Mourinho reacts to Liverpool draw

Jose Mourinho spoke to MUTV and in his press conference after Manchester United drew 1-1 with Liverpool at Old Trafford. Here's what the manager had to say...
ON THE GAME
"The result is not the result we wanted, it’s not the result we fought for, but it is a result we have to accept. We were the team with the chances in the first half but they were the team who scored with the penalty, then in the second half we dominated them and had more chances, but they defended well and tried to smell the possibility of a counter-attack. It was a very emotional game and I believe both sets of players are very tired because they gave everything. But I think Manchester United can play better than we did and I also think Liverpool can play better. So the game was below the quality of both teams, but in terms of a proper Premier League match and a derby, it had a lot for people to enjoy."

HUNTING AN EQUALISER
"I was watching the game, we were losing and I was looking always to the same side – I have a problem with my neck because I was always looking to the left side! We changed the qualities of our game and went to a more direct approach because Liverpool were defending with so many bodies behind the ball; in the end we put pressure on them, we equalised and I think, with a few more minutes, we were closer to wining because they were under real pressure and our team was so strong mentally and emotionally."

CHANCES MISSED
"We missed important chances. I saw good saves by the goalkeeper, I saw Mkhitaryan backpassing the ball [behind Martial], I saw the Fellaini ball hit the post. I saw so many things happening then but the goal was not coming. Finally, the goal came and I repeat: with a few more minutes, we win the game. But no more minutes."

HAPPY WITH A POINT?
"I’m not happy. Whether it’s good or bad, I’m not happy. When are you losing and score in the last part of the game, the team that concedes the goal feels worse than the team who scores, but in the end we lost the points because we were playing for three. And the way they played, I think they were happy with the point, so probably they go away happy."

FELLAINI'S IMPACT
"I had one more option: Fellaini or Rashford. But I saw so many yellow shirts in the box, in front of the box, that I thought probably my players would lose a bit of the emotional balance and would go for a more direct approach. To go with a more direct approach, it has to be with Marouane and he was an important player for us."

PRAISE FOR LIVERPOOL
"In the second half, Liverpool were winning and they know how to defend – they defend very well. I think they press really well and their lateral movement is good. When we played at Anfield, we had a phenomenal defensive performance with lots of critics; today I think Liverpool don’t deserve critics, I think they deserve people to say that defensively they are very good."

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Mkhitaryan: Atmosphere was amazing

Although disappointed not to win, Henrikh Mkhitaryan enjoyed the “amazing” atmosphere at Old Trafford in his first experience of Manchester United’s fierce rivalry with Liverpool.

The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League as Zlatan Ibrahimovic notched his 19th goal of the season to cancel out James Milner’s first-half penalty at a raucous Theatre of Dreams.
In particular, the noise levels inside the stadium erupted when Zlatan equalised on 84 minutes as the crowd willed the team on to secure a possible comeback victory. While a second goal unfortunately never came, Mkhitaryan told MUTV afterwards that he relished the whole experience.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” Henrikh said. “I want to see more of this kind of atmosphere in the stadium. Thanks to the supporters. They were believing in us and they supported us until the end.”
Offering his assessment of the match, Mkhitaryan continued: “It wasn’t the right result but we were down 1-0 so it wasn’t a bad result. We could have won, we could have lost, but I think we deserved to win more because we played very well like a team and did our best to win the game.
“The score was 1-1 at the end so we were pushing up a bit, trying to find the net for the second time but unfortunately we couldn’t. So 1-1 is not a bad result because we are still very close to the top four and we will do our best in the next games.”
Marouane Fellaini made a telling impact as a substitute on Sunday as his header that bounced off the post led to Ibrahimovic scoring a vital goal just seconds later. Mkhitaryan was quick to praise the Belgian afterwards, but also had positive words for United’s two other replacements.
“Not only Marouane but also Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata put freshness in the team,” Micki explained. “They helped us a lot up front and we are happy that they could change something in our game. We are happy to have them coming on.”
Mkhitryan is unconcerned that United’s nine-match winning run has come to an end, saying records are not the main focus this season, yet he hopes to begin another run at Stoke City next weekend.
“For sure, why not?” he said. “We have to win, try to win the next game. We are not looking for records, we are doing our best to be in the top four and to do that you have to win games. Do not think about records because one day they will break. We are just trying to do our job by winning every game.”

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Ibra and Mkhitaryan win PL awards double

Manchester United duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have scooped the Premier League's Player and Goal of the Month awards respectively after their impressive December.

Ibrahimovic, United's top scorer this season, found the net seven times in six games during the month, as well as providing three assists. Having already been named the club's Player of the Month after pipping Mkhitaryan to the prize, Zlatan's incredible debut season has now been recognised with yet another accolade.
"Slowly I'm adapting," Ibrahimovic told PremierLeague.com. "I feel comfortable, I feel confident. I'm playing in a great team with great team-mates and a great coach - it's just a great club. I just had to come and do the things I know I can do well; when you work hard, it pays off."
Meanwhile, there was little surprise about the outcome of the Goal of the Month vote, with Mkhitaryan's stunning scorpion kick against Sunderland standing out among the contenders.
Like Ibrahimovic, the Armenian midfielder had previously won the club's version of his award, and he was naturally delighted to be recognised again for his extraordinary effort on Boxing Day.
He said: "I have never scored a goal like this before. I've scored many nice goals, but none like this one. I had a lot of time to think, I just reacted as quickly as I could.
"I was waiting for the ball to come in front of me but it came behind me, so the only thing I could do was backheel it! I'm very happy, very glad that I could score such a goal."
Ibrahimovic had the final say on Mkhitaryan's success by quipping: "We trained a couple of weeks before and I told him exactly how to do the movement. The pass needed to be perfect and it went well!"
The duo will look to continue their fine form when United take on Liverpool at Old Trafford this Sunday.

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Zlatan reacts to 1-1 draw with Liverpool

Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits Manchester United were not on top form in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool, although the goalscorer was pleased by the team’s spirited second-half display.

The Reds fell behind to James Milner’s 27th-minute penalty at Old Trafford but admirably recovered after the half-time break and Ibrahimovic equalised with his 19th goal of the season.
Ibrahimovic feels United would have won all three Premier League points if the team had started with the more direct approach that caused the Merseysiders so many problems in the closing stages.
“We got one point and I don't think we were at the top of our game,” Zlatan admitted to Sky Sports following the final whistle. “It was a hard fight, a hard game, and we were 1-0 down. We chased and chased, and it was a different game. But then we got the equaliser.”
Asked what went wrong in the first half, Ibra said: “We made simple mistakes. We were not feeling comfortable in the pressure of the opponent, and I think we played the wrong way. If we played like we did in the second half in the first half, then it would have been a different game.
“We were more direct in the second half. We didn't build from behind, we put it up and we started from up the pitch because they had a very high pressure. We had too many mistakes in our build-up so in the second half we chose to go more direct.”
Ibrahimovic scored the vital equaliser on 84 minutes by heading Antonio Valencia’s deft cross past Simon Mignolet, prompting an eruption of noise from the United fans inside the stadium.
“It was a good cross,” he said. “I thought the header of Fellaini would go in off the post into the goal, but okay we got a second chance, Valencia put in a good ball, I just stayed there and tried to hit the goal.”
Sunday’s result means United’s nine-match winning run is now over, but the team is still unbeaten in 16 matches across all competitions and Zlatan remains confident of climbing the table.
“We would like to win, of course – every game we want to win to close the gap even more – but okay it was 1-1 and we will continue like this,” he said. “We haven't lost in 16 games – we are there.”

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Manchester United 1 Liverpool 1

Manchester United are now unbeaten in 16 games following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford as the bragging rights and points were shared.

James Milner gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half after Paul Pogba had handled in the box, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed in a late leveller to give United a share of the spoils.
Boss Jose Mourinho made four changes to the side that beat Hull City in the EFL Cup on Tuesday with Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Anthony Martial and Ibrahimovic all coming back into the starting XI in place of Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford.
As with any United and Liverpool encounter, the atmosphere inside Old Trafford was electric before kick-off and both sets of fans stood together for a period of applause in remembrance of the late Graham Taylor.
This was the 50th Premier League meeting between the two sides and such was the intensity of a game of this magnitude, it was typically a frenetic start with both teams struggling to retain possession of the ball.
United did threaten first on 18 minutes, though, as a sloppy back-pass from Dejan Lovren allowed Ibrahimovic to block Simon Mignolet's clearance but, luckily for Liverpool, the ball ended up on the roof of the net, rather than the back of it.
A minute later and the Reds should really have been in front. Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in Pogba for the first clear chance of the game, but the Frenchman scuffed his effort wide with just Mignolet to beat.
At the other end, Divock Origi scuffed his volleyed effort when free in the box before Phil Jones dallied on the ball and was rescued by his partner Rojo.
Then, on 27 minutes, Pogba handled a Liverpool corner while challenging Lovren in the air and Milner stepped up to fire the visitors into the lead from the penalty spot.
Six minutes later and Ibrahimovic so nearly levelled it up but his vicious free-kick from a yard outside the Liverpool penalty area was beaten away down low by Mignolet.
Five minutes before the break, Mkhitaryan latched onto a cute through-ball from Ander Herrera, but again Mignolet came to the visitors' rescue when one-on-one, meaning United trailed at the break, despite creating the better opportunities.

HALF-TIME STATS
Possession: United 52% Liverpool 48%
Shots at goal: United 4 Liverpool 5
Shots on target: United 2 Liverpool 1
Corners: United 3 Liverpool 5
Mourinho introduced Wayne Rooney at half-time with the Old Trafford faithful hoping he could revive United and break Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record in the process.
But it was Liverpool who came close to doubling their lead as a quick counter attack allowed Origi to fire a wicked shot inches wide of David De Gea's far post, via a deflection.
It was then United's turn to counter-attack at pace and, similarly to the first half, the Reds could have levelled the game - a game which was beginning to look like a typical United v Liverpool encounter as the minutes ticked on.
Martial won the ball high up the field and he found Ibrahimovic who slipped in the Armenian, but his attempted cross-hit shot evaded everyone.
At the other end, Roberto Firmino could have put the game to bed after he was played in by substitute Philippe Coutinho, but De Gea saved down low.
United continued to push forward, which meant Liverpool were dangerous on the counter-attack and Georginio Wijnaldum arrived late to head over at the back post following a Firmino cross.
But the Reds' pressure finally told six minutes from time as first substitute Marroune Fellaini's header rebounded off the post, before Ibrahimovic headed in Antonio Valencia's cross via the crossbar to ensure United's second-half dominance was rewarded.
Both sides pushed to grab all three points late on, but the spoils were shared, meaning United's long unbeaten run now stretches to 16 matches in all competitions.

FULL-TIME STATS
Possession: United 55% Liverpool 45%
Shots at goal: United 9 Liverpool 13
Shots on target: United 3 Liverpool 4
Corners: United 5 Liverpool 7

THE TEAMS:
United: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian (Fellaini 75); Carrick (Rooney 45), Herrera, Pogba; Martial (Mata 65), Mkhitaryan; Ibrahimovic.
Subs not used: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Rashford.
Booked: Herrera.
Liverpool: Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klaven, Milner; Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum; Lallana, Firminho, Origi (Coutinho 60).
Subs not used: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Sturridge.
Booked: Lovren, Firmino.

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Whaff Reward

Cara Mendapatkan Dollar Gratis dengan WHAFF Versi Terbaru

 

Mencari pekerjaan di jaman sekarang bukanlah hal yang mudah, demi menutupi kebutuhan hidup, seseorang harus bekerja dan mendapatkan uang demi membeli kebutuhan hidup sehari-hari.

Namun untuk kamu yang masih belum mendapat pekerjaan tapi memiliki smartphone android, lebih baik dimanfaatkan agar smartphone Android kamu dapat menghasilkan sesuatu yang lebih bermanfaat dibandingkan hanya digunakan untuk Facebook atau Twitter.
Yaitu dengan menggunakan WHAFF. Ini adalah aplikasi yang bisa menghasilkan uang secara cepat dan mudah, tidak perlu repot lagi keluar rumah atau panas-panasan. Cukup buka dan jalankan aplikasi ini, kamu sudah bisa mendapatkan puluhan, ratusan, atau bahkan ribuan dollar.

Bukti Pembayaran WHAFF

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7.Cara yang paling mudah adalah menariknya ke PayPal. Caranya, buka Menu lalu klik Payout. Pilih jumlah yang ingin ditarik, jangan lupa juga masukan Email PayPal kamu ya.




8.Lalu cek menu Reward History.




9.Tunggu 2-3 Hari (weekend tidak dihitung). Jika kamu melakukan penarikan hari Jumat, maka biasanya pembayaran akan masuk pada hari Selasa.

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 10. Selamat Mencoba Whaff.

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TUNAS INVEST COMMUNITY

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Cameron-Borthwick Jackson

Van Gaal has confidence in Cameron Borthwick-Jackson

Louis van Gaal insists he had no qualms about handing a debut to Cameron-Borthwick Jackson, after the youngster came off the bench to help Manchester United secure a clean sheet against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The 18-year-old defender replaced Marcos Rojo after 77 minutes of the Reds' 2-0 win at Old Trafford, to become the eighth Academy graduate to make his first senior appearance for the club during van Gaal's reign as manager.
Jesse Lingard - another player to have risen through the United ranks - opened the scoring in the second half with his first senior goal, before Juan Mata's late penalty wrapped up the three points.
Borthwick-Jackson joins Lingard, Tyler Blackett, Reece James, Saidy Janko, Andreas Pereira, Paddy McNair and Tom Thorpe in making the step up under the current management and, after the game, the boss explained why United's new no.43 deserved his chance.
"I have seen him once or twice and I have been impressed by him," van Gaal told MUTV. "Yesterday, I knew that Marouane Fellaini was injured, so I talked with [Under-21s coach] Warren Joyce and asked what he had for me.
"I’m always talking with him or [Under-18s coach] Paul McGuinness, and he [Joyce] said at the moment the left full-back is in good shape. I needed a left full-back because Marcos Rojo had played a few games in a row, so I have to take into account that it might be too much.
"I put Cameron in the line-up without any fear, and I have to say he did very well."

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Gene Haas

Gene Haas Q&A: We're no Ferrari junior team

Another piece of the Haas jigsaw fell into place over the Mexico weekend as Ferrari tester Esteban Gutierrez was confirmed as Romain Grosjean's team mate for the all-new American squad's 2016 debut. Speaking exclusively to Formula1.com, owner Gene Haas discusses his team's driver line-up, its relationship with Ferrari, and why he believes they are ahead of schedule and looking good for their maiden season next year...

Entering Formula One is a business decision. In NASCAR to get any money you have to win - in F1 if you finish tenth or better you get a percentage...

Gene Haas on entering the sport

Q: Gene, this time last year this time you spoke about the beauty of a Formula One entry based on good business deals. Twelve months on, do you still stand by this statement?
Gene Haas: Entering Formula One is a business decision - and actually I am more convinced of that than I was one year ago. The reception from my customers is just overwhelming. And if they like it, it is good for my business! (laughs)
Q: You have also said that you plan to make a profit with your team. Can you tell us the secret? Some other teams might like to know it!
GH: There is no secret. Yes, most teams don't make any money - and in the end in NASCAR we were breaking even after three years and last year made a little money. So it is basically about not losing dramatically and on the other hand maximising your revenue sources - and that goes for sponsors and prize money. And I think, from my perspective, this is easier to achieve in F1 than in NASCAR.
Q: You really believe that?
GH: Yes, I do believe that. In NASCAR to get any money you have to win. In F1 if you finish tenth or better you get a percentage, so if you finish among the top ten you at least get guaranteed some money. NASCAR doesn't do that.
Q: Finishing tenth out of the 11 teams is still a challenge - or have you found a shortcut to F1 success? Will being a semi-customer team do the trick?
GH: I don't think so. I've been following the sport now for many years and I remember back in 2008 everybody was talking about customer cars: a person would buy a complete car from a race team and go racing. That idea has been in Formula One for quite some time, but ultimately the customer car concept was not approved. That actually was our original plan - but it was not approved.
Now here we are in 2015 and Bernie (Ecclestone) has proposed customer cars once again, but right now we are something of an 'in between' thing. Basically we try to purchase as much as we can - not just from Ferrari, but also from other manufacturers. Most of the teams build everything by themselves, but we are trying to find people who are supplying us with all that. We try to minimise what we have to manufacture. That is what we did in NASCAR. That is the whole idea. So the idea of what we are doing is not new - we are just the first who have taken it this far.

Both Romain and Esteban fit our particular profile. They are both very hungry...

Gene Haas on his 2016 driver line-up

Q: Is the beauty of it that you are in a position to pick from the best that is available?
GH: It is always very important to pick the right business partners - and we are very fortunate that Ferrari chose to assist us. The far bigger question is why is Ferrari helping us? (laughs)
Q: Your lead driver will be Romain Grosjean, who is still waiting to show his true F1 potential, and your second we now know is Esteban Gutierrez, who has not been racing for a season. What do you expect from both - and what do they expect from you?
GH: Well, all you said is true, but as a start-up team you don't expect to sign up any current champions. But we also weren't looking for that. We were looking for people who are on the same page as us. And both Romain and Esteban fit our particular profile. I am sure that they are both very hungry and don't have that 'super ego' like these super champions - and they are still young enough to learn. Well, I hope they learn from each other!
Q: Romain said that he met with you in Monza and that it was a hand-shake deal...
GH: Yes, it was in Monza. Before that we had talked to another driver - I don't want to mention his name - who in the end, after talking to each other for a month, decided to stay where he was. That was acceptable. I didn't have a problem with that because every start-up team is high risk. Romain saw what we are doing, and obviously Lotus was having its little issues so he decided, 'I might as well do this!'
Q: Romain said that he thinks it's a big chance for both sides...
GH: Wow, I am glad that he's got faith in us because so far we haven't produced anything.  
Q: Do you regret entering now and not in 2017, with all the changes that will be in place then?
GH: No, not really. In this sport there are windows that open and close. I think that in the end it was a benefit that in 2014 we got the licence late in May, so when the question came up to go racing in 2015 or 2016, I think we made the right decision. 2016 worked very well with the Ferrari technical department and we had the chance to do a lot of aero on our car. So I think we will hit the track in 2016 much better prepared than if we had come in in 2015. And if we had waited another year these doors would probably have closed. So as the cars will change almost completely for 2017 I think everybody will be in the same position.

Ferrari and Haas have a very solid relationship. We are quite well [placed] in their queue

Gene Haas on the affiliation with Ferrari

Q: What kind of Ferrari engine will you run in 2016? Will you be the lucky ones with the same spec as Ferrari?
GH: Ha, that's top secret. No, it will be the current spec engine. But it is not only the engine: they are supplying the transmission, the suspension, the shock absorbers... that's a lot of parts. So they needed time themselves to ramp up production. To build an engine it probably takes three months to produce the parts, so it probably takes six months to produce the engine. That's quite some time.
Q: Including Haas, Ferrari will be supplying three teams - should Toro Rosso be added that would make four. Is that a bit crowded? 
GH: I think with the time that Ferrari has we are quite well [placed] in their queue. And if I get the rumour right, Toro Rosso might get the 2015 engine.
Q: Is that based on the first come first served principle?
GH: No, we have contracts in place. It took three months to write a simple contract and to get it signed by a zillion people. I think Ferrari and Haas have a very solid relationship.
Q: How much of a junior team will Haas be to Ferrari? We see Red Bull and Toro Rosso; we hear talk of Force India linking up with Aston Martin, in whom Mercedes has a stake. And Haas and Ferrari?
GH: I don't see us in the 'junior team' team position. If we are out there we want to beat them.  We would not back down. But, of course, I would not mind finishing behind the Ferrari at every race! (laughs) That wouldn't be bad. In this sport technical partnership is one thing and racing another. I don't feel like a junior team and we don't want to be a junior team. A good part of the car is our design, so there is enough to say that we are an independent team.
Q: Winter testing will now start slightly earlier than initially expected. Will that hurt your plans?
GH: I think they announced it early enough that we were able to react. But yes, it did hurt a little bit. But in the end it is just a little bit more pressure on the supplier side - like the chassis builder.

I am a man who always wants to be ahead of the game and not behind - and my impression is that we are ahead

Gene Haas on preparations for 2016

Q: It is built by Dallara...
GH: ... well we design it and they build it - and even they are subcontracting. From what they have told me it almost takes two months to lay out a chassis. Amazing!
Q: A bit different to NASCAR...
GH: Absolutely. We don't necessarily have carbon fibre chassis, but we get build the whole car in about 60 hours if we have the parts in the pipeline. If they do come in it takes 60 hours. We are very efficient in what we do.
Q: So how is progress with the F1 team? 
GH: From what I see in our different facilities we are in pretty good shape. I am a man who always wants to be ahead of the game and not behind, and my impression is that we are ahead.
Q: Your main company is called Haas Automation. Are you bringing automation into Formula One racing? There is still the impression that F1 teams are boutique operations, despite the larger ones employing 800-plus people...
GH: Probably that is right. We have to get more automated. You need systems in place get more efficient. That is the time we are in, and F1 has to adjust to that.
Q: The big dream of all the teams in the paddock is scoring points. How big are you dreaming?
GH: If we score one point I would be happy. Romain has been scoring points in so many races that he knows how to do it. He said to me, 'If we go out and test the car in February in Barcelona I can tell you after two laps if it is good or not.' And if it is a good car we will score points.
Q: And if he gives it a thumbs-down?
GH: Then we will scratch our heads a little bit and figure it out - but I am very confident that his thumb will be up!

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Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton says that claiming a breakthrough victory in Brazil this weekend would be the perfect nod to his idol Ayrton Senna.

This was the home race for Ayrton - he was such a huge hero in Brazil. I always feel his presence when I'm there

Lewis Hamilton on racing at Interlagos

Hamilton moved level with Senna on three world championship crowns this year, while his most recent victory, in the United States, was the 43rd of the Briton’s F1 career - two ahead of Senna. Hamilton is still chasing a first win at Interlagos, however - a race he describes as 'special' because of his reverence for Senna.
"This was the home race for Ayrton, so it was a dream of mine to race in Sao Paulo when I was younger and I always feel his presence when I'm there," Hamilton said. "He was such a huge hero in Brazil and it's humbling that I always get such a warm response there.
"It's amazing to think that it took Ayrton eight attempts to win this race and it's one of the few I haven't yet won myself.
"If I can change that this weekend it would be a salute to him and another highlight to add to this amazing year, so I'll be going all out to make that happen."
With Hamilton's current team mate Nico Rosberg "confident of a strong performance" in Brazil - a race in which he bested Hamilton last year - head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Toto Wolff says it will be fascinating to see which of the team's drivers prevail.
"The rivalry between Lewis and Nico is great for the sport, great for the team and great for the drivers themselves," Wolff said. "They are pushing each other harder and harder, pushing the team forward with them and providing a fascinating story. 

"This is a race which often brings surprises and never fails to entertain. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what's in store for us at Interlagos."

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Schumacher

Do you remember… Montoya’s muscular pass on Schumacher

 What’s the best way to make a name for yourself as an F1 rookie? Overtaking the reigning world champion in just your third race isn’t a bad way to start, as Juan Pablo Montoya discovered in Brazil in 2001…
“He’s very exciting,” Frank Williams had said of new charge Juan Pablo Montoya ahead of the 2001 season. “Superb car control. Good to watch, a bit like a marching army coming down the pass. But he’s short of Formula One experience, and that matters, because the cars are very complex. When he acquires the experience, Juan will be very, very good.”
As it turns out, it took the confident young Colombian just two races and three laps to show how good he could be…
Appropriately enough, it was in Brazil, not far from his homeland and in front of a legion of traveling fans that Montoya first flexed the same swashbuckling muscles that had taken him to Champ Car and Indy 500 crowns in previous years.
And my how he flexed them.
In one unforgettable moment, immediately after a brief safety-car period at the beginning of the race, Montoya’s so-so first forays in Australia and Malaysia were instantly forgotten as he fearlessly put reigning world champion Michael Schumacher to the sword with an uncompromising, wheel-banging pass into Interlagos’ plunging Senna S.
For many, this was more than a pass for position, more than a pass for the lead - this was a statement of intent from a driver whose reputation for the spectacular had preceded him. Montoya hadn’t just overtaken Schumacher, a three-time world champion in the midst of a six-race winning streak; in elbowing him unceremoniously towards the grass he’d shown the similarly hard-nosed German just what he was made of.
And there was more to come from the feisty Williams newcomer. Marker laid, Montoya then proceeded to romp away from Schumacher, making light of the fact that his BMW-powered machine was carrying more fuel than the Ferrari. He might have won Williams their first race in nearly four years too, had it not been for backmarker Jos Verstappen, who clumsily ploughed into the rear of the unfortunate Colombian’s car on lap 38 as he was being lapped.

Fact File: Juan Pablo Montoya

Teams raced for: Williams (2001-2004), McLaren (2005-2006)
Grand Prix starts: 94
Wins: 7
Podiums: 30
Pole positions: 13
Fastest laps: 12
Best championship finish: 3rd (2002, 2003)

"It was going to be one of the best days of my life, but unluckily it became a bad one," said a surprisingly philosophical Montoya afterwards. "Better things will come."
But what of his overtake of Schumacher, was it not as exciting inside the cockpit as it was from the outside?
“He just braked too early and I went for the inside," Montoya explained, playing down a move that had already been replayed ad nauseam around the world. "After I braked I couldn't give him too much room because then in the next [turn] I was going to be screwed."
After coming home second behind McLaren’s David Coulthard, Schumacher too shrugged off the boisterous nature of the pass, saying: "He pushed me wide on the exit, which is pretty normal racing, we touched a bit but no problem with that.”
Very few in the paddock, however, believed that he hadn’t been at least a little rattled by the Colombian’s impudent attack.
And the media weren’t having any of it either - to them, Montoya’s was a pass of great significance, no matter what the protagonists said. ‘The taming of the Schu’ screamed one headline - but if that was a touch too hyperbolic, you could rely on Williams’ no-nonsense technical director Patrick Head to provide a touch of levity. 
"People are talking about a new era in Formula One,” he said. “It's nonsense, but we have been joined by a new front-running driver.
“I think Michael's recognised that he's got somebody equally as tough as himself out there…"

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Matthew Carter

Matthew Carter Q&A: Lotus highly confident of Renault deal

It has been a season of uncertainty for Lotus. Though the team have confirmed their 2016 driver line-up of Pastor Maldonado and British rookie Jolyon Palmer, they still don’t know for sure which engine they will be using next season - will they continue with Mercedes, or will the proposed Renault buy-out go through? Lotus team CEO Matthew Carter, speaking exclusively to Formula1.com, believes it will almost certainly be the latter…

As long as there are no signatures on the documents the deal is not concluded - but confidence is very high.

Matthew Carter on the proposed Renault takeover

Q: Matthew, what is the state of affairs in the Lotus-Renault saga? It all seems to have gone a bit quiet…
Matthew Carter: Renault issued a letter of intent, so behind the scenes the Renault and Lotus senior management are working flat out to make sure that we get the deal done. Things are progressing, but these things take time. I am confident that the deal is going to happen, but as I said, it needs time to get it across.
Q: You just said that you are ‘confident’ that the deal is going to happen - which implies it could in theory still not happen…
MC: Well, we know that in business anything can happen and as long as there are no signatures on the documents the deal is not concluded - but confidence is very high!

Q: Time must be running out for you: you now have a car designed for a Mercedes engine - and you will have to fit a Renault engine for 2016. What is your deadline?
MC: Well, we have two options for an engine next year: either we go with Mercedes or Renault. We are progressing along that route. We’ve got two designs for next year’s car and we are pushing forward with both options.

Q: How would the team be, should you go racing with a Mercedes engine? That would presumably mean no Renault deal…
MC: Exactly. But that is a rather unlikely option that we will go into the 2016 season with a Mercedes engine. And if we were to, yes, that would mean that the Renault deal felt flat. But my strong guess is that it will be a Renault engine next year.

Q: How big will the Renault buyout be in the end? Will Renault then have the majority stake?
MC: Yes, exactly. They will then hold the controlling interest. That is also stated in the letter of intent. They would run the team as a manufacturer’s team, like Ferrari and Mercedes are doing at the moment.

The team that we’ve got in Enstone is brilliant. They have worked this year on a very small budget - and we’ve still managed to get a podium.

Matthew Carter on Lotus's 2015 efforts

Q: Should Renault move into Enstone again, what would be the structure of the team? Who will run it and how much say would parent company Renault/Nissan have? Where do you see yourself?
MC: I don’t know how the structure would be. Until the deal is concluded I don’t think that any of these details have been finalised. If they buy the team, then for sure they are moving into Enstone because that is part of what they are buying: the facility and operation of Enstone, the manpower that we’ve got there, and the race team. That is what they are buying. With regards to the senior management, I honestly I don’t know.

Q: So the deal covers the hardware of the team and the human resources…
MC: Exactly. The team that we’ve got in Enstone is brilliant. They have worked this year on a very small budget - and we’ve still managed to get a podium. We are a great team.

Q: The lack of a clear outlook for Lotus obviously contributed to Romain Grosjean signing with Haas for 2016. How big a regret is that on your side?
MC: Romain is a great driver and he has been with us for a long time. He is very professional and he always delivers for the team and I don’t know the ins and outs of his deal with Haas, but as far as I can see he is looking for a new challenge. He goes with our blessing - and hopefully we can move on with Jolyon (Palmer) and Pastor (Maldonado) next year the way that we want to.

Q: But isn’t that a rather challenging pairing? Pastor Maldonado and rookie Jolyon Palmer?
MC: Ha, I don’t know. Jolyon is obviously the GP2 champion of 2014 and has worked with us all year this year and he has been brilliant. The GP2 champions have to find themselves a Formula One seat! And he has to get the chance to prove himself next season. On the other hand Pastor has been in the sport for a long time. We know how quick Pastor can be…

Q: … but we also know something else…
MC: … he has an unfortunate reputation sometimes that follows him around. But we know how fast he can be. We see that in the simulator and on his one-lap pace. Between the two of them I think they will be a strong pairing.

He has an unfortunate reputation sometimes that follows him around. But we know how fast he can be.

Matthew Carter on Pastor Maldonado

Q: Coming back to the current season, Lotus are bottom of the Mercedes-powered teams. So far this season Pastor has eight DNFs from 17 races and Romain six - that is quite a lot. Can you explain?
MC: It is hard, no doubt. I have to say that we’ve been unlucky - right from the first race of the season where both cars were out in the first corner! Yes, we are fourth of the Mercedes-powered teams, but we are reasonably close to Force India. It has been fairly nip and tuck with them all season.

Q: How much did the switch to Mercedes power - and consequently having to build a new car for this season - hurt you? And have you learned anything in terms of ‘how not to do it’ for 2016?
MC: Yes, we have learned something. And yes, it is a huge deal - especially for us. We are trying to build a lot of the car in-house. We build our own gearbox, our own rear-end suspension in-house. A team like Force India uses the Mercedes engine and the Mercedes gearbox and rear-end suspension. We build all that by ourselves, so going from a Renault engine to a Mercedes engine was a huge step - but we did it and we are reasonably successful this season. So doing the job backwards, in the opposite direction: yes, we’ve done it before and, yes, we can do it (again). It will be tight because of the timing, but I think everything will be fine for the first test.

Q: Speaking with Romain recently he said that he believes that 2016 and 2017 will be tough years for the team, but that in 2018 you should have overcome the worst and that he does not rule out a return…
MC: That sounds great. Seems like Romain has a crystal ball! (laughs) Yes, I agree that next year will be difficult with the settling down of the new structure of the team. 2017 will see massive rule changes, so that could also mean a huge chance. We are already designing the car for 2017. So I think in 2017 we should be reasonably successful, and then if Romain wants to come back - hopefully there is space for him.

Q: What about the name of the team? Lotus is very iconic. Will that name disappear again?
MC: If the deal with Renault goes through, then yes. Then the team will not be called Lotus - then the name will fall out of Formula One. Right now we have a license to use the name Lotus - and that license will be terminated. So someone else could go for that name!

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The Brazilian Grand Prix

The Brazilian Grand Prix - did you know?

Did you know that Juan Pablo Montoya was the last man to take back-to-back wins at Interlagos? Or that Fernando Alonso has scored more podiums in Brazil than any other current driver, and yet has never tasted victory? We bring you the most intriguing facts, stats and trivia ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Grande Premio Petrobras do Brasil 2015...

Interlagos has hosted 32 Grands Prix since first becoming part of the F1 calendar in 1973

• The Brazilian Grand Prix has been a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar since 1973. Interlagos hosted the first five races, and every race from 1990 onwards. Another track was used in 1978 and throughout the 1980s, however - the five-kilometre Jacarepaqua circuit located in Rio de Janeiro.
  
  
• The country experienced home success from the off, with Emerson Fittipaldi winning the first two editions before Jose Carlos Pace scored his sole F1 victory for Brabham in 1975. The circuit was renamed in Pace's honour following his death in 1977.
  
  
• Pace was the second Brazilian to prevail in F1 racing, following in the footsteps of Fittipaldi, whose own breakthrough came in the 1970 United States Grand Prix. Since then, four other Brazilians have stood on the top step of a Grand Prix podium: Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa. In total, those six drivers have given Brazil 101 victories - a count only bettered by the United Kingdom (248 wins) and Germany (157).
  
  
• Impressively, five of those six have all won at home - the exception being Rubens Barrichello. In 19 races at his home venue, the Brazilian was on pole three times, but on Sundays he recorded 11 DNFs - eight straight between 1995 and 2003 - and only one podium, when he finished third in 2004...
  
  
• ...a race that was won by Juan Pablo Montoya (pictured with Barrichello in the main image above), who also set the fastest lap of the race - a 1m 11.473s, which remains the outright lap record.

Interlagos hasn't been the happiest of hunting grounds for Alonso - 2012 was his eighth podium without a win, which wasn't enough for him to beat Vettel to the title

• Of the current field, only Massa (2006 and 2008) and Sebastian Vettel (2010 and 2013) have won more than once in Brazil. Kimi Raikkonen (2007), Jenson Button (2012) and Nico Rosberg (2014) all have one win to their names.
  
  
• That, of course, means that both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are still chasing their first victories at Interlagos. Hamilton has been on the podium only twice, finishing third in 2009 and runner-up last year. Alonso, meanwhile, has eight podiums - second only to Michael Schumacher on 10 - without managing to break through.
  
  
• In terms of manufacturers, Ferrari and McLaren are locked on eight wins apiece at Interlagos. The two teams also have 23 podiums each - but McLaren just have the edge in qualifying, having taken nine pole positions to Ferrari's eight.
  
  
• Pole doesn't always equate to victory at Interlagos, however. From 32 races, the polesitter has triumphed just 11 times, a ratio of 34 percent - one of the lowest of any circuit on the current calendar. The last two years have bucked the trend slightly, with Vettel and then Nico Rosberg achieving the feat in 2013 and '14 respectively.
  
  
• Speaking of Rosberg, the German enters the weekend chasing a fifth straight pole - which would be his best run in the sport, and also the joint fourth best in history. Of the current grid, only Hamilton (7), Alonso (5) and Vettel (5) can boast a longer run of consecutive poles.

Burrowing owls are a common sight at Interlagos

• Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is the on-form driver in terms of points finishes. The teenage sensation has finished inside the top ten in the five races prior to Brazil, a record no other driver can match. Verstappen is still a long way short of the all-time record for consecutive races in the points, however: that belongs to Kimi Raikkonen, on a staggering 27.
  
  
• Raikkonen can boast another unusual stat at Interlagos - in the last decade, he and Ferrari team mate Sebastian Vettel are the only two drivers to have triumphed at the circuit in the same year they won the world championship. Raikkonen managed it during his first spell with the Scuderia in 2007, while Vettel was triumphant in both 2010 and 2013, on both occasions with Red Bull.
  
  
• That 2013 triumph also meant Vettel was crowned champion on Brazilian soil. It's a surprisingly common occurrence - in fact all five of the world champions on this year's grid - Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Button and Vettel - have clinched a title in Brazil.
  
  
• Burrowing owls are a common sight at Interlagos. The miniature birds are unique in that they've developed longer legs than other owls, which enable them to sprint as well as fly - handy when trying to keep out of the way of errant F1 cars!
  
  
• On an unrelated animal front, did you know that in 1958 a rhino was a candidate in Sao Paulo's city council elections? 'Cacareco', as the rhino was named, won by a landslide, although the ballot was hastily recast. To this day, 'voto cacareco' remains a term for a protest vote.

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Memphis Depay

Memphis eager to rediscover best form

Manchester United winger Memphis Depay has stressed he is working hard to recapture his best form as he prepares for the Netherlands' upcoming internationals with Wales and Germany.
The 21-year-old is determined to take his next chance to shine after being on the Reds' bench for last weekend's 2-0 victory over West Brom. As he continues to adapt to life in the Barclays Premier League, Memphis is in no doubt he can impress for his country and in training when he returns to Manchester.
"Of course, it's difficult when you’re on the bench but it’s going better right now and it’s also going better on the training pitch," he told NOS, a Dutch media organisation. "So, if I get my chance to play, I will take it.
"I think lots of things changed. I’m in a new club right now and it’s a different level compared to the Dutch league. Such things are playing a big role when you’re trying to find your way and it was a bit easy at the start but then I fell back and you could see it in the way I played. However, you can assume I’m busy with working on that and getting back to the top. I feel fit and I’m trying to show on the training ground that I’m doing my best to perform well."
Netherlands coach Danny Blind, father of United star Daley, initially suggested he would not call Memphis into his squad this time around but then named him in his final 24-man party for the two friendly internationals on Friday and next Tuesday.
"When I spoke to Danny Blind, it was a very good conversation," Memphis said. "I think I’m a team player and the other players in the team also think that. I don’t think I’m in a difficult path of my career as the media talk but I just think my form isn’t very good right now.
"I’m still working hard and just because I don’t show the exact form that I showed at the World Cup or last year, it doesn’t mean I don’t work hard. But, right now, I feel good again and other people don’t see what I’m doing in the training so people think I’m not busy with football but that’s not true."

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Cameron Borthwick-Jackson

Mancunians still finding a way through at Manchester United

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is the 21st player to be given his Manchester United debut by Louis van Gaal - and the eighth in this group to have come through the ranks at the club.
The left-back is also the third Manchester-born debutant within this short space of time, following Tyler Blackett, who is currently on loan at Celtic, and Tom Thorpe, who now plays for Rotherham United.
There are other Mancunians at the club who are striving for their own opportunities and ensuring that, despite the global appeal of United, there remains a real attachment to the city.
Joe Rothwell is back in the fold following a short stint at Barnsley. Devonte Redmond is establishing himself in the Under-21s, and was excellent in his last outing at Sunderland, while exciting winger Demetri Mitchell is looking for a return to fitness after an injury lay-off.
The leading goalscorer in the Under-18s and Under-19s, Marcus Rashford, found the net again last weekend in the Academy defeat at Everton and is maturing nicely and making real progress. Ro-Shaun Williams is captaining the Under-18s and represented England at the Under-17 World Cup recently and fellow defender Tyrell Warren was outstanding in the UEFA Youth League tie against Wolfsburg.
Two of United's teenage goalkeepers, Kieran O'Hara and Oliver Byrne, were also born in Manchester, while Salford duo Callum Gribbin and Jake Kenyon are among the prospects from the surrounding area.
UNITED'S MANCHESTER-BORN PLAYERS SINCE 1945
With the club still investing time and faith in very local talent, the tradition of Mancunians plying their trade in the red shirt looks set to continue. So far, these 48 men born in Manchester have made at least one first-team appearance for United in the post-war era:
1940s: John Aston senior, Laurie Cassidy, Jack Crompton, Jimmy Hanlon, Jack Roach

1950s: Roger Byrne, John Doherty, Don Gibson, Bobby Harrop, Peter Jones, Eddie Lewis, Wilf McGuinness, Billy Redman, Albert Scanlon, Dennis Viollet, Walter Whitehurst

1960s: John Aston junior, Shay Brennan, Phil Chisnall, Brian Kidd, Nobby Lawton, Bobby Noble, Nobby Stiles

1970s: Peter Fletcher, Tony Grimshaw, Andy Ritchie, Tony Young

1980s: Peter Barnes, Alan Davies, Mark Dempsey, Remi Moses

1990s: Wes Brown, Nicky Butt, Danny Higginbotham, Ronnie Wallwork, Richard Wellens

2000s: Ritchie Jones, Danny Welbeck, Mark Lynch, Danny Pugh, Danny Simpson, Danny Webber

2010s: Tyler Blackett, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Larnell Cole, Zeki Fryers, Ravel Morrison, Tom Thorpe.

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