Football Corner

Manchester United manager Sir Akex Ferguson has today accepted the fans reaction to the 1-0 defeat to Lille in their Champions League match. The United team were booed of the field by their 5,000 travelling fans but Ferguson has said he understands the reaction. He said: "Without question, those fans want to see us win. They have followed us through thick and thin. "They were like that when we had not won the title for 20 years and I am sure they will be like that again." United are now third in Group D and Ferguson admits his side are fighting for their Champions League survival. He added: "We are going to have to regroup and win our next two matches against Villarreal and Benfica because they are vital now.

"Our home form has been terrific and it is going to have to be again. We are third in the group now and these games will be so important." Ferguson was in subdued mood after his side followed up their humiliating 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough with another demoralising setback. He said: "We were not in our best form, that has to be said. We are going to have to fight our way through this. "No-one's going to help us with that. We are going to have to do it ourselves and we don't want to feel sorry for ourselves - although I don't think we deserved to lose." "We do make chances, we have seen that in some league games, but we have players who can score goals and hopefully we can get that magic back.

"The players did their best. We lost a goal just when we were starting to get to grips with the game. "I think when you lose games confidence does get affected, but we have to pull ourselves through this." United now face a daunting game with Premiership leaders Chelsea on Sunday at Old Trafford. And Ferguson said: "It is not an easy game, simply because Chelsea are in outstanding form. "They are top of the league and are there on merit, but we have the ability to change that. "The most important thing is for us to bring back the confidence, bring back the winning habit."

I can also understand the United fans reaction because United simply didn't have any fight in them. I watch the last two games and I have to say they were the two worst performances I have seeen from a United side.I saw Ferguson talking after the game and I have to say he looked very subjeud after the poor week of results.

British sides had a very mixed set of resulsts whilst Lyon French side Lyon became the first side to qualify from the Group Stages. Also, Real Madrid all but qualified with a convincing win in Norway.

First of all, Liverpool romped to a 3-0 win over Belgian side Anderlecht. The goals came from Spanish duo Morientes and Garcia, also Cisse got on the scoresheet after coming on for Crouch during the second half. Anderlecht were reduced to ten men late on when Nenad Jestrovic was sent off for a racists comment to Sissoko. Chelsea suffered their first defeat in the Champions League this year at the hands of Spanish outfit Real Betis. The La Liga side took the lead substitute Dani grabbed the only goal with a cool finish past Petr Cech just before the half-hour mark. The win for Betis now lifts them to within a point of Chelsea.

Rangers twice took the lead against Artmedia Bratislava but only to be pegged back twice and the match end in a draw. Dado Prso and Steven Thompson twice put Rangers ahead but Balazs Borbely and Jan Kozak levelled on both occasions. The second goal for Bratislava was down to a goal keeping error from Wateruss. Inter Milan came from behind at home to FC Porto to stay in control of Group H with a 2-1 victory. Miguel Hugo Almeida put the 2004 winners in front with a brilliant free-kick but Julio Cruz bagged a brace to seal three points for the Italians. That group now looks like going down to the wire with all sides very close to one another.

Lyon booked their place in the knock out stages after a hard fought win over Greek side Olimpiakos. The Greeks went in front through Haruna Babangida, but Juninho levelled before a John Carew brace and Mahamadou Diarra strike put the result beyond doubt. Real Madrid all-but-guaranteed their progress with a comfortable 2-0 victory away at Norwegian side Rosenborg. Mikael Dorsin put though his own net before Guti wrapped up the points. The game marked David Beckham's 100th Champions League appearances.

PSV Eindhoven took top spot in Group E from AC Milan with a 1-0 victory over their Italian rivals in Holland. PSV went ahead early on through striker Jefferson Farfan and held on as Milan were reduced to 10 men, Jaap Stam seeing red with six minutes to go. Schalke also went above Milan with a 2-0 win over nine-man Fenerbahce. Kevin Kuranyi opened the scoring and the Turks had Fabio Luciano and Marco Aurelio both sent off before Ebbe Sand finished them off towards the end.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit back at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after he had branded him a "voyeur" and claimed he was obssesed with Chelsea. The French man has not ruled out the possibility of takign action against the Portugese man. "I find it out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful," Wenger said in response on Tuesday. "I will see if I take any action. I don't know yet but I will leave that door open. I don't know what I said that was malicious." Wenger added: "I was asked a question about Chelsea and gave my honest answer, just like I expect any other manager to do when he is asked about Arsenal. "It's as simple as that and I can't see what is wrong with that and if there is we would all have to close our news conferences.

"I've said what I had to say about that. I'm not obsessed at all with Chelsea. "I'm at a club where I'm very happy. Things have changed over the years in English football." Wenger warned of the dangers of getting embroiled into a battle of personal attacks which he believes would end up restricting people having an opinion. "When I came to England, I was happy to come and be confronted with the English culture, where the owners of the clubs were English and they opened the door to foreign people.

"Now, in some clubs, it looks like it is becoming different and that's where it's important not to lose your values. "It is important that the respect you have always shown stays but the ways are becoming different in English football. "It looks more like foreign people are buying the clubs and employing English people. "For me, that's not a problem but it's a change and it's very important that the values of the game remain as they were before - respected and admired everywhere. "Part of it is that everyone can have an opinion about the game."

Intresting little War Of Words here and I am on Wenger's side, although I don't particularly like him, I just thought the comments made by Mourinho were a litlle rash. I am not a very big fan of Mourinho although I do admire him as a manager, I just don't like his overall attitude.

Manchester City striker Bradley Wright-Phillips has signed a new four year contract extension at the club. The 20-year-old striker only agreed a new deal last season but City have decided to tie him down until 2009. "It's good news all round," said Wright-Phillips - who is the half-brother to Chelsea and England star Shaun Wright-Phillips. "I never thought about leaving, I am under the club's wing and the aim is to get a few starts and a few goals." Wright-Phillips made his return to first-team action in Monday night's 3-1 win over Aston Villa. A knee injury has limited him to only three substitute appearances this season but he is highly rated by City boss Stuart Pearce.

Good news for both City and Wroght-Phillips because I really believe Bradley has got some talent and it is only a matter of time he starts showing it. You have to remember that when he and his brother were both in the academy the magnificent staff at the academy thought that Bradley was the better one and now look how well Shaun is doing so why can't Bradley do that.