SAF on CL/Europa: "We've been used to playing Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday - we miss it. But it does give us freshness." #mufc
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson held his weekly press conference today instead of the usual Friday, probably to catch people out for a bit of Spring fun - or maybe he has golf tomorrow. Anyway, he's responded to the suggestion this week that Manchester United get favourable decisions at Old Trafford. Following the Fulham game and the away team being denied what looked like a nailed on penalty, there were the usual cries that not all was fair in relation to decision making at Old Trafford. Patrick Vieira yesterday told the BBC "When United play at home they get some advantage that other teams don't get. I think when you go to United, Madrid, Barcelona, or Milan, when the referees referee these kind of games, it's always difficult to go against these kind of teams." He and Manchester City then claimed the BBC had misrepresented him and banned the journalist in question from media activities at the club. However, he did say the words and the inevitable media attention followed. Sir Alex Ferguson said in his press conference (quotes from ManUItd.com) "It was an interesting game on Monday night. It showed how teams are determined to stick to their job and defend well. From the referee's position I can see why the Murphy penalty wasn't given because the ball moved at an angle. We could have had a penalty ourselves." "You get breaks here and there - good and bad. They even themselves out. We've had some terrible decisions at Old Trafford - look at the Newcastle game. [Against City] Tottenham had a claim when Balotelli wasn't sent off." To be fair to Ferguson he resisted the urge to stick the knife in on Vieira and the club's high profile banning of a BBC journalist, perhaps he was aware it would be alarmingly hypocritical considering the number of journalists he's banned himself.
-- Sir Alex on Blackburn: "Blackburn is always a difficult type of game. It's always a bit feisty and has a local derby feeling about it. Last season we came back from a goal down to win the league. We expect a difficult game - that's the way all the games will be. You can look at all the games and say Blackburn, QPR, Wigan and Villa are all fighting for their lives. Hopefully we can navigate them. It's important for us to make sure we get in front in games." The boss was full of praise for Blackburn boss Steve Kean at his press conference earlier and the job he has done at Ewood Park under immense pressure. "It just shows you how things can change when you dig in and don't let things get to you. Now, no-one talks about their fans and any protests. He's held his dignity very well and he deserves praise from everyone, including his own supporters. I'm sure a lot of them will be wishing they hadn't done that because he's certainly shown his mettle during those times when things were difficult for him."
-- "It was an interesting game on Monday night. It showed how teams are determined to stick to their job and defend well. From the referee's position I can see why the Murphy penalty wasn't given because the ball moved at an angle as Michael Carrick challenged him. From that position it wasn't clear, but it was a good claim. We could have had a penalty ourselves. "You get breaks here and there - good and bad. They even themselves out. We've had some terrible decisions at Old Trafford - look at the Newcastle game. [Against City] Tottenham had a claim when Balotelli wasn't sent off and then he scored the winning goal... you could go through millions of things like that. Someone said United don't get penalties at Old Trafford - but the average over the last 20 years or so is only about three a season or something like that. Most managers believe the breaks even themselves out."
Fergie warns Vieira: I'll set Keano on you Published 22:31 29/03/12 By David Anderson (1)Recommend . Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Patrick Vieira he could risk an FA rap by accusing referees of giving Manchester United special treatment. Vieira levelled the charge after Fulham were robbed of a penalty against United during their narrow win at Old Trafford on Monday in what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the title race. Although Manchester City's football development executive claims he was misrepresented, Fergie claims he needs to be careful because the FA disapproves of officials commenting on referees. "He's more or less saying all the refs have been wrong this season, and you're not supposed to discuss referees," said the United manager. "So he is a paid official, isn't he? I think he is, isn't he? "Apparently, he's retracted it. "It's interesting." The latest development came days after Vieira claimed that United had brought Paul Scholes out of retirement out of "desperation". Ferguson joked he may unleash Roy Keane on the Frenchman. "I can bring Keane back if he wants - make it interesting!" he smiled. Regardless of what Vieira did or didn't say, Ferguson totally rejected the charge that United get preferential treatment from officials. He claims they might have had a spot-kick for handball against Stephen Kelly on Monday and cited Newcastle's outrageous penalty award at Old Trafford when Rio Ferdinand legitimately tackled Hatem Ben Arfa. "I think we could have had a penalty on Monday night, but you don't often get those ones when a wide player has crossed the ball and the player almost caught the ball between his arm and his body," he said. "We could have got a penalty, but I wouldn't have expected one to be honest with you. "I think that from the referee's position, I could see why the referee didn't give one when Danny Murphy was brought down because the ball was moved to the angle as Michael Carrick challenged him. "From that position it wasn't clear, but it was a good claim." He reckons City have benefited from as many wrong calls and cited Gareth Barry's challenge on Stoke's Glenn Whelan, which should have been a penalty, and Mario Balotelli escaping a red card for kicking Tottenham's Scott Parker on the head. "City could have had a penalty kick against them at Stoke, as everyone saw," he said. "So you get breaks here and there. Every club gets good breaks, they get bad breaks that even themselves out over a season and that will never change. "We've had some terrible decisions at Old Trafford, like when Newcastle got a penalty kick. Tottenham could claim the same when Balotelli wasn't sent off and ended up scoring the winning goal. "You could go through millions of things like that." Ferguson said it was a myth that United got many soft penalties at Old Trafford. "Someone said that to me some years ago that United always get penalty kicks at Old Trafford, but you go back through the 25 years I've been here, it's only averaged three a year, or three-and-a-half-a year, or something like that," he said. "You can't say that's a lot when w e're attacking teams every minute of the day. It has some mileage in terms of the Press, but most managers believe the breaks even themselves out." Ferguson also shrugged off Vieira and Roberto Mancini's claim that City deserve to win the title because they have played the best football. He borrowed a line from his compatriot Bill Shankly when he told City it's a marathon, not a sprint and the Blues' football has not been as scintillating since the turn of the year. "They were playing great football in the first half of the season, there's no doubt about that," he said. "Everyone recognised that. We felt the brunt of it when they beat us 6-1. "But a season lasts for a bit longer than three months''.
Vieira yesterday: "Big clubs tend to get favourable decisions at home." SAF today: "Maybe small clubs feel that way." #MUFC #MCFC
SAF: “I’m calling for a combined effort of players & supporters to get us to the line with winning form on our own ground.” #MUFC
SAF on Macheda: "He is so unlucky. I have complete belief in the boy. He could be an outstanding player. But he needs football." #mufc
"I have complete belief in the boy. He could be an outstanding player. But he needs football." - Sir Alex Ferguson on Macheda #MUFC
"He is so unlucky," Ferguson told MUTV. "We put him on loan to QPR. Two weeks later they sack the coach and he doesn't get a game. That has been really unfortunate. "He has been bothered with his ankle a little bit over the last few weeks, so we have done the right thing to get an operation and hopefully he will be ready for next season.''
Kean boo boys will wish they hadn't bothered - Fergie Published 22:23 30/03/12 By David Anderson Recommend . Sir Alex Ferguson claims Blackburn fans must regret their vicious campaign to oust Steve Kean from Ewood Park. Kean has survived at Blackburn, despite protest marches, sit-ins and even planes buzzing home games, trailing banners calling for his head. Ferguson says his fellow Glaswegian deserves immense credit for coming through this ordeal with his dignity intact in the face of such vitriolic protests. Kean has hauled Rovers three points clear of the drop zone ahead of Monday's clash with Manchester United at Ewood Park and Fergie says the fans must know they were out of order. "You know how things can change if you dig in and don't let them get to you," said the United boss. "Now no-one talks about those fans having protests, marches and all the rest of it. "He's held his dignity very, very well. He deserves absolute 100 per cent praise from everyone, including his own supporters, who I'm sure a lot of them will be saying to themselves, 'I wish I hadn't done that'. "He's certainly shown his mettle in those times when it was difficult for him. "They've made it difficult for us in recent games. When they score first, they make it hard for you and we've had a couple of draws there http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...rs-will-regret-their-abuse-article884851.html
