United v CSKA – Preview and Predictions

Who: Manchester United vs. CSKA Moscow
What: Champions League Group B – Match Day 4
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
When: 19:45 BST (2:45 EST)
Why: The Old Trafford faithful need a first hand viewing of CSKA keeper Igor Akinfeev before every English tabloid spends the summer linking him with a transfer to the club.

Last Five Matches: United
October 17: United 2 – Bolton 1 (English Premier League)
October 21: United 1 – CSKA Moscow 0 (Champions League)
October 25: Liverpool 2 – United 0 (English Premier League)
October 27: United 2 – Barnsley 0 (Carling Cup)
October 31: United 2 – Blackburn 0 (English Premier League)

Last Five Matches: CSKA
October 4: CSKA Moscow 4 – Kuban Krasnodar (Russian Premier League)
October 17: CSKA Moscow 1 – Spartak Nalchik 1 (Russian Premier League)
October 21: Manchester United 1 – CSKA Moscow 0 (Champions League)
October 25: FC Moscow 3 – CSKA Moscow 1 (Russian Premier League)
October 30: CSKA Moscow 1 – Terek Grozny 0 (Russian Premier League)

Current Form: United
The Red Devils are currently second in the English Premier League, having taken 25 points from 11 matches thus far. United have dropped points against Liverpool (5th), Sunderland (8th), and Burnley (10th), but currently remain second behind Chelsea in the EPL. On a happier note, the Red Devils are top of Group B in the Champions League, having taken full points (nine) from their first three games (@Besikatas, Wolfsburg, and @CSKA).

Current Form: CSKA
The Russian Premier League side are currently fifth in the league, having taken 46 points from 27 matches (a record of 14 wins, 9 losses, and 4 draws).CSKA sacked manager Juande Ramos on October 28, and subsequently responded with a win over mid-table side Terek Grozny. The Champions League knock-out round remains a possibility for the Moscow-based side, as they are currently third in Group B (one point behind second place Wolfsburg).

Points to Ponder
1) The world is now one Rooney stronger. The United striker missed training yesterday to be with his wife Coleen as she gave birth to the couple’s first child. Kai Wayne Rooney was born yesterday afternoon, and promptly launched a Twitter account to keep the world up to date with the newborn’s boxing and football training schedule. Perhaps of more concern to United fans is the status of Rooney Sr. With Chelsea waiting at the weekend and Group B not exactly looking like a close race, my guess is that Rooney’s name doesn’t feature in the starting eleven.

2) Rooney isn’t the only face that is expected to be absent. Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad will look a touch inexperienced tonight, as some of the bigger United names are in doubt. Park Ji-Sung (crybaby-knack), Nemanja Vidic (Recovering-From-Torres-Knack), Rio Ferdinand (Alien-Abduction-Knack), and Ryan Giggs (balding-knack) are all expected to be out, and Dimitar Berbatov will likely be held in reserve.

3) A solid performance from Jonny Evans will make an awkward situation even more awkward. It’s no secret that Rio Ferdinand has been struggling this season. Whereas one year ago there were individuals willing to state that Ferdinand was one of the best defenders in Europe, now it seems there are those who are uncertain if he’s even one of the top defenders in the United squad. With Wes Brown looking healthy and Jonny Evans making a very, very good case to be a regular starter, things could get increasingly uncomfortable for Rio.

4) Another player who may be hoping to impress Fergie will be suiting up for the opposition. CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has been linked with a move to Manchester numerous times this season (generally right after Foster let the ball slip out of his hands/cleared the ball directly into an opponent’s back). “I have heard the speculation but it is just talk, nothing else,” said the big Russian keeper. “ I cannot look at this match from a personal perspective. The career of every footballer grows from such games.” He then paused, reflected on how that wasn’t quite enough of a come-and-get-me plea, and then continued, “We are playing a legendary team in a legendary stadium. It will be an inspirational game, the most important in our careers.”

Taylor’s Predicted Starting Eleven: VDS, Neville, Brown, Evans, Evra, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Obertan/Welbeck, Macheda, Owen.
Scoreline Predictions: And the man-crush ensues… I see this one as a comfortable win for United, so I’m going with 3-0 with goals from Obertan, Owen, and Fletcher. It will be good to have the Scotsman back, great to have the possibility of yet another deadly winger providing an outlet for the United attack, and amazing if (as some have suggested) Hargreaves could be on the bench. I don’t think he will be, but the slight possibility remains.

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Category: Manchester United