Manchester Utd

Ferguson backs Ronaldo and Rooney
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo will be at their best for Manchester United's Champions League game against Benfica on Tuesday. Striker Rooney has had a slow start to the new season and has not scored in Europe for two years and nine games. And winger Ronaldo was banned for one game after a one-finger salute the last time United played Benfica in January. But the United boss said: \"Cristiano is intelligent and understands the situation and Wayne just needs games.\" Rooney has not scored in the Champions League since grabbing a hat-trick on his debut in the thumping 6-2 win over Fenerbahce in September 2004. But Ferguson insists it is only a matter of time before Rooney comes good. \"I am not concerned about Wayne's form at all,\" he stated. \"I have made the point a number of times about how little football the lad has played over the past six months. \"He did well at Reading on Saturday. He showed a big improvement. There was far more sharpness from him and I am sure that progress will continue.\" And Ferguson is equally confident that Ronaldo has learned the lessons from the 2-1 defeat against Benfica last year - a result that led to United crashing out of last year's Champions League. The Portuguese winger was baited mercilessly by Benfica fans for his affiliation to bitter rivals Sporting Lisbon and responded with a one-finger salute. Ferguson said: \"I have not spoken to the boy. I don't need to. Cristiano is intelligent and he understands the situation. \"He has been fantastic for us so far this season, probably our best player. He is growing up terrifically and has a fantastic future ahead of him.\" Meanwhile, Manchester United and England team-mate Rio Ferdinand has also backed Rooney to find his best form. \"If Wayne had scored against Reading on Saturday, the questions about him would probably not be being asked,\" said the defender. \"He did well at the weekend and got stronger as the game went on. \"But strikers are judged on goals. Everyone knows what a quality player he is and once he scores, people will soon be singing his praises again.\"

Man Utd v Newcastle
Manchester United left-back Mikael Silvestre is out for six weeks with a broken metatarsal. With Ryan Giggs (hamstring) still a fortnight away from recovery, United will stick with the same squad that defeated Benfica on Tuesday. Newcastle will be without suspended duo Titus Bramble and Celestine Babayaro. On-loan United striker Giuseppe Rossi is ineligible but goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek could be included after signing a short-term deal on Friday. Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Brown, Heinze, Evra, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Richardson, Rooney, Saha, Solskjaer, Jones, Smith. Newcastle (from): Harper, Srnicek, Krul, Carr, Bernard, Bramble, Moore, Taylor, Ramage, Huntington, Parker, Butt, Duff, Emre, N'Zogbia, Milner, Pattison, Ameobi, Martins, Sibierski, Luque.

Wigan v Man Utd
Wigan manager Paul Jewell will assess his 12 returning international players before he decides on his final squad. Andy Webster is close to fitness but is not thought to be ready for his debut while Ryan Taylor and Steve McMillan remain long-term casualties. Gabriel Heinze (both hamstring) is out of Manchester United's squad, but Ryan Giggs is back and could play a part. Cristiano Ronaldo hopes to shake off an ankle injury he picked up on international duty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wigan (from): Kirkland, Jackson, Hall, De Zeeuw, Kilbane, Camara, Heskey, Johansson, Landzaat, Boyce, Scharner, Teale, Cotterill, Cywka, Webster, Skoko, Baines, Valencia, Todorov, McCulloch, Pollitt. Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Brown, Saha, Smith, Carrick, Solskjaer, O'Shea, Richardson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Jones, Scholes, Rooney. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wigan boss Paul Jewell: \"There was more pressure on us last season because everyone expected us to go down. \"But Manchester United will want to win the league this year, they will feel they have a good chance. \"We know it will be a tough game. What any manager wants out of his team is for them to give their best and whatever we get, I'll take it.\" Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Wayne Rooney: \"We are top of the league and we want to stay there. \"We were superb against Newcastle last time out and we want to continue that.\"

Ferguson warns media over Rooney
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes the media are relishing Wayne Rooney's slump in form. \"You are obviously hoping I might say that's the end of Wayne Rooney, or something like that,\" Ferguson told reporters on Friday. \"And you're actually hoping that yourself, I think. It makes great headlines for you. \"He needs to focus on what we are telling him and not listen to what the press are telling him.\" But the United manager said he expected a return to form very soon, telling journalists: \"You know deep down - and every defender in the country knows deep down - that the lad is going to come to life.\" Rooney has not scored in eight games for Manchester United and England. His two goals this season came in the 5-2 win over Fulham on 20 August - and the 20-year-old has been criticised for his lack of form. Ferguson warned that the media attention could be harming the player. \"Sometimes young players start believing what they read in the papers and it can be self-destructive,\" the Scot said. \"I have seen it many times. He's your number one seller. You had Gascoigne, Beckham, Best. You look for a hero that you can sell papers with and he's your hero at the moment. \"Without him you'll never sell the same number of papers and whether it's good or bad you are going to sell it some way.\" And the United manager believes that once Rooney has played more games he will recapture the sort of form that made him one of the most highly-rated teenagers in the world. \"Since his injury last May, he has played about nine games in six months,\" said the United boss of Rooney, who broke a metatarsal bone in his foot in May. \"He has not had a lot of football for a young lad. His training has been OK but all that helps is his fitness, you can't beat playing games.\" Rooney's last game was England's 2-0 defeat in Croatia in a Euro 2008 qualifying match in Zagreb. \"I don't think he played that badly on Wednesday,\" said Ferguson. \"I spoke to the lad and I thought he did well. He is gradually getting his game back and it will come.\" Meanwhile, Ferguson has also come to the defence of under-fire England coach Steve McClaren following England's poor performances against Macedonia and Croatia. McClaren was assistant manager when United won the Treble in 1999 and Ferguson said: \"Steve has the ability and he should be left to get on with it. \"There has been the usual over-reaction and some of the things being said are pretty abusive. \"The thing that hurts you the most is when you see stuff from 'a source within the FA'. I am sure there is no source but it is hard to deal with.\"

Wigan 1-3 Man Utd
Manchester United produced a superb second-half performance to come from a goal behind to beat Wigan. United fell behind in the fifth minute, Leighton Baines rifling a sensational 30-yard free-kick into the top corner. The superb Wayne Rooney hit the bar with a sublime piece of skill before Nemanja Vidic scored his first United goal, heading in Ryan Giggs' corner. Rooney crossed for Louis Saha to fire home before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rolled in a left-foot shot in injury time. It was what United deserved for a second-half display full of verve and passion, though Sir Alex Ferguson's men had to improve after a disappointing opening. If Wigan were apprehensive about playing United after losing three times to them last season - two of which ended 4-0 - they did not show it at the start. The Latics raced out of the blocks in the early afternoon sunshine and before United had any time to settle, they were already behind. Eight days ago, the rapidly-improving Baines hit a 25-yard belter for the England Under-21 side against Germany - but this strike was even better. A free-kick 30 yards out was rolled to him and Baines let fly with a thunderous left-foot shot that screamed past Edwin van der Sar and into the top left-hand corner of the Dutchman's net. United were struggling to get a kick, though they eventually began to work their way back into it, with Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes influencing proceedings. Rooney was quiet, until a breathtaking piece of skill brought him to life and almost brought the visitors level. Chesting the ball down in a packed penalty box 15 yards out, he somehow created half a yard of space and slammed a ferocious shot that rattled Kirkland's crossbar. Goalless since the start of the season, Rooney looked desperate to end his barren run, chasing defenders down and demanding the ball when United attacked. His brilliant outside-of-the-foot pass set up Saha just before the hour mark, but the Frenchman unbelievably dragged his 12-yard shot wide when it looked easier to score. When the equaliser did come, it was from a less likely source. Giggs swung in a corner and Vidic rose unchallenged, nodding past the helpless Kirkland. Suddenly it was all United and they did not have to wait much longer to go in front. Rooney found space down the left, clipped in a fabulous cross and Saha somehow brought the ball down and fired home in one impressive movement. Solskjaer put the icing on the cake deep into stoppage time after another flowing move, his 18-yard left-foot shot creeping into the corner past a stranded Kirkland. United - for a few hours at least - moved three points clear at the top of the Premiership and once more laid down the gauntlet to champions Chelsea in the process.

Non-Glazer directors quit Man Utd
Manchester United finance director Nick Humby and commercial director Andy Anson have resigned. Humby and Anson, along with chief executive David Gill, are the only non-Glazers heavily involved in the running of United. The two men helped bridge the gap between the previous plc board and the new ownership structure under American tycoon Malcolm Glazer. Humby and Anson will leave in February to take up fresh challenges. Gill admitted he was \"very disappointed\" at their departure, praising their contribution to the club. Humby, who joined United in 2002, was responsible for delivering the new stadium expansion on time. Anson, who arrived in 2004, helped negotiate a record £56.5m shirt sponsorship deal with American banking giant AIG. Representative of fans' group Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) - formerly Shareholders United - who bitterly opposed the Glazer takeover, have urged Humby and Anson to let supporters know what is happening at the club. \"Now is the time for them to come clean, do the honourable thing and let the supporters know what is going on behind the scenes at our football club,\" said MUST spokesman Sean Bones. \"At the time of the takeover, Joel Glazer said he would speak to the supporters. They have not done so, which is a shame because we have a lot of questions for them to answer.\"

Gill not worried by resignations
Chief executive David Gill insists the resignations of two senior directors will not affect Manchester United. Gill admitted he was sorry to lose finance director Nick Humby and commercial director Andy Anson, who will leave the club in February. But Gill told MUTV: \"This won't affect the business in any way, Manchester United is not just about two people. \"We would have preferred this had not happened but we will move on, we still have a great future ahead of us.\" Humby and Anson tendered their resignations on Tuesday, but will remain in post until the new year. The pair, along with Gill, are the only directors that are not members of the Glazer family. They helped bridge the gap between the previous plc board and the new ownership structure under American tycoon Malcolm Glazer. Gill added: \"Nick and Andy have made a great contribution to the success of Manchester United over the last few years. \"I recognise they wanted to move on for new challenges. \"It's strange they are both leaving at the same time, but you cannot legislate for that. \"We have many people here with many years' experience with the club. \"Manchester United has been around for many years and will continue to be successful. \"We have started off the season very strongly and are selling out the ground every week,\" added Gill, who said the process of finding replacements would start immediately. Humby, who joined United in 2002, was responsible for delivering the new stadium expansion on time. Anson, who arrived in 2004, helped negotiate a record £56.5m shirt sponsorship deal with American banking giant AIG. Fans' group Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) - formerly Shareholders United - who bitterly opposed the Glazer takeover, have urged Humby and Anson to let supporters know what is happening at the club. \"Now is the time for them to come clean, do the honourable thing and let the supporters know what is going on behind the scenes at our football club,\" said MUST spokesman Sean Bones. \"At the time of the takeover, Joel Glazer said he would speak to the supporters. They have not done so, which is a shame because we have a lot of questions for them to answer.\"

Man Utd 2-0 Liverpool
Paul Scholes scored on his 500th appearance to set Manchester United on their way to a deserved victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford. The midfielder forced the ball home after keeper Jose Reina had got a hand to his initial shot after 39 minutes. That came after Dirk Kuyt had wasted the Reds' best effort with a free header from Mark Gonzalez's cross. Rio Ferdinand smashed in a second to make it 2-0 after 66 minutes as United returned to the top of the Premiership. It leaves Liverpool trailing their bitter rivals by 11 points, but on the evidence of this display, the Reds cannot claim the gap is deceptive. United, watched by a record crowd of 75,828, were never at their best but the performance was still enough to cope with an uninspiring Liverpool. With only Kuyt up front, Liverpool set out to stifle United in midfield, making for a scrappy opening to the game. The hosts had the better of the first half, with Louis Saha looking particularly dangerous up front, but Liverpool did have their chances. After only seven minutes, Kuyt stole into the box unmarked but Steven Gerrard's cross was too high. Kuyt was again involved on the half-hour mark when Gonzalez rocketed past Ferdinand on the left and crossed for the Dutch striker, who headed too close to United keeper Edwin van der Sar. While Gonzalez's speed was impressive, his shooting was far less so, the winger twice fluffing long-range efforts, and a minute after his second effort, United went ahead. Scholes found Wayne Rooney before stealing into the box to get on the end of Ryan Giggs' cross. Reina half-stopped his initial shot but the midfielder followed up to make sure of his 132nd goal for the club. The Liverpool keeper dived at full stretch to prevent Saha making it 2-0 before the interval and it was a buoyant United who walked in at the break. Rafael Benitez watched only five minutes of the second half before making his first substitution, bringing on Jermaine Pennant for Gonzalez. That allowed Gerrard to move into the centre but the changes failed to inspire Liverpool and United scored a deserved second goal after 66 minutes. Jamie Carragher, injured in a tackle minutes earlier, mis-hit his clearance and the ball came to Ferdinand, who sidestepped John Arne Riise and confidently swept the ball into the top corner. Benitez introduced Peter Crouch as Liverpool looked desperately for a spark of inspiration but it failed to materialise as United easily held on.

Rooney untroubled by goal drought
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney says he is unconcerned by his failure to score a goal since the first game of the Premiership season in August. The England striker, who turned 21 on Tuesday, scored twice in United's 5-1 win over Fulham before serving a three-match ban. \"I am not concerned about it. I know what my job is for the team and I feel I'm doing that well enough,\" he said. \"We are winning games and are top of the league so there's no real concern.\" Rooney joined United from Everton for £27m in the summer of 2004 and said the experience of playing for manager Sir Alex Ferguson had stirred up his hunger for success. \"I don't want to be remembered as a player who could have won this or done that,\" he told the Daily Mirror. \"I want medals and trophies and to be remembered as a winner. \"The manager has that desire and passes it on to all his players.\" Although Rooney has not scored since the opening game of the season, he has managed to curb his famous temper. And he said the disappointment of being sent off when playing for England at the 2006 World Cup had been a learning experience. \"Getting sent off was a big disappointment for me but I have learned from it,\" he confirmed. \"I'm trying to keep my head down, work hard and just do what I do best - playing football.\" He also revealed he would love England team-mate Steven Gerrard to play alongside him at Manchester United - but realised this was unlikely to happen. \"He is one of the best midfielders in the world and I think if Liverpool lost him, they wouldn't be half the team they are,\" he said. \"There isn't another player like him. I'd love to see him come to United but I don't think that will ever happen!\" Ferguson has tried to protect Rooney from excessive expectation but believes that the striker is \"truly blessed\". Ferguson said: \"When we signed him at 18, everyone said 'what will he be like at 21?' Now he's 21, people are saying 'what will he be like at 25?' It was always destined to be that way.\" \"Wayne is truly blessed. He doesn't just have ability, he has a fire inside him. \"He demonstrates great hunger and desire all the time. Without doubt, he is the best 21-year-old I have ever had.\"

Crewe v Man Utd
Manchester United's Alan Smith will start his first game recovering from a broken leg. First-teamers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Kieran Richardson and fit-again duo Gabriel Heinze and Mikael Silvestre are all set to feature. Crewe will definitely miss forward Rodney Jack through illness. Gary Roberts (suspension) is also out, along with Billy Jones (hamstring), Darren Moss (hernia), Lee Matthews (knee) and Luke Rodgers (ankle). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manchester United (from): Kuszczak, Heaton, Lee, Shawcross, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Gray, Solskjaer, Marsh, D Jones, R Jones, O'Shea, Fletcher, Richardson, Smith, Burns.

Crewe 1-2 Man Utd (aet)
Substitute Kieran Lee struck with two minutes of extra time remaining to send holders Manchester United into the fourth round of the Carling Cup. A vibrant Crewe side had looked the more likely winners before debutant Lee slid home Alan Smith's through-ball. United had gone ahead through Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 26th-minute strike. But the hosts deservedly equalised when the lively Luke Varney cut inside and beat Tomasz Kuszczak with a low shot, sending the tie into extra time. It was cruel luck for Dario Gradi's side, who were more than a match for a youthful United. Smith made his first start since February for the visitors but he and strike partner Phil Marsh saw little of the ball in the opening period of the game. Instead it was Kuszczak who shone for United as he prevented Crewe taking the lead by somehow stopping Neil Cox's header from Ben Rix's clever free-kick. The Polish keeper was then at full stretch to deny Isaac Osbourne and though Varney stabbed home the rebound, the linesman raised his flag for offside. But against the run of play, Solskjaer celebrated his first Carling Cup appearance since 2003 with a beautifully-taken goal. Crewe keeper Ben Williams then kept the half-time score at 1-0 with a fingertip save from Kieran Richardson's volley. The game settled into a more pedestrian pace at the start of the second half but it sprang back to life when Varney let fly from 20 yards. They could even have won it in normal time, but Kuszczak was equal to Varney's fierce shot. Richardson should have sealed the tie eight minutes from time when he was sent clean through by Solskjaer but, after steadying himself, he fired his shot against the post. In extra time, Jon Otsemobor came close to clinching a famous win for his side but Kuszczak turned away his angled shot and just as penalties loomed, Lee made a name for himself with an assured finish. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson: \"We were a bit lucky because I think Crewe were the better team. \"It's an amazing game because we had a team with seven internationals out there and you would expect them to win. \"But you have to work hard before you have the right to win a game and our players didn't do that.\" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crewe: Williams, Otsemobor, Baudet (O'Donnell 110), Cox, Taylor (Bell 76), Lowe, Rix, Osbourne, Vaughan, Varney, Maynard. Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Rodgers, Higdon. Goals: Varney 73. Man Utd: Kuszczak, Gray (Lee 77), Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Marsh (Barnes 46), David Jones, Ritchie Jones, Richardson, Smith, Solskjaer, Barnes (Shawcross 103). Subs Not Used: Heaton, Rose. Booked: Richardson, Lee, Brown. Goals: Solskjaer 26, Lee 119. Att: 10,046 Ref: C Foy (Merseyside).

Bolton v Man Utd
Bolton defender Quinton Fortune is unlikely to face his former club after picking up a calf injury in training. Kevin Nolan is suspended and Abdoulaye Faye (concussion), Nicolas Anelka (knee) and El-Hadji Diouf (ankle) are all rated as doubtful. Ronaldo could return for Manchester United after recovering from the flu virus that kept him out last week. Boss Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to change his entire team from the side that beat Crewe in the Carling Cup. Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Faye, Meite, Ben Haim, Giannakopoulos, Campo, Speed, Tal, Davies, Diouf, Anelka, Walker, Pedersen, Vaz Te, Fojut, Smith, Al Habsi. Manchester United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Silvestre, Evra, Heinz, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Richardson, Saha, Rooney, Smith, Solskjaer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bolton boss Sam Allardyce: \"We have to cope with what United will throw at us. \"We've just beaten Liverpool and if we could go to Old Trafford and win as well in such a short space of time it ould be something of a miracle for us. \"It's such a big game for us that the players will drive themselves to their very limits to try and upset one of the big boys again. \"But we are proud of our defensive record and will use that as catalyst to try and maintain it.\" Manchester United captain Gary Neville: \"We started off so badly last season, and the season before, that we did not even give ourselves a chance. \"We've gone on fantastic runs from maybe November through to March in the last two seasons, going unbeaten for 20 games, but still could not catch Chelsea because they've been 12 points in front of us. \"This season we are determined not to get so far behind. We have to perform week in, week out.\"

Bolton 0-4 Man Utd
A Wayne Rooney treble kept Manchester United top of the table as Bolton lost at home for the first time this season. Rooney slammed United into an early lead after receiving a perfect pass from England team-mate Michael Carrick. And he made it two with a cool curling shot from just outside the box as United dominated the early stages. Bolton were unable to hit back and Louis Saha slotted in a third before the brilliant Rooney completed his hat-trick with a fine solo effort. United - with Cristiano Ronaldo restored to the right after a virus - went at Bolton from the off with Ryan Giggs releasing Patrice Evra who forced Jussi Jaaskelainen to make a smart save. Both sides went into the game on the backs of their best ever starts to a Premiership campaign but Bolton were left looking distinctly second best. Saha had a clipped effort cleared off the line by Abdoulaye Meite before United deservedly took a 10th-minute lead. Rooney, who had gone 11 matches for club and country without a goal, was in no mood to let the drought continue four days after turning 21. Carrick threaded a glorious through ball from the half-way line to Rooney who lashed home first time with his left foot from 12 yards. Bolton were soon punished again when Gary Neville ventured forward down the right and the ball ricocheted off Tal Ben Haim to Rooney who curled home his second with slide-rule perfection from 20 yards. Wanderers needed a quick route back into the game and Gary Speed - making his 493rd Premiership appearance - lashed a free-kick wide of the post. Giggs was denied just before half time when Jaaskelainen brilliantly parried his opportunist shot away to safety. Bolton did manage to apply some mild pressure on the United goal with Abdoulaye Faye heading over an El-Hadji Diouf corner - but Edwin van der Sar was not seriously tested in the opening 45 minutes. United had to do some defending early in the second period when Bolton were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position only for Nicolas Anelka to drive just over the crossbar. Sir Alex Ferguson called for renewed urgency from the visitors after seeing his side go off the boil, seemingly content to sit on their two-goal advantage ahead of a mid-week Champions League trip to Copenhagen. Evra was stretchered off and replaced by Gabriel Heinze on the hour and Bolton briefly threatened mid-way through the second half, though Nemanja Vidic was a rock in the United defence. The game opened up again and United wasted a great chance when Saha was set up by Ronaldo and saw his shot superbly saved by Jaaskelainen's flailing left hand. Van der Sar was finally called into action when he preserved United's advantage by blocking Campo's close-range shot. But it was all over with 10 minutes left when Saha teed-up Ronaldo to slot in United's third from close range. And Rooney made sure he went home with the matchball when he latched on to a pass from Darren Fletcher and lashed in his third to complete an awesome afternoon for the England star.

Man Utd renew Hargreaves interest
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he has not abandoned hope of signing Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich. United targeted the 25-year-old England midfielder in the summer, but Bayern refused to sell. \"We are still interested in Hargreaves, but there's no update to give at the moment because we haven't spoken with Bayern again,\" said Ferguson. Hargreaves is currently recovering from a broken foot. However, the midfielder is still thought to be keen on a move to Old Trafford. Bayern, who also saw Michael Ballack leave the club in the summer, became so exasperated at United's repeated attempts to sign Hargreaves that they threatened to ask Fifa to intervene and United were forced to admit defeat. Ferguson did succeed in signing Michael Carrick but he insisted the former Spurs midfielder was not a replacement for Hargreaves. \"If we had got Owen Hargreaves it would have given us a complete variation of the type of midfield players you need in the modern game,\" he said. \"We focused on Michael Carrick and Owen right away (during the close season). We got one and didn't get the other.\"

Ferguson confident despite defeat
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is sure they will reach the Champions League knockout phase despite a shock defeat against FC Copenhagen. Marcus Allback's strike gave the Danes a 1-0 win and leaves United still requiring a point to make progress. He said: \"We still have confidence we can go through - we just have to make sure we concentrate on our next match. \"We had enough possession to win, but you have to take your chances. We want to go to Celtic and win now.\" The Scot dismissed suggestions a side with six changes from the win against Bolton had contributed to the defeat. And United's night of misery was compounded with fears that striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could face weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. He said: \"We had a team that was easily capable of winning the match without question and we controlled it most of the night. \"I don't think we should concern ourselves with the team we played. We should concern ourselves with losing a bad goal from a corner.\" Ferguson added: \"We had some really good opportunities. We have controlled the whole match and had good chances in the second half. \"I thought it was a matter of time before we scored. We were unlucky when Paul Scholes had a chance, but to be fair their keeper made a good save. \"We have really thrown it away. Maybe we were careless in our finishing but I think it was a comfortable performance up until the goal. \"Then there was some desperation in our play but it just shows you that in European football if you don't take your chance that can happen to you.\" But Ferguson insisted: \"It is a throwaway for us, but we are still in a good position - this result just tells us you need an edge to your game in these matches.\" Copenhagen match-winner and former Aston Villa striker Allback said: \"It's our first three points in the Champions League - and against a very good team as well. \"Of course we were a bit lucky - but you need it sometimes. It's massive - I feel more or less the whole country were behind us and have been waiting for this for many years. \"Everyone has been talking about this game since the draw. This was the biggest one and to win it of course is great. \"It was the key game for the fans - and for us players. Always as a striker you are supposed to score the goals and we have been having difficulties doing that in our first three games.\" Copenhagen coach Stale Solbakken said the result was one of his best moments as a manager. He revealed: \"It's special - and not just because I'm a Liverpool fan. It's our first win in the Champions League - we are breaking barriers all the time.\" Solskjaer limped off near the end with a hamstring problem - but Ferguson was relieved that it was not a recurrence of the knee injury that raised doubts about his career. Ferguson said: \"It is an unfortunate injury but in a way I am happy. \"With his previous history of injuries I was pretty concerned when he came off. He will be out for a few weeks but at least it was only his hamstring.\"

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