Manchester United, Liverpool And Real Madrid Chase Middlesborough Starlet

Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are set to lock horns over the signature of Middlesborough winger Adam Johnson. Rumoured to be valued at £12 million. Which seems to be rather expensive as he is unable to get into the Middlesborough first team because of the presence of a certain Stewart Downing. Downing's future at the club is hardly set in concrete as he himself had a recent transfer request turned down by the Boro management team.

Johnson has played for the England U21 side and was spotted by the big guns of Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid while on a loan spell with Watford.

So right now Middlesborough are in the situation of deciding whether or not to sell Johnson for about £10 million or hold out for their valuation of the guy, thought to be around £12 million. The other option is to part with Stewart Downing, probably to Spurs, and let Johnson take his chance in the first team.

Johnson has already been taking some jibes from his team mates, he said: "It was the usual banter from them. I was getting all of it, calling me a Galactico and getting shouts of Raul. I don't know if there was anything in it - the manager never said anything to me. Who knows?".....Back To Home Page...

Manchester United Need To Score More Or They'll Have Big Problems

I have this strange feeling that Manchester United's poor
form in front of goal will dam­age their chances of a third
consecutive League title. Every single year for the past
four years we have had a goal difference second to none.
Despite creating several chances, United needed a 69th-
minute goal from Dimitar Berbatov to squeeze past
rel­egation-threatened Middlesboroughat Old Trafford
and claim their fourth 1-0 win in five League matches.

It's sad to say but players like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo
continue to worry both me and Fergie. Even Berbatov has struggled
since his big money move from Spurs.

Lean spell: Cristiano Ronaldo contemplates his latest miss against
Middlesbrough

Ferguson said: "If we can’t take our chances, we will suffer for it. We
missed a lot of chances and that is a big worry. But Berbatov is a
marvellous player, and he was absolutely superb for us against Boro.
He took his goal very well.'

Sir Alex said about four weeks ago that if United can be within two
points of the top of the table come new year then they will be in
with a chance of winning their third consecutive title. Currently we
are 7 points adrift of The Bindippers but with two games in hand.

He added: "We are in a good position at the turn of the year. We
have two games in hand, both of which are at home, and it is going
to be a great run in. The important thing for us is to look after our-
selves and do our own job, and we will be okay."

That's how it's done: Berbatov nets the winner against Middlesbrough

Emmanuel Pogatetz, who I class as an animal and a cheating slimy
git, grabbed Cristiano Ronaldo by the neck and wrestled him to the
ground. Nothing surprising really considering his past record.

Ferguson added: 'It seems Pogatetz grabbed him by the neck. It
happens all the time. There is jostling and jersey-pulling. Defenders
are getting away with murder.'

Pogatetz was already an unpopular figure at Old Trafford for a
dreadful tackle on United youngster Rodrigo Pos­sebon in a Carling
Cup tie earlier in the campaign, but Middlesbrough manager Gareth
Southgate said: 'I heard a lot of noise and there was some finger-
point­ing - but that’s all. The referee Martin Atkinson seemed com-
fortable with it. When teams are marking from corners there is
always a bit of contact.'

Typical Southgate nonsense. If it was one of his players and Rooney
had grabbed his neck the whole footballing world would be up in arms.
Because it is against Crsitiano Ronaldo then it seems to be fine to act
like this.

Wide of the mark: Wayne Rooney's goals have dried up

But back to my original point after this rant. If the goals don't start
flowing soon then I fear a problem come April or May. United in
the past have always held the advantage with this, and it is worth
an extra point on the run-in.

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Sir Alex 'Chuffed' With Welbeck's Goal Against Stoke City

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased to see Danny Welbeck hit his first goal for the club in yesterday's 5-0 trouncing of Stoke City. "He is a very sensible young man," said Ferguson I am sure the other players will soon bring him down to earth, if they have not already done so."

Born in Longsight, Manchester, to Ghananian parents, Welbeck joined Manchester United during the 2005–06 season, making his debut for the club's Under-18 side on 8 April 2006 in a league match against Sunderland. He then came on as a substitute in the next game, before being named as an unused substitute in the team's last two games of the season. The following season, he made a further 28 appearances for the Under-18s, scoring nine goals, including eight appearances and one goal in the FA Youth Cup, in which he helped the team to reach the final, despite being two years younger than some of the other players.

Welbeck signed his first trainee contract in July 2007, and started the 2007–08 season in the Under-18 side, but was quickly promoted to the Reserve team, making a number of substitute appearances. Then, in January 2008, he was called up to the first team for the trip to Saudi Arabia to play Al-Hilal in Sami Al-Jaber's testimonial. Welbeck made his debut in that game on 21 January 2008, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute for Anderson. Welbeck had the chance to snatch a draw for United when he was brought down in the penalty area in the final minute, but he put the penalty kick over the bar.

On 25 January 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that Welbeck would be considered a first team squad member for the rest of the season. On 9 February 2008, Alex Ferguson revealed that Welbeck would be involved in the matchday squad for the Manchester derby the following day. He also hinted that Welbeck may be involved from the start of the game. This did not come to pass however, as he was left out of the team entirely.

Welbeck made his competitive debut for the Manchester United first team on 23 September 2008, starting up front in the team's League Cup Third Round match at home to Middlesboro. United won the game 3–1, but Welbeck did not manage to get on the scoresheet despite going close in the third minute......Back To Home Page

Fergie Re-Opens The Pogatetz Case Again !!

Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Middlesbrough skipper
Emanuel Pogatetz should receive an extra punishment
for his horror tackle on Manchester United's Rodrigo
Possebon at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Pogatetz was red-carded for the challenge in the Carling Cup
clash by referee Andre Marriner and has since offered an apol-
ogy to Possebon for his conduct.

Thankfully, the young Brazilian neither broke his leg nor suff-
ered ligament damage. However, he is facing a number of weeks
on the sidelines, such was the severity of the gash he sustained
to his shin.

Ferguson does not feel an automatic three-match ban from the

"I am pleased the referee acted so firmly with a red card for
an offence which I think the FA should consider further,"
Ferguson told United Review. There is no place in football
for that kind of challenge".

At least, in captain Gary Neville, Ferguson can offer Possebon the ideal
example to follow as he battles back to fitness.

The United boss admitted he feared Neville would never return to
Premier League combat after the broken ankle he suffered against
Bolton in March 2007.

But Neville's tenacity has seen him return to action and there must
be an outside chance he will be called up for England duty by Fabio
Capello ahead of next month's World Cup qualifiers with Kazakhstan
and Belarus.

"When you consider the way Gary has been plagued by inj-
uries for 18 months, he has done brilliantly to come back
so convincingly," said Ferguson.

"At one point I thought he would not make it back into the
Premier League. But he has and all credit to him.

"He persevered and never lost faith, despite the succession
of niggles and strains that followed his ankle injury.

"He is a role model for any player feeling down on his luck."

Jonny Evans - In Out In Out - Give Him A Run In The Team Or Let Him Go I Say

Sir Alex Ferguson insists Jonny Evans has a big future at Old Trafford despite preparing to drop him for Saturday's Manchester United 'v' Bolton game.

I agree Fergie was forced to play him against Villarreal in the Champions League and the Premier League showdown at Chelsea last Sunday. But, despite some assured performances from Evans, Fergie will again drop him in favour of the big man himself, Nemanja Vidic following his return from suspension - after the red card he picked up at Liverpool earlier this month - in the Carling Cup against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

Evans accepts that he must bide his time for a regular place in the team, but Fergie has admitted the player will have a big part to play at Old Trafford in the future which is why he snubbed a big money offer from Sunderland for him.

"Jonny will be a future centre-half for Manchester United, there is no doubt about that," Ferguson told Inside United.

"That is a vindication of our belief in the boy. It should also prove he can believe what we're saying to him.

"We had a lot of offers from clubs who wanted to buy him in the summer - three or four clubs were interested - but we stuck to our guns because we believe in him. He will play a lot of football at this club."

One good sign I guess is the fact he was one of the few who weren't shunted out on loan. Maybe Fergie will fool us all again.