RANGERS PREVIEW AND TEAM NEWS
“Obviously we hope we can get the result for ourselves
tomorrow, but with Stuttgart playing Rangers in the next
game, that's a very important game. We just hope we can do
our job. It gets us to nine points, which with the fact that
Rangers and Stuttgart then play in Germany, puts us in a
very good position, if we win of course.
tomorrow, but with Stuttgart playing Rangers in the next
game, that's a very important game. We just hope we can do
our job. It gets us to nine points, which with the fact that
Rangers and Stuttgart then play in Germany, puts us in a
very good position, if we win of course.
“We are both hoping that Panathinaikos take something from
the match with Stuttgart. The silly thing is that people may
think that we will look upon this as a three points, but
they won't be easily achieved. We have to work really hard
in these difficult games and that's a difficult game for us
tomorrow. We're not expecting anything but a hard game. I
know what the Scottish nature is like and that will raise
itself tomorrow.
the match with Stuttgart. The silly thing is that people may
think that we will look upon this as a three points, but
they won't be easily achieved. We have to work really hard
in these difficult games and that's a difficult game for us
tomorrow. We're not expecting anything but a hard game. I
know what the Scottish nature is like and that will raise
itself tomorrow.
“When you play for a club like Rangers it's bound to have an
effect on you, the support and the tradition, and I don't
think they will be short of that. I think Rangers will have
a go. They will want to try and get something from it. I
don't think they are comfortable just being a defending
team. They are much more comfortable attacking, so I think
it will be an open game.
effect on you, the support and the tradition, and I don't
think they will be short of that. I think Rangers will have
a go. They will want to try and get something from it. I
don't think they are comfortable just being a defending
team. They are much more comfortable attacking, so I think
it will be an open game.
“I think they have got some good footballers in (Michael)
Mols, (Shota) Arveladze and (Mikel) Arteta. I think they are
very good footballers and the pace of (Peter) Lovenkrands is
something we think about and I think they showed they play
very good football in the game at Ibrox.”
Mols, (Shota) Arveladze and (Mikel) Arteta. I think they are
very good footballers and the pace of (Peter) Lovenkrands is
something we think about and I think they showed they play
very good football in the game at Ibrox.”
Fergie has also backed Van Nistelrooy, despite a lack of
goals recently he feels Ruud is playing well:
"It would help Ruud with everything if he scored but it does
happen with strikers. When they don't score they don't think
they are contributing and when they do score they think they
are wonderful.
"It never changes with strikers. I thought on Saturday Ruud
played very, very well. His link-up play and work-rate were
terrific. He is not doing a lot wrong with his team play so
if he continues that way he is making a great contribution
to us.
"And Diego is scoring the goals for us so somebody is
getting them."
Fergie has also voiced his opinion that the row with Dutch
manager Dick Advocaat has not helped Ruud’s form:
"I think he probably knows he is not playing against
Scotland - but I think it is a distraction. I don't think it
is an easy situation for him. I hope he can score quickly
and put things behind him."
Today is the 17th anniversary of Fergie’s appointment as
manager of United. He is not expecting any plaudits from
Rangers fans – but has urged the team to be more aggressive:
"I know the Rangers fans are going to be singing
'Congratulations Sir Alex’. Celtic's performance last year
was fantastic, maybe it gave everyone in Scotland a lift -
don't forget they came down to England twice and won, we are
aware of that.
"It raises certain hackles on me and we don't want to be a
victim of what happened to other English clubs last year.
Rangers have done very little wrong this season and we have
to make sure they don't control the tempo of the match the
way they did in the first half at Ibrox.
"I thought they controlled the rhythm of the game through
[Mikel] Arteta - nobody tackled him, we sat back even Roy
Keane was sat back in front of the back four, and we don't
want that to happen tomorrow.
"I'm hoping we are far more positive and aggressive in our
defending."
Fergie feels Keano’s performance will be important tonight:
"I told him after the last Rangers game the next one would
be against Rangers so from that point of view he will be
prepared for it. When he's fresh we have seen the difference
in the lad - he's 32 now anyway irrespective of the big
operation he had last year and I think he will be really
ready for it tomorrow.
"Five years ago he was a box to box player, he could cover
the ground incredibly well. He always had that wonderful
thing about his engine being on all the time. Now he
channels his energy better, I think he's a far more measured
and thinking player. Five years ago he lived on the raw
energy he had.
"I think he's a mature player at his very peak as a
footballer and I think his effectiveness in terms of
influence on the team he has looked stronger and this is
maybe because we have had some changes at the club.
"We don't have the Robsons or the Cantonas about the place.
He's the senior player now."
Team News is that Ronaldo or Fletcher may start this
evening, Silvestre is fit and Kleberson is in the squad.
Rangers have Ricksen, Nerlinger, Thompson and De Boer out
injured.
Squad
Howard, Barthez, Carroll, P Neville, G Neville, Silvestre,
Ferdinand, O'Shea, Fortune, Butt, Ronaldo, Keane, Djemba-
Djemba, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Forlan, Fletcher, Richardson,
Kleberson.
goals recently he feels Ruud is playing well:
"It would help Ruud with everything if he scored but it does
happen with strikers. When they don't score they don't think
they are contributing and when they do score they think they
are wonderful.
"It never changes with strikers. I thought on Saturday Ruud
played very, very well. His link-up play and work-rate were
terrific. He is not doing a lot wrong with his team play so
if he continues that way he is making a great contribution
to us.
"And Diego is scoring the goals for us so somebody is
getting them."
Fergie has also voiced his opinion that the row with Dutch
manager Dick Advocaat has not helped Ruud’s form:
"I think he probably knows he is not playing against
Scotland - but I think it is a distraction. I don't think it
is an easy situation for him. I hope he can score quickly
and put things behind him."
Today is the 17th anniversary of Fergie’s appointment as
manager of United. He is not expecting any plaudits from
Rangers fans – but has urged the team to be more aggressive:
"I know the Rangers fans are going to be singing
'Congratulations Sir Alex’. Celtic's performance last year
was fantastic, maybe it gave everyone in Scotland a lift -
don't forget they came down to England twice and won, we are
aware of that.
"It raises certain hackles on me and we don't want to be a
victim of what happened to other English clubs last year.
Rangers have done very little wrong this season and we have
to make sure they don't control the tempo of the match the
way they did in the first half at Ibrox.
"I thought they controlled the rhythm of the game through
[Mikel] Arteta - nobody tackled him, we sat back even Roy
Keane was sat back in front of the back four, and we don't
want that to happen tomorrow.
"I'm hoping we are far more positive and aggressive in our
defending."
Fergie feels Keano’s performance will be important tonight:
"I told him after the last Rangers game the next one would
be against Rangers so from that point of view he will be
prepared for it. When he's fresh we have seen the difference
in the lad - he's 32 now anyway irrespective of the big
operation he had last year and I think he will be really
ready for it tomorrow.
"Five years ago he was a box to box player, he could cover
the ground incredibly well. He always had that wonderful
thing about his engine being on all the time. Now he
channels his energy better, I think he's a far more measured
and thinking player. Five years ago he lived on the raw
energy he had.
"I think he's a mature player at his very peak as a
footballer and I think his effectiveness in terms of
influence on the team he has looked stronger and this is
maybe because we have had some changes at the club.
"We don't have the Robsons or the Cantonas about the place.
He's the senior player now."
Team News is that Ronaldo or Fletcher may start this
evening, Silvestre is fit and Kleberson is in the squad.
Rangers have Ricksen, Nerlinger, Thompson and De Boer out
injured.
Squad
Howard, Barthez, Carroll, P Neville, G Neville, Silvestre,
Ferdinand, O'Shea, Fortune, Butt, Ronaldo, Keane, Djemba-
Djemba, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Forlan, Fletcher, Richardson,
Kleberson.