• Premier League

Holloway claims Adam is good enough for United

Charlie Adam ran the game for Blackpool © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Liverpool back in for Adam
  
• News: Holloway to pocket a percentage of Adam transfer fee
  
• News: Ajax give Liverpool January 29 deadline for Suarez
  
• News: Rafael given the all-clear after Harewood collision
  
• News: Rafael da Silva taken to hospital after United victory
  
• Match report: United survive huge scare to beat Blackpool
  
• Profile: Charlie Adam
ESPNsoccernet home

Ian Holloway claimed Charlie Adam was good enough to play for Manchester United after the highly sought-after midfielder produced a fine display in Blackpool's 3-2 defeat on Tuesday.

Adam created both Blackpool goals with two wicked corners, prompting Sir Alex Ferguson to confess "his corners alone" were worth £10 million.

Blackpool eventually lost the match thanks to a brace from Dimitar Berbatov and a strike from Javier Hernandez, but Holloway was left hoping he could hold on to Adam - the January transfer target of Aston Villa and Liverpool.

"When these people see how good he is. We've got 16 games left, I hope he'll be with us," Holloway told ESPN. "I think he deserves to play at that level, with them (United). I honestly haven't seen better."

Holloway took the opportunity to have a dig at Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier, who has made no secret of his admiration of Adam.

"I would like to thank (Liverpool boss) Kenny Dalglish for not talking about it. That's the way to do it, Mr Houllier," said Holloway. "I don't talk about any of your players until I own them. I'm not picking on them. Who am I do that? I come from Bristol. He's Mr Houllier.

"Adam is looking outstanding. He's shining so much I believe someone will take him but I hope it's in the summer because I want him to keep us up."

On the match he said: "I'm sure when I watch that game again I'll be reflecting on some brilliant play from my boys, how they matched the trying-to-be champions. I'm really disappointed for my lads. I would have paid to watch them myself.

"We were miles away from Chelsea when we played them, we were miles away from Arsenal when we played them, but against Man United we weren't far away."

Blackpool had a penalty shout turned down when they were 2-0 up and Holloway said: "If that's not a penalty then dearie, dearie me. I think it's stonewall, but maybe I'm biased. The score tells you it would have been a draw but who knows what would have happened."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.