Papers: Ref got it wrong

Rooney9 SG

United may have fired four goals past Wigan on Saturday, but afterwards Sir Alex was keen to praise the contribution of Edwin van der Sar who kept the Reds in the game early on.

The Dutchman had to be alert to goalbound efforts from Victor Moses and James McCarthy in the opening stages of the game, before making a fingertip save from Maynor Figueroa soon after the restart.

Sir Alex was pleased with his side's second half performance, but was keen to point out that the Reds' owed a lot to their goalkeeper.

"His composure is just outstanding as is his organisation of the defenders," the boss told MUTV afterwards. "Wigan were terrific in the first 20 minutes and Van der Sar had to make some great saves, while Vida and Smalling had to keep sticking their heads in to clear things. It was an uncomfortable time for us.

"We played really well in the second half and had some fantastic opportunities. We opened them up time and time again and could have scored more. But I'm happy with 4-0."

Two of United's four goals came from Chicharito who has netted in all four of United's league victories away from home this season.

"The boy is doing fantastic," added Sir Alex. "They were two good finishes. If you watch the first one again he bends his run and spins across the defender to the front post to knock it in. He made a great run for the second and Wayne played him in nicely."

Rooney9 SG

Sir Alex Ferguson was left reeling by United’s dramatic defeat at Chelsea, and insisted that his side deserved far more for an outstanding performance.

Frank Lampard’s penalty clinched victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s side after David Luiz had cancelled out Wayne Rooney’s first-half opener, but the United manager was left with a lasting sense of injustice.

Referee Martin Atkinson’s award of the spot-kick, following an earlier refusal to punish David Luiz’s cynical block on Wayne Rooney, provoked Sir Alex’s ire – a stance enhanced by previous controversial incidents at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds lost out to a contentious late Michael Ballack penalty in April 2008, while Atkinson also officiated last season's corresponding fixture - a match swung by a late John Terry header drenched in talking points.

“I think we defended badly on the first goal, that was a bad one to lose, but the penalty was so soft,” the Boss told Sky Sports. “Dear me. It was a great performance by us; we didn’t deserve that. That’s three years in a row that the referee’s decisions have changed the game.

“I’m pleased and proud of my players. They’ve endured a lot of decisions against them, they’ve carried themselves through it, they’ve done their best and they’ve created chances and played good football. They didn’t deserve that.”

Focusing specifically on Luiz’s unpunished foul on Rooney, Sir Alex said: “It was incredible. Even before that he’d done Chicharito off the ball. Then he does Rooney, clear as day, (the referee is) six yards from it and doesn’t do anything. That changes the game. These are decisions that change a game.”

United’s next outing already looms large on the horizon. Liverpool await at Anfield on Sunday, and Sir Alex, who now takes his side down the East Lancs Road without suspended skipper Nemanja Vidic, wants the Reds to bounce back.

“We’ve got to gather ourselves together as we always do,” he said. “When you lose a game you’ve got to recover and do better in the next game and get a result. It's always a massive game between Manchester United and Liverpool. It’ll be the same again, we just have to recover and get ourselves ready for it.”

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

wise post coming from rooney...

Rooney9 SG

Referee Atkinson got the big calls wrong
Referees are remembered for their big decisions in big games. Unfortunately Martin Atkinson got some wrong on Tuesday night and they cost Manchester United. Atkinson failed to deliver consistency in similar incidents, the basic requirement for match officials. In the first half, Manchester United were denied a penalty when John Terry handled a shot from distance. Although his hands were by his side, the ball travelled a long way and Terry ensured that the ball did not pass - a clear offence. Nothing was given. However, when Yury Zhirkov took the opportunity to go over Chris Smalling's outstretched leg, Atkinson had no hesitation in awarding the home team a spot kick. It was soft, but just about the correct call. An even clearer example came when David Luiz deliberately tripped Wayne Rooney off the ball - a clear cautionable offence. As he had already been cautioned, Luiz should have been dismissed. Nemanja Vidic was not afforded such tolerance later in the game.

The Mail also links United to a £600,000 compensation package for Anderlecht winger Adnan Januzaj, a 16-year-old Belgian dubbed ‘the next David Beckham’. The paper says that United have been given permission to speak to Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, if an ‘acceptable’ written offer is submitted for the 24-year-old.

Andy Carroll could make his Liverpool debut against United on Sunday after taking part in a full training sessio on Tuesday.

Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out Chelsea winning the title, despite Tuesday’s win over the Reds, while The Guardian’s Paul Hayward says the trophy is United’s but “the easy days are over”.