As the New Year approaches this seasons title race is one of the most open in the history of the Premier League. No one is showing form that suggests they will run away with it and five teams will seriously still believe that could become Champions come the end of the season. Let’s take a look at the contenders.

Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson and his side currently lead the way and that will certainly make them favourites with the bookies and perhaps rightly so. United will enter 2011 undefeated and have yet to consistently produce the form that they are capable of. If Wayne Rooney can find his scoring boots in the New Year then the race for the title could be over before it begins. One thing that will concern the United manager and fans alike is their away form. With just one away win all season United have drawn far too many games on the road. With Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all still to face away from Old Trafford United will need to pick up more points on the road if they are to regain the title.

Manchester City
Currently second in the table are United’s noisy neighbours Manchester City, who arguably have the best squad in the league with an array of internationals throughout the side. With the transfer window opening City also have funds at their disposal. They look to set to be spending again with a deal to bring Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko to Eastlands from Wolfsburg already close. The problem that Roberto Mancini faces is keeping the squad a happy one. Everyone will want to play in the run in and with so many top players some are bound to be unhappy. The depth and cover they have though is enough to deal with all but the biggest injury crisis and that could be key come May.

Arsenal
After an emphatic win against Chelsea confidence was high in North London but the Gunners did what they have continued to do in recent years and that is drop points against the lesser sides in the league. A 2-2 draw away at Wigan has certainly dampened the euphoria around the Emirates Stadium and raised the ongoing questions about their need for a leader in the side. As Wenger’s men proved against Chelsea they are capable of blowing anyone in the league away on their day but that day doesn’t seem to come round enough for them to win the Premier League. Defensive and goalkeeping concerns still need to be addressed too.

Chelsea
Chelsea have been on terrible run of form of late which they finally ended with a narrow win against Bolton last night and many pundits and fans have already begun to dismiss the Blues hopes of retaining the title. This is far too premature. Chelsea have been without John Terry and Frank Lampard for large parts of the season and that is the focal point of their team. With both of these players now back along with Drogba and Essien Chelsea are more than capable of stringing a significant run of results together. Like Manchester United they have a squad full of players who know how to deal with the pressure in the final stages of a title run in and that could prove vital. Talk of them missing out on the top four altogether is nonsense.

Tottenham
Harry Redknapp and his Spurs side have been a revelation this season playing some mouth-watering football. Tottenham now have a very strong squad that are capable of competing with anyone across Europe as there results in the Champions League have proven and there is no getting away from the fact that they are in the title race. One problem that could hurt them is there goal difference which is poor in comparison to the other contenders .Whether they are capable of staying in the race right down to the wire remains to be seen but I wouldn’t bet against them being there.

With the race as open as it is you could make a good claim for anyone of the above sides winning the league but I see the title going to either the red side of Manchester or staying at Stamford Bridge. Experience is key in at the back end of the seasons when surprise results always occur and these two teams have it in abundance. Where do you see the league ending up?

First against third will take place on Monday when Arsenal travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in what will be a fitting end to an exciting weekend. Arsenal lead United by the slimmest of margins, just a point, due to United missing out on league play last weekend against Blackpool because of extreme weather. Whenever two of English football’s biggest clubs meet, fireworks can be expected. Let’s face it, United and Arsenal have dominated the Premier League since its inception so Monday’s prime time match is sure to be enjoyed by millions across the world.

The interesting thing about United v Arsenal, at least this time around, is that top spot is up for grabs and both sides will look to attack with purpose while neither (in recent years) have been prone to set up defensively. Other traditional ‘big 4′ matches featuring Chelsea v Liverpool or United v Chelsea have sometimes proved to be dull, boring affairs while Arsenal v United always entertains.

All pre-match variables point to an open and attacking but tight encounter with top of the league on the line. United have yet to loose in the Premier League this year and Arsenal have the physiological advantage of actually being league leaders thanks to some sensational play in recent weeks from their emerging talisman Samir Nasri.

Before Monday’s appointment, here are three key match-ups we at EPL Talk think will make a difference in the outcome of Manchester United v Arsenal 2010-11, Pt. One.

Samir Nasri v  United’s Defense – Nasri is easily the Premier League’s form player of 2010. His contributions to an Arsenal side who have lacked a full strength Cesc Fabregas or Theo Walcott or an out and out goal scorer have seen Arsenal reach the Premier League summit while many would argue they’ve yet to play their best football. Because of Nasri’s emergence as Arsenal’s best player this season coupled with the fact that the Gunners are still without first choice defender Thomas Vermaelen, many believe Arsenal to be serious title contenders when they’re finally able to put a full-strength team together.

Nasri has been instrumental in Arsenal’s success this season because of his versatility as a footballer. He’s capable in a midfield three, a good passer of the ball, pacy and has developed a healthy goal-scoring obsession in the form of eight league goals so far this season. Nasri uses his pace (second fastest on a quick Arsenal side just behind Walcott) and incredible footwork to create space and goal scoring opportunities.

Depending on how Arsene Wenger elects to use his star player will also depend on which of United’s midfielders or defenders will encounter him the most. Should Wenger place Nasri on the left side of Arsenal’s 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, he’ll run into Rafael the most. This could prove incredibly exciting because of how quick both players are while Nasri’s abilities won’t necessarily be used to provide Arsenal with width, but will more likely be used to create space for others by cutting in from the flanks.

Darren Fletcher in midfield is also a likely participant in the containing of Nasri. Because of his work rate and defensive midfield abilities, Fletcher, if fit and starting, will be key in slowing down the league’s best player.

Dimitar Berbatov v Sebastien Squillaci – Berbatov is the league’s leading goal scorer with 11 and will look to add to that tally by testing Arsenal’s (at times, shaky) central defensive pairing of Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal have conceded the most goals this season out of the other three title contenders-United, Manchester City and Chelsea-with 18, so it’ll be up to their center backs to keep them in the game by quieting the Bulgarian.

Berbatov has enjoyed some fine service from those around him in the form of Nani and specifically Wayne Rooney while his finishing has been equally as effective. United’s forward two of Rooney and Berbatov have begun to form quite the partnership upon Rooney’s return to first team action. Although not entirely matured as of yet, their combining in attack has produced a few moments of pure class thus far this season.

As for Arsenal’s Squillaci, the French defender has been asked to step in as cover for the injured Thomas Vermaelen more than expected this season. Although solid on many occasions, Squillaci has been error prone in recent weeks as he trudges through his first season in the Premier League. Pay special attention to his defensive positioning and look for United to attempt to test Arsenal’s back line through crosses into the box from the width that Nani will look to create on the flanks.

Alex Song v Wayne Rooney – Arsenal seem to have found the ‘hard man’ they’ve craved in recent years in the form of Alex Song. Song will sit just in front of the back four which is exactly the space that fit again Wayne Rooney likes to occupy. Playing more as a play-maker or link player than an out and out striker, the battle that Rooney and Song will encounter with each other should be a hard fought one and likely key in a tight match.

Song is a strong midfielder, good in the tackle and can get forward to support in attack when opportunities present themselves. Rooney’s desire to be involved in every movement United attempt and his thirst for the ball witnesses the England striker in more of a roaming role than a ‘high up the pitch goal poacher’. If Rooney can better Song, look for United to create more and enjoy more meaningful possession than Arsenal. Likewise though, if Song can contain Rooney in the same way Fletcher will hope to neutralize Nasri, Arsenal can use Song’s ball winning skills to spark counter attacks into United’s half.

While the predictions will be left to the punters, the match promises to live up to the hype surrounding it. Arsenal would be lying if they said they wouldn’t be pleased with a draw while three points for United would be massive heading into next weekend’s clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as they pocket that game in hand for January.

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov stormed to the top of the Premier League scoring charts with a stunning five-goal haul as Manchester United demolished Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at Old Trafford. They were the first goals Berbatov has scored since September and were timely reminder to everybody that on his day, he is amongst the Premier League’s very best.

Berbatov is so often criticised, and often the criticism is justified. When things don’t go well for him, his work ethic and attitude becomes a real issue. But when things are going right for him, there are very few defenders in the Premier League that can stop him.

Personally, I think Wayne Rooney’s return to the United fold has done Berbatov the world of good. Berbatov thrives on been the centre of attention and has been pushed out in to the shadows with Rooney’s recent return. The Blackburn game was the perfect opportunity for Berbatov to show everybody that he is still capable of leading the United line.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was proud of the performance of both of his strikers: “Berbatov and Rooney were a good combination today – they interchanged brilliantly today. Wayne was fantastic.”

The question now is can Berbatov continue this level of form? Ever since arriving at Old Trafford he has struggled with consistency and never really lived up to his vast price tag. But if he can’t now find them consistent performances after scoring five in a game, you have to question if he ever will.

What do you think? Is Dimitar Berbatov a purely “hit or miss” player, or will his excellent performance against Blackburn be the start of the something special for the Bulgarian at Old Trafford?

Sir Alex Ferguson's gamble did not pay off

Owen Hargreaves suffered another injury set back just six minutes in to his Manchester United comeback. The likeable midfielder was making his first start in over two years, but was forced off early on with a hamstring complaint.

Speaking after United’s 2-1 over Wolves, assistant manager Mike Phelan admitted the injury to Hargreaves was very disappointing. He said: “Obviously he is down in the dumps. He has put a lot of work in and today we took a gamble with him. We put him in to the frame and thought we could get a performance out of him. That was a risk and it didn’t work out for us.

“He has to overcome the slight problems. It is unfortunate for him and we feel for him but he’ll be okay. We’re not quite sure what the injury is at the moment but we’ll find that out.”

I think I speak for the whole footballing community when I say that I hope this is only a minor setback in the former Bayern Munich mans recovery. It is a real shame to see such a talented and energetic footballer have his career tainted by a persistent injury.

Hargreaves won the support of nearly all England fans with his dedication and commitment during the 2006 World Cup. Before then he was often lambasted by the Three Lions faithful but eventually his character and ability would win him plenty of admirers.

He now really needs to dig in to his tough character and overcome this setback and if there is anybody that could cope with another injury it is Hargreaves. Many would have given up on football after such a long spell out through injury, but testament to his commitment Hargreaves stuck at it, and now really deserves some reprieve from constant injuries.

A hamstring injury shouldn’t see a long term spell on the sidelines for Hargreaves and would I encourage people not to ridicule him for been ‘injury prone’. Niggling injuries are only to be expected after a long time on the sidelines, but will become rarer as he build up his general fitness.

I for one hope that we see him lining up for United again in the very near future, because if anyone deserves to play football at the top level, it is Hargreaves.

Ever since the news broke there was a palpable sense of disbelief amongst fans, the media and Blogs. We awaited hearing from the men at the centre of the story and we got that hearing today. It appears that Sir Alex Ferguson is as shaken by this news as we are even though he has had since mid-August to digest this news. Regardless Manchester United are counting the cost of having a Rooney sized hole in their plans, so far this season Rooney has been largely anonymous and certainly not the player we had become used to seeing.

Come January if the issue has not been resolved (it appears that the statement today was the attempt by Manchester United to put the ball firmly in Rooney’s court) United will need to cash in on their damaged goods. The figures bandied about are between 5-50 million depending on the level of interest and the parties involved. In my view it will probably be a trip to Madrid or across Manchester in the region of 30 million pounds, though the possibility of a ‘Webster’ transfer remains. Should a transfer take place, the Manchester club will need to reinvest to maintain their status as an elite European team; I lay out below 6 options to replace the irreplaceable.

The Replacements: The European stars who just might be available.

Karim Benzema: A name that has not been far from United in gossip columns. It is no secret that the Frenchman is not happy with his current role in Madrid and speculation is rife that Mourinho is unhappy with his attitude. A powerful second striker in the same mould as Rooney both his youth (he has two years on Wayne) and potential would make him the obvious solution to the Rooney problem.

That is, of course, that his off-the-field issues are resolved, Benzema is currently implicated in the same scandal as Franck Ribery as they both are investigated in unseemly circumstances by the french police. Benzema has also not exhibited the form he had shown in France since leaving so if he were to be a direct replacement it is still far from ideal.

Edin Džeko: The Bosnian striker has been the talk of Europe over the summer as doomed attempts were made to try to prise him from Wolfsburg. However since their indifferent start to the German league campaign the Wolves just may be tempted into accepting United’s money. A tall, powerful striker Džeko has been scoring a ton in Germany. At 24 and with form on his side he could provide the firepower that Rooney has been lacking.

The problem though is that United already have an out-and-out striker currently in form. Dimitar Berbatov has performed well in an otherwise under-performing team. With their captain unavailable and their left-back AWOL. United have suffered, signing another player to literally step on Berbatov’s toes does not fit into any system that United currently employ. Džeko is good, possibly great but not a fit for Manchester.

Luis Suarez: The Uruguayan hero/villain was one of the stories of the World Cup, not just because of his volleyball impression. Suarez showed how effective he could be, crafty (not in that way) he scores goals by moving into the channels and finishing with aplomb. However he provides extra value in his leadership (he is the current Ajax captain) and shows a maturity beyond his 23 years. Ajax have been a selling club for at least a decade now and United could use a friendly move for Suarez to set up a less than friendly move for their goalkeeper in the summer.

The issue with Suarez though is the fear of trusting the goalscoring record from Holland. Of the top scorers in dutch football who have since moved to England only one has succeeded as a goal-scorer – Ruud Van Nistelrooy, if United’s scouts can pick the wheat from the chaff (here’s looking at you Kuyt, Kezman and especially Alves) it could be an excellent pick-up.

The Future: Replacing Rooney with youth.

Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero: Maradona’s son in law has been on the scene for a while now.Starting at an impossibly young age at Independiente (15 years and 37 days) he has scored regularly for his club(s) and his country. At 22 he is the same age as Benzema but is not held in the same regard as his game is not as complete as that of the Frenchman. An electrifying player Aguero has been on the radar of most of the European big hitters for a few seasons but has yet to be swayed to a new club. Seemingly happy at Atletico he enjoys a starting role and Champions League football already. Aguero would probably not be available for the same money that United will recoup from Rooney.

Neymar: The 18 year old Brazilian sensation was tipped for a move to Chelsea at the end of the transfer window though nothing was agreed. At 18 he would certainly have a long future ahead of him and his talent is obvious. A tricky winger/second striker with the happy knack of scoring goals Neymar is the latest hot prospect from the football factory called Brazil. Currently with Santos he would not cost as much as Aguero would. The issue though is that of Mentality. In signing a precocious talent from Brazil you take a significant risk especially if not to a Latin country. For every Ronaldinho and Pato there is a Denilson or Adriano (the fat Roma one), signing Neymar would be a very expensive gamble and given his lack of experiance of Europe he doesn’t carry the tag of ‘world-class’ just yet.

The Stop-Gap: If the money is not spent in whole it could be spent on this player.

Mirko Vucinic: There is no doubting the Montenegran’s caliber, we were denied the opportunity to see him in full flow at Wembley but when he is he can be devastating. At 27 he is significantly older than the players above but as Roma grapple with ownership issues and a start that just saw them beaten, at home, by Basel he may just be available to the European elite. A winger by trade he would not directly replace Rooney but his strength, guile and technique would fit well into the United system. I imagine that a relationship could be formed with Berbatov but it would hardly set the fans hearts racing to see him gather the ball. More functional than explosive Vucinic is indeed a very good player bordering on great but he wouldn’t capture the imagination as the White Pélé would.

Finally on a personal note, if you enjoy my writing which has included the articles hotlinked to these words and you have the disposable time then could you vote for me on part 5 at the Not 100% Football Blogger Awards. You can also follow me @kipp9 on twitter.

Speculation over the future of Wayne Rooney is beginning to reach fever pitch. The Gaffer has already given us his opinion on the issue which is dividing football fans. Who is in the wrong? Sir Alex Ferguson or Wayne Rooney?

If I was writing this article earlier on this year, then I can guarantee the news would have caused great shock and disappointment for United fans, however with Rooney’s shocking form of late, I highly doubt whether the announcement will cause such a stir.

Ever since picking up an ankle injury during United’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, everything has gone wrong for Rooney. Whether it has been his private life, a continuing niggling injury or his general form, nothing has been right in the world of the former Everton man. Now it appears his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson has broke down, which unfortunately could bring even darker times for the forward.

Rooney should know that nobody takes on Ferguson and wins, it just doesn’t happen. If Rooney is turning down a new contract in a bid to hold out for more money, then Ferguson won’t crack. The message has always been from the Scott that no one player is bigger than the club; surely Rooney is aware that this applies to him too.

If he doesn’t Rooney will be heading for the exit, it is as simple as that. While a departure may give him his pay day, in the long term he will only regret leaving United.  Whether he moves to a big European club or a makes a shock move to Manchester City, Rooney will only look back at his time at United with regret. Nobody moves on from Old Trafford to better things.

The most successful big name departure from Manchester United in recent years was David Beckham, and even he will admit he should have made more out of his time with the Red Devils, I seriously hope Beckham, a close friend of Rooney, is encouraging Rooney to back down and stay put.

I write this is as a football fan in general who wants to see Rooney make the most out of his talent. While things aren’t going well for him at the moment they will do soon. In the long term there is no better club to get the best out of Rooney and for that reason he should back down and give way to Ferguson before he is shown the exit door.

While their bitter rivals Liverpool are sweating over a takeover that could decide their future, Manchester United have today revealed some worrying financial results of their own.  The club which for so long was the financial powerhouse of the Premier League lost a staggering £79.6 million.

The news will only add further pressure on the clubs controversial owners. Ever since their takeover of the club in 2005 the Glazer family have hardly had the most welcoming reception from United fans, with a ‘Green and Gold till United are sold’ protest launched last season.

But the Glazers have always insisted a sale was never going to be an option and it seems as if the figures released today haven’t changed their mind. Current Chief Executive at United David Gill even described the figures as “very good”.

He said: “There is no pressure at all to sell any star player whether it is Wayne Rooney or X, Y or Z. I can categorically say that. I can’t speak for any other club but the United fans should not be concerned.

“We have a long-term financing structure in place, excellent revenues that are growing, we are controlling our costs – total wages are 46% of turnover – and we can afford the interest on our long-term finance.”

Now I’ll admit that I am no financial expert but to me a loss of nearly £80million doesn’t sound “very good”.  What made the Glazers so unpopular in the first place was that their proposed business plan accepted that there would be a big debt and therefore the club would make losses as they looked to pay back the debt.

This threatened United’s on the field point of view. It meant that the big name signings might dry up and that they would have to find a new way of staying at the top of the English league.

In many ways this is exactly what has happened. In the Glazer era only Dimitar Berbatov has arrived for a top end transfer free, and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has turned his attentions to younger players for the future, as well as the development of his academy graduates such as Daren Gibson and Johny Evans

But in my opinion two things have probably prevented failure during the Glazer ownership. The Glazers arrived at a time when Ferguson was building the Cristiano Ronaldo era and in many ways success was inevitable, couple that with the longevity of the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, and Ferguson has been able to cover up the lack of big name signings.

However Scholes and Giggs are ageing, and Ronaldo has already gone, you have to feel that United will need to find funds for replacements. This will lie with the Glazers which will mean them digging in to their pockets.

When the Glazers have to dig in to their own pockets I highly doubt they will be saying a loss of £79million is good.

Manchester United missed the chance to put some real pressure on early season pace-setters Chelsea with a disappointing draw at Sunderland. But perhaps a more worrying consequence to come from the game for Sir Alex Ferguson was the desperately below par performance of his side.

In normal circumstances I suppose a point at the Stadium of Light is not a bad point. Steve Bruce is building a good strong squad on Wearside, and this was empathised by the introduction of the clubs record signing Asamoah Gyan as second half substitute.

But it was the fact that a win would have really added some pressure on Carlo Ancelotti’s side ahead of Chelsea’s London derby with Arsenal. I know it is very much early days as far as the Premier League title race goes, but you have to feel that United to take these opportunities to add pressure, because if they don’t Chelsea could run away with the league.

Instead of putting in a real positive display, United were negative and perhaps lucky to escape with a point. It is now four away games without a win, for a side which won 11 of the 19 Premier League games away from Old Trafford last season, a record which was the best in the league.

Trips to Fulham, Everton, Bolton and Sunderland aren’t the easiest of games by any means, but you have to feel that United would have expected at least one win out of these four games. To put the results in to some perspective, they are two points down on the six points they picked up from the same games last season.

Ferguson himself declared himself satisfied with the point at Sunderland saying: “We had to defend very well and the pleasing thing for me is that the back four were fantastic,” said Ferguson.”The consistency of not losing is something we can take. I am not pleased but I am satisfied.”

But the simple fact of the matter is that United will not win the league if they don’t start picking up wins away from home. This might sound overly dramatic after just four away games but for the top team only the best results will do, at the moment United are picking up the best results.

Bebé in action for United

The decision made by Sir Alex Ferguson to bring the previously unknown Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, commonly known by his nickname Bebé, to Manchester United has come under a lot of scrutiny by the press, but has Fergie unearthed another gem?

The Bebé transfer was an interesting and peculiar one right from the start. He began his career with amateur side Loures before signing for Portuguese second division side Estrela da Amadora in the summer of 2009. Estrela struggled to pay his wages and looked to unload him to dutch giants PSV in May 2010, however Bebé’s former agent Goncalo Reis revealed that PSV had turned down the offer as ”they did not know him”. He was then snapped up by Vitória de Guimarães in the summer of 2010 on a free transfer. He signed a five-year contract with Vitória witha £7.4 million release clause, but didn’t play a single competitive match for the Portuguese side before United pounced.

After recommendations from former assistant at Old Trafford, Carlos Queiroz, and after an impressive pre-season with Vitória, where he scored five goals in six games, Sir Alex Ferguson began to show interest in the 20-year-old, and on the 11th of August 2010 Manchester United signed Bebé for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £7.4 million. When the press got word of this deal a media circus ensued. Surely Fergie wouldn’t pay over the odds for a player he has never seen play before, a player recommended to him just one day before the deal went through by a former member of staff, a player who spent most of his childhood in a homeless shelter and whose only previous notable footballing experience before 2009 was appearing for amateur club Loures on occasion and the CAIS team in the European Street Football Festival in the Bosnian town of Foca. Or did the United boss know something we didn’t? The rumour mill went into overdrive and stories began to leak. A former coach at Bebé’s old club Estrela, Jorge Paxaio, revealed that in January this year Bebé was in the shop window for as little as £125,000 in attempt to save the club from going into liquidation.  He explained:

”Last season we had no money at all. We were trying to transfer Bebé to other clubs. We had to raise money desperately. We told everyone in England and in Europe: “For 150,000 Euros you can have him”. We couldn’t get anybody interested. Nobody trusted him. None of the clubs were interested because he had never played at a high level. I was surprised with the sudden way it happened with United. I was hoping he would move to a bigger club in Portugal or to a medium-sized club in Europe. I didn’t expect Manchester United.”

Bebé’s former agent Goncalo Reis was, like most in the footballing world, equally shocked at how the deal progressed. He went on to say:

”A scout from United could have contacted me or the club last season. There was no secret. But I understand that the United scout just saw certain games in Portugal and only realised Bebé was a great player when he saw some pre-season games involving Guimaraes.”

Bebé in his Guimaraes Vitória days

It looked to everyone that United had paid over the odds for the attacker. Everyone was asking themselves why Ferguson had dished out such a large sum of money for such an unknown, inexperienced youngster. Although the majority in the media allowed themselves to be drawn to the idea that another overpriced flop was on his way to Old Trafford, some were less scrutinous. It is now widely believed that although Ferguson would have preferred Bebé to stay at Vitória and gain a little more experience, as well as giving him a chance to scout the player more extensively, the United boss was pressured into triggering the £7.4 million release clause in his contract amid speculation that some of Europe’s top clubs, including Real Madrid and Benfica, were courting the Portuguese prospect. If the youngster possesses the skills required to interest some of Europe’s top clubs, along with a number of world class coaches, you begin to think that £7.4 million isn’t a whole lot of money for an apparently promising talent, by the standards set in today’s footballing market.

The Bebé transfer came under even more scrutiny recently when Manchester United revealed that Jorge Mendes, and not Goncalo Reis, was the agent involved in the deal that took him to Old Trafford. Mendes, who is the agent of former United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz and was also involved in the deal that took Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford, was involved in accusations made by Reis that he had ”poached” the players contract. Reis insisted that at the time of the transfer he had a written contract, between himself and Bebé, to act as his agent. It is reported that Bebé had written to Reis to terminate their relationship, although Reis has claimed that he didn’t receive the letter until The 13th of August, two days after the player had signed for the Red Devils. FIFA regulations forbid an angent from contacting a player while he has ”an exclusive representation contract” with another agent, and Reis may present his case for further investigation.

Bebé gets a run out for the reserves

Amid all the stories and controversy involved in the deal, it would be understandable for Bebé to feel apprehensive and overwhelmed by his new surroundings, but he seems to have taken to life at Old Trafford quite comfortably. The Portugal under-21 international made his debut for the United first team against Scunthorpe on Wednesday the 22nd of September and has already began to impress the backroom staff and his new teammates. United assistant Mike Phelan believes Bebé showed plenty of promise on his debut in the League Cup clash.

“The scoreline gave us the opportunity to give Bebé a little look at what Manchester United is all about. I thought he responded very well. There were fleeting moments of pace and power, and he got a little bit excited now and again. But it’s important that players like him get these opportunities.”

Teammate Chris Smalling was also impressed by Bebé’s bit-part display.

”Since he’s come in, he’s become sharper every day. He’s really improving and working on his fitness. Tonight he really caused their full-back problems, coming in from the wing. Hopefully we’ll see him produce that kind of form in many games to come.”

Bebé was surprised to make United’s 25-man Champions League squad, but is keen to impress.

”I’m surprised by my inclusion in the Champions League squad, it’s a dream for me. I never thought I would have made it, but now I am a very happy man. I only hope that my confidence returns when I start playing some games and scoring goals, like I know how. At the moment I am working very hard each day in training. I intend to make the most of my chance and hopefully profit from the opportunity given to me.” He told reporters in Portugal:

”I am working hard, everyone has helped me a lot, I have adapted well, given the short time I have been there. The older ones help me a lot.”

Following a slightly more personal question from one particular journalist, Bebé smiled and added:  ”Did Ferguson make me cut my hair? More or less…”

Before even kicking a ball for Manchester United, he was criticised, scrutinised and deemed unworthy by many. Will he join the list of expensive flops that have come and gone at Old Trafford, or will he prove his worth and repay the faith shown in him? With the media spotlight shining directly on Bebé’s rise from the streets to stardom, will he shine back?

Leave a comment and have your say.

While Michael Owen came off the bench to rescue a point for Manchester United at Bolton, it was another disappointing result for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. The result completed a bitterly disappointing day for the Scott, who once again saw his talisman Wayne Rooney produce another ineffective display.

Rooney’s performance was once again disappointing. The striker just doesn’t look like the player who scored goals for fun last year. He showed glimpses of his quality, but has clearly been impacted by his poor World Cup, and the media storm surrounding his private life.

The old saying is that form is temporary and class is permanent, and I have no doubt that Rooney will return to form sooner rather than later, but right now he just looks so far off his best. There were often opportunities for him to produce some magic, but instead he played the simple ball, that  just isn’t the Rooney we know. While Rooney would eventually be substituted with an ankle injury, it wouldn’t have surprised me had been substituted anyway.

It wasn’t good day for United as far as injuries were concerned, as Ryan Giggs also suffered a hamstring injury and Rio Ferdinand was left out of the squad all together as he struggles to find any form of match fitness.

The England defenders fitness problems have been going on for the past few seasons now, and you really do feel that Fabio Capello will have to start looking elsewhere, because Ferdinand is becoming increasingly unreliable.

The official line was that Ferdinand was rested for the Valencia game, but for me an England international needs to be playing week and week out. We had a similar situation with Ledley King, and look what happened in South Africa as he missed most of the tournament.

So generally not a very good day for Manchester United, who missed an excellent opportunity to add some real pressure on early pacesetters Chelsea. You have to feel that things will drastically have to improve for them to seriously challenge Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who quite frankly look superior in nearly all departments.