Manchester United v Wigan Athletic | St. Stephen's Day | 15:00

NUTZZ

December 26, 2011 3:00 PM GMT
Old Trafford — Manchester
Referee:‬ P. Dowd‎
TV: ESPN2 (U.S.), ESPN3.com (internet)
*The game will not be broadcast live in Ireland & UK

Team News

Manchester United: Injuries continue to be a hindrance for the squad. Captain Nemanja Vidic has already been lost for the season with a ruptured cruciate ligament while midfielder Darren Fletcher is unlikely to feature this season as well due to illness. The likes of Tom Cleverley, Anderson, Michael Owen, and Fabio continue to be unavailable as they recover from injury while winger Ashley Young is also expected to be out for several weeks after sustaining a knock during the recent match versus Fulham. Rio Ferdinand also missed the Fulham match due to injury and it is uncertain if the knock on his foot will keep him out for this Wigan tie. Phil Jones has been ruled fit after he was substituted off at Fulham due to an errant elbow to his jaw from Clint Dempsey.

Wigan Athletic: Striker Hugo Rodallega returned from injury versus Liverpool as a substitute and he is expected to be available for this match. Backup goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has had a back issues and it is uncertain if he will be available as a substitute. Defender Emmerson Boyce has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, while James McCarthy is expected to be available despite also suffering a knock against Liverpool.

Possible Lineup:

J. Marston

Wigan have had a couple of good results recently drawing against Chelsea and Liverpool and they deserved their points. That could give them confidence going into this game, might be tough.


Prediction: 9-0.

Professional Griefer

Hope Jones bangs about 11 or 12 in.

Should be a easy enough win, wouldn't expected Wigan to just roll over either though.

NUTZZ

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

Hope Jones bangs about 11 or 12 in.

He'll be wearing his Darth Vader face mask so it's possible!

blackwhite

Will be interesting to see if Ferguson decides to start Jones. Given the injury scare it should be the sort of game he could be held in reserve for.
If he starts in midfield again, it'll be a sure sign that Fergie sees him becoming the key player in the middle of the park

parc

anyone reckon this will be on somewhere in some pub or other

surely some will have it?

Blatter

blackwhite wrote: »

Will be interesting to see if Ferguson decides to start Jones. Given the injury scare it should be the sort of game he could be held in reserve for.
If he starts in midfield again, it'll be a sure sign that Fergie sees him becoming the key player in the middle of the park

It was only bruising in the face. I'd say he'll start in midfield as he effectively got a rest by coming off so early in the least game. However, I don't see Fergie seeing him becoming a key player in the middle. Once Cleverley comes back, he'll play a lot less in midfield imo.


As for the lineup tomorrow, it wouldn't surprise me to see Nani rested as he's played a lot of football lately, but hopefully he'll play. It's an ideal game for Rafael to get back into the swing of things too. Doubt Giggs will start two games in less than a week, he'll be on the bench.

---

de Gea

---

Rafael

---

Smalling

---

Evans

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Evra
Valencia----Carrick

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Jones

---

Nani

---

Rooney

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Welbeck

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It should be a handy enough 3 points, we always beat Wigan although we should respect them after their home draws against Chelsea and Liverpool.

blackwhite

I don't know about Cleverly replacing him when he returns.
I think Cleverly will be used more as the attacking midfield option, with Jones the main man for the holding role. I'd see Fletcher as the main alternative to Jones for the role, so it looks like he could have a prolonger opportunity to stake a claim for a long term role there

Shane St.

we all reckon it'll be valencia and nani??
I was about to put valencia in my fantasy football team but thought He moght do a bit of rotating. hope he doesn't mind valencia playing unreal

homerjay2005

i would think its going to be the same 11 that started v fulham, maybe hernandez, thats it.

Blatter

blackwhite wrote: »

I don't know about Cleverly replacing him when he returns.
I think Cleverly will be used more as the attacking midfield option, with Jones the main man for the holding role. I'd see Fletcher as the main alternative to Jones for the role, so it looks like he could have a prolonger opportunity to stake a claim for a long term role there

Carrick is more the holding midfielder, Jones has been box to box. I think when all our midfielders are fit, Carrick and Cleverley will be first choice. Anderson is to come back end of January too.

Jones is only getting games there because of our injuries imo, although he has impressed there.

We've also been playing the dregs of the PL lately too, so I won't be going overboard with his performances. If he starts doing it against better quality opposition, then I'll start looking at him as a real option in CM for the future.

IvySlayer

Shane St. wrote: »

we all reckon it'll be valencia and nani??
I was about to put valencia in my fantasy football team but thought He moght do a bit of rotating. hope he doesn't mind valencia playing unreal

I know someone who bet that Gibson will start, I said no way and if he does, I'll do anything he asks.

homerjay2005

IvySlayer wrote: »

I'll do anything he asks.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

given fergies brain freezes lately, jones injury on wednesday, the fact we play 3 times in 9 days, have a shed load of injuries, giggs is 38, there is a huge chance gibson could start tomorrow.

god help you, i hope he is a tame lad.

shangri la

IvySlayer wrote: »

I know someone who bet that Gibson will start, I said no way and if he does, I'll do anything he asks.

is that similar to the coed who will do anything for an A?

Seriously, after wigans recent results it may not be the game to rest nani.

IvySlayer

homerjay2005 wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

given fergies brain freezes lately, jones injury on wednesday, the fact we play 3 times in 9 days, have a shed load of injuries, giggs is 38, there is a huge chance gibson could start tomorrow.

god help you, i hope he is a tame lad.

shangri la wrote: »

is that similar to the coed who will do anything for an A?

Seriously, after wigans recent results it may not be the game to rest nani.

He's straight unfortunatly

Blatter

Yeah, was saying that elsewhere yesterday, no surprise if Gibson starts against Wigan or Blackburn. He played well in his only other appearance against Palace this season.

Mars Bar

It's set up for Al Habsi to play out of his skin.

flahavaj

blackwhite wrote: »

I don't know about Cleverly replacing him when he returns.
I think Cleverly will be used more as the attacking midfield option, with Jones the main man for the holding role. I'd see Fletcher as the main alternative to Jones for the role, so it looks like he could have a prolonger opportunity to stake a claim for a long term role there

Jones hasnt once played the holding role and dropping Carrick who has been excellent would be ridiculous.

ConorBF1

Will De Gea definitely be back in goal for tomorrow?

shangri la wrote: »

Seriously, after wigans recent results it may not be the game to rest nani.

Ah they'll never get three top draws in a row.

DB21

Yeah, I don't see us hammering them , purely because Al-Habsi has been a beast lately. 2-0 I'd say.

MagicMarker

It'll be a tough match alright, plus 3pm kick off on a Monday is really gonna **** with my head.

carlcon

Can't see this game being anything but a comfortable win for United.

Al-Habsi will get his usual hat-trick of peno saves, but it should still be at least a 2 goal win.

I'm going for 3-0.

wheres me jumpa

Long bloody day yesterday, bring on the football!

More of the Fulham performance variety please.

Jax Teller

Yeah another comfortable win .Wigans last draws have came at home that made a big difference IMO .

MagicMarker

I really hate it when people go on about 'comfortable wins'.

Jax Teller

MagicMarker wrote: »

I really hate it when people go on about 'comfortable wins'.

Nice to know .

Cantona's Collars

Last 12 games vs Wigan- Goals for 37,against 4.

At OT i reckon a handy 4-0 win to bring Wigan's brief resurgance to an end.

We are back scoring now so anything less than a handy win would be a dissapointment.(Plus West Brom to do something improbable)

It was on SSN the other day that the last time City were top of the table at Christmas,they lost the league by 18 points.
Even so all we can do is keep winning.

Blatter

MUFC team v Wigan: Lindegaard Valencia Carrick Evans Evra Park Gibson Giggs Nani Chicharito Berbatov.

Peyton Manning

That'll do, delighted for Lindegaard.

Jax Teller

Thats a wrong team apparently .

“@DTguardian: Strange #MUFC team: Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez”

Professional Griefer

Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez

Edit, no Jones, Evans instead.

Blatter

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Thats a wrong team apparently .

“@DTguardian: Strange #MUFC team: Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez”

Apologies, I edited there.

They guy who I got the other team from is normally very reliable.

He got it pretty much totally wrong.:p

Peyton Manning

What....the.....

Ordinary man

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez

Edit, no Jones, Evans instead.

Carrick is centre back?

IvySlayer

IvySlayer wrote: »

I know someone who bet that Gibson will start, I said no way and if he does, I'll do anything he asks.

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez

Edit, no Jones, Evans instead.

Ahhhh fuck off.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

IvySlayer wrote: »

I know someone who bet that Gibson will start, I said no way and if he does, I'll do anything he asks.

Mars Bar

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

Lindegaard; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani; Berbatov, Hernandez

Edit, no Jones, Evans instead.

Sweet mother of jesus...

Blatter

Yeah that is one f*cked up team. I'm not surprised he's made a few changes as it's Wigan at home, but that amount?! Better not backfire!

Jax Teller

Fergies lost his marbles .

#Fergieout

CSF

Fergie clearly taking Wigan mega-seriously.

Blatter

MUFC subs v Wigan: De Gea, Rooney, Welbeck, Rafael, Macheda, Diouf, Fryers.

MagicMarker

Ah yeah, 'comfortable win'. :rolleyes:

Peyton Manning

Im more bemused at the bench.

4 strikers!?

IvySlayer

He has to be drunk!

Mars Bar

Can't believe that Smalling isn't even on the bench.

Paul Tergat

Mars Bar wrote: »

Can't believe that Smalling isn't even on the bench.

tonsillitis apparently

James Forde

Sweet mother of Jesus

GIBSON!

Blatter

Peyton Manning wrote: »

Im more bemused at the bench.

4 strikers!?

Welbeck is an option for out wide, although we have no CM there unless you count Rooney as one!

#WAFC unchanged, 4th game running: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Stam, Diame, McCarthy, Jones, Gomez, Moses, Sammon


This could mean that Wigan will either play really well due to continuity in their team or run out of steam and roll over.

Paully D

Cue United winning comfortably and Fergie being proven correct as usual

markc1184

Berba for a hat-trick!

double GG

Can't wait to watch this live on my T.V.