Fletcher insists Reds are ready

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has backed the rest of the club’s senior stars to go on and win the Champions League without him.

Fletcher must sit out Wednesday’s showpiece final against Barcelona in Rome through suspension after his sending–off in the semi–final against Arsenal.

The Scotland international concluded his United duties for the season by lending his experience to an under–strength side in yesterday’s final Barclays Premier League fixture at Hull.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made 10 changes to his team to rest his biggest stars, retaining only Fletcher from the side that clinched the title against Arsenal last week.

The unfamiliar team, with an average age of only 23, still proved too strong for Hull, winning 1–0 with a stunning strike from Darron Gibson.

Fletcher (25) said: “I think it’s good to be going into the Champions League final with a bit of rest, it’s been a long season.

“It would have been difficult if we’d been trying to win the league here, we knew it would be a tough, physical match.

“With two days’ rest, to go and play Barcelona in the final would have been difficult, but fortunately we won the league early, with a game to spare.

“The lads have rested up and hopefully they’ll be ready to go against Barcelona.”

Fletcher can now only watch as United bid to retain the European crown they won in Moscow 12 months ago.

Newcastle were relegated from the Barclays Premier League after losing 1–0 at Aston Villa.

The worst fears of Alan Shearer, the Magpies’ interim manager, came true after a cruel deflection off Damien Duff gave Villa the lead six minutes before the break.

Second-bottom Middlesbrough joined the Magpies and already–relegated West Brom in the Coca–Cola Championship next year after they were defeated 2–1 at West Ham.