REDLYUNITED

Saturday, 27 December 2014

MANCHESTER UNITED INJURY UPDATE: INCLUDING UPDATES ON DI MARIA, JANUZAJ AND FELLAINI

United Manager Van Gaal provided news on the current injury situation of his players after the 3 – 1 victory over Newcastle. Angel Di Maria who was widely tipped to start the match didn’t even make the bench to the surprise of fans and media. The United’s record signing who was just returning from injury made his comeback in the draw against Aston Villa as a substitute.

While speaking to the media in his post match conference said ‘‘he [Di Maria] stepped out of the warming up,” the manager revealed. “It was a little bit amazing because he did everything very well, but he stepped out and now we have to wait and see for the analysis.”

Other than Di Maria, Van Gaal also provided update on other injured players in the United camp. On a positive note, Van Gaal admitted that most of the injured players could be back in two weeks. These include Adnan Januzaj and Marouane Fellaini, as well as Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind.

In his words ‘‘All the injuries are coming back, It is a little bit late for us because now we have to play a lot of games within one week. But they are coming back and, within two weeks, I think a lot of players will be back’’.

“Januzaj is ill. It is a virus that is now running in the air. The virus has approached a lot of players but for him, it was too much. Also Fellaini..... I think it is the Belgium virus! Will he be ready for Spurs? No he is ill. Fellaini and Adnan are not ready. Rojo is responding very well, that is what I mean. All of the players are responding very well. Blind is also responding very well. But okay, maybe two weeks.”

Manchester United staged another master class performance on Boxing Day to defeat Newcastle 3 – 1, in a game that United could have won with a wider margin and that continued United’s fine home form this season.

It was a game with many positives for United, though the game also came with a few negatives. Redly United highlights five of those salient lessons.

1. Mata Mattered: Manchester United against Aston Villa had the problem of unlocking the well organised Villa defence, in a match where Mata and Rooney were not with their keys. But the game against Newcastle was in every ramification different. Mata was at his best, with two killer passes that lead to United’s first two goals, both were defence opening passes and his moves in the final third were laudable. Always looking to put in that final pass across to the strikers and he looked dangerous throughout the game. It was a Mata performance the United fans would wasn’t to see more often. His performance made the fans forget the absence of record signing Di Maria. The only downside of Mata’s performances this season is that, most of his best performances have been at Old Trafford. And with United’s next three games being away games, it’s an aspect of his game he should and can improve.

MANCHESTER UNITED 3 NEWCASTLE 1: MATCH REPORT AND PLAYER RATINGS

Manchester United continued their fine home form and gave their fans a perfect Xmas gift with a three one victory over Newcastle. Wayne Rooney got a pair of goal on the 23^rd and 36^th minutes before Van persie’s header, assisted by Rooney early on in the second half, putting the home side on the driving before Jones gave away a cheap penalty late on that was converted by Papiss Cisse.

It was an almost perfect game for United, who dominated proceedings from start but dropped momentum after the third goal in the second half allowing the Magpies to get a goal. Radamel Falcao put in another excellent performance, with his dangerous movement and link up plays, and capped off performance with a brilliant assist for Wayne Rooney first goal. Juan Mata also had a fantastic game providing the assist for the second play, but his first wonderful link up with Falcao for the first goal was another plus for the Spaniard.

Redly United looks at the performance of the United players and rates them individually:

De gea: 7

It was another good game for the United shot stopper who pas usually pulled off some beautiful saves. He’d have loved to have another clean sheet in a game United dominated but, the team conceded a penalty and he couldn’t save.

BREAKING: UNITED ELEVEN AGAINST NEWCASTLE: FALCAO AND MCNAIR STARTING: PICTURES

LVG has decided to start De Gea, Jones, McNair, Evans, Valencia, Carrick, Rooney, Mata, Young, van Persie, Falcao.

Di Maria and Chris Smalling were widely expected to start but the surprise is that Di Maria is not among the substitutes, though Smalling did.

Substitutes are: Lindegaard, Rafael, Smalling, Blackett, Fletcher, A.Pereira, Wilson.

It's Boxing Day, and in a matter of hours Manchester United host Newcastle. Redly United brings you all the stats and figures you need to know going into the game.

Robin Van Persie has scored six goals and assisted three more in his last eight Premier League starts against Newcastle.
Wayne Rooney has failed to score in his last five games against Newcastle.

MY UNITED TEAM TO FACE NEWCASTLE: DI MARIA AND SMALLING STARTS

Manchester United will be hoping to get back to winning ways, when the team play Newcastle on Boxing Day. The only inured player that may be back in the squad according to manager Van Gaal is Chris Smalling. The team will be missing Fellaini, Herrera, Rojo, Shaw and Blind. Radamel Falcao will be hoping to continue his goal scoring form for the team after his goal against Villa, while Di Maria will be hoping for a start after his short spell on the sidelines and a substitute appearance against Villa. While the fans will want to see Carrick back in the midfield, base on their recent performance, Jonny Evans and Darren Fletcher are two players the fans won’t want to see in the starting line up. Van Gaal would want to keep it tight at the back, and here’s Redly United starting XI against Newcastle.

Last year Newcastle won at Old Trafford and now come to town on Boxing Day. Alan Pardew was at some point this season one of the favourite managers to get sacked, but a sudden turn around of results still keeps him in charge. While the magpies are on a bad run of three straight defeats conceding nine goals in the process, the team must not be taken lightly as they ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run in the league.

Redly United Highlight four things United must do to keep the Magpies silent at Old Trafford this season.

1. Defend tightly with more concentration: United’s defence has undoubtedly been the team’s Achilles heel this season. While the United’s attack boasts of some of the best players in that department in the Premier League, same can’t be said of the defence. Lack of experience, inconsistency of form and injuries have made United’s backline unpredictable for most of this season. The goal conceded at Villa Park was as a result of a split second loss in concentration, and that must not repeat itself against Newcastle, if United want to get anything from the game as the Newcastle team have got the ability to create a goal from nothing or half chance, in the twinkling of an eye. It remains to be seen if Smalling will make a start in the game, and if Van Gaal will go for a five man defence – He’s most likely to do though. The defence must keep players like papiss cisse out of the game.

2. Dominate the game in midfield: United’s midfield in the draw against Villa was flat and weak, especially in the first half. There was no midfield covering for the defence, and movement of ball from defence to attack wasn’t potent. Darren Fletcher wasn’t near his best in any form, though understandable as he had not started a match in a while. Ander Herrera and Fellaini are both likely to miss the game, and depending on Van Gaal’s choice of tactics Michael Carrick may start in defence or midfield. Whoever starts in that defensive midfield has got to be on top of his game, he’s got to be the anchor and fulcrum of the team, breaking Newcastle’s play and providing a shield for the defence while distributing the ball nicely to the attackers.

3. Get more balls into the box for the strikers to prey on: with the current strikers and attacking midfielders at United getting the goals shouldn’t be a big problem. But against Villa, United did not create many clear cut chances. Van Persie s was short of service, didn’t get the balls in the dangerous positions. Against Newcastle, United must be inch perfect with their passes in the final third, deliver the crosses, get more balls into the box and create more goal scoring opportunities.

4. Dominate the game for 90 minutes: it’s been one area where Van Gaal’s never satisfied with the team, even during the six match winning streak, he kept on hammering it. And the game against Newcastle is one that most be dominated from start to finish. In other to fully guarantee getting much out of the game.