today to assess the extent of a thigh injury that may rule him out of England’s World Cup qualifying match against Croatia next month.

With Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic and Rafael Da Silva already injured and Jonny Evans limping off with a slight groin problem in the closing stages of yesterday’s 1-0 victory over Birmingham City, Ferguson is concerned that United’s resources are being stretched and that a new signing may be necessary.

None of the injured players are expected to be fit to play against Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday evening, meaning that Ben Foster, the reserve goalkeeper, is likely to be protected by a back four of Fábio Da Silva, John O’Shea, Wes Brown and Patrice Evra, with Ritchie de Laet, a 20-year-old Belgian with a solitary Barclays Premier League appearance to his name, as cover.

Ferguson’s instinct has been to proceed with the players at his disposal, giving youngsters such as Evans, De Laet and the Da Silva twins the opportunity to gain experience, but he has been concerned by the frequency with which some of his defenders are picking up injuries.

Neville and Brown have suffered alarmingly with injury — Neville has started 13 Premier League matches since March 2007, while Brown started only six last season — but Ferguson is also concerned by Ferdinand’s sciatic problem, to which his latest thigh injury may be connected, and, to a lesser extent, the number of minor injuries suffered by Vidic.

“We have been having a hard time with defensive injuries over the last two years,” Ferguson said after Wayne Rooney’s goal secured an opening-weekend victory over Birmingham. “But people are capable of coming in for us.

“Vidic is back in training and that’s good news. He should be back for Wigan away on Saturday. Jonny Evans is injured again, while Gary Neville has only just started training, and Rafael Da Silva is still missing with his dislocated shoulder. Wes Brown hasn’t had much training, but he has done well and Ritchie de Laet, who was on the bench today, may figure now.”

Ferguson is, however, pondering whether to sign another defender to provide increased cover for Ferdinand and Vidic. He has identified Ryan Shawcross, the Stoke City defender, as a possible solution.

Shawcross, 21, began his career with United, graduating from the club’s youth academy, before leaving Old Trafford for Stoke in an initial £1 million deal in January 2008. Ferguson watched the youngster play and score for Stoke against Burnley on Saturday afternoon, although the prime reason for his visit was to watch Owen Coyle’s team.

Stoke would be reluctant to sell Shawcross, whose value to them has increased with the number of goals he has scored from set-pieces, but United insisted on a buy-back clause in the deal that took him to the Britannia Stadium.

Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, will consider making Middlesbrough an offer for Robert Huth if a sale becomes inevitable. Liverpool have also expressed an interest in Shawcross, but Rafael Benítez is understood to have certain reservations about the player’s ability.

Burnley will try to sort out a price with Manchester United for right-back Richard Eckersley – before the two sides meet this week.

Clarets supremo Brendan Flood and United's chief executive David Gill will re-open talks on valuations to avoid a tribunal if they can.

Eckersley quit Old Trafford to join the Premier League new boys at the end of his contract, but there will have to be a compensation fee because of his age.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle is hoping to snap up Eckersley for around £250,000 but United chief Sir Alex Ferguson is looking for a massive £2 million - which is testing relations between the clubs.

August 17, 2009

WAYNE Rooney received a reminder to concentrate on what he is good at during Manchester United's Premier League victory over Birmingham.

With Cristiano Ronaldo joining Real Madrid, Rooney has been promised a more central berth by Sir Alex Ferguson this season.

The immediate response has been positive. Rooney followed his goal in last weekend's Community Shield by scoring his 99th for United to clinch all three points against Alex McLeish's newly-promoted side.

Yet it seems old habits die hard. For even though Ferguson has told the 23-year-old to do his damage in central areas, he could not resist the temptation to saunter out to the wing at times in his quest to get on the ball.

"He wants to be everywhere all the time," said United assistant manager Mike Phelan.

"But we have 10 other good players on the field and sometimes he has to realise the place where he does his best work is the best place to be.

Rooney performance

"Wayne sometimes drifts around and there were instances of that against Birmingham. His overall performance was good but he needs to remember when we create chances he scores goals."

It is just a gentle reminder that Rooney is not quite the finished article.

The problem is one Fabio Capello combats with England by allowing Rooney to swap positions with Steven Gerrard.

No such opportunity currently exists at United, where neither Nani nor new signing Antonio Valencia are sure enough of their own bearings to risk an experiment in which they end up being overshadowed.

Nevertheless, Rooney has started the campaign in decent goalscoring form, even if he might have got himself into three figures on Sunday.

"It could have been 100," he said.

"I had a couple of chances but their keeper made some good saves.

"Overall I am delighted with the goal and pleased we got the three points."

Manchester United star Wayne Rooney is aware the club have a point to prove this season following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

The Red Devils have sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid in a world-record deal, while Tevez's loan stay ended and the Argentine joined rivals Manchester City.

Critics have suggested that United are now fighting an uphill battle to record a fourth Premier League title in a row in the wake of the summer exits.

Rooney knows the doubters will be ready to pounce if success is not achieved this season and the striker is determined to ensure that does not happen.

He said in The Sun after scoring in United's 1-0 win over Birmingham on Sunday: "We have to prove to everyone we can win this league again.

More to come

"We played well in parts against Birmingham, but there is more to come from us.

"It was the first game of the season and it's always very difficult after playing a lot of games pre-season.

"When it comes to the atmosphere and intensity of the game, it's a lot quicker than pre-season games."

Rooney's winner at the weekend came on the back of a strike against Chelsea in the Community Shield to take the England ace to 99 goals for his club.

As the 23-year-old closes on a century of United goals, he is revelling in a central role after being played on the flanks during Ronaldo and Tevez's time at Old Trafford.

Foster aim

"I'm pleased with two in two," he added. "I'm enjoying my football and the manager has said he's going to play me down the middle, so I'm looking forward to that."

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ben Foster hopes he can keep Edwin van der Sar out of the United side when the Dutchman returns from injury.

Foster said: "I was happy with my contribution on Sunday. This is my big chance while Edwin is out.

"I just have to do what I can and hopefully when he comes back I'll have done enough to stay where I am."

Watford have bolstered their squad with the signing of Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley on loan until January.

Cleverley spent the second half of last season on loan at Leicester City and has now been allowed out again by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to gain further first-team experience.

Ferguson admitted earlier this month that he faced a dilemma regarding Cleverley's future after the 20-year-old scored in the friendly win over Valencia.

The United chief was debating whether to send the England Under 20 international out on loan after revealing Premier League clubs had shown an interest.

He has now decided to let Cleverley play Championship football for the next few months after agreeing a deal with Malky Mackay's Watford.

Cleverley could make his debut for the Hornets on Tuesday night when Mackay takes his squad to Nottingham Forest.