It’s been another busy day, with me being back at work. The idea was to knock the weekend working on the head, but at least it’s only ocasionally now, so I can live with it.
Anyway, it’s meant this post is a bit last minute, but never mind.
I don’t know if I’m looking forward to this game or not.
A big part of me definitely is, because I know we’re easily capable of beating them, but at the same time I’m nervous, because just as Monday showed, United have an awful knack of beating us, even when we’ve thoroughly outplayed them.
And the big question is can we exact revenge, which would be so, so sweet. It might even be worth more than a third round cup win, but that’s debateable, I suppose.
The omens are very much against us, because (and here’s one very sad statistic for you) we haven’t beaten Man United at home in twenty two games in a run that’s lasted since 1995. That’s 27 years and the longest an English side has gone without winning against another club. Ever.
Straight into squad news and the big one is obviously that Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne are both available for the game.
Will they both start?
I’m not sure Coutinho will, as although he’s fit, I doubt he’s properly match fit. My guess would be that he’ll get minutes, but the club will also want to show off what will be this winter’s marquee signing, so he may well start.
I’d expect Digne to start, mainly because Matt Targett will have no reason to feel hard done by. He’s been frankly poor for a while and you can see why Gerrard may have taken a dislike to him.
Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Marvelous Nakamba and Leon Bailey are all out. Trezeguet and Traore are both at the AONC (and you have to wonder if they’re even wanted anyway) and John McGinn is suspended for one match because of yellow cards.
Man U have Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo all back in contention. Luke Shaw, who fouled us for fun and mostly got away with it on Monday and Scott McTominay, the goalscorer are both serving one match bans and Paul Pogba is out. Some say that last one is a good thing for United.
So what to think then?
The truth is I don’t know.
McGinn is the obvious big miss and although I wouldn’t call him particularly physical, the midfield definitely looks lighter without him.
My main concern about Coutinho coming in is not that I don’t think he’s good enough, but more that I think we need more physicality in the middle. We have enough creativity as it is.
Then again, I thought we had bigger concerns than Left back, but Gerrard has decided Digne is wanted now. Maybe it was just the case that he was available and Gerrard thought he was too good to miss out on. I think he’ll come straight in, to offer a bit more threat in the attack side of our game.
The rest of the team picks itself and the only thing is do we persist with Danny Ings?
I personally wouldn’t but I’m not sure what the options are. I said on Monday that Coutinho comes in for him, but I don’t think that is the plan and the Brazilian won’t be up to a full game just yet anyway.
I haven’t worked Steve Gerrard out yet and find it difficult to try and guess how he thinks. Hence I’m not going to try for this game.
All I know is our run without winning at home against Utd is embarrassing. As is the fact that we haven’t done the league double over them since the 1954-55 season. When you consider that we’ve played them many times in that period, it’s just horrendous and surely has to end some time soon.
I see no reason why this game should not end those sad stats and I think it will. I can’t remember a better chance and unless something ridiculously stupid happens, we should be up to beating the Reds.
I’m going for 2-1 to us, although I’d love to say it will be higher than that.
UTV!
Surely we can beat them this time?
Hitch, just to let you know, I did reply to your email.
Got it Badger, thanks and have responded.
Digne and Sanson start; Coutinho and Young on bench otherwise same starting 11 as at Old Trafford.
Hmm, about what was expected.
We don’t have as many choices as we think sometimes.
Glad Young is back. Should make for an interesting game. Please let Ronaldo be on a beach somewhere today.
He’s not in the squad Bum Bum
Worst man u team I’ve ever seen on paper
Oh ffs
As you say Badger our record against United over the last twenty odd years is worse than appalling – it’s plain embarrassing and unacceptable. I think there’s a stat that in the last 33 games between us were United have taken the lead they’ve won 32 and drawn the other.
Every stat you look at it is ‘hide behind the sofa’ stuff.
I hope we win but sadly I don’t think we will. When you have to play against the ref and VAR (United have been awarded a penalty in each of the last four league games) as well as the team on the pitch …….
If we’re going to win though we’ll have to score first 🙂
Please stop being negative lads, it’s football and its not over till the fat lady sings, I’m pretty confident we will give them a game .. so come on feel the force.
I think we will lose even though we are every bit as good as them IMO. It could be that they just have a psychological advantage with our shockingly bad record since 1995. Also they will have the officials and VAR working for them. One thing we need to improve on is our reaction to decisions against us. As much as I hate to see it, the top 6 players kick up a fuss when a decision goes against them. It seems to intimidate them and works for the big boys. When Konsa got. A bloody nose on Monday for example, where was the reaction? We just accepted it and unfortunately that doesn’t seem to benefit us.
As for the result, I think it will be Villa 1 VAR 2 😔
Well that’s the end of that then
Fuck’s sake!
I don’t fucking believe it..
Once again defensive mistakes and absolute crap passing in the final third. It seems we have endemic problems
We’re all over the place
Terrible start and we need to get a grip.
Wow, the passing 🙁
We’re going to be murdered if we continue playing like this – actually we’re not playing at all.
No midfield. I’m bloody sick of saying it.
I can’t believe we looked at a LB and a creative type first.
A hard grafting mid should have come way before anything else.
They’re playing really wide and it doesn’t suit us.
Thank you Badger, no midfield is our problem, Ramsey Luiz, waist of space I’m watching Ramsey he’s not a positive player, as for Luiz no direction on passing balls.
We’re giving the ball away far too much
Well that was enjoyable 🙂
Slow In closing down , we are not going to win this I can see the way we are playing, we have midfield players not thinking just playing . This is going to take time in building and we might be lucky in staying in the prem …
Terrible first half performance. It looks like Konsa will have to come off. Our midfield is non existent and Cash is getting roasted. We definitely miss McGinn. I hope Gerrard gives them a bollocking.
Elanda’s first game, I think and he’s offered way more than Watkins and Ings together.
They got given a foul for a bodycheck the other night, but when it happens to Ramsey, we don’t?
See the referee is playing his part. Clear foul on Ramsey on the edge of their area.
Ings is far too slow for our style of play