Dec 19
Manchester United vs Fulham: Preview
Betfair is the official Manchester United betting partner and we here at Red Rants have partnered with them to offer a free £25 bet when you register. Unlike other betting sites, Betfair allows you to place bets when the game is running and choose the odds at which you want to play. What allows you to do these things is you’re betting against other fans, not the bookie, so if you want better odds than are currently available, for example, you can place an order for a better price (but bear in mind that if your price is unrealistic your bet is unlikely to be accepted). So, give this a run if you’re up for it.
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After comfortably overcoming a Wolves reserve side Manchester United must travel to Craven Cottage to face an in-form Fulham team fresh from Europa League duty. Expect a tight match as Fulham are unbeaten in their last six games, in all competitions. United on the other hand are hindered by the same plethora of injuries that have become commonplace over recent weeks.
For United, Tomasz Kuszczak will start in goal, as Edwin van der Sar has not recovered from a knee injury in time to face his former club. Ben Foster will remain benched.
The biggest job for Sir Alex Ferguson will be reshuffling the defensive pack, as Nemanja Vidic picked up a calf strain in the game on Tuesday. Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans and Gary Neville are all still out. Rafael, it seems has recovered from an ankle problem and could be in contention for the right-back slot, along with Ritchie de Laet. Despite his injury, Vidic should be partnered by Michael Carrick at the back, with Patrice Evra on the left-hand side.
Owen Hargreaves is all still out, while Ryan Giggs and Nani are doubtful, with hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. Darren Fletcher will more then likely be partnered by Paul Scholes in the centre, with an ever improving Valencia on the right, and depending if Giggs has recovered from injury or not, look for Obertan or Park on the left.
Up-front, Wayne Rooney will lead the line as always, joined by Dimitar Berbatov. Michael Owen will again have to settle for a place on the bench.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson will be without Diomansy Kamara and Simon Davies who are sidelined with knee and ankle injuries respectively, while Andy Johnson is unlikely to be in the squad as he is hampered by a groin injury. Good news for the Cottagers though, Danny Murphy made his comeback midweek and is expected to keep his place.
Striker Bobby Zamora looks to be back to his best after scoring four goals in his last three games, including a brace in Switzerland against Basle in midweek. Jonathan Greening is expected to make his 300th career league start on Saturday, will be facing his former club.
Last season, Fulham beat Manchester United at Craven Cottage for the first time in 45 years, a 2-0 victory. This season they have made their best start to a league campaign since 2003.
It will no doubt be a tough match, and one that we could struggle to win, especially with our defensive issues, though, one ray of light is the fact Fulham have failed to win in six of their seven league matches immediately following a Europa League outing. That provides some comfort at least.
Rooney has also scored seven goals in the last seven Premier League away matches, while Scholes is one goal away from 100 in the Premier League.
Prediction: 1-1 Draw
Probable Line Up: Kuszczak, De Laet, Carrick, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney.
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Betfair is the official Manchester United betting partner and we here at RR have partnered with them to offer a free £25 bet when you register. Unlike other betting sites, Betfair allows you to place betswhen the game is running and choose the odds at which you want to play. What allows you to do these things is you’re betting against other fans, not the bookie, so if you want better odds than are currently available, for example, you can place an order for a better price (but bear in mind that if your price is unrealistic your bet is unlikely to be accepted). So, give this a run if you’re up for it.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Rooney and Evans celebrate winner v Fulham – Wallpaper
- Fulham v Man Utd: Preview
- Fulham Preview
- Porto it is then…
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Another top preview, David.
I have a bad feeling about this one though… I think a 1-1 draw isn’t unlikely.
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Hello guys,i am from india. been following this blog for a while.hoping for a great game today.
Berba to score the winner.
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If you can’t watch this game you can try free Live Streams
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Ben Arfa???!!!??
My first reaction would be: let’s stay off this lad as far as can be – he is a massive, massive prick.
Then consider the follwong facts:
1. Fergie is the greatest man-manager in the history of the game.
2. Obertan had a similar history of being “difficult” before we snapped him
3. By all accounts Ben Arfa is massively gifted winger
4. United are a team having a history of wingers
I’m sitting on the fence for this one. If Fergie manages to do a Houdini and get this lad to focus, we would have a potential world class player.
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I think with all the rumours flying around it seems like we are sounding out wingers, which doesn’t bode well for Nani.
Also, anyone watching Liverpool Pompey? The crowd are hilarious. Portsmouth winning 1 nil. Mascherano sent off. Rafa starts going off on one…. cue massive chorus of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’
Feed the scousers has been out in force too.
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Ben Arfa would be cheap. He has potential. A change of environment can often be good for people. So it could be a good move, especially as we seem to be cash strapped. He is also a similar age to Obertan so they could be friends as well as have some competition for the left flank. After all a long time ago a certain difficult Frenchman arrived at Old Trafford…and the rest as they say is history.
Fulham will be a tough match but an easier proposition than Aston Villa. They are very solid defensively but do not have as much going forward as villa. If our defence holds up I think we have enough to score a goal or two.
My prediction: 2-1 to us
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@Traverse: THis is starting to get ridiculous.
I’m always for some entertainment, but Rafa being sacked would be the worst thing that could happen.
Maybe he just wants to, and get a hefty cheque in return!
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@colver: THe thing with Ben Arfa is that his alleged difficult personality is alleged to be much, much, much worse than that of Obertan and possibly even Cantona.
Eric had temper but was a great professional. The same cannot be said of Ben Arfa.
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In other news it seems that Shakhtar Donetsk have made a formal bid for Douglas Costa; and that Ljajic, after having been named Young player of the year in serbia, has been snapped up by Rubin Kazan.
Guess everyone will be monitoring these two!
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Sounds like we got off lightly there they have signed for two World heavy weights of football.
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PIG
Fletcher
De Laet
Carrick
Evra
Valencia
Anderson
Gibson
Scholes
Owen
Rooney
4-3-3?
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Subs: Foster, Fabio, Tosic, Park, Obertan, Berbatov, Welbeck
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for you guys looking for streaming link for fulham v man utd: http://tv.indonewyork.com
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Andy, for me is will be 3-5-2 like we played against Wolfsburg.
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Fucksake. This is why we can’t continue with Scholes. In matches where we have no defence we cannot afford to have someone who is such a liability when an opposition player gets near him!
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We really do not have that many options in midfield mate.
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What a save!
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@Stephen: I rest my case.
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Scholes off. Obertan on. 4-4-2 please.
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Scholes and Rooney – fucking woeful, worst two players on the pitch.
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Scholes having a poor half
plus he has a yellow card… might be sensible to bring him off and put Berbatov in his place. Anderson is just wasting passes and might be more suited to play centrally than offensively today. What’s the point of a 3-5-2 if the attacking mid can’t make a decent thru ball?? Put Berbatov as the attacking mid and we might see a change in our fortunes.
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@CraigMc: Rooney has been shite today.. can’t seem to do anything right lately; apart from score cracking penalties tho
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We suck so bad now…its scary! I expect them to go 2-0 up before we get a goal. We need a huge stroke of luck cos the way we’re playing now, I don’t see anyone stepping up. 2nd half – Berba for Owen, Obertan for Scholes please!!!!
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This is dire…
Fabio for Scholes, Obertan for Anderson and move Fletcher back into midfield in a 4-4-2
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@CraigMc: Scholes has been shite today – Rooney has been one of our better players in fact. He’s the only one trying to do something – Owen has been invisible!!
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..and why is Rooney playing infront of Owen? Isn’t it supposed to be the other way round? De Leat needs to stay close to Carrick and Fletch, we are playing a 3-5-2 and he can’t afford to forage into the opposition half and lose possession.
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Is this Manchester United?
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@Sir Red: just get fabio on and move fletch to midfeild and we will have a gane
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@NicoQB: I’m honestly and sincerely not very sure mate.
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Shocking first half.
You know there’s something wrong when a midfield five cannot create anything for their strikers to feed on.
Scholes – nightmarish
Gibson – cannot pass the ball for an occasion for the life of him.
Evra – love him but he’s simply not a LM anymore.
Valencia – stubbornly sticks to his wing.
Only Anderson gets a little credit in my book, but still…
Throughout the years the one constant people would be sure of with United is that they would create chances. This first half has been a joke.
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Valencia you feckin tosser – one his own, going into the box, not a defender near him, and he still cannot get his pass in – I would like to shoot the fucker right now! Andy CR7, Rooney the best player – yeah right, get some specs mate you badly need them. Nobody in our MF to warm the cockles is there. Fabio is on the bench, SAF should have him on the pitch, or anybody at right back, and get Fletch back in our MF where he belongs. What is wrong with Fergie these days – it is our MF and Our forwards who are continually SHITE!
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@RMJ: Fabio is a shite defender. HE’;s the last thing you would want with a back three.
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@NicoQB: Enough Yule-tide give-aways! Scholes off for Obertan or Berbatov.
Scholes has been the worst I have ever seen him play… I actually like Anderson – except for his inability to use his feet for shooting. At least I am watching the game in Chinese so I get some enjoyment from watching the game.
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5th game now Rooney has played utter shite, and he should be out until he gets some form back – I am sick of having to watch him and his cock ups!
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The players honestly don’t seem comfortable with the formation… especially midfield. One player out of the trio should be running at the opposition and laying off defense-splitting passes; my guess is that’s Anderson and he’s doing a woeful job so far. That’s why we’re seeing all these long balls.
Berbatov needs to be on the pitch.. Scholes out for Berbatov, Owen out for Obertan later on.
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Evra is too slow in getting back to his position… Lets hope we do better in second half…
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This team shape is making them nervous at the back , confused in midfield, and blunt up top.
There is no pattern to the build-up play…the only outlet I could see was Valencia, and he looks terrified of making any decisive decisions.
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Carrick and De laet as CB. Evra to right back.
Berbatov on. Scholes off.
Rooney as LM (can’t believe I’m typing this)
If nothing comes of this, Obertan on in place of Gibson. Valencia as RB.
Fletch as DM.
PIG
Valencia Carrick De laet Evra
Obertan Fletch Anderson Rooney
Berbatov
Owen
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@CraigMc: how’s he gonna get some form if he doesn’t play?? isn’t that your same argument for Nani?
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@CraigMc: Mate, I think it’s antsBoy who said that Rooney has been our best player…
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I ditched a sunset afternoon cruise in the summer lagoon for this.
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And Tosic. Don’t know how he’s going to get on, but by god, let’s play him!!!
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Btw, if I see park come on the pitch, I will break this PC screen!!!
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I am shocked at how many injuries we have in our defense… it is appalling that we are paying physios and coaches and have this many defenders out injured. we are effectively playing 3rd string in defense and it affects the rest of the team’s confidence.
Out: Vidic, Ferdinand, Neville, Rafael, Brown, Oshea
Fletcher – Carrick – DeLaet- Evra
Imagine Chelsea without Terry, Carvalho, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Alex and Ferreira/Zhirkoff that would give them:
X – Ferreira – Essien – Cole
Don’t forget Arsenal with their 2nd string got destroyed by us in the CL semi’s.
I don’t care about Liverpool but my point is that this defensive crisis HAS to be resolve asap. Screw getting Ben Arfa or Aguero or Dzeko, we need defenders!
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@Gabriel: Gabriel Bro, surely you know about Fergie’s constant square pegs – round holes, thats the answer to your quwstion. Man United – we have turned in the saddest bunch of footballing SAPS you have ever seen. Still watch the comeback – and us win 2-1 or even 3-1 IF FERGIE WAKES THE FUCK UP, gets Fletch in MF, and one of our players can step up and thread a decent ball thru for one of our other players to score, who knows. Fergie is getting EXACTLY what he deserves so far – NOTHING. People will make excuses ans \say we have a lot of injuries. But it isn’t the injuries that are hurting us, it is our bloody awful standard of play. Also, SAF is always boasting that all his players are top class Man United material – yeah right, who the fuck believes him eh?
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Oh come off it mate, Fulham goal nothing to do with our defence, and neither is it anything to do with rest of our poor play. The makeshifters have done ok so far.
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My second half side would be –
Fabio Carrick De Laet Evra
Valencia Gibbo/Ando Fletcher Obertan
Rooney Owen
Not sure whoses been worse, Anderson or Gibson. But we need to move into a 4-4-2
Berbatov on around the 60th minute if things aren’t happening.
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@AndyCR7: Oh right, apologies mate!
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Do we really have to fucking wait till the 65th minute before SAF will act?
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@Gabriel: How can you ask that Gabi, he plays every feckin game mate!
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