Manchester United Unhappy About Loss

If you`d asked me before the match what result it would be I`d say Manchester United would lose either 1-0 or 2-0, such are the injury problems with the Old Trafford side. After watching the match, though, I reckon the Red Devils are unfortunate not to have got at least a point.

It was the free-kick that shouldn`t have been that got Chelsea`s winner. Frank Lampard's free-kick, Terry's header, and Chelsea take the lead.  Fletcher actually won the ball pretty cleanly, so where did the free-kick come from?

No wonder Fergie was fuming, and Wayne Rooney too. Rooney in fact has been warned by the FA for his `12th man` comment at the end of the match. An obvious reference to referee Martin Atkinson.

Man Utd 3 - 3 CSKA Moscow

Manchester United staged a late rally at Old Trafford to claim a place in the last 16 of the Champions League after CSKA Moscow got close to end their 22-game unbeaten home record in the competition.

Manchester United looked like they would have to wait to seal their place in the knockout phase when they trailed 3-1 with only six minutes remaining.

Wayne Rooney warmed up, much to Old Trafford's delight, but before he entered the action United were denied a clear penalty when Fletcher was felled by Aleksei Berezutski.

Scholes headed home Gary Neville's free-kick with six minutes left, and Valencia capped a trademark grandstand finish when his shot from the edge of the area was deflected off Georgy Shchennikov past Akinfeev.

Manchester United 2 Blackburn 0

Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney lead United to victory in the late kick-off at Old Trafford.

United are second just behind Chelsea.


Liverpool`s hopes took a turn for the worse as they lost at Craven Cottage  3-1 to Fulham.

Good Night On The Pitch But a Bad Night Off For Manchester United

After last night`s crowd trouble at Barnsley the F.A. has confirmed it is investigating the events during the Carling Cup tie between Barnsley and Manchester United at Oakwell.

According to South Yorkshire Police, eight fans were arrested at the match, after trouble flared at half-time. Also, some catering staff were trapped inside a food kiosk and had to barricade themselves in a store room for around half an hour as fans broke in and stole cash and food.

Stewards on the pitch also had food thrown at them during the violence.

That all spoiled a good result for the Red Devils, winning 0-2, though Gary Neville`s sending off was a black mark.

United Disappointing at Anfield

Liverpool`s 2-0 win over Manchester United rescued the Anfield club's season.

Alex Ferguson was again unhappy with the ref, claiming home fans had influenced referee Andre Marriner at key moments of the match. But not even Ferguson could deny that Liverpool merited a result that ended a damaging sequence of four successive defeats and lifted the pressure that had mounted on Benítez.

United are now two points behind Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and Ferguson was unhappy about two incidents involving Jamie Carragher, the first when he challenged Michael Carrick inside the Liverpool area and then when he hauled former Anfield striker Michael Owen to the floor but was only booked.

Going down to 10 men didn`t help United`s cause, but in truth the game even at 1-0 was all but over.

Manchester United Victorious Over Bolton

For the second home game in succession, United were rather close to embarrassment against modest opposition. The defending champions regained pole position in the title race, courtesy of Chelsea's slip-up earlier in the day against Aston Villa.

Without Wayne Rooney, who was injured on international duty, Ferguson paired Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov in attack, and must have been reasonably pleased with the results.

Owen was involved when United took the lead in the fifth minute, but his headed response to Giggs's cross from the left was hardly in the Alan Shearer class and it needed Zat Knight's ill-judged intervention to turn the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Not long after, Valencia scored United`s second.

Bolton were markedly second best for the first 45 minutes, but still should have scored when Kevin Davies, unmarked, headed negligently wide from eight yards.

Bolton hit the gas in the second half had their reward with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, when Neville cleared straight to Kevin Davies, whose cross from the left was nodded in. Suddenly, it was all Bolton and their strong finish could so easily have extended an unbeaten run that stretched back five league games.

Striker Selection Problems For United

Manchester United face a striking problem going into their clash with Bolton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The champions' top scorer Wayne Rooney will miss out due to the calf strain he picked up on England duty while Sir Alex Ferguson also has problems with Dimitar Berbatov.

The 28-year-old is still in Bulgaria following the birth of his daughter and may not arrive back in Manchester in time for the game.

Good news though is that Ferguson has fit-again Michael Owen available for selection after he recovered from a groin problem he picked up just over two weeks ago.