Benitez Smokescreen Over Duo | United’s Champions’ League Squad Announced

Rafa Benitez is still hopeful over his star duo — Gerrard and Torres — returning for our trip to Anfield. This comes in the face of Gerrard ruling himself out and Torres being out with a hamstring injury. I would think a hamstring injury takes about two to four weeks to heal and even if he does make it, I’d suspect he will be partly fit. But I do trust Rio and Vida to tackle the El Nino threat. Rio would be clearing up space in his back pocket in preparation for Anfield.

The centre back has been laid low with a stiff neck, although it looks like he might play in today’s snoozefest friendly world cup qualifier against a good looking Croatia.

Some of our other lads are also expected to represent their respective countries. Here’s hoping for an injury free outing for them.

Also, the club has announced the Champions’ League squad:

Goalkeepers

No. Name
1 Edwin van der Sar
12 Ben Foster
29 Tomasz Kuszczak
38 Ron-Robert Zieler *
40 Ben Amos *

Defenders

No. Name
2 Gary Neville
3 Patrice Evra
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 Wes Brown
15 Nemanja Vidi?
20 Fabio Da Silva
21 Rafael Da Silva
22 John O’Shea
23 Jonny Evans *
36 David Gray *
39 James Chester *
42 Richard Eckersley *

Midfielders

No. Name
4 Owen Hargreaves
8 Anderson
11 Ryan Giggs
13 Ji-Sung Park
16 Michael Carrick
17 Nani
18 Paul Scholes
19 Daniel Welbeck *
24 Darren Fletcher
28 Darron Gibson *
33 Sam Hewson *
34 Rodrigo Possebon
35 Thomas Cleverley *

Forwards

No. Name
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
9 Dimitar Berbatov
10 Wayne Rooney
26 Manucho
32 Carlos Tévez

[source: UEFA.com]

Some of the names make interesting reading. Observe the number of goal keepers, and Danny Welbeck as midfielder (of course, I believe that must be a mistake).

There is some Berbatov story, if you’re interested — on him never swearing and always carrying a copy of the Bible. I don’t know whether to get excited at this or yawn. But he says that he’s learned to behave himself and change from being the petulant man he was during his younger days. We shall have to wait to see it on the pitch, but I already see a desire in his eyes when I saw his first interview to MUTV. I hope I’m proven right and he turns out to be a smashing player for us.

Other than that, it’s another dry day of international friendlies. If you find them interesting though, then the day won’t be quite as dry as it promises to be for me.

*Yawn*