Nemanja Vidic bids farewell to Manchester United to head to Italy

Posted on May 11, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Man United, Match Previews, Players, Premier League   1 Comment »
Vidic-Bayern
Nemanja Vidic will surely go down as one of Manchester United’s greatest ever defenders

Guest Author: Beci Wood

While this season has been one to forget for Manchester United fans, today should be a celebration of Nemanja Vidic’s remarkable career. After cementing himself as one of the finest ever centre-backs to play for the club and my favourite player, our captain is off on a free transfer to ply his trade in Italy for Inter Milan. If he gets picked this afternoon, the game against Southampton will be the Serb’s 300th appearance for the Red Devils. Blood, sweat and maybe even a tear in last Tuesday’s emotional farewell speech at Old Trafford, hardman Vidic has given everything to the Reds cause, winning 15 trophies in eight fantastic years.

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Southampton vs. Manchester United Preview: View from the oppo

Posted on May 10, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Man United, Match Previews, Premier League, Southampton   No Comments »
Manchester United's Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie scored a hattrick for Manchester United against Southampton last season

Manchester United will finish the 2013/14 season away at Southampton, as the club come to terms with the fact Champions League football will sadly be missing from the Old Trafford fixture list next term. The last time United failed to qualify for the tournament was indeed back in 1994/95, when Blackburn Rovers pipped United to the title on the final day of the season. Of course, only the Champions qualified twenty years ago and the runners up went into the competitive UEFA Cup.

Much has changed in the past twelve months, with two managers both departing under extremely different circumstances. Sir Alex Ferguson retired from the game having lifted his thirteenth and final league championship, whereas David Moyes was relived of his duties following the woeful 2-0 defeat at Everton. United will want to get this season out of the way and ensure the new manager – which looks likely to be Louis van Gaal – finalised as soon as possible.

Ryan Giggs has stated that Phil Jones will not play in the fixture on Sunday, but the injury isn’t as bad as he first thought. Wayne Rooney should also return in what could be United’s number 11′s last game in a red shirt.

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Manchester United vs. Sunderland view from the opposition

Posted on May 03, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Man United, Match Previews, Premier League, Sunderland   1 Comment »
Wes Brown
Chris Smalling challenges Brown and O’Shea as United lost out in the League Cup to Sunderland.

In what is Manchester United’s penultimate home game of the season, the impact on the bottom half of the table is more at stake as Sunderland travel to Old Trafford. The visitors have done wonders so far to escape the pitfall of the bottom three, so far, but are level on points with third from bottom Norwich on goal difference. United helped Sunderland’s cause with a 4-0 win over Norwich last week, and interim manager Ryan Giggs will be hoping for more of the same this weekend.

Sunderland beat United on penalties in the League Cup back in January and Gus Poyet will be hoping for similar celebrations following the final whistle. The Black Cats last won at Old Trafford in the 1967/68 season. Three weeks later, George Best rounded José Henrique in the Benfica goal to gift Manchester United the European Cup and become the first ever English team to win the tournament. The European Cup may not be in United’s thinking next season, however – qualification, under a potential new manager, most certainly is. Ryan Giggs will no doubt see that this is the beginning of a new chapter in Manchester United’s history.

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Manchester United vs. Norwich City Match Preview

Posted on April 25, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Man United, Match Previews, Norwich City   No Comments »
Shinji Kagawa, Manchester United v Norwich
Manchester United thrashed Norwich City 4-0 last season with Shinji Kagawa netting a hattrick

Managerless Manchester United welcome struggling Norwich City to Old Trafford, in what is a highly important encounter for the visitors. The Canaries are only two points off the drop zone, having lost last weekend to Liverpool and to fellow strugglers Fulham a week before that. United, who will be under the guidance of interim boss Ryan Giggs, on the other hand have had yet another turbulent week, with the sacking of manager David Moyes following his disastrous ten month spell in charge, which reached a whimpering climax in the 2-0 defeat away at Everton on Sunday.

Although United won this fixture 4-0 last season on the way to the league title, however – all the talk on Saturday will be about who will be taking over at the helm come 2014/15. Will it be Louis Van Gaal? Jurgen Klopp? Or even Sir Alex Ferguson?! You can vote below.

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Everton vs. Manchester United: Moyes, Barkley and Europe

Posted on April 19, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Everton, Man United, Match Previews, Premier League   No Comments »
Danny Welbeck versus Everton
Manchester United are nine point off Everton, who have played a game more.

Manchester United travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Sunday, in what will be the 188th clash between the two clubs. Everton have four games remaining to try and beat Arsenal to fourth spot, whilst Manchester United’s season duly ended earlier in the month when the club went out 4-2 on aggregate to the reigning European Champions Bayern Munich.

David Moyes was ridiculed by the Everton supporters in the 1-0 defeat back in December, which obviously riled up the United boss as he has spoken recently about demanding more respect from the Goodison crowd. In the last five games at Everton, United have only won a single match back in the 2011/12 season, although United’s form on the road has been much better than at home this term.

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FC Bayern vs. Manchester United: View from the opposition

Posted on April 08, 2014  by El Rob  in Champions League, El Rob, Man United, Match Previews   No Comments »
Vidic-BayernAnother brilliant headed goal (and defensive display) by Vidic would be nice.

On Wednesday night, United face their biggest match of the season in Munich. After last week’s stirring 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, the Reds have to summon a performance for the ages to get past European champions Bayern, and reach the Champions League semifinals.

This past weekend, Bayern lost their first match of the Bundesliga season, 1-0 at Augsburg, with a starting XI featuring stars of the world game such as Mitchell Weiser, Pierre Emile Hojbjerg and Ylli Sallahi. United beat Newcastle 4-0, a really good performance that built upon their improving away form. Mr. Moyes was also able to rest key players such as Carrick, Ferdinand and Vidic, while Rafael may be fit to start on Wednesday. Unfortunately, man-of-the-match Juan Mata is cup-tied and therefore unavailable for the game. Robin van Persie is still injured and will be out for some time again, while Wayne Rooney is likely to start after suffering from a toe injury at the weekend. Patrice Evra will be available after a one-match suspension, though – amazingly – there is the possibility that Alex Büttner will get the nod at left back, after a disciplined and controlled defensive performance last week.

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Manchester United v. Aston Villa: A view from the opposition

Posted on March 29, 2014  by El Rob  in Aston Villa, Man United, Match Previews   No Comments »

 article-2524043-1A1F324700000578-864_634x437The reverse fixture saw one of United’s best 2013/14 performances – Danny and Adnan were especially good. 

Coming off another entirely predictable, soul-crushing, unfortunate defeat to local rivals Manchester City, Manchester United take on Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday. Villa Park was the site of one of United’s better team performances in 2013/14, as the Reds ran out 3-0 winners. Since that game, United have lurched from consistently bad performances to awful results, with lots of overlap between the two, of course. To preview the match, we’re got a view from the opposition with Jamie, a Villa fan and NFL blogger at Any Given Sunday Night. You can follow him on Twitter (@JamieCutteridge) here. As always, we welcome feedback in the comments from both sets of fans.

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Manchester United vs. Manchester City: View from the opposition

Posted on March 24, 2014  by El Rob  in El Rob, Man United, Manchester City, Match Previews, Premier League   1 Comment »
Yaya Toure out muscles Fellaini
Fellaini experienced his first Manchester derby in September, as Yaya Touré bossed things at the Etihad.

Manchester United take on local rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford on Tuesday, in a match that will hold massive significance for both sides, though for potentially different reasons. With little else in the league to play for, United will want to keep building the momentum built by their last two wins on the trot – a rarity this season – and to gain some measure of revenge for the 4-1 shellacking received at the Etihad in September. David Moyes will want to see an better performance than United’s last home game – a soul-crushing 3-0 reverse against Liverpool.

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Manchester United vs. Liverpool view from the oppo

Posted on March 16, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Liverpool, Man United, Match Previews   1 Comment »
Manchester United's Robin van Persie celebrates scoring
Robin van Persie will hope to be on the scoresheet when Manchester United take on Liverpool

Manchester United host Liverpool in the 190th match between the two clubs. United haven’t lost at home to the visitors since the 4-1 defeat back in 2009. At that time, United were in the hunt for a second successive European Cup, the Premier League title and the FA Cup. As we now know a Andres Iniesta inspired Barcelona, with a little help from Lionel Messi, stopped United from reclaiming the European title, whilst David Moyes’ Everton beat United on penalties in the semi-final of the cup – with Dimitar Berbatov taking a horrendous spot kick. United did go on to win the title, three on the trot.

Fast forward half a decade and United are looking up at their rivals who are now 11 points clear. It is highly unlikely United will qualify for the Champions League, even with thirty points left to play for. United will be hoping a win over Liverpool will help to raise confidence ahead of the return Champions League fixture on Wednesday, with the home side 2-0 down from the first leg.

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WBA Vs. Manchester United preview view from the oppo

Posted on March 08, 2014  by Stretford-end  in Man United, Match Previews, Premier League, WBA   No Comments »
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney heads at goal against West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League
Wayne Rooney and Manchester United vs. WBA earlier in the season at Old Trafford.

Manchester United travel to WBA in the early kick off hoping to avenge the 2-1 defeat at the hands of their west Midlands opponents earlier in the season. United haven’t played since the disastrous 2-0 defeat away at Greek Champions Olympiakos, which was even worse than the 1-0 defeat away at Lille in 2005, a defeat generally considered the ‘Massimo Taibi benchmark’ of European defeats.

The Hawthorns was the scene of Sir Alex Ferguson’s last match in charge, an epic 5-5 draw – the first of its kind in the Premier League. Fast forward ten months and United are out of the title race, out of both domestic cups and have it all to do in the return leg of the European Cup last 16. David Moyes wrote a letter to Manchester United season ticket holders praising the support from the fans and will no doubt be under pressure yet again to try and close the enormous gap on Manchester City in fourth spot.

Phil Jones (hip), Jonny Evans (calf) and Nani (hamstring) are all doubtful for the visitors, whilst Chris Brunt and James Morrison, who were both injured on international duty, face a late fitness test for the home side.

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