Ferguson’s men were missing Wayne Rooney because of a virus and they lost ground on Premier League leaders Chelsea when Nani missed an 87th-minute penalty that would have secured a 3-1 lead – a spot kick the United boss thought Ryan Giggs should have taken.

Nani’s effort was well saved by David Stockdale and in the final minute Brede Hangeland, whose own goal had nudged United ahead, nodded home the equaliser to earnMark Hughes’ side a share of ther spoils.

“When you get the opportunity to seal the game with that penalty you should be taking it,” Ferguson told MUTV. “It was a missed opportunity and it galvanised them, got the crowd up and they scored the equaliser in the end.

“I thought Ryan should have taken it. In the last game we played against Tottenham at home Ryan scored two penalty kicks and Nani was on the pitch the same day. Maybe Ryan should have taken it.

“When we got that second goal I thought ‘we’ve escaped here’. But to miss a penalty kick to make it 3-1, you’re throwing two points away there I’m afraid.

“You don’t want to be dropping silly points and we dropped silly points today. We can’t escape that. There was an opportunity to go 3-1 ahead with three minutes left and we didn’t take it.”

Ferguson’s frustration at failing to join Chelsea at the top of the table was tempered by the admission Fulham deserved a point from an enthralling contest. An ominous start from United saw Paul Scholes fire a powerful 25-yard drive in the 11 minute only for Simon Davies to equalise in emphatic fashion during a second half controlled by the Cottagers.

“In fairness to Fulham they were the better team in the second half. I don’t think we deserved to be in front at 2-1,” Ferguson said. “They caused us a lot of problem, particularlyBobby Zamora who was very good for them. We can’t complain in terms of the run of the game.”

Ferguson added: “We’ve seen that before from Paul – he’s done that so many times. Once again it was an outstanding performance from him. It’s just disappointing we didn’t ram home the advantage.”

The United boss confirmed that Rooney, who has gone 13 games for club and country since his last competitive goal, was ruled out through illness. “Wayne has a virus,” Ferguson said. “The problem is he turned up yesterday with it and he had no chance in 24 hours.

“If it had been a Thursday or Friday we may have been able to patch him up. Sometimes these viruses are 24-hour things and that could have been the case but there was no attempt to see if he could recover from this.”

Fulham had Stockdale’s reflexes to thank for keeping them in contention but boss Mark Hughes was wary of lavishing praise on the 24-year-old. Arsenal target Mark Schwarzer, who has handed in a transfer request, failed to recover from his back injury so Stockdale continued between the sticks.

“Stockdale has done very well, he’s a good young keeper,” Hughes said. “We’re pleased with what he’s producing at the moment but it’s always difficult for young keepers. They get by initially on enthusiasm, but can they keep it up over time? We’ve got to be careful with him.”

Source + Pic: soccernet.espn.go.net

Mark Hughes is set to be unveiled as the new manager of Fulham later today. The ex-Manchester United star was fired as the manager of Manchester City last December after failing to impress the club’s Middle Eastern owners. Fulham have been without a manager for almost a month, hardly a position a Europa league finalist should find themselves in. Roy Hodgson can be forgiven though, when a team like Liverpool come knocking on your door you simply accept no matter the position.

Media reports last week suggested that Martin Jol would be named as the new manager of the West London club after it was revealed to him that he would have limited funds in the transfer market and would have to sell the club’s stars. However the Dutch club have refused to let him go and rightly so. The Dutchman has proven himself in the English Premier League and was just a point short last season of claiming the title for Ajax. “Ajax told me they did not want to let me go and I don’t think I can bring myself to leave Ajax at this time,” he told the club’s official website. “I came here last summer to be successful, to build a good team and to have fun, and those three things are what I am interested in achieving next season.”

Mark Hughes, ‘Sparky’, has done well so far in his managerial career. His first task when he took control of Blackburn in 2004 was to ensure the Rovers avoided relegation. He duly complied and developed his own style that ensured the Lancaster side have remained a regular side in the premier league. Under Hughes the Rovers were accused of being too physical, hopefully he won’t have those accusations this time around when he has technically gifted players such as Clint Dempsey at Fulham.

There will not doubt be pressure on the Welshman to improve upon previous season’s triumphs, Fulham reached the Europe league final last season and the season before they achieved their highest ever position of seventh in the league.

Pic : The Offside

Atletico Madrid won the inaugural final of the Europa League 2 – 1 over Fulham as Diego Forlan struck an extra-time goal.

Having already scored the crucial goal at Anfield that knocked Liverpool out at the semi-final stage, Forlan was on target in the first half and then slipped his marker to score in the 116th minute to send the title to Madrid.

“I am very happy that my goals helped the team, it is good to have the golden shoe, but it is better to win titles with the team,” said the 30-year-old, who won the European Golden Boot for the second time last season.

“I just hope the volcano allows us to get home safely now and that Madrid will dress in red and white when we get back.”

This was Atletico’s first European title since they won the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1962, also on German soil, when they beat Fiorentina 3-0 in Stuttgart. They face Sevilla in the Spanish Cup final on May 19.

For Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, this was the second time he has finished on the losing side in a European final after he lost the 1997 UEFA Cup final with Inter Milan.

“The players are obviously very disappointed, but we put in a valiant performance,” said Hodgson.

“It was a bitter blow to concede such a late goal. I thought the game was heading to penalties, we were looking good despite the tiredness and holding our shape.

“Forlan scored a typical goal-scorer’s goal and we simply didn’t have enough time to recover, but I am tremendously proud of what those players have achieved.”

Coach Quique Sanchez Flores started former Manchester United forward Forlan up front alongside Argentina’s Sergio Aguero and it was Forlan again who played the hero for his side as his two goals gave Atletico the title.

Hodgson fielded Bobby Zamora, despite the ex-West Ham striker struggling with an Achilles injury, playing in front of Hungary’s Zoltan Gera after the pair’s 14 goals had helped put Fulham in the final.

The London club came to the Hamburg Arena having already knocked out Juventus, Hamburg, UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Wolfsburg on the way to the final in what has been a remarkable run.

Atletico reached the final having won just two previous games on their European journey, with a win at Galatasaray in the round of 32 and then a 1-0 victory at home to Liverpool in the semi-final first leg.

Atletico opened the scoring when left winger Simoa Sabrosa controlled the ball with his chest before Aguero’s mis-hit shot found Forlan, who slotted in his fifth goal of the competition on 32 minutes.

Fulham were back on level terms just five minutes later after Zamora won possession on the edge of the penalty area, Gera chipped in a cross and Welsh midfielder Simon Davies drilled home a fine volley.

But Forlan was a constant threat and Schwarzer had to push his shot around the near post just before the break as it stayed 1-1 at half-time.

Hodgson took off Zamora, who had not looked sharp, on 55 minutes to give United States winger Clint Dempsey a chance up front and he immediately combined with Gera to test de Gea.

It remained 1-1 after 90 minutes and as the game went to extra time, Atletico had the best chance of the first period as Gera was dispossessed, but Forlan could not get his shot past Schwarzer.

On the stroke of the extra-time changeover, Aguero hit the side-netting from close range after Forlan had broken through again past a tiring Fulham defence.

With both sides flagging, Forlan finally slipped his marker to give the Spaniards their first trophy since 1996 and claim his sixth goal of the tournament as well as his fourth in his last three European games.

Source + Pic: timeslive.co.za

While the livewire Rooney notched his 31st and 32nd goals of a remarkable season, languid Bulgarian Berbatov provided the perfect foil with a display that oozed class.

Berbatov, who has never completely won over the Old Trafford faithful, produced a brilliant piece of play to set up Rooney’s second goal and got on the scoresheet himself to take his tally for the season to 10.

While that is hardly prolific for a player of Berbatov’s pedigree who has enjoyed being top dog at most of his previous clubs, Ferguson was more concerned with his silky contribution in other areas.

“The work by Berbatov was fantastic football and he just laid it on a plate for Wayne who took it well,” Ferguson told MUTV. “He (Berbatov) is intelligent, he has good composure on the ball and he adds to the team all the time.

“The making of the second goal was absolutely superb. It was very important (for him to score later), because he had a few opportunities, but he took one.”

Victory lifted United back in front of Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League title race but the champions were made to sweat for long periods against a hard-working Fulham side

Rooney opened the scoring 30 seconds after the interval and struck again with six minutes remaining after Berbatov jinked down the right and pulled back a perfect pass.

“Fulham made us work because they’ve got good possession of the ball, they have composure and experience on the ball and they made us chase all over the pitch, particularly in the first half,” Ferguson said.

“The start to the second half was crucial and we got a good one to put us in a good position.”

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Despite the return of club captain Steven Gerrard from injury, Rafael Benitez’s men were listless in a goalless stalemate at struggling Wolves.

But the Liverpool manager was defiantly upbeat after a result that means his side are unbeaten in five matches in the league.

“We had two or three chances in the first half and it was same in the second but our final pass not the best,” the Spaniard said.

“But it is another clean sheet and everyone is working really hard, so I think it is really positive.”

The draw leaves Liverpool three points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham, who were always in control of their London derby clash with Fulham at White Hart Lane.

“Three points — that was the main thing tonight, but I think the win was well deserved tonight,” said Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

Spurs went ahead mid-way through the first half through Peter Crouch, who fired home after being teed up by Luka Modric following a wonderful piece of improvisation from the Croatia playmaker.

David Bentley made sure of the win with a second-half free-kick that found the net with the help of a deflection off Bjorn Helge Riise which wrong-footed Fulham’s Australian goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer.

At the other end of the table, it was a memorable night for Bolton, who claimed their first league win under new manager Owen Coyle, at the expense of his former club Burnley.

Lee Chung-Yong’s 35th-minute strike proved enough to earn Bolton a 1-0 win that lifted them out of the relegation zone.

As a result of West Ham and Wolves both picking up a point apiece, Burnley dropped into the drop zone for the first time this season.

Predictably, Coyle was given a hostile reception from the visiting fans, who hurled “Judas” insults at the man they used to refer to as “God.”

A more appropriate biblical reference, Coyle wryly reminded his critics, would be Moses, given his achievement in leading Burnley to the promised land of the Premier League.

West Ham had to settle for a 1-1 draw at bottom club Portsmouth after taking the lead at Fratton Park.

The Hammers had gone ahead seven minutes into the second-half.

Alessandro Diamanti curled a corner from the right towards the back post and, after it had been deflected goalwards by Pompey defender Younes Kaboul, the ball ended up in the net off the thigh of Matthew Upson.

The Hammers looked strong favourites to go on and take all three points at that stage, but Portsmouth snatched an equaliser with just under quarter of an hour left.

John Utaka played in Danny Webber and the substitute slotted his finish through the legs of Hammers’ goalkeeper Robert Green for his first Premier League goal.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

The Manchester United forward was sent-off for two bookable offences during the Premier League champions’ shock 2-0 defeat.

Although he had words with Phil Dowd after being shown the red card, the official has confirmed he was not sworn at by Rooney, an offence which could have led to a longer ban.

However, the Football Association (FA) are to write to Rooney, whose temper has been a worry to some within the English game, about his conduct after the former Everton favourite punched a corner flag while leaving the pitch.

An FA spokesman said on Monday: “We have clarified with Phil Dowd that there was no abuse from the player after he was dismissed.

“In relation to the incident when he punched the corner flag, the referee did not see that and we have written to Wayne Rooney reminding him of his responsibilities.”

Rooney will now be suspended for one match, the Premier League fixture against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, United’s home ground, on April 5.

Source: supersport.co.za