Fergie and players do their little turn on the catwalk

• zocoss

  23 Jul 12, 11:46

  Ferdinand and Co receive heroes' welcome in Shanghai as they prepare to face the Drog

   

  

  Capped up: Rio Ferdinand looking dapper upon arrival in Shanghai

   

  

  Swamped: Sir Alex Ferguson signs autographs for a horde of supporters

   

   

    

   

  Manchester United have touched down in Shanghai as their globetrotting pre-season exploits continue.

  Rio Ferdinand was a prominent figure at the airport in a red baseball cap which featured his Manchester United number on the front.

  The defender referred to his self-styled #5 cap on Twitter earlier in July, saying: 'Started making my own #5Caps as I won't be getting any more with England!'

  He was obviously still smarting about his omission from Roy Hodgson's Euro 2012 squad, and indeed, the future does look bleak for Ferdinand at international level.

  But United legend Bryan Robson, on tour with the side, paid tribute to the centre-back, who signed from Leeds United ten years ago.

  'He has had a great career with the club,' Robson told the club website. 'There’s no reason why he shouldn’t last a lot longer.

   

  

  Please sign here: Javier Hernandez obliges the fans

   

  

  Getting ready: United players take to the training pitch

   

   

  'Rio is a naturally fit lad with no weight on him. He’s a good athlete. He’s been having a few problems with his back but the boss is good in the way he can nurse Rio through that side of it.

  'As long as Rio has the desire to want to keep going, there’s no reason why he can’t play quite a few more years, especially being a centre-half.'

  Next up for the Red Devils are Shanghai Shenhua, who boast old United enemy Didier Drogba in their armoury.  

  The Ivorian made an instant impact on his debut for the Chinese side, setting up his team's only goal in a 1-1 draw.

  On Wednesday Shanghai will take on Sir Alex Ferguson's team - and the classic Premier League match-up of Ferdinand and Drogba - will take place in the Far East.

   

   

  

  Old foe: Didier Drogba could shoot United down on Wednesday

• zocoss

  25 Jul 12, 23:28

  Shanghai Shenhua 0-1 Man United: Fergie hails goal-getter Kagawa as United seal pre-season win in China

   

  The Japan international, playing in the hole just off lone striker Federico Macheda, was United's most influential player and scored a deserved goal in the 68th minute

   

  

  Goal man: Shinji Kagawa opening his account for United and was named as man of the match
  
  

   

   

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaoZn3xMVnM

   

   

  Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Shinji Kagawa as his first Manchester United goal saw them wrap up the first part of their pre-season tour with a win.

  Kagawa was United's most influential player and served notice of the impact he can have at United following his £12million move from German champions Borussia Dortmund.

  "Kagawa was man of the match and I thought he deserved that," said Ferguson.

  "He has settled in really well and is going to be a really good player for us. I was really impressed with him tonight.

  "One of the features of our game over the years now has been the speed of our counter-attacking. Antonio Valencia is good at that, but Kagawa adds to that.

  "But more than that, I think his awareness of receiving the ball and speed of turning defenders, I think that's going to be an asset for us."

  The Japan international, playing in the hole just off lone striker Federico Macheda, scored a deserved goal in the 68th minute.

  Substitute Bebe beat his man on the left before squaring for Kagawa, whose dipping shot from 10 yards out took a deflection before settling in the net.

  Ferguson sees Kagawa as a key man for United this season and it was easy to see why as the 23-year-old, making only his second start, played with impressive guile and industry.

  Fellow new signing Nick Powell, making his first start since his £4million move from Crewe, looked lively but squandered a great chance to put United ahead in the 23rd minute.

  Spotting Powell's run, young midfielder Davide Petrucci chipped an exquisite ball over the top to his intended target, who took the ball down with one touch.

   

  

  Scrap: Davide Petrucci (left) fights for the ball with Wang Lin of Shanghai Shenhua

  
  

   

  But Powell, perhaps fearing he had less time than he did, snatched at the chance and screwed a quickly-taken left-foot shot wide of the target.

  Powell had earlier been lucky to come away unscathed from a reckless challenge, when Shanghai's Shouting Wang clattered into him with a studs-first tackle.

  It was enough to get furious United boss Ferguson off his seat in the dug-out in protest, Shanghai midfielder Wang somehow escaping a booking for the dangerous lunge.

  Thereafter United controlled possession without causing their hosts any real problems.

  But the visitors themselves were almost caught out on the counter-attack three minutes before the break.

  Shanghai midfielder Joel Griffiths managed to get in behind Rio Ferdinand, leaving him one-on-one with United keeper Anders Lindegaard.

  Lindegaard, who has already declared his intention to depose David De Gea as United's first-choice keeper this season, made a superb save to divert the shot.

  With no Didier Drogba or Nicolas Anelka in their squad, the hosts lacked the requisite quality to trouble United, despite being tidy in possession in the first-half, after which they tired.

  At half-time Lindegaard, Powell and Petrucci made way for Sam Johnstone, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Bebe, as Ferguson sought to give his young players as much game-time as possible.

  Kagawa set up Macheda in the 55th minute, but his weak angled shot was diverted, while Bebe, scorer of United's late equaliser in Cape Town, struck a shot straight at keeper Xiong Fei.

  But the goal came 22 minutes from time, allowing Ferguson to make another glut of substitutions before the final whistle, with Paul Scholes among those making a late cameo.

  United, who return to Manchester tomorrow, play Valernega in Olso on August 5, before taking on Barcelona in Gothenburg three days late.

  The final warm-up game for Ferguson's men, before their Premier League opener at Everton on August 20, is away to Hannover on August 11.

   

   

  Manchester United

  (4-4-1-1): Lindegaard (Johnstone 46); Veseli (Vermijil 71), Ferdinand, Carrick, Brady; Valencia (Lingard 71), Anderson (Scholes 71), Powell (Tunnicliffe 46), Petrucci (Bebe 46); Kagawa; Macheda(Hernandez 60)

• zocoss

  27 Jul 12, 09:07

  Too sexy for his shirt: Fergie and United players do their little turn on the catwalk in China - picture special

   

  Manchester United boss and players try out modelling for charity dinner and fashion show in Shanghai

   

  

  Step aside Naomi Campbell: Sir Alex Ferguson takes to the catwalk

  Step aside Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson and Twiggy; there's a new king of the catwalk in town.

  Sir Alex Ferguson took to the runway in Shanghai during Manchester United's pre-season tour of China as part of charity dinner and fashion show event in aid of the Manchester United Foundation, organised by Swiss watch makers Hublot.

  The 70-year-old Scot is more used to walking the technical area at the side of a football pitch but swapped the touchline for the catwalk and waved to to photographers at the event.

  He was joined on stage by members of the United squad including new signing Shinji Kagawa, defender Rio Ferdinand and striker Javier Hernandez.

  Check out the pics in our gallery:

   

  

• Watch out: Shinji Kagawa and Anderson show off their bling