[Devil may care]

Apparently, it's an hybrid pitch.

That should rule out Valencia if he's having knee trouble, and I think he'll be cautious with Bailly and Jones as well.

 

[Android1974]

That should rule out Valencia if he's having knee trouble, and I think he'll be cautious with Bailly and Jones as well.

Why Bailly?

 

[Devil may care]

Why Bailly?

Bailly had his inury niggles last season around his muscles and knee, I don't think that jarring pitch is a good idea for him when it's not nessicary.

 

[Canagel]

De Goat

Valencia Smalling Lindelof Shaw

Matic Herrera
Lingard Mkhitaryan Martial

Lukaku

​

No way is Shaw starting unless Young, Blind and Darmian all pick up injuries between now and Wednesday.

 

[Tincanalley]

I have a feeling that - maybe subconsciously - Jose laid out his stall for this game against Southampton. Try and nick one, and then choke it out.

 

[Android1974]

No way is Shaw starting unless Young, Blind and Darmian all pick up injuries between now and Wednesday.

Yeah, he might travel, but for team spirit alone.

 

[whatwha]

I was disturbed when I heard some guy on talksport talking about CSKA when the draw was made. Instead of saying "C""S""K""A", he said it all as if it was a word like "Siska".

Anyway, I think we'll win this. A comfortable 2-0 win. Will take a draw though

Disturbed? Why? Pronouncing it Ceska isn't unusual.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Disturbed? Why? Pronouncing it Ceska isn't unusual.

Just had never heard it before. It's probably fine but hearing it for the first time caught me off guard.

 

[Longlivekeano]

----------Romero----------

Lindelof-Smalling-Blind-Shaw

-------Carrick--Matic-------

------------Herrera----------

-Lingard---Martial--Rashford

 

[Todd]

We should be able to smash Palace at the weekend, so we should go full throttle for this one.

DDG
Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Young
Matic Fellaini
Henrik
Mata Lukaku Martial

 

[haram]

Think Lingard & Martial start this one.

 

[Gerald G]

De Gea
Valencia--Bailly--Smalling--Blind
Herrera--Matic--Fellaini
Mkhitaryan--Lukaku--Martial​

 

[Roosney]

What the hell, is the kick off really at 19:45 BST? It's like 23:45 local time.
EDIT: 22:45 it seems. But still.

 

[Rawls]

That's probably the line-up that CSKA Moscow will put out against us on Wednesday night. They seem to favour playing an asymmetrical 3-1-4-2, with Mario Fernandes much more advanced as a RWB than Schennikov is as a LWB. On the whole, CSKA have a very, very old defence; the Berezutski twins are 35. Golovin is probably the player to watch here (http://breakingthelines.com/rankings/31-aleksandr-golovin/); the partnership up front between Vitinho and Aaron Samuel is a very young one, although neither have been particularly prolific in front of goal so far in their respective careers.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Wasn't Dzagoev supposed to be the next big thing at one point

 

[buckooo1978]

great memories of smashing CSKA back in 08/09 or 07/08 - Akineev still in nets should be a good omen

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/uefa...first-champions-league-clean-sheet-since-2006

so Liverpool and United fans in Moscow at the same time?

 

[JMack1234]

I really don't care how we do it but I feel we should be expecting to win here. Yes it's Moscow but they're a poor team and if we smash and grab 3 points that puts us in a fantastic position in the group and in terms of morale moving into the Palace game and the international break.

 

[WhoDaGOAT]

Wasn't Dzagoev supposed to be the next big thing at one point

Yep. He's still a good player though.

Never moved to a club outside of Russia for some reason. Why, I'm not sure. He's still only 27.

 

[el3mel]

Why are people saying they'll be content with a draw ? The game against Benfica in Lisbon should be the one we'll be content with a draw in it but drawing this with Benfica defeating Basel will complicate the group for all teams in it that early.

 

[VeevaVee]

Why are people saying they'll be content with a draw ?

I'm fairly confused. People seem to be content with a draw and wanting to rest players here, as if it doesn't matter because we'll qualify anyway. Not for me ta

 

[Android1974]

(…)

Thanks for all this, very useful.

 

[SirMattBugsby]

That's probably the line-up that CSKA Moscow will put out against us on Wednesday night. They seem to favour playing an asymmetrical 3-1-4-2, with Mario Fernandes much more advanced as a RWB than Schennikov is as a LWB. On the whole, CSKA have a very, very old defence; the Berezutski twins are 35. Golovin is probably the player to watch here (http://breakingthelines.com/rankings/31-aleksandr-golovin/); the partnership up front between Vitinho and Aaron Samuel is a very young one, although neither have been particularly prolific in front of goal so far in their respective careers.

Seems more like no one wants to play with Fernandes. And the Berezutski brothers must know Putin to shoe-horn themselves into the team and destroy its balance.

 

[groovyalbert]

They're going to really go for this I reckon. If they manage to get 3 points against us, and with a double-header with Basel to come, they'll be very close to qualifying. If they drop points against us, and don't get the maximum from their games against Basel then they'll be in a tough position given their last 2 group games.

Think we can go and get a win but if I was offered an injury-free draw, which doesn't negatively affect our league game next weekend, I would probably take it.

 

[ti vu]

We should be able to smash Palace at the weekend, so we should go full throttle for this one.

DDG
Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Young
Matic Fellaini
Henrik
Mata Lukaku Martial

You underestimated the trip to Russia and back then having away game to Palace. That's 3 back to back away games and Russia is quite a long flight. It's tough for recovery between these games. Definitely a time we need to use the squad well than trying to go gung-ho and run empty for next game. We experienced worse last season, and in the past, mind.

 

[Joker]

You underestimated the trip to Russia and back then having away game to Palace. That's 3 back to back away games and Russia is quite a long flight. It's tough for recovery between these games. Definitely a time we need to use the squad well than trying to go gung-ho and run empty for next game. We experienced worse last season, and in the past, mind.

We're at home to Palace mate.

 

[ti vu]

We're at home to Palace mate.

It is? Damn. For some reason I thought it is away game...

 

[Yeesheng]

think the Smalling Lindelof combo will start in defence. Jones is too brave and may injure himself on a hard pitch/harsher conditions.

won't be surprised if a few other players are rested as well, like Matic and Valencia. Would like to see Darmian, Carrick, Shaw, Martial and Lingard play substantial minutes in this game.

Do not understand why we should settle for a draw - any of our line ups should beat CSKA. If we do not, it's a poor performance and those players should work hard on improving.

 

[Havak]

Minimum 2-3 changes here and in the Palace game IMO, then probably back to absolute full strength for Benfica and Liverpool (probably with Herrera over Mata, and hopefully Pogba coming back).

de Gea
Valencia Lindelof Smalling Darmian
Herrera Matic Fellaini
Lingard Lukaku Martial
---
Romero; Bailly, Young; Carrick, Mata, Mkhitaryan; Rashford​

Might seem like resting too many considering they just upset Benfica (IMO), but if we can get four points from CSKA/Benfica away then we've already won the group I reckon. The three points would be better here of course, but I wouldn't be too displeased with a draw. I can see Carrick starting either this or Palace as well, otherwise he won't start until Swansea in the League Cup. Honestly, I'm kind of expecting a similar performance to Southampton, we just won't sit as deep as we did there. It'll be more functional and professional than exciting, but I'll take it if we come away with a result. I'm sure when we play Palace we'll get a good attacking performance, so it's absolutely no issue for me.

 

[NYAS]

Their squad is weaker on paper compared to when we played them under LVG. And I'm not convinced we'll play 3 in midfield, they'll be sitting back quite a lot with a back 5. I could see Mkhitaryan, Lingard and Martial starting behind Lukaku with Fellaini and Matic in midfield again.

 

[doomy20]

Why are people saying they'll be content with a draw ? The game against Benfica in Lisbon should be the one we'll be content with a draw in it but drawing this with Benfica defeating Basel will complicate the group for all teams in it that early.

This. We play the worst league team next weekend, it´s early into the season, we´re fresh. Tough October coming up, we need to get in a strong position within the group. WW goes much better than WD.

Should be a calm 1-3 for us.

 

[Todd]

It is? Damn. For some reason I thought it is away game...

Yeah, at home to a team that is 0-6 and hasn't scored a goal yet.

Honestly, anything less than a 3-0 victory will be a letdown. I'd be slightly annoyed with a 2-0 win unless we looked great.

 

[AN17]

Yeah, at home to a team that is 0-6 and hasn't scored a goal yet.

Honestly, anything less than a 3-0 victory will be a letdown. I'd be slightly annoyed with a 2-0 win unless we looked great.

Queue a frustrating 0-0 with a Lukaku penalty miss and Mourinho given another touchline ban then.

 

[AdnanRED]

I reckon Jose will play.

DDG
Young Lindelof Smalling Blind
Herrera Matic
Lingaard Mkhi Martial
Lukaku

Going 3-1 Utd

 

[Todd]

Queue a frustrating 0-0 with a Lukaku penalty miss and Mourinho given another touchline ban then.

If this were last season, I'd probably say the same. This season, things are different.

I think we'll batter them

 

[Redfan94]

If Kick It Out want to see some proper racist chants aimed at Lukaku, this'd be a good game to watch.

 

[Trizy]

Martial to run riot

 

[Hugh Jass]

Going to be a tough one. Maybe one nil or something like that.

 

[AN17]

If this were last season, I'd probably say the same. This season, things are different.

I think we'll batter them

Hopefully we will.

 

[Zebs]

Fellaini didn't travel. McTominay has.

 

[Zebs]

Jones, Valencia and Carrick also thought not to have travelled, apparently. Based on who was and wasn't photographed at the airport.