Manchester United: What The Hell Do We Do Now

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After a thrilling F.A Cup Semi Final weekend, we can now reveal that Manchester United will face off against Newcastle United.

First Newcastle went into there match with Watford as overwhelming favourites but it took a goal from the Championship side to make The Toon spring into life. Former Newcastle man Danny Guthrie combined brilliantly with Wilfried Zaha to allow a one on one chance for midfielder Danny Pudil, who made no mistake!

That was it for the Championship side though, as Newcastle took control and were level after only 10 minutes of going behind through Erby Emanuelson. The Dutchman latched onto a Loic Remy pass to cooly slot past Bond in between the sticks.


Emanuelson scores for Newcastle in the Semi Final

The second half was a barrage of attacks from Newcastle then, and it eventually paid off as Remy won a free-kick on the edge of the area, which Guthrie was booked for and then he curled a delightful free-kick past the outstretched Bond and into the net for 2-1. Watford look doomed and the game was put beyond on doubt when Newcastle countered a Watford attack and Remy scored to make it 3-1 and the match for Newcastle.

The other Semi Final was just as entertaining, as Manchester United hammered Liverpool at Wembley. Liverpool, who has one of the worse defensive records in the league this season continued to struggle as Manchester United's free-flowing attacking attitude meant that Liverpool could not get going.

Striker Nicolas Castillo got Man Utd off to a flyer on the 8th minute by scoring a well timed close range effort. United had started like a train and there fans were really getting behind them.

Steven Naismith and Vlad Chiriches went close before half time, and although Liverpool were not playing at there best Coutinho and Suarez also forced good saves out of David De Gea.


Liverpool and Man Utd get stuck in at Wembley

In the second half Liverpool started the same way as they had ended the half, on the backfoot and this was shown as the first touch of the half from Tom Cleverley was a long hopeful ball that Joe Allen mistimed and Castillo chipped the keeper to make it 2-0.

Fernando was then next to make an error as Naismith extended the lead further with an exquisite finish to make it 3-0. Fernando then made an awful second error for winger Antonio Candreva to score with a well struck effort from around 14 yards out.

Coutinho got one back late on but Man Utd won 4-1 to progress into the final to play Newcastle.

In the last couple of season's Manchester United have had the upper hand on Newcastle United with 3 wins and 1 defeat.



There latest match in the Premier League resulted in a 2-1 win for Newcastle but other than that they had been defeated very easily in the other 3 matches 2-0, 4-1 and 4-0. Obviously Cup matches are different but Man Utd have been on fire in the League, F.A Cup and Champions League this season.

Newcastle are in really good form at the moment and will need to be treated with respect and we will know the gameplan of what to do when the day comes said Brendan Rodgers.

The last time Manchester United played Newcastle United in the F.A Cup final was back in 1999. It was contested between Manchester United and Newcastle United, with goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes giving Manchester United a 2–0 win to claim their 10th FA Cup title. It was the second part of the Treble Manchester United won during the 1998–99 season, which was completed four days later, when they won the European Cup. Since Manchester United qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League both by virtue of winning the 1998–99 competition and by winning the 1998–99 FA Premier League, England's place in the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup usually reserved for the FA Cup winners was given to Newcastle United as the runners-up. Manchester United did not defend their title, choosing instead to participate in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil, believing that it would help The Football Association's bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup (which was eventually awarded to Germany).

Manchester United went into the match as champions of England, having clinched the Premier League title in their final game the previous weekend after losing just three league games all season. They had also qualified for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, due to be played four days later on 26 May, and were unbeaten in their previous 31 matches in all competitions. By contrast, Newcastle United had finished 13th out of the 20 teams in the Premier League, and had been knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup in the first round and the League Cup in the fourth round.


The line up for the 1999 F.A Cup Final

It was Newcastle's second consecutive appearance in the FA Cup Final – having lost 2–0 to Arsenal in 1998 – and their 13th appearance overall. They had a 50 percent record in their previous 12 finals, having won in 1910, 1924, 1932, 1951, 1952 and 1955. Manchester United had a better record in their 14 previous final appearances, having won on a record nine occasions – in 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994 and 1996, the latter two having been part of Doubles.

The two teams had met previously met 128 times in all competitions, with Manchester United winning 60 times, Newcastle United winning 37 times, and the remaining 31 finishing as draws. Only two of those meetings occurred in the FA Cup: the first happened in the 1908–09 semi-final, when Manchester United won 1–0 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield on the way to their first FA Cup title, and the second in the Fifth Round of the 1989–90 competition, with Manchester United winning 3–2 at St James' Park before going on to win their seventh FA Cup. Manchester United also came out on top in their two league meetings in the 1998–99 season, winning 2–1 at St James' Park on 13 March after playing out a goalless draw at Old Trafford on 8 November.


How the teams got to the 1999 F.A Cup Final

The match will be played at a fast and furious pace and we expect it to be like the 1999 final.

Prediction: 2-0 United

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Champions League Quarter Final Round Up

Manchester United followed Up their first leg draw with a victory of the Highest of quality when they absolutely thrashed Dortmund 8-0 on the night and 10-2 on aggregate.


Teams that started the match at Old Trafford

Both sides put out there strongest possible XI but it was only one team that turned up to play as Tenacious midfielder Sandro gave United the lead with a deftly executed finish in the 32nd minute. The Dortmund defence were all over the place and when Steven Naismith scored a penalty after left back Piszczek fouled Mirallas, it was a controversial decision but it stood.

Jordan Rhodes then scored two placed efforts to make it 4-0 on the 45th and 50th minute. An error from Dortmund's Subotic allowed Rhodes to scored a well timed finish and complete his hat-trick for 5-0 but United were not done and Andros Townsend scored United's 6th goal with a drive from the edge of the area.


Rhodes was fantastic against Dortmund

Then with Dortmund using all there subs Rues and Nuri Sahin were forced off leaving 9 men on the pitch and United bagged two more goals to win the match an amazing 8-0!.

In the second match of the four, a shock first leg victory for FC Kobenhavn proved a solid foundation as they secured a 3-2 aggregate against Schalke to progress into the Semi Finals for the first time in there history and it was all thanks to Kenneth Zohore who seized on an error by Daniel Royer to score a tidy finish from 11 yards out. That on the 11th minute pretty much put the game beyond doubt and even though Schalke scored a late consolation goal, against all odds have made the Semi Finals of Europe's biggest competition for the first time ever.


Kobenhavn celebrate the most of unlikely victories in the Champions League

Lyon, another team who had produced a big upset in the first leg of there quarter final against Bayern went all out defence to try and get to the Semi Finals and it worked in what was a utterly dull match in which Bayern attacked and Lyon countered but Bayern missed a host of chances and Lyone, over both legs deserved to win the match.

The last match was a thriller between Real Madrid and Portugese side Benfica. After a goalless draw in Portugal, Real Madrid dominated the match and things got off to the worse start for Benfica as legendary winger Cristiano Ronaldo seized on an error by Luisao to score a scuffed close range effort, but they all count. Clinical Striker Oscar Cardozo scored on the 11th minute for Benfica to equalise. The lead did not last long though as wonderkid Aymeric Laporte put Madrid back in front just 3 minutes later with a close range header.

That lead only lasted 3 minutes itself when Cardozo latched onto a long ball and smashed home a fierce shot. Full-back Ronan showed a sign of things to come though when the Benfica centre-back nearly gifted Madrid a goal on the 21st minute. Ronaldo then added his 2nd goal of the gam with a impeccably timed effort on the 29th minute.


Ronaldo celebrates his second goal against Benfica

Winger Gareth Bale then got Madrids 4th goal with a well timed finished on the 54th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo then got his hat-trick from the penalty spot after he, himself was fouled by Luisao and Ronaldo got Real Madrid's 6th goal of the game on the 73rd minute to cap an outstanding team display and a wonderful solo display by the legendary striker.

After those matches the draw for the semi final, where shock Semi Finalists, F.C Kobenhavn will face off against last season's beaten finalists Manchester United. The Danish side were not even considered to have a chance of making the group stages, but now they find themselves, rightly in the Semi's. this could be the year that a team who are not usually fancied can get to the final but in United you have a side who is playing amazingly well and are top.

Prediction: All the way to Penalties, United to win

Real Madrid will be looking to get to the final again this season having missed out for a couple of years, in there way is Lyon and again this is going to be close because Lyon are in good form and have a good squad.
Prediction: 3-1 Real Madrid

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Sandro: The Beast Within

It is safe to say that Sandro has had a terbulant time at Old Trafford since joining from Spurs for £31.5m. It was a good first season but then the World Cup match fixing issue came to light and he was even thrown into jail.

Manchester United could have said that they did not want him after that but the club and especially manager Brendan Rodgers decided to stick by him and give him a second chance. He has been back now and played seven games this season, where he has looked to be getting back to his best and assisting the defence with his amazing defensive midfield skills.

While he was away though we have learn't he was allowed to work by himself to keep sharp and train every day. He has now improved his attacking play and his work ethos is a lot better also this season and he thinks he learn't his lesson over the last 12 months.

The stint i spent inside was the worst time of my life. I got beaten up and had to be admitted to hospital where I thought I would be sent back to the Prison. When I was there the conditions were disgusting but they did let me practice my football to make sure I stayed sharp and I am so thankful that the fans of this great club and my manager kept faith with me because all that kept me going was the fact I could play football again. I learn't my lesson and I will never get myself into that situation again.

Sandro has also been forgiven by Brazil and has been picked again for them so now life seems to be looking up for the Brazilian man.

United's 'Mr. Reliable' Out For Rest Of Season

When you think of players that Brendan Rodgers plays every time he can you think of Steven Naismith, Kevin Mirallas, John Stones and David De Gea but the guy that has played every minute he has been available is Alexander Buttner.

Not for the rest of the season as he has now been ruled out for two to three weeks with a pulled hamstring. The left back who has played 41 games this season will now definitely miss the F.A Cup Final at Wembley against Newcastle, meaning that Chaker Alhadhur, who nobody had heard of until Rodgers bought him out of the blue from a French team that got relegated will now get his chance to make a difference to Manchester United's season.

This is a huge blow as there are 6 players that Rodgers seemed like he would not drop and Buttner was one of those players. We are now going to look at 5 of the 6 players that Rodgers would not drop at all.



As you can see Buttner has appeared 44 times this season without scoring but has created 11 goals this term. He also has the most Man Of The Match awards of any of the back four with 6 but has also managed to pick up a massive 16 yellow cards. All of these five players have average ratings of over 7.00 over there 40+ matches.

Nathanial Clyne has two goals to his name along with 11 assists and maybe this is where Buttner needs to improve, along with how many yellow cards he gets, but that is also a problem with Matthias Ginter, who as picked up 13 yellows but chipped in with 7 goals.

If it is consistency your looking for then look no further than John Stones. He has 4 man of the match awards to his name this season and 8 goals too. With only 6 yellow cards all season and again an average rating of 7.28 this back four seem unstoppable so the fact that Buttner is injurd means that Alhadhur is going to have come and slot in right away to make sure United carry on there form.

Kevin mirallas is a beast this season and has 18 goals in 52 games but its the 20 assists that makes him one of the hottest players in the league right now. His 7 man of the match awards are testament to how good he has been this season but it will be blighted by that sending off.

We think that Alexander Buttner will be missed but maybe not as much as a Stones or a Clyne because in Alhadhur you have a player who has performed well when given the chance this season.