Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United side against turning a blip into a slump after defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool in the past 10 days. But the 69-year-old manager was in positive mood on finally breaking a week-long silence ahead of United’s FA Cup fifth round tie with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
However, Ferguson could be without 10 first team players for the Londoners’ visit, including winger Nani who suffered a serious gash to his left leg following Jamie Carragher’s high tackle last weekend. United will once against be without key defender Rio Ferdinand, whose calf injury now appears more serious than first thought. Meanwhile Jonny Evans, midfielders Park Ji-Sung, Anderson, and Antonio Valencia will all miss out.
Despite recent setbacks and the lengthy injury list, which may mean a recall for forgotten Frenchman Gabriel Obertan, Ferguson says he is looking forward to the challenge of competing on three fronts as the season draws to a close.
“We’ve got to look forward now. There are big opportunities at this club and we have a lot of challenges ahead of us for the rest of the season,” Ferguson said on Friday.
“We have the experience to recover. It’s happened a few times here and, at any club, you never go through a season where everything is rosy. When you get the bad moments you have to recover from it.
“It’s another day in the history of Manchester United and you take that history into games. The ability to do that over the years is a tremendous credit to every team we’ve had here.”
Indeed, the match takes on increasing significance for both teams after the events of the past fortnight, in which United’s defeats have been matched by the Londoners. Just 13 days ago Arsène Wenger’s outfit was challenging on four fronts. Defeat on Saturday evening will leave Arsenal chasing United’s tails in the Premier League as the club’s sole focus.
Although Ferguson said he will play his strongest side – words echoed by his opposite number – the Scot must also take Tuesday’s tie with Marseille into account. Still, with United having failed to win the FA Cup in nearly seven years, few of his squad have cup final experience.
“It’s interesting, for example, to see that Rio has never won an FA Cup medal, which I’m surprised about,” adds Ferguson.
“So it is an opportunity for these players. The incentive for both teams is a semi-final and you always like to take your team to Wembley. I don’t entirely agree with semi-finals being played at Wembley. Nonetheless, it is Wembley, so it’s a smashing incentive for everyone.”
Ferguson will also choose between strikers Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernández; the Scot normally deploys a lone forward against Arsenal with three supporting from central midfield. It suggests that Rooney will be deployed in a wide role, with Ferguson short of wingers for the match. Nani will miss at least a fortnight, while Antonio Valencia is not yet ready for first team action despite the Ecuadorian’s return to training.
“Obviously it was a disgraceful tackle, we know that, but you just move on,” added Ferguson of Carragher’s studs-up challenge.
“There’s nothing we can do about it now. The wound was too wide. We sent him to the hospital to see what they could do and our own doctor and the surgeon there managed to get it stitched up, which was fantastic, the best news we could have. The alternative would have been to wait and just let it heal but the problem with that is infection.”
Meanwhile, Wenger must do without inspirational captain Cesc Fabregas, after the Spaniard came off in the Gunners’ defeat to Barcelona last week. Wojciech Szczesny, Theo Walcott, Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen will also miss the trip north.
It’s a match in which United is looking for a seventh consecutive unbeaten league and cup match against the Londoners, including a fourth consecutive victory. United beat Arsenal 4-0 on the last FA Cup meeting between the sides three years ago. And despite two defeats on the road against Chelsea and Liverpool in the past 10 days, United has won the last eight at Old Trafford.
More important still – Saturday’s victor will enter the final phase of the season with a distinct psychological advantage over its direct Premier League title rivals.
Opposition
Arsenal – 433 – Almunia; Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy; Diaby, Wilshere, Denilson; Nasri, Van Persie, Arshavin. Subs from: Bendtner, Rosicky, Squillaci, Chamakh, Eboue, Ramsey, Gibbs, Miquel, Henderson.
United
United – 433 – Lindegaard; O’Shea, Vidic, Smalling, Evra; Gibson, Fletcher, Carrick; Rooney, Berbatov, Obertan. Subs from: Kuzszazk, Gibson, Bébé, , Fabio da Silva, Hernández, Tunnicliffe, King, Carrick, Rafael da Silva, Owen, Brown, Scholes, van der Sar, Giggs.
Officials
Referee: Chris Foy
Assistant referees: Adam Watts and John Flynn
Fourth official: Mark Halsey
Form
United – WWDWLL
Arsenal – WDWLDL
Alot will ride on how much both managers rotate their line up. Got to say Vermaelen has been a massive miss for Arsenal this season. He gives them a bit more bite at cb.
Valencia starts…hmm
On our patch, with Arsenals midfiled limitations, I think we must go for broke.
I’d rather be cavalier and lose, than grind out a hard fought win.
With Marseille due on Tuesday… we could due without having to chase a losing cause… go for the win, try and attack them out of the game… if we can get a 2/3 goal lead, then we can rest one or two for Tuesday… if it all goes tits up, and we get blown away, then we can say fuck it, and do the same.
I’m just not that fussed over the FA Cup these days… if we had the team that we should have, then fine, I’d like us to try and win everything… but we are not a great side right now… must stick to our priorities.
sheesh and herbies confirmed team news
VAN de SAR
VIDIC FERDINAND SMALLING EVRA
VALENCIA RAFAEL FABIO NANI
BERBATOV HERNANDEZ
haha its not far wrong, rafa and fabio on the wings
van der Sar
Brown
Smalling
Vidic
Evra
Rafael
O’Shea
Gibson
Fabio
Rooney
Hernandez
Bloody hell!
lol
thats a crazy team.. beat 3-1
Looking forward to seeing Rafael and Fabio man the wings if that’s where they play! Whippets!
Fucking hell Oshea an Gibend in midfield
All time low TBF
Obertan and Bebe clearly in the dog house at this point. Fergie would rather play a right back and left back on the wings than them.
Interesting selection, could be either a masterstroke or certain suicide! More interesting though, Valencia is on the bench, would love to see him come on and do well.
i think thats a pretty strong line up
the midfield is where its going to be decided and obviously carrick and fletcher are being rested for tuesday – not that the former needs resting since he does little during the games he has played
still, i’m hopeful that with the crowd behind them, this team should be ok tonight
2-1 Arse – they are virtually full strength
INJURIES OR NO INJURIES FERGUSON,GILL AND THE GLAZERS SHOULD BE FUCKING ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES THIRD RICHEST CLUB IN THE WORLD WHAT A JOKE GET HAMMERED TODAY WITH THAT TEAM JOKE
Thing is… against Arsenals midfield… that might actually work… there’s no point in trying to be clever… Arsenals midfiled, could piss all over the best we could throw out there… as far as passing the ball goes.
Scholes, chasing shadows, would be knackered in ten minutes, Carrick would fuck off to chat with VDS, but I wonder what’s wrong with Fletcher.
REMINDS ME OF MY FIRST SEASON TICKET 89/90 SEASON THAT TEAM DOES FUCKING SHITE
Fabio to Rafa… that would have been great.
Fletcher, Scholes, Berbatov, Valencia… all being saved for Tuesday…
Nope… our midfiled is shit, and Rooney is dropping further and further back to get involved.
GET INNNN
Finally
OHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHH!!!
What a ball from Fabio…
Class ball from Rooney, great run Hernandez, he just peeled off
We needed to score first to pull of this formation and this shit midfield
Rooney dropping deep into midfield is helping
It’s still very early, but you’ve got to say… it looks like Fergie has found a couple of real gems in the twins.
brilliant frm the twins.. 33-1 first goal not bad fora winger
now lets go for the throat no sitting back.
LOL… Tel…
Do you you do anything, without first checking the odds?
Nice one Rooney
Rooooonaaaaaaayyyy!!!
get in there rooney .. what a tackle
When Arsenal have the ball Rooney is actually in midfield
Thank fuck n all
Fuck me… did you lot see that?
Gibson was running…
Smalling is top draw
smaling on the atack.. im starting to love that cunt
Took the words right out of my mouth Sid
Not bad… strange fuckin team, but it’s putting in the graft.
Good half
We’ve played an endless number of early balls trying to hit Hernandez & the twins
Bypassing midfield aka Gibson & O’Shea is a good idea
I’m enjoying this: Smalling, the twins, and Hernandez are all looking really exciting players.
And as daft as that line-up looked on paper they doing the business the twins on the wings are like little terriers harrying like hell. Arsenal as usual pretty but no end product.
Da Silva brothers are something else. They keep it simple with their distribution and put a big shift in. Class!
think thats the value in the market lord ferg keeps talking about
Can somebody tell Gibson to ASK for the ball!! Goodness me. Why the heck is he so afraid? He has shown that he can actually pass penetratively but he has no boldness to take the ball out of the defence.
Rooney should hold a better shape. He goes too deep. He needs to just be slightly ahead of Gibson and O’Shea so we can get it to him better. Denilson and Wilshere have too much time on the ball. Not sure if we can see this out.
So far so good then. Arsenal’s biggest problem is their apparent fear of scoring scrappy goals! It amazes me that with all that’s at stake they’re still trying too hard to play pretty and walk the ball into the net, if they learned to play the simple pass once in a while they could probably make a game of this, as it stands though I can only see United getting a stronger grip on the game.
I’m blaming the Glazers for this great half.
im pretty sure rooney has been ordered to stay deep and help out a weak midfield, if he wasnt there we would be totatlly overrun, things are ok at the minute
“Denilson and Wilshere have too much time on the ball.”
I think that’s partly why Rooney keeps dropping back… Gibson and O’Shea need help…
…they shouldn’t…
…but…
…well…
…they’re shit.
hasnt been great, we have still been outplayed at home
Valencia coming on for one of the twins.
Valencia on… for who?
Ah… Fabio…
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
Does Valencia still have his pace
Does he still have his nerve?
Fuck me how did VDS keep that out switch on lads switch fucking on.
Went to sleep at the back then
Gibson jogged back to goal
Get innnnnnnn!!!
That boy Rooney
roooney… get in
Wao!!! Did not see that coming..
So fucking easy
They just don’t get close to Rooney. They let him head it in. It’s fucking laughable
Gibson passes it, then stops, like his work his done
Move you stupid big lump cunt, look for it
Smalling is going to be amazing.
For all the complaining about some of the rubbish signings Ferguson’s made… he’s got a great eye for defenders…
Valencia is looking OK as well after that injury and lay off.
Epic from Vidic
Fucking biblical interception from him
WTF???
Rafa was doing great on the wing… why move him into the middle, and Rooney out left?
Why not shift Rooney into the middle, where he can have more of the ball, and shift Rafa to the left?
I just do not understand Ferguson, (or is it Phelan) sometimes…
Wenger going for it
If they nick a goal it’ll be squeaky bum time
Then again Alf after that change we got the second so the old bugger must know what he is doing.
I think Rafael was just knackered, that’s why he put him in the middle?
how ive missed valencias first time balls into te box, catches everyone out
Nice try from Rooney a corner
Having Valencia back is like signing a new player! Lol
One thing this game has shown us is that a Brazillian is better than a Arshavin.
Don’t forget to tip your waitress…
Chamakh should score there
tbf VDS has kept us in it too, a lot of good saves from him today. Legend.
Man of the Match without a doubt today
Fuck off, almost
That was bloody close
VDS has been immense today.
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
8 minutes added
same when Park “I love Dog Kebab@ comes back
FFs Wayne
arseal have fuck al to lose now, why are they not flying at us?
3-0 would be really fucking nice
And justified
jaysus rooney
rooney ffs
VDS man of the match
they just have no cutting edge at all without Fabregas.
scholes lol.
scholes telling wilshere to fuck off like the little gay boy cunt he is – FUCK OFF WANKSHREE AND YOU BITCH ASS TWITTER ACCOUNT
HOW IS YOUR QUAD NOW YOU LITTLE FAGGOT
Lol Scholes
What the fuck is he doing
Scholes… WHAT the FUCK?
Scholes was lucky the daft bugger
And then he plays a ball like that.
Commentators are on about Arsenal missing chances… We should have scored 6
again so fucking close this game has been a pleasure to watch and that pass from Scholsey.
little pea ffs.
after all that aggro, Scholes suddenly booted the ball up the left right onto Rooney’s boot to set up that great chance for Hernandez. The way he did it you’d think he was kicking it into row Z. In terms of pure skill, Scholes has almost peerless.
LOL SCHOLES – hahahhahahahaha
NASRI DID A LITTLE FRENCH WANK ROAR LAST WEEK – now has been wupped into shape like the french skid encrusted ugly undie he is. FUCK OFF you smelly frog.
media still pissed off that they got fingered by barca despite their tippy tappy “triangles”
Chris Smalling?? What a footballer he is. We have our next skipper sorted there after Vida.
And the best thing about this game the lads are fighting and giving it there all. 2 – 0 against Arsenal I never expected VDS, Rooney and Smalling were absolutely brilliant and the rest were just as good as well.
Instead of the dire shite weve been served recently this was a joy and fun to watch especially after we went 1 – 0 up.
Wenger’s quad dream down the shitter
Class result
Scoring first was vital, Rooney in the midfield in the first half was n all
Arsenal were second best. I hope that’s in their minds during the title run in
will be as good as rio – and could be the best defender this country has ever produced and even the best in the world.
taller and faster than rio and the leadership qualities will come in time.
plays the ball forward more times in this game than carrick has done all season.
That was class!! Even Gibson was worth a 7!
VDS will be as hard to replace as Big Pete.
Smalling and Vidic were outstanding.
Midfield was rubbish, but it didn’t seem to matter… how the fuck does that work?
Rooney was great… all over the bloody pitch… wish he didn’t have to do that though.
We’re through, and it wasn’t too taxing… bring on Marseille.
that’s three tophies gone in what 12 days, Wenger must be shitting bricks. board room needs to see a return on the Effiminates costs too ..
surely this has to fuck their heads up now?
And he’s what? Only 21, I think… no one had ever heard of him a year ago… look how much he’s come on… I think he’ll get a lot better yet…
Too be honest though, I still prefer my Captains in midfield.
guess it’s the main point that if you have a leader in the middle of the park, then that compensates massively – here we had Rooney and everyone seemed to tick off him and want to put a shift in like the Shrek man 100% of the time does.
maybe Gibson is turning a corner – he can;t be blind to all the public criticism by fans and media of his performances.
loved the trick of putting the two twins on – energy, buzz, vitality and youth – and more importantly, south american bollocks; not like that fake brazilian punk Anderson
Fabio and Rafael were brilliant in midfield, really exciting to watch them with Rooney and Hernandez.
strange line up, but it worked. i liked seeing the twins on the flanks. they didnt have to worry that much about their defensive duties and i thought they did quite well. great understanding between the two. i wonder if this is just a one off, or if we’ll see more of it
smalling, vidic and VDS were brilliant. we’ll miss the old man when he hangs up his gloves.
our non existent central midfield continues. i dont care if we need to drop a couple hundred million quid. fergie needs to sort it out. watching scholes play a couple of breath-taking 30-40yard passes, just stresses how good we could be with a pair of decent players in the middle, than the rubbish we currently play in there.
Lol some of your posts crack me up
The central midfield didn’t matter because we kept bypassing it by playing quick, long balls to forwards. Gibson had very little to do. I noticed the cunt walking a lot and not looking for the ball. That could have been costly.
But I mean, what we’ve done today takes the piss; we’ve beaten Arsenal with a midfield of O’Shea & Gibson
“But I mean, what we’ve done today takes the piss; we’ve beaten Arsenal with a midfield of O’Shea & Gibson”
Funniest thing i’ve seen in a while!!!!
Fabio and Rafael should be in the 18 for every game from now on. Hernandez and Smalling put in very mature displays too. Valencia looked really sharp.
Probably the best performance of the season, especially considering the team we put out.
missed some chances but so did they
a good game to watch and valencia showing some promise
Like how Scholes left his calling card at the end!
Valencia played like he hasn’t been out for 6 months. Van der Sar was sublime today.
Special mention to the Arsenal fans who came in their numbers and managed to sing 4 songs in the entire game, 2 of which were variations of ‘Arsenal’, that fucking annoying ‘Samir Nasri song’ and ‘we won the league in Manchester’.
6 years, you London cunts.
Yep like at the Emirates how there are banners listing the trophies and the years they were won
obviously a longer banner than our massive neighbours
Massive club!
tbf, our best performance of the season considering o’shea and gibson were in midfield with no recognised wingers etc
arsenal…perpetual bottlers
You guys like my team? Its the best thing SAF done all season. Must play the twins in midfield, more energy and very creative. I will put it to you again:
VAN de SAR
VIDIC FERDINAND SMALLING EVRA
VALENCIA RAFAEL FABIO NANI
ROONEY HERNANDEZ.
SUBS: BERBATOV, PARK, ANDERSON, FLETCHER, BROWN, BEBE.
I included Bebe beause what I’m hearing from the players, Bebe does some great stuff in training and SAF has made the same comments. So I believe what they are saying. Obertan, I here will be sold this summer because he has been there for two years and has not shown to be of United standard. Bebe needs more time to show how good he really is. Play these guys in these positions and no one will stop us from winning the title. SAF can sell O’Shea, Evans, Gibson, Obertan, Diouf, Michael Owen, Cleverley and Wellbeck and give me Alexis Sanchez, Douglas Costa, Gareth Bale, a world class right back and goalkeeper. I rest my case.
Go on Herbie fucking admit it your that twat Micky fucking Phelan.
Well would be interesting to see how it would turn out! They are no worse on the ball than Fletcher, Carrick, Gibson and Anderson plus will always put a shift in. Maybe we can try it in the FA Cup semis against City!!! Orders would be to close the oppo down, win the ball and play it simple to the wingers or a deep lying Rooney.
Evans, O’Shea, Cleverley and Welbeck will all be at United next season. Owen, Diouf on the way out, Obertan to go out on loan. Gibson’s future is in the balance.
Sanchez is a possibility but United will prob go for the cheaper Young who will settle in quicker. Costa can’t even make the Donesk side regularly and United will never get in a bidding war for Bale.
Nice to leave the ground with a smile on my face. Watching United has always been about enjoying very special players. One mustn’t get carried away but Chris Smalling looks the genuine article. The mix of class, composure & good decision making really is the business. Antonio Valencia is never going to be one of the greats but I love to watch him. Never gives the ball away, patient if needs be & always trying to play the killer pass; fantastic comeback. What a performance from VDS -trying to make up for the scouser blip. I did say play both twins & they did not let us down.
What else do they tell you? Go on give us all the gossip.
So much good news from this match.
Rooney: looked ace in the very withdrawn creative role. Who needs an Ozil or Pastore? (well ok I’d still take them). But this is a reminder why any manager in the world would love to have him when he’s on form: who else can be either a 30-goal a season centre forward, a number 9, or a playmaker? Even a decent winger sometimes.
The twins: heart, pace, skill, eye for goal, take obvious pleasure in the game. Funny that Fabio’s married, but it’s great to see that the second twin probably has as much to offer as Raf.
Hernandez: surely now our first choice for leading the line: fantastic movement, great pace, fantastic header of the ball despite his size.
Smalling: ace.
Brown: gave almost nothing up playing as right back. Dodgy in the centre, but still great on the right.
Fuck me even Gibbo was alright and put a decent shift in. I think it’s easy to overlook the contributions of Gibson and O’Shea because more than half their job was to deny space and passing opportunities to Arsenal’s danger men ahead of our back four. Cutting out Nasri, Arshavin and Van Persie when he came deep is the reason why the Arse looked so toothless.
Oh and VDS of course. Legend.
Oh and I forgot to say, Tony V looking sharp is excellent news, all jokes of “like a new signing” aside. I think he’ll make a difference in turning some away draws into wins, because he always heads the right direction at speed, and gives us a lot of forward momentum.
what an utter utter twat you are herbie…please fuck off to RoM
Does he realise he’s put Fabio & Raf as centre midfielders
Captainhorme, for your sake I will send SAF an email and tell him that you would like to see Scholes and Giggs stay and play until they are 65 years old. The twins did a great job today. They are great together in the center instead of Fletcher and Carrick or Fletcher and Gibson. But this twat Captainhorne prefers we play our senior citizens, Scholes and Giggs. Must be a Man City supporter.
you are such a fucking mong, i am embarrassed to read your posts for you….it’s cringeworthy…..mind you, i’m been harsh on mongs even comparing you to them.
Again, please leave this forum….
Cant you just feel the Manlove between the Captain and Herbie
TBF, HE STARTED IT BY POLLUTING MY EYES
lol
EPIC FROM HERBS!
Tbf Herbs is class – the sad truth is that Herbs will send SAF an email. Keep it going dude – can you also ask him if he thinks Moyes has filled out an application form – and if so, was there anything under the box marked “list major managerial honours”?
Haha…
That’s pure class Dannii…
Do I ever feel silly now.
Bayern out. After what they did to us last season, it serves them right. Cheating cunts.