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Neville: We deserve crown

United skipper Gary Neville says the Reds fully deserved to be crowned Premiership champions, but he urged his team-mates to now focus on lifting the FA Cup.

Neville lifted his seventh league trophy on Sunday - his first as captain - but urged the Reds to make it a “special” season by doing the double.

“There were times in the last three years where we felt really low,” he admitted on MUTV. “We probably weren’t consistent enough to win it, we didn’t deserve to be champions.

"But this year we deserve it. It’s a fantastic day for the club. It’s important to savour the moment, but we’ve got a huge game next week.

“We’ve had a great week, but the focus at United is to move on and we have to think about the cup final next week and make it a really special season.”

Neville, who has been suffering with an ankle injury and hasn’t played since 17 March, will start football training on Monday and, according to Sir Alex, “will be given every chance” of making the final. But his place is by no means assured. “I’ll be there,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll be playing, but I hope I will.”



Rooney: No greater feeling

Wayne Rooney was almost lost for words on Sunday after collecting his first Premiership winner's medal.

United's ecstatic number eight told MUTV: "I'm delighted. It's what all the hard work this season has been for.

"There's no greater feeling out there. It's fantastic. It's brilliant but really hard to explain. I'm absolutely delighted, I can't put into words, it's unbelievable."

Rooney's enjoyment of winning the title was enhanced by the enormity of the task. Wayne had tried twice before to win the Premiership with United, losing out to Chelsea in both years, and the Reds also missed out in the term before he joined the club from Everton.

"It's a massive tournament for us to win," said Wayne.

"We've had 38 tough games so to come out on top of that league is great for us. Hopefully we won't have to wait for another four years to win it again."

Now Wayne is targeting another personal first - an FA Cup winner's medal, having been a runner-up with the Reds at the end of his debut season 2004/05.

"We can't go too far with our (title) celebrations," warned Wayne. "We have to make sure we're ready for the cup final on Saturday."

13/05/2007 17:43, Report by Adam Bostock

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