Poll: Dowd used common sense
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Bouncing back from adversity is an intrinsic quality of teams managed by Sir Alex Ferguson and the boss will be looking to his players to do exactly that when the Reds host West Ham on Tuesday.
The 3-1 defeat to Everton on Saturday was United's sixth league loss of the campaign and one which handed the initiative in the title race back to leaders Chelsea.
Sir Alex's men have the opportunity to return to winning ways on Tuesday night when the Hammers visit Old Trafford and, despite the setback at Goodison Park, the United manager remains confident in his side's title chances.
"The league has been wide open this season - it's been funny like that," Sir Alex told MUTV.
"Teams have dropped points you don't expect them to drop, but the very nature of the league suggests we still have a good chance.
"We've got a big match on Tuesday night - it's a massive game for this club and hopefully we can get the result we need." -
Anderson will be joined by Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Nani in the list of absentees for Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Aston Villa – but, aside from the Brazilian’s six-month lay-off with a cruciate knee problem, there’s positive news on the injury front for the Reds.
Ryan Giggs is expected back in training next week as he recovers from a fracture arm, while Rio Ferdinand, who suffered a twinge in his back – a problem that has blighted him for months – could be back in a fortnight. Nani, meanwhile, serves out the final match of his three-game ban for the red card he earned at Villa earlier this month.
Ferdinand is expected to miss the next three games – Sunday’s final, the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend and AC Milan’s visit to Old Trafford in the Champions League last 16 second leg tie. But, hopefully, after that he will restart his revered central defensive partnership with Nemanja Vidic for the run-in.
“With Rio, we don’t think his back injury is terribly serious,” said Sir Alex. “But it was bad enough for him not to play on Tuesday. The twinge got worse as the day went on and we couldn’t take a chance on it. He’ll be out on Sunday and he won’t be fit for the England game.
“It’s a blow for us, because I was looking forward to Ferdinand and Vidic being back on Tuesday. But it wasn’t to be. You can never know with back injuries, but we don’t think it’s too serious. We think he’ll be back in two weeks. I don’t think he’ll be fit for the Milan game, but I don’t think it’ll be much longer than that.”
Over the next three days, Sir Alex’s focus will be on picking the right team to defeat Aston Villa in his 27th final as a manager. A number of young players are in contention for a place in keeping with the Reds’ youthful outlook in previous rounds. But, make no mistake, Sir Alex wants to win this final and will pick a strong team of experienced players.
“I am thinking about the younger ones to give them that smell [of success]. There are two or three that come into that category, like [Darron] Gibson, [Jonny] Evans and Rafael,” he said. “They obviously have to be considered. But it would be nice to win the cup having got to Wembley and got through those semi-final ties against Manchester City. You want to get to the final and do well.”
Another position Sir Alex is debating is his goalkeeper. Edwin van der Sar was rested against West Ham on Tuesday and Ben Foster came in and did very well, keeping a clean sheet. Tomasz Kuszczak has also been an able understudy to United's Dutch no.1 this season.
"[Playing Ben Foster] is a possibility," said the boss. "I’ve got three good goalkeepers and I need to choose the right one. I gave Edwin a rest on Tuesday because he’s come through quite a tough period after his injury and also his family situation. He’d not missed a game since coming back, so this was an opportunity to give him a rest. Sunday, I’ll have to consider what the right thing is to do." -
Almost 20 years after leading United to his first League Cup final, Sir Alex Ferguson still can't get over how that trip to Wembley ended.
Speaking to MUTV on the night before the 2010 Carling Cup final, the Reds boss recalled how, in 1991, a team from English football's second tier beat United to triumph at Wembley.
"I've lost three League Cup finals," he said. "The first time we lost to Sheffield Wednesday because I picked the wrong team. I went for a midfield that had never lost a game but I really should have played Mick Phelan in that match. We lost 1-0 to a goal from John Sheridan."
It's a match (and a managerial decision) that clearly still rankles Sir Alex and he admitted he's keen to avoid a similar sinking feeling when United meet Aston Villa on Sunday.
"Wembley’s a big occasion that you have to enjoy," he said. "And the best way to enjoy it is to win."
Of course, Sir Alex has used the Carling Cup competition in recent seasons to blood United's up-and-coming talent and give them valuable experience on the big stage. That policy changed somewhat in this season's semi-finals and now the Reds have reached the last hurdle, it's unlikely the boss will simply revert to youth.
One thing's certain, however: every player Sir Alex picks will do everything he can to ensure United's bulging trophy cabinet contains even more silverware come Sunday evening.
"There’s no doubt that when you go to Wembley and you approach the stadium and see your fans cheering you and urging you on that you realise how important it is. We want to win and all the players want to play in the final." -
Sir Alex Ferguson collects another major trophy
Sir Alex Ferguson tucked the 32nd major trophy of his Manchester United reign under his arm and then admitted his team were fortunate not to have had a man sent off in the Carling Cup final.
Wayne Rooney came off the bench to score the winning header, his 28th goal of the season, as United beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley.
But controversy surrounded a penalty awarded to Villa in the fourth minute when United defender Nemanja Vidic brought down Gabriel Agbonlahor.
James Milner scored from the spot but referee Phil Dowd failed to give Vidic even a yellow card, even though he was the last defender and Agbonlahor was through on goal.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill was left fuming by the incident while Ferguson conceded Vidic "was probably lucky," to avoid a red card.
United were level after 13 minutes, Michael Owen sweeping home the equaliser after Dimitar Berbatov and Richard Dunne had tangled in the area.
Unfortunately, Owen's final was shortlived, however, after he suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Rooney after 41 minutes.
Ferguson said: "He (Owen) did really well for us and it was a good performance from him. It's maybe our fault too. He's not had a lot of minutes recently and that soft pitch didn't help him. It's a bad blow for us."
Owen's misfortune only gave Rooney the chance to write another chapter in what is becoming a stupendous season.
His 74th-minute header from Antonio Valencia's cross was his fifth consecutive headed goal. In fact, seven out of his last eight goals have been headers. Quite a statistic considering he had scored only four headed goals in his career before this season.
Ferguson said: "The header wasn't a brilliant header, not great pace on it but it was well placed just under the bar. The goalkeeper had work to do to get to it. He's in that sort of form. He's scoring so many vital goals for us. We should have put it beyond doubt the opportunities we had.
"In the main we were the better team but credit to Aston Villa's performance. In the last 10 minutes when they started shoving up that big brigade of theirs it was like the Alamo. They had a go. Dunne had a back post header and missed altogether. You need a bit of luck in these situations."
Ferguson was more interested in looking forward to the next trophy, whether it be a 12th Premier League title or his third Champions League trophy.
He said: "We show time and time again this club has got the determination. They don't give in. It's a good quality to have and you'll see that in the last part of the season.
"It was a good result for us on Saturday with Chelsea losing. Arsenal are back in the frame with the easiest programme on paper. It will be an interesting run-in."
And on winning his fifth league cup he added: "You've got to enjoy it, that's why we are in it. You have to accept what you can get in this life. Winning this trophy is special to us. Any trophy is good.
"You're in this game to win and I appreciate everything we have achieved as a club and I appreciate the luck I've carried. That's important.
"I've lost finals and it's not easy when you lose a final. The only way you can enjoy Wembley is winning."
And on the trophy tally he added, tongue in cheek: "Hopefully it will be 33 this season. Might be too old to wait for next season."
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VIDIC CLAIMS REF GOT IT RIGHT
Nemanja Vidic claimed ref Phil Dowd was right not to send him off as Manchester United beat Aston Villa 2-1 in Sunday's Carling Cup final at Wembley.
Vidic hauled down Gabriel Agbonlahor inside the opening five minutes and though Dowd awarded a penalty which James Milner duly converted, he didn't even book Vidic for the offence.
The Serbian was later booked for a foul on Agbonlahor but played the entire 90 minutes as United recovered to win 2-1 with goals from Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.
Afterwards Vidic claimed the official had got it right, saying: "I can react better but Agbonlahor did well.
"I don't think it was a red card because I got in front of him, not behind. If I had got behind then yes.
"It's always nice to win big games but it was hard. They played with two forwards but I thought we deserved it."
Villa defender Richard Dunne refused to blame the decision for his side's defeat.
"It's very disappointing but we gave it a good go," he said.
"It was a great start, that was what we wanted to do - to get in front and try and hold on. But I made a mistake and after that it was tough. Unfortunately it wasn't our day."
On the possible sending-off, he added: "Possibly, but the game went on and it was an even game all the way through.
"They got a man sent off at Villa Park and it didn't make any difference. It was probably better to play against 11, it made it more enjoyable."
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Former Premier League referee Graham Poll believes Phil Dowd used a technicality in the rules to avoid sending off Nemanja Vidic during Manchester United's Carling Cup victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Serbia defender brought down Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor in the fourth minute to give away a penalty, which James Milner scored from to give Martin O'Neill's side the lead, but the official did not send Vidic off despite him appearing to be the last man.
But Poll, who infamously showed three yellow cards to Croatia defender Josip Simunic before sending him off at the 2006 World Cup, told BBC Radio Five Live: "The referee would have looked for an excuse not to send the player off, and that doesn't matter if it was an Aston Villa player or a Manchester United player.
"People will say that is rubbish, as there is nothing about a cup final in the rules but you try to use your common sense and understand the occasion.
"There was a technicality that allowed him to keep Vidic on and he used it.
"The player must be heading towards goal, it's a stupid technicality, but he (Agbonlahor) loses control of the ball and it goes behind him and at the moment he goes down he is heading six or seven yards wide of goal."
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yes dowd uses common sense referering, unlike the CL final in 2006, where Lehman was sent off so early in the match in the arsenal vs barcelona final. it really spoiled the spectacle and cup final really, as 10 men vs 11 men. let the game flow as far as possible. the 2006 CL final was a let down by the ref, who was from Norway I think. Norwegian ref's are sure block head.