Manchester United 0:2 Manchester City

meamth · Jan 5, 2021

sunama said:
They've been playing decent in the last couple of weeks BUT we have Ole and his luck.
I'm confident, not in our team's ability to score goals, or Ole's ability to set us up to win or to defend against MCFC's attackers, but I am very confident that if necessary, we'll get a penalty that isn't a penalty if that is what is required to get a draw or win.
We should've drawn the Villa match, but Ole and his luck ensured we got the win.

If his luck can somehow get us a title win, then I'm all for it.

I honestly can't see how MCFC can win this match for reasons stated above.

I think this is unfair for Ole and the lads.

Luck is of course the defining factor in Ole's tenure, but most of the times, United had always been unlucky in finishing chances, enough to win the games without the penalties.

#07 · Jan 5, 2021

Honestly, I ain't bothered about this at all. Ain't felt this way about a Manchester derby since they had Samaras in their side.

If Ole plays Bruno and he gets injured I won't give a s-t if we win 5-0. I've seen that before with a Kanchelskis hat trick!

For the first time in nearly a decade we have a honest to God crack at the title. If we lose key players trying to win the f'n Carabao Cup I'm going to have a fit.

swedishgloryhunter · Jan 5, 2021

Is the game still going to be played? Won't the lockdown affect the games?

croadyman · Jan 5, 2021

Want us to go full strength in this game but then need to rest at least four of the first XI completely on Saturday, however gut feeling is we will still have the big guns on the bench then

always_hoping · Jan 5, 2021

sunama said:
They've been playing decent in the last couple of weeks BUT we have Ole and his luck.
I'm confident, not in our team's ability to score goals, or Ole's ability to set us up to win or to defend against MCFC's attackers, but I am very confident that if necessary, we'll get a penalty that isn't a penalty if that is what is required to get a draw or win.
We should've drawn the Villa match, but Ole and his luck ensured we got the win.

If his luck can somehow get us a title win, then I'm all for it.

I honestly can't see how MCFC can win this match for reasons stated above.

Ah yes that lucky Ole that drew Man City instead of Brentford in this league Cup semi final..

MetoTTT · Jan 5, 2021

Go full strength for this game (if anyone knows what's our best team) and try to get in the final, please! Would be exciting to play a final again.
Rotate and give play time to players in need vs Watford and EL games.

Loon · Jan 5, 2021

I'd love to win this. The momentum would be another factor.

Red_Aaron · Jan 5, 2021

It'll be another cagey affair I reckon.
United sitting deep to protect against the overloads and City not over committing through fear of the counter.

Be interesting to see if pogba keeps his place. He's worked harder of late but city are the last team you want nicking the ball off you in dangerous areas. I wonder if he's fully earned that trust yet. Wouldn't be surprised if he was a sub tbh

With the rest and the Watford game after its certainly a good chance to go full strength. The final being later in the year is also something to look forward to, it's highly unlikely of course but a small chance of fans being involved would be fantastic

youmeletsfly · Jan 5, 2021

I'd love to see a very much changed lineup with the likes of Pogba, Maguire, Rashford and Bruno getting a rest.

Denis' cuff · Jan 5, 2021

Random Task said:
Oops, getting ahead of myself a little.

I meant the Burnley game, obviously

take no notice of him, mate

justsomebloke · Jan 5, 2021

I'm going to completely reverse my previous stance, which was that I didn't care much one way or another about the Carabao Cup.

This now seems like a crucial moment, in combination with the Liverpool game and City's performance against Chelsea. Liverpool is faltering - there's a general realisation that they can now be dethroned. At the same time, most seem to expect that it will be City stepping into that space, and that we're now seeing them getting back to their expected level of play. Everyone acknowledges that United is in that picture, but there doesn't seem to be much belief yet that we truly belong there.

What will effectively decide where the belief moves is the City and Liverpool games. If we come out of those creditably and not looking weaker than the opposition, that is going to define in people's minds where we are.

RashyForPM · Jan 5, 2021

De Gea has proven this season that he is still a better keeper than Henderson. However, I’d still play Dean here as he more than capable as the best young keeper in the world bar Donnarumma, and it would be very unfair to drop him for this one and the Watford game. I’d also play Matic as McT hasn’t been up to scratch since that brilliant Leeds performance. Aside from that, the team picks itself. It’s harsh on players like Donny, but he can start against Watford.

Henderson
AWB Bailly Maguire Shaw
Fred Matic
Rashford Bruno Pogba
Martial

If we’re on our game, we can beat these. We’ve done it before. Come on lads!

Mcking · Jan 5, 2021

youmeletsfly said:
I'd love to see a very much changed lineup with the likes of Pogba, Maguire, Rashford and Bruno getting a rest.

There will be a full week before our next Premier League game.

UpWithRivers · Jan 5, 2021

I know its the carabo cup but do we not want to win some silverware? It would do the team a world of good and stop the semi final failure run. I would go with the same team. With Pogba on the left and Rushford on the right. Even De Gea in nets. We can rest players against Watford and Burnley

Counterfactual · Jan 5, 2021

I think this semi-final is important for our growing confidence.

Having lost three semi-finals last year (Man City in the Carabao Cup, Chelsea in the FA Cup, Sevilla in the Europa league), I think it's vital we break that run and get to a final. Imagine if we lose and the headlines are that Ole loses four semi-finals in a row, he can't handle the pressure of landing a trophy, the team bottles it under pressure, etc. We need to avoid that and continue our good run of form.

I'd like to field our strongest side and give us the best chance of winning.

ForeverRed1 · Jan 5, 2021

Would anyone play Bruno over the two cup games (city&watford)?

I’m inclined to say rest him for the Burnley game. We need him for the league

Jaxa · Jan 5, 2021

Play a strong team tomorrow, rest key players like Rashford, Bruno, Fred and perhaps Martial against Watford unless we need them and then strong team for Burnley.

I agree with most we shouldn't disregard this cup as it's silverware and a big boost in squad morale to get to a final however the league is so tight right now so I hope we severely prioritise that, we actually have a chance of winning it this year, i think it will be between us and City to win it tbh.

OJKernow · Jan 5, 2021

Whilst we're enjoying our current league position, we should remember that we're not even half way through the season yet, and whilst it's great to dream, and we should all make the most of the feeling that we're in a title race, a hell of a lot can happen between now and May in the league.

Silverware is crucial for this side, and we're 2 wins away from that in this cup. Whilst it's always the 4th choice competition, there is a reason why the likes of City, and Chelsea under Jose, often go all out to win it. It breeds a winning mentality and culture and can be a huge mid-season boost in the other competitions, we don't want losing in semi-finals to become a thing for this team.

I'd go full strength tomorrow, then rotate heavily at the weekend for the FA Cup. Leaves a week rest for key players before going back to league duty.

Poborsky's hair · Jan 5, 2021

youmeletsfly said:
I'd love to see a very much changed lineup with the likes of Pogba, Maguire, Rashford and Bruno getting a rest.

Do you realize that these are our best players and we are two wins away from a trophy? The confidence boost will be huge if we manage to get Ole his first trophy. Should play the best team imho and rotate the next one however, players can play more games together and players like Greenwood and McT could be enough to freshen the team ( for the next game)

Hughes35 · Jan 5, 2021

I hope we go with our strongest team for this. Full rotation against Watford, strongest team against Burnley / Liverpool and then we can do a small amount of rotation against Fulham + Sheff Utd.

Best 11

----------------------De Gea------------------------
AWB--------Bailly-------Maguire-------Shaw
----------------Fred------------Mctom
--------------------------Pogba---------------------
Rashford-----------Bruno-------------------Martial

Very Fluid between that front 4 so the starting positions really don't matter.

Hit them on the break.

Watford 11

--------------------Henderson-------------------------
TFM---------Lindelof---------Axel--------------Telles
--------------------------Matic---------------------------------
-----------------Mctom--------Mata-------------------
Pellistri-----------Greenwood----------------James

Edit - Just saw Cavani is suspended so would play a youngster or even god forbid.... Lingard.

Siorac · Jan 5, 2021

Poborsky's hair said:
The confidence boost will be huge if we manage to get Ole his first trophy.

I keep seeing this but it didn't do a lot for either Van Gaal or Mourinho.

It's an academic debate anyway as obviously Ole is going to play his strongest team - picking Bruno at Everton pretty much confirms it - but I still can't buy into the idea that a League Cup win is somehow going to transform us.

Havak · Jan 5, 2021

I don't expect many changes unless they are forced. I'd just go with the same team that played Villa unless I'm missing a tactical reason to play someone over Pogba or something. Hendo over de Gea or Telles over Shaw are really the only ones I could see Ole being tempted by.

We will make plenty of changes against Watford. If we beat City first, I think we might even change the entire XI against Watford.

If we lose this game, I'd expect most of the big players to have to play again in the FA Cup too.

Siorac · Jan 5, 2021

Havak said:
If we lose this game, I'd expect most of the big players to have to play again in the FA Cup too.

That'd be ridiculous. We have much more important games to come.

Havak · Jan 5, 2021

Siorac said:
That'd be ridiculous. We have much more important games to come.

Don't think going out of both cups in a week would be seen as the best way to approach those games though!

Obviously, we shouldn't be losing the latter game even with a rotated side, but if we were gonna make 10-11 changes for example originally, but lost to City tomorrow... I think it would be more like 5-6 instead.

Crustanoid · Jan 5, 2021

Full strength tomorrow. Tactics are more important than anything. We don’t want to go 3 down like last time or like the Renties did the other night. If we get this right tactically we are likely to win then rest all key players for Watford.

youmeletsfly · Jan 5, 2021

Mcking said:
There will be a full week before our next Premier League game.

I know, I just don't give a single feck about the cups, other than the UEL. I'd rather us fight for the EPL.

Djemba-Djemba · Jan 5, 2021

youmeletsfly said:
I'd love to see a very much changed lineup with the likes of Pogba, Maguire, Rashford and Bruno getting a rest.

No chance, it's a cup semi final against city and the next game is against championship Watford at home.

The big players can be rested at the weekend.

Inigo Montoya · Jan 5, 2021

croadyman · Jan 5, 2021

Havak said:
I don't expect many changes unless they are forced. I'd just go with the same team that played Villa unless I'm missing a tactical reason to play someone over Pogba or something. Hendo over de Gea or Telles over Shaw are really the only ones I could see Ole being tempted by.

We will make plenty of changes against Watford. If we beat City first, I think we might even change the entire XI against Watford.

If we lose this game, I'd expect most of the big players to have to play again in the FA Cup too.

Whatever the result tomorrow we need to rest the big players against Watford on Saturday night, the league games against Burnley & the scousers are more important than that one.

Inigo Montoya · Jan 5, 2021

croadyman said:
Whatever the result tomorrow we need to rest the big players against Watford on Saturday night, the league games against Burnley & the scousers are more important than that one.

Watford are shite so we're bound to lose

Matthew84! · Jan 5, 2021

Lots of people saying they don't care about this tie and to concentrate on the league, yet they'll bash Ole for only getting to a semi if we fall in the league.
Go strong with lots of players who run alot as city with have lots of the ball, Fred and Scott will start, Matic to come on if we're winning,
Remember we're allowed to make 5 subs now so should make it easier for Ole.
I want to win something this season.
Come on utd

Escobar · Jan 5, 2021

Let's rest some players! I don't want to see a full strength line up

croadyman · Jan 5, 2021

Matthew84! said:
Lots of people saying they don't care about this tie and to concentrate on the league, yet they'll bash Ole for only getting to a semi if we fall in the league.
Go strong with lots of players who run alot as city with have lots of the ball, Fred and Scott will start, Matic to come on if we're winning,
Remember we're allowed to make 5 subs now so should make it easier for Ole.
I want to win something this season.
Come on utd

Yeah I want us to go strong for this as well, we can rest players on Sat

Raven · Jan 5, 2021

It's only really De Gea I see coming out of the team, with 5 days rest and a chance to rest players against Watford, it's a no brainer. Reckon we'll get a win as well.

Inigo Montoya · Jan 5, 2021

Escobar said:
Let's rest some players! I don't want to see a full strength line up

Ha ha no fecking chance!

Adam-Utd · Jan 5, 2021

Escobar said:
Let's rest some players! I don't want to see a full strength line up

They've just had 5 days rest, that's a 2 week holiday to them!

We go full strength against city, then rotate a bit against Watford ready for Burnley.

red_de_pologne · Jan 5, 2021

100% full strength against City, rotate against Watford, full strength Burnley. Obvious, and right thing to do.

Sassy Colin · Jan 5, 2021

meamth said:
I think this is unfair for Ole and the lads.

Luck is of course the defining factor in Ole's tenure, but most of the times, United had always been unlucky in finishing chances, enough to win the games without the penalties.

What does this even mean :houllier:

Another one who thinks football is a game of chance, not a game of skill.

bsCallout · Jan 5, 2021

With the semi-finals we've been in and getting knocked out of the CL, we need to win this piece of silverware, beating top teams on the way. Then our players will know we can be winners.

TrustInOle · Jan 5, 2021

Adam-Utd said:
They've just had 5 days rest, that's a 2 week holiday to them!

We go full strength against city, then rotate a bit against Watford ready for Burnley.

This. I wasn't to bothered about this, knowing we are hitting form in the league, but the chance for silverware for alot of these young players and for Ole in particular is massively important.

On the plus side, I reckon we have enough strength in depth to deal with Watford.

League Cup Semi-Final

Manchester United 0:2 Manchester City

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