11 January 2014

MANCHESTER UNITED vs SWANSEA: Team News, Match Preview & Facts


TEAM NEWS

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has been sent for warm weather training to help quicken his recovery from a groin injury.
Jonny Evans is a fitness doubt, having been substituted with a back injury in the midweek defeat by Sunderland.
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup is without wingers Pablo Hernandez and Roland Lamah due to hamstring and abductor problems respectively.
Goalkeeper Michael Vorm is not yet ready to return from a knee operation.


MATCH PREVIEW

"Your job now is to stand by our new manager. That is important."
They were almost the last words from Sir Alex Ferguson to the millions across the world who claim Manchester United as their team. Those words were cheered by the throngs at Old Trafford who were celebrating yet another title and who reacted to Ferguson's challenge as though they were taking part in some mass pledge of loyalty.

Some Manchester United fans have kept to their word, some have not. Football is a fickle business and no club or manager should take loyalty for granted.
Certainly nobody at Old Trafford last May could have expected that loyalty to be tested so severely and so soon.

However, surely the least that David Moyes deserves is to be allowed to build his own team and be judged on that? Ferguson, always a master of timing, picked a good moment to leave; his towering achievements undiminished by having to oversee the decline of his team.

United have too many average players in their ranks, too many good players who are playing averagely, and arguably their only two still world-class talents injured. It's a noxious recipe for defeat on the pitch and dismay in the stands.

The all-important stat to avoid for United and Moyes is to lose a fourth successive match for the first time since 1961.

Swansea's FA Cup win at United last weekend was only their third success in their last 17 games in league and cup. Michael Laudrup's men have struggled with the sheer volume of games being thrown at them this season.

Despite that, a mid-table finish along with a decent Europa League campaign is still very much in their sights and although that might lack the wow factor of last season it would still represent a very good season indeed.
Back-to-back wins at Old Trafford would only further enhance Laudrup's already remarkable CV and increase the urgency for United to bite the bullet and buy big in January.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Swansea City's win in last Sunday's FA Cup clash was their first-ever triumph at Manchester United. The Swans had previously played at Old Trafford 10 times, drawing two and losing eight.
Swansea have not beaten United in the league since a 2-0 home victory in January 1982 and have failed to beat the Red Devils in any of their previous five Premier League matches.

Manchester United
David Moyes' side have lost four of their last six home games in all competitions.
United have only lost four home matches in a Premier League season once previously - in 2001-02, when they suffered six defeats.
The Red Devils have scored more than one goal in just one of their last seven games at Old Trafford (3-1 v West Ham).
No team has won the English title after losing six of their opening 20 games since Ipswich in 1961-62.
Manchester United have taken only five points in games against current top-eight opposition.
Wayne Rooney has been booked seven times this season in the league, more than any other player. He has moved into the top 10 of most booked players in Premier League history with 79 in total.

Swansea
The Swans have won just five of their 20 league matches this season.
They are without a win in their last six top-flight fixtures.
They are one of only four sides, along with Manchester United, Tottenham and Aston Villa to have won more matches away than at home this season.
However, they have only won one of their last seven away league games (W1, D2, L4).
Michael Laudrup's side have the highest average possession (59.6%) and best average pass completion rate (86.5%) this season.
Wilfried Bony scored the winner in the FA Cup victory over Man United last weekend, but the striker's six Premier League goals have all come at the Liberty Stadium.

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