Howard is fans' favourite Manchesteronline.com – April 14, 2004
TIM Howard has been given a resounding vote of confidence by Manchester
United fans as he battles it out with Roy Carroll to earn an F A Cup
Final starting place. Having been the club's first choice 'keeper
for the bulk of the season, Howard has been rested in recent matches
with Carroll coming in to stake a strong claim for Cup Final inclusion.
But despite starring in the semi-final success against Arsenal and
helping the Reds to 10 points from their last four league games,
Carroll has not done enough to convince the fans that he can be the
club's long term number one. Voting in ManchesterOnline's poll, a
massive 82 per cent of fans said Howard should be restored to nets,
with less than one in five happy for Carroll to continue. And the
fans are likely to get their wish as Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson has
stated that Howard will return to the first team before the Cup Final
clash with Millwall on May 22 and will have the chance to re-establish
himself as the club's number one number one. Rested Howard was
initially rested due to concerns that he was suffering burn out having
come straight to the Premiership following an exhausting season in
Major League Soccer. His last league appearance came in the shock 4-1
derby defeat to Manchester City, while in the preceding match he was
blamed for the last-minute Porto equaliser that saw United eliminated
from the Champions League. Despite the error, Howard is expected to
have regained his place in time for the Cup Final, though Carroll, who
has conceded two goals in his five-match run between the sticks, will
hope that his recent form has done enough to finally elevate him from
the ranks of capable understudy.
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