Sunderland manager Steve Bruce ready to battle 'Ayatollah' Alex Ferguson

Steve Bruce revealed yesterday that he and his Manchester United team-mates used to call Sir Alex Ferguson the Ayatollah when they were striving to win the club's first Barclays Premier League title in the 1990s.

This weekend at the Stadium of Light, Bruce's Sunderland team will do their bit to stop Ferguson winning his 11th on what promises to be a pivotal day of title-chasing football.

United: Ferguson (left) and Bruce

United: Ferguson (left) and Bruce

Bruce, a former United central defender and captain, has dismissed all talk of his team giving his former club an easy ride. This, after all, is a team who came within seconds of beating United at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

There was, however, still a sense of reverence when Bruce spoke of the man who has written his name over the Premier League in larger handwriting than most.

Bruce said: 'I had 10 years there, he made me captain for five years. And if I am 10th in the rich list then "thanks very much Sir Alex".

'Scared? Scared isn't the right word. Petrified. Make no mistake, he was the boss. I spoke to him a week ago. He knew that we called him the Ayatollah, under our breath. He does know, we all did. He has a ferocious side but he also has an unbelievable humility about him. That's why he handles players the way he does.

'I bumped into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a month ago when I was doing some TV at Old Trafford at the Bayern Munich game.

'I said: "Why are you here so early?" 'He said: "I want to hear the manager's team talk tonight."

'That tells you something. Here is Ole, who has been with him for 10 years and more but now is on the coaching side. But he still wants to learn from him.'

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce

Rivals: United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Sunderland manager Steve Bruce

Bruce has tried to beat Ferguson's United 14 times as a manager with Sunderland, Wigan and Birmingham. So far, he has not managed it.

This weekend he will perhaps hand the title to Chelsea - who play at Liverpool earlier in the day - if he manages to break the sequence. 'I have never beaten Sir Alex but then not a lot of people have,' he laughed.

'Is it 14 times? Effing hell. Jesus. This season was the closest ever, just 20 seconds away. We have to be at our best because we know that they will.

'We seriously believe we can win and really want to win too. There is all this stuff about me just because I played there for 10 years.

'What am I going to say to the players? "Oh, by the way lads, just forget it today. There will be near 50,000 here, we're live on the telly, every man and his dog wants to be here but please don't show up, just let them win, will you?" It is not going to happen. I am convinced we will play well because they will.'

Sunderland's 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in October remains one of the highlights of their season, even if an Anton Ferdinand own goal in added time robbed them of a landmark win. On Sunday, Bruce will once more put his faith in centre forward Darren Bent as he looks to rattle United's defence.

Asked yesterday if Bent faces competition from Bobby Zamora of Fulham for a place in England's World Cup squad, Bruce was candid.

'No disrespect to Bobby Zamora because he's had a wonderful season, but for me he's nowhere near Bent,' said Bruce. 'Zamora has had a one-off.

He used to get five or six a year. Benty got 22 for Charlton, a team that got relegated, a few years ago.'


IF Liverpool roll over Fergie and United cannot complain too much...

The stage is set: Will it be United or Chelsea who goes on to win thePremier League title? Fact of the matter is, neither have been brilliant this season, having lost so many games between both clubs. But of course there has to be a winner. The outcome will more than likely be decided this coming weekend when Chelsea travel to Anfield and later on Sunday United face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.


The pressure should be on Liverpool to produce a performance; in purely sporting terms that is what should happen, no matter what is at stake. The problem is, there's no real incentive for the Liverpool players; if they win or even draw, it will in all probability mean they've handed the title to United - what sane Scouser would want that to happen?

United face Sunderland and of course that is by no means an easy looking fixture, especially without Rooney.

Whatever happens this weekend Fergie cannot complain because in May 2007 he fielded a weakend side against
West Ham United at the end of the season. Tevez scored the winning goal for the Hammers at Old Trafford in the last home game of the season, one that relegatedSheffield United. It was a shameful act on Fergie's part.

It goes without saying, for once I shall be hoping Liverpool take at least a point from the Chelsea game. No matter what the Liverpool players feel about his fixture, once the game kicks-off and the crowd start screaming it is to be hoped players' like Kuyt and Benayoun get caught up in the occasion.

Benfica slap £25m price on David Luiz in wake of interest from Manchester United and Chelsea - report



    Manchester United and Chelsea have been asked to stump up £25 million if they want to sign highly-ratedBenfica defender David Luiz, according to the Daily Mail.

    The 22-year-old has been watched extensively by both clubs in recent times, with United in particular keen on the Brazilian as both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have missed a number of games this season.

    Chelsea have also closely monitored Luiz, who is a former Brazilian Under-20 international, but with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan also reportedly interested the Portuguese side are looking to hold out for a sizeable transfer fee.

    Luiz has played in 25 of his side's 26 league games this season, in which Benfica have conceded just 14 goals. Os Gloriosos are currently on course to win their first league title since 2005.

    Barcelona's Lionel Messi is aiming to beat Manchester United's Wayne Rooney to Golden Boot award

    Argentine midfielder looking to take accolade...

    Leo Messi - Barcelona (Getty Images)
      Barcelona playmaker Lionel Messi is hoping to continue his lethal goal scoring in order to beat Manchester United’sWayne Rooney to the European Golden Boot award.

      Both Messi and Rooney have been in blistering form this season for their respective teams, and the pair find themselves at the top of the European goals tally.

      Argentinean Messi sits just one goal behind England international Rooney, who has 26 Premier League goals to his credit and is just ahead of Chelsea’s Didier Droga by one.

      "It would be wonderful to win the Golden Boot," admitted 22-year-old Messi to the Sun.

      "I look at the list and it is sensational to see I have scored more goals than Didier Drogba.

      "But to be just one goal behind [Wayne] Rooney is also enormous.

      "Rooney is a big striker and what he is doing is developing into a phenomenal season."

      All three players will be looking to continue their goal scoring prowess against their rivals this weekend, with all three still fighting for their respective domestic league titles.

      The five greatest Premier League matches between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur

      This is one fixture that guarantees entertainment

      By Matt Monaghan | Manchester United correspondent


      Manchester United
      and Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed some of the most exciting matches in Premier Leaguehistory.

      This weekend's opponents have thrilled their supporters with several barnstorming meetings. From incredible comebacks to last-minute equalisers, this game has rarely disappointed.

      Goal.com UK looked back at the most gripping contests between the two sides...


      5. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4-1 MANCHESTER UNITED - 01/01/96

      Premier League title-chasing United were given a New Year's day to forget after they were thumped by a Chris Armstrong-inspired Spurs.

      Armstrong ran Ferguson's side ragged in the most impressive performance of his career. Future United player Teddy Sheringham opened the scoring before Andy Cole equalised a minute later.

      Sol Campbell put Spurs back ahead, before a brace from the former Crystal Palace man ensured the Red Devils travelled back up north with their tails between their legs.


      4. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED - 02/02/08

      Carlos Tevez's last-minute equaliser put the dampener on a dominant Spurs display.

      The hosts were the better team for all of the contest except stoppage time when the Argentine bundled home a corner. United had looked clueless before that moment and fell behind to a close range strike from now club record signing Dimitar Berbatov.

      With Chelsea and Arsenal right behind them in the title race, Tevez's goal ensured a valuable point went United's way.


      3. MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - 16/05/99

      Andy Cole's delicate lob kept United's treble dream alive as his strike sealed the Premier League title.

      With Arsenal in hot pursuit behind them, the Red Devils needed to beat Spurs in the last league game of the season to finish top of the standings. After falling behind to a Les Ferdinand goal, United struck back before half-time through David Beckham.

      In no mood to see the trophy end up with the Gunners, Cole's expert finish over Ian Walker's head began the most dramatic week in the club's history.


      2. MANCHESTER UNITED 5-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - 25/04/09

      A neck and neck Premier League title race swung in United's favour after some suspect refereeing saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

      Harry Redknapp's side grabbed a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford after some shaky defending let in Darren Bent and Luka Modric. With Liverpool close behind them in the table, it took an incorrect penalty call from Howard Webb to spark United in to life.

      Cristiano Ronaldo was on hand to score the equaliser and celebrated the third by throwing his shirt off to send a message to Rafa Benitez that the trophy was staying in Manchester.


      1. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3-5 MANCHESTER UNITED - 29/09/01

      Arguably the most thrilling Premier League game of the decade saw United race back from 3-0 down at half-time to clinch the win.

      Spurs debutant Dean Richards opened the scoring with a header from a corner as the hosts dominated proceedings. Gustavo Poyet then pulled the strings to expert effect to set-up Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege.

      Sir Alex Ferguson's hair dryer was at its most powerful to inspire his players to score five unanswered goals. New boy Juan Sebastian Veron drilled in the fourth before a fabulous team move saw David Beckham strike the fifth.

      Fans convinced Glazer family are prepared to sell Manchester United to Red Knights

      Supporters Trust chairman believes falling value will for Americans out...

      Glazer Brothers - owner of Manchester United (AFP)

        Manchester United Supporters Trust chairman Duncan Drasdo is convinced that the Glazer family will sell the club to the Red Knights.

        Key talks are taking place this week with the Red Knights hoping to attract potential investors to buy out the American owners with a bid in an excess of £1billion at the end of the season.

        Despite the Glazers insisting they want to keep the club since their takeover in 2005, the Red Knights believes the American owners may accept an offer due to the club’s falling value.

        "If I was in the Glazers' position and I was offered a profit, with all the different factors that are creating uncertainty for the future, it would seem like a pretty sensible option to take," Drasdo told Press Association Sport.

        "When you look at all the graphs that were showing growth in ticket revenue, hospitality revenue and general matchday revenue, they are all dropping now.
        "Their own advisors have said that in advice to the bond holders and they will drop next season as well.

        "That suggests a decline in the value of the whole company, unless that revenue is replaced from somewhere else."

        Drasdo added: "With all the pressures of squad reinforcement, profits are going to drop further.

        "It would be surprising if they weren't willing to take something that gave them a profit."

        The Glazer family have received criticism for not backing manager Sir Alex Ferguson with sufficient transfer funds, and Drasdo believes when they are met with an offer from the Red Knights, they will have to consider it.

        "The bond document, which reinforced everything we had said for a long time, triggered something very special in the green and gold campaign," Drasdo added.

        "The Red Knights' interest took it to another level.

        "When they come out and make a bid, the offer is on the table and if it offers a profit for the Glazers, that is when it goes to a different level.

        "If this is how people feel now, how will they feel if the Glazers are still there having been offered a profitable exit?"

        Sir Alex Set To Retire? Who Will Replace Him?

        Football - Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United Barclays Premier League
        Back in 2002 Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was all set to retire, but after a change of heart it was agreed that he would stay on for another three years. Eight years laterSir Alex is still in charge of Man United, with rumours surfacing yet again suggesting that he will retire after next season.

        I think most Man United fans are dreading the day that
        Sir Alex retires, it will come because it has to but I believe these are just newspaper rumours. I believe that Sir Alex will announce his retirement completely out of the blue, without any warning at all and that will be it.

        I also believe that Man United and
        Sir Alex Fergusontogether will have chosen his successor. Fergie isn’t going to leave United in a mess, he will help chose the next manager, who will be right for the job.

        I also don’t believe that right now Sir Alex has any dates in his mind. I can see him wanting to knock Liverpool off their perch and help United win 19 league titles, which could happen this season. Also maybe win the
        UEFA Champions League once more, that can’t happen this season.

        So whom are the papers lining up as his successor?

        Hot favourite is
        Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho. Everyone knows he wants the job, he’s said it. There would be some positive and negative points with having Mourinho as United manager. He will need to have a big personality and Mourinho certainly has that.

        Everton boss David Moyes is another name in frame. The Toffees manager is the second favourite to replace Sir Alex, he’s done well at Everton but could he manage a massive club? No offence to Everton.

        Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill down as third favourite, I would love to see a British manager given the job but with O’Neill I would also worry about the pressure of managing such a big club.

        Back in December 2009 a Barcelona based newspaper believed that Pepe Guardiola had been lined up to be the next United manager. They went as far as saying that had already been offered a lucrative contract. Guardiola’s done a fantastic job with Barca and may not be a bad choice.

        United’s former number two
        Carlos Queiroz is also being mentioned. I like Queiroz but I believe that he is at his best when he’s assistant manager. The Portuguese has managed many teams, the biggest probably being Real Madrid and now International side Portugal. I don’t think he’d be the right man for the job.

        Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done an amazing job managing the Man United reserves. I would love to see Solskjaer manage United’s first team but it is a massive step between reserves and the first team.

        Past and present United players are being linked with the job.
        Ryan Giggs is one of those, he is another person who I’d like to see manage United but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

        Past players being linked with the job other than Solskjaer are
        Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Laurent Blanc, Roy Keane, Steve Bruce and even David Beckham has been mentioned.

        When the manager is decided on, surely they will have experience in managing a football club already. They need to be able to manage very well paid superstars, could Giggs really do that with his former teammates? There’s a lot of banter in a dressing room, would they listen and take him seriously?

        Nobody could replace
        Sir Alex Ferguson he has been an amazing manager. He wasn’t well known when he first came to United, so you could argue the case for maybe a less experienced manager but United are a lot bigger club than they were when Fergie joined.

        Personally, one of my favourites would be Guardiola.

        MOURINHO THE MAN TO REPLACE FERGUSON


        How do you fill the biggest shoes in football? With the best - and few would argue that Jose Mourinho fits that description perfectly. That's why the former Chelsea manager is the first name on everyone's lips when the subject of Sir Alex Ferguson's successor is raised. The Special One is just special enough not to give two hoots about the reputation of the man he would replace at Old Trafford. Looking at the job done by British football's greatest-ever manager - he would be convinced he could do it better. And you would be hard-pressed to find a United supporter who wouldn't want to see him try. Reports that next season will be Ferguson's last, remain just that - reports. But with his 70th birthday looming by that time, it looks a decent bet that he would be ready to pull the curtain down on an incredible career. United have already experienced the perils of trying to replace a legendary figurehead, waiting 26 years to win the title after Sir Matt Busby stepped down. This time around they will be desperate find the right man straight away. A Champions League and UEFA Cup winner with unfashionable Porto, Mourinho is the only man other than Fergie to win back-to-back titles in the Premier League era. Now he's dominating Italy with Inter - and should he get past Barcelona, would be odds on to win the Champions League for a second time. What better audition for the toughest job in football? Would you like to see Mourinho succeed Ferguson? Have your say.

        ilmuminati & Baphomet



        No. 33 is the number prefer the devil worshipers. In addition it is the highest degree of Freemasonry in which a member is 33 degrees, devil in their rituals.

        logo resembling an eye, where the eye is associated with the element All Seeing Eye, Eye of Horus or Eye represents the eye of Dajjal



        Diouf brother attacked by City fans

        The brother of Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf was allegedly assaulted outside Eastlands after the dramatic injury-time win over Manchester City on Saturday.

        2009-10 Premier League Mame Biram Diouf, Manchester United - 0

        Abdul Biram Diouf was reportedly set upon by a group of City fans as he was leaving the stadium following Paul Scholes' late winner which re-ignited the race for the Premier League title, but escaped without the need for medical treatment.

        The agent of the United forward (pictured), JimSolbakken, told the Daily Mail: "There was an incident after the match. He was attacked from behind by some Manchester City supporters as he was walking away from the ground."

        Solbakken added: "Fortunately there was no need for medical treatment and he got away without any serious injuries."

        The 28-year-old was set upon after "walking the wrong way" out of the ground, according to eyewitnesses. He was wearing his younger brother's United shirt, which had been worn during February's Carling Cupfinal win over Aston Villa.

        Eyewitnesses also reported that the group of City fans, who allegedly punched and kicked Diouf to the ground before leaving him in a bush, were chanting 'Munich' at him as they did so, in reference to the 1958 plane crash in which eight United players were killed.

        "Knaan - Wavin Flag" ♥ FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 Official Theme Song...

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