Manchester United Trophy Room
The FA Premiere League Trophy/Football league division oneUnited have won 17 League Championships in total, one less than Liverpool’s record haul of 18 titles. United's total includes ten Premier League titles (since 1992) and seven First Division Championships (pre 1992).
Years of United won the trophy : 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008
FA CUP
Football League CUPThe Carling Cup or Football League Cup (also previously known as the Worthington Cup, Milk Cup, Coca-Cola Cup and Rumbelows Cup) was first played in 1961. Manchester United have won the competition only twice; in 1992, the Reds defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the final at Wembley, and in 2006 beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Years of United won the trophy : 1992, 2006
FA CHARITY / COMMUNITY SHIELD
The Shield was initially introduced as a professionals v amateurs charity match with the first game being played in 1908. The reigning Football League Champions, Manchester United, took on Queens Park Rangers, the then-Southern League Champions. This format, with the occasional representative side taking part, was to form the basis of the competition for many years.Years of United won the trophy : 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967, 1977, 1983, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008
European Cup / UEFA Champions LeagueUnited first played in the European Cup in 1957. The decision did not go down well with the Football League due to the fear that it would affect the quality of domestic competitions. This was quickly quashed as the competition helped raise stand ards in the English game.
Years of United won the trophy : 1968, 1999, 2008
UEFA Super CupManchester United's first taste of the competition came in 1991 when, after the Reds' victory over Barcelona in the Cup Winners' Cup, they faced European champions Red Star Belgrade. Due to Yugoslavia's unstable political climate, it was decided the 1991 Super Sup would be settled over one leg. A Brian McClair strike was enough to hand United a 1-0 win and hand Sir Alex his third trophy.
Years of United won the trophy : 1991
European Cup Winner'sHughes was the hero in the 1991 final in Rotterdam, scoring two goals in the 68th and 75th minutes against his former club Barcelona. Ronald Koeman clawed one back for Barca but to no avail as United won the Cup Winners’ Cup at their fourth attempt. It was also their final attempt – the subsequent FA Cup triumphs, in 1994, 1996 and 1999, were topped by league titles and therefore the club qualified for an d entered the Champions League instead - before UEFA abolished the competition in 1999.
Years of United won the trophy : 1991
Brazilian side Palmeiras were the Reds' opponents in Tokyo, where a single first-half goal from skipper Roy Keane and outstanding performances from Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Mark Bosnich were enough to see United crowned world champions for the first time.
Years of United won the trophy : 1999
Boss pleased with point
United and Chelsea deserved to share the points on Sunday, according to Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson.“In football terms, I think we certainly deserved a point,” he told MUTV. “That said, I think in some ways it was a point gained – we didn’t know what was going to happen on that pitch with so many free-kicks being awarded around the edge of the box. I was starting to worry.”
It’s no wonder the manager was fretting. Referee Mike Riley was particularly whistle-happy at the Bridge, awarding 35 free kicks (19 against the Reds, 16 against Chelsea) and handing out eight yellow cards (seven to United).
“I don’t want to get into that,” Sir Alex said. “All I’ll say is that the match went out around the world and I think some people will be wondering what was going on.
“I didn’t think there was one bad tackle in the game.”
After a feeble performance at Anfield last weekend, Sir Alex was pleased in midweek with United’s performance against Spanish side Villarreal. At Chelsea, too, the boss found there was much to take heart from.
“I think we played with great tempo to our game, particularly in the first 20 minutes. We played some excellent football.
“If there is a criticism of us today, then we didn’t go for the jugular when we were 1-0 up and in complete control. We eased off and allowed Chelsea to regroup at half-time.”
Injuries forced Sir Alex to hand Jonny Evans a Premier League debut and pick Gary Neville for his first league start since March 2007. Ji-sung Park and Owen Hargreaves were also included from kick-off after impressing in their first starts of the season in midweek.
“I’m very happy with how Gary Neville and Jonny Evans played,” the boss confirmed. “I think they’ve all done well. There were a couple of moments where Joe Cole got free – once in the first half and once in the second half – but I think we defended quite well.
“We maybe lost a little energy towards the end of the game because we’ve still got a few players, like Berbatov, Hargreaves, Park, Ronaldo and Neville who haven’t played all that much football recently.
“They started to tire a little and that allowed Chelsea to break on a few occasions when we should have kept possession of the ball. But everyone worked hard on a hot day.”
Chelsea Vs United :: DRAW..!!!
United clinched a valuable point at Stamford Bridge but, having taken the lead through Ji-sung Park, could have snatched all three points were it not for slack marking from a Chelsea free-kick, allowing Salomon Kalou to grab a late equaliser.
The match followed a similar pattern to United’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in that the Reds took the lead before the home side became the more dominant force. However, this was an infinitely better performance than the one at Anfield. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have not yet reached top form, but with players gradually returning from injury and suspension, this must seen this as a point gained and the team can kick on from here.
Sir Alex chose not to use Cristiano Ronaldo from the start, who instead settled for a place on the bench, as did Carlos Tevez, who stepped aside for Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney to occupy United’s forward roles. Owen Hargreaves and Ji-sung Park started out wide, while Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes took on central midfield duties. There was also a huge gesture of faith in the burgeoning ability of Jonny Evans, who deputised for the suspended Nemanja Vidic at centre-half alongside Rio Ferdinand.
It’s been a smooth-running start to the season for Chelsea, but Luiz Felipe Scolari had the disruption of injury to Deco during the warm-up. Michael Ballack, who scored twice against United at Stamford Bridge back in April, was promoted from the bench.
The Reds immediately took the game by the scruff of the neck. Darren Fletcher, United's top scorer this term, made one of his perfectly-timed runs into and saw his volley from Hargreaves’ cross go narrowly wide.
Rooney went close two minutes later. After Cech’s failed clearance and Berbatov’s wayward attempted lob, Rooney tried to hook the ball in but it too went just wide. But then it was Chelsea’s turn to threaten. Joe Cole got away with what appeared to be handball before hitting the side-netting with his shot from 20 yards.
United were full of attacking intent during a high-tempo start. Ferdinand hit the woodwork on 16 minutes when Rooney put him through on the right of the penalty area. Cech got a crucial touch to tip the defender’s shot onto the bar and over.
Two minutes later, however, the breakthrough United deserved arrived. A great passing interchange between Berbatov, Rooney and Patrice Evra set the Frenchman free down the left. His cut-back enabled Berbatov to force a save out of Cech, but the Chelsea keeper spilled the ball, allowing Park to poke his shot home.
As against Liverpool, the 1-0 lead was just. But, as at Anfield, the tide soon turned in the home side’s favour. Chelsea’s possession and goalscoring chances increased after half an hour. United lost Edwin van der Sar to injury after a clash with Florent Malouda in a 50-50 one-on-one. The Dutchman's replacement, Tomasz Kuszczak, was tested a few times as Chelsea pressed forward. But United held firm in a first-half full of action and incident.
Chelsea started the second half where they had finished the first 45 minutes, and Sir Alex was quick to make a change, introducing Ronaldo. Hargreaves switched to a defensive midfield role, while Ronaldo offered an outlet from the right. The home side continued to threaten more frequently than United, but there were surprisingly few chances in the second half. The best opportunity fell to Nicolas Anelka, who should have levelled on 73 minutes when Joe Cole’s cross zipped across the face of goal, but the Frenchman failed to get any significant contact on the ball and Neville cleared.
The outstanding Rooney had a good chance on 77 minutes to put United 2-0 up, but his shot from the right hit the side-netting. But just as it seemed as though Sir Alex’s men could see the match out, Chelsea’s prolonged pressure told. Poor marking from a Chelsea free-kick allowed substitute Salomon Kalou to head in the equaliser on 79 minutes. It led to a frantic last ten minutes with Chelsea in the ascendancy and United on the back foot. The Reds stood firm however and this was a performance of determination and an indication perhaps that United’s season can now finally click into gear.
Team Line-ups
Manchester United: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 32); Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Fletcher, Hargreaves, Scholes (Ronaldo 55), Park (O'Shea 75); Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs not used: Brown, Giggs, Nani, Tevez.
Booked: Scholes, Ferdinand, Neville, Berbatov, Rooney, Evra, Ronaldo.
Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa, Terry, Carvalho (Alex 13), A.Cole; J.Cole, Ballack (Kalou 74), Mikel, Lampard, Malouda (Drogba 46); Anelka.
Subs not used: Cudicini, Belletti, Bridge, Ferreira.
Booked: Mikel
Hasil : Chelsea 1 - MU 1
Tanpa diperkuat Deco di lini tengah, pelatih Luiz Felipe Scolari sudah bisa menurunkan Michael Ballack yang baru sembuh dari cedera. Sebaliknya, MU juga mencadangkan Cristiano Ronaldo dan Carlos Tevez.
Pertandingan itu sendiri berjalan imbang meski keduanya mengawali permainan dengan hati-hati. Striker Wayne Rooney yang dipasangkan bersama Dimitar Berbatov nyaris membuat kejutan ketika tendangan lambungnya hampir mengarah ke gawang yang sudah ditinggalkan kiper Petr Cech. Tiga menit berselang, Joe Cole hampir membobol gawang Edwin van der Sar. Sayangnya, tendangan Joe Cole melenceng dan menerpa jaring dari luar.
Di menit ke-15, Rooney yang bergerak aktif dari tengah ke depan memberi umpan sejajar kepada Rio Ferdinand yang berdiri bebas di sayap kanan. Ferdinand melepas tembakan keras, tapi bola masih mengenai kaki Cech dan hanya menghasilkan sepak pojok.
Tiga menit kemudian, barulah MU mencetak gol lewat Park Ji-Sung. Patrice Evra mengejar umpan Rooney di sayap kiri, lalu memberikan bola kepada Berbatov di tengah. Tendangan Berba masih dapat ditahan Cech, tapi bola muntah dan Park menyambutnya. Gol, 1-0 untuk tim tamu.
Chelsea yang berusaha mengejar ketinggalan nyaris tak memiliki peluang mencetak gol. Sepuluh menit usai gol Park Ji-Sung, Florent Malouda hampir merebut bola di kotak penalti MU. Sayangnya, ia bertabrakan dengan Van der Sar. Sang kiper akhirnya cedera dan digantikan Tomasz Kuszczak pada menit ke-32.
Usai jeda, The Blues mengubah taktik dengan menyerang lewat sayap kiri. Cara ini cukup berhasil karena beberapa kali tusukan dari Ashley Cole, Ballack, dan pengganti Ricardo Carvalho di babak pertama, Alex, mampu menyulitkan Rio Ferdinand dkk. Joe Cole kembali mendapat peluang emas ketika ia lepas dari kawalan Jonathan Evans. Namun, tendangannya dari sayap kiri masih membentur dada Kuszczak.
Sebaliknya, di kubu MU, masuknya Ronaldo yang menggantikan Park Ji-Sung mampu memompa tempo permainan. Umpan Ronaldo dari sayap kiri nyaris berbuah gol di menit ke-77. Sayangnya, dari sejumlah pemain MU yang menumpuk di depan gawang Chelsea, hanya Rooney yang menyambut bola meski tendangannya melebar.
The Blues yang terus menekan di babak kedua akhirnya menuai hasil lewat tandukan pemain pengganti Ballack, Salomon Kalou. Pelanggaran yang dilakukan Rooney di lapangan tengah memberikan hadiah tendangan bebas bagi Chelsea. Ashley Cole mengeksekusi bola mati dan mengarah kepada Kalou yang tak terkawal oleh Ferdinand.
Di akhir pertandingan, sempat terjadi insiden di depan kotak penalti MU. Ferdinand menjatuhkan Drogba dan meninggalkan lapangan sambil mengeluarkan kata-kata tidak puas seolah mendapat kartu kuning kedua dari wasit. Pelatih Sir Alex Ferguson masuk ke lapangan untuk meminta pemain agar tidak memprotes wasit. Ternyata pertandingan dinyatakan selesai dan tidak ada kartu merah untuk Ferdinand.
Susunan pemain:
Chelsea: 1-Cech; 6-Carvalho, 3-A. Cole, 17-Bosingwa, 26-Terry; 8-Lampard, 12-Mikel Obi, 13-Ballack (21-Kalou 74), 10-J. Cole, 15-Malouda (11-Drogba 46); 39-Anelka
Man. United: 1-Van der Sar (29-Kuszczak 32); 5-Ferdinand, 3-Evra, 2-Neville, 23-Evans; 4-Hargreaves, 18-Scholes (7-Ronaldo 55); 24-Fletcher, 13-Park (22-O'Shea 74), 10-Rooney; 9-Berbatov
Ferguson : "Next time we score 5 goals..!!!"
Pelatih Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson terpaksa menahan napas karena timnya gagal meraih kemenangan di kandang sendiri saat menjamu Villarreal di penyisihan grup Liga Champions. Ia berharap, lain waktu timnya akan mencetak gol sebanyak mungkin."Kami memiliki banyak peluang bagus, kami bermain cantik, kami bermain cepat. Saya tidak bisa mengeluh. Lain waktu, kami mungkin mencetak empat atau lima gol," kata Fergie kepada Sky TV usai pertandingan yang berakhir imbang tanpa gol tersebut.
Meski demikian, pelatih yang sudah membawa MU juara dua kali Liga Champions itu mengaku senang karena penonton menerima kembali Cristiano Ronaldo dengan tangan terbuka. Ia tadinya mewanti-wanti suporter agar tidak mencemooh pemain sayap yang musim ini hampir pindah ke Real Madrid tersebut. Nyatanya, ketika Ronaldo masuk ke lapangan menggantikan Park Ji-Sung, penonton menyambutnya dengan tepuk tangan dan berharap ia dapat memecah kebuntuan.
Diterimanya kembali Ronaldo di hati penggemar "Setan Merah" tentu melegakan Ferguson. "Dia berusaha untuk sembuh dan memberikan komitmennya kepada klub. Sambutan penonton sangat berarti bagi Cristiano. Saya pikir dia merasakan betapa besar klub yang dihuninya dan betapa setia para penggemar. Dia akan mendapat dorongan besar dari hal itu," tambah Fergie.
Ferguson mengakui, Villarreal bermain sangat baik terutama dalam mengorganisasi pertahanan. Faktor lain yang menyebabkan timnya gagal mencetak gol adalah karena sebagian pemain baru memulai musim ini pada pertandingan tersebut.
"Mereka sangat berpengalaman, mereka tim yang alot. Mereka bertahan dengan baik. sangat susah bagi sebagian pemain yang baru bermain pertama kali (musim ini). Bermain 90 menit penuh merupakan permintaan besar," katanya.(kompas)
Cerita Sedih di Old Trafford
Sedih banget dah.........................................................
Berikut berita yang kita kutip di salah satu koran di Indonesia huhuhu....
Seperti dijanjikan sebelumnya, pelatih MU Sir Alex Ferguson memasukkan Cristiano Ronaldo yang baru sembuh dari operasi engkel ke dalam line-up pemain meski hanya pemain cadangan. Sama sekali tidak ada nama Dimitar Berbatov dalam susunan pemain tersebut.
Peran Ronaldo di sayap kanan seharusnya digantikan oleh Nani, sementara Park Ji-sung di kiri. Namun, di lapangan, Nani dan Ji-Sung bertukar tempat, adapun Owen Hargreaves bergeser ke tengah.
Di kubu sebaliknya, Pelatih Villarreal Manuel Pellegrini sama sekali tidak menyantumkan kapten Marcos Senna dalam line-up. Striker Santi Cazorla, yang pekan lalu mencetak gol tunggal ke gawang Deportivo La Coruna, tidak masuk dalam daftar starter.
Meski kehilangan beberapa pemain inti, kedua tim langsung tancap gas sejak menit awal. "Setan Merah" sebagai tuan rumah lebih banyak menguasai bola. Nani tampak sangat dominan dalam serangan-serangan MU. Pada menit ke-13, pemain Portugal dari jarak 35 meter masih dapat diblok kiper Diego Lopez.
Lima belas menit kemudian, giliran Carlos Tevez membidik pojok kanan gawang Villarreal, tapi Diego kembali mementahkannya. Menit-menit berikutnya, pemain MU bergantian membombardir pertahanan lawan.
Villarreal bereaksi dengan melakukan man-to-man marking yang ketat terhadap Rio Ferdinand dkk. Mereka hanya mengandalkan serangan balik untuk menciptakan peluang mencetak gol. Robert Pires mendapat tugas menjadi motor serangan, tapi suplai bola darinya selalu dapat dimatikan bek MU.
Sumber : kompas.
Kontrak Baru, Kuszczak di Old Trafford Hingga 2012
MANCHESTER, SENIN - Manchester United (MU) memperpanjang kontrak penjaga gawang nomor duanya, Tomasz Kuszczak, berdurasi dua tahun. Itu artinya, pemain berusia 26 tahun asal Polandia tersebut akan bertahan di Old Trafford hingga tahun 2012.
Kesepakatan yang tercapai ini membuat kedua belah pihak sama-sama puas. MU tak perlu khawatir lagi akan kehilangan calon pengganti Edwin van der Sar, sedangkan sang pemain sendiri bakal punya karier yang menjanjikan.
Ya, Kuszczak hampir pasti menjadi pewaris posisi Van der Sar. Pasalnya, dia telah menunjukkan performa yang bagus jika diberi kepercayaan oleh manajer Sir Alex Ferguson untuk mengawal gawang The Red Devils.
Tak heran jika dengan perpanjangan kontrak tersebut, Kuszczak mengaku sangat senang dan siap membayar semua kepercayaan klub.
"Saya masih punya kontrak selama dua tahun, tapi klub sudah memberikan penawaran perpanjangan kontrak. Ini menunjukkan kepercayaan dan dukungan, baik dari klub maupun Sir Alex Ferguson," ungkap Kuszczak, Senin (15/9).
"Saya sangat bahagia karena sejauh ini mempunyai kesempatan yang bagus. Namun, masih banyak hal yang harus dibuktikan dan saya ingin terus bekerja keras untuk mengamankan posisi saya di tim yang hebat ini," tambahnya.
Sementara itu, Ferguson sendiri mengaku bahagia dengan apa yang dilakukan Kuszczak. Apalagi, pemain tersebut masuk kategori muda.
"Kami selalu suka duduk bersama dengan semua pemain muda untuk membicarakan masa depannya, serta melindungi mereka. Penjaga gawang yang top sulit didapatkan dan saya yakin, kami memiliki tiga dari yang terbaik di sini. Dengan mengamankan Kuszczak, maka kami bisa melakukan konsolidasi," ungkapnya.
Awalnya, Kuszczak hanya berstatus pemain pinjaman ketika didatangkan dari West Bromwich Albion pada tahun 2006. Namun satu tahun kemudian, MU melihat potensinya sehingga Kuszczak dibeli dan menjadi skuad permanen di Old Trafford, sebagai back-up Van der Sar.
Ferdinand: Lupakan Anfield, Tatap Chelsea!
MANCHESTER, SENIN - Manchester United (MU) baru saja menuai hasil buruk di pentas Premier League. Tandang ke Anfield, Sabtu (13/9), mereka harus pulang dengan kepala tertunduk lesu menyusul kekalahan 1-2 dari Liverpool.
Rio Ferdinand menerima kenyataan pahit tersebut. Namun bek tengah The Red Devils tersebut berharap, rekan-rekannya tidak hanyut oleh kesedihan, tetapi harus bangkit untuk meraih kemenangan saat melawan Chelsea pada pekan depan.
Memang, MU hanya sesaat tampil bagus saat lawan Liverpool. Ketika pertandingan baru berjalan tiga menit, mereka telah unggul melalui gol Carlos Tevez dan membuat rekor MU yang sudah delapan kali tak terkalahkan dari Liverpool di pentas Premier League, bakal tambah panjang.
Namun semua itu sirna menyusul performa yang sangat jelek dari lini belakang. Puncaknya terjadi ketika terjadi kesalahpahaman antara Edwin van der Sar dan Wes Brown yang membuat gol bunuh diri untuk membuat skor menjadi 1-1.
Pada babak kedua, Liverpool yang diberikan banyak ruang untuk melakukan pergerakan kembali menambah gol. Ryan Babel mengonversi umpan Dirk Kuyt menjadi gol sehingga Liverpool menjadi pemenang dengan skor 2-1.
Tak ayal, saat jumpa pers manajer Sir Alex Ferguson mengecam kinerja lini belakang. Dan, Ferdinand pun setuju dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh bosnya tersebut.
"Pada 10 menit pertama, sebelum dan sesudah mencetak gol, kami tampaknya akan meraih kemenangan karena bisa memainkan bola dengan baik. Namun setelah itu, kami tidak pernah mendekati mereka lagi sehingga mereka justru bisa membalas dua gol dan pantas bahagia dengan hasil itu," ungkap Ferdinand, Senin (15/9).
Tetapi dengan kekalahan itu, Ferdinand merasa mereka lebih terpacu untuk bangkit. Bek Inggris itu berharap, Chelsea akan menjadi korban "Setan Merah" setelah mereka harus lebih dulu tampil di fase grup Liga Champions melawan Villarreal di pertengahan pekan ini.
"Selalu indah untuk menghadapi sebuah pertandingan besar setelah mengalami kekecewaan. Kami ingin pergi ke Chelsea dan memberikan poin yang bagus untuk kami sendiri, berusaha untuk mendapatkan tiga poin dan menghancurkan rekor tak terkalahkannya di kandang selama lebih dari dua atau tiga musim," tegas bek jangkung tersebut. (GL/LOU)
Sumber : Kompas
Terkini No Latest Sembuh Lebih Cepat, CR7 Disiapkan Lawan Villarreal
MANCHESTER, MINGGU - Cristiano Ronaldo mengalami kesembuhan lebih cepat. Bahkan, dia disiapkan pelatih Sir Alex Ferguson saat Manchester United melawan Villarreal di Liga Champions, Rabu (17/9).
Pemain berjuluk CR7 itu mengalami cedera saat membela timnas Portugal di Euro 2008. Dia diperkirakan baru sembuh dan siap tampil pada Oktober nanti. Namun, proses kesembuhannya ternyata berjalan lebih cepat dan Ferguson akan segera memainkannya.
"Ronaldo sudah ikut berlatih. Bahkan, dia sudah berlatih dengan tim inti. Dia sepertinya bisa segera bermain," kata Alex Ferguson.
"Kami sudah mengatakan dua minggu lalu, perkembangannya berjalan dengan cepat dalam mengatasi cederanya. Latihannya yang dilakukan dengan ahli fisioterapi dan pelatih kebugaran Tony Strudwick berjalan dengan baik pula. Dia akan segera kembali bersama tim utama lagi," tambahnya.
MU memang sangat membutuhkan dirinya. Selama musim baru ini, Ronaldo belum pernah bermain. MU pun mendapatkan hasil yang buruk. Terakhir, MU dipaksa menyerah 1-2 oleh Liverpool.Profile :: Dimitar Berbatov
Birthdate : 30 Jan 1981Birthplace : Blagoevgrad
Position : Striker
Joined United : 01 Sep 2008
United Debut :
International Bulgaria
Dimitar Berbatov is a classy and complete centre-forward, pairing the ability to ruthlessly and regularly find the net inside the box with the aptitude to create moments of sheer magic outside it.
Sir Alex likes players with plenty of charisma in the way they play, and the Bulgarian’s languid style is instantly recognisable on the field.
It’s also an approach that has drawn comparisons with former United talisman Eric Cantona. Like the captivating Frenchman, Berbatov loves to entertain with the ball at his feet. United fans are in for a real treat with the Bulgarian in a United shirt in attack alongside Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo et al.
Berbatov started out at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. He joined The Armymen aged 17, following in the footsteps of his father, Ivan, who also played for the club. After making his debut aged 18 in the 1998/99 campaign, he went on to score 14 goals in 27 league matches the following season.
His talent quickly attracted attention from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, who made their move for the Bulgarian front man in January 2001 after an impressive start to the season for CSKA. Berbatov – national team captain and Bulgarian Player of the Year in 2002, 2004,2005 and 2007 – made a slow start to his time in Germany, but heregularly shone in the Champions League, scoring a spectacular solo goal against Lyon and also finding the net against Liverpool (already he’s in favour).
The only blot on his copybook is that he was part of the Leverkusen team that knocked United out of the Champions League semi finals in April 2002. He came on as a substitute in the final as the Germans lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in Glasgow.
Berbatov was eventually lured to the Premier League when Tottenham signed him in July 2006 for a reported £10.9million fee. He was an instant hit at White Hart Lane, scoring his first competitive goal two minutes into his home Premier League debut against Sheffield United. He went on to score 23 goals in his opening season, which he matched again in 2007/08, a campaign which saw him voted Fans' Player of the Year.
However, after months of speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson finally got his man on transfer deadline day with just minutes to go. Berbatov signed a four-year contract on 1 September 2008 for an undisclosed fee, with Fraizer Campbell heading to White Hart Lane on a season-long loan as part of the deal.(417)
Giggs: We're still tops
Despite the dramatic events across the city at Eastlands, Ryan Giggs insists United are still the biggest club in world football.
On a hectic last day of the summer transfer window on Monday, Manchester City announced they had been taken over by Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim and his Abu Dhabi United company and later revealed the stunning last-minute capture of Real Madrid attacker Robinho for £34.2million from under Chelsea's noses.
Giggs admits to being intrigued by the recent goings-on at City, but maintains his stance that history and tradition sets United apart from the rest.
"City have the richest owner in the world but I still see United as the biggest club in the world," insisted the winger.
"United have a status and history that it has taken years to build up. It stretches back to the Busby Babes, to players like Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best. It will be very interesting to see what happens at City, but what we have at United is very special.
"You see it when we go abroad in pre-season, you appreciate how popular United is. We have fans in India, China, South America. That popularity is a result of our history. Money can't necessarily get you that.
"A lot will depend on the players they buy, how quickly they gel and how they handle the attention," he added, in response to being questioned about whether City can break into the top four.
"People have been asking for a long time now if somebody can break into the group. People will expect that club to be City and there will be a lot of pressure on them each season now. Everybody's attention will be on Manchester."
While City made most of the headlines on transfer deadline day, United made news of their own after securing the services of Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham.
"With the transfer window, as a player you follow what's happening like a fan," admitted Giggs. "You're completely in the dark about the situation, just hoping that the player will sign. So, I was delighted when the deal went through.
"I played against Berbatov last season and he stood out, really impressed. He has great technique and will provide a physical presence that we're missing up front. With Louis Saha gone, centre forward was perhaps the one area where we were weak."
Jadwal Pertandingan EPL
Catatan: Jadwal pertandingan dalam waktu Inggris (GMT) dan dapat berubah sewaktu-waktu.
| MINGGU KE-4: | |||||
| Sabtu 13 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Liverpool | v | Manchester United | 12:45 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Arsenal | 15:00 | ||
| Fulham | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| Newcastle United | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Middlesbrough | 15:00 | ||
| West Bromwich A | v | West Ham United | 15:00 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Chelsea | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 14 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Stoke City | v | Everton | 13:30 | ||
| Senin 15 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Aston Villa | 20:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-5: | |||||
| Sabtu 20 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Sunderland | v | Middlesbrough | 12:45 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Fulham | 15:00 | ||
| Liverpool | v | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||
| West Ham United | v | Newcastle United | 15:00 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | v | Arsenal | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 21 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| West Bromwich Albion | v | Aston Villa | 12:00 | ||
| Chelsea | v | Manchester United | 14:00 | ||
| Hull City | v | Everton | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Portsmouth | 15:00 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-6: | |||||
| Sabtu 27 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Aston Villa | v | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||
| Fulham | v | West Ham United | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester United | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| Middlesbrough | v | West Bromwich Albion | 15:00 | ||
| Newcastle United | v | Blackburn Rovers | 15:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | Chelsea | 15:00 | ||
| Arsenal | v | Hull City | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 28 September 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Portsmouth | v | Tottenham Hotspur | 13:30 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Manchester City | 16:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-7: | |||||
| Sabtu 4 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Chelsea | v | Aston Villa | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Liverpool | 15:00 | ||
| Sunderland | v | Arsenal | 15:00 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | v | Fulham | 15:00 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Middlesbrough | 15:00 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Manchester United | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 5 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| West Ham United | v | Bolton Wanderers | 13:30 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Everton | v | Newcastle United | 16:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-8: | |||||
| Sabtu 18 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Middlesbrough | v | Chelsea | 12:45 | ||
| Arsenal | v | Everton | 15:00 | ||
| Aston Villa | v | Portsmouth | 15:00 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | v | Blackburn Rovers | 15:00 | ||
| Fulham | v | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||
| Liverpool | v | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester United | v | West Bromwich Albion | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 19 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Hull City | v | West Ham United | 15:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | Tottenham Hotspur | 16:00 | ||
| Senin 20 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Newcastle United | v | Manchester City | 20:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-9: | |||||
| Sabtu 25 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Everton | v | Manchester United | 12:00 | ||
| Sunderland | v | Newcastle United | 12:45 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Fulham | 15:00 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Aston Villa | 15:00 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Middlesbrough | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 26 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Chelsea | v | Liverpool | 13:30 | ||
| West Ham United | v | Arsenal | 16:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-10: | |||||
| Selasa 28 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Bolton Wanderers | v | Everton | 20:00 | ||
| Middlesbrough | v | Manchester City | 20:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | Sunderland | 20:00 | ||
| Rabu 29 Oktober 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Aston Villa | v | Blackburn Rovers | 19:45 | ||
| Hull City | v | Chelsea | 19:45 | ||
| Newcastle United | v | West Bromwich Albion | 19:45 | ||
| Arsenal | v | Tottenham Hotspur | 20:00 | ||
| Fulham | v | Wigan Athletic | 20:00 | ||
| Liverpool | v | Portsmouth | 20:00 | ||
| Manchester United | v | West Ham United | 20:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-11: | |||||
| Sabtu 1 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Everton | v | Fulham | 12:45 | ||
| Chelsea | v | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester United | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Middlesbrough | v | West Ham United | 15:00 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | Arsenal | 15:00 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | v | Blackburn Rovers | 15:00 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Liverpool | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 2 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Bolton Wanderers | v | Manchester City | 16:00 | ||
| Senin 3 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Newcastle United | v | Aston Villa | 20:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-12: | |||||
| Sabtu 8 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Arsenal | v | Manchester United | 12:45 | ||
| Aston Villa | v | Middlesbrough | 15:00 | ||
| Hull City | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Tottenham Hotspur | 15:00 | ||
| Sunderland | v | Portsmouth | 15:00 | ||
| West Ham United | v | Everton | 15:00 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||
| Liverpool | v | West Bromwich Albion | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 9 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Chelsea | 13:30 | ||
| Fulham | v | Newcastle United | 16:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-13: | |||||
| Sabtu 15 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Bolton Wanderers | v | Liverpool | 12:45 | ||
| Arsenal | v | Aston Villa | 15:00 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | v | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||
| Fulham | v | Tottenham Hotspur | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester United | v | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||
| Newcastle United | v | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||
| West Ham United | v | Portsmouth | 15:00 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | v | Chelsea | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 16 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Everton | v | Middlesbrough | 13:30 | ||
| Hull City | v | Manchester City | 16:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-14: | |||||
| Sabtu 22 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Chelsea | v | Newcastle United | 15:00 | ||
| Liverpool | v | Fulham | 15:00 | ||
| Manchester City | v | Arsenal | 15:00 | ||
| Middlesbrough | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | West Bromwich Albion | 15:00 | ||
| Aston Villa | v | Manchester United | 17:30 | ||
| Minggu 23 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Blackburn Rovers | 13:30 | ||
| Sunderland | v | West Ham United | 16:00 | ||
| Senin 24 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Wigan Athletic | v | Everton | 20:00 | ||
| MINGGU KE-15: | |||||
| Sabtu 29 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Aston Villa | v | Fulham | 15:00 | ||
| Middlesbrough | v | Newcastle United | 15:00 | ||
| Portsmouth | v | Blackburn Rovers | 15:00 | ||
| Stoke City | v | Hull City | 15:00 | ||
| Sunderland | v | Bolton Wanderers | 15:00 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | v | Everton | 15:00 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | v | West Bromwich Albion | 15:00 | ||
| Minggu 30 November 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Manchester City | v | Manchester United | 13:30 | ||
| Chelsea | v | Arsenal | 16:00 | ||
| Senin 1 Desember 2008 | |||||
| TUAN RUMAH | TAMU | JAM | |||
| Liverpool | v | West Ham United | 20:00 | ||
Giggs believes Premier League now has 'big five'
Ryan Giggs has admitted English football may have to start talking about the big five rather than its traditional big four.
Manchester City gatecrashed the elite quartet in spectacular style on Monday, spending a British record £32.5million on Brazilian superstar Robinho.In one move, they gazumped Chelsea, who believed they were in line to sign the star from Real Madrid, and put the rest of Europe on alert that there was a new player in the market.
With the vast wealth of the Abu Dhabi-based United Group for Development and Investment behind them, City could now outbid anyone for any player they wish, and Giggs feels it will be very interesting to see how the situation unfolds.
'You just have to appreciate the money they have got,' Giggs told Key103. 'Signing Robinho is a big statement to football as a whole because he is a world-class player.
'With the amount of money they have got to spend, the next few years will be interesting and we will just have to wait and see what happens.'
Although many clubs, such as Newcastle and Tottenham in recent times, and Leeds beforehand, have spent big without achieving the type of success supporters envisaged, Chelsea are the obvious example of immense wealth bringing trophies.
Yet even Roman Abramovich suffered a false start at Stamford Bridge, firing Claudio Ranieri for not winning major trophies quickly enough, and Giggs does not believe the new-look City will be an overnight success either.
'You can't just buy a team - you need stability and a base to work from,' he said. 'But obviously major money can be a big influence because it means you can bring quality to your team.'
Robinho has already been heavily criticised for his decision to join City, legendary Brazilian Pele claiming the striker must need counselling to take part in such an amazing transfer.
United new-boy Dimitar Berbatov refused to even entertain the thought of switching to the blue half of the city and, as a one-club man, Giggs is happy to endorse the view not every player is motivated by money.
'There is money in the game but not every player goes for money,' Giggs explained. 'Players sometimes join a team they love or stay out of loyalty. It is a gamble sometimes. You have to notice the potential of the team.
'He might have thought the amount of money the owners are talking about means they have massive potential. We will have to wait and see if that is true.'
One thing is certain, Giggs' old Wales and United team-mate Mark Hughes is going to come under intense scrutiny.
Not that the 34-year-old is worried the City boss will find the strain difficult to cope with.
'It will be a tough job because with the money comes pressure,' Giggs added. 'But, having worked with Mark Hughes as my manager and had him as a team-mate, I know what he is all about. It won't faze him. He is a very good manager.Taken from : http://soccernet.espn.go.com
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