United step up Chelsea chase

Manchester United FC closed to within two points of Premier League leaders Chelsea FC with a hard-earned victory at Hull City AFC while Arsenal FC also won to increase the pressure at the top, Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fàbregas proving the crucial figures.

Fàbregas in form
With Chelsea held at Birmingham City FC yesterday, Arsenal and United had the chance to cut the gap on the leaders and the former took full advantage in the early game, the introduction of Fàbregas inspiring a comfortable 3-0 win against fourth-placed Aston Villa FC. With a hamstring injury restricting their captain to a place on the bench the Gunners struggled to fashion chances until Fàbregas came on in the 57th minute, breaking the deadlock with a fine free-kick eight minutes later. The Spanish international rounded off a swift counterattack to seal the points nine minutes from time, although he limped off shortly afterwards, with Abou Diaby crowning a fine win with a third goal a minute into stoppage time.

Mixed afternoon
United also initially struggled at Hull before Rooney put them in front from Darren Fletcher's cross in added time at the end of the first period. The forward's misplaced pass then led to Rafael fouling Jozy Altidore to concede the penalty from which Craig Fagan levelled a minute before the hour, although Rooney redeemed himself in the 73rd minute, Andy Dawson inadvertently turning his cross into his own net to restore United's advantage. Rooney also set up Dimitar Berbatov's clinching third goal with eight minutes remaining to take United on to 40 points, two behind Chelsea and the same margin ahead of Arsenal having played a game more than the north London club.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

On-form Fulham floor United

Manchester United FC's Premier League title prospects took a potentially significant blow with a 3-0 defeat at UEFA Europa League contenders Fulham FC, on a day when Aston Villa FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC strengthened their top-four claims.

On-form Zamora
Victory for United would have allowed Sir Alex Ferguson's team to draw level with leaders Chelsea FC, who travel across London to face West Ham United FC on Sunday, for the second time this week. The Blues, however, can now establish a six-point lead following United's second loss in three league games, the hosts forging ahead through Danny Murphy's curling shot (22). Bobby Zamora's fifth goal in four matches doubled the advantage a minute into the second period, with Damien Duff (75) rounding off the scoring with a left-footed volley.

Two-goal Crouch
That allowed Villa, in third, to narrow the gap on United to two points. John Carew's header (61) earned the Midlands club a home victory against Stoke City FC, while Tottenham, in fourth, won 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers FC thanks to a double from Peter Crouch. Arsenal FC, who drop to fifth as a result, will return to third if they overcome Hull City AFC in the late fixture.

Landmark goal
Elsewhere, sixth-placed Manchester City FC twice surrendered a lead against mid-table Sunderland AFC before finally emerging 4-3 winners, Roque Santa Cruz starting and finishing the scoring for Mark Hughes's side. Liverpool FC, meanwhile, lost 2-0 at bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth FC, who are now within two points of safety. Javier Mascherano (45) was sent off for the visitors at Fratton Park, 12 minutes after Nadir Belhadj opened the scoring with the 500th goal in the Premier League this term. Liverpool's Merseyside neighbours Everton host in-form Birmingham City FC on Sunday, while Burnley FC go to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

United win to move level with Chelsea

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated his 900th league match in charge of Manchester United FC with a 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers FC as his side moved level with Chelsea FC at the top of the Premier League.

Rooney strike
United's unbeaten home record was ended on Saturday by Aston Villa FC, but there was little danger of them dropping further points against Wolves once Wayne Rooney had broken the deadlock from the penalty spot on 30 minutes with his 12th league goal of the season. Nemanja Vidić (43) and Antonio Valencia (66) added further goals to leave United second on goal difference alone behind Chelsea, who host bottom side Portsmouth FC on Wednesday.

Villa third
Villa climbed to third after goals in each half from Emile Heskey and James Milner earned the points in a 2-0 win at Sunderland AFC, who had Lorik Cana sent off. Birmingham City FC are up to sixth after winning their fifth Premier League match in succession, 2-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers FC. Alex McLeish's side are now unbeaten in eight Premier League games. In the evening's other match Bolton Wanderers FC beat second-bottom West Ham United FC 3-1 to climb out of the bottom three at Wolves's expense. On Wednesday Liverpool FC, now eighth, host Wigan Athletic FC, Arsenal FC are at Burnley FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC host Manchester City FC.

Rangers rise
Elsewhere in Europe on Tuesday, Kenny Miller scored twice and DaMarcus Beasley once as Rangers FC won 3-0 at Dundee United FC to move a point clear of Celtic FC at the top of the Scottish Premier League. In France's Ligue 1 AJ Auxerre, in fifth, stay a point ahead of sixth placed Valenciennes FC after the pair drew 0-0.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Cast your vote for Play of the Day

Two goalkeepers – albeit for vastly different reasons – and two exquisite free-kicks are among the UEFA Champions League Matchday 6 moments on offer in Play of the Day, presented by UniCredit. To cast your vote for the chance to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League final and other prizes, click here. Simply watch our clips of the best action from Matchday 6, choose the Vote and Win option and select your favourite play. Voting for Matchday 6 closes at 12.00CET on 11 January.

The six selections for Matchday 6 are:

Alberto Gilardino (Liverpool FC v ACF Fiorentina)
Gilardino buries substitute Juan Vargas's low, added-time cross past Diego Cavalieri to win the game and send Fiorentina into the last 16 as group winners.

Sinan Bolat (R. Standard de Liège v AZ Alkmaar)
The first goal a keeper had scored in open play in the UEFA Champions League took Standard into the UEFA Europa League at AZ's expense, Boilat brilliantly heading past his AZ counterpart Sergio Romero from Benjamin Nicaise's free-kick deep in added time for a 1-1 draw.

Lionel Messi (FC Dynamo Kyiv v FC Barcelona)
With the score tied late in the game, Messi delivered the knockout blow with a whipped free-kick that cannoned in off the bar.

Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille v Real Madrid CF)
Mandanda made a number of fine saves during the match but none were better than his stop to deny Marcelo as the visitors began building second-half pressure, the French international diverting the ball over as the full-back blasted goalwards from the left.

Milan Gajić (FC Zürich v AC Milan)
Zürich took a 29th-minute lead with a moment of great skill from Gajić, whose free-kick bent around Milan's wall and in off the left-hand post, giving Dida no chance.

Michael Owen (VfL Wolfsburg v Manchester United FC)
The United striker rolls back the years and caps a lightning counter-attack with a cool chip over Diego Benaglio to complete his hat-trick in fine style.

To watch all six and cast your vote, click here.

What was the best piece of skill you saw on Matchday 6? Have your say below.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Relief for Chelsea as Villa beat United

Manchester United FC failed to capitalise on an earlier Chelsea FC draw as the champions lost 1-0 at home to an Aston Villa FC side now occupying third place in the Premier League.

Landmark win
Gabriel Agbonlahor's first-half header from Ashley Young's cross gave Villa their first league win at Old Trafford since 1983 – three years before the striker was born – and provided a huge boost to Chelsea after the leaders were held 3-3 at home by Everton FC despite two goals from Didier Drogba. Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidić and Dimitar Berbatov all went close to equalising at Old Trafford but Villa were not to be denied a first victory against United in a decade.

Defensive concerns
Chelsea's defensive jitters continued as they dropped their first home points of the season and recorded a fourth game without victory in all competitions – a run which has seen Carlo Ancelotti's side leak ten goals. Chelsea have 37 points with United on 34 while Villa moved into third place with 29 points. Tottenham Hotspur FC spurned the chance to move into third spot above Arsenal FC by losing 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Kevin Doyle on target. The Gunners, who are nine points behind Chelsea with two games in hand, face Liverpool FC at Anfield on Sunday.

Exciting draw
Birmingham City FC were the only other winners, a 1-0 defeat leaving West Ham United FC in the relegation zone. The five remaining games ended in draws, the most exciting of which was at Bolton Wanderers FC where the home side led three times against Manchester City FC but could not see off the sixth-placed side.

©Reuters 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

United show faith in Welbeck

Hot on the heels of fellow Manchester United FC striker Federico Macheda signing improved terms, England Under-21 forward Daniel Welbeck has pledged his future to Old Trafford with a new contract tying him to the club until June 2013.

'Terrific career'
Welbeck, 19, has caught the eye as a starter in United's last two UEFA Champions League Group B games. He now emulates Macheda, who reiterated his allegiance earlier this month, in showing his commitment to Sir Alex Ferguson's side. "We are delighted," said the United manager. "We see Danny as one of the great young players who has emerged from the academy. He will have a terrific career and we are glad he has placed his trust in us."

England success
A member of the England squads that finished runners-up at the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the U19 event in 2009, Welbeck added: "I am really happy, there was never a doubt that this is where I want to be. I am enjoying every minute and learning so much from all the great players here. I would like to thank Sir Alex, the club and the fans for all their support."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Owen glowing as goals come flowing

Michael Owen struck a hat-trick to send Manchester United FC into the knockout stages as Group B winners on Tuesday and then told uefa.com it was his team-mates who should receive the plaudits for making goalscoring "easier" for him.

Masterclass
Owen took his tally in this season's group stage to four goals with a masterclass in the art of finishing which earned United a 3-1 win at VfL Wolfsburg and ended the German team's hopes of joining their English visitors in the last 16. Modest as ever, the striker insisted much of the credit for his prolific performance should go to the men in red shirts around him.

'Expect chances'
"There are only a few teams you can play in and expect to get chances, and this is certainly one of them," said Owen, who has now struck eleven times in 26 matches in European club football's élite competition. "Scoring them is a different matter, and it's probably the hardest thing to do in the game. But given the amount of chances that you get at this club, it's easier here to score goals because of the quality you're playing alongside."

Stoic
The United lineup at the VfL Wolfsburg Arena was not, however, packed with the familiar faces that have made them such an imposing presence in the competition in recent years. No less than 14 first-team regulars did not even make the trip to Germany, while the back four featured three midfielders with Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher forming a makeshift centre-back pairing. Despite Edin Džeko giving the hosts cause for optimism with a second-half equaliser, the United rearguard – ably assisted by a stoic display from goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak – withstood the German champions' desperate late onslaught to stretch to 15 games their unbeaten run in UEFA Champions League away games.

'Pleased'
At 29, Owen was second only to Paul Scholes as the team's senior member, and with four players plucked from the United youth side to fill the bench in Germany, the ex-Liverpool FC and Real Madrid CF forward conceded the duo's big-time know-how had been vital. "There were a lot of younger lads on the bench, and if they're needed it's important they come into the game and feel that we've got it under control. It's important for the experienced players to be playing well, and that was the case today," said Owen, before looking ahead to the first knockout round. "We're delighted to finish top of the group. It means we get our second leg at home, even though we don't know who we could play yet. We're pleased to be playing the second leg at Old Trafford and you're not going to lie – you always want to avoid some of the bigger teams."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Match facts: Wolfsburg v Man. United

Wolfsburg

UEFA milestones
• None

UEFA Champions League statistics
• The German titleholders have committed 50 fouls, fewer than any other side, and picked up only three yellow cards, the joint lowest total in the competition along with Liverpool FC.

• Grafite is available again after a two-game ban following his red card on Matchday 3.

Latest domestic information
• Saturday 5 December 2009: VfL Wolfsburg 2-2 SC Freiburg (Bastians 27og, Johnson 81; Idrissou 19, Banović 51pen)
Benaglio; Riether, Ricardo Costa, Barzagli, Schäfer (Johnson 60); Josué (Dejagah 78), Hasebe (Ziani 55), Gentner, Misimović; Džeko, Grafite.

• Armin Veh made two changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen on 28 November. Captain Josué returned to the starting lineup after a ban and replaced Karim Ziani, while Marcel Schäfer came in for Fabian Johnson.

• Edin Džeko scored twice against Werder and has now struck 40 Bundesliga goals in 75 appearances, a total that includes seven doubles and two hat-tricks.

• All but seven of Wolfsburg's 29 Bundesliga goals this season have been scored after half-time, with nine coming in the last 15 minutes.

• Wolfsburg have won just four of their last 14 matches in all competitions, losing four.

• Wolfsburg's seven-game unbeaten league run, dating back to a 3-2 home defeat by Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 12 September, was ended with another loss by the same scoreline at home to 1. FC Nürnberg on 21 November.

• The 3-3 draw with 1. FSV Mainz on 31 October was Wolfsburg's first in the league at home since 30 August 2008.

Injury news
• Jonathan Santana – out since 13 November (thigh)
• Obafemi Martins – out since 25 November (left shinbone)
• Alexander Madlung – out since 28 November (calf)

• Martins underwent surgery on his shin in Hamburg on 2 December. The striker had been playing despite a bone inflammation in his left leg and was originally scheduled for an operation during the Bundesliga winter break.

Miscellaneous
• During the Matchday 5 defeat at PFC CSKA Moskva, Zvjezdan Misimović's second child – a boy called Niko – was born.

Manchester United

UEFA milestones
• The 2008/09 final defeat by FC Barcelona brought an end to United's 25-match unbeaten run – the longest in the competition's history. They had last tasted defeat at AC Milan on 2 May 2007. AFC Ajax and FC Bayern München shared the previous record of 19 matches unbeaten.

• United's 23-match unbeaten home run in the UEFA Champions League was ended by Beşiktaş JK on Matchday 5. They had not lost at Old Trafford since a 1-0 reverse against Milan on 23 February 2005.

• United have scored 397 goals in the European Champion Clubs' Cup, while Rodrigo Tello's winner for Beşiktaş was the 200th they had conceded in the competition.

• They have also conceded 147 goals in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.

UEFA Champions League statistics
• United's players have been caught offside 30 times, more than any other side.

• Nemanja Vidić's next booking will incur a suspension.

Latest domestic information
• Saturday 5 December: West Ham United FC 0-4 Manchester United FC (Scholes 45+1, Gibson 61, Valencia 70, Rooney 72)
Kuszczak; Fletcher, Neville (Carrick 34), Brown, Evra; Valencia, Anderson, Scholes, Gibson (Berbatov 67); Giggs, Rooney (Owen 73).

• United's third successive league victory took them within two points of leaders Chelsea FC as Sir Alex Ferguson's side scored four goals in an away game for the second week in succession.

• United have won 13 Premier League away games in 2009, more than any other side.

• Of United's 34 league goals this season, 25 have come in the second half and ten in the last 15 minutes.

• Three days after losing to Beşiktaş, United recorded a second successive league win, ending a run of two straight away defeats with a 4-1 victory at Portsmouth FC on 28 November. Wayne Rooney grabbed a hat-trick while Ryan Giggs chimed in with his 100th Premier League goal.

• Rooney's treble was his third for United and his first since a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers FC on 28 October 2006. His other three-goal haul came against Fenerbahçe SK on 28 September 2004, his United and UEFA Champions League debut.

• Giggs has registered in the top flight in each of his 20 campaigns with United and is the only player to find the net in all 18 seasons of the Premier League era.

• United overcame Tottenham Hotspur FC 2-0 in the League Cup quarter-finals on 1 December, a repeat of last year's final which Sir Alex's team won on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes. Two long-range strikes from Darron Gibson settled the contest, the first time the midfielder has scored more than once in a game.

• The holders will face neighbours Manchester City FC in the League Cup semi-finals on 6 and 19 January, with the second leg to be contested at Old Trafford.

• United will play non-league Kettering Town FC or third-tier Leeds United AFC at Old Trafford in the FA Cup third round on 2/3 January.

Injury news
• Daniel Welbeck – out 27 October to 25 November (knee)
• Dimitar Berbatov – out 18 November to 1 December (knee)
• Owen Hargreaves – out since 21 September 2008 (knee)
• Rio Ferdinand – out since 25 October (calf)
• Fabio – out since 3 November (groin)
• Jonny Evans – out since 14 November (calf)
• John O'Shea – out since 18 November (ankle)
• Edwin van der Sar – out since 21 November (knee)
• Nemanja Vidić – out since 5 December (flu)

• Gary Neville was forced off during the first half at West Ham with a groin injury, while Wes Brown also limped off late on and Rafael missed the game altogether.

Miscellaneous
• Rooney and former United player Cristiano Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the FIFA World Player of the Year award. The winner will be announced in Zurich on 21 December.

• On 1 December, Rooney finished eighth in the 2009 Ballon d'Or vote, won by Barcelona's Lionel Messi with 473 points out of a possible 480. Erstwhile United winger Ronaldo came second.

• The following day, Federico Macheda signed a new four-year contract, tying him to the English champions until 2014.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

United aglow as Blues bow to City

Frank Lampard's missed penalty handed Manchester City FC a 2-1 win against Premiership leaders Chelsea FC, with a 4-0 win at West Ham United FC allowing Manchester United FC to make up valuable ground.

Fateful miss
Only two points separate the top two in England after City finally ended a bizarre run of seven successive league draws to beat Chelsea. Mark Hughes' side were unlucky to go behind after eight minutes when Shay Given's save from Nicolas Anelka rebounded into his own net off Emmanuel Adebayor, but the former Arsenal FC striker made amends before half-time, stabbing home the rebound from a Shaun Wright-Phillips shot. Former United man Carlos Tévez then gave city the lead with a 56th-minute free-kick, but Lampard missed the chance to salvage a point, with his penalty saved by Given following a foul on Didier Drogba with less than ten minutes remaining.

United rout
Earlier in the day, a rousing second-half performance at Upton Park earned Sir Alex Ferguson's United a comfortable victory over West Ham. Paul Scholes chested down to smash home United's opener in first-half added time, with Darron Gibson striking a fine second after just after the hour mark after being set up by Ryan Giggs. Antonio Valencia then slid in to nudge home a third before setting up Wayne Rooney to make it 4-0 barely a minute later.

Villa success
Cesc Fàbregas missed a first-half penalty for Arsenal, but they still beat Stoke City FC 2-0, with Andrei Arshavin and Aaron Ramsey on target. Liverpool FC, meanwhile, were held to a 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers FC, with Aston Villa FC taking full advantage, securing fifth place in the table with a 3-0 win against Hull City AFC. Villa's local rivals Birmingham City FC won 3-2 at Wigan Athletic FC, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC won 2-1 against fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers FC, while the day's early fixture saw bottom side Portsmouth FC net a 2-0 triumph against Burnley FC.

Match Pack: Blackburn

After stuttering at Anfield, the Reds aim to get back on track against struggling Rovers...

Form guide Blackburn haven't won on the road in the league this season, and they're leaking an alarming number of goals. A 3-2 triumph in the derby against Burnley, which came between a 6-2 defeat to Arsenal and last weekend's 5-0 hammering at Chelsea, provides some hope, as has their 5-2 midweek victory over Peterborough in the Carling Cup. But 15 goals conceded in the last four games is hardly the best preparation for a trip to OT. United on the other hand, have dropped points in two of the last three league games, and will be desperate to get last Sunday's Anfield defeat out of the system.

Manager Good friend of Sir Alex, Sam Allardyce has a big job on his hands at Ewood Park, not least with Blackburn sitting uncomfortably in 16th place in the league. That said, just five points separate Wigan in 10th and Hull in 18th places, so they could easily climb the table if Big Sam can cure Rovers' leaky defence. He's not been in contact with his players this week as he feels the affects of a virus. Rovers are trying to contain an outbreak of swine flu, so Sam sat in the stands for their win over Posh.

Ins and outs Blackburn have seemingly restricted the swine flu problem, with defender Christopher Samba still struggling. But Rovers say they are monitoring the situation day-by-day. Right-back Pascal Chimbonda (calf) and midfielder Vince Grella (thigh) are also doubts. United will be without Ji-sung Park (knee) while Darren Fletcher has yet to play since injuring his foot on international duty with Scotland.

Star man David Dunn. He's scored five goals in eight games playing 'in the hole' just behind the strikers this season, and doing it to great effect. He was one of those who came down with a virus this week, but came on as a substitute against Peterborough and will be the main threat on Saturday.

Referee Phil Dowd. First United match he's officiated this season. His last game in charge of United was our 2-0 defeat to Fulham in March last year, in which he sent off Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney.

Rivals watch Arsenal v Tottenham, Sat 12:45 BST; Bolton v Chelsea, 15:00; Fulham v Liverpool, 15:00; Birmingham v Man City, Sun 16:00.

Good Evans, says Rio

Rio Ferdinand has labelled young Reds centre-half Jonny Evans "fantastic" and claims the Northern Irishman made the right decision to stay at United, despite no guarantees of regular football.

Evans was a prime target for Sunderland last summer after impressing in the Championship during a loan spell at the Stadium of Light. But he opted to remain at Old Trafford, where Ferdinand says he's blossomed into a top-class defender.

"He's a fantastic young player," Rio Ferdinand told the Press Association. "For centre-halves it's always difficult to see the best of them at early ages. There's always a chance of them making mistakes but Jonny keeps that to a minimum.

"He's got a cool head on his shoulders. He's sat back and watched for a few years when he was younger. He went to Sunderland, did very well and they wanted to buy him, for obvious reasons.

"But he stuck to his guns, stayed here and last season he had opportunities to play. When he did so, he was fantastic."

And it wasn't just the odd Carling Cup game, either. Evans made 24 appearances in 2008/09, providing valuable cover for the established central-defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

But Evans, a full international and one of the game's most exciting defensive prospects, could easily have been lured by regular football elsewhere had Ferdinand not offered the youngster some valuable advice.

"I spoke to him in pre-season last year in South Africa," Rio said. "He was at a stage where he wanted to play every week. He'd been doing that the season before at Sunderland and he didn't want to come back and play for the Reserves again. He wanted to play first-team football.

"It's the same argument for any young player: Do you want to go and play for mid-table team or do you want to be in the squad of a team where you're going to get chances to play in a title-winning or European Cup-winning team?

"When you look at it like that it's a bit of a no-brainer. The manager didn't want to let him go anyway, but I think Jonny came round to
thinking that it was better to be a part of the squad and play when the opportunities came."

Michael's delight at debut goal

Report by Gemma Thompson
www.manutd.com



Michael Owen was all smiles after he struck his first goal in a red shirt and ensured victory for United in Kuala Lumpur.

The 29-year-old striker made his debut in United's opening Asia Tour game as a 61st minute substitute and hit the winner five minutes from full-time, pouncing on a loose ball after Ryan Giggs had been tackled in the area.

Owen was delighted to open his account for the Reds and hopes it will be the first of many.

"It was a really nice feeling [to score]," he told MUTV. "You train for weeks in preparation for that all-important first game and to score on your debut feels great.

"It's always nice to get off the mark, not just when you join a new club but any time. I was sat chatting to Wayne [Rooney] in the dressing room afterwards and he feels the same way after getting off the mark for the season.

"It's obviously doubly good for me with it being my first goal for the club, and even though it won't really count in the grand scheme of things, it does make you feel better. Hopefully I can score a lot more."

After a bright opening period, United were made to work hard for their 3-2 victory by a determined and energetic Malaysian XI. Owen felt the team performed well in the hot conditions and expects further improvements to follow.

"It was very hot out there. We've played in these conditions before and you just have make sure you prepare properly and do the right things afterwards to recover for the next game," he explained.

"I think the fans saw a good match today and hopefully we can put in some more good performances."

Club cancels Indonesia visit

Following the explosions in Jakarta – one of which was at the hotel the team were due to stay in – and based on advice received, the Directors have informed the Indonesian FA that the Club cannot fulfil the fixture in Jakarta on the 2009 Asia tour.

We are working on a revised itinerary outside Indonesia with the promoters, and will make a further announcement when these decisions have been made.

We are deeply disappointed at not being able to visit Indonesia and thank the Indonesian FA and our fans for their support.

Our thoughts go to all those affected by the blasts.

Club statement ends.

Speaking at a press conference shortly after arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Sir Alex Ferguson said: "It was a shock. We got the news just as we landed and it’s very disappointing.

"The Indonesian FA have worked very hard to get us over there and it’s a terribly big disappointment for them. There’s no other decision we could have taken in regards to the safeguarding of our players. We feel we’ve made the right decision."

Club captain Gary Neville echoed his manager's sentiments:

"We’re all disappointed not to get the opportunity to go to Indonesia. One of the great things about playing for this club is the chance you get to play in different countries and meet our fans from around the world. The players are as disappointed as everybody else."

Strong squad for Malaysia match

Report by Adam Bostock & Gemma Thompson

Sir Alex Ferguson will have a strong squad at his disposal on Saturday, when he names the line-up for United's first Asia Tour match against Malaysian XI.

All bar two of the 22 players on board the flight from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur are full internationals, the exceptions being Brazilian left-back Fabio da Silva and Italian striker Federico Macheda.

New signing Michael Owen is in contention for his first appearance in a United shirt, having joined fellow strikers Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and young Macheda on the plane.

Travelling squad: Edwin van der Sar, Tomasz Kuszczak, Ben Foster; Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Fabio da Silva; Nani, Zoran Tosic, Darren Fletcher, Anderson, Darron Gibson, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs; Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov, Federico Macheda, Wayne Rooney.

Live blog: ManUtd.com's Nick Coppack is among the staff on the trip and he'll be publishing regular updates, complete with video clips and stills from his shiny new digital camera, following his arrival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday morning UK time.

Live coverage: Saturday's match (kick-off 10:30 BST) will be the first of seven pre-season games being shown live on MUTV and MUTV Online.

Message board: From the above squad, which eleven would you start with in Malaysia on Saturday? Post your team and a brief explanation on manutd.com/talkingreds.

www.manutd.com

Gibson agrees new deal

Report by Ben Hibbs

Darron Gibson has agreed a three-year contract extension at Old Trafford and is aiming to challenge for regular first-team involvement.

The new deal keeps the 21-year-old Republic of Ireland international at the club until at least June 2012.

"I am very happy to commit my future to United," Darron told ManUtd.com.

"Last season I enjoyed every opportunity and when I got my chance I wanted to prove what I could do. I hope to continue that this season."

Gibson made 14 appearances for the Reds last season, playing an integral part in United's Carling Cup triumph. He also scored three goals, including an outstanding long-distance effort against Hull City on the final day of the league season.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Gibson expects even more from the Irish central midfielder this season.

"Darron was one of the young players who emerged last season as a United first-team player," he told us.

"His appearance ratio did not really reflect the high regard in which we hold him, as he has constantly worked hard to challenge for a first team spot."

Win a chance to meet the players

www.manutd.com

Claim a free photo opportunity with the Barclays Premier League trophy, Club World Cup and Carling Cup plus free Museum entry when you buy the new home shirt at Old Trafford's Megastore from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 July.

You'll also receive a voucher to fill in with your details for entry into a prize draw, in which you could win the chance to meet three players during the season. These terms apply:

1. The voucher entitles one adult and one child per transaction to a free entry into the Manchester United Museum, Old Trafford where they are entitled to a free photograph with the Premier League, Carling Cup and Club World Cup trophies. 2. The voucher will only be redeemable at the Manchester United Museum, Old Trafford, on production of this voucher and a valid till receipt for the new home shirt. 3. The voucher can only be redeemed between Thursday 16 July and Sunday 26 July 2009 inclusive. 4. The offer is available for purchases made between Thursday 16 July and Sunday 19 July 2009 inclusive. 5. Only 1 free photo per voucher is permitted. 6. The Megastore and Museum opening hours apply throughout the offer period – please see instore for details. 7. Copied, damaged or defected vouchers will not be accepted. 8. The voucher has no cash value and is not transferable. 9. The voucher may not be used in conjunction with any other offer, discount or promotion. 10. Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult in the Museum. 11. The shirt and voucher are subject to availability. 12. Please note that if a refund is subsequently given for the new home shirt purchased the entry fee for the Museum and photograph fee will be deducted from that refund. 13. Subject to player availability.

Blog: See you in September

Report by Adam Bostock

Roll on Sunday, 20 September.

Forgive me for not taking it one game at a time and looking slightly beyond Saturday morning’s pre-season opener in Kuala Lumpur, but I just can’t help relishing the Reds’ first skirmish with the New Improved Manchester City, especially now they have one Carlos Alberto Tevez in their ranks.

The summer recruitment drive at Eastlands – with or without the still possible additions of Adebayor and Terry – will not only make the race for fifth place more interesting (look out Everton and Villa, City are coming), it should also make for a better derby than the one we witnessed at Old Trafford on 10 May.

Of course, United picked up three more points on that last derby day, thank you very much, but it became a procession after the break with the Reds already two-up; even the ever-industrious Darren Fletcher admitted afterwards, “We slackened off a bit in the second half, but we’d done enough to win the match.”

I wonder, did the lack of resistance from City, then Arsenal six days later, give the United players the best preparation for the bigger fish they had to fry in Rome? I’d say not – if every game is a full-blooded, high stakes affair, with both teams going hammer and tongs, surely that’s better for maintaining levels of intensity and tempo. The Reds were playing, almost literally, cup finals every week en route to lifting the European Cup in 1999; when, conversely, the Premier League was won at a canter in 2000 and 2001, the concurrent Champions League campaigns faltered.

City at home won't be a cup final, it never is for United, but coming just six games into the league season, it could tell us just how seriously we should take the threat from our shopaholic neighbours. Especially if the Blues have lived up to the expectations of their understandably giddy supporters and racked up a maximum 15 points before kick-off at Old Trafford.

So roll on the first derby of the new season, with a certain Argentine hell-bent on scoring against his former employers – assuming Mark Hughes brings him off the bench, that is. Such fire and brimstone from the Blues could bring out the best in the champions on the pitch and stir the crowd off it as we rise to the challenge of a new world order in football. Apparently.

The views expressed in this blog are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United FC.

Eckersley joins Burnley

Report by Ben Hibbs

Burnley have completed the signing of young Reds defender Richard Eckersley.

The 20-year-old Salford-born right-back has agreed a four-year deal at Turf Moor and arrives for Burnley's first season in the Premier League.

As a result of the player's age, the Clarets must now agree a compensation fee with United.

Eckersley made his first-team debut for the Reds in the 2-1 FA Cup victory over Tottenham back in January, coming on as a second-half substitute.

Watch live pre-season action

www.manutd.com

Good news if you can't wait for your next dose of live United action: MUTV and MUTV Online will be showing seven pre-season matches live this summer.

Live match coverage starts with all four games on the Asia Tour*:

Malaysia XI on 18 July
Indonesia All Star on 20 July
FC Seoul (Korea) on 24 July
Hangzhou Greentown FC (China) on 26 July

The action in Asia will be closely followed by two Audi Cup matches** in Germany:

Boca Juniors on 29 July
Bayern Munich or AC Milan on 30 July

Finally, the Reds return to Old Trafford for a friendly against Spanish opposition:

Valencia on 5 August.

To sign-up to MUTV Online and see all the content on offer, visit manutd.com/video.

To sign-up and find out more about MUTV, go to manutd.com/joinmutv.

*Supporters in Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea and China will not be able to watch the matches live on MUTV Online when United are playing in their country.

**Supporters outside UK and Eire will not be able to watch the Audi Cup live online.

Van der Sar excited by tour

Report by Ben Hibbs

Edwin van der Sar can't wait to return to the continent of United's recent Club World Cup triumph when the Reds head out on a pre-season tour of Asia.

United were in Japan in December to become the first English team to be named World champions, and van der Sar is looking forward to returning to perform in front of the Reds' loyal Far East fanbase this month.

"The last time we were in Asia was a great occasion because we became world champions and everyone is looking forward to going out there again this week," Edwin told ManUtd.com.

Old Trafford is full most weeks with die-hard Reds from closer to home, but Edwin says these summer trips are an opportunity for equally devoted United fans from around the globe to see the Reds up close.

"It’s a great feeling to see the joy on people’s faces when we’re in Asia," he says.

"The fans are so fanatical and dedicated – some wait outside our hotel all day and night. Many of them don’t get the chance to see us very often so it’s great that we can over there and visit them."