Manchester United Dugout

The blockbuster fixture between Manchester United and Arsenal proved to be a delightful one as United posted a famous victory at The Emirates by defeating Gunners 3-1. I say a famous victory because this is the first time Manchester United have defeated Arsenal at The Emirates in the league.

The build up for this game was centered on the fantastic form of Wayne Rooney and how Sol Campbell could prevent him from scoring. However, the old man did not start and Rooney scored to complete his century of goals for Manchester United.

The first half belonged to United as they looked sharp and determined by keeping the possession and creating chances. Carrick and Scholes were absolutely brilliant in the center of the park and Nani was flying on the right wing. With such a dominating performance, it was only a matter of time for United to score.

The goal finally came from the newly born Nani who won a two on one challenge and edged past Clichy and Nasri and then tricked Denilson in the box to loop the ball over the Arsenal goalie. The ball kissed Almunia’s fingers and landed in the net. Though it was termed as an own goal, but I think it should have been credited to Nani as it was going to land in the net anyway.

The relief on the face of Nani clearly showed how satisfied he was with his improved performance. His confidence was sky high and he was seen fighting for the ball everywhere. His determination paid off as Manchester United produced a marvellous counter-attacking move which saw Nani assist Rooney to score his 100th goal for the Red Devils.

United were surprisingly 2-0 ahead at the end of first half and it looked that Arsenal were out of the game. However the start of the second half saw Arsenal play their trademark attacking football but that didn’t last too long. A brilliant passing move between Rooney and Park saw Park run almost half of the pitch to drill a third one for United.

The third goal dramatically swung the game in United’s favor and drastically away from Arsenal. At this point of time it looked as if United would go for the kill and score more goals as Arsenal looked demoralized but that was not to be as Nani and Rooney missed a couple of good chances.

Arsenal did have their chances and Arshavin was the culprit for them as he could not do justice with so many good chances that came his way. However, his teammate Vermaelen did score a bizarre goal to deny Van der Sar a shut out.

Its a big win for United at The Emirates who had defeated Arsenal at the same venue in the Champions League semi final during the last campaign. They also successfully completed a double over Gunners this season having already beaten Arsenal in August.

This win takes United closer to Chelsea as they remain separated only by 1 point. To me, Arsenal look out of the title race and its a two horse race for the ultimate title.

In a complete turnaround of perceptions, Nani has paid tribute to boss Sir Alex Ferguson for helping him turn his career around but insists he is not the new Cristiano Ronaldo. In an interview with The Sun Nani praised his manager and says his future lies at Old Trafford.

Portugal winger Nani has endured a difficult time at Manchester United since arriving in 2007 for £15million. He has largely been a bit-part player for the Red Devils and the 23-year-old was expected to be on his way through the exit door after his attack on Fergie. However, with some consistent performances this month, Nani has found himself back in the side.

His performance against Hull last week was brilliant and the one against City in the Carling Cup was good too. And Nani admits the turnaround is largely down to his manager who he says has been a positive influence.

The former Sporting Lisbon youngster told The Sun:

Nani was expected to be sold out during this transfer window but he insists his future lies at Old Trafford. He said, "Sir Alex never treated me with the exit door while I have always insisted that I could perform at my best for the club."

He added: "My future is at Manchester United. I've heard all the rumours but my mission is to stay and help the club win more titles."

I hope he produces another awesome performance against Arsenal today as the Red Devils travel to The Emirates Stadium where they haven't won since February 2005.

Wayne Rooney scored a sensational four-timer to send Manchester United top of the Premier League as the Red Devils beat Hull 4-0. Everyone is praising Rooney for his solo efforts (even I admire that) but I think this game provided some other good news as well.

Return of Rio Ferdinand

The game against Hull marked the return of Rio Ferdinand after a 3 month long absence. The United skipper had been out of action since October 2009 and was ruled out until 2010. However he marked his return and played the entire 90 minutes which did look as if Rio has retained his form and could help his manager who is worried about their defense.

I am glad Rio returned at the right time as he may be handed the responsibility to monitor Carlos Tevez when United face City in the Carling Cup semi final.

Michael Owen got a start

I was initially surprised to see Owen starting, especially after the awesome form which Berbatov had shown in the previous games. But Fergie wants to help Owen to get on the plane to South Africa and hence he paired the two English strikers up front.

To be honest, Owen did look fine. Though he missed some easy chances which came his way but overall I think he played fine. And when Rooney is scoring goals for fun, his striking partner has to act as a mere supporter by making assists.

Nani may have OT future

I don't know what others thought but I think Nani had a fantastic game against Hull at a mutinous Old Trafford. After his bust up with Sir Alex Ferguson, I thought the Portuguese will never feature for United, but he has featured in a few games. And his performance against Hull was one of his best ever at OT. Probably, Nani has future at Manchester United.

Rooney, Rooney, Rooney, Rooney

That's how the score sheet looked featuring the name of Wayne Rooney who scored all four goals for Manchester United. The wonder kid took his goals tally for the season to 20 in 28 matches and is just three short of his best-ever return.

The return of VDS, Ferdinand and Evans does make the back four much stronger. Is this the time that things will start to turn in United's favor? What say folks?

Manchester United will go head to head with rivals Man City to compete in the Carling Cup today. Though United would be looking to progress in the next round, former player Carlos Tevez has some other plans.

The previous Manchester derby was a thriller and luckily United were able to beat their local rivals. But Cup games are different and United's loss to Leeds in FA Cup recently is an example of that.

Fergie usually rests his star players in Cup games. I don't mind even if he picks his reserve players for this clash but just hope he doesn't start with Ben Foster. VDS has to be there to guard the goal and Foster should now be ejected from Old Trafford. He had committed a blunder in the previous Manchester derby and has never been able to produce top performance ever since.

Man City are in pretty good shape at the moment compared to United. New boss Mancini has so far done well with his squad but Carlos Tevez happens to make the maximum sound at the moment.

Tevez wants revenge over Manchester United in the Carling Cup semi-final after being termed a traitor. The Argentine star has already scored 15 goals this season and made a personal vow not to celebrate if he finds the back of the net against his former club.

However he has now set his sights on revenge by way of knocking Sir Alex Ferguson's team out of the Carling Cup to pile the pressure on his former team-mates who are experiencing a difficult season.

Manchester United are said to be chasing Porto defender Rolando. Many have mistaken his name for “Ronaldo”, but folks, there was only one Ronaldo at Old Trafford and he’s gone.

Sir Alex Ferguson is going crazy due to his defense worries. Rio’s fitness worries and a bust up with Vidic (which I believe was a grapevine) have forced both these defenders to be out of action. And Fergie has found a solution to this problem by weighing up an £18million move for Porto defender Rolando.

Rolando is a young and tall defender who is strong in the air. The 24 year old and 6ft 3in tall central defender has featured in Portugal’s U21 side and has been recently called up to the senior Portugal squad. I am glad that Man United is strengthening their defense because of concerns over the futures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Porto have put a price tag of £28m for Rolando and Fergie is in no mood to splash more than £18m. By the way, United are also linked with Bruno Alves who too is a Porto player.

Coming back to the Ronaldo and Rolando confusion, both of them share a few things in common. Here they are:

So if Fergie is able to bring Rolando to Old Trafford, do you think he can become John Terry for Manchester United?

Dimitar Berbatov has never been in the news for being a goal scoring hero since he arrived at Manchester United. He is only mentioned if he continues to under-perform or meets with an injury. Currently Berba is going through both these phases and could be out of action for a few weeks.

Berbatov has been attracting the wrath of football pundits for his poor form at Old Trafford. His arrival from Spurs for £30 million is proving to be a damp squib as the Bulgarian star has not been able to deliver the goals. He scores once in four or five matches and other times he just seems to be fooling around.

I don't know whats wrong with Berba! He is a talented striker and I used to admire him when he was playing at Bayer Leverkusen and Spurs. He was a guaranteed supplier of goals for his team. But since his arrival at Manchester United, his goals seem to have dried up. He says he feels laboured under the weight of expectation at being the most expensive player in Manchester United's history.

Sir Alex Ferguson has given enough time to Berbatov to settle down but he still seems to be lost in the sea. His poor form continues on a consistent basis and many feel Berbatov should be shown the exit door at Old Trafford. Berba should thank his stars that he has found an injury which can allow him to justify his  poor performances. But this may not last for too long.

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Dimitar Berbatov, will undergo an exploratory knee operation to find out the cause of his knee problem. Berba going under the knife means he will miss both legs of the Carling Cup semi-final against Man City and also the crucial league game at Arsenal.

Do you think Fergie has warned Berba to improve or perish? If he has, will Berbatov be able to deal with such added pressure and start scoring goals on a regular basis?

Manchester United striker Federico Macheda is being linked with a host of clubs who want to sign him on a loan deal. Serie A side Bologna has emerged to be the top contender to sign the Italian striker but Spanish clubs are also chasing Kiko.

Federico Macheda came to prominence at the end of last season, after scoring a last minute winner against Aston Villa. However, he has not played in the Premier League this season and has made just two appearances in the Champions League.

18 year old Macheda is contracted to Manchester United until the end of the 2013/2014 season. However the arrival of Michael Owen and fine displays from Danny Welbeck have limited his opportunities for playing in the first team. In such a scenario, Kiko may move to a new team until the end of the campaign.

Macheda is being chased by many clubs at the moment. Relegation-threatened Bologna want the teenager on loan for the remainder of the season but Sir Alex Ferguson does not intend to send him to Italy. Instead, Fergie is considering a loan request from Zaragoza’s caretaker coach Victor Munez for the Italian youngster.

Macheda has also been linked with Championship side Newcastle and a French club are also interested in taking the Italian striker on loan. I think its only a matter of time before Kiko switches sides but my gut tells me that he will end up playing in Spain. What do you think?

Rio Ferdinand could finally return to full training in 2 weeks time for Manchester United. The news of his recovery and return to Carrington Training Ground was revealed by Sir Alex Ferguson recently.

Rio has been out of action since October 2009 and was ruled out until 2010 after the medical staff at Manchester United felt the need of allowing Rio to recover from his injured back problems. He has only played in five Premier League starts this season, with his last coming in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

In a bid to seal his place for the World Cup, Rio has been working hard to keep his fitness levels. Manchester United have done the best they could for the English defender and believe they have finally solved his injury problems.

Sir Alex Ferguson said, “I’m very happy with Rio’s progress. He has been doing a lot of running and could be back in action in two weeks. But one thing is certain, having waited this long we will not bring him back until he’s 100 per cent.”

United now face a Burnley side which is without a manager since the departure of Owen Coyle to Bolton. The next game will be a Manchester derby when Man United take on Manchester City in their rearranged League Cup semi-final. However, Rio Ferdinand is expected to miss both these games and could only return to face Hull City when the Tigers arrive at Old Trafford on January 23.

Hugo Lloris who has been linked with a move to Manchester United is considered one of Europe's top young keepers. Since making his debut in October 2005, the Frenchman has been making serious impacts in Europe and has been a target of Manchester United.

Hugo Lloris was linked with Tottenham in 2008. He even turned down an offer from AC Milan only to join Lyon in the summer of 2008 for €8.5million. Though Lyon missed out on their league title in 2008, Lloris was still crowned Ligue 1's Goalkeeper of the Year. He was placed third in France Football's 2009 French Player of the Year award (behind Nicolas Anelka and Yoann Gourcuff).

So what makes Hugo Lloris the best goalkeeper in Europe?

His stats and accolades are impressive considering he is only 23, but his performances are the real reason why he’s the best goalkeeper in Europe. Watch this video and you’ll realize why Hugo Lloris is the top shot-stopper.

Nemanja Vidic has denied reports suggesting his bust-up with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Vida claims he is facing a 10-day injury lay-off and will not be fit to play against Birmingham City on Saturday.

I was shocked to read the news of Vida and Fergie involved in a bust-up. Telegraph reported that Vida has denied a row with his manager, but when the heck were they involved in a row that he is denying it! Vidic said: 

Vida's name has been mentioned with a move away from United in the recent days. Real Madrid have already made the Serbian defender their summer target pricing him at £20 million. It's a known fact that Vida's wife Ana is not happy with life in England but the defender has never spoken about his desire to leave Old Trafford.

Is the current Manchester United player of the year on the verge of calling it a day at Old Trafford? What do you think?

Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup by fierce rivals Leeds United at Old Trafford. This is the first time in 16 years that the Red Devils were beaten by lower league opposition since Bournemouth had made the damage in 1984.

Jermaine Beckford's 19th-minute goal was enough to secure Leeds a famous victory at Old Trafford - their first since 1981. I was disappointed and speechless when I saw Leeds taking the lead. United had fielded a stronger side that included Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov but none of them could get even an equalizer, forget the winner!

New Year could not have started on such a bad note for Sir Alex Ferguson who criticized his players (and the ref) for their poor display at the Theater of Dreams. He went on to confirm that some of them will not be a part of the team that takes on Man City on Wednesday for the Carling Cup game.

I don't understand why the heck are Manchester United so bullish of damaging their home records. United's defeat to Besiktas at Old Trafford was a shock and it damaged their home record in Europe. And now they have lost the War of Roses which should have been won easily, considering the quality and strength of both the teams.

John O'Shea will be out of action for two months due to a thigh injury. He hasn’t featured for Manchester United since November, when he suffered the injury described as a "dead leg" during Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off in Paris.

O'Shea is regarded as the most versatile player for Manchester United by Sir Alex Ferguson. He has been one of Fergie’s favorite players due to his high degree of adaptability. He can play in defense as well as midfield and has also scored crucial goals for the Red Devils.

The Irishman who made his debut in October 1999 has made 352 appearances for Manchester United. O’Shea completed ten years at Old Trafford two months back and this is his first injury at the club. His absence for two months will mean more problems for United in the defense.

Nemanja Vidic and Wes Brown have returned to guard the central defense but missing out Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans hurts. And now John O'Shea too joins the injury list. In John’s case, blood had congealed in his thigh while playing against France and is making a slower than expected recovery.

We may be able to see O’Shea back in March but the return of Rafael and Fabio is a big boost. At least Fergie can now field a recognizable back-four. I hope Rio and Jonny return to training soon since we are approaching an important part of the year with Champions League and Cup matches getting more competitive.

Old Trafford will witness a War of Roses as Manchester United will take on fierce rivals Leeds United on Sunday for third round of the FA Cup. The two teams haven’t faced each other since last six years and this should be a cracking game.

Manchester United will be confident following their 5-0 thrashing of Wigan. However, Fergie regularly rests his big names in the Cup and he may well give a break to some of the regular players. I just hope he doesn’t name Ben Foster in the starting eleven. He has been pathetic and may fumble under the pressure from Leeds.

United’s encounters with Leeds have been missing from the fixture list since 2004. The last time these two teams met in the Premier League was on February 21, 2004. That game finished in a 1-1 draw with Alan Smith (who later joined Man United) scoring a second-half equalizer that gave Leeds some hope of avoiding the drop. However, the Elland Road outfit was relegated and got entangled in catastrophic financial problems.

Leeds was a major force in the 1960s and 1970s, and their meetings with Manchester United have produced some classic Cup clashes. Rivalries add that extra spice to football and it’s great for the fans and players. The War of Roses would definitely witness a feisty atmosphere but I think United would emerge comfortable winners.

What say folks? Tweet your thoughts @ManUtdDugout