February 7th 2007 21:08

This one will run and run.

From the Sun:

Ronaldo has cast doubt over his future by refusing to pledge himself to Manchester United.

Ronaldo, a £40million target for Real Madrid and Barcelona, said:

“I don’t know where I will be in the space of the next six months. For the moment, I’m only thinking about training well every day. The only thing I am sure about is I want to continue at the level I’ve reached and aim to improve even more.”

Barca’s director of football Txiki Begiristain watched Ronaldo play for Portugal against Brazil in a friendly at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium last night.

The winger also hailed Barca ace Deco:

“He is one of the best players I’ve ever shared a team with.”

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"DIVENE TALENT"?

February 5th 2007 20:53

QUEIROZ: RONALDO HAS 'DIVINE TALENT'
Carlos Queiroz has tipped Cristiano Ronaldo for footballing superstardom.
The young Portugal winger scored a penalty during another sensational performance in Manchester United’s 4-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

On current evidence, the 21-year-old is likely to be in the running for a host of Player of the Year awards this season.

Despite reports linking Ronaldo with a move elsewhere, United have repeatedly insisted he is going nowhere, with Queiroz revealing the Red Devils are ready to open contract negotiations with the player, whose present deal does not expire until 2010.

And Queiroz, who helped persuade Ronaldo to remain at United this season following the negative publicity he attracted during the World Cup, is adamant the wide man can have the same huge impact on football as Michael Jordan has done in the basketball world.

“I have seen many players throughout my career but I believe that over the next decade Cristiano Ronaldo will be European football’s equivalent to Michael Jordan in the NBA,” Queiroz told A Bola.

“The kid has a divine talent. I have never seen a player with this level of ability. His technique, physique, athleticism and imagination, and added to this is his attitude in training and matches. He will be a star for the best part of 10 years.”

Meanwhile, John O’Shea intends to donate his unique United goalkeeping shirt to charity.

The Republic of Ireland international spent the final 10 minutes of the win at Tottenham in goal after Robbie Keane accidentally broke Edwin van der Sar’s nose.

To the glee of the United fans, O’Shea managed to keep a clean sheet, too, memorably robbing Keane of possession on one occasion when Rio Ferdinand - who donned the keeper’s shirt himself at one stage - sold him short with a backpass.

With Tomasz Kuszczak lined up to replace Van der Sar in next weekend’s Barclays Premiership tussle with Charlton Athletic, O’Shea will thankfully not have to repeat his appearance.

But he is eager to ensure someone will profit from Van der Sar’s mishap.

“I will get the shirt framed and try to raise some money for charity in Ireland with it,” he said.

“Apart from in my younger days, I don’t remember anything like that happening before.

“It was a pretty nerve-wracking experience. As soon as Edwin went down, Gary Neville came over and asked me.

“I said ‘yes’, but then Rio came over to the side and said he had been in goal once before at West Ham and grabbed the shirt.

“In the end, I went in. I knew my Gaelic football skills would come in handy one day.”

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SPURS 0 - UNITED 4

February 4th 2007 21:41

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v MANCHESTER UNITED, 0-4 Sun 4 Feb 2007
Manchester United restored their six-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after referee Mark Clattenburg ruled the Portugal winger had been brought down by Steed Malbranque in the box.

Ronaldo turned in another dazzling display on the flanks and set up Paul Scholes for United’s third after Nemanja Vidic had doubled the lead.

Ryan Giggs ran through to add to Spurs’ embarrassment late on and John O’Shea finished in goal as Edwin van der Sar broke his nose and United had used all their substitutes.

United had lost in the capital to Arsenal and West Ham United this season but held their nerve after Chelsea’s victory on Saturday had closed the gap, and their glut of goals either side of the break underlined their potential to seal a first title since 2003.

As for Spurs, they remain as far from the Champions League places as they are from the relegation zone. Despite a penalty claim of their own, they were swept aside and did not look like recording their first win over United since 2001, when Willem Korsten scored twice.

In a frantic opening, Scholes mis-timed a challenge on Aaron Lennon and Didier Zokora tripped Gary Neville, but it was Vidic who picked up the first booking when he went through the back of Jermain Defoe after nine minutes.

The first real chance of the game fell to Ronaldo but the Portugal winger blazed over after collecting the rebound when Michael Carrick’s header from a corner had been saved by Paul Robinson.

Predictably, Carrick was jeered by some home supporters on his return to White Hart Lane following his departure from the club in the summer for £18.6million. The midfielder had an early shot fly over and was typically effective protecting his back four, while Tom Huddlestone did the same for the hosts.

Huddlestone, billed as Carrick’s natural heir, set up Spurs’ first chance but Dimitar Berbatov, after taking a touch around Rio Ferdinand, saw his finish tipped around the post by Van der Sar.

United already had a penalty appeal turned down in the 29th minute when Anthony Gardner appeared to trip Henrik Larsson in the area, but referee Clattenburg waved away the Red Devils' protests.

But they were not denied a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time, with Ronaldo causing plenty of problems for the home defence and then slamming his penalty past Robinson.

Spurs had their own penalty shout when Pascal Chimbonda appeared to be held by Neville, marking a busy first half for Clattenburg.

Wayne Rooney had been living on the edge and earned a yellow card for a challenge on Lee Young-Pyo after he had lost the ball, and Chimbonda was also booked before the break.

Robinson tipped over from Vidic and Carrick after the break but was beaten in the 48th minute when Vidic met Carrick’s corner with a thumping header.

The lead was extended in the 53rd minute when Ronaldo surged down the right and crossed for Scholes to bundle in.

Spurs thought they should have had a penalty on the hour mark when Berbatov was challenged by Ferdinand, but Clattenburg waved play on.

Van der Sar had to tip over from Berbatov but United extended their lead with 14 minutes left when substitute Louis Saha played Giggs through to finish.

Berbatov could have pulled one back when he got behind the United defence but Van der Sar saved his effort.

The Dutch goalkeeper was unable to finish the game after a clash with Robbie Keane, and O’Shea played the remaining five minutes in goal.

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LARSSON 'LOVING EVERY MINUTE' AT UNITED

February 3rd 2007 18:03

Henrik Larsson claims his move to Manchester United has given him a new lease of life.
Although it took the 35-year-old a few days to decide whether to accept Sir Alex Ferguson’s short-term loan offer, the Swede has no regrets about abandoning the quiet life in his home town of Helsingborg for the ‘goldfish bowl’ which surrounds Old Trafford

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