Watford v Manchester United 18/9/16 k/o 12.00 BT.

Cantona's Collars

Possible Lineups:

..WATFORD...........................................UNITED..

United will hand a late test to Eric Bailly as the centre-back picked up a knock against Feyenoord on Thursday night but the Ivory Coast international is expected to be passed fit to start.

Mourinho will recall Wayne Rooney after giving his skipper a rest in midweek while Zlatan Ibrahimovic will also return to the starting eleven along with the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia.

Daley Blind should also get a recall after an excellent start to the season which could see Chris Smalling drop back to the bench after making his first start of the season in the Europa League.

Watford have not beaten Manchester United since September 1986. After conceding the second fewest goals outside of the top six last season, four games in, Watford are yet to keep a clean sheet and have conceded more goals than anyone outside of the bottom four.

jayo26

Hopefully a win to take us into third place and back on track.

5starpool

0-1

Bret Hart

Not got a lot of faith in this Utd team,so don't think we'll see the kind of response some are hoping for. I'm going for 2-2.

CSF

Surely Smalling will play after how poor Blind was against City?

RobbingBandit

No to Rashford on the wing just no.

duffman13

RobbingBandit wrote: »

No to Rashford on the wing just no.

Why? He predominantly played there till LVG brought him in because of our striker crisis! I'd rather he start there over Martial based on this seasons form. He seems to like coming in from the left too

RobbingBandit

He is wasted on the wing put him in behind ibra or up beside him he is a striker not a winger.

duffman13

RobbingBandit wrote: »

He is wasted on the wing put him in behind ibra or up beside him he is a striker not a winger.

I think he will eventually be a striker but he's not gonna start over Ibra and I don't see him playing behind. I think if he's starting it's either as a striker or ahead of Martial and on current form he should be playing on the wing ahead of Martial

Nicky Butt in a recent interview

"Butt, head of coaching at United's academy, said that the player's best position is similar to that of Henry, who went on to be Arsenal's record goal scorer.

"He wasn't a centre forward as a youngster; he probably developed into that more out of necessity last season than design," Butt said. "He actually was on the left. I believe his best position is off the side."

Giggsy11

CSF wrote: »

Surely Smalling will play after how poor Blind was against City?

If players lose their place after 1 poor display then ManUtd will be playing with their U12s in few weeks.

Giggsy11

Giggsy11 wrote: »

If players lose their place after 1 poor display then ManUtd will be playing with their U12s in few weeks.

Agree. People need to relax the head. One loss in the league means butcher a defensive partnership now. There was much more to consider than poiting the finger at Blind.

newballsplease

Blind in general is not a center half that this team should be putting their faith in. If you talk about a top 4/ champions leauge team... Daley Blind shouldnt be your first choice Center half.
He has good traits dont get me wrong but his positioning is atrocious.

Korat

Bret Hart wrote: »

Not got a lot of faith in this Utd team,so don't think we'll see the kind of response some are hoping for. I'm going for 2-2.

Ahh come on. Utd may not be at the level of City or even an average European side like Feyenoord at the moment but they're still much better than most teams in the PL.

Utd should win comfortably 3-0.

Flint Fredstone

Korat wrote: »

Ahh come on. Utd may not be at the level of City or even an average European side like Feyenoord at the moment but they're still much better than most teams in the PL.

Utd should win comfortably 3-0.

You're determined anyway, I'll give you that. It takes a certain type to put that much effort in for so long.

Korat

Korat wrote: »

Ahh come on. Utd may not be at the level of City or even an average European side like Feyenoord at the moment but they're still much better than most teams in the PL.

Utd should win comfortably 3-0.

Hard to argue with that.

Utd should and will win handy enough. Bad time for Watford to play them imo. They'll be very eager to put the previous two games behind them.

NomadicGray

Can see a win for Watford here, but nothing nailed on.

gosplan

This is a massive massive game for Utd.

I think there's a touch of 'emperors new clothes' about Jose. Not knocking the guy as a manager but I think that a lot of his success is about players belief in him and the team.

Like no-one would believe that such a fantastic manager could have three bad results in a row.

In every good season Jose's ever had, they bounce back and win this comfortably.

But the couple of bad ones, where belief is gone, they might not.

I expect them to win but a poor performance would be an awful sign right now.

It's like reading Carragher articles on repeat. The hyperbole and overreaction is just nonsense

gosplan

M!Ck^ wrote: »

It's like reading Carragher articles on repeat. The hyperbole and overreaction is just nonsense

So you don't think it's a massive game?

RasTa

gosplan wrote: »

So you don't think it's a massive game?

No.

jayo26

gosplan wrote: »

So you don't think it's a massive game?

It is a massive game but talking about splitting up defence and no confidence in team is over reacting after one defeat by best team in league.

If we don't bounce back today I'd be asking why are the players not up for it they should be raring to go.

Just over a week ago mostly everyone was delighted how team was going and we were gonna fight it out with city at the top.

gosplan

jayo26 wrote: »

It is a massive game but talking about splitting up defence and no confidence in team is over reacting after one defeat by best team in league.

If we don't bounce back today I'd be asking why are the players not up for it they should be raring to go.

Just over a week ago mostly everyone was delighted how team was going and we were gonna fight it out with city at the top.

Exactly.

Every good Jose team bounces back right now. He simply doesn't lose three in a row and that's why he's won titles in 8 out of 12 seasons.

If he loses this, it's a bad sign because the only time any of his team ever showed anything like that was last season.

Note I said 'poor performance' would be terrible not loss. The three points aren't a big deal. The reaction is.

Harry Palmr

Watford will certainly have their tails up after last weeks 4 goal blitz of West Ham, certainly Man Utd's midfield will have to be rather more alert and coherent than against Feyenoord and Man City.

Very attacking line up from united

Hollister11

De Gea, Valencia, Baily, Smalling, Shaw, Fellani, Pogba, Martial, Rooney, Rashford, Ibrahimovic,

eagle eye

I'm not convinced at all by that United team. I don't like Smalling and Bailly versus Ighalo and Deeney. Smalling is so overrated by fans.

I'm not sold on the three behind Ibra either. Rashford certainly deserves a start but I think he'd be better with Herrera or Mata behind the striker. I'm not sold on Martial based on what I've seen of him this season.

Mata in there would have Beharami on a yellow early on in the game.

Pogba needs to produce a big game for United here. I can see lots of goals in this one, could easily end up 2-2.

Liam O

I'd be a lot happier if it was Blind/Smalling or Blind/Bailly but other than that it's pretty much spot on. Paceon the wings and players capable of making a difference. Hope it's rashers on the left and Martial on the right though.

bucketybuck

How is Watford away in September a "massive" game?

If this is a massive game then the word has no meaning.

Faugheen

bucketybuck wrote: »

How is Watford away in September a "massive" game?

If this is a massive game then the word has no meaning.

Because Watford are the type of side where you just don't know which one will turn up. One week they look like an excellent side, then the next week they look like a Championship side.

Mars Bar

Brilliant tackle from Shaw

Jayop

We're already closing down much quicker.

Mars Bar

bloody hell fellaini. That's a dangerous game to be playing

LuckyGent88

Jaysus Fellaini, don't risk those shirt pulls

Giggsy11

eagle eye wrote: »

I'm not convinced at all by that United team. I don't like Smalling and Bailly versus Ighalo and Deeney. Smalling is so overrated by fans.

I'm not sold on the three behind Ibra either. Rashford certainly deserves a start but I think he'd be better with Herrera or Mata behind the striker. I'm not sold on Martial based on what I've seen of him this season.

Mata in there would have Beharami on a yellow early on in the game.

Pogba needs to produce a big game for United here. I can see lots of goals in this one, could easily end up 2-2.

Just the exact opinions of ManUtd fans.

Skylinehead

That's surely a penalty.

Mars Bar

What the ****

Harry Palmr

Dear god, comedy of errors by both sides

LuckyGent88

Oh sweet ****

Manutd_4life

WTF Just happened??????

madcabbage

How did he miss? :eek:

RobertKK

Good thing Ighalo is a United fan :P

Skylinehead

Ah here

Liam O

The absolute fúck was that?!

Francie Barrett

Aggh, missed it, anyone got a gif?

5starpool

That was like city's fck up against utd except the finish was awful. Shocking mess and miss. Lucky utd.

Skylinehead

That's a Premier League Cross David

Manutd_4life

De Gea needs to be more vocal

Mars Bar

Jesus we are hopeless in the air at the back. What a save by Dave

LuckyGent88

Serious save

Faugheen

Martial there losing the ball to Ighalo, there was absolutely nobody getting into space to give him an outlet to pass the ball, they just let him try to fight off two players while going backwards.

But people are going to look at Martial and blame him.

Harry Palmr

https://cdn-e2.streamable.com/video/mp4/890l.mp4