The season's silver lining

On the grounds that success is measured by silverware, United can take tangible satisfaction from the 2009/10 season.

In retaining the Carling Cup, a feat only achieved before by Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, the Reds set a new English record of 33 domestic honours - moving one clear of the Merseysiders for the first time.

In the competition’s 50th season, United had to overcome Premier League opponents in all-but one round. Wolves, Barnsley and Tottenham were eliminated before a hype-driven semi-final clash with Manchester City provided one of the season’s highlights.

Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa awaited at Wembley, brimming with confidence after taking four Premier League points off the Reds, and it took the Villans less than five minutes to forge ahead again, in controversial circumstances.

Referee Phil Dowd’s decision not to dismiss Nemanja Vidic for hauling down Gabriel Agbonlahor proved pivotal, despite James Milner’s conversion of the subsequent penalty. Michael Owen hauled the Reds level before retiring injured, and his replacement, Wayne Rooney, floated home a superb second half header to snare the silverware for United.

Sir Alex praised the methodical manner in which his side overcame the early setback, and also thanked the vocal travelling Reds who soundtracked the triumph. “If you go a goal down early in a cup final you’ve got a job to do, you need a lot of patience,” he said.

“Villa laid down the gauntlet to us, and the way we got back into the game spoke volumes for the strength of character in the team. And the support was fantastic, they are so valuable. Whenever we really need them, they are there.”

The Red Army have been there in perpetuity, ever-braced for the next twist or turn in an unpredictable campaign. Few saw January’s shock FA Cup exit to Leeds coming, nor Premier League defeats to Burnley, Fulham and Everton. But every time Chelsea – the only member of the established top four not to have sold at least one major player before the start of the season – seemed set to waltz to the title, United displayed the fortitude of champions to remain in the hunt.

Home and away victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham have displayed the Reds’ unflinching class, but sporadic letdowns – most notably narrow home and away defeats to Carlo Ancelotti’s side - ultimately allowed the Blues to take the title.

Regardless, United are assured of another crack at the Champions League next term, and there’s some unfinished business to settle. March’s heartbreaking quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich still rankles, and sullied memories of another routine group stage progress and swashbuckling home and away wins over AC Milan.

Gallingly the Germans, who took advantage of an off-key United display in the Allianz Arena and progressed despite taking a first-half pounding at Old Trafford, strolled past Lyon and into this month’s final against Internazionale in Madrid.

“It really is galling,” says Darron Gibson. “We are so much better than Bayern and Lyon. Watching them play in the semi-finals was tough to take because you couldn’t help but think we’d have made it to the final.”

Such disappointments breed motivation, however, and they, allied to another taste of silver-lined success at Wembley, will fuel United’s assault on next season.

Player review: Neville

Mr Manchester United played a key role in the Reds' bid for silverware and was rewarded with a new deal...

Story of the season: Neville missed the opening game against Birmingham with a groin injury picked up in pre-season, then when he slotted back in he was used carefully, often starting one game then sitting on the bench for the next. “We don’t play him every week because we know the nature of his body,” explained Sir Alex. But despite the odd niggle and an injury in December that kept him out for five games, Neville flourished as the campaign went on, benefiting physically and confidence-wise from a consistent run, and letting his vast experience do the rest. Come February he was in the squad for every league game, and with the big games coming thick and fast Nev stepped it up again; few played bigger roles during March and April.

Finest moment: Ronaldinho who? The much-feted Brazilian hardly got a kick at OT as Neville called on all his graft and guile to keep the one-time World Player of the Year quiet. A few leeks later, Gary performed a similar spoiling job on Manchester City livewire Craig Bellamy, prompting Sir Alex to describe him as “an amazing man”.

Greatest attribute: Professionalism. Fifteen seasons as a first-team regular don’t come for free. Everything about his application and preparation is impeccable and he has got his just rewards with his performance levels, especially considering his injuries. “He’s a player who has got where he is in life because he’s got the will to do it,” Sir Alex said. “When you're out of the game in your 30s for a year-and-a-half, for most players it's impossible to get back to the level he's at now.”

What’s in store? A new contract means Neville will stay at Old Trafford until at least June 2011. There's little doubt he'll continue to turn in sterling performances on the pitch, while young defenders like Jonny Evans and the da Silva twins will benefit from his experience in the dressing room.

ManUtd.Com

Giggs: 'We can't rely only on Rooney'

Ryan Giggs admits Manchester United's title challenge ultimately failed this season because of their over-reliance on Wayne Rooney.

Giggs is the most decorated player in United's history, with 11 Premier League titles to his name over two decades of peerless service. So when he talks, people listen.

He admitted United's players did not want to come out for the second half against Stoke on Sunday, having learned Chelsea were 2-0 up against 10-man Wigan and cruising to the title.

But less than 24 hours after Chelsea had hoisted the Premier League trophy aloft, Giggs provided a frank assessment of where it had all gone wrong for Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

"If you had to say one thing, you'd probably say we can't rely on Wayne next season like we did this one," said Giggs.

"We need to be scoring more goals from different areas and from different players, even though as a team we scored more than we did last season.

"We were also better defensively this season than last, but we can't rely on Wayne as much as we have done this season in terms of goals.

"On Sunday against Stoke we started full of hope, then came in at half-time and found out Chelsea were 2-0 up and Wigan were down to 10 men.

"We knew then it was over and, to be honest, we didn't want to go out for the second half. You just want to go home in that situation."

Rooney's 34-goal heroics only carried United so far, injury in the Champions League quarter-final first leg with Bayern Munich proving the beginning of the end for Fergie's men.

After that, Rooney did not find the back of the net again this season and United lost their way, Giggs admitting it was a fatal blow from which Fergie's men never recovered.

"It was unfortunate for us that Wayne got injured at a really important part of the season, because we'd relied on his goals more or less throughout it," said Giggs.

"So to get to the business part of the season and not have him, then to have him for one game without him having really trained, wasn't ideal.

"But whether the manager does or doesn't bring in any other strikers this summer, the other players know we need to score more.

"Whether that's defenders coming up for corners or midfielders chipping in, we all need to contribute a lot more."

United lost to Burnley, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Everton and Fulham in the Premier League this season, but Giggs identified the two defeats to Chelsea as to where the title was decided.

"You'd have to say it came down to the two Chelsea games," said Giggs. "If we'd even just drawn one of those games we'd have won the title.

"When you lose two two games against your biggest rivals, it's always going to be tough.

"It's not always the case that those head-to-head games decide the title, but this season they probably did.

"And when you look at the fact Chelsea beat us, Arsenal and Liverpool, home and away, then you have to say they deserved it.

"We're disappointed with some of the points we dropped, because we feel we could quite easily have won the it this year.

"But it's a tremendous achievement to come within one point of winning the title four years on the trot.

"No team has ever done that, so the players deserve huge credit for putting in such a massive effort over the past few seasons. But it just wasn't meant to be."

Giggs, 36, who has one year left on his contract before his illustrious career is likely to come to an end, said the pain of losing the title could ultimately benefit United long-term.

He recalled, as a raw 17-year-old, the pain of losing out on the title to Leeds in the 1991-92 season, an experience he claimed was the making of him as a player.

"These young players, who have known nothing else other than winning titles over the last three years, will now be tasting what I had to taste in my first full season," said Giggs.

"We came so close but lost out on the title to Leeds and that disappointment, that feeling of failure, never leaves you over the summer.

"You have to make sure you come back stronger and hungrier the following season, which is the sign of a great team and great players.

"Losing the title to Leeds that season definitely helped me, because I knew I didn't want that feeling again the next year.

"Winning is an unbelievable feeling, but it doesn't last that long. The feeling of losing lasts that much longer - and it hurts.

"You probably handle disappointment better as you get older, but it still hurts. You try and get away from it when you're away on holiday with your family.

"But you always find yourself lying on a beach, going through a game where you think you could have done better or where the team could have done more.

"But you have to try and forget about it and enjoy your holiday, because it's no good torturing yourself.

"Knowing the character of our players and how disappointed they were with the title not being in our hands, they'll come back stronger.

"On Sunday the manager just told us all to enjoy the summer, whether you're on holiday or involved in the World Cup, and come back stronger next season.

"We'll be ready next season. The manager told us to remember the feeling of losing the title - and to make sure we don't have it again this time next year."

 

Barry out, so Hargo is back

GARETH BARRY will miss the World Cup with ankle ligament damage.

England boss Fabio Capello says the midfielder's injury will not heal in time. Capello said: "It is too long."

That means Owen Hargreaves is expected to be in the provisional 30 for next month's tournament when it is named today despite the fact he has played ONE MINUTE of football this season.

Joe Cole is also sweating on a place in the 30 and is likely to miss out unless medical reports are unfavourable to any other players.

Cole is no longer considered essential to the England cause.

Capello says he still has two positions in the provisional squad to decide on this morning

LIKELY SQUAD -

KEEPERS: Hart, Green, James, Robinson.

DEFENDERS: G Johnson, Jagielka, Ferdinand, Terry, Upson, Carragher, King, A Cole, Baines.
MIDFIELDERS: Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Huddlestone, Milner, Walcott, Lennon, Wright-Phillips, Hargreaves, A Johnson, Downing.

FORWARDS: Heskey, Rooney, Defoe, Crouch, C Cole, Bent or Zamora.

Evra ready to quit Man Utd

PATRICE EVRA is ready to quit Manchester United this summer - with Real Madrid and Inter Milan ready to pay £18million.

The France full-back, 28, is believed to want a new challenge.

Evra's close ex-United pal Cristiano Ronaldo has recommended him to Real.

Since his £7m move from Monaco 4½-years ago, Evra has established himself as one of the best left-backs in the world.

He has two years left on his current deal worth around £80k a week.

A sale would give United a serious profit on a player whose value will plummet next summer with only a year left on his contract.

Thesun.co.uk

Fergie’s still after a new karim

MANCHESTER UNITED still have not given up hope of landing Karim Benzema.

Boss Alex Ferguson lost out in his first attempt to sign the 22-year-old last summer, when he was outbid by Real Madrid.

The France striker made a £31million switch from Lyon. But he has been a flop for the Spanish giants, who are now ready to sell for around £25m.

Benzema has started only 14 La Liga games this season and scored just eight league goals.

United's owners, the Glazers, are desperate to make a big-name signing to silence some of the opposition to their reign.

Nemanja Vidic could be used as a £10m makeweight in a Benzema deal.

Player review: Van der Sar

Edwin returned after a frustrating season's start to marshall the defence with aplomb...

Story of the season A broken finger and hand injury in United’s pre-season clash with Bayern Munich disrupted Edwin’s start to 2009/10; he had to wait until 17 October for his first competitive outing, the 2-1 home win over Bolton Wanderers. But that was one of only five league starts before mid-January, a knee problem and family illness curtailing his involvement till the New Year. “It’s been a stop-start season for me which has been frustrating,” he said on his return. “But to finally play again feels great.” The feeling was mutual for United. From his first game back, a 3-0 win over Burnley – in which he became United’s oldest post-War player at 39 years 79 days – he proved as influential as ever. His cool, calm demeanour, experience, still-agile shot-stopping and outstanding distribution were major assets to the team. The back five looked solid again, and Edwin was at the heart of it.

Finest moment A save in a 4-0 win at Bolton might not seem like much excuse to crack open the bubbly, but Edwin’s stunning fingertip stop from Fabrice Muamba – which won ManUtd.com’s Save of the Season award – was a season standout. Against the run of play, the Reds had opened the scoring with a bizarre Jlloyd Samuel own-goal in a game where the home side constantly threatened. Only a flying leap from van der Sar stopped Muamba’s prodded shot from finding the top corner. Half-time came, the tide turned at the Reebok, and United ran out comfortable winners.

What’s in store? Despite speculation throughout the season that Edwin was on the verge of retirement, he signed a one-year contract extension and will remain a calming influence on both players and fans for one more term at least. Beyond that only time will tell but, at these high levels, who knows?

ManUtd.Com