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Team lineups: Aberdeen v St. Mirren 12 May 2012 Confirmation of the starting eleven and substitutes named for this afternoon's fixture at home to St. Mirren. Source : MK Dons 0-2 Huddersfield Town | League One play-off semi-final 1st leg Huddersfield know play-off pain better than most, having failed in the League One post-season the past two seasons, but they took a significant step towards making it third time lucky with an impressive 2-0 victory at MK Dons. These sides were almost inseparable during the season. A 1-1 draw here in September was followed by a 1-1 draw at the Galpharm Stadium in early February, and they ended the campaign one point apart, with Huddersfield nosing ahead into fourth, and securing second-leg home advantage, on the final day. Here it initially appeared to be little different, with the sides so evenly matched in the opening half-hour that they could almost have been playing mirror images of themselves. That changed with Jordan Rhodes's intervention 32 minutes in. David Martin in the home goal did superbly to deny Kallum Higginbotham after Damien Johnson's break from midfield but, when Lee Novak swung the ball back in, Rhodes rose highest to glance home his 38th goal of a remarkably prolific season. That moment of quality jarred in a half that tended to lack rhythm. The home side mustered one shot on goal and carried only an occasional threat through Daniel Powell's pace and power on the right and Alan Smith's scheming up front. Their pressure was more insistent in the second half, however, with Dean Lewington shooting straight at Ian Bennett from close range and the Huddersfield goalkeeper forced to scramble back to deny Powell. But those two opportunities in the opening 15 minutes of the second half proved to be the high-water mark for the hosts. On the break Novak should have put Town 2-0 up when clean through midway through the half but with 17 minutes to go, Higginbotham and Jack Hunt tiki-taka-ed down the right, with the latter thumping the ball past Martin at his near post. The goal seemed to break the Dons' spirit but they roused themselves for one last effort in injury time, with Bennett clawing away Jabo Ibehre's injury-time header. League One 2011-12 MK Dons Huddersfield League One John Ashdown guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds show enclosure (image/jpeg) Source : Aberdeen star Kari Arnason could remain at Pittodrie after moves fail to materialise KARI ARNASON has performed a dramatic U-turn by insisting he now wants to stay at Aberdeen after realising no club was prepared to meet his increased wage demands. Source : St Mirren boss Danny Lennon: I want to watch us seal our highest ever SPL finish DANNY LENNON insistsSt Mirren’s ambition to claim their highest finish in recent history will be the driving force for a win at Aberdeen this afternoon. Source : ... but Ferguson still holds on to hope • Manchester United manager says pressure is still on City• Roberto Mancini's City on verge of first title in 44 years Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester City they will face "untold" ramifications if they fail to secure the title on Sunday. Roberto Mancini's men know victory over Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium will claim City's first title for 44 years unless Manchester United overturn an inferior goal difference of eight at Sunderland. Ferguson said: "City have got to win but it's an enormous challenge for them because the disappointment of losing the game would be unbelievable. It's untold at this moment in time what affect it could have on them." Ferguson hopes QPR can "do an Aberdeen", citing his remarkable underdog accomplishment of leading the Scottish side to victory over Real Madrid in the Cup Winners' Cup final 29 years ago. But even if City do win the title the United manager warned that his club will face up to the challenge to their supremacy, after securing 12 titles under the Scot. With Arsenal and Chelsea failing to dislodge them in recent years, he was asked if other clubs underestimate how difficult it is to knock United from the top. "I hope so. We are certainly not going away, that's for sure," he said. "There is a great thing about this club – an in-bred discipline about what is needed to win a league and it has shown itself this season again. The important thing is to know you have a challenge and we know that we have. If we lose the league then we have to try and win it again. We have a lot of young players in the club who will benefit from this season, no matter what happens.If we win it, they will be better, but if not, we know the job that we have to do." Whoever wins the championship this season, Ferguson believes this is only the start for his side, who have Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, David de Gea, Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, and Rafael and Fábio da Silva all now established names yet still relatively inexperienced. "We're not looking as though it's an end of an era for us. In many ways it's the start for many of the young players here. My biggest job this season has been managing the back four. Bringing the young goalkeeper [De Gea] in was a risk worth taking because of his ability, but only when Evans and Ferdinand started playing regularly did our results becomes consistent and that has been the story of our season. "City aren't going away. With the money they have to spend, they will go out and buy more players, but you can only buy so many and can only keep the balance for so long before it disrupts. We have our ideas about where we are going in the summer and I think we will be ready for the challenge next year, no matter what." Regarding QPR, who need a point to be sure of survival, Ferguson recalled his time as Aberdeen manager. "Do you know what I was doing 29 years ago today? I took a wee team called Aberdeen to beat Real Madrid in a European final. Eleven players, home-bred, with the oldest player 27 years old. That's QPR's challenge: to do an Aberdeen." Ferguson said it was difficult to know how City would cope. "A nervous situation could arise if, with 10 to 15 minutes to go, City aren't winning. The crowd could get a bit uneasy, but other than that, they seem composed enough." Ferguson praised the job Mancini has done. "Of course he has had a big financial advantage over everyone, but you still have to put a team on the pitch and pick the right players and the manager must take the most credit if you win the league in this country," he said. "Making everyone feel they have played their part is a massive part of the game today, so to win the league is a massive step forward for Mancini." Ferguson is all too conscious of what can happen on the final day after failure to win at West Ham United in 1995 allowed Blackburn Rovers to win the title despite defeat at Anfield. "How many chances did we have that day? It was unbelievable," he said. "It was agony because we didn't expect it – we thought Liverpool would maybe draw the game, but when we realised they had won – well, what a chance." Victory at Sunderland would mean United end on 89 points yet still finish second despite the tally enough to triumph in many seasons. "We can analyse that when the season is over, but at this moment we are not out of it," Ferguson said. "While human beings are human beings, we have to hope we have a chance." Ferguson added that Chris Smalling will miss England's Euro 2012 campaign due to a torn groin muscle but Danny Welbeck should recover from his ankle injury for the tournament.ends Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester City Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds show enclosure (image/jpeg) Source : Sir Alex Ferguson hoping Queens Park Rangers can 'do an Aberdeen' • Manchester United manager says pressure is still on City• Roberto Mancini's City on verge of first title in 44 years Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester City they will face "untold" ramifications if they fail to secure the title on Sunday. Roberto Mancini's men know victory over Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium will claim City's first title for 44 years unless Manchester United overturn an inferior goal difference of eight at Sunderland. Ferguson said: "City have got to win but it's an enormous challenge for them because the disappointment of losing the game would be unbelievable. It's untold at this moment in time what affect it could have on them." Ferguson hopes QPR can "do an Aberdeen", citing his remarkable underdog accomplishment of leading the Scottish side to victory over Real Madrid in the Cup Winners' Cup final 29 years ago. But even if City do win the title the United manager warned that his club will face up to the challenge to their supremacy, after securing 12 titles under the Scot. With Arsenal and Chelsea failing to dislodge them in recent years, he was asked if other clubs underestimate how difficult it is to knock United from the top. "I hope so. We are certainly not going away, that's for sure," he said. "There is a great thing about this club – an in-bred discipline about what is needed to win a league and it has shown itself this season again. The important thing is to know you have a challenge and we know that we have. If we lose the league then we have to try and win it again. We have a lot of young players in the club who will benefit from this season, no matter what happens.If we win it, they will be better, but if not, we know the job that we have to do." Whoever wins the championship this season, Ferguson believes this is only the start for his side, who have Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, David de Gea, Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, and Rafael and Fábio da Silva all now established names yet still relatively inexperienced. "We're not looking as though it's an end of an era for us. In many ways it's the start for many of the young players here. My biggest job this season has been managing the back four. Bringing the young goalkeeper [De Gea] in was a risk worth taking because of his ability, but only when Evans and Ferdinand started playing regularly did our results becomes consistent and that has been the story of our season. "City aren't going away. With the money they have to spend, they will go out and buy more players, but you can only buy so many and can only keep the balance for so long before it disrupts. We have our ideas about where we are going in the summer and I think we will be ready for the challenge next year, no matter what." Regarding QPR, who need a point to be sure of survival, Ferguson recalled his time as Aberdeen manager. "Do you know what I was doing 29 years ago today? I took a wee team called Aberdeen to beat Real Madrid in a European final. Eleven players, home-bred, with the oldest player 27 years old. That's QPR's challenge: to do an Aberdeen." Ferguson said it was difficult to know how City would cope. "A nervous situation could arise if, with 10 to 15 minutes to go, City aren't winning. The crowd could get a bit uneasy, but other than that, they seem composed enough." Ferguson praised the job Mancini has done. "Of course he has had a big financial advantage over everyone, but you still have to put a team on the pitch and pick the right players and the manager must take the most credit if you win the league in this country," he said. "Making everyone feel they have played their part is a massive part of the game today, so to win the league is a massive step forward for Mancini." Ferguson is all too conscious of what can happen on the final day after failure to win at West Ham United in 1995 allowed Blackburn Rovers to win the title despite defeat at Anfield. "How many chances did we have that day? It was unbelievable," he said. "It was agony because we didn't expect it – we thought Liverpool would maybe draw the game, but when we realised they had won – well, what a chance." Victory at Sunderland would mean United end on 89 points yet still finish second despite the tally enough to triumph in many seasons. "We can analyse that when the season is over, but at this moment we are not out of it," Ferguson said. "While human beings are human beings, we have to hope we have a chance." Ferguson added that Chris Smalling will miss England's Euro 2012 campaign due to a torn groin muscle but Danny Welbeck should recover from his ankle injury for the tournament.ends Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester City Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds show enclosure (image/jpeg) Source :
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