[joedirt87]

Surely this team cannot feck up 2 ‘must not lose’ games right? What are the chances we draw our last two games? It would fit well with a lot of previous years where we limp over the line and pass out figuratively speaking, rather than finishing strong.

2 draws sees us over the line, all that matters. Yeah it would be nice to finish with 2 strong performances but I will gladly take whatever performances sees us in the top 4.

I wonder if Moyes goes a bit more defensive now that West Ham need something out of this game to clinch avoiding relegation. We all know it's impossible they go down based on goal difference, but maybe he sets up to stifle United, play on the counter and take a draw.

 

[The Brown Bull]

It is,
But nevermind.
We need to focus on winning the two games.

Away to City in 2012..Kompany heads the winner from a corner late on.
Don't tell me we played to win that game.

 

[USREDEVIL]

Same here in CO. Drives me crazy knowing it’s over but have to wait. The only ”good” thing is that there is little chance of spoilers if I stay off the interwebs.

I am sure Moyes will try to get them fired up but in the back of all the players mind they already know they are safe. Score early and they will start thinking about being on crutches during their short break v on the beach and maybe we can score 3 or 4. Let them stay in the game through the first half and...

I think the only advantage they have is a couple extra days rest. I think superior talent, playing at home and desperation gives United the edge. 4-1

Re DVR i have to stay off Yahoo, stay off ESPN sports, and stay off youtube. It's a bit of an ask but i'm usually successful...usually .

One benefit is that i can watch at night after work with a beer or 2 and some food.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

with Williams (if he's OK, which I doubt) coming in for Shaw.

Did Will get another injury?

 

[ManUnitedCanuck]

Every set piece is going to be scary to watch. They will likely score on one of them with their size and the way we defend them.

 

[red_de_pologne]

why does the OP say it's 14:00 BST ?

 

[ReallyUSA]

2 nil

 

[432JuanMata]

Am I right in thinking,

Manchester United wins: 59
West Ham wins: 40
Draws: 28

Is a poor record?

Horrible. They always used to do us at Upton Park hated going to that place. We have a good record against them at OT

 

[Lentwood]

I would be tempted to rest some of our key players tonight. We looked absolutely out on our feet against Chelsea and basic sports science tells you playing a game every 3 days for two weeks is going to take it’s toll.

The fact is, a win tonight really doesn’t benefit us any more than a draw. Either would mean we go into the Leicester game needing just a point.

If we went with

GK - Romero
DR - TFM
LB - Williams
CB - Maguire
CB - Lindelof
MC - McTominay
MC - Fred
AMC - Pereira
AML - Rashford
AMR - James
ST - Ighalo

That should be more than capable of getting us a point/three points at home against West Ham.

That also means by the time we play Leicester, the likes of Fernandes, Pogba, Martial, Greenwood, AWB, Matic and Shaw we will have had a decent break.

Remember, Leicester will have had a week off and this is a one-match shootout on their home turf. Resting players tonight would seem controversial but it’s not really, it’s the percentage call.

 

[red_de_pologne]

I would be tempted to rest some of our key players tonight. We looked absolutely out on our feet against Chelsea and basic sports science tells you playing a game every 3 days for two weeks is going to take it’s toll.

The fact is, a win tonight really doesn’t benefit us any more than a draw. Either would mean we go into the Leicester game needing just a point.

If we went with

GK - Romero
DR - TFM
LB - Williams
CB - Maguire
CB - Lindelof
MC - McTominay
MC - Fred
AMC - Pereira
AML - Rashford
AMR - James
ST - Ighalo

That should be more than capable of getting us a point/three points at home against West Ham.

That also means by the time we play Leicester, the likes of Fernandes, Pogba, Martial, Greenwood, AWB, Matic and Shaw we will have had a decent break.

Remember, Leicester will have had a week off and this is a one-match shootout on their home turf. Resting players tonight would seem controversial but it’s not really, it’s the percentage call.

Not really, we're level on points and GD, so 2:0 today would mean we can still lose 0:1 to Leicester and be ahead of them? Correct me if I'm wrong. Plus 3 points today could get us to third.
But I get your point and dread seeing us absolutely knackered against fresh Leicester.

 

[wolvored]

I would play a strong team tonight and see if we can rack up the goals. Leicester will have had a weeks rest, and be at home. If we can win 3/4-0 tonight, a small loss to Lecester still sees us over the line.

 

[Raw]

Not really, we're level on points and GD, so 2:0 today would mean we can still lose 0:1 to Leicester and be ahead of them? Correct me if I'm wrong. Plus 3 points today could get us to third.
But I get your point and dread seeing us absolutely knackered against fresh Leicester.

Nah if we were +2 GD then lost 1-0 to Leicester then our GD will be equal again. It would then go down to goals scored, which Leicester have more of.

 

[red_de_pologne]

Nah if we were +2 GD then lost 1-0 to Leicester then our GD will be equal again. It would then go down to goals scored, which Leicester have more of.

ah thanks squeaky bum indeed. In that case I would rest Bruno and Martial for at least half of the game.

 

[Ace]

Crazy that people are suggesting playing a reserve XI, I thought that was what we fielded against Chelsea— Two final matches which can determine the trajectory of our club moving forward. The players know this, they’ve had a three month break, they’ll be wanting to see this through. 4 of our 7 league fixtures since the restart have resulted in a victory by three goals. Repeating or beating that would see us all but mathematically lock it up.

 

[Squeaky Bumtime]

This is it lads, strap on!

 

[Stevondo8]

You can see west ham sitting back and talking the draw to make it certain they’re safe, although they already are really (are Watford really going to beat arsenal by 14 on final day? Obviously not).

As has been said earlier in the thread, there’s no real difference between a draw and a 1/2-0 win as Leicester would still only require a 1-0 win to overtake us again

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Must win game, first name on my team sheet would be DDG.

 

[Siorac]

You can see west ham sitting back and talking the draw to make it certain they’re safe, although they already are really (are Watford really going to beat arsenal by 14 on final day? Obviously not).

As has been said earlier in the thread, there’s no real difference between a draw and a 1/2-0 win as Leicester would still only require a 1-0 win to overtake us again

And as it's been pointed out multiple times, a win today means that Chelsea will have to beat either Liverpool or Wolves to finish ahead of us. So there's a very real difference between a draw and a win.

 

[duffer]

Rest everyone. The only thing that matters is that you beat Leicester.

 

[Kostov]

Just fecking destroy them 5:0

 

[roonster09]

Ole said apart from Bailly everyone is fit, does that mean Shaw is available?

If he is injured then won't be surprised to see TFM as left back.

 

[groovyalbert]

DDG

AWB
Lindelof
Maguire
Shaw (TFM if out)

Matic
Pogba
Bruno

Greenwood
Rashford
Martial

Please just avoid injuries and be in the top 4 going into the final day. Thanks.

 

[RUCK4444]

Rest everyone. The only thing that matters is that you beat Leicester.

Yeah I bet you would like that

We gotta get the job done tonight take some of the pressure off that last game.

 

[RUCK4444]

DDG

AWB
Lindelof
Maguire
Shaw (TFM if out)

Matic
Pogba
Bruno

Greenwood
Rashford
Martial

Please just avoid injuries and be in the top 4 going into the final day. Thanks.

This.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

one more clean sheet to surpass Peter Schmeichel’s record of 112 Premier League shutouts for United. Should he do so, De Gea will have the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper for the club in the history of the competition.

 

[charlenefan]

I feel we're destined for defeat here given every time we can get ourselves into the top 4 we blow it and literally the only result tonight that won't see us move up the table is a defeat

Another scenario I could see is we draw, Chelsea loose and we go up to 3rd as a result

 

[Inigo Montoya]

True, although as SAF once said 'ive never played for a draw in my life'
I hope Ole follows suit.

He stated many time that he always picked a team to win the game that there was no 'weakened team.'

We all knew there were fringe players, not as many as there are now but he challenged those to go out and show what they had.

 

[Class of 63]

We've been short of proper heart-stopping drama for yonks now, so lets lose narrowly tonight with a weakened team, then go and win 3-4(the winner a last minute penalty that takes VAR 13 minutes to decide on, and is the wrong decision, but who cares) at Leicester on Sunday with a full-strength fresh team. Oh yeah and late sub Jesse to push Rashford, Fernandes and Pogba out of the way to take it.

 

[Stevondo8]

And as it's been pointed out multiple times, a win today means that Chelsea will have to beat either Liverpool or Wolves to finish ahead of us. So there's a very real difference between a draw and a win.

True, I guess the point I’m making is a draw isn’t the end of the world as we all know this place will massively overreact if that is the result tonight

 

[Sultan]

Rest everyone. The only thing that matters is that you beat Leicester.

I hope the scenario is we have a chance to play out for a draw at Leicester to eliminate Chelsea from qualifying.

 

[Red Royal]

Evdry tine we have had a chance this season to make up points on others it seems we have blown it.
I sed no reason not to start with our strongest XI and hope that are in a good position to rest a few of them after 60 minutes.

No telling how West Ham will treat this game... guess their aim is not to get battered, but I assume Moyes will be pumped up for this game.

Antonio seems to be on fire at moment, but expect we can keep him quiet. Hopefully DeGea has all of this seasons errors out of his system now.

Is there still nearly 9 hours to go.... can't focus on much else right now...not sure what Sunday will be like!!

 

[duffer]

I hope the scenario is we have a chance to play out for a draw at Leicester to eliminate Chelsea from qualifying.

Match fixing? I doubt they'll risk it! Especially with us playing at the same time.

 

[Siorac]

I hope the scenario is we have a chance to play out for a draw at Leicester to eliminate Chelsea from qualifying.

Unless Chelsea are losing 3-0 to Wolves or something (presuming they don't beat Liverpool today), both teams would be stupid to risk that.

 

[bondsname]

This game will say a lot about the character of the team. I hope the players realise that and do their job properly, simply we cannot be nervous and to slow today. West Ham will punish us if we are not on our A-game.

Not feeling optimistic though and I think West Ham will walk away from this with a point or even three points.

 

[cyberman]

This game will say a lot about the character of the team. I hope the players realise that and do their job properly, simply we cannot be nervous and to slow today. West Ham will punish us if we are not on our A-game.

Not feeling optimistic though and I think West Ham will walk away from this with a point or even three points.

Theres little difference between a point or 2-0 win.
Honestly, Id rotate. Trust the players not to lose and freshen it up for Sunday. Id take a low energy 0-0 than a high octane 2-1 that takes it out of us

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

No mucking about and just get the win. I don’t care how we do it. As long as we get the 3 points tonight to put us in the driving seat for Sunday, that is all that should matter tonight.

Starting XI

Romero

Wan-Bissaka
Lindelof
Maguire
Williams

Pogba
Matic

Greenwood
Fernandes
Rashford

Martial

subs:
De Gea
Fosu-Mensah
Mengi
Dalot
McTominay
Fred
Mata
Lingard
Ighalo

Score Prediction:
Manchester United 3-1 West Ham United

 

[Siorac]

Theres little difference between a point or 2-0 win.
Honestly, Id rotate. Trust the players not to lose and freshen it up for Sunday. Id take a low energy 0-0 than a high octane 2-1 that takes it out of us

Again, there's a BIG difference between a draw and a win because we're competing with two teams, not just one. And the other rival has two tough fixtures.

 

[cyberman]

Again, there's a BIG difference between a draw and a win because we're competing with two teams, not just one. And the other rival has two tough fixtures.

Not really. We need Chelsea to drop points so, if they lose, a draw takes us above them anyway.
Or if we win tonight and Chelsea drops points then a draw v Leicester keeps us above Chelsea.. Which would get us CL with a draw tonight anyway.
It matters far more to Leicester than to us

 

[crossy1686]

Really not in the mood for a Moyes win and the smugness that goes with it

 

[Lentwood]

Regardless of whether members believe De Gea’s form is a blip or a decline I don’t see how he can play tonight

His confidence must be at rock-bottom and I’m sure West Ham will be looking to test him at every opportunity. Just stick Romero in, again, it’s the percentage call