Manchester United - West Ham

United drew at Craven Cottage when already noted 3 points. Two times lead, wasted penalty and 88th minute equalizer made Fergie raging after the game. Main target was defense line that should reacted much better before both goals. Additional thing that makes him nervous is Chelsea and their 12 goals in just 2 games. West Ham game should be a response to those who don’t believe. Rooney is in the team after a stomach bug and he’ll try to back on the track after 13 games without a goal. This is a nice opportunity for raising self confidence. Paul Scholes will probably be rested and replaced with Michael Carrick. United have won 11 of their last 12 league matches at Old Trafford and scored 3.25 goals per game in average. Against West Ham won their last five matches and scored 14 goals in those.

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The Hammers started the campaign in a manner that should announce another bleak season. Two defeats and 6 goals conceded. And while opening loss vs. Villa wasn’t so unexpected, real shock came in the second game with 1-3 home defeat vs. Bolton (side that is well known with defending approach to away games). Team doesn’t look dangerous, midfielders can’t cope and in defense anarchy rules. Considering the funds that have been invested in the squad, despite part of that was hardly wasted (can’t not to think about Diamanti), management probably expects more than a fight for avoiding relegation and Grant could be the first manager in Premier to face exit door. Skipper and main man at the back line, Matthew Upson, should return to the side. West Ham are without an away win in the league since the first day of last season.

 

Situation guarantees a deadly serious approach from United. Proud is damaged, Chelsea are on the top and no European games for a while. I predict a high scoring victory.

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Bet: Man Utd -2ah 
Odd: 1.79 Canbet
Stake: 9/10
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One more probably.
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Saturday's results

Man Utd 4 - 0 Hull

Wayne Rooney scored all four goals to send Manchester United top of the Premier League after victory over Hull.
Rooney opened the scoring when he slotted in a rebound after Paul Scholes' shot was beaten away. 
After Nani's free-kick was pushed on to the woodwork by keeper Boaz Myhill, United worked the ball to Rooney who smashed in a drive to make it 2-0. 
Rooney headed in Nani's cross to complete his hat-trick and fired in a low shot to cap his superb performance. 
It is a result that means United leapfrog title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, who do not play in the league this weekend because of their involvement in the FA Cup. 
But while all seems to be coming together on the pitch for United - Rio Ferdinand was impressive on his return after three months out injured - there was disquiet off it.
Home fans voiced their anger at United's owners, frequently chanting "Glazers out" in protest at the scale of the club's debt and their perception the Americans are preventing new signings. 
Whether that is the case, there does appear to be a need for United to boost their firepower to ease the burden on Rooney. 
Michael Owen's finishing was well below the required standard, the former England man doing nothing to dismiss critics who suggest his best days are long gone. 
And while Rooney looked sharp, he looked equally frustrated at times - once even aiming a verbal volley at Darren Fletcher for a poor throw-in. 
But United will be delighted with Rooney's form and with the return of Ferdinand, who belied his three-month absence with an assured display - although Hull rarely tested the home defence. 
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Other than a Nick Barmby effort that Edwin van der Sar turned wide, there was little threat from the visitors.
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Southampton 2 - 1 Ipswich

Wayne Thomas scored a stunning 20-yard half volley as League One Southampton shocked Championship side Ipswich to move into the FA Cup fifth round.
Saints debutant Lee Barnard tested Town keeper Arran Lee-Barrett with a volley before Thomas smashed in from the right corner of the box to open the scoring. 
Michail Antonio tapped in a second when Lee-Barrett spilt Rickie Lambert's free-kick with 15 minutes remaining. 
But Pablo Counago's late goal for Town ensured a frantic finish to the tie. 
However Roy Keane's side were unable to score an equaliser in the five minutes of added time as the 1978 FA Cup winners went out to a club who won it two years earlier.
Ipswich manager Roy Keane:
"The players know they have wasted a good opportunity to go further in the competition.
"I did not think we deserved to lose the game but we certainly did not do enough to win it. 
"The starting 11 was very good so nobody can accuse us of taking Southampton lightly." 
Southampton manager Alan Pardew:
"It was a hotly contested tie between two evenly matched teams and we had to dig deep. 
"Ipswich have got some good young players, who get around the pitch very well and we struggled to cope with that in the first half. 
"Wayne's goal was a bit of a surprise to me but he played well and deserved his moment of glory."
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

WORLD CUP GOSSIP

The World Cup draw has given England the "best group since the Beatles" according to one newspaper as they face Algeria, Slovenia and the US.(The Sun) 
US star Landon Donovan says he will wind up LA Galaxy team-mate David Beckham ahead of their two countries' World Cup group clash.(The Sun) 
And Beckham is also facing flak from Luis Figo, who says the joint Portugal-Spain bid for World Cup 2018, which he fronts, will beat the former Manchester United star's campaign to host the tournament in England. (Daily Express)
Beckham may have cause to sweat, as some reports liken the England 2018 bid's promotional video to "a budget version of South Park".(The Independent) 
Slovenia, meanwhile, have chosen Wayne Rooney as their wind-up target, according to defender Bostjan Cesar. (The Guardian) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Veteran midfielder Paul Scholes is set to leave Manchester United in the summer. (Various)
Manchester City will move for AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso after he turned down a new contract.(Daily Mirror) 
Neither City nor Chelsea are interested in Gattuso, according to AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani.(The Independent) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has told City they will never get their hands on John Terry.(Daily Star) 
Bordeaux say they have no intention of selling striker - and Arsenal target - Marouane Chamakh in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Manchester United target Adam Ljajic is "in psychological shock" after the club pulled out of a £9m deal to sign the Serbian.(The Guardian) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United's owners, the Glazer family, are having trouble refinancing part of the club's £700m debt.(The Times) 
Tottenham have overlooked Ledley King's knee problems to offer the defender a new £70,000-a-week contract.(The Sun) 
Liverpool believe a persistent groin injury may deprive Fernando Torres of the chance to play for Spain at the World Cup.(The Times) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips keeps in touch with old Chelsea team-mates John Terry and Frank Lampard by playing Call Of Duty against them on the Xbox games console.(The Sun) 
David Moyes says he is considering naming himself in the Everton team to face Tottenham, as the club's injury crisis mounts.(The Independent)
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Man Utd 3-3 CSKA Moskva

Manchester United staged a stirring late rally at Old Trafford to claim a place in the last 16 of the Champions League after CSKA Moscow looked poised to end their 22-game unbeaten home record in the competition.
Sir Alex Ferguson's revamped United looked like they would have to wait to seal their place in the knockout phase when they trailed 3-1 with only six minutes remaining. 
But with a grandstand finish that has become their trademark, Paul Scholes headed home six minutes from time and Antonio Valencia's deflected shot in injury time rescued the vital point. 
CSKA looked well on course to inflict United's first Champions League defeat at Old Trafford since AC Milan won in February 2005 - but they reckoned without the powers of recovery and refusal to accept defeat buried deep within Ferguson's side. 
The Russians took the lead after 25 minutes when Alan Dzagoev beat a static Edwin van der Sar from an angle, but Michael Owen pounced in the area to restore equality four minutes later.
CSKA were quickly back in front when Milos Krasic rounded Van der Sar to score, and when Vasili Berezutski headed home Dzagoev's free-kick two minutes after half-time, United looked likely to sample the rare taste of defeat on home territory. 
But the introduction of Wayne Rooney, the day after the birth of his son Kai, lifted the mood inside Old Trafford and set the scene for United's late charge. 
United boss Ferguson made public his admiration for Igor Akinfeev in his programme notes, and the CSKA keeper will have further impressed the Old Trafford hierarchy with a magnificent display that kept the Premier League champions at bay until the late double salvo from Scholes and Valencia broke their resistance. 
To complete a miserable conclusion for CSKA, they had defender Deividas Semberas sent off after receiving a second yellow card. 
United fielded a much-changed side, but Rooney was a surprise inclusion on the bench the day after the birth of his son. 
Injury to Dimitar Berbatov gave Owen a chance to impress, and he was heavily involved in a first half that provided mixed fare for a subdued Old Trafford gallery.

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Everton manager David Moyes wants to offer Newcastle striker Michael Owen a chance to extend his Premier League career.(Daily Mail) 
Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins is set to undergo groin surgery, putting on hold his proposed £7.5m move to Italian side Fiorentina.(Daily Star) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to overhaul his squad over the summer with utility player Emmanuel Eboue, striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defender William Gallas the likely departures. (Daily Mirror)
Russia and CSKA Moscow left-back Yuri Zhirkov will join Chelsea this summer for a fee of £18.6m.(The Sun) 
West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green has turned down the offer of a new contract, which will alert London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal.(Daily Star) 
Bolton want to give Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes one final season of first-team football.(The Sun) 
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is questioning his Old Trafford future after being left on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League final. (Daily Mirror)
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas will have worried his bosses in London with comments that it would be a dream to play for Champions League winners Barcelona.(Daily Express) 
Real Madrid presidential hopeful Florentino Perez has claimed "an agreement" is in place for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo to join the club. (Various)
Winger Stewart Downing has been told he can leave relegated Middlesbrough, as long as it is not for Tottenham.(Daily Star) 
Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has no intention of leaving the club over the summer, and according to his agent, he wants to honour the three years left on his contract.(The Guardian) 
New Ipswich boss Roy Keane could make a £500,000 bid for QPR defender Damien Delaney. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United boss Sir Alex, is wanted by Wigan to replace the Sunderland-bound Steve Bruce.(Daily Mirror) 
Darren Ferguson is also wanted by Reading but a row over his compensation fee could scupper a move to the Madejski Stadium.(Daily Mail) 
Celtic could make a surprise move for West Ham number two Steve Clarke as they look to fill the managerial vacancy left by Gordon Strachan's departure. (The Sun)
Portsmouth could have problems if prospective new owner Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim wants to appoint a new manager, as Pompey have already agreed terms with caretaker boss Paul Hart.(Daily Mail) 
The consequences of Newcastle's relegation from the Premier League has been brought into stark reality with the news that 120 administrative and commercial staff are set to lose their jobs.(The Times) 
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner wants to sign a new contract with the club, even though his current deal does not expire until 2012.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY 

Coverage of the FA Cup final always sees a hefty chunk of nostalgia and this year is no exception. It is 17 years since their popular ITV show came off our screens but 'Saint & Greavsie', former Liverpool forward Ian St John and ex-Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves, are back on Setanta for a one-off show as part of the build up to the clash between Chelsea and Everton.

The pair are as outspoken as ever and are not too impressed with the football programmes on offer today. "No way as good as ours," says Greaves.(The Guardian)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham could join Tottenham when the 2009 Major League Soccer season ends in October to maintain his match fitness for the 2010 World Cup finals. The England star, currently on loan at AC Milan, grew up down the road from White Hart Lane in Chingford. (The Sun) 
Manchester City defender Richard Dunne will join Sunderland this summer for £4m and the Black Cats also want West Brom midfield duo Jonathan Greening and James Morrison. (The Sun) 
Tottenham striker Darren Bent is also on Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia's list of targets. (Daily Star) 
But Sunderland are set to miss out on £6m-rated Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, who says he is not interested in a move to the Stadium of Light. (The Sun) 
Chamakh, 25, says a move to Premier League is his "priority", adding: "I target a club that is just under the big four. Tottenham could interest me but not Sunderland. (Daily Express) 
are set to sign highly rated Rapid Vienna striker Philipp Prosenik, 16, during the summer. (The Guardian) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill will make a new defender his top priority if Martin Laursen is forced into retirement. The Danish centre-back needs another knee operation and could be out for nine months. (The Sun) 
Everton defender Joleon Lescott has emerged as a shock target for O'Neill, who has £10m to spend and is also considering a move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards. (Daily Mirror)
Villa are being linked with a swoop for Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Maor Buzaglo. (The Sun) 
Arsenal have been watching 17-year-old Paris St Germain full-back Chris Mavinga. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is giving a trial to Racing Santander teenager Lotam Zino. (Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic are battling it out to sign Bristol City midfielder Marvin Elliott for £2m. (Daily Star) 
Wigan are close to agreeing a deal for Rosenborg's Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan. (Daily Mail) 
Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws wants to sign Wolves midfielder Darren Potter, who has been on loan with the Owls since January, on a permanent deal. (Daily Star) 
Swansea City are set to offer a contract to Queen of the South striker Stephen Dobbie. (Daily Mirror) 
League One champions Leicester City will spend £400,000 on Liverpool's Jack Hobbs and £200,000 to land Hull City's Wayne Brown. The defenders are both currently on loan with the Foxes. (Daily Star) 
West Brom have taken Livingston striker Leigh Griffiths, 18, on trial. (Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Alan Shearer is set to stay on as Newcastle manager beyond the end of the season rather than stepping down to allow Joe Kinnear, who is recovering from heart surgery, to return as boss. (The Guardian) 
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell says the club would give "serious consideration" to joining a revamped English Premier League. (Daily Record) 
Injury-prone Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton is set to return from a broken foot to help the Magpies in their fight against relegation. (The Sun) 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says he has never received one enquiry for midfielder Paul Scholes, who is set to make his 600th appearance for the club on Wednesday against Portsmouth. "They all know he would never leave," said Ferguson. (Various) 
Injured Hull City star Jimmy Bullard says he will not walk out on the club if they are relegated from the Premier League. The midfielder has played for only 37 minutes in a Tigers shirt since joining them for £5m from Fulham in January. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson made his first appearance after seven months out with a groin problem when he played for an hour for the reserves against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City will tour South Africa this summer as they look to start establishing themselves as a global brand by challenging neighbours Manchester United's popularity in the country. (Daily Telegraph) 
Plymouth Argyle are set to be taken over by Japanese real estate tycoon Yasuaki Kagami. (Daily Star) 
Bundesliga side Schalke 04 want Chelsea's director of youth development Frank Arnesen as their new boss. (The Guardian) 
Bradford City boss Stuart McCall is set to do a U-turn and stay in his post after his admission he may quit the Bantams prompted a deluge of letters from fans asking him not to go. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Hibernian and Dunfermline winger Freddie Daquin has returned to his native France after being released by Dundee. (Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY 

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has not watched an episode of Coronation Street since he joined the club in 2003 but says he will watch the Manchester-based soap "next time it is on and I am home". (The Sun) 
Murdo MacLeod's wife confronted Craig Brown after the 1990 World Cup because the then Scotland boss had put the Celtic midfielder on the "ugly team" in training while in Italy. (Daily Record)
www.bbc.co.uk