Manchester United delivered one of their worst performances of the 2019-20 season this past weekend, and stumbled towards a 0-2 loss against West Ham United on Sunday. But the Old Trafford side will return home this Wednesday, where they will aim to deliver a bounce-back performance in the Carabao Cup. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men will take on Rochdale, looking to kick things off in the Carabao Cup with a positive result. Kick-off for this match is slated at 20:00 hrs BST.
Team News
Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly remain sidelined ahead of this contest. Marcus Rashford could be out “for a while” after suffering a groin injury against West Ham. Daniel James could be a game-time decision.
On the other hand, Rochdale have no injury concerns ahead of this tie. They should be able to field their Best XI.
Form guide
Manchester United have been extremely inconsistent so far this season. They own a W2, D2, L2 mark in the Premier League, and already sit quite far from the top of the standings. They began their Cup run on a strong note, however, topping FK Astana in the opening game of the UEFA Europa League group stage. Needless to say, The Red Devils should be treated as heavy favourites ahead of this game despite their unconvincing run of form.
Meanwhile, Rochdale have not looked very good during their League One campaign this term. The Manchester neighbours currently sit in 17th place of the standings, as they have taken 10 points from their first nine matches. They lost at Fleetwood this past Saturday, and have won just once following their Opening Day win at Tranmere Rovers. They have looked solid on the Carabao Cup, however, where they already defeated Bolton Wanderers and Carlisle United.
What is our recent record against Rochdale?
Despite the fact that both venues are one hour away from each other, these two sides have met just once on a competitive fixture. It came in the 1986-87 FA Cup, where The Red Devils won 2-0. Frank Stapleton and Mark Hughes scored for Manchester United that night.
Predicted outcome
Undoubtedly, Manchester United look like the better side ahead of this match. Rochdale will probably sit back and defend, while The Red Devils will control possession and generate the best chances. Even though Manchester United have struggled creating chances, they should find life easier here considering the gulf of difference on both sides when it comes to quality. Expect Manchester United to secure a spot on the next round in this fixture.
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