Evans supporting Chelsea

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is hoping Chelsea can take points from Manchester City in Wednesday's clash.

The Red Devils moved four-points clear of Roberto Mancini's troops on Sunday with an emphatic 5-0 success over 10-man Wolves.

City have the chance to respond on Wednesday, however, an in-form Chelsea now stand in their way at the Etihad Stadium.

Roberto Di Matteo's squad have won four games on the bounce - including a remarkable UEFA Champions League U-turn against Napoli - and Evans hopes the Londoners can maintain their form.

"Wednesday is a massive game," commented Evans. "We have done our job and that does put pressure on City.

"Chelsea have had a couple of good victories so maybe their spirits will be up a little bit and they will go into Wednesday's game in pretty confident mood."

United's healthy victory over the weekend means they are just three goals behind City in the goal difference stakes and the defender knows that could be the deciding factor.

"The goal difference is a massive consideration," he continued.

"If you look ahead to the end of the season, the last thing you want to do is lose the league on goal difference.

"It is almost like another point at times and it would be a horrible way to lose the league if that was the case, so it is up to us to rectify it."

source：Sky Sports

Evans breaks duck

Jonny Evans has admitted his delight and relief at finally getting off the mark in a United shirt.

The centre-back has been in splendid form at the other end of the pitch but came up for a Wayne Rooney corner to open the scoring at Wolves and set the champions on the way to a 5-0 success.

After going 118 games without scoring, he told MUTV: "Yeah, that [stat] doesn't sound too good! I'm just delighted with the goal.

"Michael Carrick put it on a plate for me really. There's no point me having a celebration [planned]. I just ran off and a few of the lads were laughing at the expression on my face. It was pure relief and a bit of shock really.

"I've kept the shirt today and that will do for me."

Evans also heaped praise on team-mate Antonio Valencia, who produced an outstanding perfomance on the right wing.

"He's been superb all season," enthused the defender. "He's been unbelievable actually. He's got everything his locker.

"Him coming back was probably a bit of a gamble in terms of the fact he's been out for a month or two but he's such a hard worker, I'm sure he's kept himself in really good shape."

source：manutd.com

PL：Wolves 0-5 Man United

Manchester United extended their lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League to four points after demolishing a hapless Wolves.

Jonny Evans recorded his first United goal, from a corner, before Ronald Zubar saw red for two yellow cards.

That handed the impetus to the visitors with Antonio Valencia scoring on the break and Danny Welbeck tucking in.

Javier Hernandez then headed in and finished Valencia's cross with Steven Fletcher going closest for Wolves.

The Scotland striker's headers either side of half-time were all the hosts could muster in a game that might have proved a daunting enough challenge even before Zubar's dismissal left them a man short with more than half the match remaining.

Wolves have now won once in 14 league games and, having put Terry Connor in charge four games ago to try to lift them out of trouble, they now sit bottom of the table.

This was Connor's third defeat in four since taking charge and they have conceded 12 goals in their last three games without scoring.

For Sir Alex Ferguson's side, the emphatic scoreline had the additional benefit of reducing the goal difference between City and themselves to just three goals.

A perfect pick-me-up after Thursday's Europa League exit, the win means United's title rivals face Chelsea on Wednesday with a four-point gap to close.

Last February, Wolves beat United at Molineux to end the visitors' long unbeaten start to the season, and Connor had spoken before the game of aiming to replicate that upset.

If that rallied the troops, the effect lasted only until Evans put Ferguson's side ahead, whereupon Wolves lost all momentum.

It was a poor goal to concede, Michael Carrick being given plenty of space at the back post from Wayne Rooney's corner to set up the Northern Ireland defender.

The hosts' plight was made worse when Zubar followed his booking for a lunge on Rooney on 28 minutes with another yellow card for a similar challenge on Welbeck 12 minutes later.

Ferguson had named Rooney, Welbeck and Hernandez in an attacking line-up and once Wolves were down a goal and a man, the visitors' attacking trio clearly sensed an excellent opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

Valencia's goal came from a Wolves corner, Rooney setting clear the Ecuadorian who, with no covering challenge, steered the ball into the corner after a break down the right.

And Wolves' fate was as good as sealed before half-time when Rooney switched the ball out to the right and Welbeck tucked in Valencia's cutback.

Any hope that United might take their foot of the gas in the second half soon disappeared when Hernandez headed in from close range from Rafael's clipped cross following a short corner.

And his finish after neat work from Valencia completed a miserable afternoon for the hosts.

Wolves did rally with Michael Kightly and Fletcher testing David de Gea, but on a straightforward afternoon for United the only surprise in the end was that leading scorer Rooney did not join the party.

Wolves：Hennessey, Stearman, Ward, Bassong, Zubar, Foley, Edwards, Jarvis, Davis (Jonsson 43), Fletcher (Ebanks-Blake 77), Doyle (Kightly 58).
Subs not used：De Vries, Johnson, Berra, Hunt.

Booked：Zubar.

Sent Off：Zubar.

Man United：De Gea, Evra (Fabio 63), Ferdinand, Evans (Smalling 74), Rafael, Carrick (Pogba 58), Scholes, Valencia, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck.
Subs not used：Amos, Giggs, Park, Young.

Booked：Welbeck.

Goals：Evans 21, Valencia 43, Welbeck 45, Hernandez 56 61.

Ref：Taylor.

Att：27,494.

source：BBC Sport

EL：Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Man United

Manchester United crashed out of the Europa League in devastating fashion as they were outclassed by Athletic in their last-16 tie in Bilbao.

Iker Muniain hit the post before Fernando Llorente scored a fantastic volley from Fernando Amorebieta's raking diagonal pass.

Ryan Giggs then headed wide but Oscar de Marcos put further daylight between the sides when he crashed in.

Wayne Rooney scored from 25 yards late on but it was merely a consolation.

It was a fine strike from the United forward to score his 28th goal of the season, but it was only a footnote as a young Athletic team once again posed all sorts of questions for their opponents.

Just as in the Old Trafford game a week ago Marcelo Bielsa's side pressed all over the pitch and attacked en masse, and in the end Sir Alex Ferguson's team could not stem the flow.

That it came from a side seventh in La Liga, 33 points behind leaders Real Madrid, perhaps added weight to the argument surrounding the strength of the Premier League challenge in Europe this season.

And only the most churlish of observers would begrudge the Basque team a place in the next round as United ended a disappointing European campaign which failed on two fronts, following their Champions League exit.

With a five-man midfield closing the many gaps that appeared in the first leg, last season's Champions League finalists had a more solid base from which to attack.

But after Ashley Young, operating on the left, had a close-range shot blocked by the Athletic defence, the hosts began to tease openings from their left flank.

Muniain struck a post on 14 minutes when he was cleverly found by Llorente's lay-off and De Marcos should have buried the follow up, but skied over from eight yards out.

Llorente then dismissed any worries about that faux pas when he peeled away from Rio Ferdinand and volleyed in Amorebieta's long diagonal pass.

It was a glorious strike as the 50-yard assist came over his shoulder, and it was only a shame the striker had to be replaced because of injury before the break.

The goal clicked United into a higher gear but some robust Athletic defending limited them to a close-range Giggs header which was deflected over.

As much as Premier League leaders United wanted to make an impression as the game progressed, they were not allowed to.

The pressing, link-up play and tempo that the hosts produced did not give Ferguson's team any chance of feeding an isolated Rooney up front.

Indeed, Athletic's status in the game was highlighted when right-back Andoni Iraola danced round Ferdinand and Jonny Evans but shot inches wide.

But the skipper played a part in the second goal when he crossed from the right, and once the ball dropped to De Marcos he smashed past David de Gea.

Markel Susaeta and substitute Gaizka Toquero could have added to the total before Rooney gave United something to cheer as he curled in.

United will now return home to maintain their Premier League challenge, but there is no doubt they received a footballing lesson that will be hard to forget.

Athletic Bilbao：Iraizoz, Aurtenetxe, Amorebieta, Iraola, Iturraspe, Susaeta, Herrera Ander (Perez 82), Javi Martinez, Llorente (Toquero Pinedo 40), De Marcos, Muniain (San Jose Dominguez 88).
Subs not used：Raul, Ekiza, David Lopez, Ibai.

Booked：Susaeta.

Goals：Llorente 23, De Marcos 65.

Man United：De Gea, Evra, Ferdinand (Smalling 63), Evans, Rafael, Giggs (Welbeck 68), Park, Carrick (Pogba 63), Young, Cleverley, Rooney.
Subs not used：Amos, Fabio, Scholes, Hernandez.

Booked：Rafael, Pogba.

Goals：Rooney 80.

Ref：Cakir.

Att：40,000.

source：BBC Sport

Evans draws praise

Jonny Evans' outstanding recent form has rightly drawn praise from all quarters and nobody has been more impressed than his manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson has seen the Northern Irishman form a resolute central defensive partnership alongside Rio Ferdinand, with the duo enjoying a great understanding at the back.

"When I think back to the time when so many critics were ready for me to move Jonny on, I hope that they're questioning their judgement," he wrote in his United Review programme notes. "Because the boy has been in sure form lately and was, in fact, many people's choice as man of the match in the game against Spurs."

The sight of Evans gliding forward out of defence to set up attacks has become a feature of the Reds' play in the past couple of months and is something the defender has added to his game this season.

"He's been tremendous," the manager added in Inside United. "Jonny's one of the best in our defence at coming out with the ball. He's a terrific user of the ball and he's quick. I've been pleased with him."

source：manutd.com