MATCH QUOTES

Last updated : 31 December 2006 By Ed

Fergie:

"I shall take umbrage if the media try to typecast me as a pensioner.

"Many people work well into their eighties these days, they have lively minds and are as active as ever.

"Critics were suggesting not so long ago I was past my sell-by date and presiding over a crumbling empire. What they didn't seem to understand was that we were moving from one era to another and it is well nigh impossible to make a seamless join while this process is happening. We fell back a little but now you can see the fruits of our transitional work and I certainly don't feel like turning my back for a few more years.

More:

"It has been a good day.

"We didn't expect to be six points clear tonight but I think the best thing for us to do is look at the next game because it is a hard one."

"The lad [Ronaldo] is getting better and better.

"He is maturing and works so hard at his game. He is always practising to improve."


Of Gary Neville's 'long term injury':

"He's playing on Monday, so that six weeks has obviously been reduced by a miracle drug.

"This has supposedly come from a great authority. What kind of authority is it when he's going to play on Monday?"


The title?

"We said at the beginning of December that if we are top on New Year's Day we will be delighted because it gives us an outstanding chance.

"The team is playing well and we have to look forward just one game at a time.

"The influence of Chelsea and the big players they have been able to buy has made winning the league harder, there is no doubt about it.

"It has not been easy for us because they have won the league quite comfortably in the last two years.

"Chelsea have not been tested like this before but if we can maintain our consistency, we will do it."


Not happy with defending though:

"The defending for Reading's second goal was the worst defending of the season by us.

"Concentration levels have to be high all the time. We won't be top of the league if we defend like that."


Steve Coppell:

"Ronaldo is a good player.

"He is probably the player every manager in the league would like to have in his team.

"Old Trafford is a magnificent arena and he is dominating the action at the moment.

"It is not just the goals he is scoring but the way he is doing it. He is playing with more responsibility and is winning friends everywhere."


Of the sending off:

"It seemed pretty harsh to me.

"I saw the flag go up for offside and then the referee started gesturing that Sam had pulled Wayne Rooney. Maybe there was an element of naivety about it but it certainly made things difficult for us."


And the title?

"In my heart, I would like United to win it but I have said all along the key factors will be European football and injuries.

"Chelsea are suffering the most in that respect just now but they have the resources and finance to buy heavily in the transfer window and that is what I would expect them to do."


Solskjaer on MUTV:

"That's been a very good aspect of this period.

"We must have used over 20 players in the last three or four games and I think we'll look good on Monday because of that.

"You want to be on the pitch, you don't want to be in the stands. Everyone's been training really well lately and nobody here wants to sit in the stands or on the bench. You just want to play and enjoy your football."

Of Ronaldo:

"He's a fantastic player and the form he's in, he's a joy to watch and a joy to have in the dressing room and on the pitch with us.

"He's always smiling as well and you can see he's happy.

"He produces crosses. You just have to get in the right positions. I could have had a couple more today if I'd been a bit alert but he's in fantastic form."

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