Berbatov To Sweat Blood For United

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has vowed to pull out all the stops for Manchester United this season.

The Bulgaria international, who scored for his country in a World Cup qualifier against Montenegro on Saturday, has been under the microscope at Old Trafford ever since his £30.75million move from Tottenham in 2008.

Whilst some laud the forward's laid back approach and general contribution to United's cause, critics have pointed to the fact that Berbatov only managed to net nine Premier League goals in 31 top-flight appearances last season - a statistic even Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson feels is far from impressive.

Berbatov is adamant that he is acutely aware of the pressure being heaped on his shoulders, and that he is now ready to stand up and be counted as he attempts to lead Manchester United to an unprecedented four successive titles.

"I am ready to sweat blood for Manchester United," Berbatov told The News of the World.

"This is Manchester United and with that comes expectation. There is a winning mentality and at United success is expected season after season.

"I am aware I came with a big price tag and I am ready to prove this season just what I can do. We have a chance to make it four titles in a row and that means making history if we succeed.

"I would not say my playing style is laid back, it is just a different style.

"I like time on the ball and I like space. If I can get that, then I know I can free up players like Nani and Wayne Rooney, who do lots of running.

"I am ready to sweat blood for this club. I want to create and score goals and I know I can be part of a trophy-winning team this season.

"There is more to come from me. When you join a club like Manchester United it is a shock at first because you have never experienced pressure like that."

Sir Alex Ferguson

Manager From:	06 Nov 1986
Years as Manager:	24

Premier League	1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009
FA Cup	1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004
League Cup	1992, 2006, 2009
UEFA Champions League	1999, 2008
FIFA Club World Cup	2008
UEFA Super Cup	1992
UEFA Cup Winners Cup	1991
Inter-Continental Cup	1999
FA Charity / Community Shield	1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008

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Player of the Year Awards 2009/10

The Manchester United Player of the Year Awards is Old Trafford's most prestigious event. Nemanja Vidic scooped both the Players' Player of the Year and Fans' Player of the Year Awards

Welcome to Wayne Rooney World

As far as footballing burdens of responsibility go, the pair currently resting upon Wayne Rooney's shoulders are sizeable. First, he has inherited the task of filling the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the world's best player, at Manchester United, arguably the world's biggest club. Then he is expected to score the goals which fire England, creators of the game, one-time champions of the world and perennial underachievers, towards next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. Welcome to Wayne's world. He is quick to label this season as the biggest of his career, but that does not faze him in the slightest. Hype and expectation have been no strangers to Rooney since he burst into the Everton team at 16. "There has been expectation, pressure, and I have no problem with that, I see it as a challenge," says Rooney.
Matt Barlow, Daily Mail

After Chelsea's 18 month transfer ban from FIFA for their signing of Gael Kakuta from Lens, the Mail reckons United could be in trouble "for the pursuit of Le Havre's Paul Pogba". United deny the allegations, a club spokesman telling Sportsmail: "Everything has been done within FIFA guidelines."

United fans will be urged at the season's first fans' forum to put a stop to 'disgusting' chants directed at Arsene Wenger.

Transfer Rumours: Manuel Neuer

The latest name on the grapevine is Schalke stopper Manuel Neuer. The German impressed during his country's triumph at the U21 European Championships and was picked out by Talking Reds scouts as an ideal replacement for Edwin van der Sar.

Meanwhile, United are apparently scouring Brazil for a striker, with Luis Fabiano, Nilmar and Douglas Costa all mentioned.

It's all gone quiet on former supposed targets, Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery, Lyon's Karim Benzema (now with moneybags Madrid), Barcelona front man Samuel Eto’o (now at Inter), and Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero. But after

United Players on World Cup duty

United have a host of players away on international duty over the next week, with 17 Reds attempting to boost their country’s hopes of reaching next summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Ji-sung Park and Antonio Valencia face the longest trips this week. Fortunately Park only has one match for Korea, against Australia in Seoul on Saturday.

But Valencia is in Columbia and Bolivia for Ecuador’s matches on Saturday and next Wednesday.

Wes Brown is one of four Reds - alongside Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ben Foster - who joined up with the England squad for their games against Slovenia and Croatia.

However, the Reds defender is already a doubt for Saturday's game against Slovenia after picking up an injury during training this week.

There was better news for Northern Ireland, though, as Jonny Evans gave them a boost ahead of matches with Poland and Slovakia by training with the squad despite having problems with an ankle injury of late.

Rooney, Brown, Carrick, Foster England v Slovenia 5 Sept; England v Croatia 9 Sept

Nani Denmark v Portugal 5 Sept; Hungary v Portugal 9 Sept

Evra France v Romania 5 Sept; Serbia v France 9 Sept

J.Evans Poland v N Ireland 5 Sept; N Ireland v Slovakia 9 Sept

Valencia Colombia v Ecuador 5 Sept; Bolivia v Ecuador 9 Sept

Berbatov Bulgaria v Montenegro 5 Sept; Italy v Bulgaria 9 Sept

O'Shea, Gibson Cyprus v ROI 5 Sept; ROI v S Africa 9 Sept

Park Korea v Australia 5 Sept

Vidic, Tosic Serbia v France 9 Sept

Fletcher Scotland v Macedonia 5 Sept; Scotland v Holland 9 Sept

De Laet Spain v Belgium 5 Sept; Armenia v Belgium 9 Sept

Macheda U21 Wales v Italy 4 Sept; U21 Italy v Luxembourg 8 Sept

Antonio Valencia Say

"I love life in England and I love the football here. When I was a kid, I always dreamed of playing in a league that was this good."

– Antonio Valencia

Rooney can take Charlton record

Reds skipper Gary Neville says Wayne Rooney is capable of eclipsing Sir Bobby Charlton's United record of 249 goals.

At 23, and with 102 goals in 243 games to his name, Rooney has the potential to register a big total.

Neville has played alongside some fine United goalscorers during 17 years since making his United first-team debut - Mark Hughes (163), Andy Cole (121), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (126) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (150) to name just a few. But the Reds skipper feels that Sir Bobby's long-held goals record could be under threat in years to come.

"There is a long time to go before he gets there but Wayne does have an opportunity to beat the record," said Neville. "He will have to play a lot more games and stay clear of injury because that record has stood for many years and will be very difficult to break.

"But a player of his ability should score goals. He plays centre-forward for Manchester United. That points you in the right direction."

The key will be to avoiding injuries and, of course, remaining at the club for a long period of time. But there seems to be issue there either.

"I've always said I love this club and, as long as I'm wanted here, I'll play here," Rooney was quoted as saying this week. "It's as simple as that. I can't see one reason why I should want to move. I honestly can't see me going anywhere else unless I'm told otherwise by the manager."

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