Giggs hails Reds’ record-breakers

MANCHESTER United star Ryan Giggs has paid tribute to the adaptability of the Reds’ defensive personnel during the build-up to tomorrow’s Premier League showdown with Everton.

Despite injuries to the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Wes Brown, United have clocked up 11 successive clean sheets in the league.

Such defensive dominance has been the bedrock of a United run of success which has seen them storm to the top of the table and stay firmly on course for a third successive title.

Goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar set a new individual record for the most minutes without conceding a goal when he surpassed Chelsea star Petr Cech's tally of 1,025 during the 5–0 demolition of West Brom at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night.

Said Giggs: "Edwin just gives that calming influence right throughout the team. His general goalkeeping is sound.

“He is getting better with age. Obviously he has got great players in front of him but, when he is called upon, he never makes a mistake.”

But Giggs also hailed the achievements of United’s fringe players, who have come into the side at a vital time and delivered the goods.

He said: “It’s an even better achievement because we have not been able to have a settled back four recently.

"Credit to the people who have come into the side like Fabio and Rafael (da Silva) and Johnny Evans. It's been a big squad effort."

United have every chance of yet another shut-out tomorrow when an Everton side shorn of strikers pitch up at Old Trafford.

With the likes of former United striker Louis Saha, Yakubu and James Vaughan sidelined with injury, Everton boss David Moyes has been employing a system designed to maximise the goalscoring potential of his attacking midfielders.

And one of them, Tim Cahill, has been magnificent in recent weeks, scoring vital goals - including draw-earning efforts against Liverpool and Arsenal - and setting up chances for others.

With such a dearth of attacking options, Everton are sure to adopt a policy of containment against United with the hope of snatching something at a set piece or on the break.

But United are on a roll and the two goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo at West Brom will send shock waves through the Reds’ Premier League rivals.

Ronaldo has looked out of sorts for much of the season, but if the free-scoring winger returns to his best and United can get injured striker Wayne Rooney back in action, then Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will surely possess too many guns for their main rivals as the season enters its pivotal stage.