Today and Tommorrow

It's Only One United 1 8ELIEVE 4 UNITED


From Emirates to Roma


MU Tour de Asia ...

Five games from glory

Remaining League Fixtures

Man. City (H), Sun 10 May 13:30 BST

Wigan (A), Wed 13 May 20:00 BST

Arsenal (H), Sat 16 May 12:45 BST

Hull City (A), Sun 24 May 16:00 BST

Champions League Final

United v Barcelona (Stadio Olimpico)
Wed 27 May 19:45 BST

Reds primed and ready

Michael Carrick hopes to carry United's exceptional Champions League form into Sunday's Manchester derby and edge a step closer to title glory.

The Reds need seven points from four league games to secure the crown. Having brushed aside Arsene Wenger's men to secure a Champions League final spot in Rome, Carrick says the squad are now fully focused on the title.

"We're well aware there's a bit of league business to sort out before we go to Rome and we've got some big games coming up," he said. "When the big games come round you want to perform to your best, this is the time when it counts in terms of trophies. Hopefully we play like we did against Arsenal."

May could be an historic month, with a third consecutive Barclays Premier League title - and 18th title overall - is within grasp, while Sir Alex's men remain on course to become the first club to defend the Champions League.

"What we achieved last season will give us a lot of confidence ahead of this year's finale," he declared. "Winning the Champions League was incredible and to repeat it would be amazing. Doing that means we'd create history which is something this club does well. Hopefully we can be part of that."

The final everyone wanted

MUTV's David Stowell looks ahead to a mouth-watering Champions League final against Barcelona...

While early goals at the Emirates settled United’s Champions League destiny, one very late goal at Stamford Bridge allowed Barcelona to squeeze past Chelsea. Both games had controversy, both had great strikes and ultimately, both favourites will be in Rome. I, for one, can’t wait to see it.

We outmuscled and outplayed Arsene Wenger’s side creating enough chances to win several matches, while Barcelona had one shot on target all night and scored.

Andreas Iniesta has had a stunning season at the Nou Camp and his winning goal wasn’t bad was it? Former United defender Gerard Pique also had a hand in knocking out the Blues, quite literally, seeming to palm away Nicolas Anelka’s through ball. That was just one of the decisions to send Messers Ballack, Drogba and Terry over the edge.

It's no surprise that in today’s media coverage, the word ‘respect’ has been rearing its innocent head after last night's heated scenes in London. Chelsea’s stars will no doubt end up in hot water for their reactions at the final whistle, their reaction contrasting heavily with the way Darren Fletcher dealt with his own personal disappointment at missing out on the final.

Chelsea should have had a penalty or two, but in our game, Arsenal shouldn’t have. Fletch, just like Drogba et al, had his dream of playing in a final cruelly snatched away from him. But did he rant, rave or chase the referee? No, he was graceful even in the most unjust situation. The final between two of football’s aristocratic teams will be played without one of the game’s true gentlemen.

Before the heated exchanges got underway at Chelsea, United’s Academy side ended their season on a high, prospering 3-2 over Blackburn. The Under-18s side had a more U16s look to it with many of next season’s new kids on the block getting a chance to impress before the summer break. Nicky Ajose scored a blockbuster winner after sumptuous approach play by Ravel Morrison.

As I cover the games for MUTV, I'd like to say well done to the lads for an entertaining season and two more trophies in the cabinet (The Milk Cup and the prestigious but awkwardly-titled Torneo Calcio Memorial Claudio Sassi-Sassuolo). The young Reds go to Switzerland in a fortnight for the youth team equivalent of the Champions League – The Blue Stars Tournament – and look out for our coverage of all the best bits of their games there.

The long term future looks very good for United with fresh-faced, skilful youngsters aplenty, but the short-term is dominated by thoughts of a third Premier League title on the bounce and a trip to Rome. Sadly, our Scottish terrier Fletch won’t be in the United team at the Stadio Olimpico, but the rest of the cast is frighteningly good: Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney, Eto’o, Berbatov, Henry, Iniesta, Giggs and those are just a few of the attackers in the mix.

Passports at the ready, it’s the Hollywood final the fans wanted - and no doubt the one the sponsors wanted. Now all we have to do is go and win it!

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

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Scholes : Tough games to come

United may be four games from the finish line and possible title glory - but all the remaining league fixtures have their problems, according to Paul Scholes.

The midfielder helped the Reds to negotiate what has sometimes been a difficult fixture, Middlesbrough away, last weekend but even with that potential banana skin out of the way, Scholes remains focused on the task.

"We're in a great position but we've still got tough games to come," Scholes told MUTV after winning at the Riverside.

"At home we've got City - they beat us last year - and Arsenal, which is always difficult. We've also got two tough away games - Wigan's a tough place to go, they're a good attacking team, and Hull are going to be fighting for their lives. So we're not quite there yet."

Eighty-seven points will top the maximum total that Liverpool can achieve; United reached the eighty-point mark by seeing off Middlesbrough with a much-changed side, Scholes being one of seven players who started after not doing so against Arsenal.

"We've got a big squad, we've been saying that all season and it's really been tested," said Scholes. "Thankfully it came through another test at Middlesbrough with the right result.

"Other clubs have got big squads as well but I think our quality in depth is better than anybody else's."

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Pique awaits Reds reunion

Gerard Pique is relishing a reunion with United after his Barcelona side booked a berth in this season's Champions League final.

The 22-year-old defender joined United from Barca in 2004, only to return to the Nou Camp at the end of last season.

Pique's departure came shortly after he had missed out on a place in the Reds' playing squad in for the Champions League final in Moscow but, with Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves both suspended for this year's showpiece, and Rafael Marquez likely to miss the final through injury, it seems certain Pique will play a part in Rome.

"It is against Manchester United and it will be special for me because I had four years which were really good for me there," Pique told Sky Sports.

"Maybe I didn't play a lot but it was really good to get experience because I was very young. It will be very special. It means a lot, but more because we are in the final."

The Catalans, beaten by United in last year's semi-final, booked a re-match with the Reds by virtue of Andres Iniesta's injury-time leveller at Chelsea on Wednesday evening. While Pep Guardiola's side left it late to find the net for the first time over two legs against the Blues, Pique feels his side boast too much firepower to be kept quiet.

"A team like this that is trying to attack all the time cannot go 180 minutes without scoring a goal," he said. "It was the last minute, but it was enough to qualify for the final and I have no words to describe how happy the team is."

Barca face Reds in Roma

An incredible injury-time equaliser for 10-man Barcelona booked the Catalan giants a Champions League Final date with United in Rome on May 27.

Barça trailed Chelsea for almost the entire match by virtue of Michael Essien's stunning opener at Stamford Bridge, but Andres Iniesta hammered home from the edge of the area in the 93rd minute - with the visitors' first strike on target - to swing the tie towards the La Liga leaders.

Eric Abidal was sent off midway through the second period and Daniel Alves also picked up a third booking of the competition, meaning that they will both miss out on facing United in the Stadio Olimpico.

Chelsea's frustrations boiled over at full-time, with the last-gasp nature of the defeat particularly tough to take, especially when allied to a string of strong penalty claims being waved away - including one for handball in the 96th minute.

It had seemed for so long that, for the first time ever, the same two teams would contest the Champions League Final in successive seasons, but instead it is Barça who will take on the holders in Rome in a repeat of last season's epic semi-final.

MU - BARCA : The Dream Final

The Dream Final Is On
It is the world's best team of last year – winners of the European Cup, the World Club Cup and the Premier League – against the side that many consider the world's best this year. Sir Alex Ferguson reckons this is his strongest team ever; Catalan commentators have described Pep Guardiola's Barcelona as the greatest of all time. Could any side other than Barcelona deny United their right to the tag of favourites? If the European Cup final is supposed to be between Europe's best two clubs, this is the right pairing. Rome will be historic: between them United and Barcelona have appeared in eight finals but they have never met there. They have met before, though. And if Chelsea-United conjures up penalty shoot-outs, Barcelona-United brings to mind Romario and Stoichkov, Yorke and Cole at their peak. A 4–0 to Barcelona, a 2–2, two 3–3s.
Sid Lowe, The Guardian

Also high on the agenda is Paul Scholes sympathising with Darren Fletcher’s final suspension. Scholes suffered his own Champions League heartache in 1999 when he and Roy Keane were suspended for the Nou Camp final.

However, The Sun reports that Fletch could be handed a “sensational reprieve”, with UEFA official David Taylor lending his backing to the United midfielder’s hopes of overturning his semi-final dismissal.

The Daily Star and Daily Express claim that Sir Alex has promised Ji-sung Park a place in his Champions League starting line-up after his recent performances. ‘Unsung hero gets the nod’ is the Express headline.

Patrice Evra has urged the Reds to sign-up talismanic winger and French international teammate Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich in the summer, according to The Sun.

Round up by Mark Lomas

History Arsenal vs MU

Already a goal up on aggregate, United line up for 90 decisive minutes at the Emirates


Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his stunning 40-yard free-kick


Ji-sung Park seizes on Kieran Gibbs' slip to slide United ahead and stun Arsenal


Ji-sung Park races away after putting United two goals clear on aggregate


Ronaldo drills home an unstoppable 40-yard free-kick to put the Reds out of sight


Manuel Almunia is beaten by the raw power of Ronaldo's scorching free-kick


Ronaldo puts the seal on a stunning counter attack - and a clinical away display - for a brilliant third goal


The outstanding Nemanja Vidic keeps Emmanuel Adebayor quiet


Ronaldo revels in his goal in front of a stunned Emirates crowd


United's triumphant players salute their jubilant supporters at the Emirates


Sir Alex Ferguson and his coaches reflect on a tactical triumph


Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher salute United's jubilant support after Ronaldo's strike


Darren Fletcher trudges from the field after being harshly sent off


Sir Alex takes to the field to congratulate his troops at full-time


David Beckham pops into the United dressing room to congratulate Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville

Giggs eyes Roman conquest

"We said last year we wanted to defend it (the Champions League), give it a big shot and that's what we've done. We've come out tonight and produced an unbelievable performance."

- Ryan Giggs

Having booked a berth in this season's Champions League final in Rome, the Reds are on course to make good on a pledge made at the end of last season.

For a player and a team that achieves so much, finding new challenges can be difficult. But almost as soon as last year's final in Moscow had swung in United's favour, the Reds' sights were set on becoming the first side in 20 years to successfully defend the trophy.

"We said last year we wanted to defend it (the Champions League), give it a big shot and that's what we've done," Giggs told MUTV.

"We came out tonight and produced an unbelievable performance.

"We knew we'd get chances because this team creates them, it's just about putting them away. We did and that put the pressure right back on Arsenal, knowing they had to score three goals. That left gaps at the back for us to score more, and that's what happened."

United now have four games to seal the Barclays Premier League title before attentions can switch to Rome, and Giggs admits the players are relishing such high stakes.

"This is what we want," he said. "At this part of the season, we want to win big games.

"We've got another one on Sunday against City. We're in the final now and we can concentrate on the Premier League."

Ruthless Reds march on

'Roar power can get us through', screamed the Evening Standard back page. ‘Mission: probable' boasted another of the seemingly endless London free-sheets.

By approximately four minutes to eight, those dreams were dust, tomorrow’s fish and chip papers early. As the small pocket of United fans partied like it was 1968, 1999 and 2008 rolled into one ("Going to Rome, and that’s a FACT"), the Arsenal faithful - those that hadn’t left their plush red seats half an hour early, that is - shuffled out of the Emirates into the still north London night air, heads bowed, eyes glazed, their season over. Outnumbered. Outgunned. Out on the Holloway Road, the disappointment was tangible; voices hushed, shocked. No-one was talking about the match. Highbury and Islington tube, usually a visitor’s nightmare, was a breeze: it was as if they were trying to pretend "the biggest match this stadium has ever hosted" (copyright Arsene Wenger’s programme notes) had never happened.

But enough of the vanquished. United’s triumph was sporting justice sweetly and swiftly delivered, a triumph of sweat, spirit and soul and desire. There was simply no answer to it. The scoreline on the night, indeed over the two legs, was still some way short of reflecting the gulf in class between the sides. After Kieron Gibbs’ slip allowed Ji-Sung Park to fire the Reds ahead - no comment on the Emirates turf from Monsieur Wenger, interestingly - home chins dropped to chests. Arsenal's ‘Mission: probable’ became mission: impossible and then some when Ronaldo blasted home the second goal three minutes later.

Fletcher, whose evening would end in such personal torment, Anderson and Park snapped at ankles; Rooney burst every sinew, Ronaldo played to the gallery as only he is able. At the back, Ferdinand and Vidic snuffed out every offensive, Evra and O’Shea were solid down the flanks, while van der Sar

largely looked on.

That just about the biggest home cheer of the opening half from the Arsenal fans came for an offside decision against Wayne Rooney said it all. Sir Alex had outwitted the professor good and proper - Tevez or Berbatov? Umm, tell you what, I’ll leave them both on the bench. Deal with that.

Flags had been left on seats beforehand, a rallying cry to the Gunners. They were waved ever more limply as the evening wore on, by the end it looked like a gesture of surrender. Contrast that with the clenched fist of Federico Macheda, visible in the middle tier behind the United end, in response to his serenade from the faithful.

One ticketless United fan, who’d paced the concourse fruitlessly before the game, told of his purchase from a home fan. The vendor had arrived late. Once informed of the early exchanges by our man, he decided to cut his losses. Last night, any price was right - apart from those on the betting slips that carpeted the streets, along with those discarded back pages, trampled, like Arsenal, under foot.

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

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Evra's mixed emotions

Disciplinary matters were on Patrice Evra's mind in the wake of United's Champions League semi-final victory over Arsenal.

While declaring his relief at being eligible to play in the final himself, the Reds left-back was quick to console Darren Fletcher who's set to miss out after being sent off.

"The bad news of the night is Fletcher will miss the final and I feel so frustrated for him," said Evra, who had been one booking away from missing out on the Rome showpiece.

"The (possibility of a) yellow card was on my mind in the week leading up to the game, in the hotel before the match and during it. I thought about it a lot because I always believed we would reach the final and I wanted to be there.

"I, therefore, played with a lot of pain in my stomach [in the second leg] and I said to the boss that if we scored a third goal I wanted to come off, I just couldn't face the thought of missing the final.

"Of course, the most important thing was to help the team get there and I just tried to make sure I did my job well in order to do that. Maybe it was destiny that I should play in the final, but I knew the most important thing was to make sure we were there."

Evra was one of three players who would have missed the final had they been booked at the Emirates Stadium; Wayne Rooney also avoided a caution before he was substituted, while Carlos Tevez remained on the bench throughout the match.

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Boss expects Blues

The Reds are going to Rome, and Sir Alex expects to meet Chelsea there.

United sealed a spot in the Champions League final by beating Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. And despite Barcelona’s mouth-watering 6-2 win over Real Madrid, Sir Alex believes Guus Hiddink’s men will win Wednesday's semi-final tie.

“Barcelona have fantastic players and I watched them on Saturday night,” Sir Alex told ITV. “I was absolutely drooling watching them. It was a magnificent performance.

“But they have centre-back problems at the moment and at Chelsea that may cost them. I think Chelsea will possibly get through.”

Chelsea play Barcelona on Wednesday 6 May at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 19:45 BST). Victory for the home side would, of course, set up a second successive Champions League final between United and the Blues.

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Sympathy for the Red Devil

United beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates on Tuesday night to reach the Champions League final, but celebrations were soured after Darren Fletcher's red card means the Scot will miss the match.

Fletcher was dismissed on 75 minutes after Italian referee Roberto Rosetti adjudged the midfielder had brought down Cesc Fabregas inside the Reds’ penalty area. TV commentators and pundits all agreed the decision was harsh, while Sir Alex said Fletcher had been “terribly unlucky”.

“You can see the ball has moved in a different direction, away from Cesc Fabregas,” the boss told ITV.

“I think Darren’s been terribly unlucky and unfortunately we can’t appeal the decision.

“The referee’s probably one of the best in Europe but unfortunately there’s nothing we can do about it.

“You saw his performance tonight and in all the big games over the last few years Darren’s always been key for us. I couldn’t tell you what my team would be in the final – it depends on who the opponents are, of course – but you’d have thought Darren would have figured in it.”

Wayne Rooney admitted the mood in the dressing room after the final whistle had been affected by Fletcher's dismissal.

“Everyone’s gutted for Darren,” Rooney told MUTV. “I think he won the ball, too. To miss a a big game like the Champions League final is heart-breaking.

“But we’re all proud of this achievement. When we set out at the start of the season our aim was to retain the trophy and now we’re so close.”

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No mercy

United bullies savage Arsenal Bambis

It was the night they shot Bambi down. Arsene Wenger's wide-eyed young team, full of hope and potential, never even saw it coming. But their demise at the hands of Manchester United was fast and, oh, was it brutal. Skipping around on skittish legs, Arsenal were defenceless and naive prey hunted down by big beasts. United were so merciless with them that it was the kind of stuff that made you want to hide behind your hands. It wasn't just a beating. It was a humiliation. The heaviest defeat Arsenal have suffered here on the biggest night in the Emirates' short history. And it may also have marked the death of a dream. It exposed Arsenal's young guns, the players in whom Wenger has placed so much hope, as boys trying to compete with men. The gap between these two sides does not appear to be narrowing. It seems to be getting wider and wider. For the second time in six days, Arsenal were second best to Sir Alex Ferguson's European champions. Second best in every department. They were simply overwhelmed by the power, the experience and the skill of United. They didn't stand a chance.
Oliver Holt, Daily Mirror

Patrice Evra lends his own take on the Emirates mis-match, labelling it 'men against babies', according to The Sun.

Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful that referee Roberto Rosetti will overturn his decision to dismiss Darren Fletcher, so that the midfielder will be available for the Champions League final. The Sun claims United lawyer Maurice Watkins is investigating the situation.

The Daily Mail's Martin Samuel salutes Cristiano Ronaldo's display at the Emirates: "He was masterful, compelling, unstoppable, a tour de force as a striker, operating with the wit of a winger."

Round up by Steve Bartram

O'Shea : Fans played a part

"Our fans erupted when we scored. Credit to them: to come down mid-week, away from home... it was a special game for them and they really played their part.”

John O'Shea

John O’Shea hailed United’s travelling support after an “amazing” victory at the Emirates sent the Reds into the Champions League final.

United won 3-1 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate to secure a spot in Rome on Wednesday 27 May.

“We didn’t hear our fans for the first five minutes because Arsenal’s supporters were really up for it,” O’Shea told MUTV. “Even when they got a throw-in the noise was like they’d scored a goal.

“But then our fans erupted when we scored. Credit to them: to come down mid-week, away from home... it was a special game for them and they really played their part.”

Early goals from Ji-sung Park and Cristiano Ronaldo meant the contest was effectively over after 11 minutes, although the Reds still had to defend valiantly.

“We knew Arsenal at home would get plenty of the ball and attack. But we had to be strong and confident in the players we have. We knew we’d have to catch them on the counter-attack and those tactics worked a treat.

“The game was done and dusted when we got the second, and particularly the third. But Arsenal kept going and put us under a lot of pressure. It was a dream to be involved in this game.

“Everyone was ecstatic [in the dressing room] although it wasn’t quite the same as last year’s tense semi against Barcelona. This one was won early so we were all fairly relaxed and recovering in preparation for another huge game on Sunday [against Manchester City].”

Wenger : The best team won

Arsene Wenger was in downbeat, but magnanimous mood after his Arsenal side were dumped out of the Champions League by United.

The Gunners manager was in confident mood ahead of Tuesday's semi-final decider at the Emirates, but his young side were blown away as the Reds strode through to this month's final in Rome.

"Manchester United over the two games deserved to go through," Wenger told his post-match press conference. "It could have been over after the first game. We had a good opportunity to come back but overall they were the better side."

Wenger cited the loss of two early goals and the performance of Cristiano Ronaldo as the main reasons behind his side's exit, although he admitted United's European experience was also a telling factor.

"It's easy to say we maybe need a bit of experience," he said. "I'm convinced that we have the quality and we will continue to develop. If you look at the average age of the team it is still very young and to reach the level we have deserves a lot of credit.

"But we were caught by a team that has an art to kill and take advantage of every mistake you make. I believe Ronaldo gave us a tough time."

Ready For Finale @ Rome

Adidas has unveiled the official match ball for the Uefa Champions League final in Rome on May 27th - the Adidas “Finale Rome”.

The Italian capital is hosting its second Uefa Champions League final, the first was in 1996, with Europe’s top two sides destined to meet in Italy’s biggest sports arena, the Stadio Olimpico.

The design of the Adidas “Finale Rome” is based on the widely recognizable Uefa Champions League star ball. The colours of the new match ball, which are mirrored in the latest models of the adiPure, F50.9 TUNiT and Predator Powerswerve football boots, are inspired by the traditional Roman colour burgundy with gold detailing around the stars.

Mosaic figures representing key sporting and Roman values such as speed, teamwork, justice and power are featured in each star honouring the most important European club game.

Like the “Europass”, the “Finale Rome” features the innovative surface structure, PSC-Texture which allows players to control and direct the ball perfectly in all weather conditions. The PSC- Texture consists of a sophisticated and extremely fine structure on the ball’s outer skin that guarantees optimum grip between ball and boot. Due to the usage of this material, the ball texture feels like goose bumps.

In addition, the “Finale Rome” is constructed out of 14 panels using thermal bonding technology.

FINALE ROME ..

The Stadio Olimpico will host its fourth European Champion Clubs' Cup final – and its second of the UEFA Champions League era – when the 2008/09 final takes place in Rome on 27 May 2009 (20.45CET).

Famous occasions
The 72,689-capacity stadium has been one of Europe's most impressive sporting venues for over 70 years, hosting the 1960 Olympics and the 1987 IAAF World Championships in Athletics as well as the final of the 1990 FIFA World Cup and those three European Cup finals. Liverpool FC twice became continental champions in Rome, in 1977 and 1984, while Juventus won the 1996 UEFA Champions League at the Olimpico.

Massive complex
The stadium was conceived as the centerpiece of a massive sports complex. The Foro Mussolini, devised under the aegis of Italy's fascist leader Benito Mussolini and designed by architect Enrico Del Debbio, was opened to the world in 1938. The complex was renamed the Foro Italico after the Second World War, and the stadium was to undergo a major makeover, re-emerging in 1953 and hosting the Olympics in 1960.

Simple design
The simple but impressive design of the new arena was the work of Annibale Vitellozzi. Based on a series of concentric tiers, coming together to form a huge bowl, the basic logic of that design has remained consistent throughout the Olimpico's history. The stadium continues to evolve, having undergone a series of seismic changes in preparation for hosting the 1990 World Cup, which West Germany won.

Ongoing process
The two ends behind the goal were extended and brought closer to the pitch, and the Tevere and Monte Mario stands were both expanded. A new roof was placed over the lot, while a basement car park, media facilities and hall of honour were also added. The result is pretty much as one sees today, a stadium rooted in classic design, but with the modern touches worthy of a top venue.

Arsenal 1 United 3

Bring on Barca or the Blues. United will be in Rome on 27 May to defend the Champions League trophy.

The Champions League holders turned in a flawless away performance to completely dismantle Arsene Wenger's Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, killing the tie through early goals from Ji-sung Park and Cristiano Ronaldo, before the Portuguese added gloss to the scoreline with a breakaway third.

The only sour note for United came through the late dismissal of Darren Fletcher. The Scot will miss the final after being incorrectly punished for bringing down Cesc Fabregas inside the United area, allowing Robin van Persie to hammer home a late penalty.

That made for a cruel end to the evening for Fletcher who, like each and every one of his colleagues, had been magnificent in overcoming the Gunners. It was in stark contrast to the manner in which the evening began, as United put the tie to bed inside 11 minutes.

Arsenal supporters had been encouraged to whip up a frenzied atmosphere to try and help their side overcome a single goal deficit brought about by John O'Shea's first leg strike at Old Trafford, but the Emirates' noise levels dipped irretrievably after seven minutes.

United's mantra had been obvious from the first whistle: counter attack. On the Reds' second such foray, Anderson slipped in Ronaldo, who had been detailed with the lone striker's role by virtue of his searing pace, and the Portuguese fizzed a low ball across the area. Teenage full-back Kieran Gibbs slipped at the crucial moment, allowing Park to pinch the ball and slip a shot over Manuel Almunia and into the goal.

The pocket of some 3,500 United fans behind the opposite goal burst into a frenzied celebration, one which was still ongoing when Ronaldo put the tie out of sight just four minutes later. Having won a free-kick 40 yards from goal, he sent a trademark rocket towards Almunia's left-hand corner, and the Spaniard was unable to read the ball's flight. Game over, tie over, start packing the bags for Rome.

Arsenal, understandably, were rocked. The half-hour mark had arrived before the hosts even tested Edwin van der Sar, and it was a tame header from Fabregas which called the Dutchman into action. Either side of the Spaniard's effort, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo drew impressive saves from Almunia.

With the Reds' backline in imperious, unbreachable mood, it was left to the forwards to surge forward and exploit the inevitable gaps in Arsenal's foraging formation. Ronaldo had already seen one breakaway end with an Almunia save before he struck a superb third goal.

Nemanja Vidic headed an Arsenal corner as far as the Portuguese, who impishly backheeled a pass to Park before high-tailing it towards the Gunners' area. He reached his destination at the same time as Rooney's perfectly-weighted pass, and drilled a fine shot high into Almunia's goal. Cue delirium among the United supporters, and a mass exodus by their Arsenal counterparts.

With Patrice Evra and Rooney at risk of missing the final with another booking, they were quickly hooked for Rafael and Dimitar Berbatov, while Ryan Giggs replaced Anderson after another impressive outing from the young Brazilian.

There was more of a hint of irony, then, when Fletcher raced back to superbly touch the ball away from Fabregas deep inside the United area, only for referee Roberto Rosetti to award a penalty and brandish the red card at the heartbroken Scot. Van Persie drilled home the resultant kick as Fletcher trudged down the tunnel, joining Roy Keane and Paul Scholes on the list of United players unfortunate enough to have been ruled out of European football's greatest showpiece by suspension.

While dismay was ultimately the order of the day for Fletch, the overall mood among the United camp must be one of elation after one of the most emphatic European away displays in memory. The Reds are off to Rome, where Barcelona or Chelsea - both vanquished last season - will await. Forza United!

Sir Alex keen to bury semi ghosts

Sir Alex Ferguson admits he is still haunted by United’s Champions League semi-final failings and is urging his players not to let this latest opportunity slip through their grasp.

The United boss reflected on the last four losses to Borussia Dortmund in 1997, Bayer Leverkusen five years later and the most recent to AC Milan in 2007 in the build-up to the semi-final second leg at the Emirates.

Already 1-0 up following the first game at Old Trafford, Sir Alex is well aware of just how close his side are to booking a spot in Rome on 27 May, a year after beating Chelsea in Moscow. But painful past experiences mean he is taking nothing for granted.

"We have the lead and we are only one kick away from Rome. But we won't be complacent. At this stage of the Champions League you can't be complacent," he insisted.

“There have been times when we’ve thrown semi-finals away. The one against Dortmund was an example of that, we had so many chances to win the tie, it was amazing we didn’t.

“Then there was the tie with Leverkusen – we got a bit nervous in the first leg at home, but were very unlucky in the second game, we had three shots cleared off the line and hit the bar.

“The semi-final against Milan was a game we just weren’t in – we were really disappointing.

"So there has been a mixture of different things which have prevented us from going on to the final, but we’ve won both we’ve got to and hopefully we can do so again this year."

Papers: Reds will turn the screw

Ryan is champion at the bit

Ryan Giggs has warned Arsene Wenger Manchester United are ready to turn the screw in their Champions League crunch tomorrow. United warmed up for their semi-final second-leg clash against Arsenal with an easy win at Middlesbrough on Saturday. And wing ace Giggs, 35, said: “We’ve got our noses in front for Tuesday, but Arsenal are a quality side. They create chances but we hope that we’ll create chances, too. We will try and score and make it difficult for them. In the end it was quite straightforward at Boro and that was ideal for us with a massive game coming up. It has set us up nicely. We wanted the momentum we currently have to carry on into the Arsenal game and that’s what we’ve got. A professional performance, a clean sheet, two goals and now we go into Tuesday full of confidence.” - Steve Brenner, The Sun

The Sun also quotes Sir Alex Ferguson on the possible outcome at Arsenal - "It could even go to penalty kicks" - and one of the difficulties of being a manager - "The horrible part of football is you fall in love with your players. A time comes when you see a deterioration (in players) and you know you have to make the change. A lot of people can’t do it.”

Theo Walcott represents Arsenal's point of view in The Times. The winger, described by the newspaper as "one of several Arsenal players who failed to do themselves justice" in the first leg, is quoted as saying: "United is the biggest game of our careers. It’s massive and I think we can do it as well. It was quite difficult to get into the game last week. I think a lot of the attacking players could say that. We didn’t create any chances, other than a few bits and pieces. Hopefully we can create some chances on Tuesday."

Round up by Adam Bostock

Ryan calls for repeat display

United will take a slender advantage to the Emirates on Tuesday night, but Ryan Giggs says the Reds have no intention of merely sitting back and preserving the lead.

Instead, he says, United need to stick to the principles of attacking football that have served the team so well in recent years.

“We have to go down to London and play like we did in the first game [last Wednesday],” he said. “We’ll have no problems then.”

At the halfway point in the two-legged Champions League semi-final tie, the Reds lead 1-0 courtesy of John O’Shea’s early strike at Old Trafford. A United goal on Tuesday night would mean Arsenal would have to score three times to progress.

And Giggs has hinted the Reds might chase that valuable away goal.

“We’re in a good position but we’re under no illusions. Arsenal are a top team and they’re capable of scoring goals.

“We’ll have to look after their match-winners – Fabregas, Adebayor, van Persie if he’s fit, Walcott – but you also have to stamp your own authority on the game because we’ve got match-winners as well.

“[At Old Trafford] we went out with the intention of getting the crowd going and playing at a quick tempo. We’re at our best when we play with a quick tempo so that’s what we tried to do.

“Like I said, if we play to the ability we did last week then we’ll have no problems.”

Giggs made his 800th appearance for the Reds in the first leg when he came on as a substitute and would love to add to that tally at the Emirates. The most experienced player to ever pull on a United shirt, Giggs would provide Sir Alex with vital composure in the centre of the park.

But, the 35-year-old concedes, not everybody can play every game at this stage of the season.

“It doesn’t matter who the manager picks,” Giggs says. “Everyone’s playing well and in good form. You can’t be involved in every game but when you do come in you have to make your mark.”

Ryan Giggs was speaking to ManUtd.com, BBC Radio, Key 103 and Press Association.

Rio trains in semi-final squad

Two senior defenders missed United's training session on Monday morning - but Rio Ferdinand wasn't one of the absentees.

The central defender now seems set to fulfil Sir Alex Ferguson's hope that he'll be "alright for Tuesday." Rio had been visited by the club doctor as he recovered from the lung bruising he suffered in the Champions League semi-final first leg clash against Arsenal.

Wes Brown and Patrice Evra were the pair who missed training. Brown had been touted for a comeback on the bench at Middlesbrough on Saturday but as it turned out, he wasn't named among the seven substitutes. Evra did play at the Riverside Stadium and was on the receiving end of some robust challenges; however Sir Alex Ferguson told MUTV in his post-match interview: "Patrice got a knock but I don’t think it’s anything serious."

Sir Alex Ferguson opted to hold United's pre-match training session at Carrington rather than the Emirates Stadium on the eve of Tuesday's second-leg clash.

The Reds travel down to London early on Monday afternoon, and more team news will follow when Sir Alex conducts his press conference in the capital at 17:00 BST.

The players training at Carrington were as follows: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak; Neville, Rafael, Eckersley, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans; Ronaldo, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson; Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck, Macheda.

Outstanding Ando ready for Arsenal

Midfield will be at the centre of Sir Alex Ferguson's thinking as he prepares his tactics for Tuesday's decisive second leg in the Champions League semi-final.

The United boss was full of praise for Anderson, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher after their graft and craft in the middle of the park helped the Reds to initially dominate and ultimately beat Arsenal at Old Trafford.

All three were rewarded with a rest when the champions travelled to Middlesbrough on Saturday; they'll now be ready to return on Tuesday, possibly in place of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes who started in central midfield at the Riverside.

"The midfield worked so hard against Arsenal in the first leg, we decided to rest the three of them," said Sir Alex after Saturday's match.

"We put Anderson on the bench because he’s not had as much football as Michael and Darren. But they’ve had a rest and they’ll be fresh for Tuesday if I decide to play them all."

Anderson is also being tipped to succeed Scholes in the long term. His impressed United manager said at Friday's press conference: "I think he is going to replace Paul Scholes, that’s my opinion. I think he’s an outstanding talent, he's got fantastic speed and strength."

The boss believes the Brazilian can get even better as he gets more big games under his belt - "He’s still only 21. In the second half (against Arsenal), he was starting to be too positive, so we brought Giggs into midfield to give us more experience."

Sir Alex also awaits Anderson's first United goal after 72 games but his press conference quip of “We’re all lighting candles for that!" suggests that's not a serious concern!

History picture Boro-MU

United's goalscorers celebrate at the Riverside


Paul Scholes challenges Tuncay in a hard-fought opening to the game


Ryan Giggs clinically fires United into the lead after 24 minutes


Giggs caps a memorable week by firing home from distance


Ryan is mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after opening the scoring


Five minutes after the break, Ji-sung Park lashes United into a two-goal lead


Scorer Park and architecht Rooney celebrate United's second goal

Park raring to go

Ji-sung Park is refreshed and ready to give everything as United's bid to retain the Barclays Premier League and Champions League winds towards its climax.

The Korean was given two weeks on the sidelines by Sir Alex Ferguson after his recent international exertions, a move which proved a masterstroke as Park scored United's second goal at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

With four domestic games remaining and Tuesday's Champions League semi-final trip to Arsenal looming large, Park is relishing a busy end to the season.

"I always try 100 per cent to score and to help the team win," Park told MUTV. "There are just a few games left this season so I’ll give my all on the pitch.

"We’re in a great position but it’s not finished. We must try to concentrate until the end of the season. Every single game now is a final, so we must just keep trying to win."

Saturday's win at the Riverside was achieved with a number of key players rested as Sir Alex kept one eye on Tuesday's trip to the Emirates, and Ji says the Reds are in confident mood of reaching this month's final in Rome.

"Of course everybody’s confident that we can win," said Park.

Wednesday night’s (first-leg) performance was good and a few players will be refreshed for Tuesday, so we’re all confident.