11/05/2012 09:45, Report by James Tuck
Smalling out of Euro 2012
Chris Smalling will miss United’s final game of the season against Sunderland and England’s Euro 2012 campaign with a groin injury.Smalling sustained the injury in last week’s 2-0 win over Swansea but was forced to complete the game because his defensive partner Rio Ferdinand also limped off late on.
The 22-year-old was initially expected to be fit for Sunday’s league climax, but Sir Alex confirmed his injury is worse than first thought.
Ferdinand is fit to take his place in defence at the Stadium of Light, but Danny Welbeck will not be available, though the striker is expected to be fit for Euro 2012.
"Chris Smalling got a bad injury last week," Sir Alex said at his Friday press conference. "We tried to take him off, then Rio got a knock.
"He’s going to miss the European Championship. At the moment we're assessing what we'll do, but certainly it's a bad injury.
"I can play Phil Jones back in there with Rio, so Rio is okay."
United are level on points with leaders Manchester City going into the final game, but the Blues have a greatly superior goal difference and will almost certainly win the title if they beat QPR at home.
Butu Sir Alex knows all he can do is focus on United’s performance against the Black Cats.
"Everyone wants to win the last game of season and we're no different," the Reds boss said.
"It's important for us – we'll try and do our best and hopefully something stupid will happen to City."
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2012/May/manchester-united-team-news-v-sunderland.aspx=============================================================
Mexico's summer schedule:
World Cup qualifiers
8 June: Mexico v Guyana
12 June: El Salvador v Mexico
London 2012 Olympics
26 July: Mexico v South Korea
29 July: Mexico v Gabon
1 August: Mexico v Switzerland
10/05/2012 08:23, Report by James Tuck
Chicharito to miss Olympics
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez will not play for Mexico in the Olympics this summer, Sir Alex has confirmed.The Reds striker will instead be afforded a full summer’s rest for the first time in three years before the start of the new season.
Hernandez’s second campaign at Old Trafford has not reached the same sensational heights as his first, and Sir Alex believes a lack of rest is partly to blame.
"His form last season was fantastic," the United boss said. "He’s found the second year more difficult, but a lot of that is down to not having a summer break for three years and playing every summer for his country.
"Next year he will be fine as we have agreed with the Mexican Football Association that he is going to get the requisite rest that he needs to perform in the Premier League."
Hernandez turns 24 on June 1 and had initially been called up for London 2012 to occupy one of the three slots permitted for players aged over 23. It had even been suggested he would take up the role of flag-bearer for his country at the opening ceremony.
The last of Mexico’s three group games is on August 1, meaning Hernandez would have been well shy of the 28 days’ rest Sir Alex prefers his players to have in the close season.
Chicharito will, however, be involved in Mexico’s two World Cup qualifiers at the start of June.
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2012/May/javier-chicharito-hernandez-to-miss-mexico-london-2012-olympics.aspx
