Carling Cup - Team news: Anderson chance

Eurosport - Sat, 28 Feb 13:48:00 2009

Anderson may have played himself into Manchester United's Carling Cup final squad with a reserve-team run-out against Manchester City.

Anderson v Bolton, FOOTBALL - 0

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The Brazilian midfielder (pictured, left) has been an ever-present in United's run to Wembley, where they will face Tottenham on Sunday.

However, he was stretchered off late on in the second leg of the semi-final against Derby last month.

Ten days ago, Sir Alex Ferguson expressed doubts that Anderson would have recovered from his ankle injury in time to face Harry Redknapp's men.

However, Anderson managed to get through the first-half of Thursday's 2-1 win without a problem and providing he suffers no reaction, should play some part in the weekend showpiece even if it is as a substitute.

"Anderson played 45 minutes in the reserves last night and he'll travel down with us," Ferguson confirmed.

Jonny Evans and Gary Neville also travel to Wembley despite recent injuries, with Neville set to start in place of Rafael Da Silva, who was ruled out for a month with an ankle injury.

Danny Welbeck and Darron Gibson, meanwhile, are both set to start.

"Gibson and Welbeck will both play and deserve to play," Ferguson continued.

"Jonny Evans has hopefully recovered from (the 0-0 Champions League draw at Internazionale). He was feeling his injury towards the end of the game.

"Like Rafael he deserves to play in the final.

"Other than that everyone's fit. Neville's in the squad, he's been training well for about a week and will travel with us."

Ferguson will rest Edwin van der Sar for the final but is yet to decide whether Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak will play instead.

"It's not an easy decision for me, it's something I'll have to mull over," Ferguson added.

Fabio Da Silva could also be involved after featuring for an hour, while Zoran Tosic completed the full 90 minutes.

Tottenham skipper Ledley King is facing an anxious wait to see if he will feature.

King, who lifted the trophy last year, has returned from a hamstring injury but his chronic knee problem means he struggles to feature twice in a week - and the centre-back played against Hull on Monday.

"It's always the case with Ledley of waiting to see how he recovers after a game - he doesn't train from Monday to Friday, comes out the day before a game and has a loosener then pitches up and plays," said Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

Aside from Heurelho Gomes, Redknapp's first team were rested for the European clash against Shakhtar Donetsk, but there are still huge decisions for the final.

As well as the possibility of King's involvement, Redknapp has also been impressed with Jamie O'Hara's return from hip and groin problems, and he will also decide whether to play Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko together or go with a lone striker. Pavlyuchenko has scored in every round so far.

The only certainty is that Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon will be unleashed on United, with Redknapp building his attack on the pair's pace.

Redknapp has gone to Wembley in consecutive seasons but he insists it is different this year compared with winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth.

"Last year we had everything to lose, we beat United in the quarter-finals, got through to the final and you're playing Cardiff, a Championship team who everyone expected you to beat," Redknapp said.

"It would have been the biggest downer of all time if we didn't go back with the cup, even though we knew it would be difficult.

"This time everyone looks at United. Alex may change one or two but he wants to win everything. That is why he is what he is. He's not going to put out a team that he doesn't think will win."

Of his own record against Ferguson, Redknapp added: "You say a good record but no one has a winning record against Fergy."

Follow all the action from Wembley with live text commentary right here from 15:00 UK time on Sunday!

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP

    ALL MATCHES ON­ INTERNET: PREMIER LEAGUE, FA CUP, CHAMPIONSHIP,­ CARLING CUP, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA, CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP AND MUCH MORE

    ALL THE HIGH LIGHTS­ OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Sat 28 Feb 10:55AM

  2. if spurs win today paddy power gonna lose a fortune,­ paid out on the domestic treble already

    From asanshe, on Sat 28 Feb 10:00AM

  3. i hate manu but i have to say anderson is some player­ to not be gettin a regualr place, watch this guy,­ he's special

    From asanshe, on Sat 28 Feb 9:58AM

  4. united will win even though only using reserves.......

    From Arif, on Sat 28 Feb 8:17AM

  5. come on you spurs......

    From wozza6944, on Sat 28 Feb 7:38AM

  6. Where the hell is Tosic by the way? Didn't Fergie­ say he'd be ready by mid-Feb

    From Simon T, on Sat 28 Feb 1:21AM

  7. Where the hell is Tosic by the way? Didn't Fergie­ say he'd be ready by mid-Feb

    From Simon T, on Sat 28 Feb 1:21AM

  8. Scott S, sorry but I must agree with tosic45. you­ possibly know abt football but nothing about Anderson.­ I won't say is the middlefield in premier but­ he's got lot of potential and yes last yr he­ outplayed fabregas and gerrard. I was surprised myself­ to see him play like that. You really need to watch the­ lad he's really really good

    From eric, on Fri 27 Feb 10:56PM

  9. I wish i was a united youngster !! Just the thought of­ Playing at Wembley ... Lets go guyz ... Lets win this­ and get a quadruple !!! GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED !!!

    From tony b, on Fri 27 Feb 8:49PM

  10. Anderson never scord a goal for Manu. This is the­ opportunity to prove he can do it. If SAF use their­ youngsters, that mean he is not worried about Carling­ cup.

    From Augustine, on Fri 27 Feb 7:50PM

  11. just hope berbatov plays 100 times better than he did­ in the san siro....this is the time when players like­ ole are sorely missed...he bled red,white and black for­ the club

    From m.fowler771, on Fri 27 Feb 7:10PM

  12. anderson is far from useless!!
    Scott S; u clearly know­ nowt about football!
    last season was his first in the­ premiership, yet still he managed to contain, and­ outplay gerrard and fabregas when utd played liverpool­ and arsenal. not mny players cn do that! he is a­ hardworker in the engine room, has a decent tackling­ ability, and has an incredible eye for a pass...and not­ a bad execution of pass either!!
    the only thing he­ lacks are goals!...which hopefully will come wen he­ grows in experience, and if he is given a more advanced­ role, rather thn the defensive one he is usually given!

    From tosic45, on Fri 27 Feb 5:02PM

  13. I cant really be bothered reading through everyones­ comments but I hope noone has said anderson is any­ good. he's useless. a nothing player

    From yip, on Fri 27 Feb 4:07PM

  14. no5. you do have a good point. there is a compromise­ though between the two.
    1st VDS should not need a­ rest, goalies are not running 10k like ji-sung.
    Tevez­ and Welbeck up front, rooney on the bench, gibson­ scholes anderson nani,
    fabio rio vidic evra.

    From lee, on Fri 27 Feb 3:28PM

  15. thanks David thats an enlightening insight

    From Russell T, on Fri 27 Feb 2:47PM

  16. With Rafaels ankle fracture, the team will look­ something like this ( I think ).
    Foster, Neville (­ capt. ), Evans, Vidic, Fabio, Gibson, Anderson,­ Carrick, Tosic, Tevez, Wellbeck. I would have Rooney,­ Berbatov, Ronaldo, Kuszczak, Giggs, Scholes and Nani on­ the bench.
    It wont be a classic game, because both­ managers have higher priorities at the moment. I expect­ Uniteds strength in depth to carry the day.

    From David, on Fri 27 Feb 1:39PM

  17. Wait. Isn't this the same Anderson who fancies­ playing for Milan? I wonder how that went over with­ SAF? I see misplayed passes and wildly missed shooting­ from Anderson. Perhaps I am too critical, but this is­ what I see. Good luck to United, though it should be­ done and dusted. Harry needs to fight a relegation­ battle.

    From Richard K, on Fri 27 Feb 12:44PM

  18. UNITED to walk it in! 4-1!!!
    Another great mix of youth­ and experience. Enjoy all the moments boys, especially­ the younger guys. United never relax, never take there­ eye of the prize. Cut throat football.

    GLORY GLORY­ MAN-UTD

    From Ben, on Fri 27 Feb 12:37PM

  19. ya i agree wit no.5, maybe play o'shea instead of­ fabio, he did play his part in getting to the final, i­ think tosic could shine from set pieces, hes a­ different dimension to ronaldo. 2-0 man u, vidic,tevez

    From mikehartnett, on Fri 27 Feb 12:08PM

  20. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP

    ALL MATCHES ON­ INTERNET: PREMIER LEAGUE, FA CUP, CHAMPIONSHIP,­ CARLING CUP, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA, CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP AND MUCH MORE

    ALL THE HIGH LIGHTS­ OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Fri 27 Feb 11:56AM
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