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Becks: Ole's all about goals



David Beckham's overriding memory of playing alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is simple - goals.

The LA Galaxy midfielder took time out to pay tribute to the Norwegian in an exclusive interview with MUTV.

Beckham had hoped to be part of the celebrations at Solskjaer's testimonial on Saturday at Old Trafford, but commitments with his current side have prevented him from making the trip to Manchester.

The England international played alongside United's former striker for six years and rates him as one of the best players he's ever worked with.

"I remember meeting him for the first time and thinking how young he looked - he had such a baby face!" recalls Beckham.

"As soon as he started training you could see straight away that he had what it took to become a Manchester United player, a great Manchester United player in fact, even at such a young age.

"He was one of those players that whenever he got the ball he did something with it – that was obvious from the moment he stepped on the training pitch."

Solskjaer went on to net 126 goals in 326 games, including that goal in Barcelona in 1999, numerous other late winners and two memorable quadruples against Nottingham Forest and Everton.

"Obviously the goal in Barcelona is one of my favourite Ole memories," says Beckham. "But I’ll never forget when he came on as a sub at Nottingham Forest and within ten minutes had scored four goals. That just sums Ole up as a player, he was all about scoring goals.

"We appreciated everything about him though, not just his goals. He always worked hard on and off the field and the fact that he was a nice guy on top of all that was brilliant. He’s a great player and a great person."

See the full interview with David on MUTV on Friday evening at 20:30 BST, repeated at 22:00. MUTV have got a fantastic weekend of tribute programmes lined up as part of the 'Ole Weekender.'

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Neville out of Espanyol game



Injury will force Gary Neville to miss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s testimonial match against RCD Espanyol at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Neville is hoping to return to action this season after missing almost the entire 2007/08 campaign with various injuries.

The 33-year-old defender has picked up a slight calf strain, but Sir Alex Ferguson explained on Friday that he expects to have the club captain available for selection when the Reds take on Juventus at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, who have both been suffering with a virus this week, should recover in time to face Espanyol.

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Blog: Giggs eyes more silverware



Ryan Giggs takes time out from his pre-season preparations to explain how he, and United, plan to surpass last season's successes...

I suppose last season couldn’t have gone any better for me personally. I scored the winner and equalled Sir Bobby’s appearance record at Wigan on the last day and then came on at Moscow and won the European Cup. How do you top that?

Well, the challenges are always there. After all, since the European Cup became the Champions League in 1992, no team has ever defended the trophy. I think we have the players to do that, and of course the Premier League is something we always go out to win. Not many teams win it three seasons running, so that would be a tremendous achievement. There’s always something to aim for.

It’s been a little quiet on the transfer front this year but the squad was obviously strong enough to win two trophies last season. And those young players who came into the team this time last year – Nani, Anderson, Tevez – will want to improve again this season, as every young player likes to do.

I must say, it’s good to be back after the summer break. I enjoyed going on holiday knowing we were English and European champions, but you get bored when you’re not playing. I was looking forward to coming back and seeing the lads because after Moscow we didn’t see much of each other.

We’ve already been talking about last season and looking ahead to this campaign. We've got Ole's testimonial, Peterborough and then Juventus, and by then we'll be ready to kick off our defence of the two trophies.

Ryan Giggs was speaking to MUTV.

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Reds triumph in Milk Cup final



United’s youngsters turned in another classy performance against South Coast Bayern to bring the Northern Ireland Milk Cup back to Old Trafford for a record third time.

The Reds ran out 3-0 winners in teeming rain at Coleraine’s Showgrounds, courtesy of superb goals from Oliver Norwood, Nicky Ajose and Federico Macheda.

Paul McGuinness’ side went into Friday’s final in a rich vein of goalscoring form, having hit 17 goals in just four games en route to the showpiece, and were quickly in the groove again against their Californian opponents.

Only 13 minutes had elapsed when Norwood fired home a delightful free-kick and, though the Reds were always on top, nerves were only settled when Ajose chipped home a lovely second goal just before the interval.

Macheda lashed home his fifth goal of the tournament shortly after the restart, blasting clinically into the top corner from 15 yards after a fine pull-back from skipper Matthew James to end the Americans’ hopes of a comeback.

South Coast Bayern had a late goal ruled out for offside, perhaps harshly, but United were rarely troubled as they sauntered to victory and capped a highly impressive Milk Cup campaign with the ultimate prize.

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Double celebration on MUTV



Fans can relive all the drama from United's 2007/08 double-winning campaign on MUTV on Wednesday, ahead of live and exclusive coverage of the Old Trafford trophy celebration and the Reds' pre-season friendly with Juventus.

You can subscribe to MUTV now – supporters in the UK and Ireland with access to Sky or Virgin Media should call 0870 848 6888.

The day begins with a review of the Reds' 10th Premier League title triumph at 08:00 BST in How We Won The League.

An hour later you can sit back and enjoy last season's Champions League final in Moscow, and later in the day you can watch all the celebrations that took place in Manchester on a truly momentous evening.

Further highlights include news and action from the Manchester United Premier Cup (MUPC) finals and a look back at United's memorable victories over Juventus during the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons.

Viewers can then see live coverage of the MUPC final at Old Trafford (17:25), followed by the trophy celebration on the pitch (18:30) and an exclusive screening of United's final pre-season friendly, which kicks off at 20:00.

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Ryan can't wait for Juve

Ryan Giggs is looking forward to another classic encounter against The Old Lady when Juventus come to town on Wednesday night.

The Reds meet Claudio Ranieri’s side at Old Trafford (kick-off 20:00 BST) in a pre-season friendly and the United winger can’t wait to get out on the turf.

“We’ve had some superb battles with Juventus over the years,” Giggs told MUTV. “There’s some great history there.

“When we first played in the Champions League they were the top team, they were who we were aspiring to be like.”

United supporters will have the chance to see both the Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League trophies prior to the match, so are encouraged to enter the ground early.

Tickets are still on sale, starting at £10 for adults, £5 for seniors. All junior seats are £5. Buy online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

Fans unable to make it to Old Trafford can watch the match on MUTV or MUTVOnline.

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Giggs: Ole's still got it



Ryan Giggs insists Ole Gunnar Solskjaer changed the game when he came off the bench against Espanyol in his testimonial on Saturday.

Sir Alex introduced the 35-year-old Norwegian in the 68th minute and Giggs says he saw instant results.

“As soon as he came on he created a few chances for himself,” Ryan told MUTV. “The goalkeeper pulled off an unbelievable save. We weren’t creating anything until he came on but he got us playing and we created those chances. He’s still got it.”

Giggs said Solskjaer was one of the most intelligent forwards he ever played with.

“He was a dream for a winger like myself because I always knew where he’d be. You could put the ball in the box and know Ole would be in there, finishing it off. He’s a dream to play with and so much more than a ‘super sub’.”

Paul Scholes was similarly gushing in his praise for the striker, who was forced to retire in August 2007 after news he would require another operation on his damaged knee.

“If anyone deserves a testimonial it’s Ole,” he said.

“He’s been fantastic ever since he came over from Norway in 1996.
"The fans turned out today to show their appreciation for what he did for this club.

“There were a few times during his career when he could have moved, when he wasn’t getting as much football as he perhaps would have liked.

“But he always stayed and always made sure he was ready to come on and change the game. He was a top, top player for this club.”

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Ole: It was a special day



Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he was close to tears as he emerged from the tunnel prior to his testimonial game against Espanyol.

It was an emotional day for the Norwegian, who came on in the 68th minute and almost broke the deadlock. Fraizer Campbell did find the net, scoring the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute.

“It was a very special day,” Solskjaer told MUTV. “I just wanted to do well when I came on – I wanted to score a goal, but it didn’t happen.”

Solskjaer was only denied his dream by a breathtaking finger-tip save from Espanyol goalkeeper Alvarez Cristian.

“I’ve always said there’s no such thing as a good save – just a bad finish – but there are always exceptions to the rule," Ole joked. "I have to say, it was a decent save by the goalkeeper.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I’ve been looking forward to it for almost a year, ever since I retired [in August 2007]. The last few weeks have been really, really hectic and I haven’t had time to think about anything else. But now it’s done.

“I had the best players in the world playing around me here at United. That makes it easier for a forward; you don’t have to work as hard to create chances for yourself – your team-mates are always going to create chances for you.”

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Report: United 1 Espanyol 0

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Testimonial
2 August, Old Trafford

MANCHESTER UNITED 1
(Campbell 82)

ESPANYOL 0

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played 25 minutes in his testimonial, as United beat Spanish side Espanyol 1-0 thanks to a goal from Fraizer Campbell.

That the youngster left it until the 82nd minute to seal the victory was ironic given Solskjaer’s penchant for late winners, as was the calm Campbell exuded in dinking the ball over goalkeeper Alvarez Cristian.

Ole, now 35, looked sharp during his time on the pitch and you can’t help but wonder what role he would have played in the 2008 European Cup final had injury not forced him to retire in August 2007. Against Espanyol he proved he still has the smarts to play at the top level.

Of course, the score on Saturday was always going to take a backseat to Solskjaer on his special day. The Norwegian, who scored 126 goals during his Old Trafford career, emerged last out of the tunnel to walk with his children through a guard of honour formed by the two teams.

Presentations of gifts followed before the match kicked off, the Reds attacking the Scoreboard End. Solskjaer didn’t start – instead he would come off the bench, as he did 150 times for United.

The match began at a sharp pace, with Espanyol winning two quick corners before the Reds clicked into gear. Carlos Tevez was his usual busy self, harrying defenders and keen to get touches on the ball. Nani, making his first pre-season appearance, almost sent the Argentine clear on 14 minutes with a delightful clip over the Espanyol defence.

Nani should have opened the scoring five minutes later when Paul Scholes’ cheeky chip bounced off the post and into his path. He only needed to hit the target, but pulled his shot wide of the right-hand upright. Fletcher and Tevez were similarly wayward shortly afterwards, before Espanyol had their captain, Daniel Jarque, to thank for keeping scores level.

Jarque slid in to block Scholes’ shot on the line after a wonderful, flowing move that began with Tevez skipping past Ivan de la Pena just inside the visitors’ half. In fact, Tevez was the star of the first 45 minutes and Espanyol struggled to come to grips with his speed and strength.

After the break, Nemanja Vidic headed wide from close range, but it was the Spanish side who looked more dangerous. Manager Bartolome Marquez rung the changes at half-time and it was a new-look Espanyol who emerged for the second period.

Sir Alex, too, reshuffled his deck, bringing on Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Mikael Silvestre and Fraizer Campbell at the interval.

But it was the substitution made in the 68th minute that really brought Old Trafford to its feet. After a brief warm-up on the south touchline, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer entered the fray to a rapturous standing ovation. His first touch was met with resounding cheers, a trend that continued until the final whistle.

In a two-minute spell just after his introduction, he very nearly found the net, first with a sumptuous left-foot half-volley that brought a spectacular finger-tip save from Alvarez Cristian, and then with a curling shot from the edge of the box that Cristian dealt with rather less convincingly. Two chances, two shots on target: it summed up Solskjaer perfectly.

When the fourth official held up his board indicating three minutes of added time, you couldn’t help but cast your mind back to that memorable night at the Nou Camp in May 1999.

This time, however, there were no injury-time heroics, just a cacophonous appreciation for one of the greatest men to ever pull on a United shirt.


Attendance: 68,868

United: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 46); Simpson, Ferdinand (Brown 46), Vidic (Evans 62), Evra (Silvestre 46); Gibson (O’Shea 62), Fletcher, Scholes, Nani (Campbell 46); Giggs, Tevez (Solskjaer 68)

Booked: Tevez, Scholes

Espanyol: Cristian; Chica (La Cruz 46), Jarque, Riera (Lopes 46), Beranger; A Martinez (Lopez 70), de la Pena (R Martinez 46), Rufete (Callejon 46); Torrejon, Hurtado (Sielva 53), Soriano

Subs not used: Ruiz

Booked: Rufete, Chica, Jarque

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MUTV Online: Espanyol video



Fans can watch highlights of United's 1-0 win over Espanyol in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial on MUTV Online now.

Simply go to the Match Highlights section of MUTV Online to see all the action, including two superb strikes from Ole and Fraizer Campbell's late winner.

MUTV Online

Sign-up today to watch hundreds of United video clips on your PC whenever you like. News, interviews, highlights, reserves, academy... new clips are added every weekday and after every match. Match highlights are published at midnight UK on matchdays.

Annual and monthly subscriptions are available, by direct debit (UK) or credit card. To find out more, go to manutd.com/video or click on MUTV Online in our menu.

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Testimonial timeline



ManUtd.com's Steve Bartram brings you the sight and sounds of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial against Espanyol...

2:30 - A huge crowd is packed inside Old Trafford, and they make a hell of a noise when Ole leads out United for the warm up. The warm up is soundtracked by Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds, Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan, and Guns n' Roses' Paradise City - all songs chosen in advance by Ole, all cranked up to 11 on the Old Trafford sound system.

2:40 - Eamonn Holmes and Peter Schmeichel take to the turf for an interview. Ole races over to Schmeichel for a quick chat. Before rejoining the warm-up, however, he seems to take a mischievous dig at the big Dane by pointing to his greying sideburns. Big Pete then talks the building crowd through his career alongside Ole and, inevitably, the 1999 Champions League winner. “I didn’t see it coming,” he understates.

2:47 - Stadium announcer Alan Keegan proceeds to warm up the crowd, asking for noise from each stand in turn. Each group complies, before joining forces for a rousing rendition of ‘Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole…’

2:55 – The teams walk out onto the Old Trafford pitch, forming a guard of honour. A huge cheer builds as the Norwegian emerges from the tunnel holding the Champions League trophy. Either side of him, son Noah and daughter Karna carry pennants for the captains to exchange, while behind him the North Stand holds a mosaic saying '20Legend'.

2:56 - The Solskjaer family have a photoshoot to attend, first in front of both teams with the trophy, then just with the United line-up. Alan Keegan reads out the two teams - guess whose name gets the biggest cheer of the lot.

3:02 - A somewhat sheepish Ole hotfoots it to the bench, clearly not totally comfortable with being the man of the hour, before Espanyol kick off to get us underway.

3:05 – A special occasion? In Manchester? Farewell blue skies, here comes the rain. Not in the same Biblical proportions as we saw in Moscow, but still enough to get the players irritatingly damp.

3:21 – The first meaningful match action sees Paul Scholes clip a delightful 20-yard chip against Alvarez Cristian’s post, before Nani pulls the rebound wide of the same upright.

3:35 – It’s a carnival atmosphere, but there appears to be a clown on the loose from a local circus. Ryan Giggs overhits a pass to Tevez, and Espanyol keeper Cristian attempts some carefree trickery with the loose ball, loses track of it, kicks it against himself and concedes a corner. Textbook capering.

3:52 - At half-time Old Trafford is treated to a live rendition of Barcelona, sung by a very talented young duo called Jonathan Ansell and Saraya Mafi. The pair look dapper, putting Alan Keegan's sharp grey suit in the shade, and prompt a great reception from the crowd upon completion of their performance.

3:57 - That's eclipsed however, when Eamonn Holmes retakes the field and introduces Teddy Sheringham, to a rapturous response. When asked about his own Champions League final goal, Teddy claims: "Giggsy had a shot from the edge of the box with his right foot, so I knew he had no chance of scoring, and I was there to tap it in."

4:05 - The teams retake the field, and United get the game underway again.

4:24 - Ole warmed up as a substitute a fair few times during his Old Trafford career, but he surely never earned such a rapturous reception as on this occasion - warm applause from all over the ground, widespread chanting and a standing ovation from the South Stand.

4:28 - Each and every person - bar one or two duty-bound by a code of impartiality within the press box - inside Old Trafford gets to their feet as Ole replaces Carlos Tevez. He's straight into the action, pinging a 50-yard pass to Ryan Giggs. It arcs away at the last minute and goes through to the keeper, prompting a couple of mock boos from the crowd.

4:30 - For someone who hasn't played since May 2007, Ole looks really sharp. His clever flicked pass for John O'Shea looks set to put the Irishman through, but it's deflected away and the chance is cleared.

4:37 - Fraizer Campbell is brought down on the edge of the area for a free-kick. The crowd wants Ole to take it. The players want Ole to take it. He does, but it hits the wall. Campbell then wins the ball back and crosses for Giggs, who nods to Ole. One touch, bang. A stunning shot is heading for the top corner until a brilliant fingertip save from Cristian. He gets a high-five from Ole, but quickly becomes the panto villain when he saves another powerful Solskjaer shot a minute later.

4:41 - Alan Keegan reads out the attendance - a whopping 68,868 - but Ole doesn't seem to notice. He's busy giving Fraizer Campbell a pep talk about movement, complete with sharp arm gestures to show his young colleague where he should go.

4:43 - Campbell's a fast learner. Coming in from where Ole was pointing just two minutes earlier, Fraizer darts in between defenders to reach Giggs' through-ball. Rather than look for Ole, he lifts a lovely finish over the keeper to put United ahead.

4:48 - Referee Hauge penalises Ole for handball. A chorus of boos ring around Old Trafford like thunder. At least the rain has stopped, although it's gone into that muggy kind of atmosphere you only get in a Manchester summer.

4:54 - The final whistle sounds. No fairytale goal for Ole, but he's quickly swamped by players from both sides, and gets another standing ovation from the crowd. Alan Keegan introduces celebrity Red Jimmy Nesbitt, who takes to what he calls "the most precious bit of grass in the world," before introducing Ole for his speech.

4:55 - With 20Legend emblazoned across Old Trafford's digiboards, Ole thanks everybody he can - the players, the manager, Espanyol, United's staff, and he saves special thanks for the fans - "the best supporters in the world, you've been fantastic" - and his family.

4:59 - With that, Ole is joined again by Noah and Karna, as well as newborn baby boy Elijah, before embarking on a Solskjaer family lap of the Old Trafford pitch. You know how there are always some people who leave before the end of matches? None of them came today. Everybody stays to applaud, and Ole warmly returns their applause.

5:03 - United's players form another guard of honour in front of the tunnel, and Alan Keegan encourages the crowd to again salute 'number 20, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer', before the Norwegian disappears down the tunnel. Out of sight, but not out of mind as the singing continues in salute of a true United legend.

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Ole's OT address



When the final whistle blew at Old Trafford on Saturday, an emotional Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took to the microphone to address Manchester United fans.

This is the full transcript of what he had to say:

“Thank you, thanks. I’ve had more than a year to think about this and it’s not getting any easier.

“I knew this was going to be my last game at Old Trafford and today you’ve been absolutely fantastic again. You’re the best supporters in the world.

“I’d like to thank Espanyol, who came over here and made a good game out of it. It was a good run-out for our boys.

"It’s a very important season for us and it was important that they got a good game.

“Next, I’d like to thank the manager. He’s been absolutely fantastic with me.

"He has guided me through my career – I’ve had my highs, I’ve also had my lows, and he supported me very well through that time.

"I can’t thank him enough. I’m going into coaching and if I haven’t learnt from him than I can’t do coaching. So thank you, boss.

“The players… I’ve played with the best players in the world. It’s easy being a forward when you play with these players. They create chances for you – you miss one, you get another one.

"I can’t say thanks enough to them – they’ve made every minute here a special one for me. And the last 25 here, I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

"It’s something my family, myself and all my friends will remember. It’s been a special day.

"Thanks to all the staff who have supported me, who have helped me through dark periods. Most of all to the supporters – you’ve been absolutely fantastic, you kept me going.

"And I’ve got the three loveliest kids in the world and a lovely wife. I’d like to thank them as well.

"Thanks, thank you very much.”

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Fraizer's future is at United



Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Fraizer Campbell will be given the chance to stake a claim for a first team place at Old Trafford this season.

Following his impressive exertions on loan at Hull City last season, Campbell had been linked with either another temporary deal or multi-million pound transfer away from Old Trafford this summer.

Having watched the Huddersfield-born striker adroitly score the only goal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial on Saturday, Sir Alex put paid to the hopes of any potential suitors.

"Fraizer Campbell took his goal very, very well and it won’t do him any harm," the manager told MUTV. "He’s very quick, determined, he can do well. His future’s here.

"We don’t have many strikers, as you know. We’ve only got Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez so Fraizer comes into that equation."

The United boss also revealed that he is hoping to further enhance his attacking options by securing a work permit for Angolan striker Manucho.

"We’re hoping to apply for the work permit for Manucho," he said. "Hopefully we’ll get that and he’ll give us even more back-up."

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Papers: Ruud speaks out

Ruud: Ronaldo is on a loser
Cristiano Ronaldo can forget coming out on top in this week’s showdown with Alex Ferguson. The warning to the Manchester United star came from old boy Ruud van Nistelrooy. Real Madrid striker Van Nistelrooy, 32, had his own crunch talks with the United manager before finally being sold two years ago. And he does not expect Fergie to back down when Ronaldo, 23, tries to get the OK to join the Spanish giants. Van Nistelrooy told Five Live’s Sportsweek: "In those meetings, if he wants to keep the player he’ll do everything he can to do so - and he’ll probably succeed as well. What he is doing is in the interests of Manchester United. That’s what he always thinks of. Nobody is bigger than the club and it’s true. Will Ronaldo stay at United? I think so."
Martin Blackburn, The Sun

Sir Alex also offers rare backing to an official - 25-year-old newcomer Stuart Attwell, saying: "A young referee coming in could be a good thing. If he does well it can inspire a lot of younger officials in the game."

The Daily Mail expects Sunderland manager Roy Keane, who looks set to miss out on signing Tottenham's Younes Kaboul, to switch his attentions to re-signing United defender Jonny Evans. The United legend will apparently try to temp Sir Alex with a £6million offer for the rookie centre-back.

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Simmo joins Rovers on loan



Danny Simpson has signed for Blackburn Rovers on loan.

The promising young full-back, who has previously enjoyed spells at Royal Antwerp, Sunderland and Ipswich Town, will further his footballing education at Ewood Park for the entire 2008/09 campaign.

Simpson has made eight senior appearances for United, and had featured heavily in the Reds' recent pre-season preparations, most recently starting Saturday's victory over Espanyol in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer testimonial.

Danny follows fellow United youngsters Tom Heaton (Cardiff City) and Febian Brandy (Swansea City) in penning temporary deals ahead of the 08/09 campaign.

Premier League rules will prohibit Simpson from appearing in either of Rovers' matches against United this season.