P: United 3 - 0 Portsmouth
PREVIEW
A meeting with revitalised Portsmouth will play second fiddle to the emotional embrace Sir Alex is sure to receive later today in celebration of his 20 years at United.
“I am proud of what we have achieved here,” Ferguson said. “It has been an incredible spell and hopefully we will win more things at this club. I also feel the way we have done it has been good. It has been the right way, the Manchester United way. We have not changed in that respect.
“Sometimes we get carried away with our attacking instincts but you may as well die in a glorious way than not.” Indeed. United will hope to recreate the magic of last weekend, when the team, led by Wayne Rooney, ruthlessly punished Bolton, leaving the home side punch drunk and helpless. The side’s improved league displays have Ferguson looking forward to more titles and trophies rather than retirement.
“I will carry on and keep working because I enjoy working and that is the important thing,” he added. “I just think it is scandalous that people are saying it is time for me to retire because it is none of their bloody business! “I think I have every right to work hard. Some people in this life don’t want to work, so I don’t think you should decry people who want to work.
“It disgusts me that people think that way, but laws have been changed about retirement dates and I am going to continue working.
“There has been criticism, people telling me it is time to retire and hang up my boots. They don’t have a right to tell me to do that.
“People are entitled to work and if I want to work, I will just continue working. In America, there is no retirement age and if people are fit, just like some of the referees who are as fit as fiddles but told to retire at 48, you should look at the individual circumstances and how the person feels themselves.”
Given the heady atmosphere building up towards Sir Alex’s 20th anniversary on Monday, it is unlikely that Portsmouth will prove party poopers. The south coast side are unrecognisable from the shambolic outfit that only just survived relegation last term. The recruitment of Campbell and James has brought more authority to the defence, whilst Kanu has been a revelation. Andy ‘Goal King’ Cole has also joined the ranks and will give Pompey much more of a cutting edge. They will need it because the willing but limited Benjani is a wastrel.
United will look to Louis Saha to bring fire-power to a front line sadly lacking in direction against Copenhagen. United should be too strong for the visitors and ought to provide Sir Alex with the perfect present for the beginning of his 3rd decade in charge.
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Fulham 1 - 0 Everton; Bolton W. 0 - 1 Wigan Athletic; Charlton Athletic 1 - 0 Manchester C.; Liverpool 2 - 0 Reading; Watford 2 - 0 Middlesbrough; Newcastle U. 0 - 1 Sheffield; West Ham U. 1 - 0 Arsenal; Aston Villa 2 - 0 Blackburn; Tottenham H. 2 - 1 Chelsea
MATCH REPORT…
United 3 - 0 Portsmouth
Saha (3); Ronaldo (10); Vidic (66);
SUN : SIR Alex Ferguson celebrated 20 years at the United helm with the kind of home victory which has brought so much silverware to Old Trafford.
Two early goals from Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo, and a second half header from Nemanja Vidic saw United power past Portsmouth - their second win in a row against top four oppostition.
Ferguson was given a standing ovation by the home fans towards the end but there was no big fanfare for him before the game, just his usual sprightly walk down the touchline.
But if the United board, and presumably Ferguson himself, had decided to keep the afternoon low key, it quickly became apparent the Scot’s players had something special planned.
Having described last week’s thunderous opening at Bolton as the best performance from his team in three or four years, Ferguson could hardly have expected a repeat performance so quickly.
The hosts were aided in their quest by the absence of Sol Campbell from the Portsmouth starting line-up, the former England defender sent home from the team hotel last night after picking up a stomach bug.
Campbell has been one of the mainstays of Portsmouth’s impressive start to the season and his experience was badly missed as the visitors defence found themselves ripped apart constantly from the very first minute.
On three minutes the Pompey rearguard were caught napping when Neville took a quick throw, releasing Wayne Rooney who had burst into the box totally unmarked.
Dejan Stefanovic’s desperate attempts to recover his ground only resulted in him clipping Rooney from behind with sufficient force to warrant a penalty award from referee Mike Dean.
It was United’s first spot-kick of the season and Saha wasted little time in belting home his seventh goal of an impressive campaign.
Saha was also heavily involved in the Red Devils second, clattered by Campbell’s replacement Andy O’Brien to provide Ronaldo with his free-kick opportunity.
The Portugauese winger gave David James no chance of keeping out his fizzing shot, which flew over the wall and dipped into the bottom corner.
The former England keepr had a great game, pulling off a string of fine saves to keep the hosts at bay. International team-mates Neville and Rio Ferdinand were among those denied, as was Rooney when he burst into the box. On that occasion, James pushed the ball straight into the path of Paul Scholes, whose instant shot was headed off the line by O’Brien.
James’ heroics continued after the break too, with Vidic and Neville denied before a third United goal finally arrived. Matthew Taylor forced an excellent reaction save out of Edwin van der Sar just before the interval, then Nico Kranjcar thrashed wildly at the ball with the goal at his mercy on the hour mark.
Any lingering Pompey hopes of a comeback were extinguished on 66 minutes when Vidic rose to power home Neville’s cross.
It could, and probably should, have been more, but Ferguson made two defensive changes to see out the win and celebrate twenty years of success with another clean sheet.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar; Neville; Ferdinand; Vidic; Evra; Ronaldo (75 Fletcher); Carrick (71 Silvestre ); Scholes; Giggs; Rooney (76 O’Shea ) Saha
Subs: Kuszczak, Brown
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “Twenty years is a great landmark for me. I don’t know where the years have gone. There have been some exciting times but I have to look forward. That is what this club has always done and what the players have to do now.
“It was an excellent performance and there is a spirit and belief in the dressing-room that tells me we will be having a real go for trophies this year.”
Joe Jordan (Asst Boss) : “Sir Alex is assembling a team that is growing in experience and playing with great confidence. They are killing games off early and I am sure they are capable of giving the reigning champions a real run for their money. They still have to prove they are capable of maintaining that form throughout the season but at this moment in time, there is no question they are flying.”
