London, I love you but your bringing me down

The main story today is on whether Rooney will be in the England squad for the Spain friendly. Sir Alex says he's fit enough to come on as a sub on Sunday, but not for a full game, quote from The Daily Star:

“The only thing I can do is explain the situation as the physios describe it.
“He’s not ready to start the game at West Ham otherwise I’d be playing him on Sunday, even though the form of the team has been very good.
“But he is not even a consideration for starting on Sunday. Rooney and Patrice Evra won’t start but, very possibly, they could be on the bench.
“They are not quite 100 per cent but they are coming on.
“The cold snap has cut back the training so we’ve been on an easy week in terms of quality and intensity. But Wayne’s not far away.”

They go on to quote Sir Alex as saying that 'he had “no strong objection” to the 23-year-old striker going to Spain'. The Mail's report suggests that he won't be included in the squad:

England coach Capello’s assistant, Franco Baldini, and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson are thought to have agreed it prudent to let England’s best player continue his rehabilitation in Manchester rather than travel for Wednesday’s friendly in Seville.

Most of the other stories come out of Sir Alex's pre-game press conference yesterday. The Times point out our recent poor record in London, winning once out of the last nine visits to London clubs, but Sir Alex gives a confident response:

“I wasn't aware of that [United's recent poor league record against clubs in London] but obviously with the form of the team as it is, I would be prepared to take them anywhere. I think the players have acquired some things over the past couple of years playing together. You can see a lot of mental strength in the players here. They can deal with most things.”

The Independent look at the theory that our defensive record is affecting our play, with Sir Alex suggesting there might have been a bit of that against Everton last week:

"The record is having a galvanising effect but I also thought last week we just started to protect it a little bit," he said.

"Our first-half performance was excellent against Everton. We played some really good football and created a lot of opportunities.

"But towards the middle of the game I sensed we were starting to drop off a little bit. I think that was to do with keeping the record."

He goes on to say that is "not concerned" that it will become a problem.
The Independent also have a story about the peculiar intensity of our games with West Ham:

For once Sir Alex Ferguson was stumped when the former West Ham manager Alan Pardew dropped in to see him this week and they began discussing the peculiar intensity of Manchester United's games at Upton Park which, Pardew told him, get Hammers fans more worked up than the arrival of either Arsenal or Tottenham.

The story also includes quotes from Sir Alex, also in other papers, comparing Carrick to Dennis Irwin:

"the quieter types [who] sometimes get overlooked by fans and the press," as he put it. Irwin, Ferguson recalled, "used to give me eight or nine out of 10 performances every week. But he didn't have the celebrity status of others round about him – like Ryan [Giggs], David Beckham, Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes. He was a quiet lad who went about his business. Michael Carrick may come into that category."

The Mirror reports on Zola's pre-match words, which seem to have the air of overconfidence:

"I have watched their videos and I spotted some things that can be good for us but I won't tell you because otherwise you will write them and they will take measures," smiled the Sardinian.

The Sun reports that Ronaldo has had a few things to say about Jose Mourhino:

FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldo is seething at Mourinho’s claims that Inter Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic is better than him.

The Manchester United winger said: “I respect everybody’s opinion but let me tell both of them all the trophies for best player last season — FIFA, Champions League, FIFpro, Ballon D’Or — are in my house, not Ibrahimovic’s.”