Red Devils are the comeback kings. Story Via The Province

I’m not sure what was on Sir Alex Ferguson’s Christmas list, but if it was a seven-point lead in the Premier League standings, then that’s what he got!

It didn’t exactly come as a gift though, as Manchester United had to work for it.

Three times they came from behind against Newcastle, before grabbing the winner in stoppage time for a 4-3 victory Wednesday. Incredibly, United has now rescued 24 points this season coming back from losing positions. Take those points away, and the Red Devils would be in the bottom half of the table.

Whatever it is that powers Manchester United’s resilience and never-say-die attitude, Manchester City could sure use some of it. City was sorely lacking that kind of drive and determination in its 1-0 Boxing Day loss away to Sunderland. That’s been one of the differences between the two Manchester powers this season: United finds the goals that it needs, while City struggles, especially away from home. City has the much better defence, and usually it’s defences that win championships, but that is not holding true in the Premier League this season.

The two title challengers have big games on Saturday: United hosts sixth-place West Brow, while City is away to Norwich, who had been on a good run of form up until the last few days.

Do you also think that Manchester United deserve to be called "COMEBACK KINGS?"

 

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. . . . . and This is What it Means to be Called Manchester United. Stories Via b/r

1. Manchester United vs. Newcastle: Score, Grades and Post-Match Reaction

Manchester United fought back brilliantly at Old Trafford on Wednesday, coming back from three one-goal deficits to win 4-3 over Newcastle United.

James Perch opened the scoring early in the fourth minute, putting Newcastle up 1-0 on a rebound shot. Twenty minutes later Manchester United's Jonathan Evans leveled the match at 1-1. A controversial own goal by Evans three minutes later put Newcastle up 2-1 heading into halftime.

Patrice Evra would level the match at 2-2 in the 58th minute. Ten minutes later, Newcastle's Papiss Demba Cisse scored to give Newcastle the lead for the third time, 3-2. But Robin van Persie would level just three minutes later.

Javier Hernandez played the hero for Manchester United in the waning moments, scoring in the 90th minute to break the deadlock and lift the home squad to a win and three big points.

Before the match, BBC Sport tweeted the following stat about Manchester United on Boxing Day, which proved to be a telling one:

Man Utd 0-1 Newcastle: Man U have the best PL

 record on Boxing Day but this is 5th time they have 

fallen behind at home in PL this season

While Manchester United fans are now celebrating a thrilling come-from-behind victory, many were upset by the team's poor play during the first half. James Dolman tweeted this with United trailing 2-1 at halftime:

 

Things can only get better... 

Because that was abysmal.

 #MUFC #NUFC #Halftime

 

Football reporter Damian Johnson agreed:

Controversy aside I Can't recall ever seeing

 #mufc so lacklustre in 1st half v #nufc 

at Old Trafford #bbcfootball

 

But perhaps it was Sir Alex Ferguson's constant criticism of the officials that helped spark his club in the second half. Daily Telegraph correspondent Henry Winter reported on Ferguson's sideline antics at the beginning of the second half:

Sir Alex Ferguson on the pitch before kick-off of 2nd half 

arguing with referee Mike Dean over #nufc 2nd. #mufc

 

Like Kristen on Twitter, most football fans were captivated by Wednesday's electric Premier League clash at Old Trafford:

What an absolute cracking Boxing

 Day fixture this is #NUFC #MUFC

The win moves Manchester United (46 points) seven points ahead of Manchester City on the Premier League table, while Newcastle sit way back in 15th, with 20 points.

Jonathan Evans, Manchester United: C
Jonny Evans' Boxing Day went from amazing to terrible in a matter of minutes on Wednesday, as he leveled the match at 1-1 in the 25th minute, only to give Newcastle the lead three minutes later on a controversial own goal.
A few minutes later, Evans picked up a yellow card to add to his troubles.

James Perch, Newcastle United: B
It was a case of being in the right place at the right time for Newcastle midfielder James Perch against Manchester United. Demba Ba launched a shot at Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, which he deflected back out right to the feet of Perch, who crushed the ball into the back of the net to put Newcastle ahead 1-0 less than five minutes into the match.
Perch was quiet the rest of the way, though.

Robin van Persie, Manchester United: A

RVP was back to his usual ways on Wednesday, scoring a crucial second-half goal to level the match at 3-3, ultimately giving Chicharito a shot at winning the match late.

Demba Ba, Newcastle United: B
Ba was arguably the most active Newcastle player on the attack Wednesday, getting off a handful of shots and playing a huge role in the team's first goal. Unfortunately, Ba never found the back of the net, and his squad was outscored on the road.

Chicharito, Manchester United: A

You can't get much more clutch than Javier Hernandez was against Newcastle. The player better known as Chicharito scored in the 90th minute to put Manchester United ahead with just minutes left.

Chicharito been knocking at the door all match long, so he was deserving of the game winner. RVP should certainly be credited for his 71st minute equalizer, but Hernandez's goal gave United the lead and thus makes him the Boxing Day hero.

2. Javier Hernandez: Breaking Down Chicharito's Knack for Late-Game Heroics

javier Hernandez once again came through with a goal in the waning moments of a Manchester United match. This time, it was to lift his club over Newcastle, which saw him continue a pattern of grabbing late winners this season. 

 In a wild fixture that saw four second-half goals, United prevailed by a 4-3 score line thanks to more heroics from Chicharito, whose goal in the 90th minute allowed the Red Devils to take three points from a contest in which a victory seemed impossible at times.

Hernandez had scored game-winners against Braga, Chelsea and Aston Villa already this campaign, and fans are starting to wonder how he is able to continually come through with incredible goals in crucial moments.
He does not have Didier Drogba’s size and strength, Robin van Persie’s skill or Cristiano Ronaldo’s speed, but he does have the following attributes that allow him to be a constant threat.

Positioning and Movement

Without incredible physical gifts, Hernandez’s true quality comes from his intelligence and guile.
He constantly positions himself along the back line, stretching the defense and walking the tightrope between offside and onside.

In addition, he is an extremely slippery player in the box and it is frustratingly difficult for opposing defenders to keep track of him. He has fantastic chemistry with United’s distributing midfielders and knows exactly when to start his runs.

Quality forwards like Hernandez just need a foot of space. When fatigue sets in late in matches, his superb positioning and brilliant movement ensure that he is able to find the gap he needs to score memorable goals.

Explosiveness

While he may not have elite athleticism, Chicharito is not completely devoid of physical ability and he does possess incredible explosiveness.

He will not cause spectators’ jaws to drop in a dead sprint down the touchline, but few players are faster when going from a standstill to a spot a few yards away.

This allows him to close an impressive amount of ground in the few seconds that a ball is traveling toward him in the air, and it is why he is able to get his foot or head on so many passes.

If a defender loses track of him for the split second before service is delivered, he will have no chance at beating Hernandez to the ball. These momentary lapses in concentration happen often when back-line players are tired late in games and few are better at taking advantage of them than Chicharito.

The previous qualities allow Hernandez to be in the right place to score crucial goals, but they do not explain why he is able to finish the chances he gets.

 

Kobe Bryant has it, Mariano Rivera has it and so does Tom Brady. Certain athletes across all sports have a mental makeup that allows them to be at their best in the most important moments.

 

Chicharito’s movement and positioning is sharpest in the closing minutes of matches and his burst becomes more impressive as the clock draws nearer to 90 minutes.

Whether he is coming on as a substitute or has been playing since the opening whistle, he is on top of his game when United needs a winner. 

Stories and pictures vis b/r

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Gunmen kill 6 in attack on church in Nigeria. Via CNN

Via CNN -- Gunmen in northern Nigeria attacked a church's Christmas Eve services, killing six people and setting the building on fire, police said.

A pastor was slain in the incident, police said.

It was the latest strike against Christians in the region. More than 30 people died in a wave of Christmas Day attacks in the north last year, blamed on Boko Haram, a militant group that has targeted Christians and Muslims it considered insufficiently Islamist.

"Suspected members of the group have bombed or opened fire on worshipers in at least 18 churches across eight northern and central states since 2010. In Maiduguri, the group also forced Christian men to convert to Islam on penalty of death," Human Rights Watch said in an October report.

It is not immediately known if the group was behind the latest attack.

The Christmas attack came as families whose kin died in last year's killings delivered graveside prayers for a peaceful holiday period. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan issued a statement promising better days next year, including better security.

"Sometimes, challenges make people doubt the sincerity of government, but I am confident that God knows everything," he said Sunday.

But residents told CNN that despite assurances of security, they have been attacked again.

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Queen's Christmas speech: monarch humbled by Jubilee crowds. Via The Telegraph

The Queen has used her Christmas broadcast to respond to the outpouring of affection and enthusiasm shown by the nation during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. 

Her Majesty described how she was left humbled by the huge crowds that turned out to mark her historic milestone.

As her momentous year draws to a close, she said she was struck by the "strength of fellowship and friendship" shown by well-wishers, most memorably during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant when more than a million people lined the banks of the river.

Despite the cold conditions and persistent downpours, the crowds who witnessed the once-in-a-lifetime flotilla were "undaunted by the rain", she said in her address.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games were another highlight of 2012 for the Queen.

She paid tribute to the athletes, Olympic torch bearers and volunteer Games Makers for either inspiring the nation with their efforts or devoting themselves to others.

The message, produced by Sky News, was broadcast in 3D for the first time and elements of the footage appeared to leap out from the screen. It was also shown in HD and standard definition.

In her annual address to the nation, the Queen said: "This past year has been one of great celebration for many. The enthusiasm which greeted the Diamond Jubilee was, of course, especially memorable for me and my family.

"It was humbling that so many chose to mark the anniversary of a duty which passed to me 60 years ago. People of all ages took the trouble to take part in various ways and in many nations.

"But perhaps most striking of all was to witness the strength of fellowship and friendship among those who had gathered together on these occasions."

The broadcast featured panoramic shots of hundreds of boats, tugs, ships, cruisers and canoes sailing down river past the Houses of Parliament during the pageant staged as part of the national celebrations in June.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were shown waving to the crowds, while well-wishers stood on the riverbanks drenched by the downpours but still clearly enjoying themselves.

In a lighthearted moment the Duke of Edinburgh was featured jigging along to a nautical tune, as other royals, including the Prince of Wales and the Queen, also enjoyed the music.

The Queen summed up the day: "On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain.

"That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing over the elements."

The same spirit of celebration was found when the Olympic flame reached the UK, said the Queen, who recorded her address in Buckingham Palace's White Drawing Room.

She added: "The flame itself drew hundreds and thousands of people on its journey around the British Isles, and was carried by every kind of deserving individual, many nominated for their own extraordinary service."

A number of Olympic torch bearers were shown including paratrooper Ben Parkinson, considered the most seriously wounded soldier to survive the war in Afghanistan, who carried the flame through his home town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in June.

Lance Bombardier Parkinson lost both legs and suffered brain and back injuries in a bomb attack in 2006, and was cheered by thousands as he slowly made his way along the route.

Military Cross holder Corporal Ricky Furgusson was another injured serviceman who took part in the Olympic Torch Relay.

Despite losing both legs, five fingers and his left eye in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010, the soldier from 4th Battalion, The Rifles was seen carrying the torch through Broseley in Shropshire in May.

When the nation's sportsmen and women began competing, their efforts impressed spectators, remarked the Queen.

"As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes," she said.

Footage featured Olympic and Paralympic heroes, from cyclist Bradley Wiggins on his way to clinching the time trial gold medal, to an ecstatic Mo Farah after winning the 10,000m title - soon to be followed by a 5,000m gold.

Paralympian David Weir was seen after his triumph in the men's T54 800m and the world's fastest man Usain Bolt powering over the finish line to retain his 100m Olympic title.

The thousands of volunteers who were the public face of the Games were singled out by the Queen.
She said: "Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted."

The Queen, with Philip, was shown reviewing troops in May during the Armed Forces Diamond Jubilee Parade and Muster.

The Queen, who wore a fine silk tulle gown by Angela Kelly for the broadcast, said: "For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first. Those serving in our Armed Forces, in our emergency services and in our hospitals, whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends, will be missing those they love."

The broadcast was recorded on December 7, a few days after it was officially announced that Kate was pregnant, but there was no mention of the impending royal birth in the message.

The Christmas address is one of the rare occasions when the Queen does not turn to the Government for advice but is able to voice her own views.

It also has a strong religious framework and this year the Queen spoke about the story at the heart of Christmas - the birth of Jesus.

"A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship the Christ child," she said.

"From that day on, he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others."
At the start of the broadcast, the British Paraorchestra, which accompanied Coldplay during the Paralympics closing ceremony, was featured performing the National Anthem in Buckingham Palace's Ballroom.

For the final segment of the message, the Military Wives Choir, with choirmaster Gareth Malone, sang the carol In The Bleak Midwinter in the same setting.

This news was firstly published by The Telegraph

 

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Manchester United. Via b/r

1. Fergie: RVP could have been killed

Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Swansea captain Ashley Williams could have killed Robin van Persie when he struck the ball at the Dutchman's head during the teams' 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium.

Van Persie reacted angrily when Williams fired the ball at him from close range - apparently to make a clearance although the whistle had already gone for a foul in United's favour - leading referee Michael Oliver to show yellow cards to both players.
Ferguson, though, told Sky Sports after the game that he believed Williams' actions had been "absolutely deliberate" and that they were extremely dangerous.
"The whistle has gone, the game is stopped and he's done that right in front of the referee," the United boss said. "He could have really killed the lad. It's a disgraceful act. He should be banned for a long, long time."
Football Association rules mean no retrospective action can be taken against Williams due to the fact the referee saw and dealt with the incident at the time, but Ferguson said: "He could have been killed - the referee has got to look into it.
"Irrespective of him having a yellow card, he ought to be banned for a long time because that's the most dangerous thing I've seen on a football field for many, many years."
Williams had looked to downplay the incident in his own post-match interview with Sky Sports.
"I tried to clear the ball. It hit him on the head,'' he said. "I was trying to clear the ball. He was obviously a bit angry about that. It was a much ado about nothing."
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup was surprised when informed of Ferguson's remarks.
He said: "I did not see it at the time as there were a lot of players involved, but I saw it afterwards. I don't think he (Ferguson) meant literally killing him.
"Things happen in a game and I am sure Ashley and Van Persie shook hands at the final whistle and we move on. When your pulse is on 180 then you can say things during the game you don't mean but then afterwards it is back to normal."

2. Sir Alex Ferguson Calls for Ashley Williams Ban After Robin van Persie Incident

Manchester United will surely be frustrated with their 1-1 tie against Swansea City, a game the Red Devils had plenty of chances to win. Following the game, however, Sir Alex Ferguson's frustrations with Swansea defender Ashley Williams seem to be far greater.

That's because Williams booted the ball directly into the back of Robin van Persie's head after the United striker was fouled and went down just outside of the box. As play was stopped, Williams kicked the ball and drilled van Persie, causing the striker to fly to his feet in an outrage and nearly incite a fight.

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson's pleas to the FA, the governing body has decided against banning Williams for kicking a ball into van Persie's head on Sunday.

From The Guardian:

The Football Association will not take action against the Swansea Citydefender Ashley Williams for kicking a ball at the head of Manchester United's Robin van Persie.
United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, called on the FA to ban Williams for a long time, claiming Van Persie "could have been killed" by the incident.
But the governing body will not instigate disciplinary procedures against the Wales international, who denied malicious intent.

Williams has responded to the incident and to Sir Alex's opinion on the matter, via BBC:

Everyone's going to have their own opinion. From my point of view, I tried to apologize on the pitch but obviously it all flared up. I kicked the ball in frustration, I'm obviously not trying to hit him square on the head. I tried to apologize but didn't get the chance.

Ferguson didn't hold back when commenting on Williams' actions after the game (via Goal.com):

Well it was a foul on Van Persie, a clear foul, but then again, the referee has had one of those days and not given us anything. He had a shocking performance today.

I know he is a young referee but I was disappointed with that performance. The Van Persie situation, he clearly sees the incident.

He could have been killed. I think the FA has got to look into it—irrespective of him getting a yellow card, he should be banned for a long time, because that was one of the most dangerous things I have seen on a football pitch in a long time. Absolutely deliberate.

The whistle had gone, the game stopped and he has done that right in front of the referee. He could really have killed the lad.

It's hard to blame the United manager for seething after the incident. While there remains the slightest of possibilities that Williams' actions were unintentional, it certainly appeared as though he purposefully sent the ball into the back of Van Persie's head.
If that's the case, Ferguson is right—Williams must be banned, and the suspension should be a lengthy one. Van Persie could have been hurt badly, especially from that distance.
Normally, I might accuse Ferguson of hyperbole here or allowing his frustration with his team to fester after United saw their lead over rivals Manchester City shrink from six points to four. In this case, though, I think his anger is totally justified.
I would expect Williams to publicly apologize without admitting he struck Van Persie on purpose. I expect he'll say he kicked the ball in frustration, but never attempted to hit Van Persie, though kicking the ball in such close proximity to a fallen player was dangerous and in poor judgement.
We'll see if the FA buys that or takes any further action. I imagine we haven't heard the last of this situation, not by a long shot.

3. Sir Alex Ferguson hails Robin van Persie's impact at Man Utd

Robin van Persie is the "last piece of the jigsaw" for leaders Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed.

The striker's 12 goals in 18 games have helped the 29-year-old's new club to a four-point Premier League lead.
"I am reluctant to subscribe to the cult of an individual. But sometimes you find the last piece of the jigsaw," the United manager said.

United lost last season's title on goal difference but are currently the top scoring team thanks to the Dutchman.

The reigning Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year has made a huge impact at Old Trafford since he joined in the summer from Arsenal for £24m, scoring 15 goals in all competitions.
Van Persie's timing in the league has also proved crucial as he has scored the opening United goal in five games and the winning goal in five games, with the highlight being the crucial 3-2 victory away to rivals Manchester City.

If his strikes were subtracted from his club's total, table toppers United would be 15 points worse off in eighth place.
His tally in all competitions is well ahead of the other first team United strikers, with Danny Welbeck 14 behind, Wayne Rooney seven goals off and Javier Hernandez closest to him on nine.
Van Persie's influence has been compared to that of iconic Frenchman Eric Cantona when he led United to their first league title in 26 years despite the fact that when he arrived from Leeds in November 1992  Ferguson's team were languishing in mid-table.
Speaking in the programme for Boxing Day's visit of Newcastle, Ferguson said: "We did it when we brought Eric Cantona to Old Trafford where he proved to be the right player at the right club at the right time.
"He became the catalyst and springboard for our surge to success.
"It doesn't have to be signing someone for a record fee. Cristiano Ronaldo was not a record buy either but he certainly made a difference as he prospered with us to the extent that he came to be regarded by a lot of people as the world's best player."

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Golden Tweets In Year 2012

Here are the top two Tweets that generated the most Retweets for the year, plus honorable mentions for a few other Tweets that caught attention around the world.

FOUR MORE YEARS

President Obama comments on his reelection

Before he took the stage to affirm his election victory, President Obama marked his win via Twitter. Within hours, this Tweet simultaneously became the most retweeted of 2012 — and the most retweeted ever, sent by people in more than 200 countries around the world. 

 

 

JUSTIN BIEBER

 

Justin Bieber says goodbye to a fan

Suffering from a rare form of brain cancer, six-year-old Avalanna Routh was big Justin Bieber fan, and the pop star had grown close to her during her illness. When she passed away in September. Bieber paid tribute to her in a Tweet, and many, many Twitter Beliebers responded. 

 

 

“29 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze - We finished 3rd in medal table after most successful Olympics for 104 years #OurGreatestTeam RT your support” 

 

 

Team GB congratulates its athletes

For the first time since 1948, the Summer Olympics returned to London. British athletes performed extremely well, with a “home team” advantage resulting in more medals than expected. Fans followed their every move, joining in at the close of the Games to show their support for #OurGreatestTea

 

 Yamachanoha

“…I would like to announce here: I, Koichi Yamadera, have married Ms. Rie Tanaka … I am really happy to have met such a great partner and have our lives come together. We made up our minds to respect each other, help each other and build a home full of smiles…”

山寺宏一 @yamachanoha

公式ブログが無いのでこちらで報告させて頂きます。私、山寺宏一は昨日6月17日に声優の田中理恵さん と入籍致しました。人生を共に歩んで行く素晴らしいパートナーと巡り会えた事に感謝します。互いを信頼し、支え合い、笑顔あふれる家庭を築いて行こうと思 います。暖かく見守って頂けたら幸いです。

Anime fans salute a wedding

When actor Kouichi Yamadera announced in a Tweet that he registered for marriage with actress Rie Tanaka, it became the most retweeted message from Japan this year. Why? Both are prominent Japanese voice actors, famous for many of their anime roles.

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Samir Nasri could miss festive period for Manchester City. Via b/r

• Midfielder injured groin in last weekend's win at Newcastle
• Doubt for Reading, Sunderland, Norwich and Stoke games

Samir Nasri could miss the majority of the festive period for Manchester City following a groin injury suffered during Saturday's 3-1 win at Newcastle United.
The midfielder is a major doubt for the weekend visit of Reading with the club fearful he could be out for longer as Roberto Mancini attempts to close the six-point gap to the Premier League leaders Manchester United.
The Frenchman had been impressive for City in the first half against Newcastle before suffering the problem and being replaced after 37 minutes.
After Reading, City travel to Sunderland and Norwich City, before finishing the holiday fixtures with the visit of Stoke City on 1 January.

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Analysing Robin van Persie's Role in Manchester United's Attack. Via b/r

When Manchester United splashed £22 million on Robin van Persie this summer, many raised their eyebrows and asked some very valid questions.

Why risk that much on a 29-year-old striker whose ankle is less than trustworthy? Is a new striker the Red Devils' biggest need?

Sir Alex Ferguson ignored the doubters and, clearly irked by losing the English Premier League title race on goal differential to Manchester City, opted to buy a shed-load more goals.
Enter the Dutchman.

Shape?
Robin van Persie has already shown himself to be comfortable in almost every formation Sir Alex Ferguson can throw at him.

Even when others felt less than comfortable with the midfield diamond experiment, RvP seemed very much at home with it. Of course, the reason for this is he plays his own relatively unique role no matter what the shape of the team is.

Van Persie has a habit of dictating the attacking rhythm of his team. What Arsenal once thrived upon, Manchester United now the reap the rewards of.

The result? A free-flowing Red Devils attack compared to a stuttering, narrow Arsenal one. Harsh realities.

Movement
His game is exactly the same as it was under Arsene Wenger—he's given the freedom to move in and out of the forward line, laying credence to the idea that both he and Wayne Rooney are playing as false-nines, or nine-and-a-halves.

The main difference is that in Ferguson's 4-4-2, he's not the only one tearing the opposition to shreds through erratic, unpredictable movement.

We'll take Rooney's goal against Sunderland as an example.

RvP starts the move in a central position and shifts the ball wide to Ashley Young. He then decides to run around and overlap on the left side of his winger due to absence of Patrice Evra on this quick, direct attack.
Rooney stays in the box as the target and attracts the attention of John O'Shea.

Once Young has laid the ball off, he stays in the same position, meaning Craig Gardner has to stay with him and can't cover the near post.

RvP takes the ball to the byline and fizzes in a cross for his striker partner to finish. Had they all been in Arsenal shirts, RvP would have fizzed the cross into a box devoid of colleagues.

Revolution
Manchester United haven't had an attack this potent in a while.
Danny Welbeck works well with Rooney but doesn't offer this kind of outlet, and Javier Hernandez is strictly one-dimensional with his play.

If Wenger had been brave enough to try two strikers at Arsenal, there could have been hatfuls of goals going in at the Emirates Stadium on a regular basis.

As it stands, the difference between the two sides' attacks with RvP in them is that Ferguson uses a second striker, meaning the good service work the Dutchman does isn't completely in vain.

When he was a Gunner, Van Persie would often drop in and join up with his midfielders, but a lack of attacking drive from his wingers meant he would often end up shooting from 25 to 30 yards.

There's no danger of his good work going to waste at Old Trafford.

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Barcelona boss Vilanova to step down? Via HITC SPORT

Spanish football is reeling from the news that Tito Vilanova is likely to have to step down as a manager after suffering a relapse of a tumour he had removed last year.

He is reportedly undergoing emergency surgery in a Barcelona hospital at the moment.

Barcelona are currently undefeated in La Liga this season with 15 wins and one draw from 16 games are are 9 points clear of second placed Atletico Madrid.

He only took over in the summer from Pep Guardiola, who is on sabbatical. Vilanova had previously been Guardiola's number two.

Barcelona are currently weighing up their options as to a potential replacement.

What do you think of the news? Who should Barcelona bring in?

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Manchester United Transfer News: Sneijder Deal Back On As He Is Sent Home Early From Inter Milan. Via INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES

It seems that the season of goodwill does not extend to Wesley Sneijder from his current employers, Inter Milan. The Dutch midfielder, who was the subject of much speculation in the last transfer window, has been dramatically sent home early from the Inter Milan training centre. He was joined by Coutinho. It seems that the patience of Inter`s owners has finally snapped with the Dutch master as he continues to reject the new contract offer.

This has led to the inevitable conclusion that there will now be a bid from Manchester United for his services. This is especially so, as there has been a dramatic fading of the form of both Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the last couple of months. This has prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to rekindle thoughts of trying one last time to lure the Dutchman to Old Trafford.

He will have the added benefit that he will cost a lot less as Milan will have to sell to avoid Sneijder leaving on a Bosman for free. It is also likely that due to Sneijder’s loss of a bit of form this season, his wage demands will also have to be curtailed. This will play right into Sir Alex`s hands.

United have recently found some good form, and their midfield troubles have been assuaged by the emergence of a good relationship between Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick. However, there is little cover and Sir Alex knows that he needs another creative midfielder to do a similar job to that of Arsenal`s Spanish midfield maestro, Santi Cazorla.

United certainly have the resources at the moment with cash flooding in from all angles, so despite Sir Alex stating that there will not be any transfer activity this January, it could all change if a player of the stature of Sneijder becomes available. Sir Alex took a punt last season on Van Persie. He broke all his own rules by signing a player aged 29 for nearly £25m on massive wages, but we all know how that has turned out!
I would not be at all surprised to see Manchester United make advances if there is a positive reaction from the Sneijder camp.

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Brazil slip to 18th in FIFA rankings. Via AFP

As Written by AFP

PARIS — Brazil have slumped five places to an all-time low 18th in the latest FIFA World Cup rankings as they struggle to regroup under new manager Felipe Scolari.

The 2002 World Cup-winning coach has been brought back to replace Mano Menezes in charge of a side badly in need of some fresh ideas before next June's Confederations Cup where Brazil have been drawn with Italy, Mexico and Japan.

As World Cup hosts, the Brazilians have no qualifiers to play and have been involved in a series of friendly matches, the last of which ended in a 1-1 draw with Colombia in the United States.

In continental terms, Brazil are ranked only fifth in South America behind Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay.

World champions Spain stay top of the rankings followed by Germany and Argentina with Italy up one place to fourth and Colombia up three to fifth.

FIFA world rankings

1. Spain
2. Germany
3. Argentina
4. Italy (+1 place)
5. Colombia (+3)
6. England
7. Portugal (-3)
8. Netherlands (-1)
9. Russia
10. Croatia
11. Greece (+1)
12. Switzerland (+4)
13. Ecuador (+4)
14. Ivory Coast (+1)
15. Mexico (-1)
16. Uruguay (-5)
17. France (+1)
18. Brazil (-5)
19. Algeria
20. Sweden (+3)

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Real Madrid - The Champions League draw from hell for Manchester United. Via HITC SPORT

Manchester United could draw Porto or Celtic in the Champions League on Thursday, but Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo could be their nightmare if the draw is not kind to them.

Jose Mourinho’s side are 13 points behind Barcelona already, and they have little hope of defending their league title as a result, meaning they only really have the Champions League to play for.

When Jose Mourinho was appointed at Real Madrid his main job was undoubtedly to win the Champions League for the club. That his side reasserted some measure of domestic dominance by winning the league title over Barcelona last season was a great success, but it is their first European glory since 2002 that the club were seeking when they brought in the Portuguese manager.

It was also European glory that made Mourinho move to Spain, as he aims to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs. An uneasy alliance has been present between the club’s board and their outspoken manager since his appointment, as each look to complete their own aims despite repeated disagreements.

Mourinho’s spell at Real Madrid looks certain to end in the summer, meaning that this is the last year he can potentially win the Champions League with the club. Their league form has been a disaster so far this season, but this will mean little to either the clubs board or Mourinho himself if he can mastermind a win in Europe.

The campaign hasn’t gone perfectly so far, with Madrid finishing behind Dortmund in their group to create the possibility of a nightmare first knockout round tie against the likes of Bayern Munich, who put them out in last year’s semi-final.

However as the Portuguese manager has been keen to point out himself, on the last two occasions he has finished second in his Champions League group he has won the title. Also with the league title already looking unlikely, Madrid and Mourinho will now be completely focussed on the Champions League, and few would argue that on a given match day, a fresh Real Madrid squad paired with Mourinho as manager cannot match any team in the world.

The idea of a last hurrah in Madrid no doubt appeals to Mourinho’s sense of his own narrative, and should he win the trophy no-one could argue his time there wasn’t a success.

For all their struggles so far this season, Real Madrid are amongst the very favourites for the Champions League, and you’d be brave to bet against Mourinho leaving Madrid on the highest of notes.

Manchester United fans will have to cross their fingers they do not become casualties along the way.

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Robin van Persie is Manchester United's Lionel Messi says O'Neill. Via TheGuardian

* Dutchman scored 15th United goal in win over Sunderland
• Martin O'Neill hails Van Persie's impact after 3-1 defeat

As the manager who harnessed Henrik Larsson in his pomp when in charge of Celtic, Martin O'Neill knows the potency of a talisman. Sunderland's manager looks at Manchester United's Robin van Persie and sees a force with an impact similar to that of Lionel Messi for Barcelona.

The Dutchman is flying in his debut United season, the go-to man who turns matches for Sir Alex Ferguson. "That's the nature of the game and you can boil it down to an awful lot of things," O'Neill said. "Would, for instance, Barcelona have the same effect if Lionel Messi didn't play? The number of goals he has scored is incredible [86 in 2012]. They are a very talented team, but without him, you don't know because Messi is their talisman."

O'Neill, Celtic's most successful manager since Jock Stein, took the Glasgow club to the 2003 Uefa Cup final where Larsson scored twice in the 3-2 defeat by José Mourinho's Porto. Asked if the Van Persie influence on United, whose opener against Sunderland was a 12th Premier League goal since joining, is the same as Larsson's was for Celtic, O'Neill said: "Absolutely. United have paid close on £30m for a player [£24m] who had just one year left on his contract, so that might tell you how valuable they perceive him. But it's not just the perception, the reality is that he has been fantastic."

Van Persie followed his goal by creating United's third and Wayne Rooney's fifth in his last three league outings. This came on 59 minutes – Ashley Young over-hit a pass to the 29-year-old but as Carlos Cuéllar and Titus Bramble advanced in a pincer movement, they were left flailing as a fleet-footed Van Persie zipped forward, then fed Rooney, who slid home easily.

O'Neill said: "Honestly, he [Van Persie] can get goals out of very little. It looks like nothing is happening, you have players there in the area, but all of a sudden, he has opened up a gap. Just look at the third goal. We would say we didn't defend brilliantly, but he would say it was great play, fantastic play, and you always felt that United would give themselves a big edge by getting Van Persie.

"That's not to say that Tevez and Agüero [of Manchester City] are not great players because they are, but this extra boost that United got in pre-season would have been psychologically massive."

Van Persie has scored 15 times in all competitions for his new club and his partnership with Rooney is blossoming. O'Neill added: "The two of them are linking up and keeping some excellent players out of the team. No matter how many times you think you have covered the space, those players can do something with the ball."

Ferguson's men maintain their six-point lead over City, who won 3-1 at Newcastle United, and O'Neill believes Van Persie could be the X-factor in this season's title race. "We are making judgments before Christmas, but if he stays fit that will make a massive difference to United's challenge," he said.

Rooney continues to revel in a deeper role, running this contest until Sunderland's late resurgence, alongside Michael Carrick before he was withdrawn at half‑time due to a hamstring problem.

Rooney's display featured him drifting into the shifting midfield corridors that are tricky for defenders to discern, and it included a crossfield ball that hummed at a ferocious velocity while rising no higher than six feet. "That's difficult of course," O'Neill said, of trying to contain the Liverpudlian. "This isn't something that has just happened recently, where teams play deep-lying forwards who can play like a marauding midfield player. They come at you and cause you problems. They have the ability to take players on or split the defence with a pass."

Tom Cleverley's second for United arrived after 19 minutes, while Fraizer Campbell, on as a second-half substitute, profited from the home side's lax defending in the closing half-hour to head a consolation.
For United, Nemanja Vidic made a heartening 67th-minute appearance as a replacement following his knee injury, while Rafael da Silva was not in the squad due to a hamstring issue.

Of Adam Johnson, who again disappointed for Sunderland before being withdrawn for Campbell, O'Neill said: "He had a dead leg on Tuesday and declared himself fit, but I don't think, deep down, he was properly fit. He is making improvements, though, and there have been signs in recent games that he is getting to the form that saw Manchester City sign him and play him. At City, he was coming on with 25 minutes left to play and having little cameo roles. With us, he is having to start the games with a lot of added pressure, naturally."

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Connecticut school shooting: Barack Obama declares 'we can't tolerate this any more' . Via The Telegraph

America is failing to meet its basic obligation to keep its children safe, President Barack Obama has warned, as he told a nation mourning the Sandy Hook primary school massacre: "We can't tolerate this any more". 

While refraining from promises of specific policy responses, Mr Obama used a speech in Connecticut to urge the US to make the killing of 27 people in Newtown on Friday the last in a string of mass shootings during his presidency.

"These tragedies must end," he told an interfaith vigil. "And to end them we must change". As the president delivered his remarks to a secondary school hall filled with relatives and friends of the 20 young children and seven women who died, sobbing could be heard from the audience.

Conceding that "no single law - no set of laws - can eliminate evil from the world", Mr Obama insisted that this none the less must "not be an excuse for inaction", asking: "Surely we can do better than this?".

Emboldened by his re-election last month, he pledged to use "whatever power this office holds" to prevent further slaughter, hinting that he would weigh into a policy debate frozen over the past decade by reluctance in Washington to alienate the pro-gun lobby.

Yet the president's remarks seemed likely to disappoint those from his Democratic party urging swift and decisive action on new gun control measures, promising only to "engage" with voters and communities "in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this".

       People mourn as they listen to U.S. President Barack Obama's speech

 

While a Democratic Senator pledged on Sunday to introduce a Bill to Congress reinstating a ban on assault weapons such as the rifle used by Adam Lanza, a local 20-year-old, at the school, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives remains opposed to new laws.

Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, demanded that action on gun control - which Mr Obama promised but failed to deliver during his first term in the White House - must now be the "number one" item on his agenda.

In one of the most effective moments of his speech, Mr Obama admonished the country for failing at what he called its "first task" of caring for its children, saying: "It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right".

        U.S. President Barack Obama waits to speak at the interfaith vigil for the
               shooting victims from Sandy Hook Elementary School

"Can we say that we're truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose?"

he asked. "I've been reflecting on this the last few days and, if we're honest with ourselves, the answer is 'no'," he said. "We're not doing enough, and we will have to change".

Solemnly reading through the names of each of the 20 six- and seven-year-old children killed by Lanza, Mr Obama faced his audience and said: "For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory".

"Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage?" he asked. "That the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children, year after year after year, is somehow the price of our freedom?"

Mr Obama told those watching that the country had an "obligation to try" in order to honour the dozens of victims during his time in office in mass shootings in Arizona, Colorado, Wisconsin and now Connecticut.
Before delivering his speech, Mr Obama met grieving families and emergency service officials, spending so much time with them as to delay the start of the service by about an hour.

While the White House declined to release information about his meetings, some details seeped out via Twitter. One picture posted online showed Mr Obama cradling a granddaughter of Dawn Hochsprung, the school's late principal, who died trying to stop the gunman's rampage.

"My mom would be SO proud to see President Obama holding her granddaughter," Cristina Hassinger, Mrs Hochsprung's daughter, wrote. " But not as proud as I am of her." The president repeatedly praised Newtown, a prosperous community of some 27,000 people an hour's drive away from New York City, for its quiet dignity "in the face of indescribable violence".

"In the face of unconscionable evil, you've looked out for each other, and you've cared for one another, and you've loved one another," he said. "This is how Newtown will be remembered. And with time, and with God's grace, that love will see you through".

 

 

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What Would City do Without Yaya Toure?

Manchester City have made up big gaps on Manchester United before, and they produced one of their more convincing league performances of the season to let their rivals know they are not going to let go of the title easily.

Newcastle were much improved too, but only briefly in the game. Since the home defeat to West Ham last month that gave Sam Allardyce so much inner satisfaction, the Magpies have lost six of their past seven league games, the only victory in a shocking run coming against 10-man Wigan.

"Newcastle played very well," Roberto Mancini conceded. "You always get a tough game here and we know they are always capable of coming back. That's why I could not understand us missing all those chances in the first half."

Alan Pardew was left with the hollow feeling that comes with playing well but earning nothing. "There were a lot of positives for us but zero points," the Newcastle manager said. "That's my big concern at the moment, because it puts us under pressure going into the next game. The match against QPR is a big game for us now.
City hit us with a 20-minute golden period in the first half, that's what they can do and we were hanging in a bit, but we bossed the second half and were back in the match for a while.

"We actually managed to create more chances than they did and that's something. I've been on bad runs before when you feel you can't score a goal, but we look like we have goals in us. If Papiss Cissé had taken that chance in the second half the place would have gone mad."

City dropped Mario Balotelli from the squad and survived a scare after 95 seconds when Joe Hart had to react quickly to keep out a clipped shot from Demba Ba that was heading for his bottom corner. If the home fans were hoping that was a sign of promising things to come they were quickly disappointed. The visitors swept into the lead on 10 minutes and could have had a couple more before the midpoint of the first half.

Samir Nasri, effectively called half a player by Mancini last week, was prominent in most of the City attacks and actually looked for the first time in months like the threat he used to be for Arsenal.

It was a splendid ball forward by Yaya Touré from half way that set up the opening goal, yet Nasri was onto it in a flash, just managing to stay onside, and had squared a pass to leave Sergio Agüero a tap-in before the Newcastle defence had properly woke up to the danger. Carlos Tevez forced a point-blank save from Tim Krul moments later from a David Silva pass, then narrowly failed to reach another square pass from Nasri that was begging to be touched in at the far post, before Nasri hit the post from a tight angle a couple of yards out when he should probably have supplied the second goal.

With Tevez missing another golden opportunity from a Nasri square pass before the half-hour it began to look as if City might regret not making their creativity count, especially as Nasri was forced off with a groin strain 10 minutes before the break. It did not work out that way, even with Tevez continuing to miss chances.

He managed more of a cross than a shot when Silva gave him a sight of goal in the 38th minute, but the ball touched David Santon on the way out and from the corner Javi García headed City into a comfortable lead.
The hapless Santon was on the line and in a position to deal with the downward header, yet made a hash of his attempted clearance and saw the ball bounce over the line off his standing leg. The half-time score was a fair reflection of the first half. City had bewildered their opponents with the speed and slickness of their first time passing and could have had more. Apart from Ba's early attempt, Newcastle managed only hopeful efforts from Mike Williamson and Papiss Cissé .

Real hope arrived early in the second half when Ba pulled a goal back with an opportunist strike, after Fabricio Coloccini returned a half-cleared corner to find the City central defence had deserted the danger area in front of Hart. Moments later the same thing happened again: neither Kolo Touré nor Matija Nastasic were in a position to close down Cissé when he received the ball from Vurnon Anita and turned to make space for a shot, but presented with a chance to alter the course of the game he fired early and over the bar.

At least the goal livened up the second half and encouraged Newcastle to play some of their best football, with Jonás Gutiérrez going closest to equalising with a shot from an impossibly narrow angle. For a while the outcome hung in the balance, even after Mancini sent on Edin Dzeko to add height to the attack, but Newcastle were undone when Silva and Pablo Zabaleta fashioned some space on the left, for a cross from the latter that was steered through a crowd of players by Yaya Touré at the near post. It was not defending of the highest quality, Newcastle appeared to be more worried about the ball reaching Dzeko or Agüero, though Touré timed his run well and his touch was decisive.

"We had to react after the loss to Manchester United last week," his brother Kolo said. "It is never easy to come here, Newcastle put a lot of pressure on us even when we were in front."

A POTENT PAIRING
Teaming Sergio Agüero and Carlos Tevez in attack provides City with a striking force more dynamic than playing Mario Balotelli as lone frontman. City have won every league game since the start of last season in which Tevez and Agüero have started. In the 21 Premier League games in which Agüero has scored this season, their record is a formidable W20 D1.

YAYA RULES MIDFIELD

Yaya Touré was the pulsing heartbeat of City at St James' Park, his defence-splitting diagonal pass to help set up their opener typical of his vision and ability and he scored City's vital third. How Mancini will miss him in January as the Ivorian heads for the Africa Cup of Nations and may miss up to five games.

TIGHTER AT BACK
After last week's derby defeat by Manchester United and being held 1-1 by Everton at the Emirates, City's defence are showing greater confidence without the injured Vincent Kompany. Despite being vulnerable to high balls, they stood firm after Demba Ba's goal fired up Newcastle's rally.

NASRI STILL THE FALL GUY
After the debacle at the wall for Robin van Persie's free-kick last Sunday, there were questions about the Frenchman's hunger for a fight. But the pain keeps coming for Samir Nasri, who was doubled over after taking one to the groin. Off he limped.

Source: TheGuardian

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UNITED vs SUNDERLAND: This is What Happened.

United 3 Sunderland 1

Sunderland have not won at Old Trafford since the final day of the 1967/68 season and, despite creating chances in the second half, they never truly looked like ending that run as United’s first-half purpose and swagger – albeit lacking a ruthlessness in front of goal – ensured all three points for the Reds.

Robin van Persie, Tom Cleverley and Wayne Rooney got United’s goals to maintain a six-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League, but the Reds will feel that more should have been made of some excellent goalscoring opportunities, while in the second half David De Gea was the busier of the two goalkeepers. Nevertheless, this remains a positive follow-up to last weekend’s win at Manchester City.

United’s control and attacking intent in the first half was impressive to watch. Michael Carrick was supreme in a first 45 minutes in which he dictated the game’s tempo and orchestrated attacks as team-mates buzzed around in front of him. After he was forced off at half-time, United’s drive noticeably waned.

There were two changes to the team that won at City. Chris Smalling stepped in to partner Rio Ferdinand at centre-back in place of the injured Jonny Evans and ahead of Nemanja Vidic, who took up a place on the bench, while Rafael was given only his second league match off this season. Phil Jones took his spot at right-back.

HERE ARE ACTIONS IN PICTURES.

 Source: MANUTD.COM-THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

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