Handsome Furs Hate This City

Rooney hates Liverpool. Now that surprises me... You'd have never guessed it from the way he plays against them would you? Anyway... That's the main story doing the rounds today, made bigger than the passing expression of the bleeding obvious that it was by the removal of the comments from the official Man Utd website hours after they appeared. The Mirror has a quote on the matter from a spokesperson:

On the eve of tomorrow's Premier League title showdown between United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, United withdrew Rooney's comments from their official website. Mirror Sport has learned United chiefs felt the comments could prove inflammatory and decided withdrawing them was the only option.

A United spokesman said yesterday: "In advance of the game we felt this was the best option as these kind of things can be misinterpreted and cause unnecessary problems."

If they just hadn't appeared maybe it would have been alright and no one would have noticed, but The Times report that they were made on MUTV, so maybe they'd have been picked up anyway:

Rooney made the remark to MUTV, United’s in-house television station, after the 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

Either way, I'm not sure how inflammatory they are likely to be, The Mail claim they have "stoked up ill feeling", but like I say, it's no big secret, and Liverpool fans don't seem to need any excuse when it comes to disliking Rooney. Here is the comment:

“We’re in pole position in the title race and we know if we can beat Liverpool then that’ll more or less end their chances of winning the league. I’m very excited about the game because I grew up as an Everton fan hating Liverpool — and that hasn’t changed.”

It certainly beats the usual footballer interview fare of respectfully saying nothing, and you've got to like the honesty. He goes on to ruin it by being a bit too nice about them for my liking:

“Liverpool played really well against Madrid, they attacked with a lot of speed, were aggressive and put Real under a lot of pressure,” Rooney said. “They are always anxious games against Liverpool and I am sure it will be frantic with a lot of challenges.

“It’s a massive fixture, especially with what’s at stake. Liverpool have been brilliant all season and put up a good challenge, but it will be great if we can finish that challenge off.”

I thought they'd been rubbish for the last couple of months, which is why we're 7 points clear with a game in hand, but there you go...
Hidden away in The Mirror's article on Rooney is a quote from Ronaldo, apparently from an interview to be shown on Setanta tonight, in which he seems to imply that he'll be staying at Man Utd:

the Portuguese winger admitted no other club can match his "dream" life at Old Trafford as they close in on the quintuple.

"I feel very happy where I am now. I like to do what I do, it's my dream and this is my life.

"There is always speculation about me. It's normal, the people have done this for the last few years but I'm always strong, mentally and physically."

Good news but I'm sure it won't stop endless speculation, and actions speak louder than words so we'll still have to wait till the summer for the whole truth.
Elsewhere, an article on English dominance in Europe by Kevin McCarra in The Guardian:

Wednesday's fixture had a tone comparable to routine Premier League games in which the team senses that it will muster a win come what may. Inter verged on an equaliser following Nemanja Vidic's goal but United's relaxed mood was no mystery. Their opponents have had eight matches in the competition this season and won only two of them, against Panathinaikos and Anorthosis. Ferguson must have been awash with generosity when claiming that this had been "the hardest draw" United could have faced. It is going to take more than Jose Mourinho's star quality to restore the sheen to Inter and the rest of Serie A.

The Sun brings down the tone by talking money with a story on the bonuses the players will get if we do the Quintuple. Let's talk glory, not money...
Yet another story on Ryan Giggs being brilliant, his continued great form has certainly been a boon for sports writers, Jim White says he's a shoo in for Footballer of the Year:

Bracing as the claims of Robin van Persie, Ashley Young, Nemanja Vidic and Steven Gerrard might be, Giggs is so far ahead of the Footballer of the Year field he makes Master Minded look a Cheltenham non-runner. The fact is, at 35 Giggs appears to be at the peak of his powers.

To his many other managerial advantages – those of scale, resource and budget – Sir Alex Ferguson seems to have added another: he has unearthed the secret of perpetual youth.

He ruined the whole article for me by mentioning Gerrard as a contender.
Terry Venables continues "Tel's big match countdown" in The Sun. Hooray.
And we finish with some classic Benitez delusion:

Rafa roared: “Liverpool are the best team in Europe over the last five years.

“People seem to have forgotten we have produced some brilliant performances to reach two Champions League finals and a semi-final in the last four years.

“I’ve been given a tag which I do not deserve and which is totally inaccurate.

“I’m not a cry baby, but competing with Manchester United and Chelsea is very difficult.

“They have enough money to sign five £20million players and, if one or two of them do not succeed, then they still have three more to call on.

“I can sign two such guys and if one doesn’t succeed or I make a mistake with one, then everyone really notices it."

Firstly, remind me who's European Champions again? And secondly, Benitez? Not having money to spend? Is he having a laugh? This, on the Republik of Mancunia blog, suggests the truth is slighlty different:

Since taking charge of the club in 2004, Benitez has spent £189.9 million on 51 players. The team he inherited finished 4th the season before, one position below 3rd placed United. In that same time, United have spent £170.35 million on 13 different players (Berbatov (£30.75m), Tosic (£17m), Carrick (£18.6m), Hargreaves (£17m), Anderson (£18m), Kuzczak (£2.5m), Nani (£17m), Park (£4m), Foster (£1m), Vidic (£7m), Evra (£5.5m), Rooney (£30m), Van der Sar (£2.5m)). How are you supposed to compete? How about you buy fewer players and actually buy good players, instead of players who belong at midtable clubs?

It always surprises me, but amuses me nonetheless, that Liverpool would even consider giving Benitez more control over transfers, given the amount of rubbish he buys.