Real’s pursuit of the Ballon D’Or winner dominated the summer. But United eventually claimed victory, fending off interest from the reigning Spanish champions, despite the Portuguese winger professing a desire to one day wear the white shirt of the Madrid club.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson became increasingly frustrated by the tactics of the Spanish club, who often used the Madrid-based press to leak information and aid the capture of high profile transfer targets.

Calderón claimed at the end of the summer that Real would not pursue the player again until United were willing to do business though maintained the club were still interested in the player.

But El Mundo look to have reignited the row ahead of the January transfer window.

“If you are asking me what we are going to do now then I would tell you that we have already signed the best player for the summer,” Trapote is quoted as saying after Real’s recent league defeat to Barcelona.

It is unclear if he knew the conversation was being recorded.

“The best of the best. It is Cristiano, there is no other. It is better that we do not say anything at the moment though.”

“Why can you not say anything. It is the best time because things are going badly and people need something to excite them in the middle of all this,” suggested the reporter.

“No,” replied Trapote, “it is best to not say anything because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it now. For us it would be a good time, but should not do that. But it is not bad, eh?”

The veracity of the report has yet to be confirmed by either club but Ferguson is likely to be enraged by the timing of the leak as he prepares his side to play in the Club World Cup in Japan before returning to England to a busy domestic programme and a probable large points deficit in the Premier League.

Real director Pedro Trapote reportedly told Spanish newspaper El Mundo a deal had been struck, but added “there are clauses keeping us from announcing it”.

But BBC Manchester’s Steve Wyeth said the news has been greeted with anger by United officials.

“It’s been strongly dismissed, and with pretty colourful language,” said Wyeth.

Trapote, understood to be very close to club president Ramon Calderon, had gone on record to tell El Mundo: “We have already signed our top target for next summer.

“Is it Cristiano Ronaldo? It is Cristiano, there is no-one else. The thing is, it is better not to say anything right now.”

But Wyeth, who is with the United team in Japan for their Fifa World Club Cup campaign, insists the claims have been met with disbelief by manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his team.

No official statement has yet emerged from the club, but the BBC has been told in no uncertain terms that Trapote’s claims are inaccurate.

606: DEBATE
“Already? I thought we’d have to wait until at least January for these rumours to start again”
MGheeMUFC

And the latest twist in the Real Madrid-Ronaldo story could well open wounds between the clubs following the acrimonious dealings between United and the Spanish giants over the summer.

Real’s public pursuit of the 23-year-old ended with United complaining to Fifa over their conduct, with Ferguson claiming they had shown “a lack of morals”.

The case was dismissed because of a lack of evidence, and Ronaldo later told Spanish sports paper Marca in October that he is “with Manchester in body and soul”.

Ronaldo, this year’s Ballon D’Or winner, is currently contracted at Old Trafford until 2012.

Rooney was cleared by European football’s governing body over an alleged stamp on Kasper Risgard, the Aalborg midfield player, during United’s 2-2 Champions League draw at Old Trafford last Wednesday. The England forward could have been banned for one or both legs of United’s first knockout round tie in February and March had Uefa decided to take action. Risgard had accused Rooney of deliberately “jumping” on his chest. “Uefa will not open any disciplinary proceedings against Wayne Rooney,” a spokesman said.

Ronaldo escaped censure after appearing to kick out at Michael Dawson, the Tottenham Hotspur defender, during the team’s goalless draw at White Hart Lane in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

The incident was missed by Mike Dean, the referee, but after watching video footage, the official decided it was not serious enough to warrant action. A spokesman for the FA said: “We contacted the referee, who confirmed he didn’t see the incident at the time and, having reviewed footage, he has also confirmed he would not have sent the player off for violent conduct had he seen it. On that basis, no further action will be taken.”
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* Manchester United: it’s a red planet

* Rooney could face three-match suspension

* Rooney accused of stamping as United held

United are still undecided whether to appeal against the FA’s decision to ban Patrice Evra for four matches after the defender was found guilty of striking a Chelsea groundsman after his team’s 2-1 league defeat at Stamford Bridge in April. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, was outraged by the decision, although the club are thought to have doubts about whether they would succeed with an appeal.

David Gill, the United chief executive, is convinced that the Club World Cup will blossom into a leading event in the football calendar after the squad arrived in Japan yesterday for the much-maligned tournament. Some have questioned the wisdom of United travelling to the other side of the world in the middle of the English season but Gill expects it to increase in profile. United face Gamba Osaka in their semi-final on Thursday.

“You have to start somewhere,” he said. “Who is to say what this tournament will look like in 40 years? Over time, I am sure it will be recognised as a competition of major significance.”

Do you notice that Tottenham don’t lose to the bigger teams? They drew with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, drew again with Arsenal at Emirates and beat Liverpool at home last month. Mind you, Liverpool are currently leading the Premiership.

Tottenham thrive under Harry Redknapp. The team is capable of raising their game when they play against the Big Four.

Man United had the chance to gain the three points at White Hart Lane but Heurelho Gomes’ individual performance saved Tottenham from losing.

He even earned praise from Sir Alex Ferguson after the match.

It was an exciting match, but a pity that there wasn’t any goal. Man United finished strongly. But Gomes turned things around for Tottenham.

How is Tottenham different under Redknapp?

REDKNAPP has changed a few positions. Darren Bent is a good striker and has been given more chances to score.

Didier Zokora has been moved back to midfield, which is his best position. David Bentley, too, gets to play regularly under the new boss.

Redknapp is an experienced manager in the Premiership and manages without the help of a technical director, as some clubs do.

When he took over Tottenham from Juande Ramos, the team were right at the bottom of the table.

They are moving up now. To be in the top 10 of the table is achievable for Redknapp. People don’t call him Harry Houdini for nothing.

He is a miracle worker.

Tottenham’s goalkeeper Gomes surprised everyone with his saves. Is he going to be the new hero for Tottenham this season?

GOMES’ saves were indeed the highlights of the match.

He was a good player with PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league and Champions League.

But he needed to adapt to the Premiership where the games are played at a faster pace and more aerial balls are played.

Gomes probably had problems communicating with the defenders when he first joined the team. He made a lot of blunders. And under Ramos, he couldn’t handle crosses.

But things are turning around for him. Look how he denied Dimitar Berbatov and company from scoring.

If he didn’t have full concentration, Man United would have gotten their late goal. But Gomes saved Tottenham single-handedly.

To be able to handle the kind of firepower from Man United, Gomes has certainly raised his game.

He has performed better under Redknapp who gave him the trust and confidence that he needed.

Cristiano Ronaldo with the Ballon d’Or

The Manchester United winger was named as Kaka’s successor in the early hours of Tuesday morning and was presented with the trophy in a televised ceremony.

Ronaldo, who was the subject of much speculation this summer over a possible move to Real Madrid, was delighted to finally get his hands on the Ballon d’Or and has vowed to fire his club to more success this season.

”I feel at home there,” he told France Football at a celebratory dinner last night. ”I arrived there when I was very young and I have won individual and team trophies there.

”Today I have this individual award that makes me very happy, it’s the fulfilment of work that I have been doing for a long time. But I am ambitious. I have to keep on lifting individual and team trophies.”

At the ceremony itself Ronaldo had scotched rumours he was still thinking about a move to Madrid, insisting his mind is only focused on helping his team emulate last season’s achievements.

”I hope everything will be good again this year,” he said on TF1. ”And that we’ll win the the Champions League again and the Premier League also, which is the club’s priority.

”It’s not the time to talk about other clubs at the moment. I’m happy here and I’m going to stay.”

Of the 96 leading journalists polled by the French magazine, 77 voted Ronaldo as their number one player this year and every one placed him in their top five after he scored 42 goals in United’s Premier League and Champions League-winning season.

The 23-year-old was visibly moved at the ceremony and even had a tear in his eye as he listened to people pay tribute to his stunning year.

Samuel Eto’o, Luis Figo and Luiz Felipe Scolari were just a few of the host of footballing luminaries who spoke on the video montage, while members of his family and friends also had messages for him,

”Congratulations because you deserved this Ballon’ d’Or,” said team-mate Patrice Evra before jokingly adding: ”We helped you too, you have to think about us, You need to thank us too.”

Kaka added the FIFA World Player of the Year award to his Ballon d’Or last year, something which Ronaldo is widely expected to achieve too when that prize is announced next month. And the AC Milan star believes he is a worthy successor.

”I like the speed with which he runs with the ball,” he said. ”He’s a fundamental player. I like him a lot.”

Ronaldo’s red card removed some of the gloss but, ultimately, that kind of thing is only a minor irritation when you have just beaten the club who have been shouting from the rooftops about changing the order of world football.

A club with United’s priorities will not mind too much, either, about the fine that will automatically be handed out by the Football Association as this was the second time this season they have collected six or more yellow cards in a match. Do not put money on United winning the Fair Play League but, equally, think twice before questioning whether they have the battling qualities to come from behind in this season’s title race.

They won the 150th Mancunian derby because they passed the ball better and had a centre-forward who decided he had waited long enough to score the 100th goal of his career.

Rooney was the outstanding performer, although an honorary mention goes to Michael Carrick. Between them, they dictated the pattern of a game in which the margin of victory was flattering to Mark Hughes’ team.

That’s because, in part, of Robinho’s inability to impose himself. This was his weakest game since moving to England and, at times, he looked as though he was struggling from an old ankle injury.

Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, City’s other main threats, flickered sporadically, and the home side did not really pose any threat until another Brazilian, Elano, came on at half-time.

His introduction with Pablo Zabaleta was an admission on Hughes’ part that the first half had been horribly one-sided.

Rooney was having one of those days when he shimmered with menace every time he took the ball. Park Ji-Sung was busy and effective and Ronaldo started off in great form, always wanting the ball and full of positive running.

Rooney would be left to reflect on a hugely satisfying day’s work, scoring the game’s decisive goal after City’s goalkeeper, Joe Hart, had parried Carrick’s left-foot drive.

For Ronaldo, however, everything would change during the space of 10 second-half minutes.

His first aberration was to clip Wright-Phillips’s heels, cutting short a counter-attack and earning him his first yellow card from Howard Webb. It could have turned into red if Webb had taken a dim view of Ronaldo sarcastically applauding the decision.

Instead, his exit was sealed when Rooney swung over a corner and the runaway favourite to be named European footballer of the year tonight inexplicably decided to bat down the ball with both hands.

Why he did it, only he will know. Ronaldo can be devastating in the air and the opportunity was there to have a go at goal. His argument was that he had been pushed by Micah Richards but there was minimal contact, certainly not enough to make him lose the trajectory of the ball. He took an age to leave the pitch and, on the way, complained he had tried to stop play after hearing what he thought was the referee’s whistle. Again, it did not wash.

City’s fans enjoyed the moment but it was a small victory. Hughes will look back on that moment, in the third minute of stoppage time, when a combination of Edwin van der Sar’s left hand and Patrice Evra’s boot blocked Richard Dunne’s effort on the line, denying him an improbable equaliser. The home side will also reflect on Ireland hitting a post after Van der Sar’s unconvincing punch just after the half-hour mark.

These, however, were isolated moments on a day when, for every chance that City created, United had three. Even after Dunne’s late chance the team in red elegantly counter-attacked and, alert as ever, Rooney noticed Joe Hart was still running back after coming forward for the attack. The striker lofted a wonderfully measured shot from inside City’s half, but the ball was in the air long enough for Hart to get back and stop it dropping just under the crossbar.

Even so, United are entitled to think they have reminded City of their place.

However, wing wizard Ronaldo, albeit focussed on Euro 2008 with the Portugal camp for much of the summer, never did come out to quash the rumours outright. A tabloid storm ensued and many deemed the free-scoring Portuguese a traitor.

Recently, though, the 23-year-old has broken his silence, uttering positive things about the Red Devils. This theme of contentment continues in the latest quotes attributed to the FifPro World Footballer of the Year.

He told the English press, “Last season was the best time of my career, but I know I can get even better.

“Last season enabled me to achieve great things on many levels, but I want to score more and win more trophies. I’m at the right club for that.

“I’m really happy. I’m lucky, too, as I have a great relationship with everyone at United.”
Ronaldo recently insisted he can at least equal his incredible 42 goal haul of last season before May, despite Fergie’s doubts.

SIR Alex Ferguson is ready to pay a king’s ransom of $365,000 a week to keep Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford until 2014.

Real Madrid spent much of the summer courting the Portuguese master, and United were furious at the Spaniards’ constant efforts to prise him away.

Ronaldo is on a $292,000 a week deal through to 2012 and could buy himself out of the contract at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Ricardo Gardner inspired Bolton to a 2-0 win over Manchester City with his first Premier League goal for six years.

Vice President Adriano Galliani held successful talks in Milan this afternoon with lawyers of the England international, and a loan deal commencing on January 7, 2009, has been signed, sealed and delivered.

A brief statement on the official Milan website ran as follows:

“MILAN – A.C. Milan communicate the arrival of the footballer David Beckham on loan. The agreement is official: the English champion will be a Rossonero starting from 7 January 2009, when the lists will open.”

The 33-year-old, who has previously starred for Manchester United and Real Madrid, will play both Serie A and UEFA Cup games for Milan, and his first match could be an away clash at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma on January 11.

In some updated news on this move, Galliani has revealed that Beckham will stay with Milan for three months before returning to LA Galaxy.

“Beckham will remain with us only for three months, then he will go back to the USA. He has too many marketing contracts with
LA Galaxy,” the transfer guru stated.

Displaying flashes of real style, United raced into a 13th-minute lead after the superb Nani cut the ball back for Ronaldo to slot into the corner.

Dimitar Berbatov’s sublime skill saw him skip past James Collins, allowing him to square for Ronaldo to tap in.

But West Ham offered little attacking threat and a lame Luis Boa Morte effort failed to test keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

With Sir Alex Ferguson’s side eight points behind leaders Liverpool coming into the game, United were keen to return to winning ways after being held to a frustrating draw at Everton on Saturday.

And they found the perfect opponents, with Gianfranco Zola’s Hammers looking every bit like a team who had lost their last three games and are yet to keep a clean sheet this season.

Phelan hails Berbatov skill

United almost took a second-minute lead after Berbatov’s side-footed shot was deflected just over the bar by Matthew Upson.

And Nani was cleverly found down the left two minutes later and flashed a powerful snap-shot just wide of Hammers keeper Robert Green’s upright.

The home side did have a momentary lapse of concentration but, with Craig Bellamy isolated upfront and West Ham’s five-man midfield proving ineffective, United began to run riot.

The ubiquitous Nani passed a simple cross behind the visitors static back-line for Ronaldo to guide a low left-footed shot into the corner.

606: DEBATE
I’m a very disappointed Hammer right now! We have lost our last 4 games!…

ironJL
United – who have now not scored in their past 33 league matches – created chance after chance as Nani fired just wide and Anderson failed to register his first goal for the club when presented with an easy opportunity.

Upson fought manfully to stem the tide but United’s class was simply overwhelming them.

And the inevitable second goal came on 29 minutes when Anderson caressed the down the left and, after flummoxing Collins with a breathtaking moment of skill on the by-line, Berbatov squared for Ronaldo to slot in his second.

United continued to keep West Ham on the back foot until the break, and Zola’s half-time team talk and changes did at least see his side fight under in the second half.

Hayden Mullins made a crucial block on the ever-willing Carlos Tevez in the penalty area, and a posse of Hammers defenders had to combine to block his progress minutes later.

Bad spell will be short-lived – Zola

Bellamy did rouse West Ham’s travelling contingent with a 45-yard free-kick which dipped just over United’s crossbar, as he tried to catch Tomasz Kuszczak off his line.

But substitute Wayne Rooney came on for Nani with 20 minutes remaining and soon had Green pushing a deft chip over his bar and scrambling to block a vicious drive.

Boa Morte was put through by Bellamy’s floated pass over the top of the United defence but knocked a weak effort into Kuszczak’s arms.

The Hammers did also make a couple of late counter-attacks amid a flurry of substitutions but, time and again, their final ball was not good enough.

Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan:
“We felt we should have attacked the game more and gone for more goals. We weren’t as comfortable as we should have been in the second half.

“Berbatov showed his credentials and that piece of skill was the highlight of the game.

“We need to keep the run going and the players realise that goal [difference] could be important at the end of the season.”

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola:
“They are the champions of Europe so it’s difficult but at least they gave everything in the second half.

“My players deserved a goal in the second half but Sears and Collison came on and did very well.

“I have a great belief in my players, I trust them very much, and I am sure this bad spell will be over soon.”

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva (Neville 81), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher (Carrick 69), Anderson, Nani (Rooney 70), Tevez, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Giggs, Park, O’Shea.

Booked: Evra.

Goals: Ronaldo 14, 30.

West Ham: Green, Faubert, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami (Boa Morte 44), Bowyer (Sears 69), Mullins, Etherington (Collison 46), Di Michele, Bellamy.
Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Davenport, Reid.

Booked: Collison, Collins.

Att: 75,397

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

The Manchester United manager, winner of so many trophies and crucial battles, believes that prayers on the pitch are hardly answered.

In a rare, wide-ranging interview with The Times, he said: “When I was in my first Cup final as manager of Aberdeen, we were 1-0 up, and Rangers scored two goals in the last two minutes of injury time to win 2-1.

“I had prayed that day, and I thought, I would never do it again.”

Here are other nuggets gleaned from the interview with the much-decorated Scot.

PERSUADING RONALDO

“I told Cristiano Ronaldo he can follow in the footsteps of Cantona. British fans have a special appreciation for loyalty when it comes from a great foreign player.

“That’s the reason Eric Cantona is still so revered. Because he not only understood, but also bonded with Manchester. He cherished the club and the company of his teammates.

“As different as they are, Ronaldo can feel that he belongs to Man United.”

COURAGE

“Courage in football, as in life, comes in many forms. But the courage to continue, no matter how many times he is going to be kicked, identifies Ronaldo.

“Some believe the greatest courage in football is the courage to win the ball. The other kind of courage – and it’s a moral courage – is the courage to keep the ball.

“That’s what Ronaldo has. All the great players had it. (George) Best had it, (Bobby) Charlton had it, Cantona (too).

“I’ll take the kick. I’ll take the injury. But I will keep the ball. I’ll beat the bully.”

IS HE A BULLY?

“Absolutely not. I did look up “bully” in the dictionary once and, as I remember, it said a bully is somebody who preys on the weak.

“If you look at some of the people I have stood up to over the years as a manager – and I have had dust-ups with all sorts of people in that dressing room – generally speaking, they are much, much bigger than me. There is nothing bullying about that.”

PLAYER HE MISSED OUT

“Paolo di Canio would have been capable of becoming a truly great player at Man United. He expresses himself as an individual, like George Best and Eric Cantona did, and Ryan Giggs,Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov do.

“We make heroes quickly here. Di Canio could have been in that category.”

PLAYER HE FEARS

“Well, the Celtic defender John McNamee (tough Scottish centre- back in the 1960s, when Ferguson was a striker for Celtic’s archrivals Rangers). He was a daunting figure”

GREAT SCOTS

“I think people in the west of Scotland grow up in a different climate. It’s wet, damp, unforgiving, but it does have a real part to play in forging a person’s character and determination – people like me, Jock Stein (former Celtic boss) and Bill Shankly (former Liverpool manager).”

RETIREMENT

“It’s a funny thing – the older I get, the more frightened I get of retiring. I hope and expect that my successor will be a formidable person. Because this job, believe me, is not easy. It can’t be done the same way twice.”

Portugal winger Ronaldo’s goals helped Manchester United win the English Premier League and the Champions League last season, while Messi, who plays his club football for Barcelona in Spain, inspired Argentina to winning the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Ronaldo finished third in the voting last year, with Messi as the runner-up to Brazil forward Kaka of AC Milan.

Six members of Spain’s European Championship-winning team – Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Villa and Xavi Hernandez – are also chasing world football’s most-prized individual award.

Click here

Kaka is in contention again, as are three strikers from African nations: Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo, Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, who placed third in 2005.

There are 10 women on Fifa’s shortlist for the top female player, including Brazilian Marta, Birgit Prinz of Germany and the American duo of Hope Solo and Shannon Boxx.

The lists of candidates were drawn up by a team of experts assembled by football’s world governing body.

Voting is done by head coaches and captains of men’s and women’s national teams.

Three finalists in each category will be named in December, and the winners’ names will be announced at a gala event in the Zurich Opera House on January 12.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze has branded Alex Ferguson’s theory about why the Spanish club signed him as “science fiction”.

The United manager on Tuesday accused the Spanish giants of signing the Argentinian in 2007 in order to tempt Ronaldo to follow his close friend out of Old Trafford.

“This theory of Ferguson’s – that I went to Real so the club could persuade Cristiano (to sign) the following summer – is a work of absolute science fiction,” the British daily the Guardian yesterday quoted Heinze as saying.

“Cristiano is a clever person and he decides for himself what is best for his life. I am a very good friend of his, that is true, but he always decides his own future.”

Ronaldo was courted by the Spanish Primera Liga champions during the close season after he had let slip that he would like to join them in future, but the 23-year-old FIFpro Player of the Year finally ended the speculation just before the start of the 2008-09 campaign in August by committing himself to United’s cause.

Earlier this week, the Portugal winger said he had made the right decision to stay, adding that he expected to be at Old Trafford beyond this season. – Sapa-AFP-Reuters

WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Emmanuel Adebayor (Tog), Sergio Aguero (Arg), Andrei Arshavin (Rus), Michael Ballack (Ger), Gianluigi Buffon (Ita), Iker Casillas (Esp), Deco (Por), Didier Drogba (Cod), Samuel Eto’o (Cmr), Cesc Fabregas (Esp), Steven Gerrard (Eng), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Swe), Andres Iniesta (Esp), Kaka (Bra), Frank Lampard (Eng), Lionel Messi (Arg), Franck Ribery (Fra), Cristiano Ronaldo (Por), John Terry (Eng), Fernando Torres (Esp), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Ned), David Villa (Esp), Xavi Hernandez (Esp)

Ronaldo took his tally for the current campaign to five following his first half brace at Old Trafford to inspire United to a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday.

The Portugal winger struck on 14 and 29 minutes and now Ferguson is backing Ronaldo to continue finding the back of the net as United go in search of another trophy-filled season.

He scored 42 times last season to finish the campaign as the leading scorer in the Premier League and Ferguson sees no reason why he can’t do the same again.

The United manager said: “Cristiano is getting there (back to his best) without question.

“He missed a lot of pre-season work but he’s getting work now just with playing games and is improving all the time.

“He’s got five for the season now and he can go on to get between 25 and 42. He’s capable. He might even get 42 goals again. He’s such a threat in the penalty box and I thought he took his goals very well.”

Despite lavishing praise on Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov, Ferguson has reassured Carlos Tevez that he still has a massive role to play with the European champions.

Tevez started his first game for a month in the win over the Hammers and there have been rumours the Argentinean international is becoming frustrated.

But Ferguson has held private talks with the striker and told him he is still heavily in his plans.

Ferguson added: “Carlos remains just as important to us as the guys that have been hogging the headlines of late.

“I sat down with him only last week to stress to him that our faith in him is absolute, that he remains a top player in the eyes of myself, the players and the supporters. It’s just that three players won’t fit into two positions and my job is to balance the team.

“It could be done against certain opposition but it isn’t the real solution and we are doing so well I don’t want to meddle too much.”

The Hammers now face an anxious wait to discover the extent of the injury suffered by Julien Faubert before half time.

He was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee problem after falling awkwardly and was taken straight to the dressing room.

The midfielder will undergo some scans but could be facing a significant spell on the sidelines.

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola said: “Manchester United are such a special team, but our second half performance is a starting point. It gives us something to build on. I know the qualities of my players so I’m not worried. I still believe in them and have faith in them.

“We don’t know how long he (Faubert) will be out for but it doesn’t look good. He has damaged his calf.”

Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 14th minute and Nani was once again the provider. His pass was meant for Darren Fletcher but avoided him as well as James Collins before finding Ronaldo, who swept home a clinical left-footed shot to reward the home side’s enterprising start.

Nani could have doubled United’s advantage two minutes later but after twisting Collins inside out with a magical run he saw his angled shot flash agonisingly wide.

Collins was becoming the scapegoat for the Hammers’ defensive failings and was left red-faced again on 29 minutes when Ronaldo made it 2-0 with his second goal of the night.

Dimitar Berbatov took a long pass from Anderson before beating Collins on the byline with a sublime turn and chip and finding Ronaldo for the simplest of finishes

Since his 42 goal heroics last season, together with his Champions League and Premier League medals, he has been awarded the FIFPro World Player of the Year, Uefa Club Forward of the Year, Uefa Club Player of the Year, the European Golden Shoe, and is in contention for the Ballon d’Or.

His first half brace ensured Manchester United picked up a further three points in the domestic League last night, and increased his current season goal tally to five.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes the 23-year old is close to finding his best form, but come the end of the season he warned that he will be some way off the 42 he totalled last term.

“He is getting there,” Sir Alex is reported to have said. “It is unfortunate due to his ankle operation he is effectively coming through his pre-season in competitive games.

“He has five goals now and he got 42 last season. I would expect him to get between 25 and 42 this year,” the Scot concluded.

Some possibly interesting words from Bruce Arena or some definitely lively commentary from the most entertaining soccer duo on U.S. television — ESPN’s Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth?

Then there is the interest generated by some strange words from Celtic Coach Gordon Strachan, to wit:

“We’re actually trying to sign Snow White to lead my players out at Old Trafford,” Strachan said, referring to the fact that two-thirds of his players are shorter than 6 feet and that Manchester United will have a towering height advantage.

“They’ve got pace, power, height, ability, determination,” Strachan said. “I’m not being cheeky, but I don’t know if any of my players have that.”

So it’s the European champions versus the Scottish dwarfs.

That sound you hear is the TV being switched on. The Galaxy can wait.

Saturday

JOSEPH YOBO is winning his race to be fit to take on Manchester United on Saturday.

The centre-back missed Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal with a virus, but he and Nigerian team-mate Victor Anichebe, as well as Segundo Castillo, are ready to boost David Moyes’s squad for the visit of the champions.

Anichebe sustained a hamstring injury playing for the reserves in last week’s mini-derby victory against Liverpool and subsequently failed to make the squad for the Emirates.

Midfielder Castillo, meanwhile, also picked up a hamstring injury on international duty with Ecuador last week and will also be pressing to return for Saturday’s noon kick-off at Goodison Park.

“Joseph Yobo’s had quite a nasty virus,” said Everton physio Mick Rathbone. “He’s been off for five days but he trained today so hopefully he’ll be able to train all week and he should be okay.

“And Victor too – he got a very minor hamstring strain in the reserve game against Liverpool (last week) but he’s with Castillo now and running pretty comfortably.

“We’ll just see how they all go for the next couple of days.”

Marouane Fellaini departed the action at Arsenal with a dead leg but Rathbone is confident that there are no more serious injury concerns in the squad.

“There’s always a few bumps and bruises but I think all the players are okay,” he added. “Marouane Fellaini got a dead leg and came off in the second half but that’s not bad and I don’t anticipate any problems with that. So it’s so far, so good.”

Lars Jacobsen has targeted a return to action by Christmas after a shoulder injury.

Things could have been different though as Suarez reveals he advised the Nerazzurri to sign the player only for his words to fall on deaf ears.

“Ronaldo was just 17 at the time and a friend of mine in Portugal told me to go and have a look at him,” Suarez told AS.

“I went to the stadium and saw him for the first time and he did some magical things which were not normal.

“I monitored him and I called up the Inter directors and advised them to take him before he made his debut for the senior side. ”

“Back then his agent was Veiga, not his current one, Fernando Mendes.

“However, everything turned out differently and we all knew what happened. He could have signed for Inter.”

Ronaldo played for Sporting at the time but Inter failed to take Suarez’s advice and the Portuguese international ended up at Old Trafford and has become one of the world’s greatest players.

Real did all they could to unsettle the Portugal international last season, with coach Bernd Schuster constantly telling Spanish media that Ronaldo was their No 1 priority.

Schuster has continued to court the 23-year-old this campaign, and only yesterday was quoted as saying: “Manchester United are going to find it very difficult to retain Cristiano next summer.

“He’s full of pride about the idea of coming to Madrid. We’re full of hope we’ll sign him next season.”

These remarks will not go down well with United fans, who are sick of hearing quotes eminating from Madrid regarding their star player.

However, Ronaldo himself has vowed to do all he can to help Sir Alex Ferguson’s men retain their Premier League and Champions League crowns, and believes most United supporters have welcomed him back into their hearts.

He said: “In the game when I came back against Villarreal I wasn’t nervous but just a bit excited about how the fans would react to me.

“Thank God things went well. This shows people have not forgotten all the good things we’ve done together and I’m very happy with that.

“Things are going pretty well. I’d love a repeat of last season and continue to show some good progression.”

Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions last term as United claimed domestic and European success.

His return to first-team action this year was delayed as he recovered from an ankle operation following Euro 2008.

However, the Portuguese has scored twice since making his comeback and is slowly returning to the form that makes him one of the favourites for the Fifa World Player of the Year award in December. It seems that every day that passes, Messi amasses another footballing heavyweight ratifying his bid to be given the illustrious personal honour. The French international, who himself finished second to Pavel Nedved for the coveted prize in 2003, gave Messi his backing but also found time to single out another Barcelona colleague for praise.

Henry told the press room, ” Iniesta is an unbelivable player; I can’t understand why he was not on the list of thirty candidates (for the prize). He was the best player in the Champions League final when I played with Arsenal (against Barcelona), and we play better with him in the team.”

But when asked what could stop Lionel Messi from winning the Ballon d’Or award, the answer was simple.

“He needs to win titles, that is the only thing that counts against him,” he said.  ” But I see him do incredible things in training, and then he produces them on the field, like the match against Atletico Madrid.”

Henry is right – Messi needs to acquire team honurs as well as individual accolades to be considered alongside the true greats.

There are occasions in football when the result seems almost incidental, and as Rodrigo Possebon was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg, the victim — on his first-team debut — of an appalling challenge by the Middlesbrough defender, that appeared to be very much the case for Sir Alex Ferguson as the United manager reflected on the kind of tackle that can end careers.

If there was any justice, it was that Pogatetz’s red card swung the game in United’s favour, although Ferguson may not be pacified unless the FA takes firm action against the Austria defender, whose nickname of “Mad Pog” hints at an unsavoury side. A mandatory three-match ban should be the least that Pogatetz can expect.
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“It’s not good, we hope it’s not the worst possible news,” Ferguson said. “For the kid to make his first-team debut and get an injury like that was pretty horrendous.

“For the ten minutes after, I think everyone was numb about it. It killed the momentum a bit, too. The thing about these challenges is that the opponent always claims his innocence. That’s what I can’t understand, he should have just walked off.”

The incident happened midway through the second half when, challenging for a ball that he would never have won legitimately, Pogatetz launched a shameful lunge at Possebon, the United midfield player feeling the full force of the defender’s studs. The four-inch gash high on the 19-year-old Brazilian’s shin said it all and he had to be given oxygen as United’s medical team attached a splint to his leg before carrying the player off on a stretcher and taking him to hospital.

As Pogatetz remonstrated against his dismissal, Ferguson tore into Colin Cooper, the Middlesbrough assistant manager, for attempting to absolve the player of blame. Gareth Southgate restored order, however, when he apologised to the United manager for what he conceded was a “poor tackle”.

“Their bench was out screaming that it was never a sending-off and there was nothing wrong with the player,” Ferguson said. “But at least Gareth Southgate was very good afterwards. He understood the gravity of it and was very apologetic, but it was a terrible tackle. I really don’t want to see it again.”

Southgate was unimpressed with Pogatetz, not least by the manner in which the sending-off handed United the initiative after Adam Johnson had put Middlesbrough back on level terms with a terrific volley to cancel out Ronaldo’s first-half header.

Ryan Giggs scored the decisive second, when he seized on a mistake by Chris Riggott to chip Brad Jones, and Nani added gloss to proceedings during the nine minutes of stoppage time played as a consequence of Possebon’s injury.

“Our first thoughts are with the lad, but in terms of the impact it [the sending-off] had on the game, we had just got ourselves back into it and then that knocked all our momentum,” Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, said. “The last two years he [Pogatetz] has worked incredibly hard on his disciplinary record and that’s an unusual aberration for him.”

Ferguson had made 11 changes to the team who started against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two days earlier, but with him perhaps being keen to guard against the risk of a repeat of the 2-0 defeat by Coventry City at this stage of the competition last season, Ronaldo, Giggs, Nani, Anderson and Nemanja Vidic were involved and it was a tactic that paid off.

Despite a brief Middlesbrough rally in the 56th minute, when Johnson hammered home a 20-yard volley after Vidic had only partially cleared Gary O’Neil’s cross, United were worthy winners. Unfortunately for them, their second victory of the season proved a bittersweet experience.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): B Amos – R Da Silva, W Brown, N Vidic, J O’Shea – R Possebon (sub: D Gibson, 69min), Anderson – C Ronaldo (sub: C Tévez, 61), R Giggs (sub: Manucho, 85), Nani – D Wellbeck. Substitutes not used: R-R Zieler, T Cleverley, D Gray, R Eckersley.

Middlesbrough (4-1-4-1): B Jones – J Hoyte, D Wheater, E Pogatetz, A Taylor – M Shawky (sub: A Johnson, 46) – J Aliadière, D Digard, G O’Neil, S Downing – Afonso Alves. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, C Riggott, M Emnes, J Arca, J Walker, T Craddock. Booked: Johnson. Sent off: Pogatetz. Referee: A Marriner.

* * *

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has revealed what he told Cristiano Ronaldo during their meeting in July and conceded that the Portugal winger will leave the club at some point. Ronaldo made no secret of his desire to join Real Madrid this summer, but while Ferguson said that he could understand the Portugal forward’s reasons, he had managed to persuade him that he would be far better cementing legendary status in the manner of Eric Cantona than leave before that has happened.

“Just as Italians playing abroad all dream of playing one day for Juventus or the Milan clubs, so southern Europeans want at some point to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona,” Ferguson said. “So I understood what was going on in Cristiano’s mind when he declared that he wanted to join Real, but once we had talked, he accepted it was a move for the future. I pointed out how much better it would be to leave like Eric Cantona, with the fans loving and appreciating him.”