A day off

Instead of extra training, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to stick to his original plan to use Sunday as a recovery day after their hectic recent schedule.

A United insider revealed: "It's been three games a week almost since they got back from the World Club Cup in Japan, so with a free week ahead of Fulham it was decided a day's rest would be better.

"The players don't need telling again how much the boss hurts."

United have had some welcome news, with Owen Hargreaves taking the latest steps along the long road to recovery.
The England ace has missed the whole campaign after a knee op to cure a long-standing tendinitis problem.