FA CUP - EVERTON vs MANCHESTER UNITED - APR 19
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I support Everton to win....their last FA cup trophy was in 1995 (against Man U)... overdue for another cup
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The defence gotta be ready for a rough ride with Cahill and Fellaini around.
But after their performance at Porto, think they should be able to handle those two fella's physical game la.
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FA defend 'Man Utd fan' Riley
THE FA have told David Moyes that Mike Riley is ’one of the best referees in the world’ after the Everton boss suggested he was a Manchester United fan.
Riley, 44, will take charge of the FA Cup semi-final between the two clubs on Sunday, with Moyes less than impressed with the appointment.
But in a statement today, the FA have defended their decision. It read: "Steve Bennett was originally chosen for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
"When he suffered an injury last week, Mike Riley, who was due to be the fourth official for Saturday’s FA Cup tie, was chosen as his replacement.
“Mike is one of the most highly respected referees in this country and around the world and has handled matches at the highest level.
"His integrity is without question. During Mike’s 13 years as a Premier League referee he has officiated in more than 300 matches and has refereed both Everton and Manchester United on numerous occasions both home and away.
“Mike has the full support of the Football Association and we have absolute faith in both his integrity and ability to referee such an important fixture.”
Moyes had said: “I was asked if Riley is a United supporter — I think that is something you would need to bring up with the FA. “It is something one or two managers would have something to say about. “If you are saying that Riley is a Manchester United supporter, you would hope the FA would look at that.”
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Returning hero: United defender Wes Brown (right) battles for possession with Barca star Lionel Messi last season.
United had a double fitness boost this morning as full-backs Wes Brown and Rafael da Silva both trained. Brown, who has not played for several months, may figure for the United reserves on Monday.
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I think Moyes is very clever and he may have achieved his objective already by making a big deal out of the referee... Cos now no matter what the FA says or do, the referee is already put in the spotlight. So in those 50 / 50 decisions he may be hesitant to make the call for United as he knows at the back of his mind people might accuse him of being a United fan... I hope Mike Riley will be firm and not be sway by what David Moyes said... or worse, try to prove to others he isn't and make calls against them...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Returning hero: United defender Wes Brown (right) battles for possession with Barca star Lionel Messi last season.
United had a double fitness boost this morning as full-backs Wes Brown and Rafael da Silva both trained. Brown, who has not played for several months, may figure for the United reserves on Monday.
Fergie ready to rush Brown
"Wes has started training with the first team and I am contemplating playing him in the reserves on Monday," Ferguson said.
"Given the amount of important games we have coming up, it might be worth rushing him back.
"It would be great to have Wes available because he is such a fantastic defender and it will give us another option."
man.. i dunno if its a good idea to rush one of our more injury prone players back.
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Macheda ready as concerns grow for Rooney
Federico Macheda is being tipped to start Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Everton after Sir Alex Ferguson warned he will not play his best team.
Wayne Rooney is almost certain to miss the Wembley showpiece after suffering a suspected foot injury that could wreak havoc with the rest of his season.
Manchester United have a hectic end-of-season run-in to contend with, including three matches with Arsenal, as well as possible FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Ferguson revealed United fans may be disappointed with the line-up he selects to face Everton, but he insists the situation is unavoidable.
“When I pick my team on Sunday there will be critics voicing their concern about me not playing my strongest side,” Ferguson warned in The Daily Mirror.
“We’ve got so many big games coming up, somewhere along the line I’ve got to make changes.
“There are some fans who’d like me to play my best team every game. That’s impossible.”
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Originally posted by Sebass:
I support Everton to win....their last FA cup trophy was in 1995 (against Man U)... overdue for another cup
I have a slight prefence on Man U to win. Since Chelsea won the other semi-final, and if Everton win, one of them will not get to wear their main jersey for the final.
But it's just a little preference.....
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o.O all blues final?
unlikey.
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wow, SAF is giving a huge hint for a disappointment. dammit.
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I think the lineup is this :- Ben foster, gary neville, rio ferdinand, vidic, evra, park JS, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Tevez, Bebertov Remember, there is a midweek match to play, Liverpool playing Arsenal on Tuesday. If Liverpool win Arsenal, Man Utd need to win as well to maintain a 1 point gap.
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Originally posted by marcteng:
I think the lineup is this :-
Ben foster, gary neville, rio ferdinand, vidic, evra, park JS, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Tevez, Bebertov
Remember, there is a midweek match to play, Liverpool playing Arsenal on Tuesday. If Liverpool win Arsenal, Man Utd need to win as well to maintain a 1 point gap.
berbatov should be injured, not 100% yet bah...
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United snubbed Moyes
David Moyes has revealed that he was once turned down for the assistant manager's role at Manchester United.
The Scot, who is now in charge at Everton, was making a name for himself in managerial circles at Championship outfit Preston North End at the time.
He spoke to Old Trafford officials about joining the coaching staff at the Theatre of Dreams, but found himself overlooked.
Moyes was then subsequently snapped up by the Toffees and has gone on to enjoy considerable success at Goodison Park.
He is now considered to be a leading candidate to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson when the legendary Red Devils manager calls time on his illustrious career.
Moyes does not see that vacancy arising any time soon, though, while he also admits he is in no rush to leave his current post.
"I spoke to Sir Alex about the No. 2 job but wasn't offered it and I've gone on to do what I had to do," said Moyes.
Greatness
"I would have liked the chance to see the man working and be around him.
"Will it be a poisoned chalice at United? I don't know, but that's why you should be talking about the greatness of Fergie. You should be embracing the manager.
"Hopefully, he'll be there for 26 or 27 years. I don't want him to go, I just want him to share the trophies around a bit more!
"I can see myself staying at Everton for 10, 12, 15 years if they want me. Sometimes supporters get fed up with you and want a change, but people realise you're better off with stability.
"They will tell you there was a day when Fergie was nearly gone and they tell you here there was a time when David Moyes was struggling. I bet Fergie didn't feel that way and honestly I never did. If you're doing the job right, you know you'll get there."
Moyes is set to go head-to-head with Ferguson on Sunday for a place in the FA Cup final, with Everton looking to derail United's bid for an unprecedented quintuple.
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Read on BBC that Macheda's starting.
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all the way Man U
make them feel the blues.
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Man Utd: Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fabio Da Silva, Welbeck, Gibson, Anderson, Park, Tevez, Macheda.
Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Evra, Berbatov, Nani, Scholes, Evans.
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman, Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Saha.
Subs: Nash, Yobo, Castillo, Vaughan, Jacobsen, Rodwell, Gosling.
Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire) -
Macheda ah, serious? I see welbeck too...
rooney think out sick, ronaldo also gana rested...
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You serious ah? That's really is the line-up to take on Everton?
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defensive twins too...one left one right... 3 mid field 3 striker only the vidic and ferdinand remains the same...
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wah u serious?
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still sure win one wad
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omg wat kinda line up and omg..wat jersey is that
cute lar..two da silvas..
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MANCHESTER UNITED V EVERTON
Fergie to ring the changes
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed anyone believing he could play the same side that defeated FC Porto in Manchester United's FA Cup semi-final with Everton on Sunday is "off their heads".
Despite the enormity of their meeting with David Moyes' side, the Red Devils will be virtually unrecognisable from the team that started in Portugal.
Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick are all expected to stand down, with Edwin van der Sar and Dimitar Berbatov possibly joining them, although some will be on the bench in case of emergency.
The move may not sit well with traditionalists, however Ferguson insists he has no other choice. "When I pick my team, no matter what it is there will be critics voicing a concern about me not playing my strongest team," said the United chief.
"Not everyone agrees with changes. There are some supporters who want me to play my best team every game. "That is impossible. If you look at Wednesday's game you are off your head to think I could play the same team again."
The sheer energy expended in United reaching the last four of Europe's number one club competition for the third season in a row means the men asked to do the bulk of the running will not be asked to put their bodies on the line again.
It means Rooney is set to miss out on an emotional last four meeting with his former club, with Ronaldo due to sit the game out as well having toiled on his own up front for the last half hour.
"I am in a difficult position because we have got so many hard games coming up," reflected Ferguson. "Somewhere along the line I have to make changes. "The speed of the game has changed.
"Look at how fast the Premier Division is. The intensity of the matches is the reason English teams have a head start in Europe." Yet Ferguson also denies he is devaluing the FA Cup.
Replacements such as Park Ji-sung, Darren Fletcher and Carlos Tevez are all senior internationals who have been integral figures in United's pursuit of an unprecedented quintuple this term.
It is easy therefore for Ferguson to reject the theory he is playing a weakened team. "Hand on heart, the FA Cup is important," he said. "We don't want to have a defeat at this time of year. No matter what the defeat is, we have to answer for that."
There is also the little matter of Ferguson's impeccable record in semi-finals, which dates back to 1990 and currently stands at eight. Nevertheless, United will not start quite the red-hot favourites they were expected to be, with their manager placing his trust in a defence which, with Rio Ferdinand back alongside Nemanja Vidic, kept its first clean sheet in six matches on Wednesday night.
"Defensively we did really well on Wednesday," said Ferguson. "We were back to something like our best which is what we need now. "We can take encouragement from it but we can also take the understanding of what that partnership at the back means."
As individuals, Ferdinand and Vidic are outstanding, both on the six-man short-list for the PFA player of the year award. However, as a pair they are even better, standing alongside Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister as the best partnership of Ferguson's time at Old Trafford.
"Experience is important at this time of year," said Ferguson. "It allows you to be composed under pressure and gives you a presence. "But it is more than that. It is the partnership. "I keep on about Bruce and Pallister, who were together for seven years and hardly missed a game.
"Through that they got a consistency and an understanding and knowledge of each other's capabilities. Now it is the same with Ferdinand and Vidic."
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hugging -
fingers cross... abit lacking in experience though