Valencia: Manchester United still worried about late title slip-up

Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia has revealed that the team is still "worried" that they could let Manchester City back into the title race this campaign.
Roberto Mancini's side reduced the gap at the top of the table with seven games to go back to 12 points after emerging victorious from their recent derby clash at Old Trafford 2-1 on Monday, courtesy of goals from James Milner and Sergio Aguero.

Valencia feels that even though they remain the
Favourites, they are now starting to look nervously over their shoulder, confessing the club need to take maximum points from their next two matches against Stoke and West Ham to put any doubts to bed.
"We're a little worried. It has already happened to us," Valencia told Ecuadorian radio station Sonorama .
"Last year, having eight points with seven games to go we lost the league, and now we have seven games, 12 points and we don't want this to happen again.
"We want to finish off the two games that are coming as soon as possible, starting off in the right way and ending up victorious."
The winger admitted he was upset only to feature for 10 minutes as a late substitute during the defeat to City and that he is growing frustrated with his lack of playing opportunities recently.
He added: "They are the manager's decisions [to make], but I was still a bit upset.
"In such an important game, to be not taken into account as a starter is upsetting.
"Ten minutes is very short for such a tight, difficult game. The important thing is to come on and play, but yeah, you become restless waiting for the next game and wanting to play 90 minutes."

Stam: Rvp is still world class

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam believes Robin van Persie is still a "world-class player" regardless his recent form in front of goal.
The striker has been in poor form in recent weeks and, after his strike against Sunderland was deemed to have been a Titus Bramble own-goal instead, his goalless run now stretches to 10 league games.

Stam feels Van Persie has already proven his quality and that there is more to come from him this season.
"Since day one, when he joined, he has done very well," Stam told the club's official website.
"Although I've heard people talking about him not scoring for a while, I think he's scored a lot before that and, when he gets chances again, he will score goals for United in the future.
"He's done exceptionally well and is a world-class player who has proved himself in England really well since he left Holland. So everyone has got a lot of respect for him for what he's done in his career. "Robin has been very important for the club. It's hard for strikers to score in every game and to finish off every chance that they get.
"It's not like that in football. The opponents always know the quality of the strikers so, if van Persie is scoring, a lot of other teams will be marking him with two defenders and making it hard for him to score.
"But it doesn't matter as he's then taking a lot of attention away from the defenders and, if someone else scores, as they have been doing, then it's okay."

Rooney wins March goal award

Wayne Rooney has picked up our latest Goal of the Month award for his effort against Norwich City at the start of March.
In injury-time against the Canaries at Old Trafford, Rooney cut inside and unleashed a dipping drive from outside the box past goalkeeper Mark Bunn to seal a 4-0 win for United, after Shinji Kagawa's earlier maiden hat-trick for the club.
The goal gathered 39% of fans' votes on our seven official websites – English and its Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish and French language versions.
Javier Hernandez's looping header in the 2-2 FA Cup draw against Chelsea came second on 27%, with Kagawa's third goal against Norwich, a neat dink following a fine team move, rounding off the top three (16%).
Kagawa's second that afternoon, an impudent first-time finishfrom Rooney's pass, was also nominated, along with a rocket by Charni Ekangamene and a smart shot by Sam Byrne for the Under-21s and Under-18s respectively

Welbeck making progress

Danny Welbeck is happy with the progress he has made this season and feels he is gaining invaluable experience from playing across the attacking line.
After a successful Euro 2012 campaign with England, the
United player has proved himself to be an important member of United's squad this term, and while he is ultimately disappointed with his goal return, he feels he is making big strides forward in other areas of his game.
"The Euros was a really good tournament on a personal level and it gave me a lot of confidence coming into this season," Welbeck explained in United Review .
"I think my performances have been more consistent [for United]. I haven't always played in my preferred position but playing in different areas allows you to develop an understanding of the other attacking positions which can only benefit you as a player. The one thing I want to do is score more goals."
Welbeck, a regular starter in big matches, points to United's visit to the Bernabeu as the biggest personal highlight of the campaign and hopes to be involved in similar occasions in the future.
"It was a massive day for the club and for myself. The manager picked the team that he thought could go out and get the result and we had chances to win the game there," recalls the England international who made his 100th United appearance against City.
"Ultimately the tie ended in big disappointment for us, but I was pleased with my performance at the Bernabeu and it was an experience I'll never forget.
"It's always great to be playing in the big games, but I want to play in every game! [Laughs] Of course, it gives you confidence, but it's something I just try to take in my stride while focusing on continuing to improve and develop as a player."

Title race: Seven games to go

Despite defeat against Manchester City in Monday night's Manchester derby, United are still sitting pretty at the summit of the Barclays Premier League, 12 points clear of Roberto Mancini's men and with seven matches to play.
And while the Reds' momentum may have derailed in recent weeks, the title is still very much in United's hands. Indeed, 10 points from the remaining seven fixtures will secure a 20th league title, irrespective of Manchester City's results.
Here, we examine the seven sides Sir Alex's men will encounter before the season's end and assess the perils, pit falls and potential for points along the way...

STOKE CITY (A)
Sunday 14 April, 14:05 CAT
First it's a trip to The Britannia, one of the most intimidating grounds in England. And for Stoke fans, United's visit is the game of the season. Encouragingly, the Reds have never lost against the Potters in the Premier League and not in any competition since 1993. What's more, the Reds have scored at least two goals against the Potters in eight of the last 10 meetings, with Javier Hernandez particularly fond of finding the net: he has four in five appearances. It won't be easy, though: Tony Pulis' side are fighting for top-flight survival and renowned for their physical and aerial approach... something that could test Sir Alex's men, who are currently without three centre-backs.

WEST HAM (A)
Wednesday 17 April, 19:45 CAT
Bar the heavy League Cup defeat in 2010, results at Upton Park have generally been positive in recent years. The Reds have been there already this season, although had to rely on a Robin van Persie injury-time strike to salvage a draw. Wayne Rooney didn't play that day but has netted four times on his last two league visits. The Hammers have been steady of late, picking up three wins and two draws from their last 10 games, but they are still in the relegation fight and still require a few more points to be sure of their Premier League status.

ASTON VILLA (H)
Monday 22 April, 20:00 CAT
Paul Lambert's Aston Villa are in an even bigger relegation fight, although their form has picked up in recent weeks and, having claimed an impressive 3-1 win at Stoke in their last away game, they're unlikely to surrender meekly against the Reds. United overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 at Villa Park in November and will be determined to avoid another slow start. The Villans are still the last league team to keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford (in December 2009) but went down 4-0 in this fixture almost a year ago to the day; a repeat of that scoreline would do nicely.

ARSENAL (A)
Saturday 28 April, 16:00 CAT
The Reds have lost just once in the last 10 meetings with Arsenal, scored 24 goals and created a pervading sense of dominance in this fixture. Yet Arsene Wenger's side have suffered only one league defeat since mid-January as they push for Champions League qualification. And while it's a long time since the Gunners challenged for the title, Sir Alex pitches Wenger's men among next season's potential rivals. "Arsenal are improving," he says. "There's some indication they are building a better squad than people think." United's 10-point target for a 20th title, coupled with Arsenal's quest for European football, means this could be a match with a dash of the feistiness of old.

CHELSEA (H)
Saturday 4 May, 15:00 CAT (subject to change)
Since United won 3-2 at Stamford Bridge in a stormy and action-packed October affair, the Londoners have held the upper hand. A luckless 4-5 reverse in the Capital One Cup followed for Sir Alex's side and United's FA Cup hopes also ended in the capital after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. The fixture list continues to look daunting for the Europa League hopefuls, yet they appear to be handling the taxing schedule remarkably well. The Blues have long been formidable opponents but Reds will hope this game evokes memories of United's win late in the 2011 season that virtually secured the 19th title.

SWANSEA (H)
Sunday 12 May, 15:00 CAT (subject to change)
Sir Alex will want the title race done and dusted by the time the Swans visit Old Trafford. If so, there'll be a party atmosphere in the stands. If not, and United still need points to secure silverware, it could be a nervy occasion. Capital One Cup winners Swansea are an impressive footballing side – Sir Alex recently revealed they'd impressed him most of all the teams in the league – and held the Reds to a 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium just before Christmas. This one definitely won't be easy.

WEST BROM (A)
Sunday 19 May, 16:00 BST
After kicking off the 2011/12 season at the Hawthorns, the Reds now end the 2012/13 campaign on the same patch. And it's a place United have always enjoyed going. In fact, the Reds haven't tasted defeat in the league there since March 1984 and have scored 11 goals on the last four visits. Manager Steve Clarke has done an outstanding job in his debut season after taking the reins from Roy Hodgson, and his side certainly made United work for a 2-0 victory when the teams met in December. Clarke has led the Baggies to eighth in the league at the time of writing,although they have only won once in the last month.

Match report: Man.united 1 vs Man.city 2

Despite a losing in the
Manchester derby, Manchester united remain on track to win the premier league and reclaim the title from City.
That's a positive take after goals from James Milner and Sergio Aguero, before and after a Vincent Kompany own goal, gave victory on the night to the Blues.

The Reds were without Vidic or johnny Evans, both nursing niggles, and so Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones were paired in central defence for the first time since January 2012 against Newcastle, a game United lost 3-0. But leading up to the derby Sir Alex extolled his faith in the qualities of young defender Jones, who has excelled this season and is destined to take up a role in the heart of the back four.

He certainly didn't disappoint as he had a heavy hand in forcing Kompany to turn the ball into his own net.
In front of the defence, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs,who started his 37th Manchester derby, were the deep-lying midfielders, while Ashley Young, Danny Welbeck, WayneRooney and Robin van Persie completed an attacking side. City named Aguero on their bench, leaving Carlos Tevez to lead the line alone in front of a packed midfield.
There was little sign of congestion in the middle of the park as the match got off to a fast-paced, evenly-matched start, with both teams playing on the front foot and referee Mike Dean letting some stern challenges go without stopping play. Welbeck had a glancing header saved easily by Joe Hart, while James Milner's fiercely-struck cross was palmed to safety by David De Gea, and then van Persie stroked an effort wide of the post, all inside the opening ten minutes.
City took the initiative after that, however, and a spell of pressure led to a good opening after 20 minutes when Silva'sneat lay-off from Kompany's lofted pass was superbly anticipated by Jones, who slid in to clear the ball from Tevez's toes.
Outright chances were few and far between in the opening 45 minutes as the game failed to deliver on a blustering opening period. United gradually edged back into the contest and with seconds left on the clock before the break Rafael poked a shot against the bar from van persie's pass inside the area.

The second half began with neither side dominating play until City struck the first blow in the
51st minute as Milner's shot from 20 yards fizzed through sliding challenges from Jones and Carrick and proved too powerful for De Gea's outstretched right hand. United had conceded possession easily in the lead up to the goal as Giggs' attempted backheel allowed Barry to attack down the left.
United's players looked despondent walking back to the centrecircle but within eight minutes the Reds had levelled and the game's complexion appeared to alter. Referee Dean awardeda free-kick on the right flank for Yaya Toure's challenge onRafael and van Persie's incisive, inviting centre was bundled over the line as Jones challenged Kompany in the air. Jones, inexplicably given his undoubted potential, is the butt of City fans' transfer triumphalism and his celebrations – and performance in general – hinted at someone who feels he has a point to prove. He doesn't, but his display was noteworthy even if the goal is certain to be marked down as Kompany's.
The goal lifted the Old Trafford crowd and inspired a confident, more positive approach from Sir Alex's team, butjust as United seemed to be taking assertive control of the match, City struck again on 78 minutes when substitute Aguero evaded four red shirts and beat De Gea at his nearpost with a shot high into the roof of the net.

United could not conjure a response as had been the case after City first found the net, and even now with a 12-point lead over the Blues there is still hard work to be done to deliver title number 20. However, this setback - a first league defeat since November - should ginger the Reds to strive to finish the job.

Ferdinand: trophy more important than records

Rio Ferdinand has said that the Team is not contemplating on setting a record points this season, but that the Team are focused on winnin the Title this season. The Red devils hold a 15-point lead over Roberto mancini's Manchester City who visit the Theatre of dreams on Monday night. Victory over the Blues would put the Reds on the verge of title glory, but attentions in the media have turned to the possibility of United hauling Chelsea's record of 95points in the 2004/05 campaign. Ferdinand, however, insists no-one is thinking about anything other than beating City and edging a step closer to a 20th premier league crown. "It is just about winning. Anything that comes after that is great, but winning it is the most important part," he told PASport. "If you win the league before the end of the season then you can set other targets. For me, personally, we need to get the trophy first, then you can think of all the other stuff thatgoes on around it. "We are not any more hungry because of what happened last season," he added. "That is just the way we are. The mentality of this club, driven by the manager, is that you have to win and you have to be challenging for every single competition you go in for. That has been the case since I have been here. That will never change. "This club, the manager, the management team he has behind him, and the players and the fans demand that." Twenty-five wins from the first 30 games - a record in the top flight - has helped the Reds build a double-figures advantage over Roberto Mancini's side, and United are also on an impressive run of 18 unbeaten games since November 2012

De Gea: Let's finish the job

The United shot stopper is basically relaxed as his team prepare for a potentially significant derby clash on Monday night. De Gea has made 35 appearances already this term but is still feeling fit, fresh and happy with his form heading into the final straight. “I’m feeling well, in good shape and I’m at ease on the pitch,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of matches but I get plenty of rest at home and I eat well – it’s important to look after myself. “I’m more confident and feel I’m playing consistently because I’ve had a prolonged run in the team. But training well and having a good mental attitude brings its rewards. Everything you put in, you get out. That is what you’re seeing now – I’m very happy with how I’m playing.”

Sir Alex predicts glittering future for Phil Jones

Sir Alex Ferguson has predicted a glittering future for Phil Jones and paid tribute to the England international's versatility, although the boss sees him as a natural centre-half. He described the Youngster as an "animal for football", the boss also outlined some of his plans for the defensive positions in the coming years during his exclusive interview with Inside United. "Jones is going to be a fantastic player, his talent is unbelievable. Yes [his best position is centre-back] but you could play him anywhere. I think you could play him centre-forward! He’s just that type of player. the Boss said.

Everyone wants to play the derby game- Sir Alex

Sir Alex has revealed that his players are in good shape ahead of the Manchester derby this coming monday. He admitted that he faces a tough task selecting his team to play against Roberto Mancini's men on Monday night. the Red devils are 15 points clear at the Summit of the Table but will hope to seal their dominance with a win against city. "These are the games that everyone wants to be involved in, the derby games," Ferguson told Inside United . "Over the last few years the derby games have been far more important than they ever were, so we've all been looking forward to them. But we've had a heavy programme leading up to the game so we just have to manage it. "The form in the league has been very good. But the international break came at a difficult time for us, in terms of preparing for the following fixtures. "We had the game on the Saturday against Sunderland andthen the Cup replay against Chelsea on the Monday, after so many of the players had played two international games. "And the calibre of player that we have means they alwaysplay for their international teams, that's for sure." Wayne Rooney missed the clashes with Sunderland and Chelsea earlier this week after picking up an injury on England duty, but Sir Alex says the striker should be fit. "I've no worries about Rooney because he's needing games, he's the kind of player who has to play all the time," he added. "With Van Persie, we have to monitor it because we still don't know all about Robin, and the kind of seasons he's had.I don't think he had a season of such intensity during his time at Arsenal, so we'll have to look at that. "Welbeck's looking strong as well, as is Chicharito."

Sir Alex has revealed that his players are in good shape ahead of the Manchester derby this coming monday. He admitted that he faces a tough task selecting his team to play against Roberto Mancini's men on Monday night.the Red devils are 15 points clear at the Summit of the Table but will hope to seal their dominance with a win against city."These are the games that everyone wants to be involved in, the derby games," Ferguson told Inside United ."Over the last few years the derby games have been far more important than they ever were, so we've all been lookingforward to them. But we've had a heavy programme leadingup to the game so we just have to manage it."The form in the league has been very good. But the international break came at a difficult time for us, in terms ofpreparing for the following fixtures."We had the game on the Saturday against Sunderland andthen the Cup replay against Chelsea on the Monday, after so many of the players had played two international games."And the calibre of player that we have means they alwaysplay for their international teams, that's for sure."Wayne Rooney missed the clashes with Sunderland and Chelsea earlier this week after picking up an injury on England duty, but Sir Alex says the striker should be fit."I've no worries about Rooney because he's needing games, he's the kind of player who has to play all the time," he added."With Van Persie, we have to monitor it because we still don't know all about Robin, and the kind of seasons he's had.I don't think he had a season of such intensity during his time at Arsenal, so we'll have to look at that."Welbeck's looking strong as well, as is Chicharito."

Shinji Kagawa scored in Japan's World Cup qualifier on Tuesday but couldn't prevent his team falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Jordan .Japan, who had previously taken 13 points from five groupmatches, missed the opportunity to become the first side to qualify for the 2014 finals (outside of hosts Brazil).

Shinji Kagawa scored in Japan's World Cup qualifier on Tuesday but couldn't prevent his team falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Jordan .Japan, who had previously taken 13 points from five groupmatches, missed the opportunity to become the first side to qualify for the 2014 finals (outside of hosts Brazil).