Anderson completed an impressive hour of action as United's Reserves strolled to victory over Everton through goals from Mame Biram Diouf and Cameron Stewart.

The Brazilian international ran midfield during his time on the field, providing the inspiration behind countless attacks and laying on Diouf's opener.

A strong Reserves side also featured an impressive 90 minutes from the livewire Gabriel Obertan, while Rodrigo Possebon also returned to action in a neat and tidy midfield display.

Another Brazilian, Fabio, was given barely any time to enjoy a fruitful evening. His involvement was curtailed by a hard but fair challenge from Shane Duffy after just five minutes. Although he attempted to rejoin the fray, Fabio was replaced by Reece Brown four minutes later.

By that point, Everton goalkeeper Iain Turner had produced a superb sprawling stop from Diouf, and the Scottish custodian went on to thwart United time and again during the first half. Diouf, who again looked sharp in front of goal, repeatedly drew fine stops from Turner, while Obertan and Stewart were also denied.

When United finally broke the deadlock, it came amid Everton's most fruitful attacking period. Moments after Anton Peterlin's header had been disallowed for offside, Adam Forshaw nodded against Ben Foster's post. The ball ricocheted to Possebon, who quickly ferried it to Anderson, and  he burst forward through midfield and slipped a perfect pass through for Diouf to bury a low left-footed drive past Turner.

Within three minutes, United's lead was doubled. Obertan advanced on goal, meandered right and slipped a pass to Stewart infield. The winger neatly fashioned space for himself before drilling a low shot inside Turner's far post from the edge of the area.

With a match-winning lead established, United allowed the game to lull to a pedestrian pace throughout much of the second period. Anderson made way for Scott Wootton and Diouf was replaced by Febian Brandy, who later rolled a shot against the post, before Everton were reduced to 10 men when Aristote Nsiala picked up a second booking.

Six minutes from time, Obertan embarked on a storming run from inside his own half; displaying scintillating pace to outstrip three opponents, only for Turner to save the Frenchman's powerful low shot.

The result takes United four points clear of second placed Manchester City, who have played a game more than the Reds, while Liverpool sit five points behind but can retake top spot by a point if they win both their games in hand.

United: Foster; De Laet, C Evans, Gill, Fabio (R Brown, 9); Stewart, Norwood, Anderson (Wootton, 60), Possebon, Obertan; Diouf (Brandy, 64)
Subs not used: Zieler, Moffatt

Hmm Possebon is back. I used to think that he would break into the first team but last I heard he didn't perform very well during his loan spell (in Portugal if I'm not wrong). What do you guys think about him? Perhaps we can see him make a few appearances in the remaining games in this season.

Hmm Possebon is back. I used to think that he would break into the first team but last I heard he didn't perform very well during his loan spell (in Portugal if I'm not wrong). What do you guys think about him? Perhaps we can see him make a few appearances in the remaining games in this season.

alien, i notice the team list in the first page. I tot Welbeck was loaned to Preston?

"Our whole back four were going to get it, but he's unfortunate he was the nearest defender to me.

"I was just giving him a bit of gentle advice," Ferguson said in the Daily Mail

father's love eh 

Evans on the receiving end of the hairdryer treatment 

never trust wat saf said...'gentle' konon...

is there any wallie for the team of the century thingie?? alien?? would love to post it up as my office wallie though...

tu baru gentle.. belum tgk x gentle punye 

Sir Alex Ferguson has conceded Wayne Rooney was played out of position for Manchester United last season.

With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez also in United's star-studded side, Ferguson often capitalised on Rooney's willingness to play anywhere on the pitch.

Rooney would be used out on the flanks while he could also be found tracking back and aiding the defence due to his immense work rate.

However, as a consequence his productivity up front suffered. Rooney has found himself leading the line again this season and Ferguson believes the results are obvious to see.

The 24-year-old took his seasonal tally to 25 in all competitions in midweek after his brace helped United secure a priceless 3-2 success over AC Milan in their UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg tie.

"We probably didn't use him properly last season," Ferguson conceded to US-based radio station Sirius.

Exploited

"We probably exploited his eagerness and enthusiasm to play anywhere.

"But we know his strengths, we know where he's best and that's where we're using him this season."

Ferguson believes the phrase 'world-class' is used far too often in football, but he feels Rooney's recent performances warrant the praise.

"We talk about world-class players and I think that's a misused quote a lot of the time but, when you see his performances of late, you know you're talking about a really world-class player," he continued.

"I always said to him that to be a world-class forward you need to have a really consistent goal performance.

"He is now on 25 goals and there are still 14 or 15 matches to go, maybe more depending on how we do in Europe.

"So it does put him in the frame of not just being a great player but also a great goal-scorer."

Manchester United doubt they will be expanding Old Trafford's main stand in the coming years.

'The Theatre of Dreams', as it has been tagged, is celebrating its 100th birthday.

Old Trafford has been reshaped in recent years and is now the largest club stadium in Britain with a capacity of more than 75,000.

The main stand is the only part of the ground not to have been touched in that spell, with the last major work on it done in the 1970s.

While United have looked into the prospect of expanding it, there is a problem of a railway line behind, which although not insurmountable, would make costs larger than usual.

Appropriate

And United's Group Property Manager George Johnstone admits that, at the moment, there may not even be a case for expansion.

"There are two limiting factors to any possible expansion of the main stand - primarily the railway line, but there are also several privately owned properties beyond that which could be an issue if a new stand was to span the railway and have footings in that area," he said.

"It would be very costly and technically difficult. We haven't really looked at the figures, but an expanded stand may only give us an extra 12-16,000 seats.

"The numbers need to stack up. Demand is an issue, so perhaps the current capacity of just over 76,000 is appropriate at this stage."

It was interesting to see the majority of this morning's UK football journalists leading with the story regarding Fergie misusing Rooney last season, and also Beckhma being played out of position by AC Milan on Tuesday evening.  Even Sky and ESPN got in on the act.  To put you all in the picture, these stories were literally filched from a piece I put on Red News on Wednesday evening.

Every so often, Fergie is more than happy to give an interview to "The Football Show" on the subcription Sirius Satellite Radio service over here.  It's not available in UK.  He is a completely different person talking to Charlie Stillatano and Giorgio Chinagglia than he is with the UK media.  Completely relaxed, not as guarded, and as you listen to him, that's exactly what does come through.

I record these interviews as they happen and then transcribe them for Red News.  Inevitably I suppose, the hacks scour the RN newspage and filch stuff from the articles posted there.  Anyways, the stories you read in this morning's papers (Guardian, Indy, Mail and Mirror to name four, plus ESPN and Sky) came from this transcription of the full interview which I am putting on here to share with you all.  enjoy.

as ever RN brings you more extensive news and exclusives than anyone else. RN contributor Tom Clare kindly typed this up for RN readers in our VIP section last night at Red News, Manchester United's First Fanzine

RN provides news that the mass media pick up directly from here, and the papers will nick these quotes in the next day or two.


Once again Fergie talked directly to Charlie Stillitano and Georgio Chinnaglia of Sirius Radio on the programme, “The Football Show” this afternoon (US time). So interesting to listen to him and the way he describes what was going on at the San Siro on Wednesday evening.

Fergie – “I Was in Shock. Atmosphere Affected Both The Players and Myself!”

C.S. Sir Alex – how are you today?

SAF. I’m fine – how are you Charlie?

C.S. Aaaargh …. You know how I am. Some caller called before …. Anthony from Cleveland asking how do I deal with it when my Milan get spanked by your Manchester United. I told him that you are very humble about it.

SAF. I am being humble, but I’m surprised that you are still here! I thought that you may have been heading towards the sea by now!

C.S. I have to tell you, you’re not humble at all! You called me immediately after the game, you got a good giggle out of it. Then I got a call from David Gill, then I got a call from Peter Draper… who else! Then as I spoke to Peter Draper, and David Gill…. Gill said…”well what do you think son?” So I said…. “game? What game? I didn’t see any game. What are you talking about? I didn’t see anything at all. But all kidding aside, it was a good victory yesterday for you, and that place has been a bit of a hoodoo for you. Four times United had been there and four times no goals and four losses.”

SAF. Yes, that’s true and it does show that it has been a bit of a hoodoo for us, but you have got to remember that AC Milan have a fantastic history and it’s no shame to not win there because they have always had a fantastic team, and the atmosphere last night was absolutely fantastic. It was a great atmosphere and I really enjoyed it.”

G.C. Sir Alex.

SAF. Hi Georgio.

G.C. How are you doing? The old question now, that you know…..you have got the guy up front now who can do things that nobody can.

SAF. Well, you know, he’s just developing now, and it’s proving now that he’s in that frame……we talk about world class players. I always think that that’s a misused quote a lot of the times, but when you see his performances of late, you then know that you’re talking about a really world class player.

G.C. No question about that.

C.S. You know, I gotta’ say that he’s one of the top players in the world now, it’s funny, because you always hear about, in one breath you hear about Ronaldo, Kaka, and Messi, but I gotta’ tell you, Rooney is every bit as good as these guys, isn’t he?

SAF. Well, I think that’s the development that you see in him now. I always said to him that to be a world class forward that you need to have a real consistent goal performance, and then this season he is now on 25 goals, and you have to talk about the fact there is still 14/15 matches to go, and there could be more depending on how we do in Europe. So you know, it does put him in the frame of not just being a great player but also a great goalscorer.

C.S. And what do you think about, you know, is it because it’s the maturity, but also it seems like Rooney does whatever you need him to do. And what I mean by that, is I remember when you played Barcelona a little while back, and you had him, basically, he was almost dropping back to right full back for half the game, trying to help out his team mates. It seems like this year you are saying I need you to score, so he scores.

SAF. Well, I think that we didn’t use him properly probably last season. We probably having to exploit his eagerness and enthusiasm to play anywhere. But we know his strengths, we know where he’s best at and that’s where we’re using him this season.

C.S. Let me ask you about experience. You got a lot of experienced players at AC Milan. Were you surprised that some of them stayed out as late, for example, there was no Gattuso at all, and Seedorf came in just for the last 15 minutes I think. Did that surprise you a little bit in your game plan?

SAF. Well no. I knew that Seedorf was just coming back from injury, and that he was having problems with his groin and hip. He himself has admitted that he’s only about 70% fit at the moment. I spoke to him before the game actually. So I wasn’t surprised at that. Gattuso has been out quite a bit this season, not played much games really. So I was surprised that they played David in central midfield, David Beckham, I thought that they’d have played him wide right.

C.S. I was too.

G.C. Beckham cannot play in central midfield, he can only play on the wing.

SAF. Yes, that’s true there.

C.S. Yes, and I think that you lose what he does best more than anything.

SAF. Yeah, his crossing.
G.C. Sir Alex… did you watch any games today – the Champions League games?

SAF. I watched the Arsenal – Porto match, and I saw the highlights of the Bayern Munich match…. an incredible decision for that winning goal … deary, deary me!

C.S. This is the same guy, I was at the game last year when Chelsea played Barcelona, when they had at least, one blinding penalty kick, and certainly 2/3 other ones that were in the very least debatable. But this off side today…. How does this guy keep refereeing? It just seems so odd to me.

SAF. Well, I think that maybe the lad’s under a bit of pressure now because of last season. I don’t know, maybe it would be best if they gave him a break. I mean these games are so high profile now, and such intense matches. You have to be really on the ball and you really need the top referees in these games. Because, you know, I watched him and he’s not what you’d say, the best Italian referee, or the best Spanish referee, who I always think are the best referees.

C.S. Yes, because, and they have the big games, you know…

SAF. Every week.

C.S. Yeah, every week they have big games with a lot on line, full stadiums for the most part, millions of people on tv watching. But it’s only really, 3 or 4 big leagues that have it. So it’s odd to me when you start pulling guys from Norway, it’s sorta’ like the World Cup where you get a referee from Morrocco, and suddenly he’s refereeing Germany v Argentina. It seems like, to me, it’s hard on that guy, you know.

SAF. It is hard because they’re not used to these games. I think that the important thing is the way UEFA look at it, and of course they are right in the main, because they have to give these guys from the smaller countries the experience of having the big games, you know.

C.S. Yes, well you know, tell that to Fiorentina if they get knocked out!

SAF. Yeah, they won’t be too happy at the moment.

C.S. No, they won’t be happy with that… maybe UEFA will be happy! Sir Alex, you said a couple of years ago, you lost 3-0 to AC Milan in the San Siro, and you said; “it’s okay, the boys will learn from this.” And certainly you did, you went on to win the Champions League, were runners-up the following season. The question I have for you is… do you also learn from these games as you go along?

SAF. Oh! yes. The one thing that’s so amazing is that for the first 15 minutes last night, I was feeling in shock, really in shock, because the atmosphere was unbelievable…. Coupled with the noise when they scored, it certainly un-nerved me, and it un-nerved my players. No matter how much experience you’ve got, you get into that cauldron of noise, and the response it had from the Milan players, and you’re in there, and to get through that really did take a lot of courage.

C.S. You know, I saw you, they focused on you at one time when you were giving one of your players, er, … er…. A sincere talking to!

G.C. Evans!

SAF. A gentle bit of advice!

C.S. You were giving him, er.. a gentle bit of sage advice from the experienced manager. You know, it seemed unusual to me that you can even have that moment in a game, you know what I mean? …… And that you have the time for him to come over, but whatever…. What did you say to him? Can you say without giving the expletives?

SAF. I think that our whole back four were going to get it, but he’s unfortunate he was the defender nearest to me.

C.S. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! But you basically told the guys to wake up, wasn’t that it? Right?

SAF. Yes, that’s it. They had to compose themselves, that was the most important thing. And after that they settled and got very composed and got back to their normal game, and the result was different because of that.

C.S. I thought that you played absolutely brilliantly the second half.

SAF. Yes, I thought so. I felt the second half that we did very well.

C.S. And again, and I’m going to be singing your praises her. You put in Valencia, and it paid off immediately. That must be gratifying?

SAF. Yeah, well, it was also a difficult decision to leave him out because he’s had a great season, the lad. But what we don’t know about him yet in terms of can he do a full season at Manchester United without a break. And in the last few weeks we’ve been trying to get him on that right track in the hope that we can get the best out of him in the final part to the season, and that’s why we’ve been resting him quite a bit. But there was certainly always going to be a moment last night when we would bring him on.

C.S. Well, he did beautifully and there was that stretch, and we talked about Milan could have scored some goals, but there was that stretch there where you scored those two Rooney goals, and you could have put a couple more in too at that time.

SAF. Well at that point I thought that there was goals in our game then. But you know, Leonardo, he tried to change the pattern of what was happening. He brought Inzahgi on, and you know what kind of player Inzahgi is, he’s always looking to make runs in behind you. They brought Seedorf on and he’s a very talented lad, and he got them a goal. And that gives them a lifeline really.

C.S. Yes it did. What was the atmosphere like in the stadium when they scored that second goal? Because right before that because you could see a lot of people leaving the stadium. I guess it must have revitalized things.

SAF. I don’t know… I was hiding underneath my seat by that time! I’d lost it… I was going home!

C.S. I’ll bet that you were like… “I’m getting outta’ here!”
SAF. David Gill called me afterwards and said; “Jeez, we should have ended it 3-1, but then come to think of it, I began thinking during that last few minutes, this could end 4-3! So to be honest, I’m quite happy.”

SAF. It was unbelievable. But it just shows what inspiration can do when you get a goal. It got their crowd going again, it got their players motivated, and they had a real go in those last few minutes. They could have gotten an equalizer.

C.S. Yes, they could have equalized. But overall, I think the domination that you showed for those 30 – 40 minutes in that second half, certainly you deserved the win Sir Alex. So, I wish it wasn ‘t at my expense, but again, what the hell. This is why you’re the best manager in the world, and I’m on a radio show with Georgio.

SAF. Thank you very much.

C.S. Sir Alex, thanks very much.

SAF. My pleasure.

C.S. Next time be gentle on us!’

one thing i love about SAF is his willingness to give young players like rafael a run on the field even when facing tough and more experience opponents like ronaldinho..