Gerard Houllier wants to take Darron Gibson to Aston Villa.

The Villa boss is keen on the Manchester United midfielder, but would need a major favour from old rival Sir Alex Ferguson to get his man.

Gibson, 23, is a squad player at Old Trafford but Houllier believes he would be a key man in his first XI.

Villa will try to sign Gibson in January, either on loan or on a permanent basis. They believe they may be able to tempt United into loaning him out if it means getting him regular Premier League games and improving his long-term career prospects.

Republic of Ireland international Gibson (above) is renowned for having a powerful shot but has yet to develop into a first-team regular at Old Trafford.

Houllier knows he will face a battle to persuade United but the loan option gives him some hope, especially with Gibson still struggling for regular games.

Brums break 30 years record.

Spuds break almost 2 decades record.

lol....

any one fancy pestham to do some thing dramatic ala spuds???

8) No Name Calling - Offensive name calling (players/managers/teams) will be dealt with by the moderatering team's discretion. If you think our discretion is biased, please refrain from using nicknames to players/managers/teams.

Lol yeah I was like, hey that little fellow scored. It's been awhile and I can't even remember the last time he scores. Think something like in 06 or 07 season

1558: Here's a beauty from Infostrada Sports to enjoy over your half-time oranges - Man Utd fans should not expect another league goal from Patrice Evra until the end of the 2013/2014 season. His only top flight goals have been in March 2003, November 2006 and today so at least three-and-half years between each one.

Man Utd goal: It's his first goal for three-and-a-half years, and how Manchester United needed it. Ji-Sung Park's ball from deep drifts towards the back post and Patrice Evra is on hand to head home from close range.

1545: GOALFLASH Man Utd 1-0 Wigan (Evra)

Sir Alex Ferguson feels his side are in the right place at the right time after results in Manchester, the Midlands and North London left United level on points with league leaders Chelsea.

The boss is beginning to relish the prospect of facing Arsenal and Chelsea in back to back league games before Christmas, and who could blame him after hearing of the Gunners' 3-2 home loss to Tottenham and the Blues' away defeat to Birmingham on Saturday - the champions' second reverse in a row and their fourth of the league season overall.

"We missed a lot of chances in the last 20 minutes against Wigan, we could have done our goal difference the power of good," Sir Alex told MUTV. "But while it wasn't a great performance, it was competent and if you'd asked me at the start of the day, would I have taken joint top spot at the end of it, I would have said yes.

"It's been a good day for us, no question about that. This league is without doubt a high-quality league now. All the games you play are very difficult. You saw that last week when a young Aston Villa team came out and set about us. It was the same again today."

Sir Alex also said "I'll take that" to the fair criticism that United are all but top of the league without playing particularly well.

"I think we know ourselves that come the second half of the season we'll definitely get better," he said. "At this moment in the time, we just need to be in that bit at the top of the league. We're joint top with Chelsea now and we've got another home game next week against Blackburn. Then we're away to Blackpool and after that we've got the two big games against Arsenal at home, then Chelsea away."

The boss felt his side weathered a physical storm against Wigan who were reduced to nine men just after the hour mark - rightly in his opinion.

"I thought Wigan were very aggressive, a lot of really aggressive challenges tested the referee throughout the game," said Sir Alex. "In the first half we had a lot of free-kicks and Wigan put themselves about, there's no doubt about that.

"The centre-back [Antolin Alcaraz, Wigan captain] made a few fouls in the first half and when you do that you ride your luck. It was a silly challenge on Darren Fletcher [for Alcaraz's second yellow card] because Darren was going back towards his own goal. The second [sending off] was clear. I thought the boy Rodallega was off the ground when he challenged [Rafael]. I need to see it again though, as I'm not sure."

Sir Alex's main gripe with his own players' "competent" performance was that they didn't turn up the tempo or heat on the opposition until late in the game - a familiar pattern in the current campaign.

"In the main we had a lot of the ball without really doing anything. What we're finding and what I'm thinking about is that we seem to be playing all our best football in the last 20 minutes of games. We need to get more quickness in our play in the first half of matches. I thought we were a wee bit slow in the build-up. We had control of the game, though, and when we have that, we're always capable of getting the goal we need."

Patrice Evra has vowed to get his name on the scoresheet more often after finally ending a three-and-a-half year goal drought.

The Frenchman’s last goal was in April 2007 in the 7-1 win over AS Roma at Old Trafford. For a defender, that might not seem like a particularly lengthy period of time to go without a goal, but for a full-back as attacking as Evra it feels like an age.

“I don’t think my son was even born the last time I scored a goal for United,” Evra joked on MUTV. “It’s over three years since my last goal. It’s frustrating because the way I play I should score more often. That’s why you could see all my anger coming out after I scored. My first job is to defend, but I know I have the quality to score.”

Evra thanked his good friend Ji-sung Park for providing the assist for his 45th-minute headed effort, only his third goal for the club. “It was a good cross from my best friend Ji-sung Park, I think maybe I’ll get him a big present for Christmas, maybe a car!” he added. “I waited so long for this goal that I am so happy, so I say thank you to Ji.

“I could have got another one in the second half, but if I’d scored two goals we would have had to stop the league right there! That’s why I didn’t score. But I was frustrated with myself. It was an easy goal and I should have scored. But now I hope more goals are going to come – I don’t want to wait another three years for a goal.

“But although I am happy for myself, but the most important thing is that we win.”

Evra’s goal came at a crucial time, not only because it was right on the stroke of half time but also because United had looked somewhat laboured in a frustrating first 45 minutes. “It was a frustrating first half because we didn’t have the space to find players very easy. The boss spoke at half time, he didn’t understand the way we were playing. It was looking like everyone was slipping on the pitch, so the goal came at a good time.”

United could have made much more of the goalscoring opportunities in the match, not least when Wigan were reduced to nine men 15 minutes into the second half. But, that complaint aside, the weekend panned out rather well for the Reds, with Arsenal and Chelsea both suffering defeats, which has given United great incentive for the weeks ahead.

“I remember saying before the game that if we beat Wigan and Blackburn we would be top of the league, and I am still confident of that,” added Evra.

“But I think the team can give much more than we are giving right now. We are still at the top of the league, but against Blackburn we need to play from the first minute, not just at the end of the game. We have looked like we have lots of chances in the last 20 minutes of games. But we are Manchester United and we need to be more aggressive and score more goals – and to bring back the way United play always.”

The Reds have rarely, if at all, reached top gear in a season that – not just at Old Trafford – has stuttered and spluttered along so far. But Javier Hernandez, who helped United move level on points with league leaders Chelsea on Saturday, is promising great things to come.

United’s defence is looking increasingly more solid, while a mixture of players returning to form and fitness in attack bodes well for a crucial period in the Barclays Premier League campaign.

“The last few months might have been difficult, but all of my team-mates and I say that great things are coming soon,” Hernandez told MUTV.

The Mexican is increasingly capable of making an impact, either as a starter or substitute. Against Wigan he came off the bench and grabbed his seventh goal of the season to wrap up a 2-0 win.

“The important thing was that we got the win and moved to the top of the table, level on points with Chelsea,” added Chicharito. “It’s good for us [that Arsenal and Chelsea] dropped points. We wanted three point and it made it easier for us that Wigan got two red cards.”

That was when Hernandez was sent on, with the view of increasingly United’s goal tally. The Reds were only capable of adding one more goal.

“It could have been more comfortable, we had a lot of chances,” he said. “I was very pleased to score, but the main thing was that we got the three points.”

Wayne Rooney will lead United's attack from the start against Rangers, after completing a comfortable 25 minutes as substitute against Wigan on Saturday.

The striker made his first appearance for more than a month when he came on for Federico Macheda in the second half, and while he didn't cap the occasion with a goal, Sir Alex Ferguson was still pleased with his star striker's return - and the crowd's reaction to him.

"That was good, it'll be pleasing for him," said the boss, referring to Rooney's mainly positive reception from the fans. "It will settle him down and help him to realise he's at the right club. It was a quiet comeback for him. He get involved in a few bits of interplay but in the main he just needed that 25 minutes or so. He'll play against Rangers on Wednesday, that's the perfect game for him to get 90 minutes."

Patrice Evra, scorer of United's first goal in the 2-0 win over Wigan, welcomed Rooney's presence in the line-up, telling MUTV: "Of course [we are glad to have Wayne back]. He is a top-class player. He is a great team-mate, and we want Wayne to be at 100 per cent to help the team."

Dimitar Berbatov could also return to the Reds' forward line against Rangers, after Sir Alex confirmed the Bulgarian's weekend absence wasn't down to injury or illness. "I just left him," said the boss. "When picking my subs today, I thought I needed to give [the bench] a different type of variety."

Sir Alex selected Macheda and Gabriel Obertan to start the Wigan game because "they deserved it. They changed the game [at Aston Villa] last week when they came on so I felt they deserved to start today."

we have the 12th player on our side

cukup kah??we will see next week kohkoh.

"I don't think my son was even born the last time I scored a goal for United," Evra joked.

"It was a good cross from my best friend Ji-sung Park, I think maybe I'll get him a big present for Christmas, maybe a car."

Manchester United ace Patrive Evra insists he has no problem with team-mate Wayne Rooney over his contract row.

Frenchman Evra criticised Rooney after his shock revelation that he wanted to quit United before the England striker did a U-turn and signed a new deal at Old Trafford.

Rooney made his return to the United side as a substitute in Saturday's 2-0 win over Wigan after returning from a training stint in America.

Evra was happy to see Rooney back in the fold and he has played down any bust-up with the striker insisting he wants to help the striker recapture his best form.

"It was very good to see him back,' said Evra.

"We are all going to help him get back to his best and scoring goals for United again.

In the past

"With Wayne we don't talk about the past, we just think about the future.

"And the future is where he will once again become one of the best players in the world.

"What I said was that the most important thing was the team, not Patrice Evra or Wayne Rooney.

"I never said the players were against him. When someone says they don't trust in the future of United it caused us pain - but it is behind us now."

Darren Fletcher feels the Ibrox atmosphere could bring the best out of United on Wednesday night.

One point in Glasgow will guarantee the Reds’ place in the UEFA Champions League's knock-out stages but Fletcher is targeting all three, the same yield from United’s last visit to Rangers in 2003 when Phil Neville scored the only goal.

“I am really looking forward to the game,” said Fletcher.

“Rangers are a massive club and it will be a special night at Ibrox, with a fantastic atmosphere. I experienced it from the bench when we went there a few years ago.”

As Scotland skipper, Fletcher doesn’t expect a hero’s welcome from the natives – far from it, in fact.

“I am sure I will get plenty of stick from the home support,” said the United midfielder. “But part of the challenge is playing in intimidating atmospheres.

“It’s what playing in Europe is all about, it’s something we all enjoy. But although we will enjoy it, we still have a job to do.

“We still need that point that is going to take us into the next round. We will produce a professional performance to try and win the match.”

While Rio Ferdinand also picked up a groin injury and will not be playing against Rangers in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, although he played 90 minutes against Wigan, the United boss admits he has no complaints as did not have an arrangement with Capello.

He added: "Rio has a groin injury now and we won't be taking him up to Glasgow to face Rangers in the Champions League on Wednesday, I wouldn't think. But I had no arrangement with England about how long my players would play.

Young Reds midfielder Tom Cleverley says moving to Wigan Athletic on loan was the right move for him at this stage in his career, and he’s determined to return – in January or in the summer – ready for the big time at Old Trafford.

Injuries in United’s midfield potentially have opened up opportunities in the Reds’ engine room this season, while Tom has suffered his own injury set-backs since swapping OT for the DW at the start of the season. But Cleverley isn’t looking back, only forwards in what is shaping up to be a very promising career in the game.

“It’s been a bit stop-start for me at Wigan,” said Tom, who missed a few games earlier this season with a knee injury. “I feel like I thrive when I’m playing regularly. It’s been a little bit frustrating being in and out of the team and being part of the rotation, but it’s understandable.

“When I’ve played I think I’ve done well,” he said, speaking to United’s matchday programme. “Hopefully I’ll get a run of games between now and Christmas. It’s all good experience. I’ve never worked under a foreign manager before so it’s nice to sample. Roberto knows football inside out, he’s teaching me things, I’m experiencing being in Premier League squads every week - it’s good for me.”

Cleverley, who couldn't play against United at the weekend due to Premier League rules, moved to Wigan because of an apparent lack of immediate first-team opportunities at Old Trafford. But with the absences of Antonio Valencia, Ryan Giggs, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves, unexpected openings have arisen.

“Maybe with hindsight things would’ve been different,” he admits. “But I just want to get my head down and do well for Wigan. I’ve got to take things as they’ve come. It’s always going to be tough for a young player coming through the ranks to break into the United first-team, but I feel like I’m progressing every year and right now I feel as ready as I’ve ever been to make my debut for Manchester United and take my chance.

“I’m happy to do whatever Sir Alex Ferguson wants of me. If he calls me back in January I’d be delighted because he’s got plans to use me, but on the other hand if he wants me to get more experience with Wigan then I’d also be happy to do that.”

Ji-sung Park was openly critical of his below-par start to the season, but insisted he’d come good – and he was right. He's been integral to United in the last month, even adding his name to Old Trafford’s long list of late matchwinners...

You were unhappy with your start to the season. What changed?
I was not satisfied with any of my performances, I just didn’t feel mentally right. Then I went back to Korea on international duty and, even though I didn’t play, the fans were hugely supportive of me. My friends and family encouraged me and said I would be fine when I returned to Manchester. I feel much better now and I’m happy with the way I am playing. Things are good for me.

When you're not playing well, how do you stay upbeat?
It’s important to keep thinking positively. Don’t worry about past games, like saying “I’ve played poorly', or 'I should have done this better” – just look to the future and work out how you can improve.

You’ve scored four goals this season. How many will you be satisfied with?
If I score 10 in any season I’m happy, so I’ll be aiming for that as it’s within my reach now I have four. I haven’t been doing anything new in terms of getting into more attacking positions; the manager hasn’t said anything to me other than to enjoy my football. That makes me feel comfortable on the pitch, which leads to more chances.

Is it important that the midfielders chip in with goals this season?
Yes, because if the midfielders are scoring more then we’re helping the strikers and taking some pressure off them. If you have one player who scores all the goals, it becomes difficult for the team when that player is out injured. It’s something the midfielders here are all aware of and are always looking to improve on – myself included.

You’ve been at United over five years now. Do you feel like a senior member of the squad?
I guess so. I’ve been at the club for quite a while and I’m getting old! So yes, I feel like one of the most experienced players – in the Carling Cup game against Wolves a few weeks ago, I was one of only two or three senior players on the pitch.

What advice can you offer some of the younger players?
Young players here aren’t going to play every game – they have to wait for their chance, then show their ability when that chance comes. That can be difficult because they want to play every game. But at United you need to have patience because squad rotation is part of this club. I’ve learned that myself. That in itself helps players develop the right attitude, be more professional and head in the right direction.

Do the players draw confidence from our unbeaten start?
We don’t think about the fact that we haven’t lost yet this season; all we’re thinking about is winning games – that’s more important. We’ve had quite a lot of draws, which has been a little frustrating – there are games we should have done better in and won. But we’re starting to get some players back from illness and injury, and when we’re at full strength, we know we are capable of going on a winning run.

aiks y suddenly got commentary on sunderland match here pulak

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he hopes to sign goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard within the next three weeks.

The 26-year-old Danish shot-stopper has been identified as a long-term successor to current No.1 Edwin van der Sar and United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele has watched him on a number of occasions.

Any move to Old Trafford from Norwegian outfit Aalesund is expected to cost around £3.5million, with both clubs having provisionally agreed a deal.

Ferguson has stated that he wants to have things wrapped up within the next two to three weeks, and Sky Sports News revealed last week that Lindegaard had already undergone a medical with the Red Devils.

However, despite Aalesund declaring that a deal was done, Ferguson insists that it has not yet been completed.

"It is not completed at the moment but there has not been a hiccup either," he said.

"It will probably happen in the next two or three weeks, but the announcement was a bit premature."

Lindegaard is thought to be relaxed about the move, although the Denmark international has admitted that he would like to get his future settled soon.

Former favourite Peter Schmeichel has expressed his view that Lindegaard is not good enough for the Premier League giants, sparking speculation that Ferguson was ready to pull out of any deal.

Sir Alex has opted to rest Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand for United’s Champions League trip to Rangers but is well aware of the uphill task the Reds will face should his side lose at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

United currently top Group C on 10 points, three clear of Spain’s Valencia and five ahead of the Scottish champions. Victory or a draw would secure qualification to the knockout stages but defeat could prove disastrous for Sir Alex's men.

“It’s an interesting situation and one we have to treat pretty seriously,” the United boss said. “If Rangers can win the game we’d then have to beat Valencia at Old Trafford because I expect Valencia to win at home to Bursaspor.

"The interesting thing for Rangers is that if Bursaspor lose tomorrow they only need a point to qualify for the Europa League, at the very least. They’ll be confident about qualifying for that but there’s also a big incentive for them to try and qualify for the latter stages of the Champions League."

Despite travelling to Glasgow without his first-choice centre-backs or midfield lynchpin Darren Fletcher, Sir Alex is confident the Reds can get a positive result on a ground that’s widely regarded as one of the most hostile in Europe.

“Vidic, Rio and Fletcher are out – Fletcher’s injured, unfortunately – but it’s an opportunity for the likes of Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling. Those two will play at centre-back and it’s a chance to give them further experience. I’m confident in them.

“In the Champions League we’ve done well this season. We’ve not lost a goal yet and hopefully that continues tomorrow. The performance in Valencia was solid – we used our experience very well – and in Bursaspor we were first-class and controlled the match.”

Rangers, are yet to lose at Ibrox in Europe this season. Walter Smith’s side beat Bursaspor 1-0 at home on Matchday 2 before drawing 1-1 with Valencia in the following fixture. And Sir Alex is expecting another tough test on Wednesday.

“I know Majdid Bougherra is out but I expect Rangers to still field a strong side. They should have beaten Valencia - they should have scored three or four goals - and they had a great result against us at Old Trafford. It doesn’t matter how they achieved it, they still got the result

“When you go back to when they reached the Europa League final, Rangers’ home form wasn’t great but they didn’t lose many goals and they were nicking games away from home. They’re organised and hard to beat, which are great qualities to have in games like tomorrow night’s.”

"We want to go on and win the group now," he continued. We have Valencia at home [in the final match on 7 December] and we might make one or two changes depending on what other games we have.

"But we'll look forward to that match and hopefully we can get the result we want."

MANCHESTER UNITED new boy Javier Hernandez has seen his exploits on the football field recognised — by a SALSA tune.

The nimble-footed Mexican striker, nicknamed Chicharito, has earned rave reviews since his move from Chivas to Old Trafford in the summer.

And now The World Red Army featuring salsa artist Choco Orta have released Chico Is The Man, which details the 22-year-old's rise to stardom.

The 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players' unions from across the world were asked to nominate their top four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and a goalkeeper for 2010.

World champions Spain lead the voting with 10 selections, followed by Brazil with nine, eight from Argentina, six from England, four from Germany, three each from Holland and Italy, two from Portugal and one each from Uruguay, Wales, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

The Spanish Primera Liga has the most nominees with 18, while the English Premier League has 17, Italy's Serie has 15, four come from the German Bundesliga and one from France's Ligue 1.

The final World XI will be announced at the Fifa Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich on 10th January.

The 55-man shortlist for the Fifa/FIFPro World XI 2010 in full:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid), Petr Cech (Czech Republic, Chelsea), Julio Cesar (Brazil, Inter Milan), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands, Manchester United)

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Brazil, Barcelona), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Michel Bastos (Brazil, Lyon), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United), Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Lucio (Brazil, Inter Milan), Maicon (Brazil, Inter Milan), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Walter Samuel (Argentina, Inter Milan), John Terry (England, Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United), Javier Zanetti (Argentina, Inter Milan)

Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina, Inter Milan), Michael Essien (Ghana, Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool), Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona), Ricardo Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Argentina, Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany, Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, AC Milan), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, Inter Milan), Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid), Xavi (Spain, Barcelona)

Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria, Manchester United), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Inter Milan), Diego Forlan (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina, Real Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Diego Milito (Argentina, Inter Milan), Arjen Robben (Netherlands, Bayern Munich), Ronaldinho (Brazil, AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United), Carlos Tevez (Argentina, Manchester City), Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool), David Villa (Spain, Barcelona)

Six United players have been named on a 55-man shortlist for the FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2010.

Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney are shortlisted to make the team, which will be announced at the Ballon d’Or gala event on 10 January 2011 in Zurich.

United do not have any players in contention for the main individual prize, the prestigious Ballon d’Or, although it is surprising perhaps that Vidic did not make that list, while Nani, who has enjoyed an incredible 2010, was left off both lists.

The World XI nominations come from votes of 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players’ unions across the world. They were sent voting forms for a secret ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in the team, choosing the best four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and goalkeeper of 2010.

Elsewhere, Sir Alex Ferguson was nominated for the World Coach of the Year 2010, the award for which is announced on the same night.

For the full list of nominees for the awards, visit FIFA.com.

if lindegaard join the team next week when will he able to play?

Sir Alex Ferguson hopes Darren Fletcher will return from an ankle injury in time to face Arsenal on 13 December, while Paul Scholes is rated as doubtful for Blackburn Rovers’ visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, leaving the Reds boss with “a slight concern” in the centre of midfield.

Scholes is hoping to overcome a groin strain suffered in Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League win over Rangers in Glasgow. If he isn’t fit for the clash with Sam Allardyce’s Rovers then United would be left somewhat light in the middle of the park.

But Sir Alex is at least buoyed by the return of Anderson, who came off the bench in the second half at Ibrox, and he might be paired with in-form Michael Carrick. Ryan Giggs, who also returned from injury to play 90 minutes in Scotland, and Ji-sung Park have also operated in central areas for the Reds.

“Scholes is a doubt with a groin injury, and Darren Fletcher is still out – he’s got an ankle injury,” confirmed the boss on Friday morning. “We should have Darren available for the Arsenal and Chelsea games. We hope Paul is all right to play against Blackburn, but we’ll see. Obviously Owen Hargreaves, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen are all still out, but the rest are fine.”

The United manager will recall skipper Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to the centre of his defence against Blackburn after giving both men a night off during the week.

“We have to give Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans games,” he explained of his decision to leave his two senior centre-halves back in Manchester. “They are both outstanding prospects, and the future of the club. They have played in these types of matches, and as we saw on Wednesday night , they were terrific. They will both against West Ham. That’s a policy we’ve adopted for years, and it won’t change.

“Nemanja and Rio will be fit for tomorrow and they will play,” he said, before adding that the pair’s experience could be vital against Blackburn. “They are the type of team that get the ball in the box. They’re not going to change because they are playing Manchester United. In games like this, and against sides like Stoke, your centre-backs are important. The important thing is to keep plenty of possession of the ball and avoid the ball coming into your box.”

Managing niggling injuries is nothing new at this stage in the season, but Sir Alex feels confident in the form and fitness of his squad. “You manage, and we made changes on Wednesday night, and we will do again against West Ham,” he said. “The young players will play and it is a great challenge for them. We’ve got a very strong squad, particularly in the front positions. Michael Owen is out, but Wayne Rooney is back, and I’ve got Berbatov, Nani, Obertan, Bebe, Kiko, Chicharito, Ryan Giggs is back again – his return is important, and for him to play the whole game was terrific on Wednesday – so I’ve got plenty of options. The only area causing a little bit of concern [is in midfield], with Fletcher out and if Scholes were to miss out. But we’ve got Anderson back, he came off the bench on Wednesday.”

Another player getting back into the groove is Rooney. “Playing is the name of the game for him now,” says the boss. “He was very rusty on Wednesday. But when he took his penalty kick, he came to life. He played really well in that last few minutes, I think he enjoyed it. He had the courage to take the penalty kick – I thought Ryan or Anderson should have taken it – but it was a fantastic penalty, and hopefully that is a step forward for him.”

Depends on the injury list and who's going out in Jan?

I have a sneaky feeling that PIG will go out in Jan.

@alien2003 - the date on the thread for united vs blackburn is 22/11

omg, rare mistake by our boss  

@ alien bro,the match against valencia is UCL,maybe too busy!!

Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to steer United to the top of the Barclays Premier League on Saturday and apply pressure on the other title contenders.

A home win against Blackburn would see the Reds reach the table's summit for the first time this season, regardless of Arsenal’s result against Aston Villa in the day’s early kick off. Chelsea would then have the chance to reclaim top spot when they meet Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday, but Sir Alex knows how important it is for his side to take the initiative ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.

“We want to be up there. The best place to be is out in front,” said the manager.

“We’ve got an important game against Blackburn, then Blackpool away, followed by the double header against Chelsea and Arsenal.”

United began November five points behind Chelsea but eight points from four matches this month have seen the Reds capitalise on the league leaders' surprising loss of form to move level with them on 28 points.

Such is the unpredictability of the league campaign thus far, Sir Alex is expecting a lot more twists and turns further down the line.

“We had some signs of it last year, but the league is really tightening up this season,” he said.

“The lesser teams are improving and it is making it very difficult for everyone.”

United are level on points with Chelsea and have an opportunity to go top of the league – temporarily at least – with victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. But after plenty of dropped points, particularly draws away from home, skipper Nemanja Vidic can’t help but feel slightly fortunate to be in this position.

That said, United are not the only team to suffer adverse results this season. In fact, the Reds’ unbeaten start to 2010/11 appears remarkably consistent considering the weekly shock scorelines being churned out by an increasingly unpredictable league. Now - with qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League in the bag - Nemanja and his team-mates can turn their attentions almost exclusively to the title pursuit during the winter period.

“It is important we have qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League,” said Vidic on Friday. “We are very happy. Now we can focus more on the Premier League. We are on top, level on points with Chelsea. This is definitely the time to play the best football we can and to make sure we start to win the next few games.

“We would like to have more points than we have. But it is not bad that we still haven’t lost a game. I am surprised at where we are. But we've seen this year teams are better and are competing more against the top four or five. The top five have all lost so many points.

“It puts us in a high position. But there's a long way to go. If someone had told us we would have this many points at this stage of the season we would have been disappointed. But we are not in a bad position.”

Vidic and his central defensive partner Rio Ferdinand were given the night off for the midweek trip to Ibrox. Sir Alex wanted to give talented young pairing Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans a run-out, but the twin-benefit of leaving his first-choice men back home in Manchester is that they are fresh for the inevitable aerial and physical battle that awaits this weekend.

“Rio has been in good form in the last few games,” added Vida. “He is back now and has showed how important he is to us. The question of whether we play better football with us two together, it is hard to say. It is not just about Rio and me. It is about the whole team. We defend together and attack like a team. That has helped.

“As for Blackburn, they had a good result against Aston Villa last week. They are in good form, and it will be a physical game. They play more long balls into the box, that is what we expect. We will try to put the ball on the ground and play our game. We want to put the three points in our pocket and move forward.”

Epson has signed a global sponsorship agreement to become Official Office Equipment Partner to Manchester United.

The agreement, which starts immediately, sees Epson, one of the leading manufacturers of printers, projectors and scanners worldwide, supply United with its equipment throughout Old Trafford. The deal will see Epson align its brand with the club and raise its profile in Europe and globally where the Reds are followed. The partnership was launched at Old Trafford on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s game against Blackburn, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, chief executive David Gill and the entire first team squad in attendance.

Speaking at the launch, Epson’s Global President, Mr Minoru Usui, said: “The partnership with Manchester United aligns Epson with an exciting and globally recognised brand, bringing us closer to our customers worldwide. Leading the way through constant creativity and innovation both brands share a commitment to achieving the highest standards. Our vision to excite and inspire customers is represented by United’s success on the pitch and the unique printer and projector technologies for which Epson is renowned.”

Epson expects the agreement to allow the brand to get closer to its customers and their passions. Epson believes in giving something back to the communities in which it operates and there are strong synergies with United, who also have a strong community spirit and are well-known for their local community programmes.

Reds' chief executive David Gill added: “We are delighted to have Epson as one of our commercial partners and are looking forward to developing an exciting communications programme that helps us both achieve our business goals. Epson is a superb global brand, that sits perfectly alongside our existing partners.”