Source: SKY_Sports
Ronaldo returns
Clayton Blackmore believes Manchester United will win the Champions League following their victory over Porto on Wednesday night.[LNB] However, the former United midfielder is uncertain they will take the Premier League title as well this season. [LNB]Blackmore told Sky Sports News that while United proved in their 1-0 defeat of the Portuguese champions that they are returning to form, the fixture list is proving kind to their Premier League title rivals Liverpool. [LNB]"I think Manchester United will win the Champions League and the FA Cup," he said. [LNB]"But everything is falling just right for Liverpool at the moment in terms of the league. They are getting a lot of luck with how their ties are falling.[LNB]"Their biggest remaining game is against Arsenal and they are playing them just after Arsenal have played Chelsea at Wembley. [LNB]"Arsenal have also got a lot of injuries to their defence, so it is a good time to play Arsenal for Liverpool, just as it was a good time for Liverpool to play us when they beat us 4-1."[LNB]United's win at the Est?o do Drag?was the first time an English team had beaten Porto on their own turf and the victory has set up a Champions League semi-final meeting with Arsenal. [LNB]SharperBlackmore was impressed with the significant improvement in United's display, following their disappointing first leg draw against the Portuguese outfit at Old Trafford. [LNB]"They were a lot sharper than in the home leg, where they looked a bit jaded.[LNB]"They had played Aston Villa on the Sunday and had just one day of rest before the Champions League game, which was a bit of a risk as they could have moved the Villa game back to the Saturday. [LNB]"However, everyone looked very sharp last night. Porto thought they were just going to attack us at will and create chances at will but it just never happened."[LNB]Wonder strikeThe teams were separated by a wonder strike from Cristiano Ronaldo - a sign, Blackmore believes, that the winger is returning to his best form. [LNB]"That's what happens when you give him a little bit of space, even 40 yards out. It was a great strike and didn't give the keeper much chance.[LNB]"Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi are on a par. Last year Ronaldo was the best player I've ever seen but he had an operation at the start of the season and it has taken him three to four months to get back to where he was last season - he's not quite there, but is very close now. [LNB]"Two to three months ago he was laying everything off, not taking his chances but now he's chasing things, running at people again and getting past people.[LNB]"Alex Ferguson thinks he is the best player in the world and I agree. You can't afford not to have people like him in your team. If you take Messi out of Barcelona's side it would be the same there."[LNB]European doubleBlackmore is confident United can overcome Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final - despite losing to the Gunners 2-1 earlier in the season - and can match Barcelona in the final, should the Spanish giants beat Chelsea. [LNB]"Arsenal are getting better and better. Their players are coming back to fitness and they've got their best players back so its going to be a really tough semi-final and we will need our 'A' game to beat them, but we've got fantastic players too and I think we've got the players to go and win both ties. [LNB]"No one has seen Barcelona play against an English team yet, either. Real Madrid, who lost 4-0 to Liverpool, are only six points behind them in the Spanish league."[LNB]United play Everton this weekend in the FA Cup semi-final but Blackmore is concerned the club's busy Premier League run-in could destroy their dreams of the quintuple. [LNB]"It's getting closer everyday but they've only got three days rest between most of their remaining games and all season every time we've played on a Saturday we've not been as sharp on the Wednesday - it's the same for all teams."[LNB]
