Aug 11
United vs Reading: Preview
vs 
Ex-Red Steve Coppell and his men come to OT for the season opener. The manager does have some injury concerns of his own: striker Leroy Lita, defender Ibrahima Sonko and wingers Glen Little and Bobby Convey are out with injuries. Reading will certainly be faced with a rather testing season compared to last year where they proved to be the surprise package. The Royals ran us close last season, when we drew with them away. They might be missing players like Sidwell, but expect Coppell to inject some pluck among the players, who will be up for it tomorrow.
Sir Alex has confirmed that Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves will feature in the squad with Tevez likely to make his debut on derby day. Otherwise he’ll most likely go with the tried and tested lineup of last season: Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs certain to start upfront. Fletcher might play on the right wing - it remains to be seen if SAF would actually be brave enough to plunge Nani in straightaway. He won’t do that, but Nani would certainly come onto the pitch at some point. Scholes’ early return should see him start alongside Carrick and Brown, Vidic, Rio and Evra will take their customary positions in defence. Neville, despite his return to training, would take a while before he returns to first team action.
Squads:
Manchester United (from): EVDS, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher, Tomasz Kuszczak, Nani, Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Mikael Silvestre, John O’Shea, Jonathan Evans, Gerard Pique, Chris Eagles, Phil Bardsley, Danny Simpson, Carlos Tevez.
Match Prediction: 2-0 to United.
Related items from Red Rants:
August 11th, 2007 at 3:21
2-0 - a bit conservative, aren’t we
August 11th, 2007 at 4:25
Rather out of more respect to Steve Coppell, I should say!
August 11th, 2007 at 10:23
I expect the following team
VDS
Brown Rio Vidic Silvestre
Scholes Carrick
Ronaldo Giggs Evra
Rooney
Although Id play
VDS
Brown Rio Vidic Evra
Scholes Carrick
Ronaldo Giggs Nani
Rooney
August 11th, 2007 at 10:27
just cant wait!
August 11th, 2007 at 10:28
come on now, i know reading aint a strong side and evra did impress in the middle of the park, but why start silvestre? the frog is complete shiat, unless fergie is somehow wantin to advertise him to other teams??? i hope to god we get rid of him and use some of the younger lads instead.
August 11th, 2007 at 10:34
Im expecting -
———–VDS————-
Brown—Rio—Vidc—–Evra
—-Fletcher–Carrick——
Ronaldo—Scholes—–Giggs
———-Rooney———–
Subs-
Kuziack(nowhere near the right spelling!!!)
O’Shea
Hargreaves
Anderson
Nani
August 11th, 2007 at 10:39
25 min more and i am in front of the telly
Bring it On
August 11th, 2007 at 12:45
i think we could play a 4 5 1 / 4 3 3 team a little like this:
VDS
Brown Vidic Ferdinand Evra
Hargreaves
Scholes Carrick
Ronaldo Giggs
Rooney
This team could work quite well and i hope tevez gets a place on the bench!
August 11th, 2007 at 12:49
glory glory man united!! 10-0! sorry stevie!
August 11th, 2007 at 15:57
woah sunderland won whoopie keano’s young uns in premiership pull out a quick one
Gr8 match wrong place to discuss but hell its was fun to see footy again and even celtic was playing with some club and nakamura’s strike was amazing
Cant wait for tommorrow
August 11th, 2007 at 16:17
EVDS
Brown-Rio-Vida-Evra
Carrick-Hargreaves
Ronaldo-Scholes-Giggs
Rooney
August 11th, 2007 at 22:15
hey people what about hargreaves any news on him starting ??
August 12th, 2007 at 9:53
EDV
brown rio vidic evra
hargreaves
ronaldo carrick scholes giggs/nani
rooney
thats a strong formation, with hargreaves playing behind the cm.
August 12th, 2007 at 9:55
if we are winning, for the last 15 minutes, put nani on the right and anderson on the left and see what happens.