Fergie - Berba is my Cantona

10 March 2009 08:37
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has likened striker Dimitar Berbatov with Red Devils legend Eric Cantona for his match-winning capabilities.[LNB] However one area where the 28-year-old trumps the iconic Frenchman is his goalscoring record in European competitions.[LNB]Critics claimed that Cantona failed to take his inspired domestic form onto the European stage, scoring just five goals in 16 appearances from 1993 to 1997.[LNB]Berbatov has managed 32 goals in 57 European ties for CSKA Sofia, Bayer Leverkusen, Spurs and United and Ferguson is hoping that he can improve that record against Inter on Wednesday.[LNB]The Bulgarian's strike against Newcastle last week, his 13th of the season, was the fourth time since Christmas that he has scored a winner and it is for this reason why his manager has compared him with Cantona.[LNB]"Cantona used to score important goals and Dimitar does the same. He has scored four or five goals that have won us games now," he said in the Daily Express.[LNB]Emphatic"If he keeps on scoring important goals then it is an emphatic result for us. He's well into double figures now and his is coming along nicely.[LNB]"He is finding his way to goal more which is something that doesn't surprise me as he scored more than 20 in each of his two seasons at Spurs.[LNB]"It has simply been a matter of him adjusting to our style of play along with our players getting to know his kind of game.[LNB]"He is a different type of player to what we had last season. He has got a patience and composure in the last third of the field that is helping us."[LNB]As well as his goals, Berbatov also has nine assists to his name, but he shies away from the comparison with a man who was voted the club's player of the century in 2001 by United fans and insists he is just happy if his boss is pleased with his performances.[LNB]"I am just myself. I don't want to be compared with anybody else, especially a legend like Cantona," he said.[LNB]"I don't play for myself, I play for the team. I always try to help my own team and team-mates. For me the only thing that matters is what the boss is thinking.[LNB]Enjoyment"If he's happy, I'm happy as well. It's about enjoyment and winning games. When you win games you win trophies.[LNB]"I know some players like to give themselves a figure to aim for. That's not me. I just want to play my part in the team and help United win trophies with goals, assists and my play.[LNB]"I hope that people appreciate the assists as well as my goals because sometimes I take more pleasure making a goal than scoring myself.[LNB]"If you ask some of the guys here, I am the quiet one, I don't talk much. I prefer to listen and watch. I have been like that all my life but I don't make problems for anyone unless someone is asking for them."[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports