Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has said there is good news on the horizon for club and fans as players are making quick recoveries from injury.

Owen Hargreaves and Ryan Giggs have both been on the sidelines of late and both are close to full returns to the team. Hargreaves has been out for a long time with a troublesome knee and Giggs broke his arm in a match just after the New Year.

United will need all of their playing staff fit and firing if they are going to have any chance of winning another title but things are looking good as they have missed players at regular points through the current season.

Ferguson said: “Ryan will be fit for the Liverpool game. His performances in training have been fantastic. He is getting another plaster on today but we will be getting a fresh player back, which is good.”

“For weeks we had to try and work out the best games for him to play in, in terms of freshness and rest. Now he has had a month’s rest. Owen Hargreaves went to see a specialist on Thursday and that’s why he didn’t play but there’s nothing wrong and he’s training.”

“He’ll play in the next game, he has to play in the next game because he’s ready to play. Roy Hodgson has great experience, the kind of experience you need in international management. He would be ideal for that type of thing.”

“But I don’t think you can’t pre-empt that. I am sure if Fabio does well at the World Cup, he will want to stay on as England manager. Why would he not want to? It is the hardest challenge for him because the expectation is high and he looks to me to be the type that relishes that. Roy has brought his experience and authority to the club. He has formed a team that no-one likes to play against. They are very well organised and they play with great discipline. That is down to the manager.”

United will be going for a little bit of revenge on Sunday after the drubbing that Fulham gave them in the Premier League match at Craven Cottage. Fulham ran out 3-0 winners on that occasion.

It was an occasion when United were having to mix up their defence every single week and now that they have a settled side, it is likely that they could get a result in front of their own fans on their own ground.

Hargreaves probably won’t start but if things are going well during the game he will get thrown on at some point. He is likely to get a standing ovation because he has been a loyal player to the club during his injury when he could have packed the game in or gone elsewhere.

United need the win and for once there are no shortage of players who want to put their hand up and be counted.

Fulham have been left with a huge task after a heavy defeat against Juventus in the first leg of their Europa League encounter.

The teams have been paired together for the last sixteen round of the competition and Juventus have taken a quick lead, going 3-1 up into the second leg in London.

It was not surprising as Fulham have been struggling over recent weeks to find some form, which saw thump jump into the top half of the Premier League table during the first part of the season.

Juventus were just too strong and although they conceded an important away goal, many would back them to come out on top when the sides meet again during the second leg.

Fulham manager, Roy Hodgson, said: “It will be an exciting game and I’m sure our public will enjoy it. To score two goals and not concede any is a difficult task but I’ve certainly seen stranger things happen in my time in football.”

“Getting back to just 2-1 down, I thought we were reasonably placed. It was in our hands then. But to concede again, and in added-on time in the first half, really killed us. It was a bad goal to concede.”

“We have had a lot of games and maybe there was an element of fatigue tonight. Perhaps we weren’t as sprightly as we have been in some of our games. This will certainly be a testing time for our durability but we’re not out of this competition yet. It’s not impossible.”

Juve have a very experienced and talented side and it would take a brave money to bet against them getting through this game. Fulham have to look at the positives and now focus on a league campaign, which could guarantee them European football again next season.

Things do not seem to be getting any easier as they face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. United are going for another title and must win the match in order to stay close to their main rivals.

Fulham quickly need to get over this defeat and switch their intentions back onto league focus. Hodgson is old and wise enough to realise that his side are going to have to consolidate and put their efforts into one thing sooner or later.

It is likely that this focus will be diverted into Premier League format. However, they may as well go all out to try and win the second leg of this match because it does now not really matter if they do not perform.

No one is expecting them to play Juve off the park in the second game and because of this, it will be easier for them to deal with as there will not really be any pressure on the game.

Watch this space but Fulham should now think domestically about their football. It’s been a good European run but the signs are saying that it could be about to come to an end.

Wayne Rooney has insisted that he has no goals target for Manchester United by the end of the current season.

Rooney really is the man of the moment and seems to score in pretty much every game that he plays. He helped United romp to a Champions League win over AC Milan and is now zoning in on the Premier League golden boot.

Rooney is very close to some of the targets that Ronaldo set during his best spells at United but the scouser says he does not have any figure in mind and is just taking one game at a time.

He said: “I am delighted to get two more goals but I have not set myself a target. I just want to keep scoring. Overall, it was a great result and we are delighted to get through. Now we can just look forward to the draw and see how it goes from there.”

“There is no preference. They are all difficult games at this stage of the competition. The first goal was vital. We set out to get an early goal to kill the game off and when we got it we shattered Milan’s confidence. That was the major turning point.”

United Chief Executive, David Gill, added: “Anyone who went on our tour of the Far East last summer knows the strength of feeling that Malaysians have for the club. Over 40,000 attended our training session and another 40,000 came to the second match in Kuala Lumpur, despite only having 48 hours’ notice of the fixture.”

Gill is speaking about the new reported sponsorship interest for United from the Far East. It may not be too long until Rooney could get a few deals out there too if he carries on laying the way he is.

There is no doubt about how important the striker is to the current team. It will not be too long before people bow down to Sir Alex Ferguson all over again and say that he was right all over again to let Ronaldo go in the first place.

Many said he had lost his marbles, said it was time for retirement but it seems to have been just the thing that United needed in order for Rooney to step to the front of the queue and be counted.

However, that decision cannot be fully judged until the end of the season has actually arrived and then everyone can see if United are holding a trophy or not.

Rooney is bound to play a big part in that and if he does keep on scoring goals, then United are bound to win something by the end of the season. Ferguson will know exactly how to nurse the player through the rest of the season.

Many criticised the gaffer for leaving Rooney on the bench during the Carling Cup final but it seemed the right thing to do because it inspired him, fired him up and probably went a small way to him bagging the winner.

Rafa Benitez has reportedly told his players that he is sick of them playing the blame game and it is time for one and all to stand up and be counted.

Liverpool have not played good and attractive football for a very long time, which has led to a number of poor and disappointing results.

This has led to many people pointing the finger of blame as the players and fans have gone in search of answers. As far as the manager is concerned, enough is enough and he wants everyone to stand up and be counted until the end of the season.

He said: “I don’t think it is right to suggest there is any lack of trust between the players. You can look at last season as an example of that when these same players were doing well, playing with confidence and winning games and there was not a problem.”

“But against Wigan the keeper (Jose Reina ) was blaming the defenders for something that was wrong and the defenders were blaming the keeper. It happens in games but I don’t like it. If you are showing your disappointment with that sort of body language it is sending out the wrong message.”

“It is not positive and I don’t want to see this sort of reaction. I accept that each player is different but it is important to show leadership qualities and the right approach to your team-mates. I have told them I want an improvement and that if an error is made the person responsible must be kept on board.”

It has not helped the club that many key players have been injured for important games and key stages of the season. It is no wonder Liverpool have been losing points if they have not been able to name their best side ever week.

One such player, Glen Johnson, hopes to return in Europe. He said: “We know they are going to have some players with pace in certain areas. They’re well-organised and will work hard, and we know they are playing very well at home. I’ve been out for a while but I feel really good, although I’m just getting my match fitness back.”

Benitez does have a very good point. When a team is not playing well, they do rely upon team spirit to try and get them through each game. This case is no different and Liverpool must stick together if they are to have any chance of clinging onto fourth spot.

There are many areas the side can improve upon but history has shown that lower quality teams can succeed if they have a good team spirit and believe in each other. All Benitez is asking for is a little togetherness at a crucial stage.

Once Liverpool get a first choice team back on the field and once the players put their squabbles to one side, they are capable of repeating the performances of beating the likes of Manchester United on their own ground last year.

AC Milan player, David Beckham, has said that his former club, Manchester United, can go all the way in the Champions League this season.

Beckham was talking after United beat AC Milan comfortably after the second leg at Old Trafford. Beckham got the come back to his boy hood club, which he said he had been dreaming of ever since he left.

United now look to be in a very strong position and with some other high calibre clubs going out of Europe, there job may have just got slightly easier.

Beckham said: “When you get knocked out of a competition you kind of hope that the team that knocks you out goes all the way. It is always disappointing when you lose games, especially when they are as important as this, but we’ve come up against a great United side tonight.”

“The thing that I will take is the reception I got from the fans, it was unbelievable. It meant a lot [coming back here]. It’s definitely up there as one of my best nights, obviously without the result. The atmosphere, the occasion and everything that the fans gave to me tonight was unbelievable. I hope they go all the way again. They deserve to, it is a great club, a great fan base and a great manager.”

“I’m a Manchester United fan and when I saw the scarf I wanted to put it round my neck. It’s the old colours of United but, it’s not my business. I’m a United fan and I support the club. I always will, but it’s got nothing to do with me how it’s run. That’s all to do with other people. I will always support the team.”

“He is one of the best in the world at the moment, if not the best. Wayne will continue to play like that because he is a passionate player, he is a young player, he wants to learn. With [Lionel] Messi and Ronaldo he is up there with the best, if not at the top. He has always scared defenders, whoever he has played for. Let’s hope he continues that.”

Milan were no match for a clearly in form United side that probably could not have played any better. However, it is important for Ferguson’s side not to get carried away ahead of some important matches.

There are still some big sides in the Champions League who will be wanting to make good on European promises they may have made at the start of the season.

United will be praying that Rooney does not get injured any time soon because it is clear he is one of the most influential players playing football at this current time. If they lose him it will be a huge blow to the club and for England ahead of a big summer.

Next up for United is Fulham at Old Trafford in a match that United will be hoping to use a chance to push on their Premier League ambitions for the season.

Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, says his side are fully aware of the threat that David Beckham poses on his return to Old Trafford.

Beckham travels as part of an AC Milan side looking to cancel out a 3-2 lead they conceded in the first leg of the tie, which was played in Milan.

Beckham could start the match as he did not play a full 90 minutes in Milan’s draw against Roma at the weekend and Ferguson still clearly rates him as one of the best dead ball takers in the whole world.

He said: “It is difficult to say what effect David will have on the tie because we don’t know whether he is going to start, but the one thing with him that you have to be aware of is his delivery of the ball, it’s fantastic.”

“I think David’s strength has always been his crossing and his set-piece play, that doesn’t change, and if he plays, that will be the threat against us.”

“We will try to do it in our normal way. Winning in Milan for the first time was a landmark victory for us. It was a psychological thing, but I don’t think we should be confused by the 3-2 scoreline. It does not represent a bye into the quarter-finals. What we need is an early goal because with the advantage of away goals in the San Siro, Milan would then find themselves in a very difficult position.”

“Credit must go to Wayne and his rise in the game. I just wish I had the two of them [Rooney and Ronaldo] there.”

Leonardo added: “It’s incredible to see the way he has developed and matured (Rooney). Maybe it has something to do with Cristiano Ronaldo leaving. He has had to step up.”

Milan will have to come to Manchester and attack from the off. They will have to score at least two goals if they are to stand any chance of winning this game and that means an uphill climb from the first whistle.

That also means keeping United quiet at the other end. If the home team manage to get the first goal then it could virtually signal the end of the tie. However, there is still a lot of football to be played.

Funnier things have happened and United will want to see off Milan in style and send out a message to the rest of the European teams still in the Champions League.

Milan have the experience but they are lacking the special extra edge, which a player like Rooney will give to United. They have ageing players all over the pitch who have been here before but it could take some moments of magic to make the difference.

Milan cannot concede an early goal. They probably need to be 2-0 up by half time if they are going to get through this game. If they get two goals and defend, it could be difficult for them to hold out.

Arsenal will have to claw back a one goal deficit if they are to beat Porto and make it into the quarter final stages of the Champions League.

The Gunners currently trail 2-1 in the tie against the Portuguese side and will need to work hard to get back into the game quickly.

They have the advantage of an away goal but they still have a number of key players missing from the clash who would have been vitally important. Cesc Fabregas has said that he intends to be involved even though he is carrying a painful injury at present.

The other big worry for Arsenal is not have William Gallas to play in defence. Porto have a very talented attacking team and that was displayed during the first leg of this exciting game.

Arsene Wenger said: “I do not think anyone will be complacent. We know it will be a tricky game, but we believe we can do it. We have good confidence, we are in a good position, so let’s go for it.”

Jesualdo Ferreira added: “We know what our qualities are and we are confident. This will be a very difficult match, but we have the weapons which make it tough for Arsenal. You need to be able to adapt tactically, but we are always playing to win. We will try to do the same what we did at Estadio do Dragao.”

Arsenal will just have to mix up their team a little bit until they find a combination, which will be effective enough to get through the Porto defence that comes to visit the Emirates.

Arsenal will also want to eradicate the memory of the first leg, which saw them give away a bizarre goal from an indirect free kick.

This was the goal, which has put Porto ahead and they will be high on confidence after recent visits to England. They managed to get a draw against Manchester United in the same stage of the competition last season and then narrowly missed out in Portugal during the second game.

The game plan for Arsenal is really quite simple. They need to go out and get ahead in the game very quickly. This will allow them to start expressing themselves and play the football they are famous for.

If they try to pass the ball into the net then it could be a very long night for them. Porto will look to come and defend their lead first, which will mean a well organise defence that is hard to break down.

They also need to keep things tight at the back because if Porto get ahead early in the game then it will be a pretty big mountain that they have to climb.

If you’re a betting person you would probably put your cash on Arsenal as they should be good enough in their own ground to do what they need to get through.