[Lucky McLuckerson]

vs..

Date - Thursday, April 20 2017
Kickoff Time - 2005 Hrs BST
Venue - Old Trafford, Manchester

Europa League form guide

Manchester United: WWDWD

Anderlecht: WLWWD


Previous Meetings

Anderlecht 1 : 1 Manchester United

Anderlecht 2 : 1 Manchester United

Manchester United 5 : 1 Anderlecht

Anderlecht 3 : 1 Manchester United

Manchester United 3 : 0 Anderlecht


All-Time Record

Manchester United wins: 4
Anderlecht wins: 2
Draws: 1


Pre-Match Pressers

José Mourinho



René Weiler

Spoiler: Main points

'Of course we have to believe, that we can progress. We do believe, but at the same time we have to be realistic.'

'We know we are playing a very high level team in Manchester United. You only have to look at the performance of this squad last Sunday, they limited Chelsea to hardly any shots on target at all.'

'I think they have had three defeats in the entire season and in the last 22 matches in the game they are unbeaten. They are very strong at the back and they have some great individuals as well.'

'Manchester United and Club Brugge are two teams who will both play a strong game against us.'

'I understand that you say that we should play our strongest team tomorrow. But I also have other things in my head.'

'It’s hard every three days to play with the same eleven. The players understand that the situation is difficult.'

'We can not use the same eleven every match. I am trying to balance between the European games and league games.'

'Fortunately, the atmosphere in the group good. The players are not causing a problem.'

'We saw in the first leg what they can do and we know it is going to be very hard, and we know that pretty much everyone in our team is going to have to put in a perfect performance.'

'But we do believe and we will be trying our absolute best to try and make sure that happens. We do need a goal but we need to be prudent as well.'

Team News

Manchester United

Chris Smalling (knee injury), Phil Jones (toe injury) and Juan Mata (groin surgery) ruled out. Wayne Rooney doubtful.

Anderlecht

Adrien Trebel not eligible (cup tied). Andy Nájar (hamstring injury) and Rubén Martinez (calf injury) doubtful.


Know the opposition

Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht (and nicknamed Paars-wit or Les Mauves et Blancs - denoting their Purple and White outfits) is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht, Brussels-Capital Region - playing in the Belgian First Division A. Anderlecht can be traced back to the foundation of the football club Sporting Club Anderlechtois on 27 May 1908 by a dozen of football lovers gathered at the Concordia café.

Anderlecht are the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions, with five trophies, as well as in the Belgian domestic league, with 33 championship wins. They have also won nine Belgian Cups and hold the record for most consecutive Belgian championship titles, winning five between the 1963/64 and 1967/68 seasons - having played in the first division continuously since 1935/36. They are also ranked 12th amongst all-time UEFA club cup competition winners and tenth in the IFFHS continental Clubs of the 20th Century European ranking.

Anderlecht have been playing their matches in the Astrid Park in the municipality of Anderlecht since 1917. Their current stadium, Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, was first opened in 1983, and replaced the former Emile Versé Stadium. They play in purple and white outfits. They have long-standing rivalries with Club Brugge and Standard Liège and previously with FC Brussels.


Referee

Alberto Undiano Mallenco.​

 

[tentan]

I'm confused do we play our so called strongest team or our 'second team' who beat the leaders today.

 

[Bwuk]

Romero
Valencia - Bailly - Rojo - Darmian
Herrera - Fellaini - Pogba - Lingard
Zlatan - Rashford​

Think Jose won't want to change too much from today.

 

[Ban]

3:0.

 

[Android1974]

Romero
Valencia - Bailly - Rojo - Darmian
Herrera - Fellaini - Pogba - Lingard
Zlatan - Rashford​

Think Jose won't want to change too much from today.

He will, and he should. We played very well against Anderlecht in the first half, with a completely different formation and a Carrick-Pogba midfield. Different adversaries, different needs.

 

[charlenefan]

Team should be....

-------------De Gea-------------
Valencia--Bailly--Rojo--Shaw
-------------Carrick-------------
------Herrera-----Pogba-------
Mkhitaryan----------Rashford
-------------Zlatan-------------

Subs: Romero, Blind, Darmian, Fosu-Mensah, Fellaini, Lingard, Young

 

[Art]

Let's fecking have em.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Not sure how you can not pick Herrera after a game like that with the importance of the game vs. Anderlecht.

Herrera is a big game player; assist against Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and assisted the winning goal against Southampton in the League Cup. There will be spaces for him to make some killer passes as Anderlecht have to score, for that reason we should start Mkhitaryan too.

 

[Android1974]

Team should be....

-------------De Gea-------------
Valencia--Bailly--Rojo--Shaw
-------------Carrick-------------
------Herrera-----Pogba-------
Mkhitaryan----------Rashford
-------------Zlatan-------------

Subs: Romero, Blind, Darmian, Fosu-Mensah, Fellaini, Lingard, Young

Still have my doubts about both Valencia and Shaw starting, Mourinho is very cautious and would dread an error from Shaw.

Also, if Shaw starts, I would like to try starting Rashford on the right with Mkhitaryan/Lingard on the left (Martial seems out of the picture).

 

[Hugh Jass]

We need an early goal to settle the nerves. Being 2-0 up by 30 minutes should be the target.

 

[AgentP]

Will be tough to predict this one accurately. My XI would be

Romero
Valencia Bailly Rojo Darmian
Pogba Herrera
Lingard Mkhi Rashford
Ibra​

 

[Devil may care]

Not sure who'll be at LB but I think we'll go 4-3-3.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

It won't be a complete walk in the park, but should be comfortable:

------------------Romero-------------------
Valencia----Bailly-------Rojo-----Darmian
------------Herrera----Fellaini--------------
------------------Pogba---------------------
Lingard--------------------------Rashford
------------------Zlatan--------------------

SUBS - Mkhitaryan (Lingard), Martial (Rashford), Carrick (Herrera)

Man United 2 - 0 Anderlecht
Zlatan, Lingard

 

[sammsky1]

Team should be....

-------------De Gea-------------
Valencia--Bailly--Rojo--Shaw
-------------Carrick-------------
------Herrera-----Pogba-------
Mkhitaryan----------Rashford
-------------Zlatan-------------

Change Romero for DdG and thats what I also think. I expect us to win easily. 3-0

 

[top1whoisman]

They beat Oostende away 1-0 today. Looks like they played their strongest team.

 

[Offside]

They either have to win or score twice and draw. Can't see that but we don't want it to be nervy at all. Early goal is crucial here.

 

[Damien]

Romero
Valencia Bailly Rojo Darmian
Herrera Pogba
Lingard Mkhi Rashford
Zlatan​

Can see at most one change from that with Carrick or Fellaini possibly coming in for Mkhitaryan.

Edit: Actually could see Young coming in too as Mourinho really likes him.

 

[Android1974]

They beat Oostende away 1-0 today. Looks like they played their strongest team.

Actually, 6 changes, including a totally different front 3, but yeah most of their best players.

 

[littlepeasoup]

Smash 'em.

 

[Android1974]

Romero
Valencia Bailly Rojo Darmian
Herrera Pogba
Lingard Mkhi Rashford
Zlatan​

Can see at most one change from that with Carrick or Fellaini possibly coming in for Mkhitaryan.

Edit: Actually could see Young coming in too as Mourinho really likes him.

Carrick played so well against Anderlecht and if we go for a possession attacking display, as we should, he should feature.

Young seemed physically in trouble today, so…

 

[top1whoisman]

Actually, 6 changes, including a totally different front 3, but yeah most of their best players.

Well the front 6 looked like more or less their best. Don't know enough about their defense to judge that part.

 

[CM]

Had to cover the Anderlecht game for work today and it was pretty much their strongest side. Hanni scored a really nice goal too.

 

[The red panther]

Carrick played so well against Anderlecht and if we go for a possession attacking display, as we should, he should feature.

Young seemed physically in trouble today, so…

Uhm what ?

He slows everything down, he does nothing but pass sideways and backwards and he is one of our most static players. Also he creates literally nothing.

I hope for god Jose sees sense and won't start Carrick in any game that matters anymore unless there really isn't any other option.

 

[Android1974]

Uhm what ?

He slows everything down, he does nothing but pass sideways and backwards and he is one of our most static players. Also he creates literally nothing.

I hope for god Jose sees sense and won't start Carrick in any game that matters anymore unless there really isn't any other option.

Have you even seen that game? He was our man of the match here, so I'm not even trying to be clever.

 

[The red panther]

----------------DDG-------------------
Valencia---Bailly-----Rojo-------Blind
-----------Herrera---Pogba-----------
Mkhitaryan--------------------Lingard
---------------Ibrahimovic-------------
-----------------Rashford-------------
Bench: TFM, Fellaini, Carrick, Darmian, Young, Martial, Romero

I think this is our strongest team we could field

 

[The red panther]

Have you even seen that game? He was our man of the match here, so I'm not even trying to be clever.

Ofcourse I have seen that game

It was also a very bad game from us and If I compare it to today where we outplayed Chelsea who are 10 times better than Anderlecht, one of the big differences was no Carrick for a big part of the game (being the part where we outplayed them and scored 2 goals). IDK how to simply this but we need movement in the midfield and Carrick brings about as much movement as a fecking statue.

 

[Android1974]

Ofcourse I have seen that game

It was also a very bad game from us and If I compare it to today where we outplayed Chelsea who are 10 times better than Anderlecht, one of the big differences was no Carrick for a big part of the game (being the part where we outplayed them and scored 2 goals). IDK how to simply this but we need movement in the midfield and Carrick brings about as much movement as a fecking statue.

Very bad game? We played our best game in quite a while, first half we totally dominated them with almost 70% possession, away! Anderlecht are not so bad as we made them look. Second half we didn't score and suffered in a chance play. Today's game doesn't take away the good game we had. And Carrick moves the ball better than anyone in the team, which by the way in attacking possession is determinant, he doesn't need to be moving himself.

 

[The red panther]

Very bad game? We played our best game in quite a while, first half we totally dominated them with almost 70% possession, away! Anderlecht are not so bad as we made them look. Second half we didn't score and suffered in a chance play. Today's game doesn't take away the good game we had. And Carrick moves the ball better than anyone in the team, which by the way in attacking possession is determinant, he doesn't need to be moving himself.

Carrick offers nothing in attacking possesion and the only direction he moves the ball towards is backwards and sideways. Only MF players we have who do that well enough are Pogba and Herrera.

And Anderlecht is a horribly bad team, I know I'am from Belgium and I watch them regularly. They are not PL standard by any means. We should be walking over teams like this, first half we did well enough without creating enough chances from it and second half we actually let them dominate us at times which was truely phatetic.

Carrick in the midfield is worst idea ever if you want to see us play fluid football with some pace in build up.

 

[Android1974]

I'm a bit worried the away game looked too easy and that the players might decompress after this amazing win against Chelsea. Mourinho must find a way to make them aware of the danger, cause some players might start too relaxed, like Bailly, for instance.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Get an early goal and it should be steady away.

 

[pacifictheme]

Uhm what ?

He slows everything down, he does nothing but pass sideways and backwards and he is one of our most static players. Also he creates literally nothing.

I hope for god Jose sees sense and won't start Carrick in any game that matters anymore unless there really isn't any other option.

Feck off does Carrick only pass sideways and backwards. What a horse shit opinion.

 

[The red panther]

Feck off does Carrick only pass sideways and backwards. What a horse shit opinion.

The man is a statue and creates nothing, it is not an opnion, it is a fact.

 

[Unlikely lad]

The man is a statue and creates nothing, it is not an opnion, it is a fact.

I don't know why I'm even bothering, but did you watch the game today? In the limited time he got, Carrick set up Rashford who unfortunately hit the side netting.

 

[AdNani]

The man is a statue and creates nothing, it is not an opnion, it is a fact.

First pass he played today, forward, created a chance for rashford.

It's not a fact, its bullshit

 

[Treble_Winning]

This would be a good game for Shaw to finally prove his worth on the big stage. If he plays like he did against Sunderland, he is easily our best left back, and one of the best in the PL. we need goals so I would rather start him than Darmian, he is more likely to provide assists and/or penetrating runs.

 

[The red panther]

I don't know why I'm even bothering, but did you watch the game today? In the limited time he got, Carrick set up Rashford who unfortunately hit the side netting.

Yes I watched the game and carrick was good at neutralizing the match and bringing any and all tempo out of it (which was ok as we had a 2-0 lead). You take one good pass from carrick to try and deny my point that he creates very little but his stats tell a totally different story. He has no assists all season long, so even when he does very rarely play a good ball forward, it still doesn't result in goals. Compare that to Pogba who has 5 assists and Herrera who has 9 assists and I know who I want to play in midfield. Both are also more dynamic, faster and better in physical duels.

I hope to see 2 man midfield without Carrick and Ibra and rashford given the chance to play together upfront. If Jose sticks with 1 striker and 3 man in midfield I hope he takes Fellaini over Carrick who also brings much more to the game.

Carrick is good for me to bring in at the end of the match if we have a comfortable lead and need to neutralize the game but not to start a match.

 

[The red panther]

First pass he played today, forward, created a chance for rashford.

It's not a fact, its bullshit

It is bullshit, one pass that lead to a chance doesn't change that

 

[AdNani]

It is bullshit, one pass that lead to a chance doesn't change that

84% off Carrick passes in the league this year have been forward. I genuinely can't believe people are still saying he only passes sideways and backwards

 

[Unlikely lad]

Yes I watched the game and carrick was good at neutralizing the match and bringing any and all tempo out of it (which was ok as we had a 2-0 lead). You take one good pass from carrick to try and deny my point that he creates very little but his stats tell a totally different story. He has no assists all season long, so even when he does very rarely play a good ball forward, it still doesn't result in goals. Compare that to Pogba who has 5 assists and Herrera who has 9 assists and I know who I want to play in midfield. Both are also more dynamic, faster and better in physical duels.

I hope to see 2 man midfield without Carrick and Ibra and rashford given the chance to play together upfront. If Jose sticks with 1 striker and 3 man in midfield I hope he takes Fellaini over Carrick who also brings much more to the game.

Carrick is good for me to bring in at the end of the match if we have a comfortable lead and need to neutralize the game but not to start a match.

You didn't say he created little. You literally stated that Carrick creates nothing as a fact.

 

[Treble_Winning]

84% off Carrick passes in the league this year have been forward. I genuinely can't believe people are still saying he only passes sideways and backwards

Carrick contributes a lot to the build up. You are spot on. He is not a mere "water carrier", he does get involved in attacking moves, and his passing is very good. If we are playing 4-3-3 then he has to be included, no doubt about it, especially in big games where his experience will be important.