Javier Hernandez came off the bench to score the crucial late, late goal that gave Manchester United all three points in Valencia. On paper it was the trickiest tie in the group but in truth the visitors navigated the fixture with a degree of comfort.
Sir Alex Ferguson revealed at today’s press conference that Wayne Rooney will not travel to Spain to face Valencia on Wednesday night following an ankle injury in the 2-2 draw with Bolton Wanderers at the weekend. Many Reds believe that a break from the pitch is exactly what Wayne Rooney needs following trouble in his private life. Ferguson confirmed that it is not the same ankle that Rooney went over on in the 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich last March.
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Former England and Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has rubbished any press intrusion excuses regarding Wayne Rooney’s form. Rooney was substituted on the hour in the 2-2 draw with Bolton Wanderers yesterday after a quiet afternoon. Keegan was quick to point out that Rooney was keen to sell wedding snaps to glossy magazines and can’t have the best of both worlds when something goes wrong. Sir Alex Ferguson was quoted last week stating that Rooney ‘could not turn a corner’ without the media being there to hound him.
So far this season, Manchester United have hardly been convincing away from Old Trafford. Not exactly the ideal position to be in ahead of a visit to Mestalla for a clash with Valencia CF in the Champions League. Dropping two points at home against Rangers has put even more pressure on United to earn maximum points on Wednesday. Adding to the difficulty of this fixture is Wayne Rooney’s exclusion from the squad due to injury.
The trauma of being three points off the leader in the race for the Premier League is just too much for some Reds, especially given the below par performance of the side away at Bolton today. United looked nervy at the back, with Elmander and Davies causing problems for both Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans – a far cry from the 4-0 drumming United handed out last season. Many people may point to Evans as the guilty party, however if Patrice Evra stays on the post – he clears it. The second was a quick counter attack from Bolton, a far cry from their usual direct outlet, and Fletcher was powerless to stop the ball deflecting off of him.
Although a 2-2 draw may seem a disappointing result considering our dominance last season there, previous Premier League starts compared to this term may surprise you.
Premier League away-day frustration continued for Manchester United as they failed to take advantage of defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal yesterday. Worse still, their 2-2 draw at the Reebok against Bolton was played out in limp fashion, with Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney coming off with knocks. Dimitar Berbatov was virtually anonymous; Nani and substitute Michael Owen twice brought the visitors level, but this come from behind result was anything but heroic.
The Sunday Mirror has revealed that Barcelona are monitoring Wayne Rooney’s situation at Manchester United following the revelations of the striker private life. Rooney was exceptional last season, scoring 34 goals in all competitions, but has suffered a loss of form since his injury against Bayern Munich back in March. Rooney’s World Cup performances can under much scrutiny, however the allegations of an affair with a prostitute earlier this month must have played some part in Rooney’s poor form this summer. Now it is being reported that the Spanish champions will want to bolster their already impressive strike force of Villa, Messi and Pedro – could it be a reality?
Arsene Wenger is the headlines again; weeks after pointlessly targeting one of the games best ever players, he is quoted in the Guardian (and Arsenal.com) as saying “nobody else in the world” matches him when it comes to developing players. In a swipe at Sir Alex Ferguson, he dismissed the “Fledglings” as it was “before he started”, and says “no-one has come through recently”.
One of the highlights of Wenger’s Sam Allarydce-esque latest breakdown was citing Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby as examples of his self proclaimed unparalleled group. I happen to think that Cristiano Ronaldo is probably worthy of a bit more than “no-one”, but read on for a full breakdown of the lot.
Manchester United have failed to capture all three points in any of their away fixtures this season, but Sunday’s trip to the Reebok Stadium will give the Red Devils another opportunity to finally secure maximum points away from Old Trafford. Bolton currently reside in 13th place in the Barclays Premier League having managed only one win all season. United may have struggled away from home this season, but recent history suggests this may be the turning point as United have beaten Bolton in all five of their previous meetings.
