EPL: Manchester United vs. Chelsea Tactical Preview

Manchester United takes on Chelsea at Old Trafford in a game that for many will decide the destination of the English Premier League title for this season.

With just three games to go, the two teams left standing after all the dust has settled are just separated by three points with an equal goal difference.

In other words, whoever wins this game should take the title and when all is said and done, this game for all intents and purposes is a final.

Wayne Rooney Wonder Goal Earns Win For Manchester United Over City In Derby

Wayne Rooney ended Manchester City's slim title hopes at Old Trafford today as Manchester United won 2-1 to move within touching distance of the Premiership trophy. The England striker scored an amazing overhead kick that must be considered one of the greatest goals of the season, or any other season for that matter, as United gained the result their ambitious play deserved.

Wayne Rooney, Alex Ferguson, Manchester Dis-United and Contract Ploys?

The news that Wayne Rooney has told Manchester United that he wants to leave seems to have hit the club like a bolt out of the blue.

However, this has been coming for a long time, as his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson has somewhat soured over the last seven months or so.

EPL Preview 2010-11: Manchester United Always Win After a World Cup

The stars are beginning to align and as if that wasn't enough, Manchester United's preseason form has been bloody ominous.

Wayne Rooney Gamble Has Cost Alex Ferguson and Manchester United the EPL Title

Barely four days since Manchester United exited from the Champions League, and the Wayne Rooney gamble has come back to haunt Sir Alex Ferguson and the Red Devils.

Dropped points to Blackburn Rovers courtesy of a 0-0 draw at Ewood Park have left United needing snookers as they search for that elusive fourth title in a row.

On Wednesday, Sir Alex Ferguson snubbed Dimitar Berbatov not once but twice, first by playing an obviously injured Wayne Rooney ahead of him and then by moving Nani up front when the English international hobbled off. The Bulgarian got to make a cameo appearance with 10 minutes to go after Bayern had snatched the lead on the away goals rule.

It was thoroughly ironic that the wily Scot had to turn to his £31 million signing and ask him to keep Manchester United in the title race against Blackburn.

It is therefore hardly surprising that it did not happen.

During his two years as Manchester United's No. 9, his form has swung from indifferent to inconsistent. His 26 goals in 82 appearances might be a bad return for a centre forward at another club, but at United it verges on meaningless.

Surrounded by the likes of Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Antonio Valencia, and Paul Scholes, Manchester United have been one of the most creative teams on the planet during Berbatov's time and his contribution has been negligible when compared to that of his teammates.

The main problem surrounding Berbatov, and it probably explains why Ferguson signed him, is that people compare him to Eric Cantona.

While the enigmatic Frenchman was a formidable character both in and out of the dressing room and had a big game mentality as far as the Premiership was concerned, Berbatov has allowed the pressure and expectation of playing for a club like United shrink his character. At times he looks like a lost child at Old Trafford.

In the Champions League, Alex Ferguson had a chance to redress this situation. All he had to do was take Berbatov aside, tell him that the season rested on his shoulders and that he was going to lead the team for the next four games.

Basically boost his confidence, build the team around the classy striker, play to his best attributes, instead of Rooney's, while he was out injured.

Instead Ferguson chose to humiliate Berbatov.

A one-legged Wayne Rooney was considered better than the fully fit Bulgarian.

However, it is very hard to have any kind of sympathy for Berbatov.

Whilst wearing the No. 9 jersey he has been poor, failing to live up to expectations, and Ferguson’s overreaction towards him on Wednesday is a result of the player not giving his all for United.

Ferguson’s stance can be completely understood as far as Berbatov is concerned. He deserved to find himself on the bench, but only if Wayne Rooney was fully fit. By leaving the Bulgarian in the dug out, Ferguson has bitten his own nose off despite his face, and then he has the gall to turn to Berbatov against Blackburn!

It was a must win game against Sam Allardyce’s team. Anything less than a win and United’s chances of winning the league would be all but extinguished.

In short, Fergie gambled United’s entire season on Wayne Rooney’s damaged ankle, when he could have gambled it on Berbatov.

Knowing he is not rated or wanted by Alex Ferguson, Dimitar Berbatov spent the afternoon strolling through the game, a self-fulfilling prophecy in person. Waving his arms in angst at wayward passes by teammates and not helping them when they needed it most.

With eight minutes to go the ball dropped kindly for him on the right hand side of the D. He teed it up nicely, but his wayward shot drifted high and wide of the left hand post.

Along with his career at Old Trafford and United’s title dreams.

Alex Ferguson's Rooney Gamble Backfires As Bayern Munich Beat Manchester United in Champions League Quarter Finals

Alex Ferguson gambled on Manchester United's season by picking an unfit Wayne Rooney against Bayern Munich, and like all poor bets, it did not come off as his team snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Louis van Gaal's team. Bayern fought back from 3-0 down to 3-2, putting them through on the away goals rule after the tie had finished at 4-4.

Before the match all the talk was of whether Wayne Rooney would even make the bench. As it was the English international was parachuted into the team in place of the lacklustre Dimitar Berbatov, as Ferguson sent the strongest message possible that he had conceded the English Premier League title to Chelsea and that he had completely lost faith in his Bulgarian striker.

By playing an obviously unfit Rooney, Ferguson gambled that the striker would have enough ammunition to see his team through to the Champions League Semi-Finals with Lyon who beat Bourdeaux 3-2 on aggregate.

It also means that the striker is highly unlikely to be fit enough to play against Blackburn in Ewood Park on Sunday, and knowing his star player was going to miss the next league game it means that Ferguson has pretty much conceded the title to Chelsea as he has no one to replace Rooney's goalscoring feats.

Alex Ferguson rarely gets his team as wrong as he has done so in Manchester United's last two games, two losses to Bayern Munich and Chelsea. Fans of the club had hoped that he was going to pull it out of the bag and send out a team that were going to steamroll Bayern and get their floundering season back on track.

His starting XI for tonights match was highly questionable to say the least.

Rafael came in for Gary Neville which was understandable given the veterans abysmal displays in United's last two games. A half fit Rooney was considered better than a fully fit Berbatov, while the strangest decision of all was Darron Gibson starting in central midfield beside the static Fletcher and Carrick.

With those three in the Red Devils engine room United were always going to find it hard to keep and gain possession of the ball.

Gibson, the young Irish international is an extremely limited footballer. He is quite slow, is not a great passer of the ball, lacks creativity, and finds it hard to close down the opposition. Saying that, he does possess an absolute rocket in his right foot and it was his calm finish in the third minute that put United into the driving seat.

Valencia's quick break from midfield and his ball into the centre found it's way to Rooney who teed it up for Gibson on the edge of the box. His side footed finish found it's way into the bottom corner and United were in front 1-0 on the night.

Four minutes later and Luis Nani put United 2-0 up as the Red Devils threatened to run riot in the first ten minutes. Bayern Munich looked shell-shocked but their experience gave them a foothold in the match as the half wore on.

Valencia again the provider as his whipped cross was met perfectly by the little Portuguese who backflicked the ball expertly into the far post. Nani making up for his poor performance in Munich last week.

The subtlest of changes happened to the tide of the game in the 24th minute as Rafael flicked out a boot to catch Mark van Bommel after the Dutchman had fouled him. A yellow card was the reward for the most selfish and impudent of actions by the young Brazilian.

One minute later and Wayne Rooney showed the first signs of how unfit he actually was as he started hobbling.

As the half wore on United began to tire from the exertions of applying so much pressure and Bayern eked out their first real chance as Edwin van der Sar saved brilliantly and bravely at Muller's feet.

From the clearance United managed to gain possession as Rafael threw the ball to Valencia. The muscular winger easily fought off the attentions of the fantastically named Budstuber and his perfect cross was met by Nani who fired home his second and United's third.

A sea of red scarves melted in with yellow and green as United's fans tore the roof off Old Trafford. At 3-0 up the Red Devils were as good as through, and it would take United to take their foot off the pedal, combine it with good luck for Bayern, bad decisions by the referee, and world class finishing to deny them on this European night...

Less than one minute later and Michael Carrick served up the first part by completely switching off and allowing the workaholic Ivica Olic through. His finish from the tightest of angles giving Bayern the slimmest of hopes as the two teams went in for half time.

That glimmer became a beacon on 50 when Rafael fouled Franck Ribery to earn himself a second yellow card and a sending off. In previous times the referee might have been allowed to use common sense and just award the free-kick with a warning for the young Brazilian, but the letter of the law decrees that the offence carries a card, and the devastated youngster, who was always a liability, walked off the pitch morosely.

United re-jigged, Rooney came off, Nani went up front by himself, John O'Shea came on at right full, and Berbatov stayed on the bench...

It was the bitterest of blows to lose Rooney with an aggravation of his injury, and it will be in the lap of the Gods to see how quickly he returns. Without him, Manchester United are simply not the same team.

All Bayern needed was one more goal. The wind was in their sails, they were up against a United team who had stopped playing completely and their midfield was non-existant. Surely a goal was only a matter of time in coming?

Sensing they were trapped, United sat back and allowed Bayern to come onto them. Only using the outball provided by Nani with rare occasion.

Ribery and Gomez both went close as van der Sar and the crossbar saved United in quick succession. By this stage Manchester United were beaten in everything but the scoreline.

Players like Carrick, Gibson, Nani, and Valencia were little more than spectators as Bayern's greater desire and mobility took over. The goal they deserved and craved came from the boot of the imperious Arjen Robben with 15 minutes to go.

A deep corner by Ribery was met by an unmarked Robben on the edge of the box, he positioned himself perfectly and met the volley with perfection and crispness, and the ball found it's way into the bottom corner of the far post with van der Sar rooted to the spot. There is not a 'keeper in the world that would have been capable of saving the shot.

With the scores at 3-2 on the night, 4-4 on aggregate, Bayern Munich were through on the away goals rule. Ferguson had one last throw of the dice and turned to the player he had snubbed to save his season. Dimitar Berbatov.

It is hardly surprising to see that the Bulgarian's influence was negligible after Ferguson's message without words.

In the end Bayern closed out the game in the kind of professional manner that United should have shown at 3-0 up. It leaves us with a Champions League semi final bereft of English talent for the first time since 2003.

It is a sad night for fans of English football and more importantly, fans of Manchester United.

United were incredibly poor in the final against Barcelona last year and needed to rebuild their team in almost every position.

Carlos Tevez, enjoying life at Manchester City, was allowed to leave while Dimitar Berbatov was kept at the club. Tonight Ferguson all but admitted that he let the wrong player leave.

For some time now Manchester United's midfield have been in decline. The incredibly important central berth is populated by players who are either too old or too static to influence matches of the highest calibre. Tonight they were found out yet again.

Nemanja Vidic obviously wants to leave the club, Ferdinand and Neville have aged terribly this season, and van der Sar, who has been brilliant all year, is old and needs to be replaced.

In short Manchester United are in trouble. Given their financial predicament and the imminent rise of Manchester City, it might be no exaggeration to see United relapse into previous malady and go some years without another trophy.

The warning signs are there for all to see and while the Red Devils still have a chance at winning the league this year, the malaise needs to be repaired and the only thing that will do that is a cold hard cash injection.

Alex Ferguson Contributes To Manchester United's Downfall in Munich

Bayern Munich took partial revenge on Manchester United tonight by beating them 2-1 at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League after Ivica Olic scored a dramatic 93rd-minute winner.

However, although Bayern deserved their win, Alex Ferguson must hold his hand up and accept that he contributed greatly to his team's demise.

Just as Ferguson's substitutions turned that now famous game in 1999, his changes tonight were equally as poor, handing the impetus and control on midfield directly to Louis van Gaal's team.

Manchester United were given a dream start when Nani was brought down at the corner flag by the clumsy Demichelis, who had a nightmare first half.

The little Portuguese winger picked himself up off the ground to fire in a free kick that a completely unmarked Wayne Rooney met to volley home in the Bayern six-yard box after Demichelis had slipped and lost his footing.

Sixty-six seconds in and the procession that many believed would happen was well under way.

Something changed in United's setup though. The team began to defend very deeply, rendering much of its own penetrative forces useless, as the likes of Patrice Evra could not get out of his own half.

On the other side of the pitch, a terrified Gary Neville was brought face-to-face with one of the most frightening sights in football: Franck Ribery tearing down the wing at full pace.

The fact that Nani was operating in front of him on the right didn't help Neville's cause, after Ferguson decided to leave the much better and far more effective Antonio Valencia on the bench. Perhaps he was resting him for Sunday's crucial clash with Chelsea.

It was just one of the Scot's many questionable decisions that went wrong on the night.

As Bayern began to gain a stranglehold in midfield, Rooney became an isolated figure up front. Nani, Scholes, and Carrick became peripheral figures as Marc van Bommell orchestrated midfield beautifully.

The Dutch star may be coming to the end of his career, but he has a phenomenal football brain and always manages to be in the right place or pick the right pass. He possesses the strength and stamina to back it up.

With him providing the foundation, the likes of Ribery and Altintop were free to bomb forward and troubled a brilliant Edwin van der Sar on more than one occasion.

Sensing that this United team was not of '99 vintage, Bayern stepped up a couple of gears.

The game was in real danger of slipping away. Ferguson was forced to act—he brought off Park and Carrick for Berbatov and Valencia.

They were curious moves for a couple of reasons.

Playing with five in the middle, United's midfield were already being overrun, so the decision to bring on Berbatov and go 4-4-2 was strange to say the least.

While Park was having a quiet game, he was far better than Nani. By bringing Valencia on, he moved Nani out left and made three changes for the price of two, never a good move when you are under pressure.

By going 4-4-2, a legless Paul Scholes was left with a demoralised Fletcher in United's engine room. Bayern just steamrolled past them.

United's static midfield has caused them problems in every game, which has raised questions. Van Gaal deserves huge credit for exploiting them, when other managers are often afraid to take the initiative.

A far more sensible approach would have been to remove Neville for Rafael and replace Nani with Valencia.

United would have kept the same formation. But they would have replaced the wheelbarrow-slow Neville with a much younger model and replaced Nani for a much better player, who wouldn't be afraid to work either end of the field.

But with Ferguson's substitutions made, Bayern duly took over.

Seven minutes later, they scored the equalizer they deserved after Ribery's free kick was deflected past van der Sar and off Rooney.

In a cowardly move, the England striker turned his back on the ball as it left Ribery's boot.

It is a cardinal sin in football to turn your back on the ball, especially in a free kick. You just don't know where the ball is going to go. Nine times out of 10, the deflection gives the ball a dipped trajectory that 'keepers find impossible to judge.

Besides, when you're on as much as Rooney, taking a ball in the face is all part of the game.

The free kick was initially awarded after a punch-drunk Neville fisted the ball away from Ribery with the referee less than five yards away—incredibly poor defending by the player many feel is the best right full ever to play in England.

It was a night to forget for Neville and one that will linger long in both his and Ferguson's minds.

And one thing is for sure: Ronaldinho of AC Milan is no Ribery.

The goal spurred Bayern on even more as Die Roten went chasing a winner.

Staring defeat straight in the eye, Ferguson played the only card he had left and took Nani off for Ryan Giggs.

It was too little too late though. Ivica Olic stepped up in the 93rd minute to coolly slip the ball past van der Sar for a winner that will go a little way to eradicating the memory of 1999.

Olic pounced onto the ball after a schoolboy error by Patrice Evra, who could not control the ball. He took far too many touches with the striker in close attendance, the end result being Bayern's winner.

Insult was added to that injury-time winner when Rooney appeared to twist his ankle awkwardly. It would now appear that the United striker will miss Sunday's crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Ferguson had spoken before the match of how he valued an away goal more than a clean sheet, and perhaps this mindset had seeped into the team.

The tie is delicately poised, but Bayern will be a far different animal in the return leg when Arjen Robben returns to the fold.

Rooney's season is now in the balance, and so is United's.

Share

Manchester United vs. Liverpool: EPL Destiny on the Line for Both Clubs

Manchester United and Liverpool meet at Old Trafford this Sunday in a game that will almost certainly define their seasons.

If United loses, they will lose ground in the title race, while a loss for Liverpool will increase the mounting pressure on their beleaguered manager, Rafael Benitez.



Ferguson the Wily Manager

For many reasons, it is probably the wrong time for Liverpool to be traveling to the white-hot cauldron of Old Trafford. Having dispatched AC Milan 4-0 with childlike ease last Wednesday, Fulham then walked into the lion's den—and were duly sent packing with a 3-0 drubbing.

In short, United are on song—and they are very much the team you do not want to travel to at this stage of the season. One of the most vital elements of Alex Ferguson's coaching acumen is his uncanny ability to get his team to peak as we enter the business end of the league.

His team has stepped up a gear during the last couple of weeks—since Everton beat them 3-1—and not since 2002 have they managed to score as many goals in one season: 70 in 30 games. And you have to go all the way back to January to find the last goal they conceded at home.

Wayne Rooney has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the season, and he has carried the team through games when it looked as if this title challenge was going to slip away before it really started.

Much to Ferguson's credit, other players have begun to share in the burden Rooney has carried for so long. Antonio Valencia, despite a quiet start to his Red Devils career, has been brilliant since November.

Paul Scholes still defies Father Time and produces performances that players half his age would die for, and Dimitar Berbatov is finally beginning to give regular quality performances.

If he can keep this up, United's attack will be simply frightening as the end of the season draws in.

Park Ji-Sung has continued his selfless existence in the United midfield—and given his recent form and phenomenal honesty on the pitch, it is almost impossible to see him out of the side to face Liverpool this weekend.



United's Predicted Starting Lineup

Edwin Van Der Sar is guaranteed to start in goal. Since his return to the United starting lineup, they have managed to keep five clean sheets in eight games—no small coincidence.

Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic will also start—and it will be very interesting to see how the giant Serbian stands up to the power and pace of one Fernando Torres, who always seems to give him a torrid time. Rio Ferdinand should partner Vidic at the back, so the only real question is who Fergie will start at right full.

Given the options, it will either be Gary Neville or Rafael. Despite Neville having a field day against Ronaldinho, who managed to make the United man look 21 again, he should not play. His legs are gone at this level, and the pace his protege will provide could be key to United shackling Torres.

The next big question is whether Ferguson will start with four or five in midfield. Again, the system Benitez has always employed dictates that the Scot has to match him man- for-man—and for that reason, I see United going 4-5-1, which means Berbatov will start on the bench.

Valencia, Park, Fletcher, and Carrick will all start—be it in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1—so the only question remains for midfield: Scholes or Nani?

The importance of the game would suggest that Ferguson will go with tried and trusted over flair and unpredictability—with Scholes getting the nod over Nani.

That leaves Rooney as the lone striker. This season, he has really come to the fore as a world-class talent—and now the other players look to him to not only make things happen, as before, but also to dig them out of their holes, too.

His industry and honesty mean he will always be a threat for this Liverpool defence—which is blessed with neither the speed nor the strength to combat the United front man.

A win for United would serve as a huge psychological boost as the intensity of their run reaches fever pitch—and it would set them up nicely to welcome Chelsea two weeks later.



Tough Times for Liverpool and Rafa

Liverpool, for their part, have had their worst season in living memory. Dumped out of the Champions League before Christmas and losing 15 matches in one season, the high- spending Anfield outfit now faces the extra embarrassment of missing out on the Champions League completely.

This is a must-win game for Rafael Benitez and his lacklustre side. Lose and the odds of them finishing fourth will increase exponentially—and despite Thursday's 3-0 win over Lille, the Reds flattered to deceive on the night, and they have yet to turn the corner on a miserable season.

This game not only provides that corner, but it also resembles a last chance for the Reds.

Should Liverpool lose and their rivals win, the points difference would almost certainly be too much for them to bridge, given there are so few games left to play.



Liverpool's Predicted Starting Lineup

Pepe Reina is the only player who has lived up to his billing this year, and without him between the sticks, it is frightening to think of what could have happened to Liverpool's season.

Glen Johnsen will start at right full, with Park most probably his opposite number. It will be interesting to see how the duo combat each other and how United look to break the indiscipline of the defender—or whether he will stay loyal to Rafa's orders and guard the "bank."

Emiliano Insua should start on the left. So far this season, his performances have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. The Argentinian youngster is not blessed with pace— and as such, he must choose his forward forays carefully. The enemy he faces on Sunday will be ruthless and swift should he stray out of position too often.

Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, and Kryiagkos will battle it out for the central berths, but the Greek international should at least find himself on the bench.

As ever, Javier Mascherano will shield the back four, with the only question for Rafa being Lucas or Aquilani. Looking at the season, it is clear that the Spaniard prefers the creatively numb Brazilian—but he will offer a defensive mind and honesty that the Italian is incapable of offering in the middle.

Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun, and Ryan Babel will battle it out for the two wide positions as a fully fit midfield should provide Rafa with plenty of questions—except for Albert Riera, that is...

Steven Gerrard and Torres will act as link and striker, and the key to unlocking United will fall to this pair—as it almost does in every match.

So far this year, Gerrard has been a shadow of his former self—and he will be looking to improve upon that poor form as the World Cup gets closer. He is no longer the untouchable player he was—and given the right circumstances, he could find himself outside Fabio Capello's starting XI for Aston Villa's James Milner.

Not only does this game represent a turning point in Liverpool's season, but it also represents a turning point in Gerrard's season.

Torres, who unbelievably finds himself on the bench for Spain, will be the key for Liverpool. His Indian sign over Vidic is sure to be on the mind of the Serbian—and it would not be unusual to see Liverpool try to isolate Vidic early on.



Only One Winner?

Looking at the form book, one could only pick United as a winner of this game. But these matches notoriously have their own style of ecosystems and are literally impossible to call.

For instance, no one would have predicted that Liverpool would have destroyed United 4-1 in this fixture last season.

When push comes to shove, I expect Manchester United to have too much for Liverpool in this game.

United will push their wide players right down onto Liverpool's full backs—but with Liverpool pretty much employing a defensive eight and trying to catch teams on the break, they will contribute to their own lack of ambition.

That will leave United's midfield to pick up Gerrard in an effort to snuff out their one consistent creative source in midfield.

Saying all that, Liverpool will fight tooth and nail for every inch of ground—and the onus will be put on the likes of Fletcher and Carrick to create something out of nothing as the Reds will leave no blade of grass unguarded.

Almost too difficult to call, but it is hard to see United not scoring...

Share

Wayne Rooney Is Better and More Important for Manchester United than Ronaldo Ever Was

Wayne Rooney is in the form of his life. The 24-year-old has single-handedly kept Manchester United in the title hunt this season with a string of phenomenal performances. And while Ronaldo's presence may be missed, it is Rooney who is now proving to be the Real Deal at United.

When Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee of £80 million, many thought Manchester United's chances of retaining their title were gone with the Portuguese. No doubt United have missed him, but Rooney has stepped up to the mark in unbelievable fashion.

Wayne Rooney: The Key Player for Fabio Capello as England Qualify for World Cup

It was going to take something special from the not-so-special Croats to deny England at Wembley tonight, but judging by this performance nothing was going to deny Fabio Capello's team a deserved place in South Africa next year.

"Seven-Man" United Come Undone Against Fulham and the Title Race Is Back On

Manchester United gave Liverpool every chance to get back into the title hunt with an inept display against Fulham at Craven Cottage today. After the manner of the defeat to Liverpool last weekend, Alex Ferguson saw fit to recall his "old" guns to the team only to be let down by Paul Scholes who was sent off.

Wayne Rooney, who had come on as a substitute for the deplorable Dimitar Berbatov, was also sent off while United were losing 2-0 and with that went any chance of result...