FA Premier League

Southampton 1:2 Manchester United

St. Mary's

Kick-off
Mon, 8 December 2014 @ 8:00pm GMT
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    Think he said something like there is always a chance, but will probably miss the Southampton game, in his opinion.

    I don't think he said that. He said Di Maria does not have a heavy injury & he expects him to be out for the Southampton game but you never know.

    This is what it said on the Sky Sports website, I know it's not a direct quote but I don't think sky would say it unless he said it himself!

    The Dutchman confirmed that striker Wayne Rooney will have a scan on his injury picked up against Hull at the weekend on Wednesday. He also expects Angel di Maria to return to action against Southampton for Monday night's crunch clash at St Mary's.

    http://www1.skysports.com/football/...s-van-gaal-demands-perfection-after-stoke-win
     
    I think Southampton opt for a wider play (possibly 2 wingers+wing backs), its better if United stick with 3-5-2. There is too much space for their wingers to capitalize if we play the diamond. So I'm going with 3-5-2!

    De Gea
    Smalling..McNair/Evans..Rojo
    Valencia/Rafael..Fellaini..Carrick..Herrera..Young
    Mata
    Rooney​
     
    Contradict to popular belief it sounds like Rooney won't be fit for Southampton for me.Would go for the same front two again if Falcao still not fully fit by then.
     
    This match will be the crucial one since its an away. Second away win and also against a top 4 team will make sure united is in right rhythm. I really hope van gaal dont start Januzaj or wilson since they cant muscle out defenders and too casual (not fighting for the ball) except one or two flashy runs whole match.

    What i wish :

    Rafael Smalling McNair Rojo
    Carrick
    herrera Fellaini Di Maria
    Rooney
    Falcao

    What i will actually get :

    Valencia Smalling Rojo YOung
    Carrick
    Fellaini Mata
    Herrera
    Rooney RVP

    P.S: Van gaal said di maria might start against s'thampton.
     
    Contradict to popular belief it sounds like Rooney won't be fit for Southampton for me.Would go for the same front two again if Falcao still not fully fit by then.

    If that's the case then Rooney will once again 'return' to the squad just before the big clash.

    Gosh! The words rooney and return are turning out to be a good analogy.
     
    As an (east) Australian, Monday night football is at the very least preferable to the late game on Sunday. 6am is manageable, 3:30am not always.
    West Australian. 4am here. At least when I was in Adelaide it was 6.15am and not as bad.
     
    According to the interview on BBC website,
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30303169

    Di Maria will not play at Southampton
    Rooney - doubtful, but decision will be made after a scan.

    Falcao. As usual people are putting his name in the starting line-up, but havent worked out the guy has not yet recovered from his career threatening injury.
    I realise the excitement, but we have to be realistic. He will be brought back very slowly/gradually. Even the slightest twinge - and LvG will give him an extensive rest.
    This rehabilitation and recovery must be done slowly. This is quite normal with the knee ligament injury.

    My guess is that we will see him play 80+ minutes, sometime in January, but not before.
    But hey - only time will tell.
     
    According to the interview on BBC website,
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30303169

    Di Maria will not play at Southampton
    Rooney - doubtful, but decision will be made after a scan.

    Falcao. As usual people are putting his name in the starting line-up, but havent worked out the guy has not yet recovered from his career threatening injury.
    I realise the excitement, but we have to be realistic. He will be brought back very slowly/gradually. Even the slightest twinge - and LvG will give him an extensive rest.
    This rehabilitation and recovery must be done slowly. This is quite normal with the knee ligament injury.

    My guess is that we will see him play 80+ minutes, sometime in January, but not before.
    But hey - only time will tell.


    Nothing new in that report... It's basically his Stoke post match interview. Was hearing that he's hopeful for di Maria to be involved Saturday.
     
    The BBC have these quotes from Van Gaal but its confusing as i thought the Rooney quote was about Di Maria:confused:

    Asked if England forward Rooney was likely to recover in time for United's trip to Southampton on Monday, Van Gaal added: "I don't think so, but you never know."

    The United boss also expects to be without Di Maria at St Mary's, where his fourth-placed side target their fifth-straight Premier League win.

    United's 26-year-old record signing, who joined from Real Madrid for £59.7m in the summer, was substituted after just 13 minutes against Hull with a hamstring strain.

    "Di Maria is not so serious, but he won't play against Southampton," said Van Gaal.
     
    -------------de Gea-------------


    -Rafael-smalling-Rojo---young-

    -------------carrick--------------


    ------Herrera-----Fellaini-------


    --Januzaj-----Rooney--Mata---
     
    Will be interesting to see how our heavily based possession play fares, against a high pressing Southampton side, away from home. This will be a real test as to how LVG's "philosophy" is actually being embedded into the team.
    I have a feeling that we might see 3-5-2 again to protect Ashley Young against Clyne and Tadic, which would be a good move imo. Think Wilson should get another chance as I sensed that he felt the pressure to perform against Stoke, so snatched at his chances slightly, maybe with a run of starts will make this disappear.
    Win this game and I think our top 4 rivals might be starting to get worried... Predict another nervy finish with United winning by one goal again.
     
    According to the interview on BBC website,
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30303169

    Falcao. As usual people are putting his name in the starting line-up, but havent worked out the guy has not yet recovered from his career threatening injury.
    I realise the excitement, but we have to be realistic. He will be brought back very slowly/gradually. Even the slightest twinge - and LvG will give him an extensive rest.
    This rehabilitation and recovery must be done slowly. This is quite normal with the knee ligament injury.

    My guess is that we will see him play 80+ minutes, sometime in January, but not before.
    But hey - only time will tell.

    I don't think we would have opted to take Falcao on loan if he wasn't fit enough to play for 90 mins until half way through the season. Falcao is just coming back from a calf injury and I expect him to be able to play at least half an hour of football for the next game then return to playing most if not all of the game against Liverpool.

    Hoping we get Rooney back for this game. If we can play like we did against Hull we can easily afford to have di Maria out for this game. Not expecting much change in terms of the line up, other than any injured players (Rooney, di Maria, Rafael at a push) coming in to take back their place.
     
    --------------------DDG --------------------

    -- Valencia -- Smalling -- Rojo --- Young -

    ---------------- Carrick -------------------

    ---- Herrera ----- Fellaini ----- Di Maria

    ----------- Rooney ------- Falcao -----
     
    I don't think we would have opted to take Falcao on loan if he wasn't fit enough to play for 90 mins until half way through the season.

    Thats exactly the reason why we got him on loan - injury.
    He was an injured player - we knew this - but we are all hopeful that by the end of the season, he will be playing at full power AND in good form (remember, after playing regularly, he will need a few weeks/months to attain full power/form) by the end of this season.
    I believe we have first option to buy (or return) him.

    Remember, this is the most serious injury (concussion or heart failure, excepted) a football player can suffer. That is what he is returning from.

    I realise that fans are hopeful. I am too. But we have to be realistic. I said a month ago that January is realistic. I've been shot down for saying this by other posters. But I've seen nothing to change my mind.
    But if I'm wrong and he returns sooner, I will be ecstatic.

    Here is an injury update, from our facebook page:

    Injury update on Rooney, Di Maria and Blind

    Louis van Gaal has revealed Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will have a scan on the knee injury that forced him to miss Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Stoke City at Old Trafford.

    The in-form Reds striker limped out of Saturday’s victory over Hull City and was subsequently not included in the squad to face Mark Hughes’ Potters. However, the manager is confident that Rooney will hopefully make a swift return to action.

    “It’s his knee, but we have to wait for tomorrow to say anything about him because you never know with a knee,” said van Gaal in his post-match press conference.

    “My opinion is it is not so heavy (serious) but I am not a doctor. So we have to wait for the scan then we will know more. But I hope it is not so heavy.”

    Van Gaal also discussed the fitness of Angel Di Maria, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Saturday’s match. “Di Maria is not so heavy but of course he shall not play against Southampton,” the boss said. “But you never know.”

    To finish his injury round-up, the Dutchman provided a positive update on Daley Blind and revealed his compatriot could return from an ankle injury towards the end of this month.

    “It’s not so heavy as I have already said,” van Gaal reported. As for a possible return date, the manager suggested: “Not next week, I don’t know… Christmas maybe – maybe Christmas. At the end of December maybe we see light at the end of the tunnel.”
     
    My prediction: Inverted 4-3-3

    ----------------De Gea-----------------
    --Rafael--Smalling----Rojo---Young---
    ----------------Carrick----------------
    ----------Fellaini-----Rooney----------
    ------Mata--------------------Herrera----
    ---------------Van Persie--------------

    Herrera and Mata would be given creative freedom almost like wide playmakers/inside forwards that have the freedom to provide width and overlap Young/Rafael or cut inside and provide some creativity for Van Persie to latch on to.

    Rooney and Fellaini would add some steel to the midfield, Fellaini's job being winning the aerial battles, intercepting and tackling and knocking it to Rooney or the playmakers. Rooney's job would be to link up the play between Herrera and Mata, Rooney would be advancing forward too so he almost has a freeroam position between 8,10,9 role. Where as Fellaini would stay rigid.

    Carrick just needs to do what he is usually doing, blocking, intercepting and keeping an eye out for that key pass.

    Rafael and Young to provide some width going forward.

    Van Persie's job is to do what's expected of him and bang them in, however I expect Falcao to make an appearance.​
     
    Last edited:
    Watching them so far tonight at the Emirates they look compact and very comfortable on the ball, almost at home at the Arse"s stadium. We are going to need to be on our game to get a result away to this lot, Clyne looking good again, would fit in nicely in or side at right back.
     
    They defending very well and very organized, hope LVG studying them very well. It will be massive game for us moving us to 3rd if we win.
     
    Injuries will probably be the difference here. Going to St. Mary's without Rooney, Di Maria, Rafael, and Shaw will considerably hampen us.
     
    Southampton haven't had anything going forward tonight. We can beat them, we've got the confidence with 4 wins from 4, they have no wins in 3 with 2 losses.
     
    This becomes a pretty big game now. A win will really put us in good stead for 3rd. We risk dropping down to 6th if we can't manage it though.
     
    Southampton haven't had anything going forward tonight. We can beat them, we've got the confidence with 4 wins from 4, they have no wins in 3 with 2 losses.
    Aye their performance going forward (or lack of) tonight gives me a lot of confidence that we'll see another 70%+ possession game.
     
    Aldeweireld will be out if he's done anything to his hamstring. Schneiderlin and Cork also look doubts. Tadic also hobbled off although he'll probably play a part.

    I can see us winning on Monday. They went through a similar period last year where they couldn't buy a win. Soton have looked really poor offensively in the last two games too. We need to take advantage of it.
     
    Schneirdelin, Aldeweireld look like defo being out. Cork went off and Tadic seemed to pick up a knock as well. If they're all out, we have to fancy our chances.
     
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Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Robin Van Persie image Robin Van Persie 82% of 810 votes

Runners-up

Player Ratings

5.6 Total Average Rating

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Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 552 ratings.

Score Predictions

567,59,130
  • Man Utd win
  • Southampton win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 31% Southampton 1:2 Man Utd
  • 16% Southampton 1:3 Man Utd
  • 12% Southampton 0:2 Man Utd
  • 9% Southampton 1:1 Man Utd
  • 6% Southampton 2:2 Man Utd
  • 5% Southampton 0:1 Man Utd
  • 4% Southampton 2:3 Man Utd
  • 3% Southampton 2:1 Man Utd
  • 3% Southampton 0:3 Man Utd
  • 2% Southampton 0:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 0:5 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 1:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 3:1 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 2:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 1:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 0:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 2:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Southampton 5:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 3:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 3:2 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 3:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 3:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 4:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 4:1 Man Utd
  • 0% Southampton 4:5 Man Utd
Compiled from 756 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Southampton
  2. Man Utd
Possession
52% 48%
Shots
15 3
Shots on Target
4 2
Corners
5 1
Fouls
12 9

Referee

Kevin Friend