Fergie hails birthday boy

Portsmouth 1, Manchester United 4

MANCHESTER United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Ryan Giggs after the veteran midfielder scored on the eve of his 36th birthday to inflict defeat on Avram Grant in his first match in charge of Portsmouth.

Giggs scored his 100th Premier League goal during the emphatic win at Fratton Park, with Wayne Rooney grabbing a hat-trick including two penalties.

With Giggs turning 36 yesterday, Ferguson said: “He’s an exceptional player. A rarity. He will play for another two years.

“Happy Birthday. He’s had it 36 times in his life, wait until he gets to 67. I think he’ll be retired by then.”

Pompey’s goal came via a penalty, with Kevin-Prince Boateng scoring, although an offence did not seem apparent when Mike Dean pointed to the spot.

Replays suggested Nemanja Vidic tugged Frederic Piquionne’s shirt.

“The linesman has put the referee under terrible pressure and he has to listen to the linesman who is 50 yards away,” said Ferguson.

“You see these things every weekend in the penalty box. If you are saying everyone who wrestles at a corner or tugs at a jersey concedes a penalty kick then that’s fine.

“But it doesn’t happen that way and this lines man has changed the whole course of normal decision making.

“So it was a very disappointing to get a penalty against us in that situation. Half-time came at a good time for us and the important thing was to keep our discipline and composure and play our football.”

Rooney earned the first penalty, then Giggs set up his second and won the penalty for the England striker’s hat-trick.

Ferguson added: “With strikers you always want them to score, and he’s got the matchball which is nice.”

Grant lost his final game as Chelsea manager to United and suffered defeat again, although he took heart from the performance and feels his side have the ability to climb from their place at the bottom of the league.

“It was a strange game,” he said. “If I came from the moon and heard the result I would have thought Manchester United played great and Portsmouth was not so good but we played very well.

“I thought we played better. We created a lot of chances and conceded soft goals.

“Our goalkeeper almost didn’t touch the ball and Tomasz Kuszczak made three great saves.

“Now our target is staying in the league, it won’t be easy but it will be possible.

“The football was good and the spirit but there are things we have to do better.

“When we play against teams close to us we need to win them.”

Grant expects to make signings when the transfer window opens, adding: “In January of course we want to make the squad stronger and we will do.”


Barclays Premier League: Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1, Blackburn 0 Stoke 0, Fulham 1 Bolton 1, Man City 1 Hull 1, Portsmouth 1 Man Utd 4, West Ham 5 Burnley 3, Wigan 1 Sunderland 0, Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3,Everton 0 Liverpool 2, Wolverhampton 0 Birmingham 1.