10. Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney burst onto the Old Trafford stage in September 2004, netting an unforgettable hat-trick against Fenerbahce on his debut.

He'd arrived from Everton, his boyhood club, a few weeks earlier, becoming the world's most expensive teenager in the process.

But it wasn't his performances for the Toffees that had sparked United's interest, mind you. Staff at Carrington knew about Wayne from a much, much earlier age.

"Our U-9 side played Everton's boys one day and they absolutely hammered us," now-Academy manager Paul McGuinness remembers. "Rooney scored a few

[six, actually], but there was one that stood out. It was basically the classic overhead kick, the perfect bicycle kick, which for a kid of eight or nine years old was really something special."

Given that, perhaps his performance on his United debut wasn't that surprising after all! Indeed, it merely hinted at what was to follow. By the end of the 2004/05 campaign Rooney had amassed 17 goals in 43 appearances and was rightly named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Rooney’s second season at Old Trafford again saw him take huge strides. He ended the season with 19 goals in 48 matches and was voted both Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year by fans and PFA Young Player of the year (again) by his fellow professionals.

The young striker openly aims to better his goal tally each season and, despite a difficult World Cup with England in 2006, Rooney went on to net 23 times for United as the Reds lifted the Carling Cup and a first English title in three years.

Cristiano Ronaldo stole all the headlines in 2007/08, but Rooney chipped in with another 18 goals, a tally that included three league braces and four goals in Europe. His exciting strike partnership with 19-goal Carlos Tevez

was one of the key factors in the Reds' Premier League and Champions League double triumph and cemented his iconic status at Old Trafford.

But it's not just Wayne's goals that have endeared him to the United faithful. A tireless worker, Rooney always gives 100 per cent and can't stand losing. They're traits that have, from time to time, landed him in hot water but Reds fans recognise the odd over-zealous challenge or act of petulance is merely a by-product of Rooney's immense passion and will to win.

The striker's ability to adapt is an attribute often overlooked. Although most at home leading the line or playing just behind a main striker, Rooney has delivered sparkling displays from out wide on numerous occasions. With pace to burn and an eye for a long, raking pass, Rooney's just as effective creating chances as he is taking them.

That said, goals are Rooney's bread and butter and not even the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov at Old Trafford in September 2008 could diminish Rooney's potency. Indeed, the pair forged a strong partnership up front and, in January 2009, Wayne embarked on a scoring run that saw him net in five consecutive league games.

A month earlier, he stole the show in Japan as United lifted the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to Rooney's goal in the final and a brace off the bench in the semi.

9. Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov is a classy and complete centre-forward, pairing the ability to ruthlessly and regularly find the net inside the box with the aptitude to create moments of sheer magic outside it.

Sir Alex likes players with plenty of charisma in the way they play, and the Bulgarian’s languid style is instantly recognisable on the field. It’s also an approach that has drawn comparisons with former United talisman Eric Cantona.

Like the captivating Frenchman, Berbatov loves to entertain with the ball at his feet, and he also shares Cantona's happy knack for scoring important (often late) goals,

which he showed more than once in his first season at United.

Berbatov started out at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. He joined The Armymen aged 17, following in the footsteps of his father, Ivan, who also played for the club. After making his debut aged 18 in the 1998/99 campaign, he went on to score 14 goals in 27 league matches the following season.

His talent quickly attracted attention from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, who made their move for the Bulgarian front man in January 2001 after an impressive start to the season for CSKA. Berbatov – national-team captain and Bulgarian Player of the Year in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007 – made a slow start to his time in Germany, but he regularly shone in the Champions League.

The only blot on his copybook is that he was part of the Leverkusen team that knocked United out of the Champions League semi finals in April 2002. He came on as a substitute in the final as the Germans lost 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Berbatov was eventually lured to the Premier League when Tottenham signed him in July 2006 for a reported £10.9million fee. He was an instant hit at White Hart Lane, scoring his first competitive goal two minutes into his home Premier

League debut against Sheffield United. He went on to score 23 goals in his opening season, which he matched again in 2007/08.

However, after months of speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson finally got his man on transfer deadline day with just minutes to go. Berbatov signed a four-year contract on 1 September 2008 for an undisclosed fee, with Fraizer Campbell heading to White Hart Lane on a season-long loan as part of the deal.

Berbatov opened his account for the Reds the same month with two goals away at Aalborg in the Champions League.

8. Anderson

He arrived with the billing: the ‘new Ronaldinho’. But upon his arrival at Old Trafford from FC Porto in summer 2007 most Reds were left asking: ‘Anderson who?’

After a wondrous debut season the Brazilian's talents are well known not just in Manchester, but around the world. The Ronaldinho comparisons are inevitable given both players began their careers at Brazilian side Gremio, who Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira (to give his full name) joined at the age of just five.

But that’s really where the similarities end. Where Ronaldinho is all flicks and flamboyance, Anderson (or Ando as he is known

to his team-mates) is bustling with energy and possesses an eye for a defence-splitting pass. He has skill and technical ability in abundance, but his preference for midfield combat could bring you to question his Brazilian roots (more so if you spotted his dancing after lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy in May 2008!)

At Gremio, Anderson made his first appearance aged just 16. He is most fondly remembered for a wonder goal against Nautico in November 2005, which earned a 1-0 win and promotion back to the top flight. He also earned a reputation internationally, shining shone with Brazil at the 2005 U17 World Cup, where he won the Adidas Golden Ball for most valuable player.

Porto soon came knocking in January 2006, where he won the Portuguese Championship in 2005/06 and 2006/07, although his progress was hampered by a broken leg causing him to miss much of the latter campaign.

Sir Alex couldn’t quite believe the reports coming back from his scouts, who rated the teenager as among the best prospects in the world. Upon further investigation, the Reds realised this was a player not to miss out on, and moved quickly to stave off interest from Barcelona.

Anderson wasn’t involved

in the early matches of United's 2007/08 double-winning campaign, but he soon made up for it. His competitive debut against Sunderland caught the eye before another fine display against Wigan (he claimed to be the best player on the pitch) highlighted his true potential. He was simply outstanding in United’s 2-2 draw at the Emirates in November 2007, refusing to be bullied by Cesc Fabregas and his willingness to mix it with the game’s biggest names was again apparent at Anfield in December, when a lion-hearted display against Steven Gerrard was one of the game’s major talking points.

Anderson featured in nine of the Reds' 13 games on the way to UEFA Champions League glory and held his nerve to smash home United's penultimate penalty in the 6-5 shoot-out win against Chelsea in the final. He has continued to add to his medal haul - helping his country to bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, before playing his part in United's Club World Cup triumph in Japan and then firing the trophy-clinching penalty in the shoot-out in the 2009 League Cup final win over Tottenham at Wembley.

He’s set a standard and big things are expected of him in the coming years, but it’s safe to say ‘Anderson’ and ‘who?’ will not come packaged in the same sentence again.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has exhausted all superlatives, except to say that having developed and matured from an inexperienced, young winger when he left Sporting Lisbon in 2003, he's now the best footballer on the planet.

The story goes that Sir Alex was persuaded to buy Ronaldo - largely unknown when he signed as an 18-year-old for £12.24m in 2003 - by his players on the plane home from a pre-season friendly against Sporting. In truth, the boss had long been aware of his ability. The urgency stemmed from other clubs’ increasing interest. This was a target Sir Alex simply could not miss out on.

Ronaldo wasted little time in showing off his sublime skills with a stunning 30-minute debut against Bolton at OT in August 2003. There was a buzz of excitement as soon as he stepped off the bench and, after 39 appearances and eight goals that season – including the opener in the 3-0 FA Cup final win over Millwall – he was named Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year.

His second term didn’t quite live up to his first, but late season form saw him end 2004/05 with nine goals in 50 appearances. In 2005/06 Ronny again reserved his best form for the latter stages, but the inconsistencies of a developing young player were being ironed out. He departed, full of hope and with great expectations, for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany - what turned out to be a truly defining moment in his career. In the quarter finals, Portugal met England and, after Wayne Rooney’s sending off, Ronaldo became the pantomime villain for the English press. Some doubted he would return to Manchester. But Sir Alex assured him any ill-feeling would blow over. It’d happened with Eric Cantona and David Beckham. Ronaldo met the inevitable boos with the best football of his life.

United’s title success in 2006/2007 was a team effort, but one man took the lead role in every

major plotline. It began with the barnstorming 5-1 win over Fulham – Ronaldo and Rooney ran the show and publicly banished claims they were at odds. Dazzling wing-play was backed with regular assists and crucial goals. His form that season brought a glut of individual accolades and, despite interest from other clubs - notably Real Madrid - he extended his contract until 2012.

Ronaldo improved further in 2007/08, netting a staggering 42 goals in all competitions. In May 2008 he fired United to domestic and European glory; scoring a decisive penalty on the final day of the league campaign and a powerful header in the Champions League final in Moscow. His staggering individual performances gleaned a clean sweep of club and domestic individual honours, with global gongs soon to follow.

At Euro 2008, Ronaldo’s future was again the subject of claim and counter-claim. Happily, in the end, he pledged his allegiance to United, although ankle surgery delayed his start to the 2008/09 campaign. He made his return as a substitute against Villarreal in the Champions League and was given a rousing home reception. Two months later, his 100th Reds goal arrived against Stoke City at OT on 15 November 2008.

Ronaldo’s magical 2008 was rounded off with another string of individual honours. In October he was named FIFPro Player of the Year, and in December became the first United player since George Best in 1968 to be awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or trophy. To cap it off, in January 2009, he became the first Red to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award. "This is the climax of a fantastic era," he said at the ceremony in Zurich. "I'm lucky to be part of United's history. It's one of the most important moments of my life, I hope to be back in this position again."

6. Wes Brown

Tough-tackling, strong in the air and fast on the deck, Wes Brown is one of England's finest defenders.

He's not the most fortunate though. Surely his club and country appearance totals, while impressive, would be far higher had it not been for his awful luck with injuries.

Wes enjoyed arguably his best season in 2007/08 as a key member of Sir Alex's miserly back four. Replacing the long-term injured Gary Neville at right-back, he played in more matches than any other player on the road to winning the Barclays Premier League and Champions League. Wes also enjoyed the personal fillip of a new

four-year contract in April 2008, signed almost ten years after his debut.

That debut was the culmination of a meteoric rise through the ranks at Old Trafford - signing as a trainee in July 1996, he put pen to paper on professional forms four months later. In this first full season, 1996/97, he picked up the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Towards the end of his second campaign, he made his senior bow as a sub against Leeds United on 4 May 1998, and a first start against Barnsley a week later.

Brown's performances in 1998/99 caught the eye, but knee-ligament injuries ahead of the 1999/00 season and at the end of the 2002/03 campaign were bookends to a broken ankle in August 2002. Many players might have been demoralised by such wretched luck, but Brown’s grit saw him return in September 2003 and complete the rest of the 2003/04 season.

In 2005/06 he became a linchpin in the centre of defence; his no-nonsense style perfectly complimented Rio Ferdinand’s more languid approach. Opportunities were somewhat limited during 2006/07, as Nemanja Vidic forged an almost telepathic relationship with Rio in central defence. Still, Wes took his chances when they arose and passed the 250-appearance mark while

earning his fourth league winners' medal.

A fifth such medal and a second in the European Cup followed in the afore-mentioned 2007/08 campaign. However Brown's bad luck came back to bite him in the subsequent season. After rotating the right-back berth with Rafael and Gary Neville in August and September 2008, he dropped out of the running on 25 October when he damaged his ankle at Everton. Absent for three months, Wes then returned as a sub at West Brom at the end of January 2009, only to soon suffer an injury again and consequently miss out on a place in the Carling Cup final squad.

5. Rio Ferdinand

Armed with elegance, pace and an astute ability to read the game, Rio Ferdinand is one of the finest defenders in world football.

The Peckham-born star burst onto the Premiership scene with West Ham United under the guidance of Harry Redknapp before being snapped up by Leeds United for £18million in November 2000.

The 2002 World Cup provided Rio with the stage to make the transformation from budding talent to accomplished defender, and his performances in Japan convinced Sir Alex to part with £30million.

Although initially hampered by injury, Rio

found his feet towards the end of his first season, as United came back from the dead to overtake Arsenal and win a 15th league title.

In September 2003 disaster struck. The defender missed a routine drugs test and, despite appealing, was banned from football for eight months in January 2004.

Since returning from suspension, Rio has consistently justified his tag as a world-class defender. He's also chipped in with valuable goals, perhaps most dramatically with an injury-time winner against Liverpool in January 2006.

Although an increasingly potent threat from set-pieces, Rio’s main asset remains his leadership in defence, a skill that has made him a solid foundation for both United and England and seen him handed the captaincy for club and country on numerous occasions.

In May 2008, Ferdinand signed a new five-year contract, keeping him at Old Trafford until 2013. Six days later he went on to captain United to Champions League glory in Moscow. It was a fitting way to end a near flawless season for the centre-back.

His good form continued into the 2008/09 campaign, with Ferdinand playing a crucial role in United's record-breaking clean-sheet run.

4. Owen Hargreaves

In his own words, it was “possibly the longest-running transfer saga” in football. But after a several months of prolonged pursuit, United finally signed Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich in May 2007 for a fee of around £17million.

The Canadian-born, England international midfielder’s stock had risen dramatically in the previous year, and by the time he arrived at Old Trafford, he had become one of European football’s most highly-thought of defensive midfielders, having won four Bundesliga titles with Bayern.

After an injury-disrupted start to his United career, Hargreaves came to the fore

in the second half of the successful 2007/08 campaign with a string of tireless and confident performances in midfield and also, on occasion, at right-back. He capped a satisfying debut season with a superb penalty in the Champions League final shoot-out victory over Chelsea.

But a recurrence of his knee problem – and a subsequent operation in the USA – forced Owen to miss almost all of the following season.

Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, Owen left for Germany aged 16 to join Bayern Munich. After earning his stripes in Bayern's youth ranks, Hargreaves made the step up to first-team football in August 2000.

It would prove to be a highly successful season as Bayern claimed both the 2000/01 Bundesliga title and the Champions League crown. Hargreaves remains one of only two English players to win the European Cup with a non-English club - the other being Steve McManaman.

The following season witnessed Hargreaves' breakthrough at international level. He would have been eligible to play for Germany or Canada, but opted for England and played his first full international in 2001.

Initially a squad player, it took until the 2006 World Cup in Germany for Hargreaves to truly be seen as a key man, and he was voted England Player of the Year in January 2007. So far he has played in two World Cups and a European Championships with his country.

Hargreaves brings vast experience to United’s midfield, as well as a determined, energetic and enthusiastic style. Partnering Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick or Anderson – or a combination of them – gives a well-balanced feel to United’s engine room.

3. Patrice Evra

United beat off fierce competition from Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan to secure the services of French full-back Patrice Evra on 10 January 2006.

The defender's arrival, just days after Nemanja Vidic’s capture, signalled Sir Alex Ferguson's intention to shore up his defence, which had suffered in the long-term absence of Gabriel Heinze.

Although only 24 when he joined the Reds, Evra had already been capped five times for France. He had been club captain at Monaco, where he established himself as a quick, committed, attack-minded player, also capable of playing at left-midfield.


Evra started his career in Italy after a scout from Masala spotted him in Les Ulis, the same tough suburb of Paris where Thierry Henry grew up. After one season in Serie C1, he moved up to Serie B by joining Monza. In 2000, Nice brought him home to France and converted him from left-winger to left-back. After two seasons he was snapped up by Monaco.

He again had little trouble adjusting to the bigger stage; he was a French League Cup winner in 2003. He then helped Monaco to the 2004 UEFA Champions League final before losing 3-0 to Porto. Patrice cites his first boss at Monaco, Didier Deschamps, as a big influence. "He transmitted to me the bug of winning at any price.”

After a mixed start to life at United, having joined midway through a difficult season, Patrice showed his best form during 2006/07 as the Reds won the Premier League title. The French defender's extra gym time paid off as he came to terms with the physical demands of playing in England, and he notched his first Premier League and UEFA Champions League goals against Everton and Roma respectively. His part in United's successful season was recognised by a slot in the 2006/07 PFA Team of the Season, as voted by his Premier League peers.

Patrice made the left-back berth his own during 2007/08, missing only eight games in the triumphant Premier League and UEFA Champions League campaigns. The Frenchman's form and fitness were crucial to the parsimony of the defence, and he brought balance and abundant energy to the Reds' fluid, attacking wing play, even if he did not score any goals himself in a glorious season. He has maintained that fine form during the 2008/09 campaign and played his part in helping the Reds break the Premier League clean sheet record.

In June 2008, he signed a four-year contract extension keeping him at the club until the summer of 2012.

2. Gary Neville

Gary Neville belongs to an elite group of players who have skippered the Reds to the Premier League title.

Following on from Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, Neville realised a lifelong dream as he became the fifth United captain to lift the Premier League trophy following the Reds' record ninth triumph at the end of the 2006/07 campaign.

Neville himself had missed the final stages of the campaign, having suffered ankle ligament damage just 11 minutes into the visit of Bolton to Old Trafford on 17 March 2007. The same injury kept the Reds’ skipper out for most of the

2007/2008 season but even when unable to influence matters directly on the pitch, you can be sure his presence is felt in the dressing room and from the stands. Nobody wants United to win more than Gary Neville.

The defender, who has made more than 500 appearances in a United shirt, was handed the armband during the 2005/06 season following Roy Keane’s departure. Being one of United’s most consistent and committed performers since establishing himself in the side in 1994/95 at the expense of Paul Parker, Neville was a natural choice.

He enters every game refusing to contemplate defeat, and the fans love him for it. His heart-on-his-sleeve approach doesn't endear him to everyone, however - notably the football authorities. His badge-clenching, fist-pumping celebration following Rio Ferdinand’s last-minute winner against Liverpool at Old Trafford in January 2006 saw him charged with improper conduct by the FA and fined £5000.

“Are you meant to smile sweetly and jog back to the halfway line?” he said. "People want footballers to be whiter than white. Do they want a game of robots?"

There was no such censure for Gary’s next high-profile celebration - at the 2006 Carling Cup Final. He

lifted his first trophy as captain and collected the one domestic medal that had eluded him in his career. The Reds had not won the competition since April 1992, when Gary was in the famous youth team that also spawned David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Ever since those days, Neville's character, drive and determination hasn't altered one bit. "His performance level and drive has never changed," says Sir Alex. "It's more obvious in Gary because he never had the talent of Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes, but he had determination to make sure he was always in the team.

"He also showed determination to come back after a year and a half out with injuries. We all had concerns that maybe he wasn’t going to come back - at his age, it isn’t easy. But he’s been absolutely fantastic. It’s a demonstration by Gary that he’s never going to give in. He’s an amazing man."

It's that level of respect that earned the Bury-born right-back a one-year contract extension in February 2009. Neville is as loyal a servant as you could hope to have, and in an age where players rarely stay put for long he is among a dying breed of one-club men. "United is the only club I've ever wanted to play for," he says.


Vocal and single-minded, the Reds skipper has all the attributes and characteristics of a great leader of men; Gary gives his all in every game, demanding the same from his team-mates. No excuses.

1. Edwin Van der Sar

There have been plenty of pretenders to Peter Schmeichel’s throne since his abdication in 1999. But few have graced the number 1 jersey with such quality and consistency as Edwin van der Sar.

The two differ in style. Schmeichel was famed for bellowing at his back four as well as his brilliant saves. Edwin, however, uses his experience and calm assurance to great effect.

Edwin has all the wisdom and know-how between the sticks that you would expect of a goalkeeper that is his nation’s most-capped player and a former UEFA Cup (1992) and Champions League (1995) winner with his first club Ajax in

the early nineties. He also won four league titles and three domestic cups with the Amsterdam outfit, before spending two seasons in Serie A with Juventus.

Gianlugi Buffon’s arrival at the Stadio delle Alpi resulted in van der Sar's £5million switch to Fulham in 2001 at the outset of the Londoners’ Premier League adventure, but after four seasons at Craven Cottage United came knocking.

Van der Sar was 34 when he arrived at Old Trafford in 2005 but old father time has dulled neither his ambition nor his influence. Age is not a problem, far from it. He kept an incredible 24 clean sheets in all competitions in 2007/08 as the Reds retained the Premier League title and won the Champions League for the first time since Schmeichel departed after the '99 final. His penalty save from Nicolas Anelka in the 2008 final in Moscow is forever etched in United history.

Even better form was to come in 2008/09 when Edwin played 1,311 minutes in the league without conceding a goal - between Nasri's strike for Arsenal on 8 November 2008 and Peter Lovenkrands' opener for Newcastle on 4 March 2009. This remarkable feat set a new standard for English, British and European football - with some reports labelling it a world

record for a single season.

Edwin's United deal was extended in December 2008 to keep him at Old Trafford for one last season, 2009/10. In that same month, he helped the Reds to win the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.

While Ben Foster and Tomasz Kuszczak waited in the wings for their chance, Edwin's experience kept him in pole position for League and Champions League fixtures. In April 2009, he was effectively named best goalkeeper in the Barclays Premier League when his fellow professionals voted him into the PFA Team of the Year.

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Wallpaper: Barclays Premier League champions celebrated

Summer qualifiers for Reds

The season may be over, but a number of Reds will be in international action over the coming weeks before heading off on their summer holidays.

United have four representatives in the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers with Kazakhstan and Andorra. Gary Neville has been recalled by Fabio Capello, while Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney are also included.

Meanwhile, strikers Danny Welbeck and Fraizer Campbell, as well as goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who spent the season on loan at Cardiff, have been named in Stuart Pearce's squad for the Under-21 European Championships in June. Federico Macheda has been picked in Italy's provisional squad for the tournament in Sweden with Zoran Tosic included in Serbia's squad.

Nemanja Vidic is named in the Serbian senior team for the World Cup qualifiers at home to Austria and away to the Faroe Islands, while John O'Shea and Darron Gibson are in the Republic of Ireland squad for the qualifier away to Dimitar Berbatov's Bulgarian side on 6 June.

On the same night, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani travel with Portugal for the qualifier in Albania, while Carlos Tevez's Argentina take on Colombia in Buenos Aires, before a trip to Ecuador four days later.

It looks like being a busy summer for Ji-sung Park who is likely to be involved in all three of South Korea's qualifiers against United Arab Emirates (6 June), Saudi Arabia (10 June) and Iran (17 June).

Time for perspective

ManUtd.com’s Ben Hibbs challenges the idea that the Reds must make sweeping changes this summer, but proposes a positional switch for Wayne Rooney…

I heard a multitude of reasons, from various people – ex-players, journalists, fans – as to why United lost in Rome on Wednesday. The natural reaction to defeat in such a big game is to go overboard with analysis, hence why today’s newspapers are filled with tales of another rebuilding job.

Three months ago United were the greatest team on the planet, an unstoppable force. Everyone thinks they know best when the team loses. My take, for what it’s worth, was that United were a bit unlucky to concede after dominating the first ten minutes, but once Barcelona were in front, they were excellent with the ball, we weren’t. They performed on the night, we didn’t.

I don’t believe mass changes are needed this summer – let’s not forget that United were a poor penalty decision in the FA Cup (and then of course a final with Chelsea) and one good Champions League display away from a potential quintuple. This is far from a disaster, even though the in-depth post-mortems would have you think it was.

There were two points keenly debated on the plane home from Rome that got me thinking about next season and whether United’s approach could change. The first, was United’s midfield. One journalist I was sat next talked about the midfielders we could – or rather could not – sign this summer, saying that he thought our midfield was the third best in England behind Liverpool’s and Chelsea’s.

But looking at the constituent parts, United have excellent players; Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. But we need a fit Hargreaves, and Anderson, who will be a wonderful player, to add the maturity and consistency that comes with age. I don’t think United need to add anyone in the middle, but that brings me to my second point: Wayne Rooney’s position.

There have been times when playing Rooney out wide on the left has worked a treat this season – the interchanging front three against Arsenal in Europe were a prime example – and it’s still an option. Don’t get me wrong, when I chose the team I wanted to play against Barcelona, I had Rooney wide left. But as we saw with Liverpool, their positional experimentation with Steven Gerrard eventually led to bringing him infield, and I think Rooney will eventually follow suit and play behind the main striker.

Cristiano Ronaldo gets the individual accolades – deservedly so – because he’s capable of match-winning moments of magic, but I think Rooney is the key man for United. The team can play badly and Ronaldo can get a goal to win a game; but when Rooney plays well, United play well. He is the player I would build my team around. So, if United were to dip into the transfer market this summer, I’d rather see us go for a left winger.

You could take the media’s speculation about rebuilding as a mark of respect for United’s high standards, but it strikes me as a knee-jerk reaction; I bow to Sir Alex’s superiority. He knows better than anyone what's needed, I just hope that includes bringing Rooney into a central position where he can cause maximum devastation.
The views expressed in this blog are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United FC.

Papers: Time to rebuild

Tevez, Nani and Park set to be ditched
Sir Alex Ferguson will reshape his humiliated Manchester United squad after their Champions League debacle against Barcelona. Shell-shocked Fergie has decided he will not take up the option to buy Carlos Tevez, while Nani and Ji-Sung Park could also be high-profile victims of the Rome drubbing. The United manager believes Lyon’s Karim Benzema represents better value for money than Tevez – and to meet Lyon’s £30million asking price there will be fall guys. Nani has failed to impress in his second season at United, while Park may be sacrificed so Fergie can bring in Wigan’s £15m-rated midfielder Antonio Valencia, a long-term target. Goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak is on his way out this summer after failing to impress in three years, with Fergie keen to give England goalkeeper Ben Foster more first-team opportunities next season. United will not take up the option to buy Tevez unless the player’s advisers, led by Kia Joorabchian, lower their asking price by a third to around £18m.
David McDonnell & John Cross, The Mirror

Meanwhile, The Sun claim Cristiano Ronaldo is about to "throw Manchester United into turmoil and demand a move out of Old Trafford". If he does, The Express believe he won't be going to Real Madrid. The paper report Madrid have stopped their pursuit of the Reds winger.

There's some surprising news in The Guardian and The Mail, with claims that Paul Scholes is considering a player-coach role at Stoke City. Scholes has recently admitted he would relish the challenge of management in the future.

Reds will challenge again

We've reached the end of yet another successful and exciting campaign for the Reds - and now is the time to secure your seat at Old Trafford next season.

In 2008/09, United picked up the Carling Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and an 18th title with Premier League success. And United are now inviting all Season Ticket holders to renew their seat for the 2009/10 season.

Season Tickets can be renewed immediately, although holders must renew before 14 June to secure your seat for next season. Renew online at manutd.com/strenewals. Please be sure to take note of your personal details as they appear at the top of your renewal letter - they will be needed when renewing online. Season Ticket holders must keep hold of their current access cards as these will be credited for the new season upon renewal.

The Club have made significant improvements to the online processes over the course of this season, so fans are advised to take advantage of this service as the phone lines can get extremely busy during the renewal period. What’s more, everyone who renews before the 14 June deadline will be entered into an exclusive prize draw to win one of three superb prizes:

1st Prize: Your Season Ticket paid for the season! (Premier League games only)
2nd Prize: Hospitality for two at the first home league game of the season.
3rd Prize: Win one of three home shirts signed by the first team squad.

Season Ticket prices have risen by £1 per game, which means Season Ticket holders will pay £19 more on top of last year’s price for Premier League home matches. Season Ticket holders will again be entitled to opt-out of purchasing a ticket for League Cup home matches next season. (View 09/10 Season Ticket Prices here).

Junior Season Ticket holders will be entitled to opt-out of all home Cup matches, whilst both junior and senior Season Ticket holders will still be able to upgrade to a full adult ticket for all home cup matches.

We have made alternative payment options available for the coming season which can help spread the cost of paying for your Season Ticket. The booklet which was enclosed with the renewal letters contains offers from MU Finance and Zebra Finance.

Finally, please note that due to the regulations of cup competitions, Season Ticket holders in the following areas of the ground may not be allocated their usual seats for home cup matches: (i) East Stand, Tier 2; (ii) South Stand, Blocks S121 to S127 and S226 to S228; and (iii) front two rows of East & West Stands, Lower. Affected supporters will be allocated alternative seats and will be charged the same price as, or less than, their usual seats (depending on the price bands of the alternative seats). Other Season Ticket holders should be allocated their usual seats for home cup matches, save in exceptional circumstances. Please refer to the Season Ticket terms and conditions for further details.

The Club would like to take this opportunity to thank all Season Ticket holders for their loyal support and look forward to welcoming you to Old Trafford again next season.

Reds will challenge again

It was painful for the Reds to concede the European title to Barcelona, but Edwin van der Sar is certain that United will be back challenging again next year.

The Reds didn’t ever reach the performance levels the team is capable of, and a possession-rich Barcelona capitalised with goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi.

“We are all really disappointed with the performance and the result,” said Edwin.

“It was a bad first goal to concede and after that we suffered a little bit and we couldn’t get back into playing our game. Barcelona kept possession very well.

"After the first goal it just all seemed to go wrong for us. We seemed to be under pressure, even when we had the ball. It was just one of those nights when things didn't go so well for us and everything they tried seemed to come off."

There were certainly no sour grapes and, for what little consolation it is, United emerged with dignity for accepting the best team won on the night.

“You have to give Barcelona credit,” added the Reds' goalkeeper.

“They have won the European title so they are now the best team in Europe. They played very well, and all we can do is try to do better next year.”

18 Reasons: Part 1

United are champions of England for a record-equalling 18th time! Here are 18 reasons why, in no particular order...



1. The reinvention of Ryan
When he finally hangs up his boots, Ryan Giggs will be remembered as one of the best left wingers to ever play the game. But this term he’s been inspirational in the centre of midfield, where his cool head and ability to pick the perfect pass has done untold damage to opposition defences. His form wasn’t lost on his fellow professionals, either: in May he was voted the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.



2. That boy Macheda
Every 17-year old dreams of scoring an injury-time winner on his debut in front of the Stretford End, but Federico Macheda actually did it. With time slipping away against Aston Villa, the Italian took one exquisite touch before curling an unstoppable shot past Brad Friedel and into the far corner. Cue pandemonium in the stands as the teenager became an instant hero. And as if that wasn’t enough, six days later he came off the bench again to score the winner at Sunderland. Magnifico!



3. He comes from Serbia
Hotly tipped to win United’s Player of the Season award, Nemanja Vidic has been outstanding this term. He was the only constant feature of the Reds’ back four during the record-breaking clean-sheet run and also chipped in with valuable goals at the other end (remember Sunderland at home in the last minute?). Of course, he’ll want to forget Liverpool’s opening goal at OT, but that mistake merely proved he’s human after all...



4. Keeping it clean
You don’t win football matches if the opposition score more goals, so the best platform you can give yourself is to keep a clean sheet. The Reds did just that in 14 consecutive league games between 8 November and 18 February, setting a new English record in the process. In fact, by the time Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz poked the ball past Tomasz Kuszczak at OT, the Reds had gone 1334 minutes without conceding a league goal. The word “watertight” springs to mind.

5. Home rule
When Liverpool take stock of where it all went wrong they’ll probably point to the number of points dropped at Anfield (12 prior to the final day). But while Rafa’s men were drawing at home to the likes of Stoke and Fulham, United’s only Old Trafford wobbles came against Newcastle (1-1), Liverpool (1-4) and Arsenal (0-0, when a point won the title).

6. A day to forget
Most Reds would prefer to erase this fixture from their minds but there’s no denying the role it played in United’s title charge. Losing 4-1 at home to your biggest rivals is never enjoyable, but at least it brought everyone back down to earth at a time when some fans and members of the press were starting to think an 18th title was a mere formality. A timely reminder that you can’t take anything for granted in football.



7. Sharing it around
All successful teams contain at least one forward who bangs in goals for fun. For the Reds, Ronaldo and Rooney have hit the back of the net more than most, but they’re just two of 15 United players to get on the scoresheet in the league in 08/09. It’s a terrifying thought if you’re an opposition defender... and the perfect riposte to those critics at the beginning of the season who claimed the Reds relied too heavily on Ronaldo’s goals.

8. That winning feeling
Far from disrupt the Reds’ momentum, act as a distraction or tire players out, the trip to Japan in December for the FIFA Club World Cup simply energised United and made the players hungrier for more success. The returning world champions won 19 of the next 20 fixtures after touching down back in England, beginning with a gritty 1-0 win over Stoke City on Boxing Day.



9. The fab four
On more than one occasion this season Sir Alex has admitted to "selection headaches” when it comes to his forward line. Managers around the country often spend Friday afternoons sweating over the fitness or form of their star striker, but Sir Alex has the “luxury” of deciding who to leave out. Carlos Tevez offers industry and energy, Dimitar Berbatov sublime control and the ability to bring others into the game. Wayne Rooney feeds others as well as he finds the net himself, while Cristiano Ronaldo has proved he’s just as effective up front as he is on the wing. Of course, sometimes not even Sir Alex can choose and plays all four at once! Well, can you blame him?

The title race in quotes

The 2008/09 campaign can be most succinctly described by those closest to the action; here's our pick of the season's soundbites…

“The gaffer insists on good defending, but sometimes there's not much defending to do."
Jonny Evans shows his stargazing powers following the 3-0 win over Celtic in October. The Reds would soon embark on a British league-record 1,311-minute shutout

“It’s scary. You spend all week discussing tactics, but when a team is that good, you can’t do anything about it.”
Blackburn boss Paul Ince reflects on losing 2-0 at home to United in October

“Berbatov's play for the second goal was absolutely magnificent. You'd pay double the money to watch that."
Sir Alex marvels at the Bulgarian’s stupendous touchline wizardry against West Ham in October

“Once the prayer mats have been left in the dressing-room, it’ll be a case of defending in numbers, stubbornness, organisation, discipline and a lot of luck.”
Stoke’s Ricardo Fuller gives us the lowdown on Stoke City’s prep in November. United won 5-0

“I’ve been doodling on my pad, trying to see how I can fit all these players in. People ask me what I consider to be my best side, and the short answer is that I don’t have one.”
Sir Alex's oft-experienced selection headache ruins Christmas

“When you're in the tunnel and you hear on the speakers: ‘Please welcome the champions of England, the champions of Europe and the champions of the world...’ you believe that you're going to crush anybody that's in your way. I get goose bumps every time I walk out at Old Trafford.”
Dimitar Berbatov gets the sweetest chill in January

“He has a wonderful velvet touch; the ball goes stone dead when he gets it. In the midst of all the mayhem it's wonder to see."
Sir Alex lauds Paul Scholes on his 600th appearance for the Reds in April

“I probably wouldn’t have believed them if they’d said I’d play one game for United or score one goal. Numbers don’t really matter. I’ve just been lucky to play for a great club that happen to be my local club.”
Typical understatement from Scholes himself in April

“I don’t know about playing as well as I have done, that’s for other people to judge.”
And the jury was in favour. Ryan Giggs, shortly before being named PFA Player of the Year, for the first time, February

“Everyone thinks the money will make the job easier for Mark Hughes, but I don't."
Paddy Crerand looks into his crystal ball as the curtain opens on the new campaign

“At United, you learn from the best."
Kiko Macheda in November. His first examination at senior level was passed with flying colours five months down the line as his red arrow pierced Villa hearts.

“Scoring in front of the Stretford End is a dream for every boy from Manchester.”
Danny Welbeck reflects on his first United goal against Stoke in November

“Yes, we take terrible risks, but there's always a chance we'll win the match."
Sir Alex sums up the essence of Manchester United after the 3-2 win over Villa in April

“I did not think I would reach this level so quickly. But I always believed in my talent.”
The last word from Cristiano Ronaldo on his FIFA World Player of the Year award, November.

Gallery Champions again

As soon as the final whistle brought United's draw with Arsenal to a close, an army of photographers began snapping away as the newly-crowned Barclays Premier League champions celebrated.

Club photographers John and Matt Peters were among those capturing the moment at Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson and his triumphant players toasted title number 18.

As you could see live on MUTV and MUTV Online, the Reds could hardly wait to get the party started. Another party, the Player of the Year Awards, will also be shown live on the club's official television channel and online video service from 19:30 BST on Sunday.

Anderson

Fabio

Rafael

United 'suffer' pain of defeat

Edwin van der Sar admitted that Manchester United FC were made to "suffer" at the hands of FC Barcelona as the goalkeeper reflected on failing to retain the UEFA Champions League trophy for the second time in his career.

Early blow
The 38-year-old was part of the AFC Ajax sides that defeated AC Milan in the 1995 final before losing out to Juventus at the last hurdle the following year. This time around Van der Sar felt his team failed to do enough to become the first team to win the tournament in successive seasons, following their triumph over Chelsea FC in Moscow last May. "We wanted to win and hold on to the trophy," he explained. "In the first ten minutes it looked like we could do that as we had some shots on target while they looked a little nervous. After they scored we stopped playing. They gained in confidence and we never really got hold of the ball in order to play our own game."

Missed chances
The United No1 was picking the ball out of his net after just ten minutes following Samuel Eto'o's near-post strike, while Lionel Messi's second-half header made the game safe for Barcelona's treble winners. "We had a couple of chances and didn't take them," Van der Sar added. "At the end we were chasing the game, but they kept the ball very well and made us suffer. [After the game] the manager told us to look at ourselves and not to complain about other things."

Lost control
Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to agree with his team-mate. "They played better than us and controlled the game," the 24-year-old said. "They created more opportunities and I think they deserved to win. We knew that making bad mistakes tonight would cost us and that proved to be the case. We started very well in the opening minutes but after that I didn't see much more of Manchester United."

No complaints from Rio

Rio Ferdinand says United were simply not good enough on the night as the Reds lost their European crown to a hugely impressive Barcelona side.

Goals from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi in each half secured a deserved victory for the Spaniards. Ferdinand was magnanimous in defeat, but remained hugely disappointed by United's uncharacteristic showing.

"We just didn’t play well as a collective team and we didn’t play well as individuals," he told MUTV. "If you don’t do that at times like this then you don’t deserve to win.

"We’ve got no qualms, we weren’t good enough, we didn’t play the way we can. If you do that in a final, you tend to get beat. You've got to give credit to Barcelona, they played well. We needed to play our best football and we just didn't produce it."

While defeat was hard to take, Ferdinand insists United are proud of the season's achievements and will learn from the experience in Rome.

“We were all aware we’d had a good season up to now and the last day of it would determine how our summer goes," he explained. "It’s a bit of a low point to finish it on but we’ve got strong characters in the squad and I’m sure we’ll be back next season."

Ronaldo: We didn't perform

Cristiano Ronaldo has echoed Sir Alex Ferguson’s opinion that the best team won in Rome on Wednesday night.

Ronaldo and his Reds team-mates were left to watch Barcelona lift the Champions League trophy after a game in which the Catalan side outplayed United for 80 minutes.

United – and Ronaldo, in particular – started the match brightly, but Samuel Eto’o pounced on 10 minutes to send Barcelona into the lead. That, Cristiano admits, was the moment the game turned.

“We started very well but after [the goal] I didn’t see any more of Manchester United," he told MUTV. "Barcelona played better than us, they controlled the game, created more opportunities and they deserved to win.

“You lose games because you make bad mistakes and this is what happened [on Wednesday]. We didn’t play well, we didn’t play compact. “

Despite the disappointment of losing in Rome, Ronaldo is confident United fans will see more European silverware at Old Trafford in the coming years.

“It’s really hard to retain this trophy but I still believe Manchester [United] has the chance to win more in the next [few] seasons.”

Defiance rules despair

It’s not often that we United fans have to take our medicine, but there is little option after our defeat to the magnificent Barcelona.

Expectations have grown through the last three silver-laden seasons. The 2006/07 league title was retained in 2007/08, with the most wonderful night in Moscow thrown into the bargain. Last night, with the league, Carling Cup and Club World Cup already bagged, the chance to become only football’s second Quadruple winners loomed tantalisingly on the banks of the Tiber.

That history ultimately beckoned for another was tough enough to take, with Barcelona becoming Europe’s fifth Treble winners, but the way United were led a merry dance by Pep Guardiola’s side was a cruel end to a season which had briefly hinted at a trophy monopoly.

Despite this denouement, United supporters could leave the Stadio Olimpico with heads held high. It stuck with me that so many Arsenal fans had stayed at Old Trafford to applaud the league champions earlier this month, and United's travelling support were on similarly fine form in Rome.

Before, during and after the match, including at half-time, the Red Army’s strains boomed around the stadium as supporters sought to haul United back into a game being conducted almost entirely at Barcelona's chosen tempo.

When it became clear that no amount of cajoling could take the trophy away from a Barcelona side marching unflinchingly towards their destiny, the mood in the United section changed. It’s never easy retaining an air of dignity when you're being outclassed, but the long, heartfelt applause which greeted he substitution of Andres Iniesta – quite imperious throughout - said much for our collective recognition of quality and, painful as it is to say, justice.

The air of acceptance continued past full-time with lasting applause for Barcelona and a rousing salute to a United side who achieved so much before clattering into the final hurdle, but there was still an undertone of defiance which strode to the fore just ahead of the Catalans’ trophy lift.

While Barcelona’s supporters emitted little more than an expectant hum as the new champions of Europe prepared to lift their prize, boisterous cries of ‘United, United’ provided the unlikely soundtrack.

A sour ending, then, but no bitterness. Just boldness, and the promise that, as Sir Alex and his charges look to re-scale the highest mountains next season, the Red Army will be backing United all the way.