I began my preview of the Manchester
United League Cup game with the title «West Ham in the League Cup».
Not exact matches
Since sensationally beating the
League leaders Leicester, Arsenal have drawn with Hull in the first FA
Cup game, lost to Barcelona in the Champions
League and succumbed to both Man
United and Swansea before yesterday's fight - back to draw at Tottenham.
Form guide:
United have built up some momentum in the last two
games, beating Shrewsbury Town in the Emirates FA
Cup before reaching the Europa
League last 16 by defeating Midtjylland in resounding fashion on Thursday.
The London club are without a win in six Premier
League games while they also made a tame exit from the FA
Cup at the hands of Sheffield
United last month.
As we enter the crucial run in to the end of the season, which is the time that we traditionally up our
game to reach the Champions
League positions, we also have another big advantage in that all of the five teams above us are still in the Champions
League and Man
United, City, Tottenham and Chelsea are also still in the FA
Cup, and are set to face some very tough
games in the coming weeks, or maybe months if they do well.
The only real negativity to Ozil's return has been his failure to stand up in the big
games against Manchester
United in the FA
Cup and AS Monaco in the first leg of the UEFA Champions
League at the Emirates.
He played his
League Cup team against Zagreb two weeks ago, and is likely to do the same tomorrow with the crucial Man
United game coming up next.
United's Premier
League opener against West Ham will not be their first competitive
game of the season as the Red Devils must first battle Real Madrid for the UEFA Super
Cup on Tuesday August 8 in Skopje, Macedonia.
5) Bolster the defence Spurs have kept only three clean sheets in their last 21
games in all competitions — two against strugglers Burnley and West Bromwich Albion in the
league, and the other versus League One outfit Sheffield United in the Leagu
league, and the other versus
League One outfit Sheffield United in the Leagu
League One outfit Sheffield
United in the
LeagueLeague Cup.
To me this is almost a must win, Our next 3 premier
league games after stoke, Chelsea away, Leicester Away, Man
United Away, with the small matter of a visit to Zagreb and WHL to meet Spurs in the Capital One
Cup.
Arsene Wenger is unhappy with the timing of Arsenal's FA
Cup semi-final schedule on Saturday evening, which clashes with this weekend's big Premier
League game between Chelsea and Manchester
United at Stamford Bridge.
So we can not rely on Ramsey being able to feature in key
games like the Champions
League game away to Monaco or the FA
cup clash away to Manchester
United.
If they stay in Europe and the FA
cup United could have 25 more
games before the end of the season, at an average of one every four days starting with the second leg of their Europa
League tie tomorrow and then the EFL
cup final this weekend.
We really need the youngster for the FA
cup game with Man
United, the Champions
League second leg in Monaco and of course the Premier
League run in.
Clearly the FA
cup looks the easier of the two even though our next
game is away to Man
United, but the one we all really want is the Champions
League.
«he's not getting regular
games before Sanchez» He's been involved in every
game this season,
league and
cup, as the only
United player.
This season man
United played around 30
cup games and 38
league games, so plenty of matches for everyone, plenty of rest ahead of the world
cup, lots of youngsters gaining experience and an opportunity for a Coach or assistant manager to take charge of one of the squads.
When Jose Mourinho's Manchester
United were in the Europa
Cup semi finals last season, the Portugese boss gave up on the title race and rested players in important Premier
League games so they could be fresh for the infamous Thursday night competition.
The first is also the reason why, even though I want
United to win I do not want them to win easily, because their midweek
game is the FA
cup replay against West Ham who Arsenal face away in the Premier
League on Saturday.
The Gunners are away to Burnley and then there is the FA
cup semi before the Premier
League game at home to Jose Mourinho's team and even if the Gunners win it, we will need Chelsea to have dropped some points in their two previous
games away to QPR and at home to Man
United to have a chance of overhauling them.
And with a trip to Manchester
United next up in the
league for Arsenal (after
cup games against Hull City and Barcelona), the hosts will be going all out to secure all three points, just as they did when the sides last met at King Power Stadium last year, with Arsenal running out 5 - 2 winners.
The German World
Cup winner had to miss the Premier
League games against Liverpool and Newcastle
United before the international break after picking up some mystery illness.
The Gunners were absolutely irrepressible during March, when they won all their
games that saw them remain in 3rd place on the Barclays Premier
League table and progress to the semi-finals of this season's FA
Cup after trouncing Manchester
United at Old Trafford.
United ended the year with a four -
game winless streak in all competitions, which included getting knocked out of the
League Cup by Bristol City and draws with Leicester City, Burnley and Southampton.
Of course we know that Pierre - Emerick Aubameyang will get a rest as he is
cup - tied in the Europa
League, Arsenal face a tough away
game against an in form Newcastle
United on Sunday and to add to the problems we have been handed the early kick - off, so you can see why the Frenchman might want to rest a key player or two.
While some may turn their noses up at a striker firing in the goals in
League One, it is worth remembering that Afobe also has six goals in just four
League Cup games this season, including a superb brace against none other than Manchester
United in THAT 4 - 0 win in the second round of the competition.
Due to the EFL
Cup and FA
Cup, the number of
league games played by Premier League clubs varies between Manchester United and Southampton on 26, and a few teams like ourselves
league games played by Premier
League clubs varies between Manchester United and Southampton on 26, and a few teams like ourselves
League clubs varies between Manchester
United and Southampton on 26, and a few teams like ourselves on 29.
Manchester
United defeated Everton in their last Premier
League game and Mourinho's men will now kick start their FA
Cup campaign tomorrow night against Derby County.
United return to Premier
League action on Sunday when they face Everton, live on Sky Sports Premier
League, before taking on Championship side Burton Albion in the third round of the Carabao
Cup the following Wednesday (September 20)- a
game that is also live on Sky Sports Football.
Manchester
United won their last
league game against Burnley and next up, they will collide against Yeovil in the FA
Cup.
In both
games versus Chelsea this season (Premier
League and FA
Cup),
United have used a 4 -4-2 formation scoring five goals in the process.
Preview & Team news: Zidane's men visit
United Arab Emirates as they play FIFA Club World
Cup in a hunt to win their first silverware in the this season but before that they need to play a massive
league game against Sevilla on Saturday afternoon.
I asked him if he had any tips for the
game, he told me he wears his lucky socks that he wore at the
League Cup game in 2003 when LFC beat Man
United 2 - 0.
Arsenal are set to take on West Ham
United for the second time in as many weeks for the English
League cup quarterfinal
game on Tuesday night, 19th December 2017 at Emirates Stadium.
Manchester
United did have an extra
game on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa
League but that isn't likely to upset their chances of moving through to the quarter finals of the FA
Cup at all in this one.
United do not play another another
league game until March 4 and with Mourinho already grumbling about the a gruelling fixture ahead of the EFL
Cup final against Southampton in a fortnight's time — he must now turn to Shaw.
The pitch here has been graced by some of footballs true greats and, aside from
United's home
games, FA
Cup semi-finals and England international fixtures, it has seen action during the 1966 World
Cup, Euro 96 and 2003 Champions
League final.
United have no time to think about the Champions
League exit and should quickly turn their attention to tomorrow's big
game at Old Trafford as the FA
Cup offers us the last chance to win any silverware this season.
Chelsea won their first three
league games, including two derbies against West Ham
United and Watford, as well as beating Bristol Rovers in the EFL
Cup before the international break.
The West Ham fixture list of death rolls onto Old Trafford today for the first of two
games in a week against Manchester
United; a Premier
League clash followed by the
League Cup quarter final tie on Wednesday.
The 25 - year - old netted a goal in his only
game for Leicester City's first - team in a 4 - 1 win over Sheffield
United in the
League Cup.
West Brom v Liverpool
League Cup Betting Preview: Wasted opportunities cost Liverpool dearly again on the weekend after controlling their home
game against Man
United in the Premier
League.
Arsenal had endured a frustrating season, after being knocked out of the FA
Cup at the hands of
United, losing the Carling
Cup Final, unfairly losing to Barcelona in the Champions
League and a stuttering league campaign, which saw them 9 points behind United coming into this
League and a stuttering
league campaign, which saw them 9 points behind United coming into this
league campaign, which saw them 9 points behind
United coming into this
game.
The Manchester
United striker will miss Monday's FA
Cup quarter - final at Chelsea and subsequent Premier
League games against Middlesbrough and West Brom.
Next week though,
United will face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the U18 Premier
League Cup at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground needing a victory after falling to a 1 - 0 defeat in the last
game against Stoke City, winning the first, a 4 - 3 thriller, against Arsenal earlier in the season.
The 23
league games were joined by two in the FA
Cup (Newcastle
United and Arsenal), one play - off
game (Crystal Palace) and two friendlies.
United will need to move quickly in the transfer market this summer, with it being a World
Cup year, also that the transfer window will close before the first
game in the Premier
League kicks off, meaning the Portuguese manager will have around two months to conduct his business — normally doing it quickly with the Paul Pogba transfer saga dragging on into August 2016, the rest being signed before August came, or close to the start of the month.
The Gunners also featured in three of the six
games where the most abuse took place, against Manchester City in the Community Shield, Manchester
United in the FA
Cup and Chelsea in the Premier
League.
Reaction: Hodgson lionises England record - chaser Rooney (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Rooney sees off Slovenia to close on record (Euro 2016 qualifying) Reaction: Coleman foresees glory for conquering Wales (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Bale sinks Belgium to fire Welsh dreams (Euro 2016 qualifying) Reaction: Hodgson tells under - fire Sterling to toughen up (friendly) Report: England and Ireland draw a blank in Dublin (friendly) Reaction: De Gea uncertainty clouds Man
United's horizon (Premier
League) Report: Arsenal thwart Man
United as De Gea departs (Premier
League) Reaction: Liverpool prepare for life without «irreplaceable» Gerrard (Premier
League) Reaction: Gerrard «devastated» after final Anfield
game (Premier
League) Report: Gerrard says farewell as Crystal Palace poop party (Premier
League) Reaction: Arsenal manager Wenger irked by Swansea «accident» (Premier
League) Report: Arsenal sunk by Fabiański and Gomis (Premier
League) Reaction: Rodgers accuses Fàbregas as Liverpool's top - four bid fades (Premier
League) Report: Chelsea close Champions
League door on Liverpool (Premier
League) Reaction: Mourinho steels Chelsea for challenges ahead (Premier
League) Report: Hazard storms Palace to give Chelsea title (Premier
League) Reaction: Mourinho feels the love despite Chelsea jibes (Premier
League) Reaction: Arsenal «boring», not Chelsea — Mourinho (Premier
League) Report: Arsenal stalemate delays Chelsea coronation (Premier
League) Reaction: Fight for final places, Sherwood tells Villa (FA
Cup) Report: Aston Villa end Gerrard's FA
Cup dream (FA
Cup) Reaction: Mourinho calls for caution as title beckons (Premier
League) Report: Hazard fires clinical Chelsea closer to title (Premier
League) Reaction: Van Gaal says Man
United top dogs after derby romp (Premier
League) Report: Man City blown away by Man
United fightback (Premier
League) Reaction: Hodgson urges Kane to build on perfect debut (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Rooney, Kane on target in England stroll (Euro 2016 qualifying) Reaction: Van Gaal beams after Man
United storm Anfield (Premier
League) Reaction: Gerrard sorry for red card against Man
United (Premier
League) Report: Gerrard off as Mata brace ends Liverpool run (Premier
League) Reaction: PSG revel in Champions
League breakthrough (Champions
League) Report: Thiago Silva and 10 - man PSG claim Chelsea revenge (Champions
League) Reaction: Wenger thrilled as Welbeck proves point (FA
Cup) Report: Old boy Welbeck fells Man
United in FA
Cup (FA
Cup) Reaction: Rodgers rues cost of Liverpool resurgence (FA
Cup) Report: Blackburn intrude on Gerrard's FA
Cup dream (FA
Cup) Reaction: Wembley win leaves Mourinho feeling «like a kid» (Capital One
Cup) Report: Clinical Chelsea earn Mourinho third
League Cup (Capital One
Cup) Reaction: Man City stirrings give Pellegrini Barça hope (Champions
League) Report: Suárez scores brace as Barcelona down Man City (Champions
League) Reaction: Rodgers plots Liverpool assault on top four (Premier
League) Report: Coutinho rocket sinks seething Southampton (Premier
League) Reaction: Van Gaal defends Man
United's «long - ball» tactics (Premier
League) Report: Blind late show rescues spluttering Man
United (Premier
League) Reaction: Pellegrini remains hopeful as Mourinho sulks (Premier
League) Report: Silva keeps Man City on Chelsea's heels (Premier
League) Reaction: Mourinho cries foul over Costa «stamp» claims (Capital One
Cup) Report: Ivanović sinks Liverpool as Chelsea reach final (Capital One
Cup) Reaction: Odds were against Man
United — Van Gaal (FA
Cup) Report: Minnows Cambridge hold Man
United in FA
Cup (FA
Cup) Reaction: Rodgers buoyed by Sterling - inspired Liverpool (Capital One
Cup) Report: Sterling slalom checks Chelsea in
League Cup (Capital One
Cup) Reaction: Arsenal masterclass sets standard, says Wenger (Premier
League) Report: Cazorla stars as Arsenal stun Man City (Premier
League) Reaction: Van Gaal defends methods after
United defeat (Premier
League) Report: Tadić strike punishes shot - shy Man
United (Premier
League) Report: Bloodied Skrtel earns Liverpool a point (Premier
League) Reaction: In - form
United «forcing luck», says Van Gaal (Premier
League) Report: De Gea stars as
United deepen Liverpool gloom (Premier
League) Reaction: Liverpool will «fight» for return — Rodgers (Champions
League) Report: Basel thwart Liverpool to reach last 16 (Champions
League) Reaction: Van Persie rescued
United, admits Van Gaal (Premier
League) Report: Van Persie sends lacklustre Man
United third (Premier
League) Report: Agüero undoes Southampton as Man City go second (Premier
League) Report: Stunning Agüero treble gives Man City hope (Champions
League) Reaction: Hodgson dismayed by England fan chants (friendly) Report: Rooney at the double as England silence Scots (friendly) Report: Rooney, Welbeck inspire England fightback (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Tevez returns as Argentina overcome Croatia (friendly) Reaction: Man City have «crisis of confidence» — Pellegrini (Champions
League) Report: Nine - man Man City left on brink by CSKA Moscow (Champions
League) Reaction: Van Gaal says beaten Man
United getting closer (Premier
League) Report: Agüero gives City spoils against 10 - man
United (Premier
League) Reaction: Shocks are warning for England, says Hodgson (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Rooney on mark as England school San Marino (Euro 2016 qualifying) Reaction: Mourinho urges Chelsea to stay grounded (Premier
League) Reaction: Wenger plays down Mourinho touchline spat (Premier
League) Report: Hazard, Costa sink Arsenal in stormy derby (Premier
League) Reaction: Pellegrini rues carelessness after Roma hold City (Champions
League) Report: Totti makes history as Roma thwart Man City (Champions
League) Reaction: Rodgers heartened by Liverpool resilience (Champions
League) Reaction: Van Gaal wants more from match - winner Di María (Premier
League) Report: Falcao debuts as Man
United crush QPR (Premier
League) Reaction: Hodgson hails Welbeck for biding his time (Euro 2016 qualifying) Report: Welbeck gives improved England winning start (Euro 2016 qualifying) Reaction: Angry Hodgson dismisses England statistics (friendly) Report: Rooney rescues England in turgid Norway win (friendly) Reaction: Wenger backs Sánchez to fill Giroud's shoes (Champions
League) Reaction: Pellegrini gladdened by Jovetić display (Premier
League) Report: Jovetić at the double as Man City sink Liverpool (Premier
League) Reaction: Ancelotti predicts «new cycle» for Madrid (UEFA Super
Cup) Report: Ronaldo still the boss as Madrid win Super
Cup (UEFA Super
Cup) Reaction: Wembley win sets tone for Arsenal — Wenger (Community Shield) Report: Vibrant Arsenal down Man City in Community Shield (Community Shield) Reaction: «Lethargic» Arsenal not ready yet — Wenger (Emirates
Cup) Report: Falcao scores comeback goal to sink Arsenal (Emirates
Cup) Reaction: Wenger enthused by Sanogo - Campbell double act (Emirates
Cup) Report: Sanogo upstages Sánchez in Arsenal romp (Emirates
Cup)
Palace haven't won a
league game against Manchester
United since the 1990/91 season when an Ian Wright goal along with two from John Salako sealed a memorable win in what is no doubt our finest season in a top flight, a third - place finish and a Wembley win in the legendary Zenith Data Systems
Cup, halcyon days indeed.