QPR vs Manchester United Pre-Game Articles

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Manchester United -Rio: Come on you Reds!
Rio Ferdinand says tonight’s Carling Cup clash with Queens Park Rangers is the perfect opportunity for the Reds’ youngsters to impress.
“It’s vital for the kids,” Ferdinand, now 30, said. “They had the opportunity to do well against Coventry [in the third round] last season but got knocked out and didn’t play well. When that happens it’s disappointing for the lads.”
United’s youngsters have already gone one better this season, breezing past Middlesbrough with a 3-1 victory. That match saw Ben Amos, Danny Welbeck and Manucho all make their Reds debuts, while Rafael and Rodrigo Possebon also impressed.
“Hopefully they’ll continue to do well in the tournament because it’s a great chance to see how well they’re developing as footballers.
“It’s a great opportunity to grow and experience playing at Old Trafford in a game that means something. Fingers crossed they’ll get through to the next round.” Manchester United


Sporting Life/Andy Sims and Rich Jones, PA Sport - QPR SEEK TASTE OF THINGS TO COME
- Cash-rich QPR will get a taste of the promised land on Tuesday night when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Carling Cup fourth round.
- With Formula One moguls Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, plus the world's fifth-richest man, Lakshmi Mittal, on the board, the Londoners can claim to be wealthier than their hosts, although the gulf in class between the two clubs is huge.
- However, with Rangers harbouring dreams of playing in the Barclays Premier League as soon as possible, caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth hopes the trip to face the English and European champions is just a taste of things to come.
- "We're the underdogs and we're not expected to win but if we put the passion in we can achieve anything at this club," he said.
- "The Premier League is the place we want to be so this is going to be a little taste of what the boys can expect and what they can look forward to, because I believe QPR will be in the Premier League very soon.
- "I'll still feel the pressure, though. We want to go up there and give a good account of ourselves and who knows what will happen.
- "It's going to be a massive challenge for us and an amazing experience for the boys. Some people say they won't play their first team but their second team is pretty good as well..." Sporting Life


The Sun - Cook hopes to serve up a treat
LEE COOK shelled out £720 on tickets for QPR’s trip to Manchester United — but admits a win would be priceless.
The Rangers winger wanted to ensure friends and family get into Old Trafford for the biggest match of his career.
And Hoops fan Cook is hoping to emulate the last QPR team to win at United in 1992 He said: “I remember when Dennis Bailey got that hat-trick in a 4-1 win. I was 10 years old and had been in hospital after an asthma attack.
“But I got my dad to pick me up and I was discharged early as I wanted to get home to watch the game with my family.
“It would be nice if one of the boys could do that this time too.
“Who knows, maybe it could be me.
“I’ve never played at United before and have had to get 20 tickets for family and friends. But we only get two complimentary ones.
“So I’ve had to shell out a fair whack, it’s £40 a ticket! I’ll be getting the money back off my mates, though no one will care about the money if we end up getting a result.”
Stand-in QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth can stake his claim for the permanent role if he pulls off a shock tonight.
The 35-year-old took over from Iain Dowie at the end of last month.
And Ainsworth said: “I’m enjoying it a lot and at the moment I am taking it day by day. Co-owner Flavio Briatore and the fans have given me their backing so far. As long as that is going on, I am a happy man. I’m proud to be at the helm of QPR.
“If Flavio does decide to put me in charge, then fantastic.” The Sun


The Mirror - Lee Cook I'M COOK A HOOP!
Lee Cook shelled out £720 on tickets for QPR's trip to Manchester United tonight - but admits a win at Old Trafford would be priceless.
The Rangers winger, 26, coughed up for friends and family to see the biggest match of his career.
Cook, a lifelong Hoops fan, said: "I've never played at United before and have had to get 20 tickets.
"I've had to shell out a fair whack, but I'll be getting the money back off my mates, though no one will care if we get a result.
"To play at the Theatre of Dreams, well it's exactly that - a dream." Mirror


Telegraph/Clive Ellis - 1992 hat-trick hero Dennis Bailey tells QPR to attack Manchester United in Carling Cup
- If Queens Park Rangers need last-minute inspiration before their Carling Cup tie at Old Trafford on Tuesday night they could do worse than access the YouTube footage of the side's wildly unexpected 4-1 win at Old Trafford on New Year's Day in 1992.
Hoop dreams: Dennis Bailey's new year's day hat-trick at Old Trafford 16 years ago has been matched only by former Real Madrid player Ronaldo since Photo: PA
- The result, which remains United's biggest home defeat since 1977, was startling enough, but it also threw up one of football's greatest one-hat-trick wonders, Dennis Bailey, an unheralded striker who soaked up his week of fame before returning almost as quickly to obscurity.
- Bailey, then 26, had signed from Birmingham City for £175,000 the previous summer, marking his debut and first game in the top flight with a goal against Arsenal.
- The United side who took on QPR started the day as Division One leaders – they eventually finished runners-up to Leeds – and were unbeaten at home.
- Peter Schmeichel was in goal; Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister were at the heart of the defence; Paul Ince was in midfield; Mark Hughes was up front and 18-year-old Ryan Giggs was a substitute.
- Sixteen years on Bailey remembers it as a "fantastic occasion", adding: "We had a game plan and it paid off perfectly.
- "We were on a good run ourselves, but the pressure was off us and we played brilliantly on the counter. We certainly weren't flattered by the score: we could have had six or seven in the end."
- QPR, co-ordinated in midfield by managers-to-be Ray Wilkins and Ian Holloway, were two up inside five minutes.
- Composed finishes brought Bailey his first two goals and he completed his hat-trick late on with a tap-in after an Andy Sinton shot fell obligingly into his path after hitting a post.
- No team have scored four times at Old Trafford since, and Real Madrid's Ronaldo is the only other visiting player to have matched his hat-trick. "Not bad company to be in," Bailey said.
- The torrent of publicity which followed majored on Bailey the born-again Christian.
- He said at the time that God should be credited with assists on each of his goals and admits now that his faith made it easier for him to cope with the swift return to footballing reality, as a torn abductor muscle kept him out for much of the rest of the season.
- Les Ferdinand's emergence as a dynamic striker restricted Bailey' s opportunities in his last two seasons at QPR – supporters had few chances to air their affectionate chant "Dennis Bailey, hallelujah, hallelujah" – and with only 10 goals to show for 39 League appearances he moved on to Gillingham in 1995, spending the last few years of his lengthy career playing non-League football.
- He lost count of the number of clubs, but reckons he had turned out for 18 when he finished with the Midland Alliance side, Stratford Town, in 2006, just short of his 41st birthday.
- By then he had completed a sports and community studies course at Birmingham University, and now combines work for his local church with sports coaching in the community.
- Bailey's message of hope for the current QPR side is: "They need to be positive. If they just sit back, with the quality players which United have, they'll be in trouble." Telegraph


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