Haha, i miss Vida's rocket launcher celebration

Everton manager David Moyes is confident Australian midfielder Tim Cahill will be in contention for this weekend's trip to Manchester United after injuring his foot in this morning's 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Cahill, who limped off with a foot injury, scored a trademark header for Everton before Arsenal equalised in stoppage time. The goal was Cahill's 100th goal in English senior football.

The Socceroos will also be hoping Cahill is fit for their crucial World Cup qualifier against Japan next month.

But Moyes says Cahill's injury is not serious.

"I don't think it's too bad. It was a kick in the foot, so hopefully it's not too bad and he'll be OK," Moyes told the BBC.

"He's got a scoring record like a centre forward at this present time. He keeps doing a terrific job for us.

"He's making it look very good and I wouldn't say easy, but he's doing a magic job for us."

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger was also full of admiration for Cahill, who has scored four goals in nine games.

"He's a fantastic player. Tactically very good, very intelligent and if you look at all the defenders in the league, they're all a head higher than he is but he always pops up with a header," Wenger said.

"He has something that you can't give to anybody. He knows where to be on a football pitch."

Cristiano Ronaldo underwent heart surgery as a teenager in a bid to save his career, his mother has revealed.
Cristiano Ronaldo

Teenage troubles: Cristiano Ronaldo in his Sporting Lisbon days in 2003

There were fears the Manchester United star, 23, might have had to give up the game before the laser surgery on his irregular heartbeat.

But the operation, when Ronaldo was 15, saved his career and enabled the Portuguese forward to progress through the ranks at Sporting Lisbon and secure a lucrative move to Manchester United in 2003.

Speaking in The Sun, his mother Dolores said: 'His heart raced a lot when he wasn't running. The people at Sporting alerted me and I went to Portugal where I had to sign some papers and authorise him being treated in hospital.

'They used a sort of laser to cauterise the source of the problem. He was operated on in the morning and came out at the end of the afternoon.

'Before we knew exactly what he had, I was worried because there was the possibility of him giving up playing football. But the treatment went well and after some days he was back at training again.
Ronaldo's mother Dolores

Relieved: Ronaldo's mother Dolores

'Cristiano wasn’t very worried — he didn’t take the situation very seriously — but I got a big fright.'

The problem is not uncommon and several young players have suffered fatal heart attacks.

Former Manchester City star Marc-Vivien Foe, Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta and Benfica’s Miklos Feher  have all died after problems on the pitch

Frenchman Lilian Thuram was forced to retire last year because of a heart problem.

Patrice Evra is not ready to return against Everton, according to Sir Alex.

The French full-back has missed the last five games since limping off in the mid-January win over Chelsea - that being his only appearance since United came home from Japan due to suspension and latterly injury.

Nani and Wayne Rooney are also not fit to face the Toffees at Old Trafford but like Evra, they are expected to be available for the trip to West Ham United next Sunday, 8 February.

Nemanja Vidic is the only question mark for Sir Alex as he waits to see if the Serbian recovers from a knock in training. Fabio is fit again after missing the midweek game at West Brom and is in the squad for Saturday's match.

Owen Hargreaves has enjoyed some good news on the long road to recovery in that he underwent successful knee surgery last week. Sir Alex believes the former Bayern Munich midfielder will be ready for the start of the 2009/10 campaign.

Further news from Sir Alex Ferguson's press conference follow later...

Injury-stricken Everton could go into arguably their toughest match of the season against Manchester United on Saturday without the services of key midfielders Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini.

The Toffees' lack of available strikers has been well documented in recent weeks but the form of makeshift forward Cahill, who has scored four in his last eight starts, has maintained their momentum.

However, the Australia international sustained a severely bruised foot in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal and is a major doubt for the trip to Old Trafford.

If that was not bad enough Fellaini, who returned against the Gunners after a two-match suspension, is also troubled by an injured shin.

"Both players are struggling and I won't take any chances if I don't think they are not going to be fit," said Moyes, whose side are unbeaten in their last seven Barclays Premier League matches.

In the last fortnight Everton have drawn against Liverpool twice (once in the FA Cup) and Arsenal but must now try to get something from United - who have just set a new record for 11 successive clean sheets.

Moyes is delighted with the way they have coped without a recognised striker but knows that effort cannot drop at Old Trafford.

"It has been a tough period but I have to give credit to the players for the way they have gone about it," said the Toffees boss.

"We are working with a small number who have put themselves on the line and over the line most weeks so I have to say well done to them.

"We have had to dig really deep to earn a point in some games, in some of them we could have taken a chance more than we did.

"You just have to keep persevering. There's no secret to it - if there was I'd have done it.

"This is the biggest test because you are playing the world champions, European champions and Premier League champions.

"But we are playing like champions, in our own minds. When you think that way you can go to Old Trafford with confidence."

Moyes added: "It is a big ask. Lots of teams have played them recently and not been able to score so we understand how difficult that is going to be.

"But in the same breath we have been hard to score past as well. We will need go to Old Trafford and make sure they don't score easily because you don't tend to score many past them.

"Hopefully if we get our moments we can try to take our chances."

Everton are comfortably holding sixth place in the table and draws against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in the last month have suggested they are closing the gap on the 'big four'.

But Moyes knows they will have to maintain their current form - which is hugely dependent on the injury situation - to stand a chance of taking their progress one step further.

When asked what was required to make that breakthrough Moyes joked: "Probably £200million.

"We are playing against sides who have been in the Champions League and had extra money for a number of years.

"We have not and we are desperately trying to get a bit of it.

"When we play them people tend to think it is on a level playing field and it isn't so the players need a lot of credit for doing everything they can to get there."

Nemanja Vidic will miss the first leg of Manchester United's Champions League tie with Inter Milan after being suspended for one match.

Vidic was given a red card in the Club World Cup final for swinging an elbow into the face of LDU Quito's Claudio Bieler in Yokohama on December 21.

The Serbia star was facing the possibility of a three-game suspension but a FIFA disciplinary panel on Friday confirmed a one-match ban.

United have no right of appeal and Vidic has also been fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£2,985).

Under FIFA's disciplinary system, Vidic is suspended from the next 'club competition match at confederation level'.

That effectively means the Champions League, ruling the former Red Star Belgrade player out of the first leg against Inter at the San Siro on February 24.

The punishment will doubtless come as a blow to Inter boss Jose Mourinho, who claimed Vidic should have been ruled out of both games.

United will probably consider the suspension in line with what they had expected, although AC Milan's Kakha Kaladze did not receive any punishment for his dismissal in the same tournament two years earlier.

The impact will be softened significantly by the recent return to fitness of Rio Ferdinand from a back problem.

Ferdinand came back at West Brom last Tuesday, while Ferguson has stated he expected Vidic's likely replacement Jonny Evans to be out for only two more weeks with his ankle injury.

It means Evans should be available for the Old Trafford encounter with Fulham which has been pushed back a day to Wednesday, February 18, six days before the Inter tie.

Posted MOTD Highlight on pg 1 post 8 [spoiler tag for January 2009]

Huhu, have to start from somewhere.

BTW Derby won the FA cup replay. So they are our next opponent.

---

Added on February 5, 2009, 6:50 amLiverpool just lost the replay. Bad news for us? Since they can concentrate on their 19th.

Sir Alex Ferguson will leave it up to England boss Fabio Capello to decide whether to take Wayne Rooney to Seville for the friendly with Spain.

The Manchester United striker is in Ferguson's squad to face West Ham on Sunday but has already been told he will not be starting the match.

Ferguson revealed the bad weather this week has meant United have done less arduous training sessions than he had hoped, which has cost Rooney the vital edge he needed to start against the Hammers.

The United manager intends to speak with Capello to give the Italian the latest update on Rooney's fitness, but will leave it to the England coach to make the final decision.

Capello is due to name his squad on Saturday evening and Rooney would almost certainly be part of it if the England coach feels he can make a worthwhile contribution.

Indeed, Rooney might actually benefit from a 20-minute substitute appearance, although Ferguson has made it clear that is a decision Capello must take for himself.

"I have not spoken to Fabio but I hope to do so in order to explain the situation," said Ferguson.

"He can then decide after dialogue with the physios whether it is worth taking Wayne to Seville.

"I have no strong issue with that. It is a question of whether he would play or be a substitute, which is the same position as I am in.

"It is up to Fabio. I really have no strong objection to that."

Ferguson also confirmed Gary Neville will miss the West Ham trip with a virus that forced him to come off against Everton last Saturday.

His automatic replacement, Wes Brown, does have a bruised foot, but is expected to play.

Manchester United duo Sir Alex Ferguson and Nemanja Vidic have been named as the Barclays Manager and Player of the Month respectively.

United picked up maximum points from their five matches in the Premier League in January without conceding a single goal, beating Chelsea, Wigan, Bolton, West Brom and Everton.

Vidic produced a string of impressive defensive displays but also contributed at the other end, netting against both Chelsea and West Brom.

The award is Vidic's first monthly player award, while his manager takes the honour for the 22nd time.

Also no Anderson and Nani. Probably Nani is on his way out since we didn't see much his playing.

Edwin van der Sar set a new record for British league football as United secured a vital league win at West Ham.

The Dutchman matched the previous standard for minutes without conceding a goal during the first half at Upton Park. He got there thanks to his fine saves to deny Lucas Neill and Carlton Cole and the gritty defending he's come to expect from his team-mates.

"It's hard work from everybody," said Edwin, when asked for the key to his record.

"I had to make a couple of saves today but the defenders are incredible, how they defend, how they clear the balls... it's a team effort because everybody tracks back.

"It's fantastic record and I'm very happy about it. But what really means a lot at the moment is the win. It was so important, especially after seeing Liverpool win yesterday.

"West Ham away has been a difficult match for us over the years so it's a great result for us to come away from here with three points and another clean sheet.

"The main thing is we're back on top and let's hope we can stay there."

Edwin was speaking to Sky Sports.

Sir Alex Ferguson praised his veteran stars for helping to navigate a tricky trip to West Ham on Sunday and move back to the top of the Premier League table.

It was a case of horses for courses at Upton Park, a historically difficult place for United to visit, requiring exemplary temperament. Ryan Giggs, 35, scored the only goal, set up by 34-year-old Paul Scholes, while Edwin van der Sar, 38, broke the British record for minutes without conceding a goal.

“We felt that, knowing our history with West Ham and this being a difficult ground to come to, we needed our most experienced players,” said Sir Alex after the match.

“Ryan and Paul have been here so many times. They know exactly what this game is all about, they have the temperament to play in these games.”

United’s former Hammers also had an important role to play. “Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand and Carlos Tevez are all former West Ham players, which helps as well,” said the boss. “That helped us to handle this fantastic atmosphere at Upton Park, the fans here really get behind the team here. We’ve beaten a very good team.”

With the title race reaching a crucial phase, it’s the ideal time for United to really hit form away from home, and this win was United’s fifth 1-0 away win of the season.

“We’ve had a lot of crucial 1-0 wins,” admitted Sir Alex, “and down the years we’ve found that scoreline important.

“There has been a lot of focus on the defence because of the clean sheets record, but it doesn’t change the emphasis of the way we play. We had some fantastic possession of the ball and the players on the pitch – Cristiano [Ronaldo], Dimitar [Berbatov], Ryan [Giggs], Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick – all like to attack.

But what the back four are doing is concentrating on their jobs, and we’ve got Edwin van der Sar in goal – he’s a fantastic goalkeeper. I’m proud Edwin has the British record for clean sheets. At his age he’s achieved everything, but you can see the way he’s motivated by the challenge of keeping clean sheets. It’s giving us that extra edge.”