What to make of Man United’s proposed signing Andres Lindegaard?

According to Sky Sports, Andres Lindegaard is having a medical at Carrington this afternoon. Aalesund chairman Bjarne Haagensen has revealed he is currently in England with Lindegaard’s agent, Henrik Hoff, to talk with United.

“Henrik and I are in place in Manchester,” Haagensen told TV2.

So if the deal goes through, we survey what Manchester United will be getting for the reported £3.5m fee.

The 26 year old shot stopper will come to Manchester United with very little experience. He has only been capped three times by Denmark, but has kept two clean sheets. As well as this the keeper has a presence in goal, standing at 6’4.

Lindegaard has been touted as the new Peter Schmeichel in the Danish press and few could argue with this. He is a strong commanding goalkeeper who has a presence in goal. The keeper has an excellent command of his area, with excellent handling skills, he will a huge success in English football. As well as this he is a superb shot stopper, well skilled in getting down low despite his height. Lindegaad is also a very agile goalkeeper. He is quick to get up from saves, demonstrating these skills against Portugal in a recent international.

Despite his apparent talent, Peter Schmeichel himself has criticised the goalkeeper. The ‘Great Dane’ has expressed his surprise in the transfer, claiming the goalkeeper is not good enough.

‘We are talking about Manchester United here.’

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‘You can look at young talent, you can look at young, good players. You don’t want that. You want someone who can go straight away and give performances in 80% of the games the No 1 keeper will play Manchester United.’

The worry is that Schmeichel works for Danish television and has watched the keeper for many years. Although United have sent out Eric Steele to watch Lindegaard, have United done enough homework on the goalkeeper? We will wait to see, but the Danish press have heaped a huge amount of praise on the goalkeeper. With every new signing, there is a worry that they wont make the grade but if he performs as he has for Denmark this season, the goalkeeper will have no problems settling in at Old Trafford.

Comment below on your thoughts on the new goalkeeper. Also, contact me on twitter

Cardiff crash at Boro

Cardiff failed to close the gap on Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat away at Middlesbrough.

The Bluebirds remain four points behind Neil Warnock's men after a 40th minute penalty from Julio Arca was just enough to earn struggling Boro all three points at the Riverside Stadium.

In the come back of the day Leeds United moved to fourth spot in the Championship as they defeat Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor.

Goals from Easton and Jay Rodriquez had put the Clarets in control at the break but Leeds came fighting back to take the win thanks to goals from Max Gradel, Luciano Becchio and Jonny Howson.

Leicester were rampant at home to Doncaster as they ran out 5-1 winners. The visitors were 1-0 up at the break thanks to a goal from Billy Sharp in the 6th minute but goals from Paul Gallagher, Richie Wellens, Kyle Naughton, Martyn Waghhorn and Darius Vassell after the restart completed the rout.

Barnsley won the South Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United 1-0 thanks to a goal from Hugo Colace on 37 minutes and reports suggest it could be Gary Speed's last game in charge of the Blades as he is being lined up to take the Wales Job.

Play-off hopefulls Derby slipped to a 2-0 defeat away at Bristol City as Brett Pitman got a brace for the Robins, while Coventry remain in the top six despite a goalless draw away at Reading.

Norwich also stuttered going down 2-0 at home to Portsmouth as Dave Kitson and Greg Halford got the goals for the visitors.

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And finally Preston gave their survival hopes a boost as a goal by Iain Hume in the 5oth minute earned them a 1-0 home win over Ipswich Town.

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FIVE things we have learnt from Everton today

You never know which Everton team is likely to show up and today David Moyes saw his side surrender a golden opportunity to drag themselves away from the lower reaches of the Premier League.

For the neutral it is hard to put your finger on where it is going wrong for Everton at the moment, but something is certainly missing as they seem a shadow of the team that we have witnessed in previous seasons.

So where do Everton fans think it is going wrong, and what are the five things we learnt about the Toffees this afternoon?

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Hammers grant reprieve to Avram

West Ham United have declared they are committed to embattled manager Avram Grant amid speculation Martin O’Neill has turned down the job.West Ham were reportedly ready to sack Grant and turn to O’Neill to rescue their flailing Premier League season, with the former Aston Villa boss believed to have been tempted with a large bonus should he save the bottom-placed Hammers from relegation.

But reports late on Monday suggested that O’Neill had cooled on taking over at Upton Park after his name was prematurely touted in the media, and with no other suitors on the horizon it appears Grant is safe for now.

English newspaper the Daily Mirror also reported that Hammers vice-chairman Karren Brady had contacted players in an attempt to unsettle Grant, who has made it clear he will not resign.

West Ham released a statement on Tuesday backing Grant and lambasting the latest allegations levelled at the struggling top-flight club.

“West Ham United categorically deny the allegations made in today’s Daily Mirror with regard to Karren Brady, the club’s vice-chairman,” the statement read.

“Karren has worked tirelessly to improve all aspects of the club’s operation and is extremely disappointed by the nature of these unfounded allegations.”

“West Ham fully intend to identify the source of these unhelpful and untrue comments and remove them from the club. West Ham have placed the matter immediately in the hands of their lawyers.”

“The club are committed to retaining Avram Grant as manager and have identified potential transfer targets to give us the best possible chance of retaining Premier League status.”

O’Neill has been out of work since quitting Villa days before the start of the season, and was the frontrunner to replace Grant after the Israeli led the Hammers on their worst-ever start to a top-flight season.

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Reports had suggested O’Neill would take over following West Ham’s clash with Arsenal on Saturday, which the Gunners won 3-0.

Grant apparently believed he was headed out the door at Upton Park and made a big show of saying goodbye to the Hammers faithful, throwing his scarf into the crowd, applauding fans and shaking hands with each of his players following West Ham’s loss.

Vela joins West Brom on loan

West Brom have secured the services of Arsenal striker Carlos Vela on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old’s move is a big blow for Bolton boss Owen Coyle, who had expressed an interest in signing the marksman.

But West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo was delighted to have won the race for the Mexico international’s signature and believes he will add a new attacking dimension to his squad.

“I’d like to officially welcome Carlos, who is an exciting signing for this club,” Di Matteo said.

“Carlos is a new attacking option for us who can play both centrally and in the wide areas.”

“He also has great technical ability and pace and we’re hoping he can make a big impact during the remainder of the season.”

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“Having said all that, we have to remember he is still a young boy learning his trade and we will be giving him all the support he needs during his time here.”

Redknapp delight at spirited display

Harry Redknapp again praised the resilience of his Spurs side after they came from behind to post a 2-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

After falling behind to an early Asamoah Gyan goal, Spurs hit back through a header from Michael Dawson just before half-time, with Niko Kranjcar producing a stunning long-range winner just before the hour mark to seal all three points for the Londoners.

It was Spurs’ sixth away win this season and lifted them into fourth in the English Premier League, 10 points behind leaders Manchester United.

“This team doesn’t give up and there is a great spirit at the club,” Redknapp said.

“It’s difficult to come back when you go behind in the Premier League but we’ve managed to do it again.”

“Sunderland started brightly and scored their goal but the game settled down after that and I thought there was something in it for us.”

“I just felt if we could score before half-time we’d have a big chance and I fancied us to go on and win the game in the second half.”

“Niko popped up with another fantastic goal and it’s something he practises after training every day. He’s a top, top player.”

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce, meanwhile, lamented the equaliser his side conceded just before half-time as the turning point in the game. The result was his side’s third-straight loss, although they remain in seventh place.

“We started so well but the goal just before half-time killed us,” Bruce said.

“We still haven’t learned our lesson from the Stoke game (a 3-2 loss last weekend), and we’ve talked about it before.”

“It was a simple lack of concentration from a corner and because of that we were deflated going in at half-time.”

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“We didn’t pick up Dawson, who’s their best header of the ball – for all our hard work, it’s happened again.”

“For me, that moment cost us the match.”

“I have to hold my hands up for the second goal – it was a wonder strike. But there’s a frustration there because we should have got something from the game.”

A Champions League guide to Marseille for Manchester United fans

The draw for the knockout stages of Champions League paired Manchester United with Marseille in the last 16, meaning that Man United fans will be travelling to the south of France. Many Manchester United fans will be relishing the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful areas of Europe and of course to enjoy some Champions League action at the Stade Velodrome. If you haven’t travelled to Marseille for European football before, here is a guide to the French city so that you can know everything you need to on your European trip.

The first thing you’ll want to do is get your hands on those coveted tickets for the match at the Stade Velodrome. The first leg takes place in Marseille on Wednesday 23rd February and you can check ticket availability by clicking here. The stadium is located in the south of Marseilles, just a couple of miles from the city centre. You can take the metro to Rond Point du Prado Station on Line 2 to Ste Marguerite/Dromel. If you go down the route of car hire then heading to Marseille from the north you need to get off the autoroute at the Aubagne Junction and follow the signs to the Stade Velodrome. You can search for car hire options, alongside flights, by clicking here.

There are a number of flight options available to you, although as the Champions League fixture approaches the demand for air travel to Marseilles is sure to increase. Flights are available from London Gatwick, Stanstead and Bristol direct to Marseille Provence Airport. You can decide to stay in Marseilles for the night and get a return flight back the next day so that you can explore the French city as well as watch the football.

Buy Marseille v Man United Champions League tickets here!

If you plan to stay in Marseilles for the night then you’ll need to book hotel accommodation alongside flights. The Football FanCast Travel Page is ideal for this as you can bring up all the hotels within a five mile radius of the Stade Velodrome. The available hotels are also listed in order of price so that your French football trip doesn’t have to cost you the earth. A handy map illustrates just where you’ll be staying, too, with Mercure Marseille Prado on the doorstep of the Olympique Marseille stadium.

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So you can book football tickets, flights, hotel and accommodation for the Marseilles v Manchester United Champions League fixture with a couple of clicks of your mouse. This will ensure your trip to France is as simple as possible, then you just have to hope that Man United do the business in the Stade Velodrome.

Marseille to step into Old Trafford cauldron

Marseille manager Didier Deschamps is unfazed by Manchester United’s home record, saying the English giants will not win on reputation alone.Marseille travel to Old Trafford on Tuesday to wrap up the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with United.Sir Alex Ferguson’s men held the French champions to a 1-1 draw in their initial outing at the Stade Velodrome, leaving them in a strong position to advance to the quarter-finals.United have not lost at Old Trafford since April last year, an unbeaten stretch of 24 games, and will be boosted by the shock return of Portuguese ace Nani, who is expected to play despite earlier being ruled out with a deep gash in his leg.Deschamps is aware that the form guide heavily favours Marseille’s opponents, but warned United that his side will not be intimidated by their imperious home record.”If you look at the statistics then it is a difficult task,” Deschamps said.”Manchester United have not been beaten at home for 24 games and have only conceded one goal in seven Champions League matches this season.””Though it’s three or four years since Manchester United last won this trophy, thanks to their status they’re always among four or five teams that are favourites to win at the start of every season.””On paper you’d expect them to qualify but we’ve got every chance as well. Football’s not played on paper.””Nani did well in the first leg, he created one or two problems for us. What I like about him is that he speeds the game up and every attack involving Nani is fast, but equally the likes of (Wayne) Rooney, Chicharito (Javier Hernandez) and (Ryan) Giggs can all create problems for us.””We’re only likely to get around three or four chances during the whole game so we’ll have to be very precise in our finishing.”Ferguson raised eyebrows by naming seven recognised defenders in his 11 to take on Arsenal in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final.The selection gamble worked as United triumphed 2-0 over the Gunners, but Deschamps said Marseille will counter with a simple and effective plan should Ferguson make any left-field calls on Tuesday. “Having watched the game against Arsenal first hand, I’m not sure what tactics Sir Alex will play, but we’ll do our best to attack them while keeping things tight at the back and trying not to give anything away,” Deschamps said.

Comeback goes to plan for Schalke

Schalke manager Felix Magath believes going a goal down was the spark his side needed to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.After the first-leg between Schalke and Valencia ended at 1-1 at the Mestalla, the La Liga side took an early lead and scored a vital away goal through Ricardo Costa after just 17 minutes.But that goal opened the game up and with Peruvian playmaker Jefferson Farfan dominating in midfield and scoring a double as Schalke came from behind to record a 3-1 win that sent them into the last eight of Europe’s most prestigious club competition for the second time in four years.”I think at the beginning the result from the first leg was a burden for us,” Magath said.”We were not aggressive enough, that’s why Valencia could raise their game. After we conceded it got better as we had nothing to lose anymore.””Then we fought back, but the situation was quite dicey and I would have liked Jefferson (Farfan) to score the (third) goal earlier.””We had Manuel Neuer and a bit of luck, but that’s what you need in order to reach the next round.”Valencia had several golden opportunities to equalise at 2-1 down, and coach Unai Emery insisted his side had thrown away a terrific chance to progress.”It’s so disappointing. With everything in our favour we managed to throw it all away,” Emery said.”At 0-1 we had the game under control with chances to counterattack, and then they go and equalise.””In the second half, without hardly creating a chance, they go 2-1 up. We then have four chances and don’t take any of them. We’ve lost unjustly.”Emery admitted he could not speak to his players after the game such was his disappointment, while he reserve praised for Neuer who made a string of excellent saves.”I went back into the dressing room so down that I couldn’t say anything to the players, but in reality I can’t hold them responsible for anything,” he said.”I must also recognise the great performance their goalkeeper (Manuel Neuer) put in. We can’t talk of bad luck tonight; we needed to be assertive and we weren’t.”

UEFA hands bans to Wenger, Jordan

Tottenham Hotspur assistant Joe Jordan has received a one-match touchline ban for his part in a confrontation with AC Milan’s Gennaro Gattuso.Jordan and Gattuso squared up to each other during Spurs’ 1-0 Champions League victory against Milan in the San Siro on February 15.Gattuso, who appeared to be the aggressor in the situation, received a four-match ban. The Italian midfielder later claimed he was provoked by verbal abuse from Jordan, although the Scot denies the allegations. UEFA have now announced that the 59-year-old will also be punished. “The control and disciplinary body has imposed a one-match ban on the Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager Joe Jordan following incidents that took place at the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg against AC Milan in Italy on February 15,” the European governing body said in a statement.”The punishment applies to Tottenham’s next game in the competition – the English club’s quarter-final first leg on 5 or 6 April.””An appeal may be lodged against the ruling within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision.”Meanwhile, UEFA have also handed one-match bans to Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri for using inappropriate language towards the referee after their Champions League loss to Barcelona.The Arsenal pair confronted match official Massimo Busacca after Robin van Persie was sent off during the match for a second yellow card.”Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and midfield player Samir Nasri have both been suspended for one UEFA club competition match following charges of improper conduct,” a UEFA statement read.”The Arsenal manager has also been fined 10,000 euros.””An appeal may be lodged against the ruling within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision.”

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