Carrick To Make Under 21 Come Back

Michael Carrick could make his return to action
as an over-aged player in next Friday's
Barclays Under-21 Premier League clash
against West Ham.

The experienced midfielder is in line to possibly
face his former club in the live MUTV clash,
particularly if he does not make the bench at
West Brom, as he bids to prove his fitness after
being sidelined since the close season with an
ankle injury.

"He also needs match rhythm and, until now,
he has not played a match so we have to give
him a chance to play a match," Louis van Gaal
revealed to MUTV. "Maybe next Friday with the
second squad.

"Maybe we'll use him on the bench [on
Monday] but I don't know."

The fixture for Warren Joyce's side will be
played at Rush Green sports ground with a
19:00 BST kick-off.

Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Ander Herrera is
scheduled to play in a specially-designed
corset against West Brom as he strives to
protect the fractured rib he suffered against
West Ham.

"Herrera is a fit player and he only had a rib
fracture so we can play him with a corset,"
confirmed van Gaal. "Then he can play. But, of
course, I have to select him first."

Van Gaal: Herrera Could Wear Corset Against Westbrom

Ander Herrera could be
forced to wear a chest brace
when Manchester United
face West Brom on Monday.

The midfielder fractured a rib
against Everton on October 5, with an initial prognosis
of three weeks on the sidelines being diagnosed.

But Herrera has been passed fit to play on Monday,
though manager Louis van Gaal has not confirmed he
will select the Spaniard.

"Herrera is a fit player and he only had a rib fracture,
so we can play him with a corset," Van Gaal told
reporters.

"Then he can play. But, of course, I have to select him
first."

Elsewhere, fellow midfielder Michael Carrick is back
in contention after recovering from ankle surgery, but
Van Gaal is way of rushing him back into first-team
action.

He continued: "[Carrick] needs match rhythm and,
until now, he has not played a match so we have to
give him a chance to play a match.

"Maybe next Friday with the second squad [against
West Ham]. Maybe we'll use him on the bench [on
Monday] but I don't know."

Polls Back United To Pick Up Points

Manchester United fans are backing Louis van
Gaal’s men to stride confidently into the most
testing run of games so far this season and
emerge with a healthy number of points.

Monday’s match against West Bromwich Albion
kicks off a five-match run which also takes in
tests against Chelsea, Manchester City, Crystal
Palace and Arsenal, so we asked ManUtd.com
readers how many points they expect van
Gaal’s side to pick up during this spell.

With 15 points on offer and the challenge of
facing three recognised rivals, it’s a crucial
period in assessing the progress of the
Dutchman’s side.

After back-to-back victories over West Ham
and Everton took United into the league's top
four for the first time in almost 14 months,
there is a growing sense of optimism as the
Reds head back to action following the recent
international break.

An overwhelming majority – 85 per cent of the
fans who took our poll – believe United will
claim nine or more points from the 15 available
in those five matches. From that cross-
section, more than a quarter of supporters
reckon the Reds will take 13 points or more,
while the vast majority opted for the 9-12
points category.

Only one per cent of voters pessimistically
claimed the Reds would notch five points or
fewer, but far more supporters seem to be
relishing the tests that the next few weeks will
bring.

Below is the Poll result:

13 – 15 points – 27%
9 – 12 points – 58%
6 – 8 points – 14%
5 points or fewer – 1%

Van Gaal Calls For Balance

Manchester United boss
Louis van Gaal wants to see
an improvement in the
balance of his side, insisting
that it is not enough to only
produce "spectacular
attacking football".

The signings of the likes of Angel Di Maria and
Radamel Falcao have whipped up excitement about
the Red Devils' forward options, with the Premier
League giants having won three of four league games
since the close of the transfer window.

But Van Gaal believes that there is a lot more work to
do in finding the right overall structure for the team.

He told reporters: "We need more balance, I said that
after the Everton match. I'm looking for balance in the
team, not just spectacular attacking football.

"When you lose the ball, you must have a shape as a
team and then you can defend more easily. You can
kill the game better.

"I have confidence in my players and I think that is
very important but it is much more important that the
players have confidence in the manager and his
staff," he continued.

"Of course, like I have already said, we could have
done better because I don't think that we are in
balance now. I am sorry to say that but it is the truth.
We are moving forward in training sessions, though,
and evaluating those sessions. I hope that we shall
improve."

The squad look ready enough to work to make the
necessary changes, with defender Marcos Rojo
posting a picture of himself and striker Falcao during
training.

Reds Raring To Go

Louis van Gaal's squad reassembled at the
Aon Training Complex on Friday to begin
preparations for the resumption of the Barclays
Premier League, with a trip to West Bromwich
Albion on Monday.
The Dutchman put his players through their
paces on Friday morning and the club's official
photographers were there to capture it all.

Most notably, Michael Carrick took part in the
session as he looks to complete his recovery
from an ankle injury that has kept him out of
action so far this season, while Ander Herrera,
Phil Jones and Chris Smalling also took part in
training.

Van Gaal Have Faith In His Players

Louis van Gaal has expressed his confidence
in his players to ensure Manchester United
remain among the leading sides in the
Barclays Premier League.

The Reds approach the weekend in fourth
place in the table ahead of Monday night's
encounter against West Brom and the boss is
awaiting confirmation that his footballing
philosophy has become immersed within his
staff as his training methods reap dividends.

The Dutchman feels things are moving in a
positive direction after the win against Everton
and is anticipating more improvement from his
side.

"We will have to wait and see but I think they
[the players] do understand the philosophy," he
stated. "But they have to perform it. We have to
see if it works at a higher level. We need more
balance. I am looking for more balance in the
team, not just spectactular, attacking football.

"When you lose the ball, you must have a
shape as a team and then you can defend
more easily. You can kill the game better. That
is also a part of the philosophy but that is also
because I am choosing more creative,
attacking football players. We are looking for
that balance and, okay, we shall see if the time
I have had is long enough.

"Normally, I am always moving in the right
direction," he insisted. "That I have shown
already. How do I respond, though? No, I am
not moving in the right diection? I have
confidence in my players and I think that is
very important. But it is much more important
that the players have confidence in the
manager and his staff. Of course, we could
have done better because I don't think that we
are in balance now. I am sorry to say that, but
it is the truth. You can say you are not fit
enough. It is another question but we are
moving forward in training sessions, evaluation
sessions and in the images [video analysis]. I
hope that we shall improve."

Pep: I Would Like To Coach United

Pep Guardiola has revealed
that he would like to manage
Manchester United at some
point during his career.

The Bayern Munich coach
has earned a reputuation as one of the best in football
after winning 14 trophies - including three Primera
Division titles and the Champions League twice -
during a four-year spell with Barcelona.

The 43-year-old left Camp Nou in 2008 for a one-
year sabbatical, during which time he was linked as a
possible successor to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old
Trafford.

In the book Pep Confidental written by journalist Marti
Perarnau, a close friend to Guardiola, the coach
recalled watching United beat Schalke in the
Champions League.

Perarnau writes: "[Guardiola] was impressed [by
Bayern's training facilities, Sabener Strasse] and told
[assistant] Manuel Estiarte privately: 'I like this. I
could see myself coaching here one day.'

"Pep had said something very similar a few months
before, at Manchester United. The day after beating
Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final,
Guardiola and Estiarte travelled to Manchester to
watch their next opponents in action.

"It was May 4, 2011, and the pair sat together in the
stands of Old Trafford watching Sir Alex Ferguson's
team beat Schalke 4-1. Once again Pep had turned to
his friend and said: 'I like this atmosphere. I could see
myself coaching here one day.'

"Guardiola has always felt a deep admiration, almost
veneration, for the legendary teams and players of
Europe."

Gary Neville: Judgement Day For United

Former Manchester United favourite Gary
Neville feels the current side's credentials will
be thoroughly examined in the coming weeks
as the focus returns to domestic football after
the international break.

Louis van Gaal's side are at West Brom on
Monday night before facing back-to-back
showdowns with title favourites Chelsea and
Manchester City.

Neville, speaking to ManUtd.com at the HMV
Football Extravaganza in London that honoured
Ryan Giggs' achievements in the game, is
clear that the barometer for success will be
provided soon, particularly by Jose Mourinho's
Barclays Premier League leaders.

"I think it's an exciting time," he explained. "It's
going to be an important few weeks but
exciting as well. We'll find out in the next few
weeks as the West Brom, Chelsea and City
games are all massive ones that I'm going to
be at and my thought is we'll find out exactly
[the level] where the team is at this season.

"It's going to be tough for United to get into the
Champions League and that would be a big
achievement. At this moment in time, we're in
the places in fourth spot but we'll find out
where we're at in the next few weeks.

We've
not really played anybody really strong yet. I
know Everton at home could be classed as
being a tough game but, in terms of really
tough matches, Chelsea and City will provide a
real measure of where this team is at."

Giggs: Time For Top Form

The wait for Manchester United's return to
action following the international break – albeit
extended due to a Monday-night trip to West
Bromwich Albion – is almost over and with it
comes a potentially crucial period for the Reds
to assert some authority on this Barclays
Premier League campaign.

The extra day or two could prove beneficial to
Louis van Gaal in his preparations for the trip
to the Hawthorns as the full squad assembles
on Friday at the Aon Training Complex, with the
last of the international Reds returning from
various far-flung destinations around the
world.

Before the break in play for globe-trotting
friendlies and Euro 2016 qualifiers, van Gaal's
men claimed a top-four spot qualifiers with
consecutive wins over West Ham and Everton,
and the target now is to stay there through a
run of testing matches that could give the
clearest indication yet as to the burgeoning
progress of the Dutchman's new-look United
team.

The fixture list has paired the Reds with West
Brom, Chelsea, Manchester City, Crystal
Palace and Arsenal for the remainder of
October and deep into November.

Former United defender Gary Neville described it as
"an exciting time" and added: "It's going to be
an important few weeks. [Against] West Brom,
Chelsea and City we'll find out exactly [the
level] the team is at this season."

Jose Mourinho's runaway league leaders
provide arguably the sternest test of the lot
when they visit Old Trafford, while away
clashes with City and Arsenal ensure this spell
will challenge the Reds to the full.

Below is United's next Five fixtures in full.

20 Oct West Brom A
26 Oct Chelsea H
02 Nov Manchester City A
08 Nov Crystal Palace H
22 Nov Arsenal A

Another Injury Crises; Valencia Out

Manchester united are currently sitting suffering so many injury crises that you begin to wonder is there a trophy for that

Things have gone from bad to worse
as Louis van Gaal has to deal with
yet another injury headache with
winger Luis Antonio Valencia pulling
his hamstring to become the ninth
Man United player sidelined
according to the Metro .

The Ecuadorian was injured during
United's win over Everton and it
hadn't appeared to be all that serious
it now seems the wide-man will not
be available for Monday night's trip
to West Brom.

Van Gaal brought in new physio Matt
Radcliffe to help resolve just such a
problem and he won't be short of
injury victims to deal with with
Valencia joining Paddy McNair
(hamstring), Ander Herrera (rib),
Chris Smalling (thigh), Jonny Evans
(ankle), Ashley Young (groin), Phil
Jones (hamstring), Jesse Lingard
(knee) and Michael Carrick (ankle) on
the treatment table.

There is a chance that veteran
midfielder Carrick will be fit to face
West Brom though van Gaal would be
wise to not rush the experienced
campaigner back too early.

Falcao And Other Reds Returns Home

Radamel Falcao and a host of
United stars are heading home
to Manchester, ready for the
Barclays Premier League season
to resume following the
international break.

The Colombian played for 67
minutes – and saw a wonderful
goal disallowed for offside – as
Jose Pekerman's side secured a
1-0 win over Canada thanks to
James Rodriguez's 75th minute
winner. The striker was the last
of the Reds to compete in a host
of friendlies and European
qualifiers.

Falcao scored in Colombia's
preceding friendly against El
Salvador and returns to United in
good form, which bodes well for
Louis van Gaal given that fellow
strikers Robin van Persie and
Wayne Rooney - albeit the latter
being suspended for two further
club matches - also hit the back
of the net for Holland and
England respectively.

Other highlights of the break
included David De Gea's clean
sheet for Spain, Darren Fletcher's
Scotland drawing with Poland
and Luke Shaw's man of the
match display for England
Under-21s.

Fletcher Features In Scot Draw

Earning only his third cap since
November 2012, the rejuvenated
Reds midfielder came on as a
71st-minute substitute for
Gordon Strachan's men as they
claimed a share of the spoils.

The Poles had started the
European Championship
qualifier as favourites having
beaten world champions
Germany 2-0 in a shock result
at the weekend to go top of
Group D. But the Scots had other
ideas and, as Fletcher watched
from the bench, they came back
from conceding Krzysztof
Maczynski's early goal to lead
2-1 just before the hour mark.

Shaun Maloney equalised and
Steven Naismith - Everton's
scorer in United's last match at
Old Trafford - later put Scotland
in front. With Strachan
understandably looking to
protect that advantage and close
out the win, he sent Reds
midfielder Fletcher on in place of
namesake Steven Fletcher, the
Sunderland striker. The plan was
foiled five minutes later when
Arkadiusz Milik drilled home
Poland's leveller but the United
man still contributed as the
Scots held onto the 2-2
scoreline.

Fletcher's former club colleague
John O'Shea was also involved
in a Group D draw and
dramatically so, as it was the
ex-Red himself who rifled in the
Republic of Ireland's equaliser
against Germany, thus marking
his 100th international
appearance in style. Scored
away from home in injury time,
the goal will have evoked
memories for some of O'Shea's
most famous strike for United -
the winner at Liverpool in March
2007

Transfer Rumors

Ron Vlaar Eying United Move

Ron Vlaar has told Aston Villa to
double his wages if they want to keep
him at Aston Villa. The Netherlands
international is wanted by Manchester
United and is out of contract in the
summer.
Source: Daily Star

Juventus Closing On Mata

Juventus are closing in on a January
move for Manchester United's Juan
Mata. The Serie A side will offer £20m
with Louis van Gaal prepared to allow
the Spain international to leave.
Source: Daily Express

Roma To Be Give Pay Rise

Roma are set to offer midfielder Kevin
Strootman a pay rise in order to keep
him away from Manchester United.
The Netherlands international currently
earns £25,000-a-week at the Serie A
side.
Source: Daily Mirror

United To Launch De jong January Bid

Manchester United will reignite their
interest in Milan and Netherlands
holding midfielder Nigel de Jong in
January. The 29-year-old is out of
contract at the end of this season.
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport.
 
United To Give De Gea Pay Rise

Manchester United are set to increase the Wages of the Spanish goal keeper, to wade of reported interest from Real Madrid.

Sir Alex: I Love Watching United

United in action.
The former Reds boss was
particularly upset to see United
beaten at home by Liverpool at
Old Trafford last term but is
convinced Louis van Gaal will
ensure the team is challenging
for top honours again soon.

"I’m watching the team from a
different perspective and that’s
been interesting," Sir Alex told
Jim Rosenthal, in an exclusive
in-depth interview for MUTV.

"I must say I love watching the
team. You start thinking the way
supporters think. That's the way
sometimes I am now.

"I got annoyed when we lost to
Liverpool last year. I didn’t enjoy
that. Losing to Liverpool and
Manchester City last year, they
are your biggest rivals, the ones
you always strive to defeat and
are always in our way.

Particularly Liverpool, of course.
"I’m actually quite stony-faced
watching a game. I don’t try to
show any emotions unless we
score. I always celebrate a goal.
Even now, as a director, I still
celebrate a goal. You’re always
conscious maybe the cameras
are on you and this is happening
a lot. The media don’t miss an
opportunity to focus on me
during a game."

Van Gaal is imposing his
personality and philosophy on
the club and, although he has
met with Sir Alex after home
matches, the current manager is
not regularly in contact with the
Scot.

Sir Alex Backs New Look United

Sir Alex Ferguson has been
impressed by Louis van Gaal's
summer recruitment at
Manchester United - and his
continuation of the club's
famous youth policy.

The Reds invested heavily in the
summer, to bring in six major
signings including the club's
record acquisition of Angel Di
Maria for £59.7million. No
stranger to spending landmark
fees himself, the former manager
has been impressed by what the
new boss has done so far in the
transfer market.

When asked about the Di Maria
deal in an exclusive interview for
MUTV, Sir Alex replied: "I think
when you can identify ability like
that needed by Manchester
United, they [the club] have the
resources to do that [deal]. They
are fees I never quite equalled
but nonetheless they were
needing quite a big injection this
year.

"They brought in some good
quality. It was really important
as you need quality at
Manchester United, you need the
best players. It’s the rebuilding
of the team."

Moving on to van Gaal's other
new boys, Sir Alex revealed:
"The signing of [Luke] Shaw was
the one we tried to get when he
was 16 years of age. They
[Southampton] wouldn’t sell
him to us but they always said
we’d be first to know if they ever
did. Of course, Ed Woodward
carried that through and got
him, I think for £30million. He’s
a talented boy, a good footballer
who likes to get forward all the
time.

"[Ander] Herrera played against
us three years ago for [Athletic
Club] Bilbao in the Europa
League. In fairness, they gave us
a right battering at Old Trafford.
He’s a talented young player and
we scouted him quite a lot at
that time. Obviously they tried to
get him last year but it fell
through for some reason or
another. He’s athletic, quite
aggressive actually for a lad who
has not a got a great frame as
he’s quite slim but he gets
around the pitch.

"Rojo, the Argentinian boy, I
watched him at the World Cup, I
thought he did really well for
them and I think he's capable of
playing either left side as a
wing-back if you like or as a
centre-back.

Ancelotti: Di Maria Left Because Of Greed

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Re
Madrid decided to cash in on Angel
Di Maria this summer due to the
Argentine's hefty wage demands.

The versatile midfielder played a key
role in Madrid's successful
Champions League campaign last
term as they at last won La Decima.
However, Di Maria was then sold to
Manchester United in a deal worth
€75 million after talks over a contract
renewal broke down.

"Di Maria demanded a lot of money
and preferred to leave in order to ear
more elsewhere. The club simply
couldn't give him the money he
wanted," Ancelotti told Cadena Cope.

"There are times when a club has to
say no. You cannot change the club'
policy for just one player."

The Madrid coach also had his say
on Cristiano Ronaldo and insisted the
Portugal international is the best
player he has ever coached, while
admitting that it is not an easy
decision to rotate the attacks.

"I have coached Zinedine Zidane an
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but I think
Ronaldo is the best player I ever
trained.

"It's never an easy decision to rest
him. He nearly always scores when
he plays and you almost start each
game 1-0 up when he starts. He is a
great professional."

Ancelotti then went on to discuss the
signing of James Rodriguez and
stressed that the former Monaco ma
is worth his €80m price tag, while
dismissing claims he is being forced
to play the forward to satisfy the
Madrid hierarchy

"James is worth the money. When
you pay €80m, it's because you think
a player is worth it.

"If the president told me to play
someone, I'd step down right
away..."

Cole: Di Maria Money Well Spent

Andy Cole has been bowled over
by Angel Di Maria's brilliant
start to his Manchester United
career.

The former Reds striker can
recall his strike-partner Dwight
Yorke enjoying a similarly
fruitful beginning to life at Old
Trafford but admits the
Argentinian appears to be worth
the record £59.7million outlay
after adapting seamlessly to the
Barclays Premier League.

Di Maria bagged his third goal
for the club in the win over
Everton and has already been
voted United's Player of the
Month for September .

"I'll be honest, the only person
I've seen come to Manchester
United and make such a good
start was Dwight Yorke," Cole
told ManUtd.com . "I think he
scored two goals on his home
debut and another goal in the
game after that."

As a record buy himself, back in
early 1995, Cole was asked if the
increased focus has any
impact and can weigh heavily on
a player's shoulders.

"You look at that, you take it,
you get on with it and enjoy the
pressure," he stated. "He has
played so well and given a little
bit of spark. It's what you always
want when you come for that
kind of money, everyone is
expecting something special and
he's done just that.

"I think when you come to a
football club like Manchester
United, there is always going to
be pressure but he has played for
another massive club in Real
Madrid.

Suarez: I Wasn't Racist To Evra

The Uruguay star is closing in on a
comeback but has reopened old
wounds over an incident which
occurred during his time in England

Luis Suarez has
again protested his
innocence over the
clash with Patrice
Evra which resulted
in the then Liverpool striker being
found guilty of racially abusing the
Frenchman.

Suarez, who left Merseyside for
Barcelona over the summer, admitted
he has made mistakes in a
controversial career but insisted he
should not have been punished for his
verbal spat with Evra during the Reds’
clash with Manchester United in
October 2011.
The Football Association handed
Suarez, 27, an eight-match ban and a
€50,000 fine after studying video
footage, details in the referee’s report
and statements from other players on
the pitch.

In a wide-ranging interview with
Barcelona’s media channel, Suarez felt
he had been incorrectly sanctioned.

“When I say I’m sorry it’s because I
regret something,” he said. “Being
sorry implies regret. But they have also
sometimes judged me on things that
aren’t true, such as the racism thing. I
was accused without evidence and
that’s what grieved me the most."

“The others were actions when it was
me who did wrong. I accepted that and
begged forgiveness, but the racism
thing, when I was accused without
evidence, that did upset me."

The Uruguayan is currently serving a
four-month suspension for biting Italy
defender Giorgio Chiellini during the
World Cup – an act for which he
expressed his regret.

He added: "It is good to accept that you
have made a mistake and that’s what I
did. I left it a few days because you
have to remember that I’m only human
and sometimes it’s hard to face the
truth.

“I found it hard to take in and to realise
what I had done. Those were days
when I didn’t want to know about it. I
just wanted to be with my wife and
children, who supported me through
that time. I didn’t want to listen to
anybody, or speak to anybody. I didn’t
want to accept it."

Carrick Soon To Make Injury Return

The 33-year-old midfielder could be
available for Manchester United's trip
to West Brom on Monday night as his
recovery from an ankle injury
continues this week

Michael Carrick will
step up his return
from injury in a
behind-closed-doors training match at
Manchester United's Carrington
training ground on Tuesday.
Carrick has been unavailable to new
Old Trafford boss Louis van Gaal since
he suffered an ankle injury during a
pre-season session in July.

But the midfielder returned to training
in September and has been running
and working with a ball over the last
few days.

Carrick will take part in the hour-long
training match, featuring two sides
made up of United first team and
youth players, in a bid to continue his
return to full fitness.

United are hopeful Carrick will come
through the hour-long match and be
available to face West Brom.

The 33-year-old is understood to have
an outside chance of being fit for the
trip to The Hawthorns on Monday
night if his ankle stands up to the test
of match practice.

United signed Daley Blind and Ander
Herrera this summer to bolster their
options in central midfield, but have
lost the Spain international to a
fractured rib which could rule him out
of facing West Brom.

Ferguson: He Is Always Honest With The Press.

The former Manchester United boss
says the Dutchman once asked for
advice on dealing with the press during
his time at Barcelona, and is now
intrigued by his openness.

Former Manchester
United manager Sir
Alex Ferguson
admits he finds
Louis van Gaal 's
honesty with the media "interesting",
and has backed the Dutchman to
succeed at Old Trafford.

Ferguson, who retired in May 2013,
had a number of run-ins with the
British press during his successful 27
years in charge of United, in which he
won 13 Premier League titles, five FA
Cups and the Champions League
twice.

Van Gaal has also had a chequered
history with journalists, particularly in
his first spell at Barcelona between
1997 and 2000, a time when he
actually asked the Scot for advice on
how to handle the scrutiny.

"I've always got on well with Louis," he
told MUTV. "We met several times
when he was with Barcelona. In 1998
we were in the [Champions League]
group stage together and he asked me
about dealing with the press. I had a
few things about that!

"He had a different approach to the
press at that time and my advice was
don't read it and don't get upset about
it. He has his own way. I think
watching his press conferences are
quite interesting, he's very, very honest
in his press conferences, which is
interesting."

Ferguson says he has spoken to Van
Gaal on a couple of occasions since
the Dutchman took the reigns at Old
Trafford following the World Cup.

"There's no ongoing dialogue, he
comes into my office sometimes after
the game, to have a chat, it's not a
matter of picking up the phone and
phoning him," he added. "He's very
capable, a strong personality, he
knows where I am if he ever did need
me but there's not been any need for
him to phone me.

"Louis has made a lot of changes and,
thinking about that, actually maybe
he’s doing the right thing, to clear the
decks and build his own team because
he’s got the experience and coaching
ability to do that. The way he’s
approached it I think has been brilliant.

"He'd not got the results that were
expected, but when I came to the club I
didn't get the results. He's been
through that a bit. There's no doubt in
my mind he will sort it out."

David Moyes was the man hand-
picked by Ferguson as his successor
back in 2013, but the former Everton
boss was sacked inside his first
season in Manchester after a string of
poor results and performances.
Ferguson did not discuss his
countryman's short reign during a 30-
minute interview with the club's in-
house television channel, but did admit
he was unhappy with some of the
campaign's most defining matches.

"I got annoyed last year when we lost
to Liverpool," he said. "I didn't enjoy
that, losing to Liverpool and
Manchester City, because they're our
biggest rivals, they are the ones. They
will always strive to defeat us,
particularly Liverpool of course."

The 72-year-old also admitted he is
wary of expressing too much emotion
while watching the game from the
stands at Old Trafford: "The way I've
always been, I'm actually quite stoney-
faced watching a game, I don't like to
show emotion, unless we're scoring a
goal. You're always concious that the
cameras are on you, too. The press
don't miss an opportunity to focus on
you during a game."

United Have The Three Best Strikers In The World

The Spanish midfielder, who is
currently injured, has lavished praise
on Radamel Falcao, Robin van Persie
and Wayne Rooney, insisting they are
among the elite of world football.

Ander Herrera has
hailed Manchester
United ’s forward
line, insisting that
the club have the
three best strikers in the world at their
disposal.

Louis van Gaal recruited Radamel
Falcao on a season-long loan deal on
transfer deadline day, with the
Colombia international joining fellow
strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne
Rooney at Old Trafford.

Falcao forged a reputation as one of
the deadliest strikers in the world
during his spells at Atletico Madrid
and Monaco, leaving Herrera in awe at
the firepower available to Van Gaal,
though he remains acutely aware of the
need to increase his own goal tally as
the season progresses.

"I want to try to score more goals,”
Herrera, who has scored twice this
season, told United’s official website.
“It's very important for the midfielders.

“I like assists as well and I think we
have maybe the best three strikers in
the world here in Rooney, van Persie
and Falcao.

"Juan [Mata], Angel [Di Maria], Adnan
[Januzaj], Daley [Blind], Fletch [Darren
Fletcher] and me are all going to help
them try to score, and if I score of
course I'll be very happy.”

Herrera joined United from Athletic
Bilbao in the summer and is currently
sidelined with a rib injury, though he
has expressed his delight at being able
to ply his trade in England’s top-flight.

"The Premier League is a great
league," he added.

"It's a very quick league, non-stop and
great spectacle for the fans. That's
good because sometimes in other
countries there are more teams that try
to keep the ball in their end of the pitch
but in the Premier League you will see
a lot of goals.

“It's a difficult league, there are tough
games against Chelsea, Arsenal,
Liverpool, Spurs, City and Everton; it's
a great challenge."

Mata Rested And Ready

Today I’m writing to you from
Asturias, shortly before boarding
a plane back to Manchester.
After a very good week of
training I got the weekend off
and I thought it was a good idea
to visit my family and friends. I
was right. Coming home is
always great…

It’s been just a few hours, but
good enough to switch off from
football, rest with my people and
enjoy this natural paradise
called Asturias. The fall season
here is spectacular. There are
colourful trees everywhere and
the landscapes are stunning.
And it’s barely rained this
weekend. Apart from that, I had
lunch at my grandparents, which
is priceless when you live far
from home.

Some of you have asked me
about the first thing I do when I
come to Asturias. As you can
imagine, as soon as I leave the
plane I go to see the ones I love.
Sometimes I don’t tell them than
I’m coming, and give them a
surprise. I like to see their
reaction and how happy they
get. They are the best. I also
meet my all-time friends, even if
only two of them are living here
now. But we try to meet up
whenever we can: Asturias,
Madrid, Manchester…

Coming home makes me feel full
of energy and I will keep doing
that no matter how far I am. I
say goodbye now. I’m on my
way back to Manchester looking
forward to our game against
West Brom next Monday, the one
that closes the eighth week. I’m
sure we will work very well on it
during these coming days in
order to get a new victory.

Thank you for your support,

Juan

Defeat For United Duo

Manchester United's Dutch
players suffered a shock 2-0
defeat as the Netherlands lost to
fast-improving Iceland in Group
A of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
Robin van Persie captained the
side and Daley Blind also played
the full 90 minutes as the World
Cup semi-finalists were beaten
in Reykjavik. Swansea City star
Gylfi Sigurdsson converted a
10th-minute penalty and
doubled the advantage before the
break.

Van Persie had a shot blocked
following an Arjen Robben pass
and moments later Blind's
centre led to Robben spurning
another decent chance when he
headed wide just before the half-
hour mark.

Although firing over the bar five
minutes after the break, the
skipper was unable to inspire his
troops on a disappointing night
for the Dutch. Blind supplied a
couple of dangerous crosses as
the visitors chased a comeback,
one of which just failed to find a
clean connection from van Persie
after an Iceland defender
partially intervened.

This was the second defeat in
the opening three qualifying
games for Guus Hiddink's
charges, who had to come from
behind to beat Kazakhstan in
their only win so far on Friday.
Elsewhere, United's Marouane
Fellaini was introduced for the
final 12 minutes as Belgium
drew 1-1 at Bosnia-Herzegovina
in Zenica. Manchester City
striker Edin Dzeko's opener was
cancelled out by Radja
Nainggolan in the Group B
fixture with the Reds' Adnan
Januzaj remaining on the bench.

Van Gaal Have Defensive Options Against Everton

Not for the first time, Manchester United
manager Louis van Gaal is facing a selection
headache – this time in defence for
Sunday's match against Everton.
The Dutchman has been forced to rotate his
rearguard personnel due to a spate of injuries
and suspension. In fact, no fewer than 12
players have featured across the defensive
line in just six Barclays Premier League
matches.

Van Gaal’s options this weekend are boosted
by the availability of Tyler Blackett, who has
served the one-match suspension for his red
card in the 5-3 defeat to Leicester City.
Having been a regular in the manager’s plans
beforehand, the Mancunian defender from
nearby Hulme is keen to regain his starting
berth.

“Obviously, I want to play in every game and
I am trying to impress the manager enough
to keep my place in his team,” Tyler told
ManUtd.com. “At first, I would have been
happy just to gain experience by being in and
around the squad. But now that I have
played a few games, it is one of those
situations when you are hungry for more.

“There is healthy competition among the
defenders. We have banter in training and we
are all pushing each other to improve.
Marcos [Rojo] and Daley [Blind] have both
come in and I think we have a good
connection between us. We all want to
succeed.”

Given van Gaal’s stated aversion to pairing
two left-sided centre-backs, Blackett appears
to be in competition with Rojo following the
latter's admirable display against West Ham.

The Argentinian has previously played well as
a left-back but now has Luke Shaw staking a
claim there after a successful debut last
Saturday. Factor in the possible return of Phil
Jones, and young Paddy McNair's impressive
entrance into senior football, and the boss
could have a number of decisions to make in
defence.

Sorry For The Delay In The Blog Posts

United Have Offer Ready For Ronaldo

The potential move of World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is more likely than it has ever been, according to Sky Sports journalist Guillem Balague.

Ronaldo has reportedly been unhappy with Real Madrid's transfer policy and the possibility is growing that the Portuguese forward may push for a return to Old Trafford at the end of the season - six years after leaving the club for the current European champions Real.

That move cost Los Blancos an at the time world record fee of £80m, and any return could cost United a significant fee of their own despite the fact that the player will be 30 by next summer.

Balague said: "He's not happy that [Mesut] Ozil left and he's didn't like that [Xabi] Alonso and [Angel] Di Maria left.

"He has this idea that at Real Madrid he's doing a job, while he enjoyed himself 'like a kid' at Manchester United. He dreams of going back to Manchester United and Manchester United have all the finances in place to get him."

Bad News: Sandy Busby Passes On

Staff at Manchester United are sad to report
that Sandy Busby - son of the club's legendary
former manager Sir Matt Busby - has passed
away.

Speaking on behalf of the club this evening,
executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "I
am shocked and saddened by news of Sandy's
death. He was such a genuine person who had
a deep and rich love for the club that his father
did so much to establish in the hearts of
millions around the world.
"Sandy understood better than almost anyone
what the Manchester United way means and
his enthusiasm, his wit and his affection for the
club will be sorely missed.

"Our thoughts go out to Irene and his family at
such a sad time."

Match In Pix

Here are some pix from yesterday's win over QPR.

Blind Excited To Learn From Van Gaal

Daley Blind is delighted to be working under
Louis van Gaal at Manchester United and
insists his former Netherlands manager will
make him a better player this season.

The Dutchman made his Reds debut as a
deep-lying midfielder during Sunday’s 4-0 win
over QPR and can't wait to see what the future
holds for him at Old Trafford, where he can
absorb the knowledge and expertise of van
Gaal.

“He is very honest to everybody, he knows
what he wants and he knows his philosophy,”
Blind explained, while speaking to ManUtd.com
after the final whistle. “He can bring that to the
players and he can make a team with
everybody. That is a good start for us if you
want to work for each other. I have really
learned a lot from van Gaal and I like working
under him.

“I haven’t worked that long with him. I only
worked with him at the World Cup and in the
qualification games. A lot of the time I worked
with Frank de Boer at Ajax and I think Ajax
made me more the player I am now. Of course,
I was with van Gaal at the World Cup. He also
helped me a lot and I have learned a lot from
him. I hope to learn a lot from him in the next
season as well.

“I think he can make me a better player in
terms of positioning, where to stand and tactics
in games because midfield is an important
position to play. I hope I can get better at it
every day.”

While pleased with his first performance for
United, Blind is determined to improve his
understanding of the holding midfielder role in a
division that is much faster than he is used to.

“It was a bit different because the opponents
were going back so I had a lot of space to
control the ball and play it to the sides, mixing
it from side to side. I had a lot of space and that
was nice for me. We played our own game and
we played well. When we lost the ball we went
after it as a team. We won the ball back a lot,
so we did a good job.

United Under 21 Bags Four

Manchester United's Under-21s fielded a
strong side against Sunderland at Old Trafford
and were rewarded with a 4-0 triumph as
Adnan Januzaj bagged a hat-trick.

Lous van Gaal, who attended the
clash, perhaps treated the game as more of a
traditional Reserves fixture in order to improve
the fitness of some of his players. Luke Shaw
and Januzaj may still be eligible for this level
but their senior status showed as they were
joined by Anderson and Will Keane in the
starting line-up.

Januzaj took less than two minutes to register
a shot into the side-netting following a slide-
through pass by Anderson and Maksymilian
Stryjek was kept busy by Saidy Janko's cross
and a deflected Anderson shot. The powerful
Janko smashed a drive off target as a goal
seemed increasingly inevitable.
It was supplied in the 19th minute by Januzaj,
who was presented with the ball by Stryjek's
poor clearance. The Belgian fed Will Keane and,
when it was returned to him inside the box, he
arrowed home with his left foot.
Andreas Pereira doubled the lead three minutes
later when Josh Harrop passed to the
overlapping Shaw and his cross from the left
was met with instant control and a smart
finish from the Brazil Under-20 international.

The Black Cats were in danger of being
completely over-run as Will Keane displayed
clever hold-up work when found by Shaw and
Januzaj profited, illustrating his balance and
composure with an assured finish for his
second of the night.

Di Maria Claims Free kick Was No Mistake

Di Maria scored United's first goal in the 24 minutes with a curling free kick which went past everyone into the far post. Di Maria was involved in all three other of United's goals and directly assisted Mata for the fourth.

Speaking to skysports. He said, " I am very happy to score at home, we have been practicing it in training all week and I done it then, so its no surprise."

Di Maria was the man of the match as United cruised to an easy winning at Old Trafford against QPR.

Mata Hails Di Maria Display

Juan Mata scored his second goal of the season and the fourth goal of the day as Manchester United, comfortably win over QPR.

He insisted that Di Maria's free kick goal was straight from the training ground.

Di Maria scored United's first goal in the 24 minutes with a curling free kick which went past everyone into the far post. Di Maria was involved in all three other of United's goals and directly assisted Mata for the fourth.

Translating for his new team mate, Mata said "he is very happy with his debut and to score his first goal at home. He had been practicing during the week and he did it in training so its not a surprise for me"

"For me, I have to get to the box. I can help my team by scoring goals and it's my second of the season so I am happy."

Falcao Thanks Fans

Radamel Falcao has thanked Manchester
United's fans for the boisterous welcome that
soundtracked his debut in Sunday's 4-0 win
over QPR - including prolonged renditions of a
new terrace anthem in his honour.

The Colombian loan signing was named on the
bench by Louis van Gaal and did not emerge
from the dugout until the 56th minute, when his
much-anticipated warm-up was greeted by
rapturous applause from every Reds supporter
inside Old Trafford.

Falcao's eventual introduction, as a
replacement for Juan Mata just after the hour,
was met by an even bigger ovation that lit up
the stadium. While the 28-year-old was
disappointed not to score on his debut, he was
delighted by the reception he received.

"I am very happy for this victory and the
support was great," he said. "I want to continue
that way. I want to say thank you to the fans
and I enjoyed that a lot, this match. It was
fantastic. I almost scored. The goalkeeper was
good. I hope to score the next game.

"It felt good to make my debut here at Old
Trafford and I am happy to get the win. I am
enjoying this moment. It is an extraordinary
stadium, a legendary stadium. Bit by bit, we will
gel together as a team and the new players will
feel more comfortable. I hope everything
continues for us like it has."

Ronaldo Tired Of Madrid

Real Madrid have signed their fair share of big-name players in the last few years - their current side looks like the second coming of the Galacticos - but their biggest name might be on his way out.

Ex-Real president Ramon Calderon has said that Cristiano Ronaldo could head back to Manchester United because of the Ballon D'Or winner's affection for the English club.

Talking to talkSPORT, Calderon said: "When I signed him in 2009, I remember he said he was grateful to Manchester United.

"He had a marvellous time there, he likes everything. It is a really great club."

The Champions League holders have started this season badly in La Liga, losing two of their opening three games including Saturday's devastating 2-1 local derby loss to Atletico Madrid, and Ronaldo has looked out of sorts.

Calderon took a dig at the current Madrid president, saying: "My impression is he is fed up with the policy of the current president.

"When he came with Robben, he thought he would be a good colleague for him in the team.

"[Gonzalo] Higuain was sold and he didn't like that. Last year he thought it was a mistake to let [Mesut] Ozil leave and the last straw was selling Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria this summer."

Di Maria Asked To Persuade Ronaldo

Angel Di Maria could potentially hold the key to Manchester United's alleged attempts at re-signing current Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

According to the Daily Express, Di Maria, who became close friends with Ronaldo during their time in Madrid, will be the one that United manager Louis van Gaal tasks with persuading the Portuguese superstar to come back to Old Trafford.

Ronaldo has been consistently linked with a move to United since he played against the club for Real in the Champions League in 2013. Also, after the recent events which saw Di Maria leave, Ronaldo is said to be very unhappy with the Spanish club's hierarchy.

Despite protestation from Real club President Florentino Perez that there is no problem, Ronaldo has previously said, "I have strong opinions but I can't always say what I think. Otherwise it would be on the front page tomorrow and I don't want that. But if it was up to me, I wouldn't have [sold Angel]."

Chelsea and Manchester City are reportedly said to be keeping an eye on the developing situation, but Ronaldo has often spoke of his undying love for United and its fans and van Gaal hopes the Di Maria factor will be what ultimately pulls him back to Old Trafford.

LVG Hopes Attacking Football Wins Them The Title

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is targeting a Premier League title win during his tenure as Old Trafford boss, according to Sky Sports.

The Dutchman led his side to their first win of the season against QPR on Sunday, seeing £59.7m signing Angel Di Maria star on his Old Trafford debut. The host of new faces on display included Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo, while Falcao was brought on as a second half substitute.

While Luke Shaw didn't get on from the bench, all the players are set to form the basis of a squad that van Gaal wants to see win the Premier League title at some point during his three-year contract at the club. The United boss also insisted that attacking football will be used as the means to get there.

He said following the 4-0 win over Rangers: "I want to win the Premier League title. If it is not this year then the second or third year. I want to give a championship to the fans.

"I have always played attacking football in my 35 years as manager. All my teams have scored the most of the league so I hope at the end of this league we shall score also the most."

Encouragingly for United fans, the coach believes that United can still perform far better than they did on Sunday. Di Maria, Ander Herrera, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata scored the goals that put QPR to the sword, but van Gaal believes there is more to come.

He continued: "We always have to analyse what we have done. Of course the result is fantastic but we can do much better, I believe.

“Since 1st September, we only had three days together before the game with the internationals coming back and with the jet-lag, like Falcao. I think the result is fantastic, but we can get better. We have made a very good new start.”

We Can Do More

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has said that despite their impressive 4-0 win over QPR yesterday, the side can improve - even goalscorer Angel Di Maria.

As reported in the Telegraph van Gaal, speaking at his post-match press conference, said: “Di Maria is all right, but he has cramp. Normally you have to play 90 minutes without cramp, but that’s also a positive symbol that he gave everything.

“When you prepare three goals and you make (score) the first goal yourself, you cannot play bad but he had a lot of unnecessary losses, so we can do better. Even Angel Di Maria.

“Can you do better when you prepare three goals and make one? It’s nearly impossible. But I’m a coach and I analyse the game and I see things we have to improve as a team.”

The Dutchman's much discussed 4-3-1-2 formation didn't make an appearance yesterday, but he insisted that was an injury-related decision instead of a tactical one.

“I could hardly play with five defenders because (Chris) Smalling and (Phil) Jones were injured.

“So I was more or less forced to play with four defenders, but it’s also because of the quality of players that I changed the system.”

“I said to the players before the match that we have to make a new start today.”