Team News For Roma

 

 As the anticipation begins to build ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter final first leg against Roma, the Manchester United team news has begun to filter through the grapevine. The biggest surprise is perhaps that both Louis Saha and Darren Fletcher have both been included in the squad.

Both Fletcher and Saha were expected to be out until late April, if not for the rest of the season, so it has come as a welcome surprise that they have been included in the squad. Neville, Vidic, Evra and Silvestre are all still on the injured list. Ji-Sung Park is also out as a result of a knee injury sustained at the weekend against Blackburn.

The return of two first teamers is also welcome, but this shoudl really boost the squad and hopefully spur them on to victory.

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Manchester United vs. Middlesbrough Review

United were successful in extending their lead at the top of the Premiership pile to six-points courtesy of a Darren Fletcher header to win the tie 2-1! It was all square before then as Louis Saha’s 19th minute penalty had been cancelled out by Morrison minutes earlier.

The game wasn’t without it’s share of controversy though, as Cristiano Ronaldo, of all people, decided to go down from a challenge from Mark Schwarzer early in the first half around the 20th minute mark. The replays suggested their was all but no contact on the United winger but the ref took the bait and gave United a penalty. Personally, it was a bit of a surprise to see Louis Saha step up to take the pen as he was most definitely the last person I was expecting to step. But I guess, it was a nice way to lay his recent ghosts to rest with a nicely taken pen this time around to give us the lead.

More importantly than anything else for me, was the way we dominated them and imposed our own style of play and stamped authority on the game. It reminded me of those title-winning years when we just could not stop winning, and it seems some of that attitude is back into the Red Army again! Although Boro did enjoy a couple of chances and yes, the game was a bit end-to-end but there was no real threat to Van der Sar and we were comfortable, if only 2-1, winners in the end.

Just as Jamie Morrison had cancelled out Saha’s opener for United in the 66th minute, it literally took minutes for us to go on the offensive again and Giggs’s perfect left-wing cross, after a sweeping move, found Darren Fletcher whose header was strong and perfectly directed to score our second and hand the advantage back to Fergie’s boys. It was nothing less than we deserved and Fletcher continued his string of impressive performances for United of late.

I know the press has been going on about the Ronaldo incident but with the way we played out there, I would’ve bet ten grand we would’ve won the tie anyway! Hail the Red Army!

Other Reports: BBC, Soccernet.

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Manchester United vs. Everton Review

United eased to YET another win in the Premier League as Everton left Old Trafford with nothing but a sad face wondering what hit them. To be fair, the scoreline does flatter to deceive but how many teams have been complaining of late for not taking our chances and all. Justice is served in my opinion and it was coming sooner or later. The Toffees had it coming to them and we delivered the sucker punch when we needed to.

Fergie did surprise me enormously with the amount of changes he made. We virtually had a second-string midfield out there, not that they aren’t good enough, just that we haven’t had the best of outings whenever they’ve been playing recently. The likes of Richardson,  Fletcher and O’Shea did extremely well to adapt and find their feet soon enough. Although, United were a little slow off the foot but understandably so but like I said, the players settled and we got into our rhythum soon enough.

Ronaldo scored from a piledriver from 20 odd yards out before the break with Evra doubling the advantage after it. O’Shea made it 3-0 at the death, although Toffees did deserve better to be honest. So, the all-important three points in the bag and a trip to the Teeside awaits us this weekend. The Red Army go marching on!

Other Reports: BBC, Soccernet.

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