Diaby gaffe gifts United win ( manchester united 2 : 1 arsenal

Manchester United ended Arsenal's perfect start to the season as Abou Diaby's own goal gifted the Premier League champions a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.

Diaby headed a Ryan Giggs free-kick into his own net on 64 minutes after Wayne Rooney's penalty had drawn United level following Andriy Arshavin's first-half opener.

Darren Fletcher volleyed United's only real chance of the first half off target on 10 minutes before Arshavin narrowly failed to find the top corner of Ben Foster's goal.

Arshavin could easily have earned the Gunners a penalty on 38 minutes following a rash challenge by Fletcher, but two minutes later the Russian maestro fired the visitors ahead.

Collecting the ball 30 yards from goal, Arshavin turned into space before firing a crisp drive which was helped on its way into the net by Foster.

Though Foster may feel he could have done better with the goal, he kept United in the game in the early moments of the second half when flicking out a foot to deny Robin van Persie from close range.

Foster's opposite number Manuel Almunia then allowed the hosts to draw level on 59 minutes as he brought down Rooney in the box and the United striker stepped up to send the Spaniard the wrong way from the spot.

Van Persie curled a free-kick from near the right touchline against Foster's crossbar on 63 minutes and just 60 seconds later United struck decisively.

Giggs whipped in a free-kick from the right and Diaby, under no pressure from a United player, headed the ball past the helpless Almunia.

Dimitar Berbatov and Nani both wasted golden chances to settle any late nerves before Arsene Wenger was sent to the stands after Arsenal saw a goal ruled out deep into stoppage-time after William Gallas had strayed offside.

More to follow.

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Manchester United v Arsenal: Preview

Manchester United v Arsenal: Preview

dated: August 28, 2009, 3:56 PM UK Duo out for United

Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar remain Manchester United's major absentees ahead of the clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson feels Ferdinand may not quite be ready for the trip to Tottenham on September 12 but his recovery from a thigh injury will not keep him out for much longer.

Ben Foster will continue in goal while Michael Carrick and Anderson are hoping for recalls after missing the five-goal rout of Wigan.

Ahead of the game, Ferguson has backed opposite number Arsene Wenger's controversial decision to sell Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City.

Many pundits felt Arsenal might have been kissing goodbye to their top-four hopes by letting two of their star men leave for a major rival.

Yet the early signs do not indicate there will be a problem.

The Gunners have scored 10 goals in their first two matches, including six at Everton on the opening day, and also reached the group stages of the Champions League by putting five past Celtic.

And Ferguson is adamant Wenger knows exactly what he is doing.

"I couldn't understand why they were written off,'' said the United boss.

"A young team like Arsenal, that is maturing, has to be respected and regarded. Six-one at Everton was an amazing result. In all my time at Manchester United, I can't remember anyone doing that at Goodison Park before.

"But one thing Arsene Wenger has done fantastically well is sell at the right time.

"He has always known the right time for a player to leave and he has done it again with Adebayor and Toure.

"It is not easy to manage that kind of change but I don't think the level of ability has changed one bit and he seems to have a good harmony in the squad.''

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been ruled out of the game.

Fabregas has failed to recover from his hamstring injury in time for Old Trafford but the Gunners have no fresh injury concerns following Wednesday night's 3-1 victory over Celtic.

Theo Walcott (back), Lukasz Fabianski (knee), Samir Nasri (broken leg) and Johan Djourou (knee) all continue their rehabilitation.

The Gunners are still confident of dispatching United to preserve their 100% start to the season, although Wenger refuses to comment on whether Ferguson's side have lost ground over the summer.

"I don't speculate on any weakness of Man United - that would be a little bit naive on my part,'' he said.

"But we know we go to Old Trafford with a good belief and that is very important before a big game like that.

"We know as well that we want to show that we can win the big games away from home and this is a good opportunity to do it.''

Team Stat Comparison
	Manchester United	Arsenal
Matches Played	3	2
Table Position	4	3
Points	6	6
Goal Difference	5	8
Goals for *	1.0	6.0
Goals against *	0.0	1.0
Last 5	W-L-W	W-W
Last 5 home	W	W
Last 5 away	W-L	W
* Goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for away club
· Club Stats: Manchester United | Arsenal

Competition Stats
	Manchester United	Arsenal
Goals	Wayne Rooney 3	William Gallas 2
Reds
Yellows	Wayne Rooney 1	Abou Diaby 1

Last Five Matches in Competition
Manchester United	Arsenal
A: Wigan Athletic 0-5	H: Portsmouth 4-1
A: Burnley 1-0	A: Everton 1-6
H: Birmingham 1-0
· Club Results: Manchester United | Arsenal

Next Five Matches in Competition
Manchester United		Arsenal
8/29	H: Arsenal	8/29	A: Manchester United
9/12	A: Tottenham Hotspur	9/12	A: Manchester City
9/20	H: Manchester City	9/19	H: Wigan Athletic
9/26	A: Stoke City	9/26	A: Fulham
10/3	H: Sunderland	10/4	H: Blackburn Rovers

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Anderson: Only granted one start so far this season

Ferguson denies rumours of rift with Anderson

Sir Alex Ferguson has rubbished reports of a rift with Brazilian midfielder Anderson and moved to deny that players are being left out because of problems in the dressing room.

GettyImages

Anderson: Only granted one start so far this season

It was claimed earlier this week the pair had exchanged angry words after Anderson was left out of the side for the Community Shield defeat to Chelsea earlier this month.

Anderson subsequently missed the opening Premier League game against Birmingham and although he was involved at Burnley four days later, it was in an unaccustomed wide berth and he was promptly left out of last weekend's win at Wigan.

The Brazilian said earlier this week that he was unhappy at being overlooked for the Chelsea game, although he also stated his desire to remain with United and prove worthy of a place in Ferguson's long-term plans for the club.

However, the United boss has rejected talk of a row. "There is no issue at all," said Ferguson. What you'll find is they are not playing. When that happens people make an issue of it. But stuff about a dust-up with Anderson is absolute rubbish."

It seems Ferguson feels the same way about Michael Carrick, who has also been strangely overlooked for the same matches as Anderson. Again, there have been heavy rumours of problems behind the scenes but Ferguson merely puts the England star's absence down to squad rotation.

"We had Fletcher and Scholes back for Wigan so it was just a matter of freshening it up," he said. "We are also trying to push Darron Gibson on as much as we can because the boy has improved at a fantastic rate of knots. There is no reason other than that."

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Champions League Draw

Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be back at their old clubs as Inter and Barcelona were drawn together in the Champions League, along with Dynamo Kiev and Rubin Kazan.

The other big draw is Real Madrid, some people's favourites for the title, against AC Milan - where Kaka will return - and fellow big spenders Marseille, who could cause an upset in Group C. Manchester Utd face tough trips to CSKA Moscow, Besiktas and Wolfsburg in the English clubs' hardest draw, with Liverpool also given a tough test in Lyon, Fiorentina and Hungarian side Debreceni. Chelsea will be happy with their draw as it's Jose Mourinho's old club FC Porto, Atletico Madrid and Cypriot side APOEL; while Arsenal are also sitting pretty as they face Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos and Belgian side Standard Liege.

Group A
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Bayern Munich	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Juventus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bordeaux	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Maccabi Haifa	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group B
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Manchester United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
CSKA Moscow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Besiktas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
VfL Wolfsburg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group C
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
AC Milan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Real Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Marseille	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FC Zurich	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group D
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FC Porto	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Atletico Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
APOEL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group E
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Liverpool	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lyon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Fiorentina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Debreceni	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group F
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Barcelona	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Inter Milan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dynamo Kiev	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FC Rubin Kazan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group G
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
FC Sevilla	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rangers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
VfB Stuttgart	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Unirea Urziceni	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group H
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Arsenal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
AZ Alkmaar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Olympiakos	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Standard Liege	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Ferguson thinks United will have to be at their best.

Fergie: Man United face tough trips in Europe

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United face a stern test in this season's Champions League after a tough-looking draw in the group stage.

GettyImages

Ferguson thinks United will have to be at their best.

United were drawn in Group B with the prospect of long-distance trips to Besiktas in Turkey and CSKA Moscow as well as strong opponents in German champions Wolfsburg.

Ferguson is not a fan of long away trips in Europe, and he told the club's official website: ''These are difficult ties especially the trips to Russia and Turkey. CSKA have developed strongly in the last few years and games in Turkey are always difficult.

''We also know the quality that we're up against with Wolfsburg, with what they achieved in the Bundesliga last season.''

Avoiding such tiring trips was top of Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's wishlist, and he was grateful that at least was granted.

''The important thing as always is that the travelling isn't too bad, we don't have too far to go for any of the games,'' said the Liverpool manager. ''Lyon might not have won the league last season but before that they won it many years in a row, so we know they have lots of good players who can play good football,'' he told the club's official website.

''Fiorentina are an historic club and if Debreceni have won their league then we know it means it's because they're a good side.''

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted the Gunners would not be complacent but that - having been written off by many people this summer - they were targeting the final in Madrid in May.

Gazidis said: ''A lot of people might say we are the favourites to win this group but we have not played any of these teams before and they are all champions of their respective leagues.

''Our ambition is to become the first London club to win the Champions League. We have believed in ourselves through this close season even though we have been written off and a lot of pressure has been placed on us. One of things we have this year is real focus game-to-game and I think if we can maintain that we can achieve great things.''

Meanwhile, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was happy to have avoided the continental big guns.

He said: ''As a group there's not much travel and generally we have to be happy with the draw. There will plenty of glamour ties once you get through this group, but we have to get through this stage first.

''I'm sure Carlo Ancelotti will be happy - he's had a great start to the season, he's very happy with squad and we have great strength in depth so winning that final still beckons.''

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain said their position as second seeds had given the Scottish champions a great boost.

''That was a great accolade and a lot of other clubs were looking up to us and being a bit envious,'' he said. ''There is obvious quality in the group - Sevilla were UEFA Cup winners twice in the last four years, and we have played Stuttgart twice before so we know they are strong.

''We showed when we got to the UEFA Cup final last year ago what can be achieved in Europe when you put your mind to it and we will certainly aim to do that.''

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Anderson Love United

Anderson denies that he wants to quit United

Anderson has denied he wants to quit Manchester United but admitted he is frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities so far this season.

GettyImages

Anderson: Only granted one start so far this season

The Brazilian midfielder's only start came in last week's defeat by Burnley - in an unfamiliar left-wing position - and he is reported to have clashed with boss Sir Alex Ferguson after being left out of the team for the Community Shield meeting with Chelsea earlier this month.

Anderson told the Daily Mail: "I believed that I would play in the Community Shield but that is forgotten now.

"I thought that, without Cristiano Ronaldo around, I could to play more and that has been my challenge from pre-season onwards.

"But the coach decides the teams and to discuss this with him is foolish because he is the chief. I do not want to leave United. No.

"Sir Alex Ferguson has demanded a bigger effort from me and I accept that. Because to get into this United team is very complicated and difficult for any player."

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Ticket News: Arsenal tickets available to Members and Stoke away

ARSENAL TICKETS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS It's an early-season clash for these Premier League heavyweights as the champions welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford, and a limited number of tickets are available for One United Members to buy. Wenger's side have enjoyed an impressive start to the season so far, scoring 10 goals in just two games. The Reds managed five against Wigan at the weekend, and so both teams appear in fine scoring form ahead of this weekend's match (Sat 29 Sept, kick off 17:15 BST) and it promises to be a cracker. One United Members can purchase tickets on a best available basis now online, or by calling 0161 868 8000 (option 1 then 4). Not yet a Member? Call 0161 868 8000 now and sign up as a One United Member for your chance to secure a ticket for this game. STOKE AWAY United's trip to the Britannia last term was a real test as Stoke showed the zeal and fight they're now renowned for, holding the champions at bay for 83 minutes. A late goal secured the Reds' win but the Potters fans did their best to create an intimidating atmosphere. Sir Alex's side can expect much of the same come on Saturday 26 September (KO 15:00). Executive Members and Season Ticket holders can make an application for tickets for this game online, or by calling 0161 868 8000 from 09:00 Monday 31 August through to 08:00 Friday 4 September. Ballot results are then expected to be made available from Friday 11 September. Ticket allocation and prices are yet to be confirmed.

Rooney into the Old Trafford history books

Wayne Rooney admits he is delighted to have joined the illustrious list of Manchester United goal-scoring centurions.

The 23-year-old bagged his 100th and 101st goals for the Red Devils in Saturday's 5-0 demolition of Wigan.

He becomes only the 20th player in the glittering history of United to have reached the landmark.

Rooney is honoured to have matched the achievement of some of Old Trafford's all-time greats, but insists he will not spend too long dwelling on the feat.

"Obviously I'm pleased to have scored 100 goals for Man Utd," the England international told Sky Sports News.

"It's a great achievement, and I'm proud of it, but there is still more goals in me and more games to play so it's not something I have been concentrating on."

Happy

Rooney's double against the Latics prolonged a fine run of form which has seen him notch four goals in as many games at the start of the 2009/10 campaign.

He admits he feels in good shape and he is delighted to have played his part in a bright opening for United - barring Wednesday's shock 1-0 reverse at Burnley.

"I'm enjoying my football and we are playing some good stuff," he added.

"Obviously we were disappointed with the result against Burnley, but we have to move on from that and thankfully we can after how well we did today (against Wigan)."

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video: United boss in fine mood after romp at DW Stadium

Fergie praise for striking stars

United boss in fine mood after romp at DW Stadium

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson played tribute to his strikers after Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen all scored in a 5-0 victory at Wigan.

The champions were made to work hard for their win at the DW Stadium as Wigan held them to a goalless first half.

After the interval Ferguson's side ran riot as Wayne Rooney opened the floodgates with his 100th goal in United colours.

There was no stopping the away side thereafter as Wigan capitulated in a rout that saw Berbatov net a sublime effort before Rooney's second, a first United goal for Owen and a Nani free-kick.

"It was important that our strikers scored today, that can only do us the power of good. You know what strikers are like, they always want to score," he told Sky Sports.

"I thought we played very well. We created six good chances in the first half. Of course we'd hope to take one or two of them. The important thing is to be patient. Hopefully then it comes."

Ferguson had special words of praise for Rooney after his landmark strike and for Owen, after he eased the pressure on his back by netting a first goal for the club.

"It's a terrific achievement for the young lad Rooney. He's got plenty of years in front of him; for a young lad it's magnificent," he added.

"If Dimitar and Michael Owen can weigh in with the goals we expect it'll make a massive difference.

"Owen's was a fantastic goal, great movement and a fantastic ball from Nani. Michael has proved over the past decade he's the best goalscorer in England and today he proved that.

"I think it'll do him the world of good. To get a goal like that was fantastic. "

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Match report: Wigan Athletic 0 - 5 Manchester United Five-star United run riot Special day for Rooney and Owen at DW Stadium

Wigan Athletic 0 - 5 Manchester United

Five-star United run riot

Special day for Rooney and Owen at DW Stadium

Manchester United ended a difficult week in style as Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen both scored landmark strikes in a 5-0 demolition of Wigan at the DW Stadium.

If United were impotent in midweek against Burnley they were positively ruthless in a second half that saw them score five goals, four of them stunning, to more than justify Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to make seven changes to the side that slumped at Turf Moor.

After an entertaining but goalless first period Rooney broke the deadlock after half-time for his 100th United goal, via the most sublime of headers from Antonio Valencia's cross, before strike partner Dimitar Berbatov netted a wonderfully impudent goal of his own.

Rooney scored his second via a deflection off Mario Melchiot before his replacement Owen clipped in a brilliant fourth for his first in United colours.

The most polished of displays was given added gloss in injury time when Nani scored a fabulous free-kick from range.

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Wigan Athletic 0 - 5 Manchester United

90'

Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 5.

90'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 5. Nani (Manchester United) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.

90'

Paul Scharner (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

90'

Foul by Paul Scharner (Wigan Athletic).

90'

Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90'

Attempt missed. Nani (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.

87'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Ben Foster.

87'

Attempt saved. Scott Sinclair (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Hugo Rodallega with a through ball.

85'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 4. Michael Owen (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nani with a through ball.

84'

Attempt missed. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right misses to the left.

82'

Attempt saved. Darron Gibson (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patrice Evra.

82'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Mario Melchiot.

82'

Attempt blocked. Darron Gibson (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Darren Fletcher.

82'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

80'

Delay in match Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) because of an injury.

80'

Foul by Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic).

80'

Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

78'

Attempt missed. Scott Sinclair (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jason Scotland.

77'

Attempt saved. Jason Scotland (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

76'

Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

76'

Foul by Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic).

76'

Ben Foster (Manchester United) wins a free kick in his own half.

75'

Attempt saved. Darron Gibson (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

74'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. James McCarthy midfielder replaces Mohamed Diamé.

73'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Jason Scotland forward replaces Charles N'Zogbia.

72'

Substitution, Manchester United. John O'Shea defender replaces Jonny Evans.

72'

Substitution, Manchester United. Darron Gibson midfielder replaces Paul Scholes.

72'

Substitution, Manchester United. Michael Owen forward replaces Wayne Rooney.

71'

Foul by Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic).

71'

Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

69'

Attempt blocked. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Maynor Figueroa.

68'

Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.

68'

Foul by Darren Fletcher (Manchester United).

65'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 3. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dimitar Berbatov.

63'

Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Scott Sinclair forward replaces Jason Koumas.

62'

Offside, Manchester United. Wayne Rooney tries a through ball, but Dimitar Berbatov is caught offside.

60'

Attempt missed. Mohamed Diamé (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jordi Gómez.

58'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 2. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Paul Scholes with a through ball.

57'

Attempt saved. Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jason Koumas with a cross.

56'

Goal! Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 1. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luis Antonio Valencia with a cross.

55'

Attempt blocked. Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

53'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Maynor Figueroa.

49'

Attempt missed. Paul Scharner (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Charles N'Zogbia with a cross following a set piece situation.

49'

Patrice Evra (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

48'

Foul by Patrice Evra (Manchester United).

48'

Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.

48'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Maynor Figueroa.

47'

Attempt missed. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

47'

Attempt blocked. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Antonio Valencia.

47'

Attempt blocked. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Antonio Valencia with a headed pass.

45'

First Half ends, Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 0.

45'

Patrice Evra (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

45'

Foul by Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan Athletic).

43'

Hand ball by Paul Scholes (Manchester United).

42'

Attempt blocked. Hendry Thomas (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

40'

Foul by Darren Fletcher (Manchester United).

40'

Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

40'

Offside, Manchester United. Darren Fletcher tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

39'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Titus Bramble.

39'

Attempt blocked. Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Paul Scholes.

37'

Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

37'

Foul by Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic).

35'

Foul by Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic).

35'

Patrice Evra (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

32'

Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonny Evans with a through ball.

31'

Attempt blocked. Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Charles N'Zogbia.

30'

Attempt missed. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Charles N'Zogbia.

28'

Attempt saved. Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Maynor Figueroa.

26'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Ben Foster.

26'

Attempt saved. Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Hugo Rodallega with a through ball.

26'

Luis Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) wins a free kick in his own half.

26'

Foul by Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic).

24'

Foul by Gary Neville (Manchester United).

24'

Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

23'

Attempt saved. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nani with a cross.

22'

Attempt blocked. Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jason Koumas.

21'

Attempt blocked. Mohamed Diamé (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Maynor Figueroa.

20'

Offside, Manchester United. Luis Antonio Valencia tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

20'

Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Jonny Evans.

19'

Paul Scholes (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

19'

Foul by Paul Scholes (Manchester United).

19'

Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

18'

Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luis Antonio Valencia.

17'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Hendry Thomas.

17'

Attempt blocked. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Paul Scholes.

16'

Offside, Manchester United. Patrice Evra tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

11'

Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

11'

Foul by Gary Neville (Manchester United).

9'

Foul by Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic).

9'

Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) wins a free kick in his own half.

8'

Attempt missed. Paul Scholes (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Dimitar Berbatov.

8'

Foul by Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic).

8'

Gary Neville (Manchester United) wins a free kick in his own half.

6'

Hendry Thomas (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in his own half.

6'

Foul by Darren Fletcher (Manchester United).

4'

Attempt blocked. Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) left footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Nani.

4'

Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in his own half.

4'

Foul by Patrice Evra (Manchester United).

0'

Second Half begins Wigan Athletic 0, Manchester United 0.

0'

First Half begins.

0'

Lineups are announced and players are warming up

Wigan Athletic v Manchester United: Preview

Wigan Athletic v Manchester United: Preview

Fergie keeps the faith

Sir Alex Ferguson retains total faith in his Manchester United squad despite a mixed start to their Premier League title defence.

United walked away with a single-goal opening-day victory over Birmingham but fared worse at Burnley on Wednesday as Michael Carrick missed a penalty in what turned out to be a shock 1-0 defeat.

The Red Devils' slumbers have led some to suggest Ferguson might abandon his previous intention not to make any further signings this summer and make a concerted effort to lure one of Valencia's highly-rated duo David Villa or David Silva to Old Trafford.

Yet Ferguson insists he has had no such thoughts.

The Scot accepts his team cannot afford many more slip-ups during the opening weeks of the season.

However, he is confident his current group can pull the situation around.

"I made the point - and I am sure of it. This is a great group of players,'' said Ferguson.

"Yes, we would like to score goals. Last season was our poorest goal difference for 15 years. It was an issue.

"We have to step up to the mark and I am quite confident we can do that. We will win games.

"In a way, part of our history is that we have dropped points early in the season,'' added Ferguson.

"Our starts in the last two or three years have been a bit topsy turvy. But it is not just Manchester United, it is throughout the league. You only have Tottenham and Chelsea with two wins.''

Ferguson omitted to mention both Arsenal - who visit Old Trafford next Saturday - and big-spending Manchester City have only played one game so far.

Still, after drawing opening home matches against Reading and Newcastle - both of whom subsequently went on to get relegated - there is no need for immediate panic, just a sense of focus.

"We do not enjoy losing but it has happened before and it will happen again,'' he said.

"The issue now, as it always is at this club when you have a bad defeat, is what are you going to do about it?

"The great thing is that we have only have to wait four days.

"We can be philosophical but there is a certain reality too.

"You cannot lose too many games in this league and we have already lost one.''

Ferguson seems likely to recall Dimitar Berbatov, as well as Antonio Valencia, who is certain to feature against his former club after making the £17million move to Old Trafford this summer.

Changes are also expected in midfield, with Darren Fletcher among those expected to be recalled, while Michael Carrick must decide whether to continue as penalty-taker after failing with his first attempt at Turf Moor, a miss that ultimately proved pivotal.

It is at the back where early-season injuries have bitten the deepest though.

Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have all suffered problems, although there is good news about the former duo, both of whom are expected to start on Saturday.

However, it appears the damage Ferdinand sustained to his thigh in training last week is slightly more extensive than first thought.

Originally, Ferguson said he expected his £29.1million defender to be back in action within a fortnight.

Now the timescale has changed to between "three and four weeks''.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez believes the lessons learned in the defeat to Wolves will stand his players in good stead.

After out-playing Aston Villa to win 2-0 on the opening day of the season the Latics were caught out by a pumped up Wolves team on Tuesday, conceding a sixth-minute goal which cost them dearly.

With United slipping to a shock defeat at Burnley 24 hours later Martinez knows his players cannot afford to be similarly off their game against the champions.

"We will learn a lot from the Wolves game but this is a totally different scenario,'' he said.

"We came in to play at home (against Wolves) with great expectations after the result at the weekend and that is something new for us.

"Physically we need to recover but also mentally. The players need to get back to the levels that they need to be able to enjoy their football and perform.

"Obviously Manchester United are one of the best teams in the world and they will test us.''

Winger Charles N'Zogbia is rated at 50-50 to be fit for the clash as he is struggling with ankle injury.

Team Stat Comparison
	Wigan Athletic	Manchester United
Matches Played	2	2
Table Position	7	10
Points	3	3
Goal Difference	1	0
Goals for *	0.0	0.0
Goals against *	1.0	1.0
Last 5	L-W	L-W
Last 5 home	L	W
Last 5 away	W	L
* Goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for away club
· Club Stats: Wigan Athletic | Manchester United

Competition Stats
	Wigan Athletic	Manchester United
Goals	Jason Koumas 1	Wayne Rooney 1
Reds
Yellows	Titus Bramble 1	Wayne Rooney 1
· Club Squads : Wigan Athletic | Manchester United

Last Five Matches in Competition
Wigan Athletic	Manchester United
H: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1	A: Burnley 1-0
A: Aston Villa 0-2	H: Birmingham 1-0
· Club Results: Wigan Athletic | Manchester United

	Manchester United
H: Manchester United	8/22	A: Wigan Athletic
A: Everton	8/29	H: Arsenal
H: West Ham United	9/12	A: Tottenham Hotspur
A: Arsenal	9/20	H: Manchester City
H: Chelsea	9/26	A: Stoke City

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Red View: Team news, Rooney goals video, United quiz + more

VIDIC BACK TO BOLSTER DEFENCE Nemanja Vidic will return for United on Saturday against Wigan, but that good news was offset by confirmation that Rio Ferdinand will be out for up to a month. Sir Alex confirmed the return of one of his favoured central defenders on Friday, but conceded that a minor muscle tear in Rio's thigh will keep him out for "hopefully three, but maybe four" weeks. "We don't have any new injuries from Wednesday night . They're all fit," Ferguson told his pre-match press conference. "The one position we're hoping for an improvement in is with Vidic. He's trained now for 10 days and he is ready for a game. Hopefully he'll be OK for Saturday. "Gary Neville played 15 minutes at Burnley and he could be ready too, and that gives us experience at an important time after the defeat on Wednesday." In Neville and Vidic, Sir Alex will welcome back plenty of experience into a defensive unit that has been shorn of familiarity so far this season. "Experience is important," the Reds boss added. "And the kind of experience that Gary brings is great for us, while Vidic's performance levels since he's been with us have been outstanding. We'll get that back on Saturday and that'll help us." More: Watch out Wigan | Today at Old Trafford | Betting preview MY UNITED: MATTHEW HATTON Ricky's welterweight brother is a proud Red, as Inside United found out... When did you first start supporting United? We used to live in a pub called The New Inn in Hattersley – I was about six years old at the time. My dad – who used to play for City – had taken me to Maine Road a few times with Ricky. Then a customer gave me a tiny enamel United badge. I was fascinated by it and it sparked an interest. I asked my dad to take me to Old Trafford – he kept putting it off, but one day he finally took me. From then on I was hooked. Was it difficult being the only Red in the family on derby day? Yes it was – but I absolutely love derby day. I'm not anti-City – whenever they get relegated I'm gutted. But on derby day I want us to absolutely drum them. The amount of stick I get from the rest of the family is unbelievable. Would you like to fight at Old Trafford? That would be my dream. I'm fighting for the world title this year, but to do it at OT would be unbelievable. If I continue fighting as I have been, get that IBO belt and draw one of the big names in the welterweight division, perhaps it could happen. What are your hopes for the season? I think we can win the league again, but I would like us to go one better and win the Champions League too. We had a great season last year and I think it's well within our reach to achieve those two goals. Read the full interview in Inside United, out now. TEST YOUR REDS KNOWLEDGE See how many of these teasers from United Review's "almost impossible United quiz" you can answer without resorting to the internet for help... 1. Which of United's all-time opponents are first and last alphabetically? 2. Before his two-game stint at United during the 1995/96 season, William Prunier (left) bought out his contract with which French club? 3. Which member of United's senior squad has scored against the Reds – as an opposing player – in the Champions League? 4. Who scored the Reds' first goal in the European Cup Winners' Cup? 5. And who scored the last? 6. Which current squad member is a former Ballon d'Or winner, and in which year did he win it? 7. Peter Schmeichel scored legitimately against Rotor Volgograd in the UEFA Cup, but against which club did he have a goal disallowed? Stumped? Read the answers on ManUtd.com.