Kuszczak has been waiting for this opportunity since 2007, and says he is ready to succeed Van der Sar, but I’m not sure he is too confident based on his interview with the Manchester evening news.

“I know that in the meantime if I get a chance I have to play well because that is the only way I am going to impress him. If Sir Alex Ferguson decides I am not good enough, then I will look for another club.

“Everything is open now. I am realistic about my situation. It would not frighten me to take over as Edwin’s successor. Why should it? I am not new here. If I play for this club long term I will be really happy because that has always been my dream. I came to Manchester to try to be a top goalkeeper for many years like my idol Peter Schmeichel.”

Who do you think should succeed Edwin Van der Sar?

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Ronaldo’s luxury sports car’s front end was smashed to pieces and it lost a wheel as he collided with a roadside barrier while driving to training, the morning after a disappointing defeat for his team.

Ronaldo’s team-mate Edwin van der Sar, United’s goakeeper, was following in his Bentley at the time of the crash but was not involved in the collision, said police.
Skid marks were clearly visible leading up to the crash scene, and a photographer who arrived shortly afterwards described the 23-year-old Portugal winger’s bright-red car as a “terrible mess.”

But Greater Manchester Police said no one had been injured.
“Officers attended and discovered a Ferrari had collided with a barrier,” a statement said. “No one is believed to have been injured.”
Witness Jody Lomax was driving behind Ronaldo when the collision occurred.
“The Ferrari went straight into the wall, his front left-hand wheel came off and then Ronaldo got out of the car,” he said, according to the BBC.

“I was shocked. Anyway he was all right, he was walking – he was a bit shaken… Obviously I was stunned at seeing a Ferrari go in the wall and seeing Ronaldo.”
A spokeswoman for United said Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year, had not required treatment for shock or any other injuries and would be fit to play in Sunday’s Premier League showdown with Chelsea.
“Cristiano is fine,” the spokeswoman said. “It was on his way to training. He did not receive any treatment. He has trained this morning with the team and is OK.”

Police officer Nigel Snell said that, given the damage to the car, it was “fortunate” that Ronaldo was not injured.
“We are trying to establish exactly what happened and I would appeal to anyone that may have witnessed the collision to contact police,” he said.
Ronaldo played as a second-half substitute in United’s 1-0 defeat away to Derby County in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

Barring any delayed reaction to the crash, he will be back in the starting line-up for Sunday’s match at Old Trafford as United seek to overcome one of their major rivals in the battle to retain the Premier League trophy.
AFP

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Both Rooney and Ronaldo on the bench to start.
Ferdinand passed the fitness test and he started alongside Brown, Pique, and Silvestre. Sir Alex went with a Carrick as a defensive mid Anderson and Hargreaves in the center. Park on the right and Giggs on the Left
17 year old Danny Welbeck was called up to the first team.

In the first 10 minutes United had 5 good chances to score. First Hargreaves centered the ball for Tevez in the 3rd minute but its deflected for a corner kick. Then Giggs finds Park making the run behind the Roma defense but Park puts it too wide looking for the far post. Then Park finds Tevez with a center inside the 18, but Tevez heads it wide. Then in the 10th minute Giggs connects with Owen Hargreaves, Owen was through on a 1v1 but couldn’t finish as Doni blocked to much of the angle.

United with another great chance in the 16th Owen Hargreaves sends a ball into Giggs who takes a shot  at point blank but Doni dives the right way.

Giggs delivers a great ball to Owen Hargreaves right in front of goal but was immediately rushed by Casseti and Juan. Owen couldn’t get the shot off

Hargreaves again with a ball that makes it all the across the middle, That time for Anderson who connects wonderfully but is denied by Doni. Great shot by Anderson and I’m glad to see he’s keeping the ball down when he shoots

A very greedy and selfish play by Tevez in the 27th minute. There was a counter attack from United which Tevez started, by playing Ryan Giggs to the left, Giggs carried and megged a player before passing it to Anderson who had a light touch for Tevez and immediately took off for the give and go. At this point Giggs had continued his run up the left completely unmarked and Anderson was making the right run. Tevez held WAY to long, and im not sure his last touch was intended as a pass, it looked like wanted to go solo, but Anderson who was offside ran to the ball and was called for it.

In the 30th minute Roma were awarded a PK after Mancini shook Brown and made Brown commit to slide tackling. The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. 
De Rossi stepped up and with the pressure of an entire country (Roma was the only Italian club left), He couldn’t convert.
United got very lucky.

Again Tevez decided to play himself instead of giving the ball to Park, who would’ve been clean through.
Tevez ran straight into the opposition. His teammates must have been furious.

In the 34th minute United came close to conceding a goal but a bad first touch by De Rossi give United a chance to clear.

Ferdinand was limping around the whole match. Makes you wonder if he will be fit for the weekend.

A good counter from United as Anderson carried the ball a good 30 yards before passing off to Giggs on the left side, Giggs got past his defender but delivered a poor ball.

2nd half

No changes for United, Ferdinand was back on the pitch.

Roma kept taking shots from outside the 18, Van der Sar had some trouble holding on to the ball but none that would cost United a goal.

Silvestre in great form as he deflected a very dangerous shot taken by Roma. And Van der Sar also doing his part as he gets to a very difficult ball taken by Juan from the corner, and this time he holds on to it

And at the other end again Tevez has another greedy moment, he took one to many touches once again. Tevez did not lift his head to look for other teammates on too many occasions. Tevez wanted to do everything on his own.

Ronaldo and Rooney were warming up
Ronaldo is 9 away from breaking Dennis Law’s record of 45 goals in one season. V.Nistelrooy has come the closest to breaking the record with 44 goals in one season.

Bad ball by Anderson in the 62nd minute, he tried for the switch but he had his left defender making the run, why make soccer difficult? Play it simple.

Man Utd have played with composure and confidence. United were knocking the ball back in forth with no worries

Carlos finally gets his goal in the 70th minute, Hargreaves provided the perfect ball for a diving header,
Maybe now he’ll play with his teammates. And as he celebrated he lifted his shirt to reveal “Feliz Cumple Ariel” or Happy Birthday Ariel
That explains a lot, he was determined to score for “Ariel”

73rd minute Perrota takes his frustration on Park, as he deliberately kicked him. It was a late and cowardly tackle and he still gets upset over getting it called against him. Telling park to “get up”

Rooney on for Giggs in the 74th minute, and O’Shea for Carrick.
I found it very interesting Ferdinand was left on.

Gary Neville’s long awaited return would come in the 81st minute and Anderson  was the player to come off. Neville has not played a match in over a year with the 1st team.

Gary Neville was immediately given the captains armband.

Park was fed a lovely ball by Wayne Rooney in the 88th, No offside call but Park cant convert its out for a corner kick.

And that was the final whistle.

United through to the Semi-Final against Barcelona.

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There has been plenty of good news and bad news for both Manchester United and Roma.

First, Roma’s bad news and United‘s good news. Roma will have to do without their leading scorer and team captain, Francesco Totti once again. While United’s offense is unstoppable at the moment, With Ronaldo on the verge of breaking goal scoring records, Rooney back in scoring form, Nani set to return and that’s not mentioning Anderson, Scholes, Tevez or Giggs. The Roma defense will have their work cut out for them at Old Trafford. Oh, and Roma will most likely start their horrendous keeper Doni.

Now for United’s bad news and Roma’s good. United will have to do without Serbian international  Nemanja Vidic and possibly English captain Rio Ferdinand. Vidic still out from United’s first leg which took place in Roma. Ferdinand, who more recently injured his foot will have to pass a fitness test set to take place Wednesday morning to compete. United do have options like John O’Shea, Gerard Pique, Owen Hargreaves (who did play right back a couple weeks ago) even Mikael Silvestre and Gary Neville. While Roma’s defense has been boosted by Brazilian center defender Juan.

With at least one English team already guaranteed to be in the final, Manchester United have what it takes to make it two in the Champions League Final.

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United had to do without Vidic, who was out with a knee injury.
Scholes and Carrick take the center mid positions. Ronaldo and Giggs take the wings. This was Giggs 750th appearance for United, just 9 shy of Sir Bobby Charltons record.

Late challenge on Ronaldo in the first minutes of the match,  Boro tried to send a message early on.

Middlesbrough has scored 35 goals in all competition, Ronaldo alone has 36.

Carrick gets fouled about 30 yards out and Ronaldo has a go but it was deflected by the wall.

A corner for Man U in the 10th minute and United score. Its incredible that in a professional match the ball made it past everyone and got to Carrick in the back post. Carrick put it straight across the middle for who else, Ronaldo. 6 yards from goal,  Ronaldo was not going to miss.
He makes it 37 goals in all competition. 

In the 22nd minute middlesbrough showed some poor sportsmanship by not putting the ball out after Evra went down at their end of the field. Middlesbrough almost tied because of their lack of respect for United.

I understand if there was a clear scoring opportunity, not to play the ball out, But Evra went down in their 18! I lost some respect for Middlesbrough after that play.

Rio overpowers Alves in the 32nd minute for a Middlesbrough free kick 25 yards out. 

Alves took the free kick, and it was a powerful kick. Van der Sar was able to block it, only to have it go to a Boro player, and again Van der Sar makes a brilliant save.

2 minutes later Carrick committed 2 mistakes that would allow Middlesbrough to tie. Carrick was given the ball in the back by O’Shea, who then overlapped down the right side. Carrick didn’t play the short ball and instead tried a 50 yard long ball to the opposite side of the field for Giggs. Well Carrick is no Beckham, the ball was short, not only that but Carrick decided not to run back until it was to late. Alfonso Alves had snuck in behind him and Middlesbrough played a classic counter attack. In two touches the ball made its way to Uniteds right side where there was no defender. And it was no problem for Alfonso Alves as he slid it past Van der Sar.

Middlesbrough simply out hustled United. This was apparent in the 40th minute when the ball was in Uniteds danger zone, first O’Shea had a chance to clear it but it was blocked then Evra and it was blocked. Middlesbrough hustled to the ball and centered it to Downing who was wide open, luckily for United Van der Sar got to it with another great save.
 
2nd Half

No changes for United

Right away in the first 2 minutes of the second half United have a scare as Middlesbrough feed a long ball from their own half and it manages to bounce over eveyones head, and Pogatetz was there but United clear it just in time for a counter, it was 3v3 at the other end, Rooney tried to play a ball to Tevez on the right side but it was a little to much and Tevez could only salvage a corner from it. Good idea from Rooney

Rooney was booked in the 55th minute for sliding in on the keeper. Some might argue it was harsh, considering the condition of the field. Rooney slid and couldn’t stop due to the wet pitch. But rules are rules, if Alves challenged Van der Sar like that we would all be yelling for a yellow.

1 minute later, Middlesbrough luck out on some poor United defending, again. Brown does his job by challenging the ball in the air, there are 3 United players with in 5 yards of Wes Brown and all of them were too naïve to drop back behind Rio “Just in Case” Alves was the only one that ran through and past everyone and with a little luck found the ball at his feet for another break, and again he put it past Van der Sar with the nearest United defender 3 yards behind him.

A very close call for Man U. As Aliadiere heads a ball across Uniteds goal for Alves. Luckily for United Rio clears the ball of the line before Alves could get his hat trick.

Ferdinand came off in the 70th minute, this could spell disaster for United. Man U can not afford to lose another key defender.

A brilliant strike from Wayne Rooney off a corner. Rooney hit a volley first time but just put it wide. A very difficult thing to do.

Park, who came on for Tevez is the architect behind Rooneys goal. Park made the perfect run, he made the perfect fake, the finished it off with the perfect pass to Rooney. Rooney simply redirected it and salvaged a point for United.
Rooney doesn’t even celebrate, that’s what I love about this kid. He was knew where his team stood and he just wanted to get on with it. Rooney wanted the win.

A wonderful flying header by Rooney in the closing minutes but it was clocked then Giggs dished off to Scholes who couldn’t put it away.

United manage to tie  and keep themselves 3 points in front of Chelsea.

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