Moyes insists best is yet to come

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DAVID Moyes has hit back at a suggestion from Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini that Manchester United's best days are a thing of the past ahead of Tuesday's derby.

United manager Moyes' men and Pellegrini's Premier League title-chasers meet later in the 167th Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Victory for City would see them move to within three points of leaders Chelsea, with a game in hand.

But faltering champions United, in their first season since Moyes replaced the retired Alex Ferguson, British football's most successful manager, are already 12 points adrift of City.

Not only do United have no realistic chance of retaining their title, their chances of finishing in the top four and so qualifying for next season's Champions League now appear remote, with their best chance winning this term's tournament — a tough job given their quarter-final opponents are defending European champions Bayern Munich.

Last month City boss Pellegrini, whose side have already won the League Cup this term, said: "If you consider this season, there is just one club in Manchester and it is ours.

"But you cannot forget what United has done in previous years."

The Chilean's words touched a nerve with Moyes, who on the eve of the derby, responded by saying: "Well Manchester United had lots and lots of seasons of domination.

"I don't think if I was a manager I would have turned round and necessarily said that we were the only club in Manchester because football does change, it goes in cycles," the Scot added.

City's manager Manuel Pellegrini says his team is the only club in Manchester this season. Source: AP

United's biggest problem in terms of league form has been the fact they've won just once — a 1-0 victory over Arsenal — against the top nine so far this season, with a recent 3-0 defeat by archrivals Liverpool still fresh in the memory.

"They have definitely hurt," Moyes said.

"They have hurt more because I joined Manchester United with big expectations myself — that I was coming to the winning football club."

The former Everton manager added: "I've got a winning mentality and that's what I wanted to do, so I'm disappointed with myself and I'm disappointed that we've been unable to do that.

"But it has not been for the want of trying, that's for sure.

"We want to try and perform better in the bigger games than what we have done."

Meanwhile Moyes said he'd disciplined Chris Smalling after the United defender was pictured out in Manchester in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Manchester Evening News published pictures of Smalling which it said showed the defender singing in the streets at 3.15am.

Smalling, 24, had stayed behind while the squad travelled to London for their Saturday match against West Ham because of a hamstring injury.

"I've dealt with it and I've spoken to Chris," Moyes said.

"That would be as much as I would want to say on it."

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Kent: A Knight who’s full of chivalry

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WHAT sort of young man is Alex McKinnon?

We don't know a lot about him. We know he turned 22 last month, that he injured his foot last year which caused him to miss a handful of games midway through the season right after things started going well — following his representative debut for Country.

We know that the quietness in the Knights dressing room after Monday's game, in which McKinnon fractured his C4 and C5 vertebrae, went beyond defeat.

Everybody sat there, heads down, locked in silence.

Alex McKinnon falls awkwardly in clash against the Storm. Scans reveal he has fractured his vertebrae. Source: FoxSports

McKinnon is still in hospital this morning, and will be for some time. Doctors cannot determine the extent of damage to his spinal cord until the swelling around his neck goes down in the next few days, possibly weeks.

In Newcastle yesterday the Knights were under instructions not to talk about McKinnon. They will be again today and tomorrow. Nobody wants to risk mistaken information, and possibly harmful information, being leaked when the matter is so serious.

So what sort of young man is Alex McKinnon?

Like many young footballers he has a Twitter account but, unlike many young footballers, he fails to comment about the inane activities — "brekky with the boys this morning. ham and eggs #cholesterol #skinfolds" — of daily life.

He posted his last Tweet a month ago, a retweet from actor and former wrestler Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock: "Realized over the years that success doesn't change a person ... it only magnifies who've (sic) they've been their entire life."

With that small glimpse, we see McKinnon is unlike most footballers, a man willing to entertain a world where football ends.

This morning you hope he realises that if success doesn't change a person, neither does injury.

McKinnon's previous Tweet, before the ponderings of The Rock, was a thank you to his girlfriend for his birthday present, a skydiving voucher.

Before that it was another re­tweet. On January 28, he wrote: "Repost; usually just scroll past these posts, but this is something that has to be heard. Sometimes we don't realise how good we've got it."

And while the repost was unexpected from a footballer, you might be now coming to expect it from Alex McKinnon.

X-Ray image of the C4 and C5 vertebrae in the spine. Source: FoxSports

It was a quote, and it said: "I will post and repost this till the cows come home. Kids with special needs are not weird or odd or sick. They only want what everyone else wants ... to be accepted!! Can I make a request? Is anyone willing to post this in honour of all children who were made in a unique way. Let's see who has a strong heart."

Let's see who has a strong heart.

Coaches are always looking for good players, it's the way it is. And it's no secret the good ones go looking for something beyond talent. Beyond size and speed and skill.

They go looking for heart.

That's why the dressing room was so quiet on Monday night.

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Every injury like McKinnon has suffered is a tragedy, but not everybody has the ability to reach in and touch the heart of teammates like Alex McKinnon.

It is uncommon, and went beyond the pain for a fallen mate. There are one or two in every club.

Before Christmas he retweeted a photo of twin babies in a hospital incubator in their first week of life.

"Each were in their respective incubators and one was not expected to live," the caption reads.

"A hospital nurse fought against the hospital rules and placed the babies in one incubator. When they were placed together, the healthier of the two threw her arm over her sister in an endearing embrace. The smaller baby's heart stabilized and temperature rose to normal."

It's there on his Twitter page, the modern fingerprint of a footballer we know so little about, the photo of the child in hospital with a protective arm around her. It is a metaphor for something this morning.

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Hodges to miss Origin opener

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JUSTIN Hodges says he could miss the State of Origin opener as he faces up to two more months on the sidelines.

Hodges has resumed full training, but teammate Sam Thaiday concedes the veteran Broncos centre will not be making a shock return against the Dragons on Friday night.

The best-case scenario would see Hodges declared fit for Brisbane's Round 7 clash with Newcastle on April 18, giving him ample time to prove his fitness for Origin I.

However, he could be sidelined until Round 10, which would give him one game to convince Queensland selectors to roll the dice for the series opener on May 28.

The 31-year-old had hoped to make it back into Brisbane's starting side before Round 4, but is wary of rupturing his Achilles tendon for the third time in his career.

Justin Hodges during a Broncos training session. Source: News Limited

"I am still a month or two away," Hodges said.

"I don't think it's necessary to rush and get back early. I want to try and get it right so I can finish the whole season.

"When (the achilles tear) happened my main focus was getting the recovery right and getting on the field.

"The boys are going good without me so hopefully they can keep winning and I'll come back when I feel it's ready.''

Thaiday said the sight of Hodges stretching out comfortably at training was not a true barometer of his progress.

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"Hodgo is training pretty well but you go behind doors and he's still icing up," Thaiday said.

"He's still slow and steady. We don't want to rush him, he's a huge part of our team and a huge X-factor for us.

"We'd rather have him back 100 per cent than 80 or 90. I'm sure the coach or physio staff won't push him too hard. He has the final say on when he will be back.''

Despite his lengthy list of injuries, Hodges is confident the Broncos will table an extended deal in the coming weeks and months.

"(Contract talks are) left up to my manager. My main focus is getting the leg right and getting on the field.

"I've never worried about contracts. If I'm out there playing the best football can, it always takes care of itself.''

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McLean stood down for McKinnon tackle

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MELBOURNE Storm forward Jordan McLean has been stood down by the NRL and sent straight to the judiciary for the tackle that left Newcastle's Alex McKinnon with a broken neck.

McKinnon remains in the Alfred hospital after he landed on his head following a three-man tackle by Jesse and Kenny Bromwich and McLean during Monday night's clash at AAMI Park.

The Knights last night revealed scans have confirmed a "devastating spinal injury" that could take up to two years to recover from.

The Knights confirmed The club said McKinnon had a C4 and C5 vertebrae fracture, but his spinal cord was not severed.

"Alex remains in hospital in intensive care and may require further surgery to stabilise his spine," the Knights said in statement.

"He has movement in his right arm and the uncertainty remains in regeneration, with a variable prognosis.".

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The NRL match review committee referred the incident to the judiciary but would not hear the case immediately out of respect to McKinnon and his family. A date has not been set.

"Jordan will be stood down from this week's match in Perth (against Canterbury) and until the matter is heard in line with the NRL's rules," NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said.

"However, Storm have the right under the rules to seek leave from the NRL judiciary chairman for Jordan to play."

Melbourne named McLean for its clash with the Bulldogs and last night hadn't decided whether to appeal the NRL's ruling.

McLean, 22, used his private Facebook account to post a message of support for McKinnon.

Jordan McLean - in the number 16 jersey - has been stood down for his role in this tackle. Source: FoxSports

"Best wishes go out to Alex McKinnon I genuinely hope your (sic) all right and have a safe recovery," McLean wrote.

It's understood McLean and the Bromwich brothers will speak with the club's welfare officer about the incident.

Several rugby league pundits defended McLean and his fellow tacklers, including Penrith general manager Phil Gould, who said he ­believed there was no malice in the tackle. "I just see it as an unfortunate accident," he said. "I hope there's no charge and the hysteria over the injury doesn't influence the ruling here."

Knights coach Wayne Bennett said it will be several days until the full extent of McKinnon's injury is known.

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"Unfortunately these things happen but not too often, thank Christ," he said.

"We won't know for a number of days, maybe weeks.

"He's in the right place and we've done all we can for him."

McKinnon was lifted off the ground and turned but appeared to duck his head in the tackle, which made it the first point of contact with the ground.

This was pointed out by skipper Cameron Smith when the tackle was placed on report by referee Gerard Sutton.

Storm centre Will Chambers said he believed the tackle was purely accidental.

"Obviously you don't go out to do those sort of things," he said.

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McKinnon should focus on life: Ross

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BEN Ross is planning to contact hospitalised Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon with a simple message: 'focus on life, not footy'.

If anyone can understand the depth of pain, confusion and uncertainty which has consumed McKinnon's past 48 hours, it's Ross.

The former Cronulla Sharks prop was sidelined from the NRL for two years after breaking his neck in the opening round of the 2009 season.

Doctors told Ross he may never walk again, let alone play football. But step-by-step, day-by-day, he regained his strength to produce one of sport's truly inspiring comebacks when he returned in the NRL for South Sydney.

Ben Ross is stretchered from field with a suspected neck injury. Source: News Limited

He retired last year having played 173 first-grade games.

Now working for the Men of League Foundation, Ross was re-acquainted with memories of his own recovery when learning yesterday of the spinal injuries suffered by McKinnon, which have placed the young Newcastle forward's career on hold.

"It's hard, he wouldn't know where his career is at right now,'' Ross said.

"He'd be wondering what they're going to do. How they're going to go about things. All these things rush through your head.

"Of course, you want to play footy again and he'd want to know the outcome, but they won't know until after the operation, which is the scary thing.

Ben Ross is tackled during a clash between the Rabbitohs and NSW Cup side Newtown, in a NRL trial. Source: News Limited

"You just have to have faith in the surgeons and the medical staff, which I'm sure he's in the best hands.''

Ross said thoughts of playing rugby league again, for the time being, should be the furthest thing from McKinnon's mind.

"I remember I said to the doctors before the operation, 'Will I ever be able to play again?' And he said; 'We'll see if you can walk first.'

"That was when I knew I had to get my priorities straight. Recovering was the first thing I had to do and so I focused on ticking that box.

Alex McKinnon falls awkwardly in clash against the Storm. Scans reveal he has fractured his vertebrae. Source: FoxSports

"I'd like to speak to Alex when the time is right, just to tell him he can pull through this.''

Knights officials and doctors have declared it is too premature to discuss what the future may hold for McKinnon.

McKinnon would be aware of Ross' story, so too Queensland's Gorden Tallis and Penrith prop Sam McKendry, who both managed to return to the playing field from neck injuries.

But at 22, McKinnon seemingly has his life in front of him, which as Ross suggested, is more important than football.

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‘Any slip could ruin Barca’s season’

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BARCELONA boss Gerardo Martino believes it is his side's own fault that they aren't in a more comfortable position in La Liga despite beating Real Madrid twice this season.

Lionel Messi inspired the Catalans to a famous 4-3 away at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night as he notched his second hat-trick in as many games.

Victory brought Martino's men back into the title race as they now trail leaders Atletico Madrid and Real by just one point with nine games remaining.

However, the Argentine warned that his side can suffer no slip-ups of the kind they have suffered at Real Sociedad and Valladolid in recent weeks if they are to retain their title, starting with Celta Vigo's visit to the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

"Last weekend has allowed us to get back in the league. Now we have to continue playing well against Celta and what remains of the league season. We cannot make a mistakes," he said on Tuesday.

"Our wish is to perform at a high level and to have similar individual performances to those we had on Sunday.

"The competitions are entering their final stage and if we don't maintain that level it will endanger our chances of winning any titles.

"Generally, we need to be consistent. That is why we are not in a different position today, above all in the league. If we had maintained consistency in our performances and results, we would be in a much better position."

Martino has left Xavi out of his 18-man squad for the game against Celta with the Catalan derby away to Espanyol and a return to Champions League action against Atletico Madrid next week in mind.

Pedro Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez and Marc Bartra are also likely to feature after being left on the bench at the Bernabeu.

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