Fergie explains keeper rotation

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he is trying to make sure that goalkeepers David De Gea and Anders Lindegaard get enough experience in the Premier League.

Ferguson alternated between the duo at times last season and has done so in the first few weeks of the 2012/13 campaign.

The Scotsman explained that he is doing so to make them both get a better grip of the English game.

"The most important thing I'm trying to do is give both of them experience in the English game," said Ferguson. "Neither is as experienced as Edwin van der Sar or Peter Schmeichel.

"Alternating isn't a problem for me. They're both equally very good goalkeepers.

"That's the policy we've adopted this season and last season, although De Gea played most of last season after Lindegaard was injured. I'm comfortable with this situation."

Sir Alex rules out Rooney

Sir Alex Ferguson has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool, confirming that everybody who featured against Galatasaray is fit for the trip to Anfield.

Speaking at his weekly press conference at Carrington, the boss also gave an update on the fitness of Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young, who are both unavailable this weekend due to a gashed thigh and bruised cartilage respectively.

“We have everyone available who was available last Wednesday,” Sir Alex told ManUtd.com. “I know there were reports in the paper about Rooney being possible, but that is not the case. He's not far away, I think he may be fine for next week.

“He's doing a lot of great training and has been working hard. It's just a matter of getting him into the full football training side of things, which he has done part of.

“Ashley Young has got a bruised cartilage - I think it's going to take two or three weeks more. We're just taking our time with that one. You can easily play with it and train but we're not going down that road, we want to make sure he's okay.

“We get a lot of experiences these days of these injuries reoccurring when they come back too quickly and we don't want that with the players - we want to give them a full recovery. He should be okay with two or three weeks’ time.”

When quizzed on the fitness of Darren Fletcher, who made a brief cameo against Galatasaray on Wednesday, Sir Alex outlined his plan to field the Scottish midfielder against Newcastle in the Capital One Cup, before hinting at a possible role against Spurs in the following Premier League fixture.

“He made a start on Wednesday which was great,” the boss reflected. “He won't start on Sunday but he'll certainly play against Newcastle. I think that's a perfect game for him to start back. Then we have the game against Tottenham next Saturday and he possibly could be involved in that, but it depends how he does on Wednesday.

“It'll be his first full 90 minutes after 10 months out so it'll be a big night for him. He's handling the conditions at the moment and he looks fine as we saw the other night. It's a matter of hoping the condition stays dormant. He's handling his diet well and doing all the right things so hopefully he gets that break he needs.”

should start buttner instead of evra.haiz..

hope skrtel & agger make mistake like always hahaha go go Man Utd

Plus after yesterday game, they know we can't cope with pacey players too. Ben Arfa might be another threat for us.

Newcastle attacking trio Ben Arfa Ba Cisse. Furthermore we now don't have Vidic, more difficult than last season.

It's 20LEgend

---

Added on October 1, 2012, 6:04 pm
If Valencia is not gonna play and Nani now underperforming, why dont we just load our best central midfielders for this game. I know it's not an easy game but who know working with the mixture of youngsters and the seniors might work.

De Gea

Rafael - Ferdinand - Evans - Buttercup

Fletcher - Ando - Cleverly - Kagawa - Powell

Kagawa

Persie

I do hope Fletcher sub in for the game or after play 50mins sub him out. Personally I hope he can play for this sunday game against Newcastle,because if Ando and Cleverley play full for 2mr UCL game,they probably won't involve in Newcastle game and we need anchorman and energetic midfielder like Fletcher to cover for the back 4.

21-man squad flies to Romania

United are taking a 21-man squad to Romania for the Champions League encounter with CFR Cluj.

The Reds are looking to build on the opening Group H victory against Galatasaray but experienced midfielders Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick have not travelled.

Antonio Valencia, who injured his ankle in the win at Liverpool, is not ready to return and fellow winger Ashley Young remains sidelined, along with the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

Jonny Evans is available, despite picking up a knock late on against Tottenham, but Michael Keane and Scott Wootton provide cover at the heart of the defence. Youngsters Jesse Lingard, Nick Powell and Ryan Tunnicliffe join Darren Fletcher amongst the midfield options while Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie could combine in attack again after showing promising signs in the second half on Saturday.

United: De Gea, Lindegaard; Büttner, Evans, Evra, Ferdinand, M.Keane, Rafael, Wootton; Anderson, Cleverley, Fletcher, Lingard, Nani, Powell, Tunnicliffe; Hernandez, Kagawa, Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck.

Rooney: We're going for the win

Wayne Rooney insists United are heading to Romania intent on bringing home all three points from Tuesday night's clash with CFR Cluj.

A narrow victory over Galatasaray gave the Reds a winning start to this season's Champions League campaign, but Cluj top the Group H table after a counter-attacking triumph at Braga and Rooney is keen to take a stranglehold of the group at an early stage.

"It is a big game for us," the striker said. "Hopefully we will get a win which will put us in a good position to go through so early on in the group. The next two Champions League games are big ones for us. We are looking to get maximum points."

Rooney missed United's win over Galatasaray, but could be involved in Tuesday's game after impressing in his recent comeback games against Newcastle and Tottenham.

The striker is desperate to feature in Europe's premier club competition on a personal level, while also seeking to demonstrate that the Reds have collectively learned from last term's shortcomings.

"I still think it is exciting," he said. "It is a great competition to be in. You look at the teams involved and it is a great challenge for everyone. It is something I love playing in.

"We brought a lot of young players into the team [last year]. The Champions League is completely different to the Premier League. If you are not at your best you get punished, which is what happened to us last season. We have to make sure that won't happen again this year."

Wayne was speaking to PA, BBC Radio, Key 103 and ManUtd.com.

Manchester United boost as Jonny Evans trains ahead of Cluj game

Manchester United received some welcome good news on Monday when Jonny Evans was able to train ahead of his side's Champions League encounter with CFR Cluj.

Evans needed to be helped off at the end of United's 3-2 Premier League defeat to Tottenham.

And whilst Sir Alex Ferguson claimed the Northern Ireland international was only suffering from a dead leg, with so many defenders already injured, there was a worry Evans was about to join the casualty list.

It does appear he will be available, though, and Rio Ferdinand was also present.

Antonio Valencia, who missed Saturday's game with an ankle injury, was missing from the open portion of training, though, as was midfielder Michael Carrick.

Ferguson has changed his side's European routine this season, meaning they will do all their preparatory work at home before flying to Romania.

Scott Wootton and Michael Keane were also amongst those training with the first team, suggesting at least one of the youngsters will make the trip.

Mikael Silvestre trains with Manchester United

Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre trained with the Reds on Monday morning.

The 35-year-old Frenchman, who spent nine years with United between 1999 and 2008, is not expected to be drafted in to help ease the club's defensive crisis though.

Silvestre was released by Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in the summer.

good to see Silvestre again
not a bad option really - still better than Carrick as CB 

A FEAT OF DEFEAT
Dear Martin. As a Manchester United supporter I am concerned to see the team lose twice with just six fixtures completed. Has this ever happened before in the Premier League and what impact did that have on their season? Anput (Manchester United fan)

MARTIN SAYS: There is not too much cause for concern for Manchester United fans. Sir Alex Ferguson's side have only gone unbeaten in their first six games in seven of the 21 Premier League seasons. They were unbeaten at this stage of the last two Premier League seasons, but before that you have to go back to the 2000/01 campaign to find the last time they made it to game seven without a loss to their name.

To reassure you further, there have only been two seasons when Manchester United have lose twice in their opening six fixtures - and on each occasion they went on to win the title.

Back in the very first Premier League season they lost their opening two fixtures at home to Sheffield United and away to Everton, but they drew their next game with Ipswich and went on a five-game winning run as they steered themselves towards the title.

And back in 2002/03 they were unbeaten in their first four games, only to lose back-to-back matches 1-0; at home to Bolton and then away at Leeds. However, they still finished up in top spot.

It's worth noting the pattern here. In 1992/93 they lost two of their first six games and won the title; 10 years later in 2002/03 they lost two of their first six games and won the title; 10 years later in 2012/13 they lost two of their first six games... we'll see what happens come May.

Season Record Final position
2012/13 LWWWWL ?
2011/12 WWWWWD 2nd
2010/11 WDWDWD 1st
2009/10 WLWWWW 2nd
2008/09 DWLDWW 1st
2007/08 DDLWWW 1st
2006/07 WWWWLD 1st
2005/06 WWWDDL 2nd
2004/05 LWDDDW 3rd
2003/04 WWWLWD 3rd
2002/03 WDDWLL 1st
2001/02 WDDWLW 3rd
2000/01 WDDWWW 1st
1999/00 DWWWWW 1st
1998/99 DDWWLW 1st
1997/98 WWDWWW 2nd
1996/97 WDDDWW 1st
1995/96 LWWWWW 1st
1994/95 WDWWLW 2nd
1993/94 WWDWWW 1st
1992/93 LLDWWW 1st

By the way, it intrigues me that the last time they lost 2-3 at home (to Blackburn last season) they played away to Newcastle in the next game and lost 3-0. I suggest people watch Sky Sports on Sunday to see what happens when they play Newcastle this time!

QUESTION: do you think the 2nd half performance was improved because of Rooney's existence on the field OR due to SAF's major hair dryer treatment?

Trio return for Toon trip

Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are all fit to face Newcastle United after missing the Reds' midweek trip to Romania through illness.

Sir Alex also revealed at his Friday morning press conference at Carrington that defender Jonny Evans is "okay" after coming off in that win against CFR Cluj.

"It was just a dead leg he picked up last Saturday against Tottenham," he said. "I took him off towards the end [of the Cluj game]."

Chris Smalling has also returned to training (although won't be fit for the trip to Newcastle), which gives the manager a further option at centre-back, while Ashley Young may be fit for United's next home game.

"Smalling has started training on the football side," Sir Alex revealed. "That helps us, particularly as we have a problem at centre-back.

"Ashley will start training while the internationals are on, particularly during the second week. He could, at a stretch, be back for the Stoke game [on Saturday 20 October]."

this is my starting 11 guess for nufc match.

--------------DDG-------------
rafael----rio----evans----evra
nani--carrick--fletcher--giggs
-----------rooney-------------
-------------rvp----------------

55th minute
giggs -> kagawa
67th minute
fletcher -> scholes

then become

--------------DDG-------------
rafael----rio----evans----evra
------carrick--scholes--------
nani------rooney-----kagawa
-------------rvp----------------

Cleverley meant super strike

Tom Cleverley insists he meant his first Barclays Premier League goal for the club - an incredible shot from the left flank that found the top corner of Steve Harper's net.

The midfielder broke his duck at senior level for the Reds against the Magpies in the recent Capital One Cup tie and followed it up with the strike that wrapped up the three points on a memorable afternoon in the North East.

When asked if it was his intention to go for goal, he replied: "Yeah, I meant to put it in that far corner. I looked to the far corner and, whether it's a good cross or obviously a good finish, luckily it's found the net.

"The ball's come back and I've seen the goalkeeper a little bit off his line so I've hit that area. Whether Welbz [Danny Welbeck] gets across and puts his head on it or the ball goes straight in, so I'd say it's a good finish."

Sir Alex Ferguson disagreed, joking: "I think it was a cross but he says it was a shot!"

Tom Cleverley scored United’s third goal against the Magpies on Sunday, curling an audacious effort into the top corner after cutting inside from the left flank. The strike, quite comically, caused much debate after the match as to whether or not the midfielder meant it.

And although Cleverley insists his finish was deliberate, Evans is not buying it: “There is no way he meant that. To try and shoot from there, especially to bend it, he definitely didn’t mean it. I think he was looking for Robin van Persie at the back post but it went in.