WAYNE: WE'RE IN CHARGE
Wayne Rooney says United are currently in command of the title race but warns it's too early to write off rivals like reigning champions Chelsea.
The Reds go into Saturday's tea-time game at Wolves with a five-point lead over Arsenal. And while Chelsea are a further five points behind United, their vast experience and this week's big-money recruitment of Fernando Torres and David Luiz means they cannot be dismissed.
"Certainly we haven't written them off," Rooney told MUTV. "They're a strong team and we know if anyone's capable of going on a good run, it's them. But we know we have to just do our job and we can't really look at what they're doing. We just have to concentrate on what we're doing. It's really up to us now where the title goes, and hopefully we can win that back."
United, Chelsea and Arsenal all have 14 games remaining and, after the Reds' impressive midweek win over Villa, Sir Alex Ferguson is keen for his side to extend their form and run down the rest of the calendar.
"That's what we want to do - to keep knocking off games and to keep on winning."
PLAYERS' RESPECT FOR RETIRING NEVILLE
ManUtd.com and MUTV spoke to some of Gary Neville's former team-mates this week, following his decision to call time on his playing career. Here's a selection of their comments...
Michael Carrick
"Gary has been an unbelievable player, captain and ambassador for United. He's helped every player who's come through the door while he's been here. It's clear he really loves the club from the bottom to the top. To have played for 19 or 20 years here is amazing. He's left a legacy that he can be incredibly proud of."
Rio Ferdinand
"There was a "To Let" sign in his place in the dressing room at Carrington on Thursday morning, so the banter about him leaving has already started. There won't be as much moaning now he's retired, although to be fair he has chilled out in recent years. But seriously, he's been a fantastic servant. He always put the club first and I'm sure he'll be respected by the fans for many years and deservedly so."
Tomasz Kuszczak
"Gary was so important to the team. His character and the way he prepared himself and focused on his job stood out. He always gave 100 per cent, not just in games but in training as well. He was always a positive person to have on the pitch - he always did his best and supported his team-mates. It's a shame he's retiring but he's an honest person and he's decided the time is right for him now."
LEST WE FORGET
This Sunday marks the 53rd anniversary of the darkest day in Manchester United's history, the day when 23 people - including eight players and three members of the club's staff - suffered fatal injuries in the Munich air crash.
The current United team wore black armbands in the Aston Villa game this week, in memory of all those who perished, including their predecessors Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor, Geoff Bent, Liam Whelan and Duncan Edwards. The club also lost secretary Walter Crickmer, trainer Tom Curry and coach Bert Whalley in the disaster.
The tragedy is an indelible part of the United story and is rightly remembered, not only annually on 6 February but throughout the year. Visitors to Old Trafford can learn about the tragedy in the club's museum or by walking through the Munich tunnel under South Stand, while fans worldwide can do the same by going to a dedicated section of ManUtd.com. We will never forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment