Nov 21
Manchester United vs Everton: Preview
Another international break has ended finally giving United the opportunity to avenge the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea. Willing victims, Everton, line up at Old Trafford in the day’s late kick-off, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s touchline ban not set to begin until after the match; he will surely demand a victory before he takes his seat in the stands.
In the terraces, for sure, will sit Gary Neville, who is suspended. Our defensive injury crisis worsened as John O’Shea picked up an ankle injury against France and remains doubtful for today’s game. Jonny Evans is touch and go with a calf strain and along with long-term absentee Rio Ferdinand, our defence will be stretched to its limits.
The good news is Nemanja Vidic — who has been out of action for three weeks with a calf problem — should return to marshal the defence after playing 70 minutes for Serbia against South Korea on Wednesday. Lining up beside him will no doubt be a jubilant Patrice Evra; Wes Brown, fresh from a woeful display against Brazil, and likely Rafael at right-back.
One thing you can probably guarantee is Nani won’t be getting on the pitch this weekend, despite his heroics for Portugal over the last week. His recent attack on Sir Alex will have not gone unnoticed by the manager. Paul Scholes, a lover of the much-maligned international break looks a certain starter; well rested and having missed out against Chelsea, he will surely be raring to go. For the other midfield slot, it is probably between Fletcher and Carrick, although since Carrick is carrying a slight thigh strain expect the Scot to start beside Scholesy.
Ryan Giggs, stuck on 99 Premier League goals, is expected to feature at some point as well in a bid to grab that all-important 100th goal. Gabriel Obertan will be pushing for a start, given his recent performances for both the first team and reserves, while Valencia will provide the attacking thrust down the right. Let’s hope he can deliver a few telling balls and carry on his recent run of good form.
Stand-in England captain, Wayne Rooney will no doubt lead the line against his former team. Dimitar Berbatov will look to carry forward his form with Bulgaria, as he bagged brace in the 4-1 thrashing of Malta to become Bulgaria’s all-time leading scorer with 48 goals in 74 appearances. He replaces Hristo Bonev, who held the record for 30 years.
The Toffees bring a number of ex-United stars back to Old Trafford. Louis Saha will be out to prove a point, if he manages to stay fit between now and kick-off. Tim Howard and, of course, the other Neville brother will be back, though the latter is out through injury.
Fergie clearly has a great amount of respect for Everton boss David Moyes, commenting on the injury crisis at Goodison and comparing it to our own. “Everton have had a tremendous run of injuries and David Moyes is facing much the same situation as myself at the moment. You can understand how difficult it is to win games when you don’t have your best team out. Once they get their full squad back they will soon come up the table again.”
Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov will definitely be out for Everton as he serves the second of his three-match suspension while Tim Cahill is doubtful with a groin injury. Among other absentees for the Merseysiders are Mikel Arteta, Phil Jagielka, Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe. Despite this Everton find themselves in exactly the same situation as last season, 12th on 15 points after 11 matches.
They are also bring a potential United star of the future, Jack Rodwell, recently linked with us for a staggering £20m fee, who will have the chance to show his potential employers what he is capable of. With a cool head and likened to Rio Ferdinand in style, it is easy to see why SAF is interested given the injury problems Rio has.
This season has been a tale of inconsistency for Everton but a run of 7 games without a win was ended with the 3-2 victory over West Ham two weeks ago. An injury ravaged Everton should provide a relatively simple test for us, especially after the injustice at Stamford Bridge. However, recent home results against Birmingham, Manchester City, Sunderland and Bolton do not exactly inspire confidence.
We can’t afford to drop any more points despite proclamations that the five point lead Chelsea hold isn’t ‘insurmountable’. Unbeaten at Old Trafford since 1992 against Everton, United have only lost once in the last 28 meetings between the sides.
Prediction: 3-1 United
Probable Line Up: Van der Sar; Evra, Vidic, Brown, Rafael; Obertan, Scholes, Fletcher, Valencia; Rooney, Berbatov
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
- The Manchester United Pledge
- Will United Leave It Late against Everton Again?
- Man Utd v Stoke: Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Grognard: Messi has no problems in work ethic,defensive abilities etc. None
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: So glad I astonished you Eddi mi man
Like?
0 
0
@owen: I’m not trying to provoke you Owen, I am just offering my opinion. I can’t help it if there are certain players considered untouchables at OT. Like RR says all comments on ANY players are acceptable on the blog. But I will leave it there now, because people are BORED of it – okay mate?
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: Im glad you did as well, nobody can astonish me like you do mate.
Glad you are back. 
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: Xavi and Iniesta have disappeared in more games than i can count. And Zidane had a few bad games against big clubs, who doesn’t, but you make the two Spaniards out to be something they are not, and that in the same league with Zidane. Christ Iniesta is such puffder, he would literally piss his pants if you said BOO to him. I hate that little fuck.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I would put Xavi just behind Messi and Ronaldo and I say just behind. He keeps Fabregas out of the Spanish team because there is no better midfielder in the world than Xavi. And Fabregas is not far behind. Definitely top 10 player. He used to be soft as you say but over the past 12 months he has been very aggressive in his game and is hardly bossed around by anyone anymore.
Like?
0 
0
@owen: Iniesta is an overrated fag of the first order. Mr softer tosser who tosses his cookies at the first sign of a tough midfielder..
Like?
0 
0
@owen: What a load of BUULCRAP!
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: United fans are many and you are one black sheep among them. I tend to agree with the many.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc:
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: You are kidding me, right?
I personally find Iniesta one of the best players in the world, a pure role model for every young kid wanting to become a football player. I admire him and like him a lot, he is a brilliant player mate… He may be a puffer, but so is Messi! The difference is that they have brilliant agility and balacnce though, a tackle wont always get them down.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: Rooney has more raw talent and skill in his left testicle than Tevez has in his whole body. So add the work ethic to both of them and who wins by a landslide? ROONEY.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: I wasn’t making any long song and dance. RR seemed to take offense towards the “shameful” part and i argued it with him.
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: We have a word in England for being astonished Eddi – its called GOBSMACKED – do you have that phrase in Norway Bro, or are you all a bit more polished over there
.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: As I don’t no anything about Tevez’s testicles I really can’t comment on that one Grog!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I stand ALONE – NOWT wrong with the black sheep Grog, they stand out among the crowd
.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: Fair enough. You are free to rant to your heart’s content mate. Just don’t call blokes gits and sheep because they disagree with you. You believe in your cause, fine, so do we all. Respect our cause as much as we respect yours by not retaliating with the name calling. As much as I like you bro, it was your “git” comment to Gabriel that got me started. He took it a lot better than i did. When I read it, i just thought that Craig should know a Hell of a lot better than that. He is in the really small wee tiny minority on this debate, and yet he calls someone who is in the large sheep majority a git. Well that means I am a git and everyone else who defends Rooney is too. So I felt it was necessary to dish out some tough love bro. I know you can take it better than most and certainly better than me.
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: HUH? He’s the world player of the year and has been awesome. WTF?
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: You should actually point out the games you are talking about because you are the only one who says that. Maybe we could list all the big games in which they played and point out which ones they disappeared. Not even one comes to mind. People keep mentioning the game at the Bridge and yet it was Barca who dominated with 71% possession due to Xavi’s passing mainly with Chelsea resorting to their anti football of parking yatchs in front of Cech.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: We do have some weird phrases over here, but nothing beats GOBSMACKED.
What the fuck was that? 
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: How untouchable is Rooney? If the glazer’s wanted to sell him right now, Fergie would up and quit on them on the spot out of anger.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I am almost certain you’re the only person in the universe who believes that
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: You can shove him wherever you like mate. Personally, he does nothing for me although I think he is a great player. But a great player does not equal a GOD. Messi and Ronaldo are gods. Consider Xavi as high as a priest in that hierarchical scale. I personally would take Gourcuff, Diego, Gerrard, Lampard, Arshavin, Kaka and a few others over him any day of the week. Just my opinion.
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: Yes but Messi is so cute and cuddly. Iniesta looks like shemale. Sorry mate, I just dislike him and there is just something about his style of play and especially that feminine look of his that rubs me the wrong way. He looks like he is wearing eye makeup and mascara. He just looks and plays so gay.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: Touche.
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: In Manchester Bro – mouths are known as GOBS, so gobsmacked means that you have made comments that have totally shocked others to the point you have silenced their mouths (GOBS). It means the same as astonishing someone into silence
. Fellow Manc Stephen on this blog will understand this well used phrase, although it is well used in England!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: More power to you mate. You are the only person who can place Gourcuff,Gerrard,Diego,Arshavin ahead of the best midfielder in the world(not just my opinion).
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: He may be gay, but he is one hell of a footballplayer! There is no denying that…
@CraigMc: You GOBSMACKED me!
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: Do you honestly think I am that desperate and that lacking in a life that I will go back into the archives and bring out bad great game played? You watch the same games I do. If you cannot remember them that’s your problem. The last thing I need to do here in making my point is always play the boring, time consuming and anal evidence game. Just trust me or don’t, it’s up to you. I cannot be bothered to shake my memory and go back and remember every great or bad game a player has to satisfy other’s curiosity in a debate. Frankly, in their cases they are too numerous to mention.
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: As far as I know gobs are mouths in any part of the world, and I’m not even from Manchester
Eddy probably wasn’t aware of it. I guess, this blog is a nice place to polish his vocabulary too 
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: And if I am, who’s going to tell me I cannot feel that way?
It’s my personal view on the player. Like it or lump it mate, I could care less what you think.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Oh now you have problem with gays.
You love pushing those buttons don’t you. 
(Hopefully no indignant gay comes forward and cries murder. I am ducking for cover.
)
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: How come you know so much about GAY footballers Bro? Are they really GAY or just effeminate?
Like?
0 
0
I am afraid I sympathise with Craig on his view on Rooney. Rooney is world class but for a forward he is too inconsistent. Personally I think he was much better a few seasons ago when he terrified European defences. Fergie has messed with his game too much and he is too much of an all rounder and too much of a team player and that has blunted his ability to win matches for us. Also when the team plays shit Rooney plays shit as well and often loses his head and for me the true mark of a world class player is the ability to inspire a team and win matches with a spark of genius and Rooney only manages that against weaker teams.
Like?
0 
0
@Jay wire: I could care less. That’s my opinion and if you cannot agree with it, fine. But at least respect it without your backhanded little insult regarding my taste or valuation in players.
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: That he is.
Like?
0 
0
@Red Ranter: Yeah RR, but Manchester got the patent on the word I do believe
Anyways, Mancs are very good at GOBSMACKING people, experts in fact. I have a degree in GOBSMACKING! 
Like?
0 
0
@CraigMc: Bingo! You got it spot on. The word is effeminate! You are quite the Webster today, aren’t you?
Like?
0 
0
@Red Ranter: So call me homophobic, I don’t care. The player rubs me the wrong way and brings out the alpha male in me. I’m not looking to be elected as mayor of San Francisco. I could care less what any gay person thinks. Christ RR, you of all people should know I don’t play the PC game. Yes I push buttons, but believe it or not, when I say or do things, I am not consciously thinking to myself “Hey I want to push this guy’s buttons by saying this or that.” I’m far from perfect and sometimes I say things I shouldn’t. At least one thing people get from me is honesty. I wear my personality on my sleeve and for that I make no apologies. What can I say? Maybe I’m just in a bad mood. God knows I’m dealing with enough shite these days. I’m not looking for sympathy but then again, I don’t need anyone’s condemnation for my off the cuff comments.
Like?
0 
0
@colver: Well now Colver mi man, you have become a BLACK sheep too, and a very intelligent one too judging by this post comments
. Although believe me when I say I know a good few more black sheep (who don’t frequent this blog), but have the same sentiments as us on the Roon. The black sheep ARE becoming a little black sheep nation Bro, and the uprising has begun 
Like?
0 
0
@Red Ranter: Webster????
Like?
0 
0
@colver: Actually, you are agreeing with me and all the rest. First, you agree that he is world class. Secondly, you agree that he used to terrorize defenses. And finally you are in agreement with all of us about his poor form of present and his knack for being inconsistent. That doesn’t sound like Craig at all. He cannot be world class and a terror to opponents and be the shitebag Craig makes him out to be.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Dude relax. Geez. If it was so obvious you would have even had one game off the top of your head.No need for archives for that.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I never suggested you did. You are the one who likes to point out “black sheep” so I’m sure you wouldn’t be worked up
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: How many times do you make statements like that daily? I didn’t expect you to be insulted by that actually,since you also since you do the same. Anyway, I’m dropping it because it is changing taste.
Like?
0 
0
@ Craig, we definitely disagree about Rooney!!!! : ) that aside belated congrats on the birth of your baby girl and welcome to the Dad Club. My young fella is thriving, going to playschool tomorrow!! His fav song is the “White Pele” chant!!!! ; ) Time flies, my advice is to take loads of pics and enjoy, i’m sure you are!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Ok you just keep on contradiciting yourself Grog! Here’s what I have said about Rooney in summary and what I think in truth:-
1. You are right that I do not consider him a world class player as you do.
2. I do not think that he can control a ball without letting it run away from him (something you have often said of Rooney Grog).
3. I think that he is unfit, smoking doesn’t help, and his constant all action game hinders his abilities in the final third – often. Something else you have said in the past Grog.
4. He isn’t often enough in the box, where strikers should be, and you have said that too yourself Grog.
5. He isn’t consistent thru’out a whole season, but only plays good in spells.
6. I have said he is a good player yes, but not a legend IMHO.
7. I have said that he has BOASTED of his prowess that he is the man and that he will be the United Messiah now that Ronnie has gone. He hasn’t been.
So I am in complete agreement with Colver’s comments and also with comments made by Onkar, Gabriel (to some degree in some points) and others too. It just suits your cause to isolate me as the black sheep, hey I am FLATTERED that you give my post comments so much attention mate. I believe all the above comments are true, as I have stated them. Nowhere have I called Rooney or any other United player a shitebag, a word that I never use in my vocabulary – so please get it right if you want to make something of my posts Grog!
Like?
0 
0
@phoenix red: Awww thanks Phoenix, I can’t tell you how glad I am about your relationship with your wee lad Phoenix. Fatherhood is just MAGIC mate, we are blessed there, as all dads are. I know you love Rooney Phoenix, and I promise you I am not trying to deliberately goad Rooney fans. I do have my reservations about him that’s all. It has provoked a VERY LIVELY debate though hasn’t it?
.
Like?
0 
0
@phoenix red: By the way Phoenix, what do you think about BIG CHEAT Henry and his handball that robbed the Irish of a world cup place. I definately believe that game should be replayed
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: I was joking mate.
Geez, what the hell is going on here!
Like?
0 
0