When Everton put United out of the FA Cup on penalties last season, Phil Neville stood with his arms folded looking away as his team mates raced forward in celebration. Not the behaviour you'd expect from an Everton captain, but certainly the behaviour you'd expect from a born and bred red.

Cristiano Ronaldo has today compared the Premiership with La Liga, claiming that our defenders are a lot tougher than the ones he's come across in Spain, with him particularly fond of the duels he had with Ashley Cole.

As for City, Ronaldo says no amount of money can buy the history and success United have enjoyed and there is no way he would play for any English club other than United.

The legend goes that had Mark Robins not scored to put United through to the 1990 FA Cup final, which we went on to win, Sir Alex Ferguson would have been given the sack. This is a story that the manager denies but after almost four years in charge and not a trophy in sight it stands to reason that time might have been running out for the manager.

Andy Goram came to Manchester United on loan during the 2000-2001 to help us out during a time when our other goalies, Fabien Barthez and Raimond Van der Gouw, were unavailable Barthez on duty with the French side and Van der Gouw struggling with injury.

His first game was our 4-2 win over Coventry in the league although was subbed off with an hour played with the scoreline at 2-2.

As Michael Owen prepares to go back to Anfield as a United player, another player to break the unwritten rule, Paul Ince, has reflected on his respect for Sir Alex Ferguson, their fallings out and why he left the club.

"I was playing golf with Ryan Giggs in 1995 when the phone rang. It was Fergie telling me he was at the clubhouse," said Ince.

Dwight Yorke, who last week was reliving the memories of that night in the Nou Camp, is amazed that Carlos Tevez has chosen to leave Manchester United for Manchester City as he approaches the peak of his career.

Clearly Robinho agrees.

"Things have changed," said Yorke. "But I know when I was at the peak of my career there is no way I would have left the best team in the world.

Selling on players from the academy is one of the reasons why Manchester United have so much money to spend in the transfer market, with Frazier Campbell one of the most recent to move on. He had a choice between Hull, a club where he had already made a name for himself in helping them gain promotion to the Premiership, or Sunderland with former United captain Steve Bruce.

"I have got two season tickets at Old Trafford and sit in the main stand in a normal seat," said Cole. "I am a United fan and just mingle in, paying my money like everybody else – though United's chief executive David Gill usually sees me. I saw him at halftime during the Arsenal game recently and he shouted: 'Get your boots on, we need some goals.

Former Manchester United player, Danny Webber, reckons he has no regrets about leaving the club for Watford in 2003 after spending 11 years with us.

Now aged 27, Webber now plays for Portsmouth.

"I don't look back. Leaving United was my choice. I know a lot of people expected me to stay around the place but I made my choice.

Diego Forlan's last game for Manchester United was on the opening day of the 2004-2005 season, on a day where Miller and Djemba-Djemba started in midfield, with Roy Keane filling in at centre back during an injury crisis.

A fortnight after leaving United Forlan scored for Villarreal on his début.

Manchester United season ticket holder, Andy Cole, has praised our strikeforce today, claiming that Wayne Rooney is ready to fill Cristiano Ronaldo's boots and that Dimitar Berbatov is 'elegant'.

"Rooney has started the season really well," said Cole. "He's ready to step into Ronaldo's shoes.

Dwight Yorke had a great time at Manchester United, scoring an incredible 30 goals in his first season with the club. 1998-1999 was a magic season for us and Yorke played a massive part in it.

The goal that probably stands out in most memories is the equaliser he scored against Juve in the European Cup semi-finals, after we had gone 2-0 in ten minutes in Turin.

Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken about Sir Alex Ferguson's last words to him before leaving as well as thanking the fans for their support.

"He said ‘congratulations'. I think he knew it was the right time for me to move on and I think he acknowledged that I needed to go," said Ronaldo.

Darren Ferguson was brought through the ranks at Manchester United with his dad and manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, giving him his first team début when he was eighteen. Filling in for an injured Bryan Robson during the start of the 1992-1993 season, Ferguson made enough appearances to qualify for a league title winners medal.

Emmanuel Adebayor, who desperately tried to get a move to Manchester United at the last minute before settling to sign for our blue neighbours, reckons he will be playing for the top team in Manchester by the end of the season.

"The goal is not to be bigger than Manchester United, but to be bigger than everybody," he said.

Despite rarely featuring for United, Chris Eagles had some good moments in our shirt. Ahead of our match against Burnley tonight, let's look at his best bits...

3. His cracking goal on the pre-season against FC ShenZhen.

2. Should have won a penalty, clattered SWP in revenge, then steered away from a snarling JT by the ref, during our first game since being named Champions, which resulted in Chelsea giving a guard of honour to our Reserves at Stamford Bridge.

Andy Cole has joined a long line of former players to still love the club after leaving. He spent just six of his nineteen year playing career with us but bought a season ticket for his son and himself and has settled down in Manchester.

Sadly, he will joining Paul Ince, who has returned to MK Dons with his tail between his legs after a disastrous period with Blackburn Rovers, to help out with their strikers.

Andy Cole has joined a long line of former players to still love the club after leaving. He spent just six of his nineteen year playing career with us but bought a season ticket for his son and himself and has settled down in Manchester.

Sadly, he will joining Paul Ince, who has returned to MK Dons with his tail between his legs after a disastrous period with Blackburn Rovers, to help out with their strikers.

He came from Uruguay, he made the scousers cry...

Diego Forlan scored Atletico Madrid's second in their 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield today, with Sergio Aguero opening the scoring for the Spaniards.

Former Manchester United striker, Mark Hughes, or "Munich bastard" to his fans, has come across all cocky in the press. Dear dear, it seems all the money, fame and back-page stories have gone to his head.

Apparently Hughes doesn't have to speak in the press to raise his profile, like Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benitez, because he's used to be centre of attention thanks to his playing career.

David Beckham was a great player for us and will always be someone I remember fondly after he progressed through our youth system as a life-long Manchester United fan.

What irritates me is the belief that Sir Alex Ferguson 'forced' Beckham out of United. Whilst there is no denying the two had a falling out, it should also be remembered this occurred long after Beckham had spent over a year stalling on a new contract.

Two days after losing the Champions League final, Carlos Tevez spoke to the press about the manager's decision to sub him on at the start of the second half, instead of playing him from the beginning. Despite contributing nothing in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, Tevez claimed that we could have won the game had he started.

Former Manchester United player, Phil Neville, has claimed that he was 'gutted' when Cristiano Ronaldo agreed a deal with Real Madrid. The former Manchester United winger, who today insisted he owed everything to United, 'entertained' fans in this country, although Phil reckons we still have the best league even though he's done.

Former Manchester United player and current Manchester United academy director, Brian McClair, has voiced the opinion shared by the majority of our fans.

Big players come and go but United's success continues. Just as we gone on to win titles and European Cups since Eric Cantona and David Beckham left, we'll get by without Cristiano Ronaldo.

Teddy Sheringham has jumped to the defence of Dimitar Berbatov following the criticism he has received in the press.

14 goals and 10 assists isn't bad going for a player in his first season at a club, particularly considering he didn't have a pre-season, he came with massive pressure, and he had to make the adjustment from playing with Spurs' players to playing with United's.

Diego Forlan managed just 17 goals from 95 appearances in his Manchester United career, but will be fondly remembered by United fans for the two goals in scored in our 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in 2002.

He has since proven himself as a great goalscorer in La Liga, even winning the European golden boot, and has today blamed his lack of chances for the reason why he didn't shine in the Premiership.

Gerard Pique, who returned to Barcelona after a few years with Manchester United, has admitted he felt sorry for his former team-mates, although is of course over the moon to add another winners medal to his collection.

"It was special because we played really well, we deserved to win and Barcelona was always my club since I was a young lad," said Pique.

Chris Eagles moved to Burnley last summer in a bid to get more first team football. Burnley had just finished thirteenth in the league meaning Eagles was well out of his comfort zone, given that he had been with United since he was 14-years-old and now had a real battle to fight.

Reports in this morning's papers suggest that Carlos Tevez is on his way to Liverpool, eyeing a reunion with his Argie team-mate, Javier Mascherano.

This idea is flawed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the asking price is around £30 million, a price tag Liverpool are unlikely to play. Secondly, Tevez is happy at the club and was telling the directors to listen to the 'sign him up' chants on Sunday.

Manchester United beat Arsenal 4-1 on aggregate, with their only goal coming from a bad penalty decision. Whilst they were dominated at Old Trafford, Arsenal were played off the park on their own ground, as United secured their place in the second European Cup final in two years.

After the game, Patrice Evra compared the two teams as men against boys, which former red, Mikael Silvestre, hasn't taken too kindly too.

David Beckham flew to London with AC Milan team mate, and former Arsenal midfielder, Flamini, to watch the Champions League semi-final at the Emirates.

As the third goal went in, cameras showed Beckham's celebration, made up to see his boyhood team reach the final.

This wasn't the first time he has been to watch United this season though, with him meeting up with the team ahead of our 0-0 draw against Inter Milan.

Gerard Pique certainly showed his ability in the fleeting chances he was given at Manchester United, scoring a couple of goals in Europe as well as proving himself strong defensively. However, with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic too difficult to displace, Pique had to look for other options for his future.

When news first broke that Mikael Silvestre had legged it away from City for a medical at Arsenal, United fans had a bit of a chuckle. Whilst a loyal servant for nine years, Silvestre had often been a weak link and was ridiculed by many of our opponents. A useful squad player but a disaster as a starting player in the centre.