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• United manager makes no reference to Evra-Suárez affair
• Improved behaviour ensured bigger ticket allocation in FA Cup

Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Manchester United’s supporters to behave themselves at Liverpool on Saturday – and ensure they back his team in the correct manner.

Improved behaviour by United fans at this season’s Premier League encounter between the north-west giants has led to a large increase in the percentage of their ticket allocation being released for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield.

However, there are fears of problems as it will also be the first meeting between the teams since the race row exploded between Patrice Evra and Luis Suárez that ended with the Liverpool striker being hit by an eight-match suspension.

In a letter to supporters who have tickets for the game, Ferguson makes no reference to Evra or Suárez, or the row he has continually stressed would have no impact on relations between the two clubs. However, he has pleaded for “positive, witty and loud” support as his side attempt to reach the last 16.

“I wrote to fans attending the away match in October urging them to co-operate with stewards and officials at Liverpool so we can make a strong case for restoring our allocation for future United games at Anfield,” said the letter from Ferguson.

“The fans did almost everything asked of them that day and as a result, we have a much improved allocation for this important FA Cup tie.

“Please do everything you can to continue that good work and protect next season’s allocation by:

• Going to the seat that you’ve bought

• Not blocking aisles and gangways

• Respecting the stewards

• Following the ground regulations

“FA Cup ties are tense affairs at the best of times,” he added. “Add in the fact that Manchester United against Liverpool is the biggest game around and it becomes even more so.

“Your support is vital to the team and down the years that has been especially true at Anfield.

“But please put the emphasis on getting us into the next round and giving the sort of support you are famous for – positive, witty and loud.”

It had previously been suggested peace talks would take place between Liverpool and United officials over the bad blood that was spilled during the Evra-Suárez row.

Ferguson claimed he did not see the need for that and though there have been discussions, it is believed they centred around the game itself and were no more significant than they would be for any other match between the two clubs in recent years.

When the teams last met in the FA Cup at Anfield, in February 2006, there were widespread claims of mistreatment by the United fans, which it is hoped a massive police and stewarding presence will avoid on this occasion.

The visitors lost that time as well, and their hopes of victory this time around will not be helped by the injuries Nani and Phil Jones suffered at Arsenal on Sunday, although there have been suggestions the latter player’s ankle knock, which Ferguson suggested could keep him out for a number of weeks, might not be as serious as first suggested.

Manchester UnitedSir Alex FergusonLiverpoolFA Cup 2011-12FA Cup
guardian.co.uk

On taking over, Mark Hughes talked about his players having to quickly understand what was required. On this evidence it is to adhere to a tight shape, fan out when in possession to offer the ball carrier options, and shoot more.

Simple, maybe, but in the last days of Neil Warnock QPR too often lost their way and games when teams got at them. Here, Tommy Smith’s 79th-minute 30-yard barnburner that sealed the win illustrated Hughes’s point when he also stated that conversion not creation was what has hobbled QPR this season.

Despite this being a contest between two sides stuck in the exit chamber of the Premier League this was a riveting watch. Bottom place (Wigan) against 18th (QPR) in late January sounds like an advert for a tense and torpid affair but this was pacy and entertaining to the end as Hughes registered his first Premier League win as QPR manager.

Victor Moses raced down the left to leave Luke Young flailing before zipping a ball across Paddy Kenny that no team-mate could convert. This followed Jordi Gómez delivering a cross that a dozing home defence allowed Steve Gohouri to wander onto unmarked but he missed.

DJ Campbell, replaced by Smith at the break, looked sharp until opportunity came knocking: a flipped pass from Joey Barton removed the defence but found only a static Campbell and strike partner, Heidar Helguson.

Akos Buzsaky missed with two attempts but ended the period planting a 25-yard free-kick beyond Ali al-Habsi that pinged in off the right post.

Before, Barton’s corner from the left was poor, but James McCarthy stuck out a hand, the penalty was awarded, and Helguson stepped up to stroke home for a ninth of the campaign.

QPR could even afford to miss a penalty – Helguson this time seeing his kick produce a fine save from Habsi to his right.

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeagueJamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk

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Good evening all. Scott will here soon enough to type you through Liverpool’s trip to Bolton. If you get here before him, here’s Kenny Dalglish on Stewart Downing to keep you warm. Enjoy.

Kenny Dalglish has defended Stewart Downing, describing him as a better player than he envisaged when paying £20m to sign the England international from Aston Villa, despite the winger’s subdued start to his Liverpool career.

Downing has yet to score or create one league goal for Liverpool since his big money move from the Midlands, although he did register his first goal for the club in the FA Cup third-round win over Oldham Athletic, and growing criticism of the 27-year-old’s performances has prompted Dalglish to defend his summer signing. The Liverpool manager, who has been offered the Serbian striker Milos Krasic by Juventus, believes Downing is still adjusting to life at a higher-profile club and that it has been unfair to play the former Middlesbrough winger in several positions during his debut season at Anfield.

“Stewart is a better player than I thought he was going to be,” the Liverpool manager claimed. “I don’t think it has been too comfortable for him either because we have played him in three or four positions, so maybe we need to look at ourselves and say we have to be fair to him as well. He is better than what I thought he was. He is quicker than what I thought he was and he is quicker than Carra [Jamie Carragher] thought he was as well.”

Continued here

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeagueScott Murray
guardian.co.uk