1 Van Der Sar, Edwin

2 Bebé

3 Neville, Gary

4 Evra, Patrice

5 Evans, Jonny

6 Ferdinand, Rio

7 Brown, Wes

8 Anderson

9 Berbatov, Dimitar

10 Rooney, Wayne

11 Giggs, Ryan

12 Park, Ji-Sung

13 Vidic, Nemanja

14 Carrick, Michael

15 Scholes, Paul

16 O’Shea, John

17 Fletcher, Darren

18 Valencia, Luis Antonio

19 Gibson, Darron

20 Kuszczak, Tomasz

21 De Laet, Ritchie

22 Hernández, Javier

23 Owen, Michael

24 Hargreaves, Owen

Under 21 players (selected)

Amos, Ben

Cleverley, Thomas

Drinkwater, Danny

Eikrem, Magnus

Evans, Corry

Gill, David

Keane, William

Macheda, Federico

Obertan, Gabriel

Da Silva, Rafael

Da Silva, Fábio

Pogba, Paul

Smalling, Chris

Welbeck, Danny

Brazil started in 1962 by defending the tittle and it goes on till this World Cup.From 1962 every World Cup has been alternatively won by a Latin American country(Brazil or Argentina) or by a European powerhouse.What makes Brazil or Argentina such firm favourites ? If every European team (except The Dutch and Spain) epitomize grit while their Latino counterparts epitomize sheer skill.Is it because of the way the players are trained or the approach itself is totally different on the two continents.Training facilities are unmatched in Europe but style of play is much more methodical.The Germans and the Italians play with such grit and self belief that they can never be written off.Players like Bobby Charlton,Johan Cruyff,Franz Beckenbauer and Michel Platini have become greats but never legends like Pele or Diego Maradona.

 Brazilians more than anyone have proved time and again that their Samba style of football is just invincible.Coach Dunga’s tactics are more unbrazilian this time so its really interesting to see Brazil’s style of play this time.Maradona on the other side has been the maverick he is even in his selection policy by not choosing Inter Milan’s Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso who were both in the treble team of this years Inter Milan.

Unlike last World Cup final a final between a South American nation and a European one would be a dream final.Will the first World Cup held on African soil cast its Voodoo and change the myth? Will sheer grit or skill prevail this time? According to the myth it should be the Latinos this time but you never know till the final whistle blows off in the extra time or the last penalty is taken in the final.

Last Sunday his challenge on Aarshavin was horrid but he survived.Isn’t it ironical that the refree brandished the red card qiute unnecessarily and when it had to be another refree didn’t.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s predictions were quite right ,Arsenal gave no chance  to Manchester United in the first half .Aarshavin’s long range swerving kick in the 40th minute summed up Manchester United’s woes.Van Persie got support from Aarshavin and Abou Diaby.Ben Foster made a string of saves and wasn’t much supported by his defence.

Robin Van Persie’s close range shot in the second half made the scoreline almost 2-0 but thanks to Ben Foster’s long strech saved United from blushes.Alumina’s Rush of blood triggered Arsenal’s collapse,his attempt to catch the ball was futile which only helped United equalise through Rooney’s penalty.Abou Diaby then diverted Ryan Gigg’s free kick past Alumina.

Robin Van persie’s  brilliant free kick which hit the top of the woodwork was Arsenal’s last genuine chance .Patrice Evra and Wes Brown defended well the last 20 minutes .Nani’s  superb pass was squandered by Dimtar Bebatov who was substituted for Antonio Valencia.Drama then unfolded in the dying seconds when Robin Van Persie’s equaliser was disallowed after William Gallas  was ruled offside.

Arsène Wenger was sent off after he kicked the bottle .”I didn’t kick the bottle because I thought Gallas had been onside, I kicked it because I was disappointed,I did not know that was not allowed” Wenger explained.

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Even Sir Alex Ferguson was prepared for a stiff test.”[Arsenal] winning 6–1 at Everton is an amazing result, then scoring four goals against Portsmouth. We’ve got a game on our hands and we’ve got to get our form right and make sure we’re consistent. We’ve already lost one game and can’t afford to lose another.”

Antonio Valencia started surprisingly who showed flashes of brilliance. The back four were not solid because of the absence of  Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.Ben Foster still din’t have  much work in the first half but Birmingham city upped the ante in the second half remarkably.

Rooney should have scored twice but Joe Hart denied him with a brilliant save.Michael Owen was given sixteen minutes whose shot was parried by Joe Hart.

United have been wobbly at times  but Rooney’s promising start and second string defence’s performance should calm down the nerves of United’s supporters.

Reporters were asking questions about Ronaldo  and Sir Alex Ferguson insists Manchester United don’t need Ronaldo.”Look at the summer we almost signed Ronaldinho [2003]. That fell through but two months later we got Ronaldo. Going further back, we wanted Paul Gascoigne but it didn’t happen and we got Paul Ince and then Roy Keane. In 1992 we thought there was a good chance we would get David Hirst and then we tried for Alan Shearer. We didn’t get either of them but we got Eric Cantona. It happens that way but this time the improvement must come from within.”

Sir Alex Ferguson thinks Arsenal are not any more in the fray for the top spot.“You can throw a blanket over ourselves, Liverpool and Chelsea,” he said.

“I think it will be between the three of us and there is not a lot to choose between us. What might decide it is that one club gets a couple of injuries or a bit of bad luck. We do have more experience of winning the title but that does not make such a difference, given the kind of competition we are entering into.”

Ferguson said Ronaldo’s departure was not at all a surprise.”Most of the players probably expected Ronaldo to leave at some point so it is not such a great shock that he has left,” Ferguson said. “The problem is, of course, how we progress as a football team, in a different shape and in a different way to when Ronaldo was here. That really is something I am looking forward to because it will be different without Cristiano.”

Venue Old Trafford, Sunday, 1.30pm BST.