He's already match fit to be honest. He played in all of our preseason games and had a 30 minute spell against Hull where he looked sharp. I think he will play a part since he's back in Manchester and the medical team will do all they can to get him up to speed.
22
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
Did he play yesterday?! Is he fit for the Derby?
Nah he didn't feature at all yesterday. I doubt he'll make it, though he should be fine afterwards.
He wasn't in the squad yesterday. I think Mou will keep his cards close to his chest right until the team is announced, I'm personally not going to believe anything of what I read on him.
Meh I think the only position up for grabs is RB, Miki wouldnt have started even if fit.
Yep.
What makes you think that? We are playing a possession team that are vulnerable to the counter, Rooney, Ibra and Mata offer nothing on the counter as they haven't got any pace and don't run with the ball, 2 things Micki has.
He doesn't fit anywhere in the current set up as of yet and is, in my opinion a player that's been bought for when the team is bedded and plays the style he wants and is comfortable in doing so, in the mean time we need players that can adapt quickly and be defensively sound.
From what I have seen Miki is excellent driving forwards and yes good on the counter but Jose likes to dominate games also, not in a posession sense but in a overpowering- attacking sense. Since we will be playing a City side that is close to clicking I think we need to be mindful of using our players and chances at every opportunity, much like most classic Jose teams.
Miki whilst showing glimpses is a little bit of a risk at this stage in the teams development. For me, if we are winning or desperately chasing he needs to come on but not as a starter. Hes a smart player and therefore the system needs to click for him to play to his potential otherwise we will have him putting balls in to no one or god forbid, a sluggish Rooney.
Starters will be Martial on the left and Mata will retain his place.
Mata on the right is utterly worthless in a game where any chances we get will be on the counter, and he can't press like Micki can. The game is tailor made for Micki's strengths and the opposite of Mata's, it makes no sense to start the latter when his best attributes are not suited to this type of match or to playing on the right in general where he just drifts central all the time and leaves the opposition RB free to drive forward on his side, a big worry given how Guardiola is using his two FB's extensively in the build up.
It's not about what he brings to the side that others don't. I just don't see Mourinho changing things up in the first big game.
Your right but its about a team harmony, Mata has emerged as a senior and important figure out on the pitch and in the locker room and has performed well in previous big games, not to mention the derby isnt really the right game to start giving players full debuts.
Id like to see it, but I am not a CL winning manager and my head tells me Jose will look at the bigger picture in terms of team performance. When we play, we never play with a regimented 4-2-3-1 our set up under Jose has been far far more fluid and looks a little more like this in attack....
DDG
Bailly--------Blind
Valencia----------Shaw
Fellaini-Pogba
Rooney
Mata-----------Martial
Ibra
With Mata, Rooney, rotating the 10 and wide positions, Width coming from the overlapping full backs with Martial less likely to hug the touchline and cutting inside more with Rooney dropping to the deeper position when he does so. Pogba pushing on from deep when the space opens up. Fellaini the most central player, operating from deep almost exclusively, The back line forming more of a Split 3 depending on which flank bombs on.Bailly--------Blind
Valencia----------Shaw
Fellaini-Pogba
Rooney
Mata-----------Martial
Ibra
Just some small things I have noticed. So far its fluid and working very well, what I found interesting is Miki taking up the Mata position is he tends to come inside and drive from deep more than Mata does. Mata operating in a more traditional wide role and cutting in for the role of No.10 playmaker or spreading the ball quickly, not driving and taking the ball on, in my opinion once the team is more comfortable in creating chances lke this we will see Miki come in.
I somehow feel Lingard is going to start over both Mata and Mkhi. He has the pace to get behind the City defense and is also good without the ball. He'll keep pressing and will not let the full back roam freely into midfield.
Ideally, I would like Mkhi to play instead of Rooney and Lingard to play wide. But with his injury, it's likely that Rooney will retain his spot.
Ideally, I would like Mkhi to play instead of Rooney and Lingard to play wide. But with his injury, it's likely that Rooney will retain his spot.
Team harmony shouldn't involve picking someone even if they are wrong for the game at hand. City dominate the ball so our chances will come from a system that requires fast breaking, our 9 and 10 have no pace and Mata is arguably the slowest player in the league, so that means we only have one forward with a threat on the counter.
Even if Micki doesn't play I think Lingard or Rashford has to come in to give us some extra threat on the counter otherwise Martial is going to be very isolated as our only threat outside of set-pieces. This game wont be anything like the ones we have played so far so the set-up will need tweaking IMO.
Rooney's staunchest fanboys thinks he's average....coincidence?
Haha that's not true
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Theres a guy in the comments of that pic (4m ago ( saying "Announce Griezmann"
Believe Mkhi believe
Just a matter of time before he's in the side. Jose needs to give the existing players the opportunity to prove their ability. No one would have been surprised if he had picked Mata, Felanini et al but clearly not the care...the biggest treat IMO is to Rooney but you don't start axeing the club and country captain if you want to win friends and influence people....
hopefully gives a chance to Lingard or Rashford if he's not fit. As others have said this game suits a faster more energetic player. Some games suit Mata more, some games suit others.
Theres a guy in the comments of that pic (4m ago ( saying "Announce Griezmann"
For the love of fecking Christ, stop using the performance threads as megathreads you colossal bunch of assholes!!
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/mkhitaryan-injury-hopefully-nothing-serious.421353/
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/mkhitaryan-injury-hopefully-nothing-serious.421353/
I have seen that comment multiple times on many Utd news. Not sure if it is the same guy.Theres a guy in the comments of that pic (4m ago ( saying "Announce Griezmann"
It's the worse thing about the forum by far. Means anything half interesting is buried.
The performance threads should be locked with the exception of 48 hours following a game, or something like that. We've got pages long performance threads on players who haven't played a minute yet.
Totally agree.
Man Utd 1:2 Man City
WAKE UP!!! You are in the premier league now you sleepy moron!
And he's balding now as well
Good buy Woody - NOT!!!!!!!!!!! 
And he's balding now as well
Good buy Woody - NOT!!!!!!!!!!! Way off the pace ffs. Somehow managed to be worse than Rooney & Lingard.
fecking awful today.
Jesus christ.WAKE UP!!! You are in the premier league now you sleepy moron!
And he's balding now as well
He's been terrible, should be nowhere near the starting eleven in a long time if he doesn't improve.
fecks sake. He's been fecking terrible going forward and almost just as bad defensively. Absolute nightmare of a performance. Mata should have started. Mourinho has got this badly wrong.
I know you're frustrated - but you've been here since 2006 - hopefully not spouting stuff like this usually?WAKE UP!!! You are in the premier league now you sleepy moron!
And he's balding now as well
Its like watching Kagawa out there... Really off the pace
Bebe-esque so far.
One of the worst performances I've ever seen from a supposedly top class player. Absolute tragic. Been bullied by every player on their side.
Jesus. He keeps on getting worse. Get him off ffs.
Been shit need rashers
Jesus! Would be better off with 10 men.
I did try and warn you a few weeks ago...
Ridiculous that this is his first start after Mourinho seemed to be trying to introduce him slowly.
Ridiculous that this is his first start after Mourinho seemed to be trying to introduce him slowly.
Too weak has lost all the 50:50's. Has to come off, lesson to be learnt for the future
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