I couldn’t really think of opponents more suitable than Sunderland on the 25th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson being appointed as the manager of Manchester United.

A team managed by one of Ferguson’s early signings, a former captain and a man who lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time for our club. Not only because of the manager, but Steve Bruce’s Sunderland team consisted of Phil Bardsley, Keiran Richardson and Wes Brown who all came through the ranks at United, along with John O’Shea who unfortunately missed the game through injury.

Like the previous game against Everton, there wasn’t a lot to cheer about during the game, even Wes Brown’s unfortunate own goal on his return to Old Trafford since his move in the summer didn’t really inspire the team to do much more in the game. Perhaps the second half performance was slightly better than we had seen recently, it certainly wasn’t anywhere near the form we showed at the start of the season.

On a positive note, it was another clean sheet despite Sunderland’s best efforts in the last minutes of the game. Maybe Saturday’s game is an indication of where United must continue to improve if we are to have another successful season.

I think the statisticians had informed us that there had been seventeen different combinations in United’s defence this season which would back up the other favourite statistic of the moment of United have the most attempted shots against them in the league. Last week Fergie had announced that he told Rio Ferdinand that he was no longer an automatic first choice with the emergence of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and with Jonny Evans finding his way back to some kind of consistency. With Chris Smalling now injured, and perhaps Jonny Evan’s being rested before the international break, Sir Alex resorted to the tried and tested combination of Vidic and Ferdinand at the weekend, and it was quite a welcome return.

Although the last few minutes of the game were slightly nerve wracking as Sunderland pushed forward to get an equaliser, United seemed to be in control and without the panic defending like we saw against Everton last weekend.

The presence of Ferdinand and Vidic in the centre of defence looks as though it instilled some familiarity and stability within the team as a whole.  Rio may not be the automatic choice in future games when the other defenders return from injury, but he’s not a bad choice to wheel out should United become defensively inept further down the line.

Much had been made of United’s midfield and how poor it is with the persistent calls for Fergie to sign Wesley Sneijder; it may just paper over the cracks in the short term, but a strong defence which isn’t leaking goals combined with the threat of goals from Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck will keep United in contention for the Premier league at the very least.

Check out this quality video of the United coach stopping to sign autograph for fans in Seattle.

Keep or Ditch Bebe?

Today we have the final instalment of our squad analysis. There has been much debate over Berbatov and Carrick and today we look mostly at players who are on the fringes of first team action. See numbers 24 – 35 below:

24. Darren Fletcher: The Scot didn’t meet the same standards he set last season but he is one of a kind in our squad. A tackler, a grafter and a ball winner, Fletch has had to do a lot of the donkey work on his own in recent times. Has been a great servant to the club and deserves his chance to fight for his place, we need reinforcements in this area though and Fletcher could be one of the players who finds himself with limited opportunities next year if Fergie opens his chequebook. Keep.

25. Antonio Valencia: The South American suffered a horrific injury early on in the campaign against Rangers. It was a big blow as Valencia was one of our best players last season and it was great to see him back and firing on all cylinders at the tail end of the season. The Ecuadorian has pace to burn, is capable of beating his man and is not afraid of rolling up his sleeves and helping out defensively. A big player for United over the next few seasons. Keep.

26. Gabriel Obertan: Not good enough, simple as that. Obertan has been a disappointment since his arrival from Bordeaux and has completely disappeared off the scene. Time to cut our losses. Ditch.

27. Federico Macheda: There’s no doubt this boy has talent and we should remember he’s still only 19. His goal against Villa back in 2009 proves he has the potential, unfortunately for him it also put an unrealistic amount of expectation on his shoulders. Last season he suffered numerous knocks which kept him out of contention and this season he has been loaned out to Sampdoria. He’s back at the club now and I would definitely like to see him stay for next season. Keep.

28. Darron Gibson: The Irishman is a danger when shooting from distance but I’m afraid this is pretty much all he adds to the team. He is a tidy player but not up to Manchester United standards. We need a complete overhaul in the middle of the park and Gibson can’t be part of the first XI going forward if we are to compete with the likes of Barca. Ditch.

29. Tomasz Kuszscak: A very dependable number 2 the Polish stopper has expressed his desire to leave the club if he is not given chance to replace Van Der Sar. Kuszscak has stepped in on numerous occasions and performed well but I don’t see him as ever being able to fill the number1 slot. Looks highly likely he will be heading for the exit door. Ditch.

30. Ritchie De Laet: The young Belgian can play at both left full back and centre half. These are two positions where we are well stocked and I can’t see him getting ahead of the players we already have in these positions. Time to move on. Ditch.

32. Mame Biram Diouf: The senegalese striker has fared relatively well at Blackburn this season. Unfortunately for him he currently finds himself behind Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov, Owen, Welbeck and Macheda in the pecking order. It is highly likely there will be departures in this area and I feel that Diouf will be one of them. Ditch.

33. Bebe: The surprise signing of summer 2010, Bebe has found his first season in Manchester difficult. He has spent most of the year with the reserves and has seen himself nominated for awards such as “flop of the season” even though it is not clear whether Sir Alex ever intended on the Portugese man having an impact on the first team this year. Fergie spent quite a bit of cash on Bebe and it would be foolish to ship him out after just one season. A spell out on loan would probably do him good next season. Keep.

34. Anders Lindegaard: Signed in January, we have not had the chance to see much of the Danish stopper. He made two appearances in the FA Cup where he performed well but was not really tested. Realistically will be seen as a replacement for Kuszscak as opposed to for Van Der Sar. Keep.

35. Tom Cleverley: One of the shining lights coming out of the Academy, Cleverley enjoyed a decent spell on loan at Wigan that was disrupted by injury. Many have touted him as the next Paul Scholes, if he’s half as good as the Ginger one, the Old Trafford faithful are in for a treat. Keep.

What about you? Who would you like to see moved on this summer and if you were in charge who would you sign?

Wold you keep Carrick?

Today we have part 2 of our squad analysis. Yesterday the big call was in relation to Dimitar Berbatov and today the man who is most likely to divide opinion is Michael Carrick. Is he good enough to marshal the Premier League Champions midfield next season? See numbers 13 – 23 below:

13. Ji-Sung Park: The South Korean may not be the most talented player to wear the red shirt but he is one of the most reliable we have seen in recent years. Fergie plays Park in all the big games as he knows he will get nothing less than 110%. He chipped in with some important goals too this season and will be sure to be at Old Trafford when the season kicks off in August. Keep. 

14. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez: Fans favourtie Chicharito took to life at United like a duck to water. Well liked by his team mates, adored by fans, Hernandez and United seem like the perfect match. The Mexican was widely regarded as the signing of the season and when he hit form after Christmas top scorer Dimitar Berbatov had to settle for a place on the bench. The future is bright for this man, he has what it takes to become a big star at United. Keep.

15. Nemanja Vidic: Our captain, the rock at the back, one of the best bits of business we have done in recent times was securing the Serb on a new contract last summer. He has grown since being given the armband and has led by example when we’ve needed him. One of the few who could stand tall after the Barca mauling. Keep.

16. Michael Carrick: Carrick enjoyed his best spell in the run-in this season but for me he’s one we should let go. He has recently signed a new contract so will prob stay but I would try to cash in. Midfield is where we have been the weakest in recent times. We need some fresh blood, some new faces and we need to make room. Carrick is seen as a passer of the ball, some one to link play between defence and attack and I feel we need a truly world class player to take over this role. The Englishman has served us well but the time has come to put a “marquee” name top of our list. Unfortunately Carrick is the man I would move on to accommodate this. Ditch.

17. Nani: Top of the Assist charts in the league this season, Nani played a big part this season and was unlucky to miss out on the big games towards the end. Players’ Player of the Year at the club, he has started to look like he could reach his potential. Lethal going forward, his final ball has improved dramatically and he is no longer as wasteful as when he first arrived. If he improves as much next year as he did this year we will have a serious player on our hands. Keep.

18. Paul Scholes: Red Legend. Sad to see another of the class of 1992 leave the first team. Will be staying on in a coaching capacity which is the least he deserves after over a decade of stirling service. Without a doubt the best English midfielder of his generation. Retired.

19. Danny Welbeck: Very promising youngster who was sent out on loan this season. Welbeck did well at Sunderland despite suffering a couple of injuries and his performances were rewarded with a first call up to Fabio Capello’s England squad. Will be returning to the first team this summer and looking to push for place in Fergie’s starting XI. Keep.

20. Fabio: Endured a frustrating start to life at United as he suffered numerous injuries, his brother Rafael’s career took off while he looked on from the sidelines. Fabio has battled through though and was rewarded with a starting place against Barca at Wembley. Bags of potential, definitely one for the future. Keep.

21 Rafael: Looks likely to be United’s first choice right back for years to come. Bombing forward he has been a joy to watch this season and defensively he looks solid. Has lost his head at times and still seems likely to pick up the odd red card when put under pressure. Like his brother he has potential and will no doubt improve over the coming seasons. Keep.

22. John O’Shea: Jack of all trades master of none? John O’Shea has slotted in right across the back four, has played in midfield, was brought on in the dying minutes as a target man up front in the midst of an injury crisis and even did a shift between the posts a few seasons back, however, when all are fit the Irishman finds himself on the fringes. O’Shea is always ready when called upon and never lets the side down, he’s the type of player that every squad needs. Keep.

23. Jonny Evans: The Northern Irishman had a shaky start to the season but he came back after Christmas stronger and put in solid performances when selected. At the youthful age of 23 Evans has close to 100 appearances for the first team and will hopefully go from strength to strength in the next few years. Chris Smalling appears to have established himself as first choice reserve when Rio or Vidic are out but Evans can still be an important part of the squad. Keep.

Do you agree or disagree?

Changes to United Squad?

As 2010/11 has drawn to a close now is probably as good a time as any to look at the squad. While we had a very good season there will be a bit of an overhaul this year. For the first time in a number of years we will see a raft of players leave the club due to injuries, retirements and a few who won’t have their contracts renewed. As a result we can expect to see more new faces than usual this summer. If I were in Fergie’s shoes I would make the signing of two top class central midfielders my number one priority, one creative and one defensive (assuming that David De Gea signs to replace Van Der Sar). 

Below GGMU look at the squad player by player, we will look at squad numbers 1-12 today, 13-23 will follow tomorrow and 24-35 will be posted on Friday.

1. Edwin Van Der Sar: The Dutchman has become a true United Legend. His 6 years at the club have seen him pick up 4 league titles a Champions League and a League Cup. The best we have had since the Great Dane, he formed a telepathic understanding with Rio and Vidic and will leave a massive hole to fill. Retired.

3. Patrice Evra: One of the best left backs in the world, the Frenchman probably didn’t live up to his own high standards this season but a top class act nonetheless. Solid in defence and dangerous going forward there are not many better than Evra. Commitment to the cause and determination are also notable attributes. Keep.

4. Owen Hargreaves: What a waste. United have missed him over the last three seasons and many will wonder how those two Champions League finals would have panned out if we had someone like Hargreaves at the top of his game marshalling the midfield. Won’t be getting a new contract this summer and we wish him the best for the future. Hopefully he gets to play professional football again somewhere at some decent level. Out of Contract – Gone.

5. Rio Ferdinand: Still a class act and one of the best centre-halves in the world. His partnership with Vidic cannot be matched and when fit he’s one of the first names on the teams sheet. Injuries have held him back over recent seasons but he’s still one of Fergie’s most reliable lieutenants. Keep

6. Wes Brown: There has definitely been some sort of fall out with Fergie here. Wes has been a great servant to the club but it appears it is time to part ways. He didn’t even play enough Premier League  games to get a medal this season and I can’t see a way back at this point. Best of Luck. Ditch.

7. Michael Owen: Didn’t contribute much this year but I think it was the right decision to offer him the one year extension as I think Macheda and Welbeck could learn from having him around. Owen will work hard in  training and won’t kick up if not involved at the weekend. Could be a useful character to have in the squad, it won’t cost us to keep him on so I don’t see why not. Keep.

8. Anderson: The Brazilian’s season was disrupted by injury once again. He was impressive in the run-in and managed to bag a few goals too. His performance against Schalke in the second leg deserves special note. Ando needs to step up and consistently perform at the highest level, a breakthrough similar to that which Nani has had overthe last year is required if he is to remain at the Theatre of Dreamsand I would give him one more year to achieve that. Keep.

9. Dimitar Berbatov: Berba had his most prolific year yet in a red shirt but the question marks over his future will be bigger than ever after he failed to make the squad for the Champions League final. The Bulgarian is United’s most expenisve player ever and there can be little doubt that he has not lived up to expectations. 20 goals in the league this season (although 11 have come in 3 games), he hasn’t scored in the Champions League for a couple of seasons and has started less than 50% of the big games since he has joined. His link up play has been superb but he has missed chances in big games which have cost us i.e. City in the semi-final this year, Chelsea in the league last year. Fergie clearly doesn’t have 100% trust in Berba and as a result I think we should take whatever cash we can get for him now. Ditch.

10. Wayne Rooney: The man we look to when we need something special. Our star player. Keep.

11. Ryan Giggs: Another top notch contribution from the Welsh Wizard has secured another one year contract. What can you say about Giggs that hasn’t been said already? The man is a genius, one of the best ever and it was great to see some of the displays he put in towards the tail end of the season. Showed no signs of slowing down in 2010-11. Keep.

12. Chris Smalling: Former Maidstone United centre half Chris Smalling has had the season of his life. This year was seen as one for Smalling  to find his feet at a new club and learn from training with the likes of Rio and Vidic on a day to day basis. He has racked up over 30 appearances in his debut season and has staked his claim to be Rio’s long term successor. Another good bit of business by Fergie. Keep.

Agree/Disagree?

The three lads behind GGMU decided to each give our views on how we see the Champions League final going, including  team selections, formations and predictions. Let us know if you agree and what you see happening!

Ray

Team:Van Der Sar, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez

Formation: This team selection gives Fergie flexibility, we will be 4-4-1-1 with Rooney playing behind Hernandez. Chicharito will put pressure on the Barca defence with his movement and pace. Rooney will then have the freedom to drop back into the centre and help out when we don’t have the ball. Park will also drift in from the left at times to help Giggs and Fletch in the centre. 

What will happen: Fergie has spoken about focus this week and has spoken of the focus we had in 2008 in the semi. I think he will adopt a similar approach to that two legged affair.

I think the front 3 that Barca have now will be easier to try and control than the 3 they had in the 2009 final. Messi is now occupying the central position and while David Villa is world class they don’t have someone in the Samuel Eto’o mould, a poacher who if given a sniff as Eto’o was in Rome will take full advantage.

United will try to harry and hassle Barca when they have possession. This is why I think Fletch will get the nod ahead of Carrick. The Scot was a big loss two years ago and he’s the only man we have in the centre who will run himself into the ground trying to make tackles. The likes of Fletcher, Park, Valencia and Rooney will be asked to put in a trojan amount of work and as soon as United get the ball they will break with Rooney, Park and Valencia supporting Chicharito. The first goal is huge and if we go in front I can see us holding on for dear life until the end.

First Goal: Hernandez

Score: 1-0 United

COME ON UNITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

Team: VDS, Fabio, Vidic, Rio, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez

- No surprises there I think. Others would choose O’Shea or even Rafael over Fabio but I feel that Fabio deserves his place. He has had a good end to the season, he has bags of pace, is composed on the ball and will get up and down the right hand side all night.

Although Nani has been one of our best players this season I feel the other 2 wingers will get the nod, Valenica for his penetration down the right and Park for his non stop running and defensive capabilities on the right. I have a feeling Giggs will get the nod beside Carrick as long as his head is ok as he can be our key man to unlocking Barca.

Formation: It will be a 4-4-1-1 with Rooney given permission to wander everywhere during attacks but to tuck in when we don’t have the ball. Hernandez will offer us that option of playing right up against the last man where hopefully we can get him into one on one situations where he is lethal.

What will happen? Messi or Barca will score a first half goal and United will have to do what they have being doing all season by doing it the hard way. Rooney to score the winner and us all to forgive him!

First Goal: Messi

Score: I am going to go with 2-1 to United. Barcelona always score so United will have to score more!

Tom

Team: VDS, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney Hernandez

Formation: It will be the 4-4-1-1 which has served us well in recent weeks with Rooney playing in the hole behind Hernandez. I expect Park to tuck in to help out Giggs and Carrick with midfield duties, although that does afford Alves some space. Rooney will also drop almost into midfield to help out when we don’t have the ball. Hernandez will press high up the pitch in an attempt to stop Barca playing comfortably out of defence. All of their attacks begin with Valdes, Pique and Puyol so we will try and stop them at source. I would expect Hernandez to play on the last shoulder too, so the Barca defence can’t play too high up the pitch.

What Will Happen: I think we are going to go for them. Fergie is still sore from that loss in Rome and sees this as a massive opportunity and perhaps his finest moment. We will get in their faces from an early stage and make our presence felt. We cannot and will not back off them. Our work rate has to be huge.

When we have the ball, I see us attacking with full vigour. Pique and Puyol aren’t the quickest defenders and Hernendez can give them real problems with his pace and movement. This game will be about pace and dynamism for United and Rooney will be central to it. His battle with Busquets will be key but it also be good to see him getting forward and occupying Pique or Puyol at stages. If they score early, we are in trouble. Keep it tight for the opening quarter and put them under pressure. This Uniited team is more than capable of holding onto the ball too, which we will have to do well at stages. Giggs to have a BIG game.

A scoreless first half, with three second half goals. United to go two up early in second half with Barca pulling one back. Then, hang on!

First goal: Rooney

Score: Barca 1-2 United

If you are like myself then there is not a hope you  will be in London let alone Wembley for the Champions League final on Saturday Evening. Fear not though there is plenty happening here thanks to the tournaments sponsor Heineken.

This year’s UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United and FC Barcelona is set to bethe most watched club football match in the world. The 2010 final between Inter Milan and BayernMunich attracted 145.1million viewers and the match this Saturday is expected to eclipse thatfigure.

The UEFA Champions League Final takes place in Wembley this Saturday and tournament sponsor,Heineken is hosting a number of events for football fans who can’t make it to London for the game.

It promises to be an occasion to remember with one of the most highly anticipated UEFA ChampionsLeague finals in memory. In pubs around the country football fans can take part in touch screentrivia games to win official UEFA Champions League merchandise.

To mark this year’s UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, the first 100 people at eachvenue will receive a specially designed Wembley Heineken bottle as a memento of the occasion.Not forgetting the hungry football fans, there will be complimentary food at each venue to enjoywith an ice cold Heineken.

Fans can log on to www.facebook.com/heineken and head to the events page for details of theirnearest Heineken UEFA Champions League venue.

The Heineken UEFA Champions League Venues:
Dublin
The Living Room, Cathal Brugha Street
The Barge, Dublin 2
The Cuckoos Nest, Tallaght
The Portobello, Dublin 2
Gibneys, Malahide
Carpenters, Castleknock
Tripod, Harcourt St.

Cork
Reardens, Washington Street, Cork
Soho, Grand Parade, Cork

Limerick
Nancy Blakes, Denmark Street, Limerick
Smyths, Denmark Street, Limerick

South East
Uluru, Dunmore Road, Waterford
Left Bank, The Parade, Kilkenny

Sligo
Garravogue, Stephen’s Street, Sligo

Many of you will have seen the Guardian article today in which their football writers named their awards in the 2010/2011 Premier League season. Well, we decided to get in touch with some top sporting and football sites and get their awards for the season, including us of course . It makes for some interesting reading.. Let us know who you think should have got what award!

• Yolkie – MUFC writer and co-founder of 7Cantonas

Best goal - I’m biased, but I’ll go with Wayne Rooney’s overhead kick against City in February. It was probably the biggest moment of the league season, the notable turning point in Rooney’s form, a defining moment in a hugely important game and inspired United to victory. A close runner up was Berbatov’s second against Liverpool. 

Best match - Our wins at West Ham and against Liverpool are up there but to stay away from that and pick a non-United one, the Tottenham turnaround to win at Arsenal was a brilliant game to watch. A local rivalry with a comeback is always a great story but in the fashion it unfolded, it was a great advert for the league.

Best player - Rooney proved to be the difference at the business end of the season, but you can’t argue with the contribution of Nani and Vidic… that said, staying away from United, Modric was brilliant, but most of the really good players only really shone for half a season. If it’s a question about who I think is the best player in the league, then for me without doubt it’s Ryan Giggs. He was sensational in the latter stages of the Champions League and it defies logic that at his age he has re-invented himself as the most penetrative, intelligent central midfielder in the league.

Best manager - Sir Alex, no contest really. For winning a record league title alone, but for also doing it comfortably with a team some even predicted would drop out of the Champions League spots.

Best signing - I sound horribly biased, but Chicharito will probably get the lions share of nominations here and rightly so. Twenty goals and becoming a starter in a United side is something on its own but to effectively force Sir Alex to regain confidence in a 4-4-2 shape for the club is probably a factor overlooked, unfairly, by most.

• Neil Sherwin – Co-Editor of Backpage Football:

Best goal – I was a bit undecided until the last week of the season but then Carlos Tevez stepped up and hit a ridiculous free kick against Stoke City. The Argentine is very much hit and miss with his dead balls but this one was outstanding, starting way outside the right hand post before curling back into the top corner giving Thomas Sorensen no chance. His other goal that night wasn’t too shabby either.

Best match – Arsenal/Newcastle is the obvious one but I didn’t see it live so I’m going for Wigan/West Ham at the DW. It had two sides battling relegation, non existent defending throughout, and a tidy comeback that ultimately led to Wigan’s survival. Captivating stuff.

Best player – Vincent Kompany. An absolute snip at £6 million when he joined three years ago, he has been a towering presence in what was previously a horribly leaky defence. The Belgian is still only 25 and needs to be the next Manchester City captain. I was actually a touch disappointed that it wasn’t him lifting the FA Cup at Wembley.

Best manager – Ferguson did alright I suppose.

Best signing  -Peter Odemwingie. I could have said have Javier Hernandez, David Silva or one of the other obvious standouts but in terms of value to a club Odemwingie wins hands down. He cost just £1 million and scored 15 goals in 32 games for a side that many tipped to go down.

Biggest flop – West Ham. I actually predicted them to finish top half given the squad they had. Shows what I know.

Best pundit – Mark Bosnich, a man who talks sense and shit in equal amounts. He’s a straight shooter, a little self involved, and both his laugh and hairline make for captivating viewing.

Main gripe – People fawning over crap teams. Blackpool were always going to be relegated so why bother buying into the romance and supposed ‘feel good’ story? It certainly didn’t feel good watching them leak goal after goal on a weekly basis.

Also, Holloway is a bit of a tit and has become a parody of himself. Would you want him managing your club? Didn’t think so.

Change I’d like to see for next season – Foul throws getting punished to the letter of the law. Every bloody week you see them in top flight games.

Is it the best league in the world? – Well it’s the one that interests me most so yeah, it probably is. People go on about La Liga but it’s as much a two horse race as the SPL, and I’d rather take a kick in the balls than watch a weekend of that. Sure, it’s been a Chelsea/United monopoly for the last few years, but the teams are stronger as a whole. Hopefully somebody breaks their stranglehold next season anyway.

• Ray Byrne – Co-owner of GGMU:

Best goal – Wayne Rooney’s scissor kick against Man City has to take this award. This strike had absolutely everything, unbelievable technical skill, massive derby game, proving his doubters wrong and the match winner. It was a huge 3 points and a huge goal for Rooney.

Best match – Arsenal 4-4 Newcastle. A cracker of a game, unbelievable comeback and the start of the annual Arsenal choke, what more could you want!?

Best player – Nemanja Vidic was simply outstanding this year. The Serb took on the captaincy early on in the season and never looked back. He led by example and is a massive player for the Champions. Currently in the form of his life, Vidic has to be considered the best defender on the planet at the moment.

Best manager – Sir Alex Ferguson. Title number 12, knocking Liverpool off their perch and a third Champions League final in 4 years. All of this achieved with a United side that was not “vintage.” Sir Alex has rotated his squad to perfection this year. Appointing Vidic captain was a masterstroke and he unearthed the lethal Javier Hernandez. The Scot is a true legend and has to go down as one of the greatest if not THE greatest of all time.

Best signing – Chicharito. The Mexican has been a breath of fresh air since Day 1. His attitude both on and off the pitch has been second to none and on top of that he can play. His movement has been devastating and he has that lethal finishing touch which hasn’t been seen in the league since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Always in the right place at the right time Little Pea has a long career ahead of him in the Premier League.

Biggest flop – Joe Cole looked odds on for this but I have to go for Fernando Torres. I still think that Torres can be a big player for Chelsea in the near future and I don’t agree with all the Liverpool fans arguing that they got the better deal. Torres is a great player, Suarez and Carroll combined don’t compare to El Nino at 100%. However this year he was seen as the man to deliver Champions League glory to Stamford Bridge and his return of 1 goal courtesy of a dodgy puddle at the bridge has to see him take this prize ahead of an aging Joe Cole who was seen as a bit of a gamble when Hodgson signed him for Liverpool.

Best pundit – Martin Keown. Knows his stuff and not afraid to say what he thinks. Currently mixing working on TV3 in Ireland and on the BBC. He appears to have a bit more freedom to say what he thinks on the Irish station but then again that might be because nobody could possibly be expected to sit on a sofa and agree with Tony Cascarino.

Main gripe – Grown men diving, cheating, abusing referees and time wasting. It’s absolutely disgusting.

Change I’d like to see for next season – One realistic change I would like to see is that only captains and the offending player are allowed to talk to a referee.

Is it the best league in the world? – Without a shadow of a doubt. Serie A has lost it and Spain is becoming like Scotland it’s such a two horse race. Barca and Real are outstanding sides but the flip side of a player scoring 40 goals in La Liga is the fact that it says very little about the opposition.

Some of the Contenders

GGMU would like you to vote for your player of the year 2010/11. This year has been all about the squad. There was no Ronaldo-type player in the team and we saw a range of players chipping in at different stages throughout the season. Fergie has rotated his pack impressively and we have picked out 5 candidates for the GGMU Gong for the best of 2010/11. Read our cadidates below and then vote in our poll!

Nani
Last Season saw Nani show flashes of brilliance in some big games, notably the impressive victory at the Emirates. In 2010/11 however, Nani really stepped up to the mark. The young Portugese winger has taken a big step forward this year and appears to have matured a lot. He looks like he could be ready to become a big player for United and up until recently he was one of the first names on the team sheet. The emergence of Javier Hernandez has seen Fergie look to his wingers to track back in the big games which has seen Valencia and Park get the nod in recent weeks. Nani remains top of the assist charts this season in the Premier League and he has also chipped in with a few goals. Winner of the Players’ Player of the Year this week it has been without doubt his best season in a United shirt.

Nemanja Vidic
The team photo for 2010/11 sees Sir Alex Ferguson flanked by his Captain Gary Neville and his vice-captain Ryan Giggs. Early on in the season with Neville clearly struggling to reach the standards expected at the club the armband was up for grabs. A few eyebrows were raised when Fergie opted to hand it to Vidic ahead of Rio Ferdinand but the Serbian Terminator has proved Sir Alex right once again. Vida has been a rock at the back this year, some of his performances have been simply breathtaking and it was fitting that he should score the goal which effectively killed off Chelsea’s title challenge. The best bit of business Fergie did last year is not signing Chicharito but convincing the Serb to a sign a long term contract fending off interest from abroad.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez
£6million has to be considered one of the bargains of Fergie’s career. Hernandez has been a breath of fresh air since he joined the club. His attitude has been first class from day one. The Mexican has consistently scored goals throughout the season and many felt that before Christmas when Wayne Rooney was struggling for form that he should have been given a chance. Hernandez refused to get drawn into the debate in the media and insisted he was happy to be at the club and would always be ready when called upon. Comparisons were made between Hernandez and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he consistently made goal scoring appearances off the bench but he has firmly established himself in Fergie’s starting XI and has become the first player to score 20 goals in his debut season at the club since Ruud Van Nistelrooy. A firm fans favourite this boy has a long career ahead of him at Old Trafford.

Dimitar Berbatov
Berbatov has enjoyed his best season at Old Trafford and put claims that he was a flat track bully to bed when he bagged a sensational hattrick against arch rivals Liverpool back in September. Berba tends to thrill and frustrate and this year he has tended to do a bit more of the former. Top of the Premier League goal scoring charts, he may feel a little unlucky to be sitting on the bench at the moment but overall he’s had a very good season. The Bulgarian has struggled to meet expectation since his record breaking transfer to Old Trafford but this year he went a long way to convincing many of the doubters that he belongs at the club.

Ryan Giggs
Giggs defies logic. At 37 surely he should be winding down? Once again he has had one of his better seasons. In recent weeks in particular he has seemed to revel in the big games and has risen to the occasion. He formed a good partnership with Michael Carrick in the games against Chelsea and Schalke and chipped in with assists and goals when we needed it the most. The man is a legend and will be remembered forever at the Theatre of Dreams. Ryan Giggs – Tearing you apart since 1991.

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Manchester United head to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow with the possibility of securing a record 19th English Championship. As part of a set of new features on their site, we contributed to 7Cantonas columnist Alan Tonge’s new “Tonge’s Tips” – Alan pits his wits against some of the best United bloggers to predict a score and bonus point.

Next season this will be a fully fledged recurring article but for now enjoy a taste of what’s to come.

Glory Glory Man Utd or 7Cantonas does not encourage you to gamble and accepts no responsibility for financial loss. All the below predictions are made for entertainment purposes.

Alan Tonge : Ewood Park is always a tricky place to go to, made extra difficult by Blackburn needing the points too. However, I’m sure there will have been huge surge of confidence generated from the Chelsea and Schalke wins, so i will go for a 2-0 victory, where we can claim our 19th title record.

Bonus : Mr Rooney to net the first goal. (Currently priced 4/1 with Setanta Bet)

Glory Glory Man Utd : Fergie will not want to go into the last game of the season needing something to ensure the league title, particularly with the Barcelona task just a week later. Although Blackburn are not safe yet, they have struggled for goals all season and will memories of the 7-1 thrashing they suffered at Old Trafford in November will be vivid in their memories. I see a United win here. Our form is good, spirits are high and the team seems unified like never before. I plumping for 2-0 to United and the glorious no.19 to be cemented.

Bonus : Nani to score anytime (@ 13/8 on SetantaBet).

Ramble United : I don’t think this will be a run-away victory like when Blackburn came to Old Trafford earlier in the season, United like to do it the hard way so I wouldn’t be surprised to see us go a goal down. I do, however, think the title will be won this weekend if Fergie isn’t fibbing, and we play a strong side. Kuszczak will be most likely be playing between the sticks, and he’s not the best aerially. I expect – if Blackburn score – their goal will come from a set-piece.

Our attack will probably be made up of Hernandez, Rooney, Valencia and Nani, and collectively they should be too much for the Blackburn defence. I reckon Chicharito will get on the scoresheet, and I think it’s about time Owen gave us that important goal he promised, so I’d like him to come on and score the winner, before he inevitably leaves in summer.

I’m predicting a tight result with not many goals. 2-1 to United.

Bonus prediction: First goalscorer – Chris Samba (20/1 @ Setanta Bet)

Chris (Can They Score) : I am going to go for a 3 1 win to United tomorrow, even though we’ve only won 5 away games this season. I’m sure Sir Alex will make some changes to the squad, with the likes of Owen & Gibson possibly featuring, but I really think the team will get a result regardless. The Reds are so close to #19 and regardless of the fight the Blue & White Army put up, I can`t imagine Sir Alex letting any complacency or distraction compromise our chances of Premier League glory.

Bonus : I am going go with Owen scoring the final goal- he’s long overdue one! (You can get Owen on the first goal at 6/1 via Setanta Bet)

Stretty News : I reckon United will come away from Ewood Park with a 2-0 win against Blackburn on Saturday. Since the victory over Chelsea last weekend a lot of supporters on Facebook & Twitter have been going on about this famous point that would secure our nineteenth league title officially knocking Liverpool of their perch. However going into the game I want nothing less than three points – why? Because like Ferguson, I’m a winner! Simple as.

Bonus : Dimitar Berbatov to score the first goal (5/1 on Setanta Bet) and Nani to score the second