Ferguson lifted by Hargreaves' early comeback

Midfielder should be back by November while manager resumes Wenger sparring.

Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that Owen Hargreaves – a player integral to the necessary toughening of Manchester United's midfield to make good the deficiencies so apparent in June's Champions League final defeat – will be available to him again by early November.

After initial hopes that Hargreaves would be back in training for United by pre-season, Ferguson had expressed a nagging uncertainty three weeks ago about the physical condition of a player who does not return to Britain until 23 September from rehabilitation in the United States following surgery on his right knee last November and on his left knee, to eradicate tendinitis. Ferguson's seems like an ambitious timeframe but the United manager said he expects Hargreaves available for United's "last three Champions League games" – which would mean him playing a part by the time United encounter CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford on 3 November.

If Ferguson's assessment proves accurate – and earlier estimates of a return date in January had seemed realistic – then it will be good news for Fabio Capello. It was in the last World Cup that Hargreaves, then a Bayern Munich player, demonstrated himself to be a player of international pedigree. A January return would leave Hargreaves with a race to establish himself for South Africa after 15 months out of the game. He last played for United at Stamford Bridge almost a year ago.

Ferguson's optimism has seen Hargreaves force the Serbian Zoran Tosic out of United's Champions League squad. "[November] will be the time when we want to push him back into action. And he is such a versatile player, a man who can play in so many positions, that he could be a very important player for us at that time of the season," the manager said.

Ferguson also dismissed Arsène Wenger's attack on the "anti-football" mentality of Manchester United and Darren Fletcher as the words of an "agitated" man who is under pressure to start the season well. Ferguson's response to Wenger, who had suggested Fletcher's conduct in his side's 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford two weeks ago, was worse than Eduardo da Silva's dive against Celtic which has earned him a two game ban, was measured. However, Ferguson's words suggest that the détente between the two of them is not absolute. "I think he was a bit agitated right from the start [of the Old Trafford game]," Ferguson said. "I think he knew it was a big game for them. It was a bigger game for Arsenal than it was for United because the last two or three seasons had been disappointing for them. This time, they started well, putting six past Everton and four past Portsmouth so, it was frustrating for them."

And of Wenger's assertion that Fletcher had committed 20 fouls in the game he insisted he was "not bothered with that". He added: "I thought Fletcher was fantastic. I said right after the game that, for me, he was the star man. Darren Fletcher always seems to be man of the match against Arsenal."

Rio Ferdinand is a serious doubt for United's difficult trip to early pace-setters Tottenham Hotspur today. But Gary Neville could figure having proved his fitness in a reserve match last week. Antonio Valencia may start on the bench as the Ecuador winger has had a long journey back from international duty in Bolivia.

John O'Shea is doubtful after suffering a calf injury on duty with the Republic of Ireland, while goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's broken thumb will keep him out for another month. United will remain in London after today's game, flying out from the capital tomorrow for Tuesday's Champions League opener with Besiktas in Istanbul.

By Ian Herbert

Slovenia accuse Rooney of trying to dupe referee

Wayne Rooney heads into Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Croatia with his integrity under the spotlight after Slovenian players accused him of conning referee Jonas Eriksson during England's 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Rooney, who last week insisted he was an "honest player", fell to the ground after he and defender Bostjan Cesar tugged each other's shirts. Eriksson awarded a penalty which Frank Lampard converted to put England 1-0 up. Rooney later told team-mates his shirt had been held, but the Slovenes accused him of deceiving the officials.

Midfielder Nejc Pecnik said: "Rooney went down far too easily and because he is a big name, it made it easier for the referee to make a decision. Lots of people dive in football, that's sport. When Rooney went down he kicked Cesar on the ankle and he's twisted his ankle. We were very unlucky – our player was injured and somehow England got a penalty."

Steven Gerrard defended Rooney, saying the 23-year-old had been impeded. Gerrard said: "I asked him straightaway if there was any contact, and he said he got dragged back. I didn't get a good angle of it because I played the pass, but Wayne said there was contact."

Last week, in the wake of the two-game ban handed by Uefa to Arsenal's Croatian striker Eduardo for diving, Rooney insisted his conscience was clear. He said: "Everyone who watches me play knows I am an honest player. I play the game as honestly as I can. If the referee gives a penalty there is nothing you can do. It is a penalty."

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic expressed his fury at the treatment of Eduardo, who is preparing for a chorus of boos at Wembley. Bilic said: "We are talking about a player who is a role model of a sportsman. I cannot understand how he can be punished."

By Mark Fleming

Ferguson keeps cool despite fears of United complacency

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted harbouring doubts about his team's commitment after the defeat at Burnley two weeks ago but appears determined to stick with the players he has, declaring it would be an "insult" to abandon his instincts and launch a deadline day foray into the transfer market.

"After the Burnley game, I examined our commitment, but after analysing our failings, I didn't think we were lacking in that area," Ferguson said. "I must always guard against complacency. Some players can drive themselves on while others are happy to settle for an easy life, but Manchester United cannot afford that kind of player. You don't suddenly scrap your transfer policy because of one defeat, even if it was a bad one."

It certainly seems that Ferguson will be as good as his word, with only an eleventh-hour move by cash-strapped Valencia to sell David Villa likely to alter that picture.

Though the absence of an offensive threat, following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, appeared to be Ferguson's most substantial problem, it was United's midfield which raised question marks in the unconvincing 2-1 win over Arsenal. Key to United's strength there is the rehabilitation of Owen Hargreaves who is back in training on 23 September after operations on both knees.

Ferguson remains uncertain of how near to match readiness he is. "The difficult part will be to get him back in the football side of it," the manager said. "I say 'difficult' because we've not really seen him operate at this moment in time. We're relying on information we're getting from the States. We're certain of one thing, his fitness will be good, his endurance work will have been done, we will just have to gauge when the right time is to put him into the football side of it. You don't have a player who has been out for over a year and suddenly throw him into the fire right away. I think we'll be taking our time."

By Ian Herbert

Burnley 1 - 0 Manchester United

United shot down by Blake strike

By Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent, The Independent.

Sir Alex Ferguson will have expected to have left Burnley last night, having offered a few platitudes about this passionate little football town and wrapped up three easy points. In the end he did not just go home defeated, he departed with a set of awkward questions about Manchester United's season that have no easy answers.

The post-Cristiano Ronaldo era started in earnest last night and it was painful and embarrassing for United. Ferguson's team were one-paced, they lacked edge and they were beaten by a club that last hosted top-flight football 33 years ago. For all the armchair strategists who said that Ronaldo's and Carlos Tevez's absences could be compensated for, there was a huge body of evidence last night that said otherwise.
In front of Fabio Capello, Michael Owen gave the England manager a dozen more reasons not to pick him for England. He did not look like England's most prolific current goalscorer, rather a nervous young pup who was badly short of confidence, hopeless in front of goal and generally ineffective for the 63 minutes he figured. Further east in Hull, Jermain Defoe was notching a hat-trick for Spurs to push himself further ahead.

As if to make the point about Ronaldo's absence, United also missed a penalty before half-time, a spot-kick tamely jabbed by Michael Carrick too close to Burnley's goalkeeper Brian Jensen. Only Patrice Evra and Wayne Rooney really looked like they might make a difference and that was before the latter almost lost the plot near the end with the kind of ludicrous tackle that might easily have been a red card.

But at this point we really should mention Burnley. This club has an august history, 50 years ago they were embarking on a championship-winning season themselves, but this game will rank with the very best Turf Moor has seen. Robbie Blake scored the winner, a goal to savour if it had been scored against Stoke City, never mind that it was against the dominant English club of this generation.

It was a magical night for Burnley. Goodness knows what went through the mind of their talented young manager Owen Coyle as he walked the 20 yards or so from the home dugout to where Ferguson was standing at the end of the game to shake the hand of his fellow Glaswegian: Gorbals 1, Govan 0. "He was as gracious as ever," Coyle said, "he said 'Well done Owen' and that's why he's the best manager in world football."

Burnley's players matched United all over the pitch. Graham Alexander and Wade Elliott were magnificent in midfield, Clarke Carlisle equally so in defence. There was an intensity about them that you expected to be exhausted at some point but it never was: they chased United to the very end and they deserved everything they got.

There were injuries for United to contend with, most noticeably Rio Ferdinand, who was in the stand watching, and Nemanja Vidic, who was not. One game of the season gone and already the defence looked patched-up and improvised. Of the first choice back four, only Evra started last night and, back at centre-half after a long absence in that position, Wes Brown looked badly out of sorts.

When the Burnley goal went in on 18 minutes you could feel Turf Moor's James Hargreaves stand shaking with joy and, yes, a touch of disbelief. It came in a flurry of pressure for Burnley in which they nearly scored seconds earlier when Elliott played in Martin Paterson and his shot was saved by Ben Foster.

The ball was only recycled as far as Stephen Jordan and the Manchester City academy graduate crossed to the back post where Evra got a clearing header which dropped to Blake. So many newly promoted teams lack the quality and finesse to survive but in that moment Blake provided it. His goal was a wonderful volley inside Foster's near post.

Carrick's penalty came when Blake brought down Evra before half-time. Jensen later expressed surprise that Rooney had not elected to take it and the way in which Carrick stroked it too close to the goalkeeper suggests it will be Rooney who takes them in future.

Jensen stopped shots from Park Ji-sung and Ryan Giggs in the second half while earlier Owen had often looked incapable of even reacting. He failed to get a foot or a head to two first-half crosses. One of his last contributions was a pass to John O'Shea that was hopelessly short.

The problem for Ferguson was that the man he had to rely on to get him out of this tight spot was Dimitar Berbatov. No inspiration there. And in the closing stages Rooney plunged a set of studs down on the thigh of Tyrone Mears. You could tell by the way the striker put a matey hand on referee Alan Wiley's shoulder that he was worried about a red card. But at least Rooney was still battling, some of his team-mates looked like they had run out of ideas long before then.

Burnley (4-1-4-1): Jensen 8; Mears 6, Bikey 7, Carlisle 7, Jordan 6; Alexander 8 (Gudjonsson, 71, 6), Blake 8, Elliott 7, McCann 7, Fletcher 6 (Thompson, 81); Paterson 6 (Eagles, 71, 5). Substitutes not used: Penny (gk), Kalvenes, McDonald, Guerrero.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Foster 6; O'Shea 5, Brown 4, (Neville, 70, 5), Evans, Evra 7; Park 5, Carrick 4, Giggs 6, Anderson 4 (Valencia, 58, 5); Rooney 7, Owen 3 (Berbatov, 63, 4). Substitutes not used: Scholes, Gibson, Kuszczak (gk), De Laet.

Booked: Burnley Paterson, Blake. Man United Rooney.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

Man of the match: Carlisle.

Attendance: 20,872.