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LoginPre Season Friendly: Kaizer Chiefs vs Man Utd - July 19th
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Five Missing As United Head To South Africa
Hargreaves has joined Cristiano Ronaldo on the treatment table, while Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra and Nani were given an extended holiday after their appearances at Euro 2008.
Speculation suggested that Hargreaves’ injury was worse than The Red Devils were making public, but Ferguson insists that the problem is a recurrence of last season’s tendonitis, and not linked to the his worries at Bayern Munich.
"It was apparent as soon as he came back to training. It is the same as last year. Some people get these things," Ferguson said.
"Maybe re-starting training on the firmish grounds brings it on or maybe it is just an inherent problem.
"We are trying to sort it out now with injections. That is what we did last November and it worked. Hopefully these work and by the time we come back from South Africa he should be okay.
"Owen is not written off for the start of the season at all. I am sure he will be okay."
One player who will definitely feature is long-term absentee and captain Gary Neville, who has struggled with injury over the last 16 months, and Ferguson has reiterated that the 33-year old will have the opportunity to win back his place in the side from Wes Brown.
"For Gary in particular this trip is very important. He came through his 45 minutes at Aberdeen on Saturday with no problem at all, which is fantastic news," he added.
"The great thing about Gary is that he has not missed a training session since the last time he came back in April.
"We could have played him at the end of the season but Wes was doing so well.
"His form was so good I didn't want to have doubts in my mind about picking him. Wes had played in every game, so we kept it like that.
"But now, a new season is about to start and Gary will get his chance."
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can watch it here
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United Held By Kaizer Chiefs
The Red Devils did, by and large, have the better of the play, but were found lacklustre in the final third and fairly sloppy in defence.
Many poor clearances allowed the Chiefs to have occasional spells of sustained pressure and the lack of penetrating width was telling for the Premier League-Champions League double-winners.
The first half was played at a slow pace in front of an expectant crowd. United could not get a solid passing game going and the Chiefs did fairly well to fend them off and launch the odd counterattack of their own.
Both teams looked like heading into the break with scores level before a surging run into the box drew a foul from the returning Gary Neville, and a penalty was awarded.
Quartey stepped up and sent Tomasz Kuszczak the wrong way with a placed spot-kick into the bottom-left hand corner.
Little changed after the break as United still lacked killer instinct and direct running, with full fitness still looking a couple of games off and the Chiefs full of energy and eager to impress.
However, Carlos Tevez's influence on the game grew as things progressed, and his run out wide and magnificent cross landed on the head of Chris Eagles, who had been extremely poor, yet could not miss an open goal.
Wayne Rooney was withdrawn shortly after, as his infamously short temper threatened to see him sent off (having already been booked) as he once again struggled to perform. Eagles was also replaced by Frazier Campbell, who looked sharp and relatively dangerous up front. Gary Neville was given a rest after a fairly rusty performance for the lively Danny Simpson.
From then on, it was the Red Devils who looked more likely to score, but neither goalkeeper was called into any kind of serious action as the match ended level.
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Fergie defends raging Rooney
Sir Alex Ferguson backed Wayne Rooney after the unsightly side of the striker’s game reared its ugly head in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs.
Rooney lost his cool as the Chiefs frustrated United for long periods in their first tour match out in South Africa, and he can consider himself lucky not to have been sent off.
Twice the England man petulantly kicked out at an opponent, but Ferguson claims Rooney did nothing wrong.
"He is learning how to control himself and it (the challenge) was next to nothing,” stated the United manager.
"I do not think he was out of order in this instance."
Gary Neville was also responsible for an illegal challenge, producing the trip that led to Kaizer Chiefs’ penalty, but Ferguson was full of praise for the veteran defender.
"Obviously his tackling has not improved," quipped the Scot. "Gary's enthusiasm and speed of play was quite phenomenal. I am very pleased and he is a remarkable man.
"Anyone who has played football knows that when you get to your 30s and been out of the game for 16 months, your comeback is very, very difficult. You have to give him a lot of credit."
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