Man Utd on rampage to close gap

Rooney and Ronaldo on fire - Pics from www.soccernet.com

Manchester United whipped Newcastle United 5-1 at St. James Park, goals from Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Saha. While Manchester United on rampage at St. James Park, the Gunners were held 2-2 at Birmingham, meaning the Red Devils are just 3 points from Arsenal. This could only mean a crunch match when both team meet later this season. While United are having superb form since defeating Arsenal 4-0, Arsenal has just taken 2 points out of 6 after the defeat. The day also highlighted Arsenal striker, Eduardo da Silva broke his left leg in the 2-2 at Birmingham. Birmingham's Martin Taylor was given a red card straight for his challenge. The match had to be stopped for nearly eight minutes as the Brazilian-born-Croatia international was treated on the field before being carried off the field on a stretcher. Although I might not be an Arsenal fan, I pray for Eduardo to have speedy recovery.

Whoops!! Sorry!!

Ouch!! That's gonna be hurt

Other matches being played with the following scorelines; Fulham lost 0-1 to West Ham at home, Liverpool pip Boro 3-2, Portsmouth beat Sunderland 1-0 and Wigan defeated Derby 2-0.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE results:

Schalke 04 1 - 0 FC Porto
Liverpool 2 - 0 Inter Milan
Roma 2 - 1 Real Madrid
Olympiacos 0 - 0 Chelsea



Arsenal 0 - 0 AC Milan
Celtic 2 - 3 Barcelona
Fenerbahce 3 - 2 FC Sevilla
Lyon 1 - 1 Man United

It is really interesting to keep myself updated with the soccer world as so much of excitement and surprises spring from it.
Such is the enthusiasm in Ronaldinho, Messi and their team mates as they fight back to win Celtic. Not only did Barcelona shown their fighting spirit, the Anfield players have rise to the occasion at the right moment to beat the Italian champions with 2 goals to nil.
Arsenal seem to have another repeated year of disaster as they struggle to find the breakthrough despite of the amount of shots tried.
The Red Devils came back from behind to equalize as Tevez strike past Lyon goalkeeper with a fantastic cross from Nani. Let's not forget that this is the team that has just beaten Arsenal 4 - 0.
Real Madrid had a nightmare when they lost 1 - 2 to AS Roma.
Porto beaten by a goal to nil. Fenerbahce strike 3 goals to beat FC Sevilla with 3 - 2. The Blues were held 0 - 0 by Olympiacos...such is the competitiveness of the football world....nothing is definite...nothing is FINAL...the 90 minutes game is not over by the referee whistle...it is an ongoing game....

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE...

What can we said bout football?? I think we can never have enough football....never enough of the excitement and goals. Just after the tight EPL challenge were the FA CUP and now the UEFA CHAMPIONS league. This year has been even more exciting with so many of the giants playing so well and performing exceedingly awesome in their own league as well.

List of fixtures in round of 16:

Schalke 04 vs FC Porto
Liverpool vs Inter Milan
Roma vs Real Madrid
Olympiacos vs Chelsea
Arsenal vs AC Milan
Celtic vs Barcelona
Fenerbahce vs FC Sevilla
Lyon vs Manchester United

It is interesting to see that the giants are so quickly up against one another.
Liverpool struggling in their own league and latest defeat to second division has to face with Italian league leaders who are far ahead from the No. 2 in Italy, Inter Milan. Bets will definitely be on Inter Milan but football has always been unpredictable. So trust me...the Reds will not make it easy for Inter Milan.
Real Madrid is up against Roma and the team is performing excellently in Spanish League and though recent defeat seems to open up space for Barcelona to catch up, the points are still quite some distant for Ronaldinho and Co. to challenge for the title.
Arsenal against AC Milan....a tight game indeed...but with Kaka back for AC, chances are that the Milans will be able to put lots of pressure on the young Gunners. Arsenal need a victory against Milan to be back on track after suffering 4-0 defeat against the Red Devils.
Though Chelsea has been quite quiet lately but statistics actually shown that the Blues are slowly going up the ladder in the EPL....little by little and they might surprise the Gunners and Red Devils. So expect the Blues to be at their best in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

Is it over for RONALDO??

The once "phenomenon" in the football world and all time top goal scorer in the WORLD CUP, Ronaldo is now fighting with his injury at the age of 31. Some speculated that this could be it for the Brazilian who has just underwent surgery in Paris after rupturing tendons in his left knee during the Wednesday 1-1 draw against Livorno.
Looking at his age and his current form and fitness, it seems that the overweight striker has had enough of football.
Some of the remarkable quotations for the Brazilian....
"He is a born fighter and I am sure he is ready for this new battle."
"He is the type of person that continues right to the end in his challenges and he has always won them."

While Ronaldo has been gaining weight lately and no longer as fast and invincible as he used to be, his 6 appearance for AC MILAN this season are still showing his quality to score goals.

Ronaldo photo in his earlier years....

Ronaldo going through the goalkeeper....
source: http://brazil.worldcupblog.org/group-f/expectations-results-or-beautiful-game.html

RONALDO hurt himself and it almost seem like that is his last game.

source: http://www.pakistanchronicle.com/content/view/7078/46/


GOOD LUCK RONALDO in your final showdown and battle!!!

Manchester United 4 - 0 Arsenal


While the Gunners might be leading in the English Premier League, Manchester United is the team with the last laugh as they secure a place in the quater-final in the FA CUP, still on the run to repeat the treble in 1999, as two goals from Darren Fletcher, one goal from Rooney and another one from Nani made the scoreline even more humiliating.
"Fabregas what?" It seems like the Gunners were powerless against the Red Devils as United dominate the whole game....21 shots by United and 12 on target while Arsenal only manage 4 shots and 1 on target. There seems to be a United game as Rooney is back on song with the Red Devils. Nani and Anderson worked well together...a United attacking force....3 goals in just the 1st half...

Rooney in terrific form source: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0216/manunited_arsenal.html

Lehmann has been busy throughout the whole game while his opposite number, Edwin Van der Sar has little to do...that is the kind of performance that distinguish between the two teams.
With Ronaldo, the key player for the Red Devils until this season being rested for having a stomach upset, his team mates prove that they need not a team on a one man show. Rooney, Anderson, Nani and Fletcher are all on fire and could have even score more.
Tevez was only on the bench but United could do without him as Rooney lead the Red DEVILS to upset the young Gunners....Fabregas has just renewed his contract with 80,000 per week but that man is not enough to even defend Arsenal.
This game could be the turning point for the season. Sir Alex is positive that United is back on song, and with the entire squad in terrific form, it seems that the EPL challenge is just the beginning.
"what are these?" some might be asking....this is United as its' best....simply astonishing!
Even England coach, Fabio Capello was applauding the on fire striker, Rooney as he was being substituted with 20 minutes left.

Rooney and Nani celebrate for the goals that keep going in....
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/7224064.stm

The changes that Sir Alex Ferguson made was brilliance....Ronaldo and Giggs, the main player in the wing for the Red Devils were left behind from the squad for the game, and Arsenal suffered most from such tactical move by Ferguson.
Arsene young guns need a long way more to be on the same par as the likes of Rooney and the other Devils.

C. Ronaldo & Co Vs Gunners

While the whole world look with intensity into the EPL challenge between the Red Devils and the Gunners, another fierce battle arises between the two giants in the English FA Cup, one of the world's oldest knockout challenge in football competition.
The Gunners are doing exceedingly well in the League as they took a 5 points lead over Manchester United, already dropped 5 points from the last 2 matches. Ronaldo, the leading scorer for the Red Devils has not been inspirational for the Red Devils but with Rooney back after suspension, this game is dubbed as the DREAM SHOWDOWN.
Sir Alex Ferguson has previously said that the title challenge is still wide open but recent performance seem to suggest that the Gunners are the favourite instead.
With both team still on the run for the Champions League, this game is expected to be ugly.
Many has been saying about Manchester United repeating their awesome treble record in 1999 as more talented players are seen in this season. But Arsene and his men will be all out to spoil Fergie from putting his name in the history book once again.

Recently Ronaldo has been fined for texting with his mobile during the training. All this seem to suggest a lack of commitment and chemistry behind the door. But this whole season has been full of surprises, with Ronaldo being a truly remarkable player for the Red Devils and how Anderson as well as Hargreaves being able to fit in the team so quickly....so it should not be a deep concern for the Devils' fans. Arsene young guns are not to be looked down either. They have been performing excellently with Fabregras, Adebayour, Flamini, Walcott and many others all showing that they have improve from previous season. In fact, they have been playing beautiful game throughout the whole season.

So, expect this match to be full of excitement!!!!!