Mission accomplished is the best that can be said about this Manchester United drab 1-0 defeat of Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox. United and Valencia will now battle for top spot in Group C in the final game, while Rangers can take some consolation from parachuting into the Europa League ahead of Turkish champions Bursaspor.
The obvious mutual respect between Glasgow Rangers manager Walter Smith and Sir Alex Ferguson has existed for many years and will remain strong irrespective of what happens at Ibrox on Wednesday night. Smith spent a short time as Ferguson’s assistant at Old Trafford back in 2004 and the Champions League clash will be the tenth meeting between the two. It’s also likely to be the last as Smith plans to quit Rangers at the end of the season. When asked about Ferguson by the Telegraph Sport on the weekend Smith simply responded by saying “Is he the best? I don’t think that there’s any doubt about that – but I wouldn’t tell him.
Are we REALLY in 2010? Can such ignorance possibly still exist in a modern, western society? Manchester United travel to Glasgow next week to face Rangers in a European Champions League match. Reports are now emerging that Uniteds young Mexican striker Javier Hernandez could be forced to abandon his practice of saying a pre match Catholic prayer. Deeply religious Hernandez kneels on the centre spot and prays before kick off in every game he starts in but it’s believed United boss Sir Alex Ferguson – himself a former Rangers player, will advise the 22 year old not carry out his normal ritual at Ibrox.
