Fulham and Manchester United go head to head for the third time in just over a month at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

All eyes will be on the Red Devils to see if they can bounce back from the humiliation heaped on them by rivals Liverpool after the 4-1 defeat last weekend.

United still have a four point cushion over their rivals, with the added insurance of a game in hand, but their capitulation in their last outing will have the Cottagers believing they can cause an upset.

Roy Hodgson's men ended a run of two straight defeats at Craven Cottage in the league, having lost just once at home previously, by picking up their first away win of the season when they triumphed 3-1 over Bolton last Saturday.
Fulham team news

Hodgson will know all about United after their previous two encounters and after conceding seven goals in those two games, four in the last meeting in the FA Cup, the former Inter boss may opt for a more cautious approach.

A switch from their usual 4-4-2 formation to a more compact 4-5-1 is a possibility with striker Bobby Zamora likely to miss out if he decides on the latter.

Fellow striker Diomansy Kamara is pushing for a start after making several appearances from the bench in recent weeks, as he has now fully recovering from a knee injury which has sidelined him since the summer.

The Senegal international netted the third against Bolton last time out to claim his first goal of the season and is an option up front.

Defender Aaron Hughes was substituted late on in the 2-1 defeat to Blackburn last week and was a doubt for the clash at the Reebok.

But the Northern Irish international came through the 90 minutes last weekend unscathed and is set to start again.

Man United team news

Defender Nemanja Vidic will have to wait a while longer to erase the painful memories of last Saturday as he misses the match through suspension after picking up a red card against Liverpool.

The 27-year-old will miss two Premier League games, the other being Aston Villa next week so Jonny Evans should come in.

Defenders Wes Brown (foot) and Rafael Da Silva (ankle) remain sidelined with the Brazilian expected to be back training within ten days.

Fellow right-back Gary Neville has recovered from his injury and is back in the squad and could feature.

After a disappointing showing last weekend midfielder Anderson could find himself back on the bench, with Darren Fletcher stepping in to replace him.

Striker Dimitar Berbatov should also come back into the starting line-up after coming off the bench last time out. Carlos Tevez is most likely to be the one to make way.

Possible starting XI's:

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Konchesky, Hughes, Hangeland, Davies, Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Zamora, Johnson.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Giggs, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Berbatov, Rooney.

- SkySport

The supreme Red Devil is contemplating the match-up with the Portuguese side with a certain amount of relish.

Alex Ferguson has reacted to Manchester United being paired with Porto in their Champions League quarter-final tie positively, and feels that it gives his men a real chance of claiming a semi-final spot once again.

"This is a good draw for us," the Scotsman told ManUtd.com. "You sometimes wonder if being at home first is a good or a bad thing but I think in this modern-day competition there's no indication of what is better.

"The only thing you hope is that you don’t lose a goal in the home tie."

The fact that United have such strong Portuguese connections themselves, with wingers Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, being prominent members of the Red Devils squad, is also something which Ferguson feels will work to United's advantage in the tie, scheduled for April 7 and 15.

"We’ve met Porto before and obviously we respect any Portuguese team," Ferguson added.

"We have had a huge Portuguese influence in the club, firstly with Carlos Quieroz but now with Cristiano and Nani. So we understand Portuguese football.

"We're happy with the draw and we're looking forward to the tie."

- Goal.com

Sir Alex Ferguson may be forced to risk fielding a weakened team in Manchester United’s vital Premier League game with Aston Villa because of the demands of playing two crucial televised games in two days.

Martin O’Neill’s side visit Old Trafford on Sunday April 5 for a 4pm game on Sky before FC Porto arrive for the first leg of the Champions League quarter final, to be played on Tuesday night.

United have not exercised their option to bring the domestic game forward to 12.45pm on Saturday to allow extra rest before the European clash, meaning Ferguson may have to juggle his resources in a bid to keep his big hitters fresh for the Porto game.

While such a move could have serious ramifications for the Premier League title race, that concern aside, Ferguson and his captain Rio Ferdinand both acknowledge United have been handed a favourable draw, though they admit there is no room for any complacency.

The Portuguese champions are a very different side to the one which, under Jose Mourinho’s tutelage, dispatched United in the last 16 en route to lifting the trophy in 2004, and were comprehensively beaten 4-0 in the group stage by Arsenal – who United could face in the semi-final - and had been identified by Ferguson before the draw as one of the easier options.

He said: “It’s a good draw for us. You sometimes wonder if being at home first is a good or a bad thing but I think in this modern-day competition there’s no indication of what is better. The only thing you hope is that you don’t lose a goal in the home tie.

“We’ve met Porto before and obviously we respect any Portuguese team. We’ve had a huge Portuguese influence in the club, firstly with Carlos Queiroz but now with Cristiano and Nani. We understand Portuguese football.”

Ferdinand, too, preaches caution, but admits facing Porto at Old Trafford on April 7 before travelling to Portugal eight days later is a far more appealing prospect than the internecine warfare of an all-English tie.

He said: “I’m pleased to have avoided the English teams. Emotionally and physically it would have been draining, more than against a European team, because there’s so much that goes along with playing English sides in this tournament.”

- telegraph.co.uk

David Beckham would happily dispose of his old team-mates if it meant lifting the Champions League trophy. He also backed the Red Devils to hit the European Cup jackpot again this season.

David Beckham has revealed his dream is to win the Champions League with Milan, ideally by beating his old Manchester United side.

The English ace has been doing well at the Rossoneri since his arrival in December. Beckham has excelled in Serie A, and his consistent performances convinced the club to keep him on until the end of the season. The midfielder is looking ahead to next term, and he is hoping to lift the Champions League trophy with his new team.

"I dream of winning the Champions League with Milan; even beating Manchester United in the final," Beckham told La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"Everything is unique here at Milan. You don't know it unless you get involved. The squad is fantastic, especially when all the players are fit and injury free."

The draw for this season's quarter-finals was made in Nyon on Friday. Beckham's old side could face Barcelona in the final, and the former Red Devil believes his old team-mates will win the European Cup again.

"A United - Barcelona final? My old team-mates will win as they are stronger," concluded 'Becks'.

The Rossoneri play against Napoli on Sunday as they attempt to consolidate third place in Serie A.

- Goal.com

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo hopes to hit the music scene big time when he hangs up his boots by teaming up with Brazil superstars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho to form an ex-footballers’ super group.

Ronaldo says: “Somebody mentioned to me a few years ago that it would be a great idea if myself, the Brazilian Ronaldo and Ronaldinho made a band called The Three Rs .”

“I loved the idea, it was so funny. I’ll mention it to them when I retire, we might even have a No1,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

“I don’t know what the other two would like to do, but it would be brilliant if I was lead singer. You never know, I will have to do something after football,” Ronaldo said.

- Times of India

Manchester United wing wizard Cristiano Ronaldo almost missed the train to London today - and it didn't go unnoticed by boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Portugal international arrived at Wilmslow station at 3.10pm, just one minute before United's train south was due to depart at 3.11pm.

Sir Alex's side play Fulham tomorrow in a must-win match if the Red Devils are to put their title charge back on track after last week's mauling by Liverpool.

Luckily for Ronaldo - and team-mate Rio Ferdinand, who was also running late - all squad members boarded the train as planned.

Ferguson was no doubt preparing a blast of his famous hairdryer treatment as he appeared to be constantly checking his watch on the platform.


- Daily Mail

Quarter Final 1
Villareal vs Arsenal

Quarter Final 2
Manchester United vs FC Porto

Quarter Final 3
Liverpool vs Chelsea

Quarter Final 4
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

Semifinal 1
Winner of Quarter Final 2 vs Winner of Quarter Final 1

Semifinal 2
Winner of Quarter Final 4 vs Winner of Quarter Final 3

Final
Winner of Semifinal 1 vs Winner of Semifinal 2

GOALKEEPERS

• Peter Schmeichel
• Edwin van der Sar

FULL BACKS

• Denis Irwin
• Gary Neville
• Patrice Evra
• Fabio and Rafael da Silva

CENTRE BACKS

• Jaap Stam
• Steve Bruce
• Rio Ferdinand
• Gary Pallister
• Ronny Johnsen
• Jonny Evans

MIDFIELDER

• Bryan Robson
• Roy Keane
• Paul Scholes
• Ryan Giggs
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• David Beckham

STRIKERS

• Eric Cantona
• Ruud van Nistelrooy
• Andy Cole
• Dwight Yorke
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
• Teddy Sheringham
• Wayne Rooney

Paul Gascoigne has revealed he once turned down the chance of a move to Manchester United.

Speaking in a frank interview with Sky News to be broadcast tonight, the former England legend describes the snub as one of his greatest regrets as a player.

Earlier this week, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted in an interview that "not getting Gazza" was the biggest disappointment of his managerial career.

Gascoigne, 41, said he was shown around United's training ground as a young player but he chose to join Tottenham instead - and when he contacted Ferguson from Italy about a deal several years later, the Scot did not seem interested.

"Maybe if I had stayed at Man U I might have been still there,"

"I don't know, you just look at these players and the squad of young kids that play, young Rooney that's there, the Neville Brothers and Becks, the way he (Ferguson) just brought them on and there are so many.

"I got invited to the academy and it is a magnificent place and you can see the way he treats his players, he treats them with respect but he also makes men out of boys.

"It took me six years to get back talking to Sir Alex, I called him from Lazio and asked him would he re-sign us.

"He was with Eric Cantona and he said he would see what Eric Cantona was going to do but I think everyone knows if you do something to Sir Alex Ferguson the way I did you don't get a second chance."

Gascoigne spoke with great admiration of the current United squad, picking out Cristiano Ronaldo as the player he views as "the new Gazza".

"Ronaldo is different, he's a different type of player and he delivers," he said.

"Last year he scored more goals and they said he was fabulous. This year they are talking about him and saying he is not doing as well, just because he's not hitting the back of the net.

"Now I think he is doing a lot better this year than he did last year, even though he doesn't score as many goals. I think Sir Alex has made him a complete player."

Gascoigne also revealed that he had recently been contacted by Argentina coach Diego Maradona and that he would love to return to management himself one day - at his first club, Newcastle.

"I got a call, they just said Maradona has invited us to stay with him," he said.

"This was a couple of months ago but I left it, I said I'd just leave it because he was taking on the job of Argentina coach and he would be busy anyway. But it's still on offer.

"In time I would love to manage Newcastle but you have got to take your badges, you have got to be strong. I am feeling really strong now."

- mirror.co.uk

With the Premier League stamping down on third-party ownership, the Red Devils will have to buy the Argentine or let him leave this summer...

Manchester United will either have to buy Carlos Tevez at the end of this season or wave goodbye to the stocky striker.

The Argentina international is currently on loan at Old Trafford from a third-party owner in the form of agent Kia Joorabchian.

However, in an attempt to clamp down on that particular mode of transfer, in June 2008 the Premier League ruled that clubs are no longer permitted to loan players in such a fashion.

Therefore, once the 25-year-old's two-year loan agreement expires at the end of this season, the Red Devils will either have to pay his alleged £32 million asking price or let him leave.

"He would not be eligible to play under the new rules on third-party ownership we introduced in June," a Premier League spokesperson is quoted as saying in The Sun.

"But the rules are not applied retrospectively so he can play for United under his two-year loan arrangement from 2007."

It is thought that Tevez's owners were looking to sell him to the European Champions rather than settle on another loan deal anyway, but it has been suggested that United are reluctant to meet his high valuation.

- Goal.com

Manchester United must pay £32million for Carlos Tevez - or they will lose him this season.

The world champions have been told they will not be able to renew the loan deal for the Argentina striker, who has spent the past two seasons at Old Trafford.

Tevez, 25, is allowed to play for United as his current move was completed before fresh Premier League rules were introduced last June.

Such loan arrangements, when a player is owned by a third party rather than a club, are now forbidden. In Tevez's case, he is owned by his agent Kia Joorabchian.

'He would not be eligible to play under the new rules on third-party ownership we introduced in June,' a Premier League spokesman told The Sun.

'But the rules are not applied retrospectively so he can play for United under his two-year loan arrangement from 2007.'

Tevez is expected to be signed by the highest bidder in the summer but he will be unable to play unless a club buys his registration.

- Dailymail

Nani is happy at Manchester United, despite so far failing to nail down a regular start.

"Playing irregularly like I have been doing this season makes things harder," he told Portuguese newspaper Record.

"First of all, I must gain my place in the team. Then, I can have higher ambitions. But I have all the conditions to be one of the best in the world.’’

And Nani says the memory of last season’s successful climax, when United won a Premier League and Champions League double, is inspiring him to go for the quintuple this season.

"Last year was amazing achievement," he recalled. "There were much older players than me that never had won a Champions League, for instance.

"I feel privileged to have won so many trophies so young. I remember a chat I had with Ronaldo in the last days of last season: we were one win away from winning the Premier League and we still had to play the Champions League final. ‘What would you think if we won it all?’ we asked each other. We were riding a bicycle in the gym, and wondering what it would be like to win all that. And we did win.

"Now, we have everything in place to make history and win all the English competitions and also the Champions League. We have a fantastic group full of great players and we are determined to succeed."

- TribalFootball

Portuguese international Nani hopes his fellow countryman and highly-rated manager Jose Mourinho will join him at Old Trafford when Sir Alex Ferguson decides to call it a day...

When Jose Mourinho returned to England to take on Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in the round of 16 clash in the Champions League, much was made about the Scot meeting his contemporary foe - a manager whom he had rarely beaten, whether the Portuguese was at the helm of Chelsea or Porto.
However, perhaps it was not a meeting between two rival managers, but more a further chapter in what could turn out to be the mentor grooming his mentee.

There have been escalating rumours that Mourinho is one of few club managers who could suitably take Manchester United forward after Sir Alex Ferguson helped change the club's fortunes and propel them into stardom throughout the 90s and 00s.

Portuguese international Nani believes that Mourinho is the ideal candidate for the role.

"Everyone knows Jose Mourinho’s qualities as a coach," Nani explained, according to the Irish Examiner. "For him to manage a team like Manchester United, with this club’s potential, would be an easy job.

"The way he works and with the players this team has, he would be successful without any problems."

Mourinho, despite failing to secure a quarter-final passage with Inter, is still on course to guide the Milanese side to their first Scudetto under his tutelage.

Martin O'Neill is also a favourite to eventually take over Manchester United when Sir Alex decides to retire from the game.

- Goal.com

In Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's infamous words, "squeaky-bum time" is just round the corner as we head into the business end of the season and, as such, the nominations for the more notable individual awards of the campaign are about to be aired.

Veteran versatile midfielder Ryan Giggs, who himself has proven to be a valuable commodity to his club's challenge on multiple fronts this campaign, has hailed the performances of Liverpool's midfielders Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. He is set to opt for one of the Reds stars as his choice for the PFA Player of the Year award.

"Gerrard and Alonso have been terrific this season," Giggs explained to the latest edition of the United Review.

"Frank Lampard has had another good season as well so there are a lot of players who have done really well."

Xabi Alonso has been instrumental in the middle of the park for the Merseyside outfit, who are still harboring hopes of beating north west rivals United to the Premier League crown.
Talismanic captain Gerrard, on the other hand, has featured more as a second striker this season. He has built upon his formidable and fluent understanding with Spanish hotshot Fernando Torres at the head of Liverpool's attack.

Giggs, despite only starting nine out of United's 29 league matches to date, remains a forerunning candidate for the award.

- Goal.com

The Madridistas have spoken loud and clear, and they have a desire to see the Galacticos era return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid supporters and players alike still have bad memories of the final years of the disastrous Galacticos reign. However, after an equally disappointing period under Ramon Calderon, the fans are ready to give both Florentino Perez and the galactic dynasty another chance.

Marca.com conducted a survey of which Spanish and international superstars the Merengue supporters would like to see most in the famous white shirt. And there was something of a surprise in the make-up of the four homegrown favourites.

Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta, who has rarely been linked with a move to Madrid, topped the list with 29 per cent of the votes. David Villa came in second with 25 per cent, Cesc Fabregas with 17 per cent and Xabi Alonso, one of the hottest favourites to join Madrid next season, rounded up the rear with only 15 per cent.

As far as foreign players go, there was less of a shock. Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo predictably headed the catalogue with a massive 38 per cent of the votes, Kaka garnered 18 per cent, Lionel Messi with 12 per cent and Franck Ribery with 11 per cent.

Marca.com drew the simple conclusion that most Los Blancos aficionados still want Ronaldo and Kaka despite continuous failed attempts to entice the duo to the Spanish capital. The internet users also believe that it is near impossible to convince Messi to swap the Camp Nou for the Bernabeu, but more strikingly, none of the fans want Fernando Torres or Sergio Aguero.

- Goal.com

Italian and English press reports have suggested in recent weeks that Serie A giants Inter and Milan were prepared to start a bidding war to sign Manchester United central defender Nemanja Vidic in the summer.

The Serbian international’s agent Silvano Martina soon moved to quash the rumours in an interview with Goal.com and has now further clarified his stance.

“There is no truth in these whispers, because he is a first-team regular in the Red Devils' side and is not for sale,” the representative told Calciomercato.it.

“He loves it in Manchester and Italian clubs cannot afford to buy him, nor can Spanish ones for that matter. He still has several years left on his contract and is settled there.

“He is European and World champion, why would he want to leave? Every other destination would be a step down.”

Inter official Gabriele Oriali was spotted chatting with Vidic after the Champions League game between the Nerazzurri and Manchester United at Old Trafford, fuelling speculation that the Serie A leaders could make a move at the end of the season.

“I saw them talk,” admitted Martina, “Inter had been following him a few years ago and Oriali probably told him ‘you would not have scored if you were playing with us’, or perhaps just complimented him."

- Goal.com

Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed Sir Alex Ferguson's claims that Manchester United will fail to pull off an incredible Quintuple.

The Manchester United boss believes that winning five trophies this season is beyond his all-conquering stars.

But World Player of the Year Ronaldo insists United are ready to add the Champions League, Barclays Premier League and FA Cup to the Carling Cup and Club World Cup they have already secured.

'We’re positive about all the competitions we're involved in and we want to win them all,' said Ronaldo. 'It would be great to achieve that.

'Last season we won the league and the European Cup, and this year we have the opportunity to do even better. We’ll continue working hard and we believe we can do this.'

The Red Devils are currently four points clear in hand in the league with a game, while the European draw for the quarter-finals takes plave tomorrow. They are also two Wembley victories from lifting the FA Cup.

Fergie said: 'The thing about cup football is you need to be the best but you also need a lot of luck, and I think it's asking a lot for all the games to go your way.'

- DailyMail

Manchester United cannot do the quintuple. Who says so? None other than Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager.

In a wide-ranging interview with his friend Alastair Campbell, the communications and strategy secretary to Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister, Ferguson says that a clean sweep of five trophies is “too tough a call”.

He also picks his Manchester United dream team — well, two, actually — and names Ryan Giggs as the player he would “never, ever leave out” of his best side. He admits that his biggest mistake was letting go of Jaap Stam, the Holland defender, and that his biggest regret was failing to sign Paul Gascoigne.

Ferguson believes that his present squad is the best he has managed, but although United have won the Club World Cup and Carling Cup and are favourites to retain the Barclays Premier League title despite last Saturday’s 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool, Ferguson fears that cup football’s unpredictable nature means that they could come unstuck in the FA Cup, in which they play Everton at Wembley in the semi-finals, or the Champions League, in which their quarter and possible semi-final opponents will be revealed tomorrow. “The thing about cup football is you need to be the best, but you also need a lot of luck, and I think it’s asking too much for all the games to go your way,” he said.

When asked by Campbell in today’s New Statesman to pick his best United XI, Ferguson, who took over at Old Trafford in 1986, says: “My problem is I have had so many great players that I can’t do one dream team.

“I ask myself who were the players you could not leave out. Roy Keane, Scholes, Giggs — [I would] never, ever leave him out if I was playing my best team. Ronaldo and Cantona are both ‘never leave out’ players. You’d have Beckham knocking on the door. As for Rooney, if I left him out, I’d have to do it by e-mail or I’d never hear the end of it. God, when you go through it like that, I have been blessed with terrific players.”

Ferguson’s relationship with Stam soured after the player published an autobiography, Head To Head, in which he revealed behind-the-scenes secrets from the United training ground. The former Holland centre back, who joined the club in 1998 and had been a mainstay of United’s 1999 treble-winning team, was sold to Lazio for £16.5 million. Although Ferguson was reported to have questioned Stam’s long-term fitness after Achilles tendon surgery, he went on to play at the highest level for several seasons. His departure left a hole in the United rearguard and it cost £30 million to fill, with the signing of Rio Ferdinand from Leeds United 11 months later.

Ferguson, 67, also discusses politics and the early experiences that have made him a lifelong supporter of the Labour Party, and names the players and managers that he admires.

He also reveals that he supports in principle the idea of a Great Britain side at the 2012 Olympic Games, although he is noncommittal about the prospect of managing it.

Furthermore, he mentions his eventual retirement — although Messrs Benítez, Wenger and others will be disappointed to learn that he is unwilling to name the date.

- TimesOnline

LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - Manchester United's trademark reaction to a setback in more than two decades under Alex Ferguson has been to come out with all guns blazing and the manager will expect nothing less at Fulham on Saturday.

Last week's 4-1 defeat by Liverpool after 11 consecutive Premier League wins did more than dent a few egos, it stoked the embers of a title race that appeared to have been extinguished by United's relentless pursuit of a record-equalling 18th English crown.

Guus Hiddink, whose Chelsea side are locked together with Liverpool four points behind United, believes the door has been left slightly ajar and that the tension is back in the league season.

Rafa Benitez says Liverpool must win their remaining nine games to stand a chance of overhauling the leaders but he and Hiddink are in high spirits and will take more than a passing interest in events at Craven Cottage at the weekend.

Ferguson has seen it all before but even the old master, with 10 Premier League titles on his glittering CV, says the closing weeks of a title race can be an uncomfortable experience however many times you have done it.

"You only really relish it if you end up winning," Ferguson told MUTV. "You're prepared to go through the agony as long as you end up on top.

"It can be edgy but you have to accept the challenge. Being there is the greatest thing and that's what we are striving for."

BIG STATEMENT

United, who have a game in hand on Liverpool and Chelsea, will try to make a big statement at Fulham and slam the door firmly back in the faces of their pursuers.

With no midweek fixture to worry about, Ferguson's troops will have had a full week to lick their wounds and will be keen to make amends, even without suspended defender Nemanja Vidic.

Earlier this month they thrashed Fulham 4-0 at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup but will be expecting more resistance this time against a side still not clear of the relegation dogfight.

Chelsea, looking to maintain their unbeaten run since Hiddink took over last month, visit Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday while a rejuvenated Liverpool host fifth-placed Aston Villa on Sunday.

Midfielder Michael Ballack believes Chelsea are ready to pounce should United falter.

"It will be difficult to catch them but if they drop points we will be there," Ballack told the club's website (www.chelseafc.com).

Liverpool have been boosted by the news defender Daniel Agger is ready to return after being sidelined with a back problem while Alvaro Arbeloa is also expected to be in the squad after missing the win at United.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United host fourth-placed Arsenal on Saturday with just goal difference separating the St James' Park club and the bottom three.

- Reuters

The question dominating football in Europe at the moment is: Who can stop the English?

The Premier League will cast a huge shadow over the Champions League draw today.

If Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Porto or Villarreal draw any of England’s gang-of-four it will be like the European Cup Grim Reaper has come to town.

Barcelona remain joint favourites with Manchester United as the competition reaches the quarter-final stage.

But even they sound like they are running scared of the English teams.

Just listen to what their inspirational skipper Carles Puyol, who hopes to be back from injury for the quarter-finals, had to say about the prospect of coming up against either Manchester United or Liverpool.

Puyol remembers only too well what it was like to lose 1-0 to United at Old Trafford in last season’s semi-final, following a goalless draw at the Nou Camp.

The Spanish legend said: “I want to be the champion and for that reason it will be excellent to avoid Manchester United in the draw.

“We still remember last year. United were lucky to win the game and it was very painful to be eliminated, but they are still the European champions and English champions so we do not want to face them now.

“It would be wrong to say that we fear any side in Europe, but at the same time it is logical to respect the power and quality of our rivals and particularly a team like United.

“Equally we do not really want to face Liverpool because with the manager they have and their Spanish players they know all about teams from La Liga. Their win over Real Madrid was magnificent and unexpected.’’

It is understandable that any team still left in the draw would want to avoid both United and Liverpool for the way they dismissed Inter Milan and Madrid.

But the team most capable of stopping the Premier League charge is Barcelona.

They are in terrifying form at the moment and one reason for that is Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

The French ace has finally settled into life in Spain after stuttering last season, when Barca fans could not understand why they had not got the player who had been so mesmerising for the Gunners.

This season he has come alive again, as injury and personal problems have been put behind him.

In scoring twice against Lyon in the last round, Henry passed the 20-goal mark for the Spanish league leaders.

Bearing in mind that both Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi passed the milestone weeks ago, you can see why they have perhaps the most feared front line in Europe.

Sir Alex Ferguson has his own quartet of goal machines to call on, including World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Barca have already scored 28 goals in 10 Champions League games this season, so to say that they are on fire is an understatement.

While United are aiming for a historic Quintuple, Barca have their own treble of League, Champions League and Spanish Cup to battle for.

Puyol added: “We do not feel the pressure of being favourites for the European Cup. We are prepared for whatever challenge comes along.

‘’We know that United can still win a lot of trophies, but so can we. We have our own treble on the agenda and we are convinced we can do it.’’

Chelsea are desperate to make amends for the pain of losing last year’s final on penalties.

As well as that heartbreak in Moscow, their history includes some memorable clashes with Liverpool and their 2004 quarter-final defeat of Arsenal.

But it is still Barcelona that Frank Lampard wants to avoid most – because he would love to play them in the final.

The Chelsea midfielder said: “If we managed to get to the final again I would rather not face an English team. We’ve done that. I would love to play Barca.

“At the moment they are the glamour team. To play them on the biggest stage with the quality they have and beat them would be special.”

Lampard admitted the agony of last year, when John Terry missed the crucial penalty, still burns bright in the Chelsea team.

He said: “It has to motivate you. It was an awful journey home after the final last time. I can remember that the plane journey was awful.

“We all went our separate ways after that and I know John probably suffered more than most and we all felt for him.

“He deserved to lift the trophy and he will lift it one day. Let’s hope it can be this year.”

Not if Barcelona have anything to say about it.

- Dailystar

Arsène Wenger said yesterday that Liverpool's win over Manchester United "flattered" Rafael Benitez's side and that United were still favourites to win the league.

The Arsenal manager will have to play second-string goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski in his side's FA Cup quarter-final against Hull City tonight as well as 19-year-old left-back Kieran Gibbs.

The Polish goalkeeper Fabianski will play because Manuel Almunia is injured and a doubt for the game against Newcastle United on Saturday. He and Gibbs both started in the 3-0 win over Burnley in the previous round.

"At the moment I go from game to game and we know we have a cup game every game," Wenger said. "The coincidence for the Hull game is that it is a cup game, but even if it was a Premier League game I would have picked the same side."

Wenger, whose side are 13 points behind United, is unconvinced anyone can catch the champions, despite Liverpool's win on Saturday. "There are two things I'd like to say. Firstly, congratulations to Liverpool for winning with an emphatic score, but I think... it is a very flattering score.

"For big spells in the game, Manchester United dominated but they made mistakes on the day that usually they don't do. Some players looked a bit mentally tired. It opens up the race for the title, even though I still believe Manchester United are in a strong position with the game in hand."

- Independent

Fleet-footed step-over merchant Cristiano Ronaldo attracted all the major individual awards last year due to his phenomenal individual goal haul that helped aid Manchester United's Premier League crown and Champions League triumph last season.

This term, though, the player wants to better not only the successes of 2008, but also 1999 as he states there is a positive viewpoint and confident coolness emanating from Old Trafford in United's quest to secure an unprecedented - and historic - quintuple.

"We’re positive about all the competitions we're involved in and we want to win them all," Ronaldo explained to the club's official website. "It would be great to achieve that.

"Last season we won the League and the European Cup, and this year we have the opportunity to do even better. We’ll continue working hard and we believe we can do this."

Manchester United, along with the seven remaining participants in the Champions League, will learn their quarter-final fate on Friday as the draw will be made in Nyon, Switzerland, at 12:00 CET.

British bookmakers such as William Hill recently revealed that they have taken a notable amount of bets from punters who believe United will face Liverpool in the semi-final.

While all the focus seems to be on United's bitter north-west rivals, Ronaldo has instead been carefully watching a potential sleeping giant of European football.

"Bayern Munich are very strong," he opined. "I watched them play against my old team, Sporting Lisbon, and I was very sad because I did not expect Sporting to lose so heavily [12-1 on aggregate].

"But this can happen in football. Bayern are very good – they have mature players, strong players, quick players... Franck Ribery and Miroslav Klose are very impressive.

"Bayern play like a team and they look very difficult to beat," he concluded.

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness would prefer not to face Liverpool or Manchester United in the Champions League.

When asked about the draw, Hoeness said: “I don’t really mind, but I would rather not be drawn against Liverpool because at the moment they are very strong.

“I would also like to play the first leg away. For example, playing the second leg at Manchester United would not be pleasant.”

For his part, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann hopes that Bayern’s 12-1 victory after two legs over Sporting has impressed their challengers.

“We sent a crystal clear message to our competitors, they are aware of our standards,” he said.

“We are hungry for more. We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone in Europe, even Manchester or Liverpool.”

- Setanta

Manchester United could face a fixture pile-up as the title race reaches its conclusion as the FA have announced the league leaders will travel to Wigan Athletic on Wednesday, May 13.

In addition, if the Premier League leaders reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, it will result in five games in fourteen vital days as they seek to retain their league and European crown.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, caused a storm by refusing to talk to Sky Sports after their 4-1 humiliation to Liverpool – angry at his side having to play at 12.45pm on a Saturday following a Wednesday night Champions League tie against Inter Milan. United will now play Manchester City at home, Wigan away and Arsenal at home in a critical seven-day period.

The match at the JJB Stadium was originally scheduled for April 18 but had to be postponed because of their FA Cup semi-final clash with Everton at Wembley that weekend.

- Times Online

Antonio Valencia will sign for Manchester United during the summer transfer window.

Sportsmail understands that Wigan are resigned to losing their Ecuador winger to the champions for a fee in excess of £5million.

The same agent who engineered Wilson Palacios's £12m move from the JJB Stadium to Tottenham in January will act as intermediary in the Valencia deal.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been monitoring the progress of the 23-year-old wide player for some time, having expressed an interest in the former Villarreal star last summer, according to the player's agent Diego Herrera.

Last summer, when United allegedly came knocking, Latics boss Steve Bruce admitted the lustre of the Red Devils would be too much to resist for any of his young players.

Bruce said: 'Come on, we have to be sensible about this. If Man United come knocking at the door, how the hell can you refuse them?

'I'm aware you can't deny somebody like a Manchester United or a Liverpool or a Tottenham.

'This club never wanted to sell (Pascal) Chimbonda, but players want to go and you can understand that, so we have to be realistic as well.'

- Daily Mail

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is set to undergo a specialist sprint training session with world champ Usain Bolt.

Ronaldo is set to be given a special training session with the world's fastest man - Usain Bolt, says the Daily Star. Triple Olympic champion Bolt will be in Manchester to run in a one-off 150m street race in May.

A Manchester United fan, Bolt added that he had an ulterior motive for racing in the city.

"I am also looking forward to going to Old Trafford to support my team," he said. "I've wanted to come to a match for a long time and am delighted to get the opportunity."

- Tribalfootball.com

England boss insist the title race is not a foregone conclusion

Fabio Capello insists that the Premier League title race is not a foregone conclusion.

After Liverpool humiliated Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford last weekend, to take them to within four points of the champions, the England boss believes the title race is very much back on.

Chelsea are another side who find themselves back in the hunt for league success, with the Blues level on points with Liverpool, although United have the advantage of a game in hand on the duo.

The Italian, no stranger to capturing league titles himself, declared that whoever coped better under the pressure of the run-in would go on to win the Premier League.

"A month ago United were fresher," he told COM Radio.

"But then they played many games on the trot. This late on in the season, we all have to wait a bit more to see how each of the teams does at the moment of truth."

After guiding Real Madrid to the Spanish league title in 1997 and 2007 during two separate stints at the club, Capello still keeps a close eye on La Liga but it is his former club's rivals who have caught the eye this season.

- Skysports

Rossoneri midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has said his side would have dealt with Manchester United differently...

Gennaro Gattuso, never known for mincing his words, has won many fans through his no-nonsense attitude, which extends to life off the pitch - as he demonstrated again this week.

Ringhio has been sidelined by injury but spoke at the opening of a special sports centre for children in his home town of Schiavonea, near Cosenza.

Il Corriere dello Sport, reports that he talked of lower wages, the Champions League and Milan’s league position.

“In times like these, the lowering of wages would be a case of common sense; I have already spoken to [Milan’s vice-president Adriano] Galliani about it. If the club asks anything of me, I am ready to do it," he said.

And regarding the Champions League exit of Milan's city rivals, the Italian international continued, “If we had faced Manchester United, we would have won. The Champions League is always unpredictable, and it is vital for us to get back into it. One year in the UEFA Cup is enough for us.”

The hard man also dealt with the future of the Rossoneri, “If we can beat Napoli we should be third, but next year, if [Paolo] Maldini goes and we don’t keep [Giuseppe] Favalli, we need another defender to help Thiago Silva out.

“When will I return? The doctors said it would be at least five months, that means I can’t even start thinking about it until May,” he concluded.

- Goal.com

Phil Thompson believes Manchester United Football Club are on the ropes.

The Reds looked decidedly shaky despite their 2-0 UEFA Champions League win over Inter Milan last week, in which the Italians twice hit the woodwork.

Days later Liverpool struck four at Old Trafford to go within four points of the champions, and former Anfield hero Thompson believes the title is up for grabs.

"United look as though they are cracking up,” he said. "Defensively, United have been so strong, but there were signs of chinks in the armour against Inter Milan."

- FansFC

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits at times he hates his own rotation policy.

In his match programme notes for Saturday's defeat to Liverpool, Ferguson wrote: "I hate pulling a player to one side and telling him that though he has perhaps just delivered a top-class performance, I will not be using him in the next match. It’s not nice, but it helps that the players understand.

"I also feel blessed that we have players like John O’Shea, who in the absence of three injured right-backs – Gary Neville, Rafael da Silva and Wes Brown – has stepped in to play out of his skin."

- TribalFootball

AMSTERDAM — Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has turned down an offer to come out of international retirement for a second time to help the Netherlands qualify for next year's World Cup.

Coach Bert van Marwijk told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper he called the 38-year-old Van der Sar "against my better judgment" to ask him to play because of an injury and form crisis that has hit the three keepers named in the Netherlands' roster.

"I knew beforehand what the answer would be, but I called him anyway," Van Marwijk said in the interview published Wednesday.

Van der Sar, the most capped Dutch footballer of all time with 130 appearances, retired from internationals after Euro 2008. However, he agreed to make a one-off comeback last October for qualifiers against Iceland and Norway to cover for injuries. The Netherlands won both matches and he kept two clean sheets.

Van Marwijk tried to persuade Van der Sar to come back again for home qualifiers against Scotland on March 28 and Macedonia on April 1.

The squad's three keepers, Maarten Stekelenburg, Henk Timmer and Michel Vorm, "are all sick, injured or coming back from injury," he said.

Stekelenburg, who has recovered from injury but has not managed to regain his place in Ajax's first team, remains Van Marwijk's first choice.

"Of all the keepers at the moment, he has the most potential," said Van Marwijk, who names his squad for the Scotland and Macedonia qualifiers on Friday.

Van der Sar set an English league record this year after going 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal for Manchester. The stretch started Nov. 8 after Arsenal's Samir Nasri beat him twice in a 2-1 victory and ended March 4 when his blunder gifted Newcastle's Peter Lovenkrands a goal in the ninth minute of Manchester United's 2-1 Premier League victory.

- The Canadian Press