Semi-finals
29.04.2009 v Arsenal video (H) 1-0
05.05.2009 v Arsenal (A) 20:45
Premier League
Premier League
Team Pld W D L Pts
1 Man. United 34 25 5 4 80
2 Liverpool 35 22 11 2 77
3 Chelsea 35 22 8 5 74
4 Arsenal 35 19 11 5 68
5 Everton 35 15 11 9 56
6 Aston Villa 34 15 10 9 55
7 West Ham 35 13 9 13 48
8 Man. City 35 14 5 16 47
9 Fulham 35 12 11 12 47
10 Tottenham 35 13 8 14 47
11 Wigan 34 11 9 14 42
12 Bolton 35 11 6 18 39
13 Stoke 35 10 9 16 39
14 Portsmouth 35 9 11 15 38
15 Blackburn 35 9 10 16 37
16 Sunderland 35 9 8 18 35
17 Hull 34 8 10 16 34
18 Newcastle 35 6 13 16 31
19 Middlesbrough 35 7 10 18 31
20 West Brom 35 7 7 21 28
Team Pld W D L Pts
1 Man. United 34 25 5 4 80
2 Liverpool 35 22 11 2 77
3 Chelsea 35 22 8 5 74
4 Arsenal 35 19 11 5 68
5 Everton 35 15 11 9 56
6 Aston Villa 34 15 10 9 55
7 West Ham 35 13 9 13 48
8 Man. City 35 14 5 16 47
9 Fulham 35 12 11 12 47
10 Tottenham 35 13 8 14 47
11 Wigan 34 11 9 14 42
12 Bolton 35 11 6 18 39
13 Stoke 35 10 9 16 39
14 Portsmouth 35 9 11 15 38
15 Blackburn 35 9 10 16 37
16 Sunderland 35 9 8 18 35
17 Hull 34 8 10 16 34
18 Newcastle 35 6 13 16 31
19 Middlesbrough 35 7 10 18 31
20 West Brom 35 7 7 21 28
United could be in second place when the Manchester derby kicks off at Old Trafford next weekend.
Liverpool are now three points behind the champions, following a comfortable 3-0 win over Newcastle United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
Steven Gerrard's return aided the Merseysiders who scored twice in the first half through Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt before adding a late third from substitute Lucas Leiva. Spanish striker Fernando Torres played no part in the match however as he's nursing a hamstring injury.
Another victory for Liverpool, at West Ham next Saturday tea-time (17:30 BST), would see them go ahead in the title race on goal difference, albeit having played two games more than United.
Sunday's other action of significance was in the Coca-Cola Championship - Birmingham City secured automatic promotion back to the top flight, alongside Wolves, by winning 2-1 at Reading. The remaining place in the Barclays Premier League will go to one of four teams contesting the play-offs: Burnley, Preston, Reading and Sheffield United.
Steven Gerrard's return aided the Merseysiders who scored twice in the first half through Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt before adding a late third from substitute Lucas Leiva. Spanish striker Fernando Torres played no part in the match however as he's nursing a hamstring injury.
Another victory for Liverpool, at West Ham next Saturday tea-time (17:30 BST), would see them go ahead in the title race on goal difference, albeit having played two games more than United.
Sunday's other action of significance was in the Coca-Cola Championship - Birmingham City secured automatic promotion back to the top flight, alongside Wolves, by winning 2-1 at Reading. The remaining place in the Barclays Premier League will go to one of four teams contesting the play-offs: Burnley, Preston, Reading and Sheffield United.
Giggs
Saturday's stroll at Middlesbrough put the Reds six points clear of Liverpool, but Giggs - going for his record-extending 11th league title - expects the Merseysiders to keep plugging away.
"We always pencilled this in as a tough game," Giggs told Sky Sports at the Riverside Stadium. "It always is against Middlesbrough and we struggled here last year.
"We just wanted to get this one out of the way. We’ve done that and now we’ve just got to concentrate on the remaining games, because Liverpool are a good side and they’ll definitely fight to the end."
Giggs opened the scoring in fine fashion against Gareth Southgate's side, and it was a fitting end to a perfect week for the Welshman.
"It’s been a great week," he said. "Winning the (PFA Player of the Year) award, reaching 800 appearances and scoring today, it really couldn't have gone ant better."
"We always pencilled this in as a tough game," Giggs told Sky Sports at the Riverside Stadium. "It always is against Middlesbrough and we struggled here last year.
"We just wanted to get this one out of the way. We’ve done that and now we’ve just got to concentrate on the remaining games, because Liverpool are a good side and they’ll definitely fight to the end."
Giggs opened the scoring in fine fashion against Gareth Southgate's side, and it was a fitting end to a perfect week for the Welshman.
"It’s been a great week," he said. "Winning the (PFA Player of the Year) award, reaching 800 appearances and scoring today, it really couldn't have gone ant better."
Miscellaneous
• O'Shea celebrated his 28th birthday on 30 April.
• On 26 April Giggs was named Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year, claiming the prize for the first time having been awarded the Young Player of the Year title in 1992 and 1993. Giggs was one of six United players in the Premier League Team of the Year, along with Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidić, Evra and Ronaldo.
• In January United paid a reported €17m to FK Partizan for Serbian duo Zoran Tošić and Adam Ljajić, with the latter returning to the Belgrade club on loan for the rest of the season. Tošić is ineligible for the UEFA Champions League.
• United will tour Asia in July, with games in China, Korea Republic, Indonesia and Malaysia. They will also join Milan, CA Boca Juniors and Bayern in a four-team tournament in Munich on 29 and 30 July.
• United became the first English club to win the FIFA Club World Cup with a 1-0 defeat of LDU de Quito in Yokohama, Japan on 21 December, Rooney scoring the only goal.
• On 26 April Giggs was named Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year, claiming the prize for the first time having been awarded the Young Player of the Year title in 1992 and 1993. Giggs was one of six United players in the Premier League Team of the Year, along with Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidić, Evra and Ronaldo.
• In January United paid a reported €17m to FK Partizan for Serbian duo Zoran Tošić and Adam Ljajić, with the latter returning to the Belgrade club on loan for the rest of the season. Tošić is ineligible for the UEFA Champions League.
• United will tour Asia in July, with games in China, Korea Republic, Indonesia and Malaysia. They will also join Milan, CA Boca Juniors and Bayern in a four-team tournament in Munich on 29 and 30 July.
• United became the first English club to win the FIFA Club World Cup with a 1-0 defeat of LDU de Quito in Yokohama, Japan on 21 December, Rooney scoring the only goal.
Injury news
• Wes Brown – out 25 October to 27 January and since 31 January (ankle)
• Gary Neville – out since 22 April (right foot)
• Rafael – out 21 February to 19 April (ankle)
• Rio Ferdinand – out 21 March to 1 April (back/groin), 1-15 April (groin) and since 29 April (ribs)
• Ferdinand was replaced with two minutes left of the first leg against Arsenal after a collision with Van der Sar. A subsequent scan allayed fears of broken ribs, Sir Alex adding: "There was some bruising to his lung, which is why he coughed up blood on the night."
• Owen Hargreaves has dropped out of United's UEFA Champions League squad and is not expected to play again this season having been sidelined since 21 September due to a knee injury.
• Gary Neville – out since 22 April (right foot)
• Rafael – out 21 February to 19 April (ankle)
• Rio Ferdinand – out 21 March to 1 April (back/groin), 1-15 April (groin) and since 29 April (ribs)
• Ferdinand was replaced with two minutes left of the first leg against Arsenal after a collision with Van der Sar. A subsequent scan allayed fears of broken ribs, Sir Alex adding: "There was some bruising to his lung, which is why he coughed up blood on the night."
• Owen Hargreaves has dropped out of United's UEFA Champions League squad and is not expected to play again this season having been sidelined since 21 September due to a knee injury.
Latest domestic information • Saturday 2 May: Middlesbrough FC 0-2 Manchester United FC (Giggs 25, Park 51)
Match facts: Arsenal v Manchester United
Saturday 2 May 2009
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Action from the first leg at Old TraffordAction from the first leg at Old Trafford (©Getty Images)
Arsenal
UEFA milestones
• Jack Wilshere became the youngest player to represent Arsenal in UEFA club competition when he came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win against FC Dynamo Kyiv on Matchday 5 aged 16 years and 329 days. Wilshere also became the fifth youngest player to appear in the UEFA Champions League, a record held by Celestine Babayaro who was 16 years and 87 days when he started for RSC Anderlecht against FC Steaua Bucureşti in 1994.
• Robin van Persie's next game in UEFA club competition will be his 50th.
• Arsenal have won 49 matches in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.
UEFA Champions League statistics
• Arsenal have had 62 shots on goal, the joint-lowest total of the teams left in the competition along with Chelsea FC.
• The London club have been caught offside 44 times, more than any other semi-finalist. Emmanuel Adebayor alone has been flagged offside 21 times, more than any other player.
Disciplinary information
• Van Persie, Samir Nasri, Alexandre Song and Abou Diaby will incur a suspension with their next yellow cards.
Latest domestic information
• Saturday 2 May: Portsmouth FC 0-3 Arsenal FC (Bendtner 13 41pen, Vela 56)
Arsenal ensured they will finish at least fourth in the Premier League as three points at Fratton Park built up an unassailable advantage over fifth-placed Aston Villa FC. Having profited from David James' fumble to put the visitors ahead with a header, Nicklas Bendtner added another from the penalty spot after Sean Davis was adjudged to have brought down Arsenal's stand-in captain Andrei Arshavin. Carlos Vela added a third on the counterattack, Portsmouth's misery compounded by the dismissal of Noë Pamarot (78).
• Arsène Wenger made eight changes to the team that started at Old Trafford, with only Song, Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna retaining their places. None of the other eight were even on the bench, all rested with the exception of the injured Mikaël Silvestre, while none of Arsenal's seven substitutes had started aleague game.
• "We have a style of play that runs through the whole squad," said Wenger. "We showed quality, started well and though we had a difficult moment at the start of the second half, overall it was a good win. We combined two things today: we gave a breather to some players and we kept our unbeaten run to secure fourth place."
• Vela's goal was his first in the Premier League. The 20-year-old has struck five cup goals this season, however – all at the Arsenal Stadium – including a hat-trick in the 6-0 League Cup victory against Sheffield United FC in September.
• Amaury Bischoff made his first Premier League appearance as a second-half replacement for Walcott. Mark Randall also came on in place of Aaron Ramsey late on, his first league game of the season.
• Arsenal have scored at least three goals in each of their last five away league games, equalling a club record set under Herbert Chapman in 1932.
• Arsenal have won 12 and drawn nine of their last 21 top-flight matches – the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League this season.
• Arsenal have won 13 of their last 17 home games in all competitions, and recorded victories in their last six matches. The Gunners have lost only twice in 29 home matches this season.
• The Gunners have conceded once in 12 matches at the Arsenal Stadium in 2009, and have kept eight successive clean sheets at home in the Premier League. The last visiting player to score a league goal at Arsenal was Robbie Keane, who struck in the 42nd minute of Liverpool FC's 1-1 draw there on 21 December – 768 minutes ago.
• Arsenal have kept clean sheets in eight of their last 12 league games. The north London club have let in only nine league goals in 2009 – all away from home – fewer than any other club in the English top flight.
• Seventeen of the 32 league goals the Gunners have conceded this season have come in the last 30 minutes.
Injury news
• Mikaël Silvestre – out 3 January to 11 April (thigh muscle) and since 29 April (groin)
• Emmanuel Adebayor – out 18-26 April (hamstring)
• Manuel Almunia – out 7-26 April (ankle)
• Johan Djourou – out 11-26 April (knee)
• Eduardo da Silva – out 1-29 April and since 29 April (groin)
• Robin van Persie – out 28 March to 11 April (hamstring) and since 18 April (groin)
• Tomáš Rosický – out since 26 January 2008 (hamstring)
• William Gallas – out since 7 April (knee)
• Gaël Clichy – out since 7 April (back)
• Rosický will not play this campaign due to a long-standing problem with his left hamstring, undergoing operations on a tendon injury in May and November.
• Gallas is also out for the rest of the season after damaging medial ligaments in his right knee during the second half of the first leg against Villarreal CF.
• Eduardo scored twice on his comeback after a year out with a compound fracture of the left fibula and dislocated ankle as the Gunners won 4-0 against Cardiff City FC in an FA Cup replay on 16 February. He subsequently picked up hamstring and groin injuries but returned as a substitute in the first leg with United, only to aggravate a groin injury. He is not expected to play again this season.
• Silvestre also picked up a groin injury at Old Trafford and missed the trip to Portsmouth, as did Van Persie. The pair will have fitness tests ahead of the second leg with United. Wenger has already ruled out Clichy.
Miscellaneous
• Fàbregas celebrates his 22nd birthday on 4 May.
• Arshavin agreed a "long-term contract" with Arsenal in January, but is ineligible for the UEFA Champions League as he was ever-present for FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the group stage.
Manchester United
UEFA milestones
• United extended the record for the longest unbeaten run in UEFA Champions League history with their first-leg victory against Arsenal. The holders last lost in the competition at AC Milan on 2 May 2007 and have won 14 of their subsequent 24 games, drawing ten. AFC Ajax (14 September 1994 to 3 April 1996) and FC Bayern München (14 March 2001 to 10 April 2002) shared the previous record of 19 matches without defeat.
• The holders have conceded 248 goals in 261 matches in UEFA club competition.
• Cristiano Ronaldo made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 11, when Edwin van der Sar featured in his 125th UEFA club competition game.
UEFA Champions League statistics
• Ronaldo has had more shots on target (26) and off target (18) than any other player still in the competition. He has also been fouled 32 times, again the most of any player still involved.
• United have conceded (5) and scored (15) fewer goals than any of the other semi-finalists.
• United have collected only eleven yellow cards, fewer than any other side in the last four.
Disciplinary information
• Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tévez and Patrice Evra will incur a ban with their next yellow cards.
Latest domestic information
• Saturday 2 May: Middlesbrough FC 0-2 Manchester United FC (Giggs 25, Park 51)
United moved a step closer to retaining their Premier League title with a comfortable win at the Riverside Stadium. The relegation-threatened hosts started brightly, but United weathered the storm and took the lead when Ryan Giggs' low drive found the bottom corner. Ji-Sung Park made it 2-0 after the restart, collecting a reverse pass from Rooney and firing in as Sir Alex Ferguson's team made it five wins in as many league outings.
• "It's a big step forward with only four games left now," said Sir Alex. "You whittle the games away. Eventually there are none left and hopefully we will be in that position at the top of the league. It was a very good performance, they all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball we always looked a danger."
• Sir Alex made seven changes to the team that had lined up against Arsenal at Old Trafford, John O'Shea, Nemanja Vidić, Evra and Rooney the only players to keep their places. Edwin van der Sar, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and the injured Rio Ferdinand were omitted from the squad entirely.
• Giggs' strike was his second in the league this campaign. The Welshman has registered in the top flight in each of his 19 seasons with the club and is the only player to find the net in all 17 seasons of the Premier League era.
• United have gone 18 matches without a league draw, since their game at Tottenham Hotspur FC on 13 December ended goalless. They have won 16 out of the 18 since, the run spoiled only by losses to Liverpool FC on 14 March and Fulham FC eight days later – their first back-to-back league defeats since April 2005.
• United have won 14 league matches this year, more than any other side, and have the most victories in the English top flight in 2008/09 with 25.
• The 2-0 win was United's fifth clean sheet in six matches in all competitions, but only their second in nine league games since their run of 14 shut-outs was ended.
• Van der Sar has kept 19 clean sheets in the league in 2008/09, more than any other goalkeeper.
• Giggs made his 800th United appearance in the first leg against Arsenal. "Ryan is the most respected player at the club," Sir Alex said of United's record appearance holder. "What he has achieved is an example for everyone. When you think of Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda, Ryan made his debut about the time they were born. It's unbelievable. Whatever accolades he gets, he deserves them."
• Paul Scholes, meanwhile, played in his 600th United game in the 2-0 win against Portsmouth FC on 22 April; only Giggs, Sir Bobby Charlton (758) and Bill Foulkes (688) have made more appearances for the club. "In my time, he would been in the top six or seven players, without question," said Sir Alex. "He's got that wonderful velvet touch on the ball. Funnily enough we've never had one enquiry for Paul Scholes, because they all know he would never leave."
Saturday 2 May 2009
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Action from the first leg at Old TraffordAction from the first leg at Old Trafford (©Getty Images)
Arsenal
UEFA milestones
• Jack Wilshere became the youngest player to represent Arsenal in UEFA club competition when he came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win against FC Dynamo Kyiv on Matchday 5 aged 16 years and 329 days. Wilshere also became the fifth youngest player to appear in the UEFA Champions League, a record held by Celestine Babayaro who was 16 years and 87 days when he started for RSC Anderlecht against FC Steaua Bucureşti in 1994.
• Robin van Persie's next game in UEFA club competition will be his 50th.
• Arsenal have won 49 matches in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.
UEFA Champions League statistics
• Arsenal have had 62 shots on goal, the joint-lowest total of the teams left in the competition along with Chelsea FC.
• The London club have been caught offside 44 times, more than any other semi-finalist. Emmanuel Adebayor alone has been flagged offside 21 times, more than any other player.
Disciplinary information
• Van Persie, Samir Nasri, Alexandre Song and Abou Diaby will incur a suspension with their next yellow cards.
Latest domestic information
• Saturday 2 May: Portsmouth FC 0-3 Arsenal FC (Bendtner 13 41pen, Vela 56)
Arsenal ensured they will finish at least fourth in the Premier League as three points at Fratton Park built up an unassailable advantage over fifth-placed Aston Villa FC. Having profited from David James' fumble to put the visitors ahead with a header, Nicklas Bendtner added another from the penalty spot after Sean Davis was adjudged to have brought down Arsenal's stand-in captain Andrei Arshavin. Carlos Vela added a third on the counterattack, Portsmouth's misery compounded by the dismissal of Noë Pamarot (78).
• Arsène Wenger made eight changes to the team that started at Old Trafford, with only Song, Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna retaining their places. None of the other eight were even on the bench, all rested with the exception of the injured Mikaël Silvestre, while none of Arsenal's seven substitutes had started aleague game.
• "We have a style of play that runs through the whole squad," said Wenger. "We showed quality, started well and though we had a difficult moment at the start of the second half, overall it was a good win. We combined two things today: we gave a breather to some players and we kept our unbeaten run to secure fourth place."
• Vela's goal was his first in the Premier League. The 20-year-old has struck five cup goals this season, however – all at the Arsenal Stadium – including a hat-trick in the 6-0 League Cup victory against Sheffield United FC in September.
• Amaury Bischoff made his first Premier League appearance as a second-half replacement for Walcott. Mark Randall also came on in place of Aaron Ramsey late on, his first league game of the season.
• Arsenal have scored at least three goals in each of their last five away league games, equalling a club record set under Herbert Chapman in 1932.
• Arsenal have won 12 and drawn nine of their last 21 top-flight matches – the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League this season.
• Arsenal have won 13 of their last 17 home games in all competitions, and recorded victories in their last six matches. The Gunners have lost only twice in 29 home matches this season.
• The Gunners have conceded once in 12 matches at the Arsenal Stadium in 2009, and have kept eight successive clean sheets at home in the Premier League. The last visiting player to score a league goal at Arsenal was Robbie Keane, who struck in the 42nd minute of Liverpool FC's 1-1 draw there on 21 December – 768 minutes ago.
• Arsenal have kept clean sheets in eight of their last 12 league games. The north London club have let in only nine league goals in 2009 – all away from home – fewer than any other club in the English top flight.
• Seventeen of the 32 league goals the Gunners have conceded this season have come in the last 30 minutes.
Injury news
• Mikaël Silvestre – out 3 January to 11 April (thigh muscle) and since 29 April (groin)
• Emmanuel Adebayor – out 18-26 April (hamstring)
• Manuel Almunia – out 7-26 April (ankle)
• Johan Djourou – out 11-26 April (knee)
• Eduardo da Silva – out 1-29 April and since 29 April (groin)
• Robin van Persie – out 28 March to 11 April (hamstring) and since 18 April (groin)
• Tomáš Rosický – out since 26 January 2008 (hamstring)
• William Gallas – out since 7 April (knee)
• Gaël Clichy – out since 7 April (back)
• Rosický will not play this campaign due to a long-standing problem with his left hamstring, undergoing operations on a tendon injury in May and November.
• Gallas is also out for the rest of the season after damaging medial ligaments in his right knee during the second half of the first leg against Villarreal CF.
• Eduardo scored twice on his comeback after a year out with a compound fracture of the left fibula and dislocated ankle as the Gunners won 4-0 against Cardiff City FC in an FA Cup replay on 16 February. He subsequently picked up hamstring and groin injuries but returned as a substitute in the first leg with United, only to aggravate a groin injury. He is not expected to play again this season.
• Silvestre also picked up a groin injury at Old Trafford and missed the trip to Portsmouth, as did Van Persie. The pair will have fitness tests ahead of the second leg with United. Wenger has already ruled out Clichy.
Miscellaneous
• Fàbregas celebrates his 22nd birthday on 4 May.
• Arshavin agreed a "long-term contract" with Arsenal in January, but is ineligible for the UEFA Champions League as he was ever-present for FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the group stage.
Manchester United
UEFA milestones
• United extended the record for the longest unbeaten run in UEFA Champions League history with their first-leg victory against Arsenal. The holders last lost in the competition at AC Milan on 2 May 2007 and have won 14 of their subsequent 24 games, drawing ten. AFC Ajax (14 September 1994 to 3 April 1996) and FC Bayern München (14 March 2001 to 10 April 2002) shared the previous record of 19 matches without defeat.
• The holders have conceded 248 goals in 261 matches in UEFA club competition.
• Cristiano Ronaldo made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 11, when Edwin van der Sar featured in his 125th UEFA club competition game.
UEFA Champions League statistics
• Ronaldo has had more shots on target (26) and off target (18) than any other player still in the competition. He has also been fouled 32 times, again the most of any player still involved.
• United have conceded (5) and scored (15) fewer goals than any of the other semi-finalists.
• United have collected only eleven yellow cards, fewer than any other side in the last four.
Disciplinary information
• Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tévez and Patrice Evra will incur a ban with their next yellow cards.
Latest domestic information
• Saturday 2 May: Middlesbrough FC 0-2 Manchester United FC (Giggs 25, Park 51)
United moved a step closer to retaining their Premier League title with a comfortable win at the Riverside Stadium. The relegation-threatened hosts started brightly, but United weathered the storm and took the lead when Ryan Giggs' low drive found the bottom corner. Ji-Sung Park made it 2-0 after the restart, collecting a reverse pass from Rooney and firing in as Sir Alex Ferguson's team made it five wins in as many league outings.
• "It's a big step forward with only four games left now," said Sir Alex. "You whittle the games away. Eventually there are none left and hopefully we will be in that position at the top of the league. It was a very good performance, they all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball we always looked a danger."
• Sir Alex made seven changes to the team that had lined up against Arsenal at Old Trafford, John O'Shea, Nemanja Vidić, Evra and Rooney the only players to keep their places. Edwin van der Sar, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and the injured Rio Ferdinand were omitted from the squad entirely.
• Giggs' strike was his second in the league this campaign. The Welshman has registered in the top flight in each of his 19 seasons with the club and is the only player to find the net in all 17 seasons of the Premier League era.
• United have gone 18 matches without a league draw, since their game at Tottenham Hotspur FC on 13 December ended goalless. They have won 16 out of the 18 since, the run spoiled only by losses to Liverpool FC on 14 March and Fulham FC eight days later – their first back-to-back league defeats since April 2005.
• United have won 14 league matches this year, more than any other side, and have the most victories in the English top flight in 2008/09 with 25.
• The 2-0 win was United's fifth clean sheet in six matches in all competitions, but only their second in nine league games since their run of 14 shut-outs was ended.
• Van der Sar has kept 19 clean sheets in the league in 2008/09, more than any other goalkeeper.
• Giggs made his 800th United appearance in the first leg against Arsenal. "Ryan is the most respected player at the club," Sir Alex said of United's record appearance holder. "What he has achieved is an example for everyone. When you think of Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda, Ryan made his debut about the time they were born. It's unbelievable. Whatever accolades he gets, he deserves them."
• Paul Scholes, meanwhile, played in his 600th United game in the 2-0 win against Portsmouth FC on 22 April; only Giggs, Sir Bobby Charlton (758) and Bill Foulkes (688) have made more appearances for the club. "In my time, he would been in the top six or seven players, without question," said Sir Alex. "He's got that wonderful velvet touch on the ball. Funnily enough we've never had one enquiry for Paul Scholes, because they all know he would never leave."
Disciplinary information
• Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tévez and Patrice Evra will incur a ban with their next yellow cards.
UEFA Champions League statistics
• Ronaldo has had more shots on target (26) and off target (18) than any other player still in the competition. He has also been fouled 32 times, again the most of any player still involved.
• United have conceded (5) and scored (15) fewer goals than any of the other semi-finalists.
• United have collected only eleven yellow cards, fewer than any other side in the last four.
• United have conceded (5) and scored (15) fewer goals than any of the other semi-finalists.
• United have collected only eleven yellow cards, fewer than any other side in the last four.
UEFA milestones
• United extended the record for the longest unbeaten run in UEFA Champions League history with their first-leg victory against Arsenal. The holders last lost in the competition at AC Milan on 2 May 2007 and have won 14 of their subsequent 24 games, drawing ten. AFC Ajax (14 September 1994 to 3 April 1996) and FC Bayern München (14 March 2001 to 10 April 2002) shared the previous record of 19 matches without defeat.
• The holders have conceded 248 goals in 261 matches in UEFA club competition.
• Cristiano Ronaldo made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 11, when Edwin van der Sar featured in his 125th UEFA club competition game.
• The holders have conceded 248 goals in 261 matches in UEFA club competition.
• Cristiano Ronaldo made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 11, when Edwin van der Sar featured in his 125th UEFA club competition game.
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