“It was a difficult decision but sometimes we have to take difficult decisions,”

“I didn’t discuss it with (United manager) Alex Ferguson. I did it with my father and my agent.”

“I felt tired at times and I also know there are skilful young lads in the national team who look forward to their chance.”

Berbatov felt tired? I guess that would explain his laziness on the pitch.

It was obviously a move to try and concentrate solely on his club career. The Bulgarian has come under a lot of pressure for not performing at Old Trafford and if he wants  to stay he needs to bring more to the table.

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United would start Wayne Rooney after both an ankle and groin injury. Sir Alex would play a 4-4-2 to give Berbatov a spot on the team. It feels like its a charity start for Berbatov. I think Sir Alex knows that he has this week and next week to “show off” the Bulgarian to potential buyers (AC Milan) before the summer transfer window. If Berbatov performs well, United can squeeze just a little more money out of him. The flip side to this is Berbatov will perform like his usual self and depreciate another five or six million euros.

It only took United 4 minutes to create a goal scoring opportunity, after Rooney was able to control a not so great ball with his chest and create a side volley which Gordon pushed away into the path of Giggs, but it was cleared by the Sunderland defender. Great chance for United.

8 minutes in Rooney gets the ball to Berbatov at the top of the box and Berbatov refuses to strike.

Giggsy almost hits a wonder goal in the 23rd minute. He received a ball from Valencia, turned in then out and struck it with his left as it hits the top of the cross-bar and out.

2 minutes later on the opposite end, Van der Sar at 39 shows he is still one of the best keepers in the world as he pushes a great shot up and over the bar.

Nani would strike in the 28th minute to put United up 1-nil. United managed to get 5 passes in and around the Sunderland area before Fletcher put a ball out to Nani on the outside and with a tough angle Nani manged to hit it with the outside of his right foot to curl it around Gordon and find the back post.

In the 43rd minute United would have a break with Rooney carrying down the middle of the pitch, Nani on his right and Berbatov on his left. It was 3v3 and Rooney decided to go with Berbatov. If you still believe Berbatov can play at United, please defend and explain this particular play, because this happens a dozen times each game. He slows the game down and allows defenders to regain their shape, then loses the ball.

5 minutes later, again Berbatov is given a ball by Rooney after United did a great job at recovering. Rooney does wonderfully by pulling all the defenders to the left side then slides it into Berbatov on the right side and the Bulgarian again, instead of going to the ball and meeting it with a strike he allows the ball to come to him across this body and then shoots it wide, he has to meet that ball to get a better angle!

United need to either loan or sell Berbatov this summer. Just get him out of Old Trafford. United have Chicharito coming in the summer, and he will bring a Tevez style of football to United. He’s known for his work ethic and pace and his desire to never give up.

1-nil at half

At the start of the second half, Berbatov would recover a ball on the right flank. Then when you expect him to do more, he gets bullied off the ball by Malbranque far too easily and it goes off of him for a goal kick.

A minute later is when it starts to get embarrassing. At this point you almost start to feel sorry for the ex-Tottenham player. Then you remember he is making  over £4 million a year, thats almost £20 thousand a day. For that kind of money he needs to put away these chances! Rooney does brilliantly from the left flank and puts in a ball across the face of goal for Berbatov to tuck it away, and he manages to kick it up and over the bar. This was harder to miss than to make!

Finally, Sir Alex puts him out of his misery in the 70th min. as Carrick comes on for the Bulgarian who should have at least had one goal.

Manchester United would have one more chance at goal, when Rooney, Nani and Carrick combine, but the Sunderland defense kicks it off the line, literally.

This would end 1-0, it probably should have been up 4-0 but a win is a win. Now the title will be decided on the last day. United will host Stoke, while Chelsea will host Wigan.

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After the unintentional  favor Spurs gave United  last week, Tottenham looked to pass the same favor along to Chelsea by offing United at Old Trafford. But like they would soon find out, that is no easy task.

In January United score 11 goals in the premier league, 10 in February, and 10 in March. Since Wayne Rooney’s injury, United have manged to score only 2 goals in the month of April! Just goes to show how important the English international is to United. But that would all change in this crucial game.

United played my favorite, 4-5-1 with the right players playing in the right positions. Scholes, Fletcher, and Giggs in the middle, Valencia and Nani on the wings and Berbatov up top. I was surprised to see Rafael back in the line-up after his performance in the Champions League, but Sir Alex was apparently able to forgive.

Harry Rednap’s side looked dangerous, as both Defoe and Pavlyuchenko started up top. While in the middle players like Modric, Bentley and Palacios have all been key in Tottenham’s success this year.

First 6 minutes Scholes wins the ball at midfield, doing some of the dirty work, and gets the ball out to Berbatov, with plenty of space to at least create a goal scoring opportunity. Nope, the Bulgarian had no one behind him, something he should have noticed when receiving the ball, but still for some reason decides to take a look back, as he does the ball gets away from him and the Spurs defense does away with the danger. If there was any doubt that Berbatov was not fit for the Serie A, take a look at the flop after he is dispossessed. That has Italian Serie A/AC Milan written all over it. He even resembles Inzaghi.

10 Minutes later, another flop from the Bulgarian, classic Italian,

It may seem like I’m picking on Berbatov today, more than usual, but he was about as useless as you can be while still having a pulse.

In the 21st minute the Bulgarian had another one v one. What does he decide to do? Give Nani a square hospital ball. Take a guy on for Christ sake man!

30th minute again, Berbatov should have done better. Evra put in a great ball into the middle, that the Spurs defense had trouble clearing and it fell for Berbatov who tries to hit it one time and is blocked by the defender. If thats Rooney, he takes one touch to the right to open up the goal and scores!

Berbatov failed to hit the target again in the 40th minute. He needs to at least make the keeper work from that distance. Just inside the box, he had a lovely first touch but hit it too low and sent the ball sailing over the bar. Again, a Rooney, Torres, a Drogba put that away.

Nil-Nil at half, as Tottenham failed to create anything worth mentioning.

The second half was a goal fest. Starting with a Pk which Berbatov helped build. After recieving the ball he waited for arguably the best left back in the world to overlap, then slipped him the ball with a back heel, and Evra did the rest. As Giggsy would tuck away his first penalty ever in the premier league.

Tottenham would equalize as Rafael looked to nonchalant on that back post. If he stays on his post instead of taking a step up, he clears that ball off the line. United need to really tighten up their defense from corners and set pieces. They are goals given up too cheaply and it already cost them the Champions League.

10 minutes later Nani would give us a taste of what hes capable of with a brilliant and extremely difficult goal, from no angle he manages to chip Gomes to give United a one goal advantage. Also, give credit to Macheda who gave Nani a brilliant through ball.

Nani would then force another Pk, and Giggsy put away his second Pk of his Premier League career to give United a 3-1 win over Tottenham, who had been rampant, defeating both Arseanl and Chelsea.

Now all eyes will be on Chelsea v Liverpool this Sunday, as it will surely be a vital piece in determining the Premier League Champions this season!

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Milan is widely known for their ability to extend careers. Maldini was 40 when he retired, Favalli is 38, Inzaghi and Dida are 36, Seedorf, Nesta and Beckham are 34. Zambrotta and Oddo are 33. Kaladze, Gattuso, Abbiati, Jankulovski, and Ambrosini are all 32.

Berbatov would be a considered a child there, and the Serie A would be a perfect fit for the lanky striker.

An unnamed source at the Rossoneri told The Sun: “No contact has been made yet but we admire Berbatov.”

“He is a stong player who would do well in Italy. Whether something can be arranged remains to be seen. It has been difficult for Berbatov in Manchester, but he is a good player who has a lot to offer.”

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United took on 11th place Blackburn this weekend, in what was a must win to stay in the title race and the line-up consisted of Evra on the bench, Giggs and Scholes at center mids, Macheda and Berbatov up top? This is not a lineup that is going to win you the Premier League! O’Shea is terrible at getting up the field. With all due respect to the United legends, Giggs and Scholes are too old to play side by side in the center of midfield.Up top, Berbatov and Macheda don’t know how to play a 4-4-2

It was Blackburn who would create a real threat first in the 8th minute when Samba received a great ball but didn’t hit how he would’ve liked.

Uniteds problem became clear in their first decent effort, if you could call it that. Berbatov was checking back too far for the ball all game. Notice in this particular play (min 24:37) both Berbatov and Macheda are on the right side of the pitch linking passes together for Valencia to get through! One of them needed to be in front of goal to provide Valencia with another option, other than shoot at goal with absolutely no angle. That is the job of the center mids, but where are Scholes and Giggs?

Just before the half 42 minutes in, Berbatov played a great ball in for Valencia, but lets be honest anyone could have seen and hit that pass, what was the Blackburn defender thinking giving Valencia the inside lane like that. But Valencia would make a huge mistake and try to hit the ball across the goal when he could have clearly tucked it away easily to the keepers left!

Manchester United had some other half chances in the second half, but they lacked creativity, No penetrating runs or dangerous balls down the flank.

In the 80th minute Berbatov would have another chance 15 yards out, but unlike a Wayne Rooney, or Fernando Torres, Berbatov waits for the ball to come to him and when he does have a strike its weak and right to the keeper. A world class striker would have pounced on that ball and would not have waited for that ball to come to them.

So what if Blackburn was playing with 11 defenders, United needed to get this result; the Champions League was over and done with and the premier league was all they had to play for and now that has gotten away from them as well.

It was a gamble to bring in Michael Owen, It was a gamble not to buy in the January transfer window, and it was a gamble to play Wayne Rooney in the Champions League semi-final. Has Sir Alex’s luck finally run out? It certainly has for this season.

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Sir Alex shouldn’t have gone to a 4-4-2, but instead have kept the formation (4-5-1) that was working, only replace Rooney with Berbatov. It should have looked like this; Carrick, Fletcher, and Scholes in the center, because Chelsea ran rampant in the middle with only Fletcher and Scholes there, Nani and Valencia on the wings and Berbatov as a lone striker.

The first real chance of the match went to United as Valencia found Berbatov with a center after shrugging off Zhirkov like he was 50 pounds lighter. The Bulgarian would send it wide from a header.

10 minutes later Malouda, who has been in extraordinary form, was in down the byline past Fletcher, who in my opinion gave up way too easily, there was almost no effort to stop Malouda, as he supplied a great ball for Cole who pulled off a very creative back heel to find the back post. And with in 20 minutes United was down 1-0 at home.

It wouldn’t take long for United to go on the offensive and 6 minutes later, Park would get himself in a great position past Zhirkov to draw a foul in the box. There was clearly contact and critics will say Park tried to over sell it. Well there is nothing in the FIFA laws of the game that says “A foul will not be given if the player fouled attempts to over sell the foul”

4 minutes later Chelsea would have their appeals as Neville barged into Anelka in the box. To be honest, that was also a foul; Neville makes no attempt to play the ball. I am tired of game analyst claiming “It’s such a big game, that’s not gonna be given” The bottom line is, a foul is a foul, regardless of where on the pitch, or the time elapsed when the infringement occurs.

Just before the half Berbatov would have an excellent chance after a brilliant through ball from Park, but what does the Bulgarian do? Having a clear chance to push the ball forward with his right and shoot left footed, he decides to cut back! He lacks the predatory finishing skills of a Rooney, Tevez, or Drogba. And that’s why United should sell him right away!

United began to look more like the reigning champs only to have their hopes crushed by idiot linesman who was only a spectator to the clear offside position of Drogba that would result in the second goal for Chelsea.

After 2 goals down, the substitute who should have started, Nani did what he’s been doing best and that’s supplying from the byline as Macheda slaps the ball in, literally with his hand to give United some hope. But it was too little too late.

Sir Alex should have at least started the second half like he ended the game, Park off for Macheda and Nani on for Scholes.

The match would end 2-1 and move Chelsea 2 points clear of United.

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Berbatov would start as the lone striker. With in form Valencia and Nani on the wings, you never know what you’re gonna get with these two. If they show up to play, they are two of the most dangerous wingers in English football. It’s a good thing for United that they both are finding a lot more consistency in their game. Giggs, Scholes, and Fletcher would cover the center of midfield. While Neville, Evans, Vidic, and the ever consistent and dependable Evra made up the back four.

It was all United in the first 20 minutes, Berbatov had a decent effort but was denied by goal keeper Jääskeläiner.

But it was Samuel, of Bolton, who would put United up before the half with a clinical world-class strike to beat his own Finnish keeper. He hit it low, with pace, and far-post.

Van der Sar would come up big in the 40th minute with a great save, denying Muamba.

A mistake by Jääskeläiner would allow United to go up two-nil in the 69th minute. Fletcher had a decent shot from 20 yards out, nothing too difficult but the Bolton keeper fumbled it back out to Berbatov and the Bulgarian didn’t forgive.

The last 20 minutes was all United. Nani showing a great bit of skill beat his defender and put a square ball to the pk spot for Berbatov to finish with the outside of the right foot.

Again Nani would punish Bolton down the left hand side, and put a ball back for substitute, Darren Gibson. Who scored just moments after being brought on.

Macheda would make an appearance in the 85th minute, coming on for Ryan Giggs.

United have a tough week coming up. They will travel to Germany to play Bayern in the Champions League before coming home and hosting Chelsea in what will surly be a decisive match in the title race.

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This was the fifth consecutive clean sheet on the road for Alex Ferguson’s side, but they were once again lacking potency in the final third.

United were without striker Wayne Rooney, who picked up a hamstring injury just eight minutes into the 1-0 win over Wigan in midweek.

Rooney has scored six times in United’s last four encounters with Bolton, and his physical and dynamic play was greatly missed by the defending champions.

In the absence of the England striker, Berbatov and Tevez struggled to find their feet as a partnership, and Cristiano Ronaldo – who also regularly scores against the Trotters – had life made difficult for him by Bolton full-back Gretar Steinsson.

In fact, it was Bolton who forced the first save of the match when, after soaking up United pressure for the opening 20 minutes, Fabrice Muamba battled past Anderson in midfield to fire a shot on goal that Edwin van der Sar had to tip over the bar.

United tested Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen for the first time shortly afterwards, when Darren Fletcher’s cross from the byline found Ronaldo, but the newly-crowned FIFA world player of the year could only steer his header right at the Finn despite being unmarked.

Bolton manager Gary Megson handed a debut to Portuguese striker Ariza Makukula, who only completed his loan move from Benfica on Friday, and the burly striker made his presence felt, picking up a yellow card for a foul on Nemanja Vidic.

However, Makukula spent much of the match chasing down lost causes, and picked up a calf strain in the second half and was replaced by Temitope Odebayi, making only his third appearance for the Trotters.

The second-half again saw Bolton keep United at bay and create some good chances of their own, with Matthew Taylor blasting the sort of half-volley from distance that he usually relishes over the bar and Kevin Davies sending a looping header on to the roof of the net.

However, despite their lack of fluency in front of goal, United rallied in the closing stages and Ronaldo drilled a low shot that was saved by Jaaskelainen before Berbatov’s late winner.
Tony Mabert / Eurosport

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Vidic lost his marker at the far post to head home his fourth of the season from a corner in first-half stoppage time and give United a lead they just about deserved on the balance of play. That goal was registered at the second attempt after Cristiano Ronaldo had a header of his own disallowed just moments earlier. Rooney had casually knocked the inital corner into play while nobody except Ryan Giggs was looking, and the Welsh veteran jogged over to the ball before quickly crossing in to the far post for Ronaldo to glance a header past goalkeeper Petr Cech. However, the linesman’s flag was immediately raised and referee Howard Webb ruled that, as none of the officials were made aware that the ball was in play, the corner must be retaken.

Midway through the second-half, United doubled their lead when Patrice Evra – returning from a four-match ban for his row with a Chelsea groundsman at Stamford Bridge last April – curled in a cross that was too high for Berbatov to head but Rooney was able to prod home from close range.
Berbatov put the gloss on the victory with three minutes of normal time remaining when he steered in Ronaldo’s free-kick delivery at the near post.

Considering the inevitably fevered build-up to the match, the first-half was a largely uneventful one.
The referee handed out four yellow cards, the first to Frank Lampard after just four minutes for a cynical trip on Ronaldo. Ronaldo found himself in the book midway through the half along with fellow Portuguese Ricardo Carvalho after the two tangled with each other while battling at a corner.

The only shot on target preceding the opener came from Berbatov after Rooney had found him in the Chelsea area with a delicate flick. The Bulgarian striker was in front of goal but his left-footed shot under pressure was tame and an easy stop for Cech.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari brought on Nicolas Anelka at half-time to partner Didier Drogba, but the league’s top scorer did little to aid his coahces cause.
The Frenchman could not muster any efforts on goal himself, while Drogba blazed one strike over the bar and air-kicked another attempted volley as the Blues chased the game.

Four more booking were handed out before the final whistle, including one for Rooney, whose performance deserved both the goal he scored and the yellow card he received.

Ronaldo fired a shot inches wide from distance and had a free-kick loop up off the wall and tipped over the bar by Cech before he set up the third goal that ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run of 20 away matches in the league.
Tony Mabert / Eurosport

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Eurosport

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