It was one of the most demoralising matches of United's in the modern era, with us crashing out to Milan following a 3-0 defeat at the San Siro. We were flying high in the Premiership, with us going on to be named Champions four days after that defeat, but this was the game that let us know we still had some way to go if we were going to be the best in Europe too.

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We will find out today whether Dimitar Berbatov will miss the rest of the season, with Sir Alex Ferguson set to confirm whether our striker needs a knee operation. With Bulgaria not travelling to South Africa this summer for the World Cup, it would have been ideal if we could have kept Berbatov playing for the rest of the season and scheduled his operation for the end of May.

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In response to the doom and gloom articles being written about us in the papers, I thought I would share a thing or two written about us in the summer of 2006.

Almost everything about the club reeks of disarray. Owned by the Glazers, who push buttons from a remote hideaway like Dr Evil; run by a manager who shreds his legacy at every turn; almost exclusively represented by the inadequate (Darren Fletcher and Kieran Richardson) and the odious (Rio Ferdinand); unable to close a deal for West Brom's reserve keeper, never mind the new Roy Keane.

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Mini match report: Ruthless away win for Villa, who are starting to look like serious top-four contenders. Goals by Emile Heskey and a superb strike by James Milner the most in-form midfielder in the Prem right now did the damage. Along with Milner, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young give Villa real bite and class in midfield, while Gabby Agbonlahor is just the man to worry defences with his pace.

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The holiday season is finally here, and for football fans that only means one thing: games come thick and fast. The Premier League is in action once again tomorrow, and Premiership Talk previews all of Tuesday's action with a little bit of help from the Premiership Talk Predictions community.

Sunderland v Aston Villa

Aston Villa come into this match off a huge victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and the Villans hope to retain their fourth place spot in the league.

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Sunderland players are going to be popular this week as they have nice home matches against Portsmouth and Aston Villa. But be careful how you pick because according to Yahoo!UK/Eurosport, the Black Cats are struggling with both injuries and suspensions:Full-backs Phil Bardsley and Kieran Richardson both picked up fifth bookings of the season in the 1-0 defeat at Fulham and will miss bottom side Click to continue reading...

Sunderland players are going to be popular this week as they have nice home matches against Portsmouth and Aston Villa. But be careful how you pick because according to Yahoo!UK/Eurosport, the Black Cats are struggling with both injuries and suspensions:Full-backs Phil Bardsley and Kieran Richardson both picked up fifth bookings of the season in the 1-0 defeat at Fulham and will miss bottom side

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You've all talked yourselves into the Captain, haven't you? Kirkland is (well, was) dirt cheap and he got the clean sheet last week against Sunderland. Well... if he's a good bet this week, hosting Birmingham, here's my thinking: I'll take the money I was spending on Duff (still a good bet, home to Fulham) and get Scharner. Click to continue reading...

You've all talked yourselves into the Captain, haven't you? Kirkland is (well, was) dirt cheap and he got the clean sheet last week against Sunderland. Well... if he's a good bet this week, hosting Birmingham, here's my thinking: I'll take the money I was spending on Duff (still a good bet, home to Fulham) and get Scharner. Click to continue reading...

UPDATE: According to Pa Sports at MirrorFootball, Newcastle defender Jose Enrique admitted that he does not want to leave the club, despite being linked with Sunderland. Enrique said,

"I don't care about Sunderland.

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According to Brian McNally at MirrorFootball, Sunderland are interested in Newcastle defender Jose Enrique. It is reported that Newcastle are not interested in selling off its players but they are rumored to be interested in Sunderland winger Kieran Richardson.

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Like a lower league side strutting their stuff in the latter rounds of the FA Cup, Steve Bruce is transforming his Sunderland side into one of the biggest upset merchants in the Premiership. The Black Cats' latest scalp was a 1-0 victory at home to Arsenal. Bruce's side have now taken 7 points from a possible 12 this season against the big four.

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1. Congratulations to Robert Green, who went fishing on Saturday afternoon and caught a Kieran Richardson. 2. Rafa Benitez's chances of getting the Right Guard contract have gone. Now that is a man under pressure. 3. With nine red cards this was officially the dirtiest weekend in Premier League history. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel's understudy Brad Guzan made the most of a rare appearance for Aston Villa, saving one penalty kick in regulation time and three PKs in the tiebreaker in a win over Sunderland that sends Villa to the English League Cup quarterfinals. In Scotland, DaMarcus Beasley saw his first action of the season. Click to continue reading...

Kenwyne Jones' goal at Old Trafford is said to have been the catalyst for a furious argument between Ben Foster and his Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. However is the England man to blame for this goal? Personally it seems more like Vidic should have dealt with the ball before it was floated so near to the Sunderland man and somebody should have stopped Kieran Richardson from having so much time to weigh up the dink into the box.

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The fallout of Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Sunderland extended to the dressing room, as reports suggest Alex Ferguson and goalkeeper Ben Foster had a bit of an argument. Foster made a poor decision coming out to catch Andy Reid's chipped ball for Kenwyne Jones, resulting in the Black Cats' second goal.

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Following an incredibly impressive start to the season, Sunderland defender/midfielder Kieran Richardson has revealed that the Manchester United coaching staff long had other plans for the former England international. While Sir Alex Ferguson most often played Richardson on the left flank at Old Trafford, he featured at left back a few times, and at Sunderland this season he has flourished in his new role in the back four.

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Once again, Manchester United leave it late. And it was Ferdinand who spared United's blushes and saved them from the brink of losing at Old Trafford against a spirited Sunderland. But it wasn't Rio Ferdinand. It was his little brother Anton, and Rio did not look to pleased as one may have thought after the rather unfortunate own goal.

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What can I say about yesterday's game against Sunderland? After the game yesterday, I was fairly happy that United had managed to salvage a point out of the game, this morning I am disappointed- how were we so bad?
The Man United starting XI was- Ben Foster, John O'Shea, Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Luis Nani, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. Click to continue reading...

From Old Trafford, Attendance 75,114 , Referee Alan Wiley Manchester United 2 2 Sunderland

Dimitar Berbatov (51)
Anton Ferdinand (o/g 90)

Darren Bent (7)
Kenwyne Jones (58)
Kieran Richardson (s/o 85)

Manchester United Team Statistics Sunderland 2 Goals 2 5 Shots On Target 3 7 Shots Off Target 2 8 Shots Blocked 0 15 Corners 1 0 Offsides 1 12 Fouls 17 2 Yellow Cards 3 0 Red Cards 1 62. Click to continue reading...

...pese a y por lo visto esta noche en Old Trafford. Se esperaba un choque de lujo entre el poderoso anfitrión y una de las sensaciones de la Premier League, pero lo que seguramente no entraba en los planes de nadie –menos aún en los de Ferguson- sería el atrevimiento del conjunto visitante en una de las catedrales del fútbol europeo. Click to continue reading...

And the award for the world's tiniest ponytail goes to... Kieran Richardson has gone from being a bit-part Manchester United player with an afro to being a Sunderland regular with a bit-part ponytail. We've sent a Twitter request to our good friend Darren Bent asking him to chop it off.

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Come the revolution, the Premier League will be no more – of that you can be certain. As clubs attempt to regain control of their upwardly spiralling finances, the top flight will break up into smaller regionalised leagues, thereby reinforcing the weakening notion of local derbies and local rivalries. Click to continue reading...

In the old days, Reid loved doughnuts more than corner kicks
I was leaning all week towards Everton's Steven Pienaar - his goal last night in the Europa League only further confirming his chance as a Funny Feeling Friday selection - but, having selected Everton's Rodwell just a few weeks ago - and seeing as Pienaar is already owned by about 7% of managers - I went with an unlikely selection, the less than 1% owned Andy Reid. Click to continue reading...

Paul Hart was nominated by various broadsheet football journalists as "Manager of the year" last season despite only taking charge of half of Pompy's games, following a disastrous start by Tony Adams. Hart showed his experience and got the team organised again; keeping Portsmouth up for another season in the top flight with relative ease in 14th position.

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Midweek, and therefore mostly useless, version. But certainly worth consideration for next week's matches.
Injuries mount for Wolves

Striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is sidelined for a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury picked up in Saturday's opening-day defeat to West Ham, while right-back Kevin Foley is also ruled out for a similar spell with a medial ligament problem.

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Harry considering spending more cash, but does he need to?

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp still hopes to sign Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov from Manchester City but has been told he must sell to finance any deal.
Redknapp is also keen on Kieran Richardson but Sunderland want to keep the midfielder.

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Brucey is putting together a nice little squad of players, isn't he? Of course, his signing as manager was a boost to the club. He knows his business, can recruit players and can get a team punching above their weight... if he/they are also prone to lose the plot from time to time. It also helps that he has the continued financial backing of the Sunderland board. Click to continue reading...

Sunderland win at Celtic

Richardson broke the deadlock with a composed finish after 12 minutes following a dreadful slip from Darren O'Dea as Steve Bruce's side capitalised on their early pressure.

Jones , who had looked a persistent threat in his lone-striking role, doubled the Black Cats' lead in the 54th minute, converting a free header to score with ease.

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Steve Bruce's men impressed during their victory over Tony Mowbray's side at Parkhead taking a two goal lead through Kieran Richardson and Kenwyne Jones before Marc Crosas scored a late consolation goal for the home side.

• Celtic 0-1 Dinamo Moscow Highlights (Video) (0)
• Liverpool to make £8m bid for AVERAGE Premier League striker?

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I sure can pick them. Since I am originally from Omaha, NE, and I recently graduated college from Wesleyan University in central Connecticut, I haven't had too many opportunities to watch the USA play in person over the years. In fact, I've had only two. The first was in 2005, when a half-strength USA lost 1-2 to a less-than-full-strength England side (it was a Kieran Richardson brace that did it, if that tells you anything).

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Fraizer Campbell is the latest in line of the more prominent youngsters deemed not good enough to make the grade at United. He was sold at £3.5m (which could potentially rise to £6m). Financially, I think we sold him a bit on the cheap when Hull were prepared to offer up to £7m as a one time fee.

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Disliking players from your own team, the team you love and adore, is an odd feeling. Kieran Richardson probably brought about the strongest feelings of dislike I'd had from one of our own, probably worked up by all the other reds I spoke to, but still a rational enough feeling. He saw himself as Jonny Big Balls and didn't have the attitude we expect from players who have come through the ranks.

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UPDATE: According to The Sun, Sunderland winger Kieran Richardson does not want to leave the club. He said,

"Of course I'm committed to the club. I'm a Sunderland player until they tell me I'm not."

"I'm expecting a very busy summer in the transfer market.

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The all new rumour reporting article system is in full effect! The Rumour Tottenham are planning an £8 million bid for Sunderland winger Kieran Richardson. The Sunday Mirror says manager Harry Redknapp has identified the 24-yearold as a player who can help his side push for a Champions League place. Click to continue reading...

According to Soriebah Kajue at the Daily Mirror, Tottenham are considering making an £8million bid for Sunderland winger Kieran Richardson.

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It's May, which can only mean one thing. Every single match around the country is important for every single team in the world's greatest league. Today saw the bulk of games, and here are the winners and losers from Saturday's action.

Winners Stoke City

Stoke City weren't just winners on the scoreboard, but they also clinched safety in the English Premier League for at least another year.

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I knew it was coming. As the team list was read out ahead of Wednesday's victory over Portsmouth, there were sections of the crowd that booed Dimitar Berbatov. It sickens me. What kindof fickle twats do we have pouring in to our ground in their thousands?

Booing your own is never something you like to see.

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Fans, pundits and fellow players considered Kieran Richardson lazy, inadequate and many other unfortunate synonyms when he was at Manchester United.  He made only 41 league appearances in five seasons at the club, scoring just two goals.  Richardson's £5.5 signing seemed at the time a misguided move by Roy Keane in the summer of 2007. Click to continue reading...