Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be back at their old clubs as Inter and Barcelona were drawn together in Group F in the Champions League, along with Dynamo Kiev and Rubin Kazan. The other big draw is Real Madrid, some people's favourites for the title, against AC Milan - where Kaka will return - and fellow big spenders Marseille, who could cause an upset in Group C.
Manchester Utd, in Group B, face tough trips to CSKA Moscow, Besiktas and Wolfsburg in the English clubs' hardest draw, with Liverpool also given a tough test in Lyon, Fiorentina and Hungarian side Debreceni in Group E. Chelsea will be happy with their draw as it's Jose Mourinho's old club FC Porto, Atletico Madrid and Cypriot side APOEL in Group D; while Arsenal are also sitting pretty as they face Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos and Belgian side Standard Liege in Group H.
Other:
Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa
Group G: FC Sevilla, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart, Unirea Urziceni
28 August 2009
23 August 2009
Wigan 0 Man Utd 5
Wayne Rooney joined the 100 club and Michael Owen got off the mark as Manchester United re-discovered that winning habit in emphatic style, 5-0 at Wigan.
Rooney made the breakthrough in the 56th minute with a fine header from Valencia's cross. Dimitar Berbatov found the target in the 58th minute after chipping the keeper. Rooney got his second nine minutes later with a lucky deflected shot.
Owen made his mark in the 85th minute after replacing Rooney with a cool finish off the post from Nani's pass. Nani completed the scoring in stoppage time with a superb free-kick that left the keeper stranded.
Foster (7.5): Two excellent saves and good positioning.
Neville (7.5): Add stability to the defence.
Vidic (7.5): No trouble from Wigan, make some good challenges.
Evans (6.5): Need to pass and clear better.
Evra (7): Attack as always, no end result though.
Valencia (6.5): Good cross for the first goal, could not handle physical play from Wigan.
Fletcher (6): An asset when defending, a liability when attacking.
Scholes (7): His vision is still there.
Nani (7): Great freekick and a good pass to Owen.
Rooney (8): 2 goals, but still not at his best.
Berbatov (8): Finese, classy, and now also track back.
Owen (sub Rooney 72, 6.5) Good goal and more will come.
O’Shea (sub Evans 72, 5.5) Not much to do (not his fault though).
Gibson (sub Scholes 72, 6.5) Dare to shoot and shoot well.
Rooney made the breakthrough in the 56th minute with a fine header from Valencia's cross. Dimitar Berbatov found the target in the 58th minute after chipping the keeper. Rooney got his second nine minutes later with a lucky deflected shot.
Owen made his mark in the 85th minute after replacing Rooney with a cool finish off the post from Nani's pass. Nani completed the scoring in stoppage time with a superb free-kick that left the keeper stranded.
Foster (7.5): Two excellent saves and good positioning.
Neville (7.5): Add stability to the defence.
Vidic (7.5): No trouble from Wigan, make some good challenges.
Evans (6.5): Need to pass and clear better.
Evra (7): Attack as always, no end result though.
Valencia (6.5): Good cross for the first goal, could not handle physical play from Wigan.
Fletcher (6): An asset when defending, a liability when attacking.
Scholes (7): His vision is still there.
Nani (7): Great freekick and a good pass to Owen.
Rooney (8): 2 goals, but still not at his best.
Berbatov (8): Finese, classy, and now also track back.
Owen (sub Rooney 72, 6.5) Good goal and more will come.
O’Shea (sub Evans 72, 5.5) Not much to do (not his fault though).
Gibson (sub Scholes 72, 6.5) Dare to shoot and shoot well.
20 August 2009
Burnley 1 Man United 0
United suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Premier League minnows Burnley at Turf Moor. Robbie Blake's volley after 19 minutes proved decisive as Reds midfielder Michael Carrick saw a penalty saved by Brian Jensen just before half time.
United, who started with Michael Owen up front, piled on the pressure after the break but could find no way through.
United, who started with Michael Owen up front, piled on the pressure after the break but could find no way through.
18 August 2009
Burnley vs Man Utd Preview
Injuries hit United as we are set to see Brown & O'shea in the centre of defence!
With Neville, Rafael, Rio and Vidic certainly out and Evans minor injuries, the defence will rely on the fringe players. Nani may also be rested after re-injuring his shoulder.
The starting eleven shld be:
Foster, Fabio, Brown, O'shea, Evra, Park, Valencia, Carrick, Anderson, Rooney, Berbatov.
United should win by 2 goals.
With Neville, Rafael, Rio and Vidic certainly out and Evans minor injuries, the defence will rely on the fringe players. Nani may also be rested after re-injuring his shoulder.
The starting eleven shld be:
Foster, Fabio, Brown, O'shea, Evra, Park, Valencia, Carrick, Anderson, Rooney, Berbatov.
United should win by 2 goals.
17 August 2009
Man Utd 1 Birmingham 0
Wayne Rooney stepped out of Cristiano Ronaldo's enormous shadow to ensure Manchester United began the defence of their Premier League title with a 1-0 victory over Birmingham. Rooney rised to meet Nani's cross, then tapping home when his 34th-minute header bounced back off a post.
Foster (7.5): Played well and cleared his lines with solid punching. A great save from Benitez.
Fabio (6.5): Was a threat going forward, but defnsively, out of position on occasions.
O'Shea (6.5): Not much to do most of the time.
Evans (6.5): Not much from Birmingham's lone striker.
Evra (8): Attack well during 1st half, made a goal line clearnace and good tackles.
Valencia (6.5): Need to shoot when in good position, easing into the team.
Fletcher (6): Save him for bigger matches, not much of an attacking threat. A bad miss!
Scholes (6.5): Almost got yellow with his rash challenges. Decent outing.
Nani (7): Made good runs and the defenders got phyiscal and injured him.
Rooney (8): A goal! Link up play with Berbatov is good.
Berbatov (7): Great touches, but not much support from midfield.
Giggs sub Nani (45min, 6): Ok, did not do too much
Owen sub Berbatov (74min, 6.5) Missed late chance, but made good runs
Brown sub Evans (74min, 5.5) Not much to do
Foster (7.5): Played well and cleared his lines with solid punching. A great save from Benitez.
Fabio (6.5): Was a threat going forward, but defnsively, out of position on occasions.
O'Shea (6.5): Not much to do most of the time.
Evans (6.5): Not much from Birmingham's lone striker.
Evra (8): Attack well during 1st half, made a goal line clearnace and good tackles.
Valencia (6.5): Need to shoot when in good position, easing into the team.
Fletcher (6): Save him for bigger matches, not much of an attacking threat. A bad miss!
Scholes (6.5): Almost got yellow with his rash challenges. Decent outing.
Nani (7): Made good runs and the defenders got phyiscal and injured him.
Rooney (8): A goal! Link up play with Berbatov is good.
Berbatov (7): Great touches, but not much support from midfield.
Giggs sub Nani (45min, 6): Ok, did not do too much
Owen sub Berbatov (74min, 6.5) Missed late chance, but made good runs
Brown sub Evans (74min, 5.5) Not much to do
14 August 2009
Preview: Man Utd vs Birmingham
There are some defensive problems in the team right now. Van de Sar, Vidic and Rafael were already ruled out. Neville, Brown still not fit and now Evans sustain a minor ankle injury. Let's not forget the foster was also pulled out of the England squad. In the midfield, however, only Nani will be missed. And Berbatov should be fit again after sustain knocks during the Cummunity Shield.
Birmingham was promoted this season and had bought some players, though none is really outstanding. Perhaps, McFadden is their most skilful player. They had, however, a hard tackling midfield, and will do well if referee is lenient and allow overly-physical contest.
My team prediction will be:
Foster, Fabio, O'shea, Ferdinand, Evra, Park, Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Rooney, Berbatov
Score will be 3-0 to Utd.
Birmingham was promoted this season and had bought some players, though none is really outstanding. Perhaps, McFadden is their most skilful player. They had, however, a hard tackling midfield, and will do well if referee is lenient and allow overly-physical contest.
My team prediction will be:
Foster, Fabio, O'shea, Ferdinand, Evra, Park, Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Rooney, Berbatov
Score will be 3-0 to Utd.
11 August 2009
Man Utd 2 Chelsea 2 (Utd lost 1-4 on penalties)
UNITED fluffed their penalty shootout lines after clawing their way back into the Community Shield at Wembley. Giggs and Evra missed their penalties, while Chelsea players scored all 4 to win.
United took the lead with the first real attack of the game in the 10th minute. Darren Fletcher's sublime cross-field pass was collected by Nani and the Portugal winger beat Ivanovic and Michael Essien before sending a 25-yard drive beyond Cech and into the far right corner.
Chelsea equalised in the 52nd minute through Ricardo Carvalho's diving header. Lampard and Florent Malouda had combined on the left and when the winger sent over a volleyed cross, Drogba and Foster collided as they went for the ball. Foster's attempted clearance fell straight to Carvalho who dived to head the Blues level from eight yards.
The London outfit took the lead in controversial circumstances in the 70th minute after Ballack appeared to elbow Evra. While the United player was down Chelsea broke away and Drogba's pass to Lampard allowed the England midfielder space to beat Foster with a crisp drive. The ball struck the inside of the left post and bounced over the line before spinning back out, however it was clearly a legitimate goal.
With seconds remaining Rooney broke clear of the Chelsea defence and slipped the ball beyond Cech for a dramatic equaliser, but United were not so clinical in the shoot-out.
United took the lead with the first real attack of the game in the 10th minute. Darren Fletcher's sublime cross-field pass was collected by Nani and the Portugal winger beat Ivanovic and Michael Essien before sending a 25-yard drive beyond Cech and into the far right corner.
Chelsea equalised in the 52nd minute through Ricardo Carvalho's diving header. Lampard and Florent Malouda had combined on the left and when the winger sent over a volleyed cross, Drogba and Foster collided as they went for the ball. Foster's attempted clearance fell straight to Carvalho who dived to head the Blues level from eight yards.
The London outfit took the lead in controversial circumstances in the 70th minute after Ballack appeared to elbow Evra. While the United player was down Chelsea broke away and Drogba's pass to Lampard allowed the England midfielder space to beat Foster with a crisp drive. The ball struck the inside of the left post and bounced over the line before spinning back out, however it was clearly a legitimate goal.
With seconds remaining Rooney broke clear of the Chelsea defence and slipped the ball beyond Cech for a dramatic equaliser, but United were not so clinical in the shoot-out.
06 August 2009
United 2 Valencia 0
Only Michael Owen will know how he failed to score on his Old Trafford debut. In front of the watching England manager Fabio Capello, Sir Alex Ferguson’s “most controversial” summer signing, was presented with three gilt-edge opportunities to get his name on the score-sheet, only to fluff his lines on each occasion.
And so it was down to Rooney to put United ahead on 52 minutes – and he owed much to Antonio Valencia, who impressed on his first appearance in front of his new fans. Taking the ball to the byline on the right, the Ecuadorian lifted a cross into the six yard box, which Rooney powered into the top corner.
Valencia was once again the provider for Cleverley to seal the win, beating a man before centering for Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian failed to connect, as did Federico Macheda, but Cleverley made no mistake tucking the ball home.
And so it was down to Rooney to put United ahead on 52 minutes – and he owed much to Antonio Valencia, who impressed on his first appearance in front of his new fans. Taking the ball to the byline on the right, the Ecuadorian lifted a cross into the six yard box, which Rooney powered into the top corner.
Valencia was once again the provider for Cleverley to seal the win, beating a man before centering for Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian failed to connect, as did Federico Macheda, but Cleverley made no mistake tucking the ball home.
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