[sunama]

We should win it, should be similar to the Sunderland game.

Middlesborough are better than Sunderland.
Moyes has a near 100% draw/loss record against top sides, so Sunderland were never going to win against us. Moyes is just a terribly negative manager.
Middlesborough are the sort of team which can pop out of nowhere and beat a top side, 1-0.

 

[JB08]

Think this will be a very tight game, City drew with them at home and unlike Sunderland, they have real quality in the team. Going for a 1-0 win.

 

[izec]

Middlesborough are better than Sunderland.
Moyes has a near 100% draw/loss record against top sides, so Sunderland were never going to win against us. Moyes is just a terribly negative manager.
Middlesborough are the sort of team which can pop out of nowhere and beat a top side, 1-0.

They are better, but not that good. Havent won an away game since the first game of the season. They took a draw from City and Arsenal, but also lost to Burnely yesterday and Southampton in their last 2 away games. We should win the game comfortably at home, no excuses really.

 

[sunama]

I find it hard to believe Zlatan can play 2 matches in two days. But hey..the man is a monster and may surprise me.

He can certainly play 2 games in 2 days. Pogba and Ibra are 2 players who are so physically fit, that they could play every game of the season, without too much difficulty.
I'd play both of them in both games, but sub them off against Middlesborough at around 70 minutes.

Carrick is a different story. It all depends on what he tells Jose. If Carrick is feeling good, he'll play in both games. If not, he'll probably miss one, but I would not be surprised to see him play in both games.

It is interesting that Carrick has not been part of a losing team, under Jose. Ever since he was introduced (as a permanent first teamer), we haven't lost a single match!

 

[Irrational.]

This is going to be a much more difficult game than everyone thinks.

They are quite difficult to score against, but hopefully our good form continues and we manage to get the win.

Expecting a narrow 1-0 win with a few scares.

 

[RedPed]

This is going to be a much more difficult game than everyone thinks.

They are quite difficult to score against, but hopefully our good form continues and we manage to get the win.

Expecting a narrow 1-0 win with a few scares.

People have been saying that for the last 4 games. We'll be fine. We'll win by at least 2 goals easy. Yeah they may put up a bit of a fight, might even get a goal but we'll still beat them comfortably. I'd be slightly worried against the Hammers.

 

[Irrational.]

People have been saying that for the last 4 games. We'll be fine. We'll win by at least 2 goals easy. Yeah they may put up a bit of a fight, might even get a goal but we'll still beat them comfortably. I'd be slightly worried against the Hammers.

Let's hope so dude.

 

[Havak]

They've been the most negative team in the League for the majority of the season, they lost 1-0 to Burnley yesterday and have the joint least 'Goals For' in the League with 16 in 18 games. They will come to defend more than any other team we face this season, if we play well, we'll be raining on their goal like the Burnley and Stoke games. However, we did draw those, so let's hope we can find the net in the first half and put them to the sword. Current form suggests we'll do that. They're a shite team really, just better at keeping the score low than the other poor sides are.

Now is the time to ring in some changes. Carrick will be the first to be left out of the 18 entirely and I'd use this as an opportunity to put Zlatan on the bench. I'd also be wary about changing the back four too much, but at the same time I'd like us to try and rest at least Valencia and maybe Jones.

de Gea
Young Smalling Rojo Darmian
Herrera Pogba
Mata
Mkhitaryan Rashford Martial
---
Romero; Jones, Blind; Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Lingard; Ibrahimovic​

Think those will be the 18 players for the day, but could see a couple of different starters (maybe Valencia in there still, or perhaps Rooney/Bailly at the expense of Young/Lingard if fit). That side is more than good enough to beat a relegation candidate at home. If it all goes smoothly, could get Rashford back amongst the goals, with some more game time for Young/Mata/Darmian, and of course what should be an easy game for Smalling to come back into.

2-0.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

I'll go with United winning. Mourinho seems to have finally got his team playing the way he wants and they look like they're in their stride.

2-0

 

[Ramshock]

I think we are on a roll, should win alright.

 

[RedDevil@84]

A tight match with a 2-1 win I think

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

With the West Ham game so close, I'd look for some squad rotation here.

Rashford
Martial Pogba Fellaini Mkhitaryan
Blind
Darmian Rojo Jones Valencia
deGea
​

 

[b82REZ]

I was absolutely convinced this was on today.

 

[marukomu]

I won't be watching this. It starts at midnight here. I will be celebrating New Year with the family.

 

[Precaution]

If Zlatan gets 2 goals (if he plays) he'll beat Messi's record for goals in a year, i think he'll want that record.

 

[Bwuk]

Boro will probably park the bus, and people want to drop Zlatan.

Why.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

If Zlatan gets 2 goals (if he plays) he'll beat Messi's record for goals in a year, i think he'll want that record.

Let's hope he can get two and get replaced by Rashford at half-time, although he'd probably want to stay on for a hat-trick..

 

[Sereques]

This is Mourinho's team, tops he makes one change. I use to remember Mourinho's Chelsea and never ending wait for them to get tired after so many games. Sadly, they never get tired.

Stop the worry over West Ham, it's not like they don't have a busy schedule of their own.

 

[sunama]

Boro will probably park the bus, and people want to drop Zlatan.

Why.

People have been wanting Ibra to be benched for some time now.
Perhaps our fans are getting bored of him scoring too many goals? Perhaps they don't understand that scoring goals is the aim of the game? Who knows.
In any case, we need to win games, so our most prolific goal scorer in over a decade must play.

Now, if we can get some early goals, then definitely sub Ibra, as we need him for the next game.

 

[Chaky_Best]

We want Zlatan to be fit and fresh for the West Ham game on Monday. This will be much more difficult than the Boro game.

The issue here is that without Zlatan, can we really score goals ?

I mean Martial didn't played in this position since February or March, and Rashford didn't really played well this season.

Personnaly I would rotate the squad in order to keep fresh legs on Monday.

---------------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
Darmian---------------Bailly-------------Smalling--------------Blind
-------------------------Fellaini---------Pogba-----------------------
Mkhitaryan----------------------Mata-------------------------Lingard
-----------------------------------Ibra---------------------------------

Hope we score early against Boro to sub Ibra , Pogba and Mkhi

The team I want for West Ham away with 3 same outfield players :

---------------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
Valencia---------------Jones-------------Rojo-------------------Blind
---------------------------------Carrick--------------------------------
Mkhitaryan-----------Herrera----------Pogba-----------------Martial
-----------------------------------Ibra----------------------------------

 

[AgentP]

I don't think we'll rotate too much. If we score a few goals early, we might rest a few players around the 1 hour mark. But other than that I don't expect any large-scale changes in the line-up.

 

[kouroux]

If Zlatan gets 2 goals (if he plays) he'll beat Messi's record for goals in a year, i think he'll want that record.

He'd beat him for this year but Messi's record for a year of club football is 79.

 

[Camy89]

He'd beat him for this year but Messi's record for a year of club football is 79.

So you're saying he can't get 30 goals in a game? You underestimate Zlatan.

 

[Red Dreams]

Rangers v Celtic 6.15 am CT on Saturday on Fox Sports 1 followed by United v Boro at 9.00 am CT on NBCSN.

 

[Carlsen19]

Same team but a starting place for Mkhitaryan please, so either Lingard or Mata dropping to the bench. Should be another straight forward 3 points again - just a shame that we have zero chance of moving up again.

 

[Red Dreams]

We of course need to win our two matches.
Hopefully City beat Liverpool and Chelsea beat Spurs.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Biggest game of the season

 

[whatwha]

Worried about whether Carrick and Zlatan can play 2 games in 2 days. Stupid scheduling. Can we beat Boro without them? Or maybe try to go for an early goal and take them both off at half time?

 

[drdoityourself]

Zlatan has shown no signs of tiredness. People have become obsessed with rotation since Ferguson went his last years rotating like a washing machine. The truth is most teams seem to believe their players can handle two games in quick succession. It's certainly been Mourinho's belief throughout his career. Prior to this double header United have played one game since 17th of December so it's hardly been a brutal schedule.

Carrick is more of a question mark but I don't want to break this midfield up.

Drop Mata and Lingard for Micky and Martial. Threat on both wings should unsettle a defensive team.

 

[Red Dreams]

If we are up by 2 bring off Zlatan and Carrick at 60 mins.

 

[diarm]

First Half vs Boro:

De Gea
Valencia Jones Rojo Blind
Carrick
Herrera Pogba
Mkhitaryan--------- Martial
Zlatan​

Second Half vs Boro:

De Gea
Valencia Jones Rojo Darmian
Blind
Herrera Pogba
Rooney ------------ Martial
Rashford​

First Half vs West Ham:

De Gea
Valencia Jones Bailly Rojo
Blind
Herrera Pogba
Mata ----------- Martial
Rooney
​

Second Half vs West Ham:

De Gea
Valencia Bailly Rojo Blind
Carrick
Herrera Pogba
Mkhitaryan --------- Martial
Zlatan
​

Then against Reading in the Cup play:

Romero
Darmian Bailly Smalling Shaw
Schweinsteiger
Mata Fellaini
Lingard --------- Memphis
Rashford​

 

[Revan]

If we are up by 2 bring off Zlatan and Carrick at 60 mins.

Zlatan will try to score twice on this match, in order to get the record for most goals scored in a year, so he will play 90 minutes. And well, he is very fit so it shouldn't be a problem.

I think that Carrick won't start this match considering that we have to play away two days later.

 

[Red Dreams]

Zlatan will try to score twice on this match, in order to get the record for most goals scored in a year, so he will play 90 minutes. And well, he is very fit so it shouldn't be a problem.

I think that Carrick won't start this match considering that we have to play away two days later.

Mourinho may surprise all of us.
But I trust in the man.
I love this time of the year.

Lots of football

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I am in Canada over the next few weeks. Anyone know whether this is on TV over here and what channel? I think, where I'm staying, they have something called Shaw cable TV.

 

[Red Dreams]

I am in Canada over the next few weeks. Anyone know whether this is on TV over here and what channel? I think, where I'm staying, they have something called Shaw cable TV.

certain they will have the match in Canada. don't know what channel though.

In the US its on NBCSN.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

certain they will have the match in Canada. don't know what channel though.

In the US its on NBCSN.

Yeah I had a brief look at the TV guide but couldn't find our match. They were showing Pool vs Stoke and City vs Hull over the last few days.

 

[Red Dreams]

Yeah I had a brief look at the TV guide but couldn't find our match. They were showing Pool vs Stoke and City vs Hull over the last few days.

I use this to plan. But sometimes they change. NBC Sports Live is streaming.

http://www.livesoccertv.com/schedules/2016-12-31/

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I use this to plan. But sometimes they change. NBC Sports Live is streaming.

http://www.livesoccertv.com/schedules/2016-12-31/

Cheers. I'll check this out on Saturday.

 

[glazed]

Cheers. I'll check this out on Saturday.

It's being shown on Sky Sport 5 in the Republic of Ireland, for you HD lovers

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Rangers v Celtic 6.15 am CT on Saturday on Fox Sports 1 followed by United v Boro at 9.00 am CT on NBCSN.

Thanks for heads up on Rangers vs Celtic