They join team mates Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young, who will be keen to carry on their goal scoring exploits on the international stage in tomorrow night’s game (7.15pm KO, Live on Sky Sports 1).

Not surprisingly the striking duo top the bookmakers lists for who will open the scoring.

Rooney, who maintained his red-hot start in the Premier League with a hat-trick against Arsenal, is a 5 chance with BoylesSports to net first and a top priced 2.2 with Bet365 to score anytime.

You can also get 3.75 with Bet365 that Wazza draws a blank in this and next week’s game against Wales.

Young, who scored two screamers in United’s 8-2 demolition of the Gunners, is a top priced 8.5 with Victor Chandler to be first on the scoresheet and that price looks on the large side for a player who is bursting with confidence.

Stan James also go 3.25 for him to score anytime, and that looks fair given that he and Rooney look the pair most likely to unlock the Bulgarian defence.

Of the United young guns in the squad travelling to Sofia, Smalling looks the most likely to start having excelled since covering at full-back for Rafael at Old Trafford.

He normally play as a centre-half alongside Jones for England U21s, and with no Glen Johnson, there is certainly be an opening in that position for the national side at present.

He’s a 34 chance with BetFred and Victor Chandler to score first.

England, who crushed Bulgaria 4-0 at Wembley last season, are general 1.57 shots to win the match, but are unlikely to repeat that scoreline.

In what is likely to be a tight game 1-0 could be worth a punt at 6 with BetFred.

Also See: Manchester United Betting Odds.

I’ve just read that Craig Gardner is set to sign for Steve Bruce after spending the last 18 months at relegated Birmingham City. This Brummie lad made his way up through the ranks at Aston Villa and played in the first team for five seasons.

April 2007: “I signed for Villa when I was 15 and since then these have been the best days of my life. I’m a Villa fan. I’ve come through the ranks and nothing can be better. I used to be on the Holte End. I was there when we beat Tranmere in the League Cup semi-final. I was at the game when Mark Bosnich saved the penalty and we all ran on to the pitch so it’s come from that. When I was watching Villa as a kid there were people like Garry Parker, Dalian Atkinson and Paul McGrath. They were all brilliant. I used to sing their names and now I look at the crowd and they’re chanting my name so it’s great.”

Then, in January 2010, Birmingham signed him and after claiming to be a lifelong Villa fan, changed his tune.

January 2010: “Having played for the Villa everyone thinks I’m a Villa fan but I’m a Bluenose. I have been all my life. I was a mascot at John Frain’s testimonial. But I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. People who know me, my close friends and family, they all know I’m a Blues fan. As they say: ‘once a blue, always a blue’.”

Now he’s off to Sunderland, following the relegation of the team he’s support “all his life”, and you can only imagine what he will say at his press conference.

I hate footballers.

Congratulations to top red Phil Neville for knocking Chelsea out of the FA Cup today.

After leading his team to extra time, Everton like they would be making their exit from the competition after Frank Lampard put Chelsea ahead. But with a couple of minutes of extra time remaining, Leighton Baines stepped up to score a cracking freekick to take it to penalties.

Baines then missed his penalty, but fortunately, Nicolas Anelka looked like he couldn’t care less whilst Ashley Cole skied his over. John Terry was nowhere to be found and a real captain, leader and legend stepped up to put Everton in to the 5th round.

Before we get too misty eyed, we should remember Phil also scored in a penalty shoot out in the FA Cup against us a couple of years ago! Regardless, it’s nice to see him being the hero for the day. It’s a shame he couldn’t see his career out with United but very pleased for him all the same.

Well done, Phil.

They initially used blue and white scarves, the colours of their first kit, but felt like these weren’t different enough from their current colours which differs only by having additional red.

So, in order to stand out, they have followed suit with United in using green and gold to show their dissatisfaction with those in charge of their club.

Adam is Blackpool’s record signing at £500k but the move almost didn’t happen. Despite Rangers agreeing a price, Adam and his agent delayed going to Blackpool to discuss a contract.

“I’ve never known a situation like it. We have had a price agreed, but he and his agent have not come down to see us,” Holloway said a week after Rangers confirmed that they had accepted an offer for the player. “I’m starting to think that is a bit rude, and maybe the writing is on the wall that he doesn’t want to come, but at the minute it’s sticking in my throat – I don’t like that.”

Two weeks later, discussions had still yet to open and Holloway insisted he wasn’t going to beg the player to join, given his obvious reluctance to go to Blackpool.

“He probably thought he had done enough on loan to go back to Rangers and be looked at in pre-season as a serious option,” Holloway said. “You have to consider the disappointment of being rejected by your club when you look at the way he behaved. But if he comes to work with me I think he’ll like it, but until he gets in the car and does it we are struggling a bit. I’m not going to beg anyone.”

Three weeks after agreeing a price, Holloway then set a deadline for the player to make up his mind.

“I’ll give him until Monday morning, then we’ll have to rip up the offer we’ve made him,” Holloway said. “He really believes in himself and his ability. If he was a chocolate bar, he’d be licking himself.”

A month after the price was agreed, Adam finally agreed to move to Blackpool. After some impressive performances, Middlesbrough put in a bid for the player 5 months after signing for the Seasiders. Blackpool rejected the offer but Adam was open to the suggestion of leaving in the summer.

“It was tough during January because at the time you don’t know what is going to happen,” he said. “When a team is doing well there is always speculation about its players, but the club made their decision and that’s it. I will keep playing and working hard and trying to get Blackpool as high as we can at the end of the season – then we can worry about everything else.”

He continued to be an important player for them and as captain, helped them to the play-offs. Ahead of the game against Cardiff, Adam had his eyes on playing at the stadiums of United and Liverpool in the Premier League.

“I hope I’ve repaid some of the faith of the manager and to play in the best league in the world would be amazing,” he said. “Rangers prepared me for big matches like this and I’ve become a more consistent player with the amount of games I’ve played. To get that opportunity of going to Old Trafford and Anfield would be fantastic.”

It goes without saying that Adam is hero at Blackpool following his impressive performances in the Premier League and he has repeatedly encouraged this worship.

Most recently, after scoring an 86th minute penalty in Blackpool’s 2-1 defeat at the weekend, Adam turned to the crowd, pounding his fist against the badge on his jersey and pumping his fist in the air.

Two days later, he handed in a transfer request.

Now, I’m not expecting players to show the loyalty that the fans crave and often demand. Whilst a football team can be a fan’s whole world, it’s silly to expect professional footballers to see the club in the same light. As United fans, we’re lucky to see so many players committed to the club, apparently the most loyal in all of Europe. But we’ve also had our own experience of disloyalty with Wayne Rooney, when he claimed the club didn’t match his ambition and had no intention of signing a contract extension. He saw the light (after mass criticism in the press, an angry mob showed up at his doorstep, and he was offered more money) but the disappointment he caused is still felt by many. Had he not repeatedly claimed to love the club and kissed the badge, we’d obviously feel shit about our best player wanting to leave, but we wouldn’t have the added embarrassment of being totally duped by him.

Darren Bent recently left Sunderland for Aston Villa and claimed it was nothing to do with the money, rather he couldn’t turn down an offer from such a massive club. Sunderland are challenging for a Europa League spot this season whilst Villa are trying to avoid relegation. The press reckon he has swapped his £35k a week deal at Sunderland for an £80k a week contract at Villa. Is that so dreadful? Football is a short career and is it so bad that Bent would rather earn £320k a month than £140k a month?

My issue is, as it always has been, the dishonesty that comes from the players. Don’t run around kissing the badge and proclaiming you never want to leave just so the fans love you. Whilst the club might not be an emotional thing for the player, it certainly is for the fans, and it’s selfish to mess with their feelings just to get a louder cheer when their name is read out ahead of kick-off.

For Adam to be grabbing his badge just two days before he hands in a transfer request is pretty sickening. Maybe the Blackpool fans won’t begrudge him wanting to play for Liverpool. Maybe they will be grateful for what he has helped them to achieve and send him off tomorrow night with their blessing. But as for as I’m concerned, Adam is just the latest of a long line of wankers in football, who crave the adulation that comes with being a loyal player, but without the dedication needed to deserve it.

Here’s to Blackpool finishing above Liverpool this season.

So, with not much else to talk about, we’ll cast an eye over football played in the lesser European competition, the Europa League.

After losing their last two league games on the bounce, Manchester City were hoping for a change of fortune against Lech Poznań. The Polish side are currently 14th out of 16 in the poor Polish league, having lost half the games they’ve played this season.

Roberto Mancini (who is currently two points worse off than Mark Hughes was this time last season, 7 matches before the club sacked him) decided to play a weaker side away in Europe, although, you would have to argue every player on City’s team was better than every player for their opponents. On paper.

Shay Given (£5.9m), Micah Richards, Wayne Bridge (£10m), Pablo Zabaleta (£6.45m), Joleon Lescott (£24m), Dedryck Boyata, James Milner (£26 million), Shaun Wright-Phillips (£8.5m), Adam Johnson (£6m), Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Adebayor (£25m) were in the starting team, with Vincent Kompany (£6m) and David Silva (£25m) coming off the bench, at a total cost of £143m.

Still, that didn’t stop them from slumping to a 3-1 defeat.

With a difficult trip to West Brom to come this week, you have to wonder what shape they will be in by derby day…

Valley Parade, the home of Bradford City, started that day with celebration, as they had just secured promotion to Division 2.

However, just before half time, flames were noticed in the stands and they spread rapidly. Within four minutes the whole of the roof and the wood stands below had caught fire.

The cause of the fire is thought to have been the accidental dropping of a match or a cigarette stubbed out in a polystyrene cup and the resulting fire was fuelled by rubbish underneath the wooden stand.

The Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Bradford are set to hold a memorial service today in the city to remember those who lost their lives.

Our thoughts are with Bradford City today.

However, on a rare few occasions, our fans can be appreciative of the opposition.

The most obvious example is when Ronaldo (the real/fat/Brazilian one) came to Old Trafford for the European Cup quarter-final in 2003. We’d been batted at their place, with them going 3-0 up with less than 50 minutes played, Ruud van Nistelrooy face with a consolation goal to make it 3-1. We were up against it if we were going to progress to the semis, but it’s never say die at United.

Ronaldo got an away goal to cancel out Ruud’s with just 12 minutes played. Van Nistelrooy equalised just before half time, only for Ronaldo to put them 2-1 up on 50 minutes. An own goal put us back on a level playing field a couple of minutes later, but with less than an hour played, Ronaldo got his hattrick. David Beckham then came off the bench, obviously easy to impress against the club he was planning on leaving us for, and scored two goals to give us the 4-3 lead. It wasn’t enough to see us through but we’d just witnessed a bloody brilliant game of football and had to gracefully acknowledge we’d been knocked out by the better team.

In contrast to Steve McManaman, who’d received abuse all match, the crowd stood and applauded Ronaldo off the field when he was subbed with over 20 minutes to go, having done the job. A truly marvellous display.

Whilst not on the same level, Dean Ashton is a player who got a good reaction by our fans. We were drawing close to the end of the 2007-2008 season. In our last league game we’d lost to Chelsea and in our last match we’d beaten Barcelona to book our place in the Champions League final. Our nerves were in tatters.

West Ham, who had denied us the title in 1995 after miraculously keeping the ball out of the net, were coming to Old Trafford and they were going to be up for it.

Thankfully, before we even really had any time to worry, we were 3-0 up. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed two whilst Tevez bagged the third with just over 25 minutes played. We were now surely just one game away from confirming the title with a win against Wigan.

However, the ball came to Dean Ashton in front of the Stretford End and with a superb over head kick he rifled the ball in to the back of Van der Sar’s net. So we shrugged and applauded him. That wasn’t much else we could do. It was a great goal.

He was linked to United at the time with us looking to bulk up our strikeforce. He seemed a likeable fella, was a United fan as a kid, and the manager liked him. When he signed a five year extension with West Ham a couple of months later, I was a little disappointed if I’m honest. I wasn’t desperate for us to sign him, but I liked him, and had wondered if we could have got him for a good price.

Regardless, the sad news is that, aged just 26-years-old, Ashton has been forced in to retirement. His initial ankle injury came three years ago and he’s never been able to properly shake it off.

“It’s a rubbish situation,” Ashton said yesterday. “I just want to be able to walk properly and, at the moment, I cannot. My health is obviously more important than football. I was told if I kept trying to play football, I might never walk again. I am going to hospital on Tuesday for a fifth operation. It’s unlikely I will ever be able to jog again, but right now, I can’t walk properly. My left ankle is still very sore. It will be a while before I feel okay and get over this disappointment. There is a bit of bitterness and I think ‘Why me?’. It’s a sad part of football. In August of this year, I tried to join in with the first team. I went to do a jog around the pitch, but at the end of second lap, I was struggling. The noise coming from my joint was terrible. Kieron Dyer thought it was my boots making the noise. I went to the side and was crying on the floor. This was the second time I’d broken down in tears. I knew this was it. Definitely. My last chance had gone. I was finished. The lads were all shocked and saddened to see me like that. Generally, I don’t show a lot of emotion so it was probably strange to see a big lad like me crying. But I knew that was it.”

Gutted for him.

Here’s the RoM summary of today’s action.

Roy Keane clocks his first victory of the new season against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Former United winger and waste of space, Kieran Richardson, opened the scoring with a good goal, before new signing Djibril YSB Cisse scored the winner, after Jermaine Jenas had previously levelled the score. The home fans booed off their team in a game where United target Dimitar Berbatov didn’t even feature in the squad. It’s going from bad to worse for Spurs.

Phil Neville had one his ‘moments’, handballing in the area and giving away a penalty against West Brom, however they went on to win 2-1 regardless. Phil might want to rethink the Alan Smith stylee bleached blonde hair as well!

Newly promoted Hull got a point against Paul Ince’s Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, whilst Michael Owen got the winner in a 1-0 win at St James Park against Bolton.

The lucky bindippers picked up an undeserved three points at home to Middlesbrough following an own goal deflected from a Jamie Carragher chance in the 85th minute, with Stevie Me scoring the winner in the 94th minute. Top of the league! Two places above, er, Hull.

Elsewhere, Stoke City pulled off the shock of the day, beating Aston Villa 3-2 at Villa Park, taking the lead on three occasions.

To the Championship, where Andy Cole made his debut from the bench for Nottingham Forest in their 3-2 victory over Watford.

Steve Bruce’s lad got sent off playing for Ipswich in a game which saw former red, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, get on the scoresheet.