^this

anyway,4-4-2 is still the most relevant formation(Rooney is the only player that is perfectly suited to be lone striker and he's out of form).and since carrick is around i want to see him with gibson(fletcher need to rest)

besides,i expect sunderland to play defensive against us

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney may be fit to play for England in their Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on Tuesday 12 October.

The 24-year-old was set to be out for up to three weeks with an ankle injury, but United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Rooney could be available for England.

Rooney picked up the injury in the second half of United's 2-2 draw at Bolton last weekend.

He will not be fit in time to play for United against Sunderland on Saturday.

"Wayne trained on Thursday and he wants to play on Saturday," said Ferguson. "But I have to take the view that this injury has been niggling away for a while and he kept on playing.

"I have to be dead sure that I am doing the right thing because Wayne has not been doing himself justice. I think in a week he will be fine. Obviously we don't play in a week, so it is up to [England boss] Fabio Capello whether he wants him to.

"The Montenegro match is another 10 days away and by that time I would expect Wayne to be 100%."

i dont think Sunderland will defensive. they will attack right from the start and the crowds are behind them. they are very attacking side at Anfield last week. they'll defensive in 80th min if the score favour them.

Bruce love to play with 2 strikers. and they have very decent strikers, in Bent and Gyan.

but this will suit us more. im prefer facing attacking side than defensive side (except that team are Barca). the game will be open and more exciting.

Alien, can update the match time please

Wayne Rooney will miss United’s trip to Sunderland as he continues his recovery from a persistent ankle injury.

The Reds striker is typically champing at the bit to play, but Sir Alex feels it may be better to wait another ten days and make his return for England against Montenegro on Tuesday 12 October, before returning for United against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford four days later.

“Wayne trained yesterday [Thursday] and wants to play of course,” said Sir Alex on Friday morning. “But I’ve got to take the view that this ankle injury has been niggling for quite a while and has kept on playing with it. Now we have identified that, we have to be dead sure we are doing the right thing for him.”

Rooney has no doubt been badgering the boss to put him in the team, but it looks as though Sir Alex will hold off the temptation to throw him back into the action at the Stadium of Light and allow his niggling ankle problem to fully recover.

“He wants to play obviously, being Wayne he is always going to be that way,” adds the boss. “He has been playing with the injury for a while and that tells you he is not doing himself proper justice. I think in another week he will be fine.

"Obviously we don’t play next week, but the England game is a week on Tuesday, so that’s another ten days. It really is up to Fabio [Capello] if he wants to play him. We feel it’s better for him to wait another week [and miss the Sunderland match]. We feel more comfortable with that. By that time we would hope he is 100 per cent.”

Rooney isn’t Sir Alex’s only selection consideration for the weekend. Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Anderson all played against Valencia in midweek following spells on the sidelines.

The Reds boss will be keen to have all of them involved, particularly Ferdinand who helped United to a clean sheet at the Mestalla – something that has become worryingly rare this term.

“Rio, Michael Carrick and Anderson played their first real game for a long time, so we have to look at them and see how they’ve come through it.

"We hope there’s no reaction, because playing your first game back in a place like Valencia is not easy, and then there’s the travelling back. That’s one issue we have to deal with.”

Sir Alex was speaking to Key 103.

muahahahhahaha, i get to sample MUTV for free on Oct!!

I think there's no one here saying Berba is bad. We're just saying that Berba can't work alone. We're better off with Owen IMO if we're going with 451, but that's not going to happen since Berba is in the form of his life. And I want to see Carrick-Ando in the middle.

Macheda and Chicha makes good sub partnership
no 41 and 14.. opposite numbers

macheda 27

will Rio-Vidic partnership continue in tomorrow's match? or will Evans replace one of them? I prefer Rio-Evans than Vidic-Evans if he made the first 11...

I see no reason why we don't play Vidic? 

probably due to the squad rotation?

"We want [the captain] to be a player who's consistently available for us," he told MUTV. "Everyone will recongise that if Vidic is fit – and he has been all season – he'll always be there. You wouldn't leave him out of your team unless you were resting him.

"He's started the campaign as the captain and it will stay that way."

probably due to the squad rotation?

Vidic is our new captain and i can't see the rotation (if there is) will affect him unless he is injured or carded. other than that, actually rio does all the shouting on the field rite? compared to vidic? rio organizes our defence very well

Well, normally Rio has been the one who do all the shouting and organize our back four and I guess we did miss that in the matches we played so far.

  certainly.. at least with his presence, hopefully we dont see anymore concentration lapse or any frequent last minute leak..

Yeah "Rafael" can play week in week out and still won't get tired anyway

how come not tire?... ahhh must be the twin brother chip in during halftime break