Man Utd v Inter: Preview

Lot of trash talk has happened over the past few days. Mourinho, as always, deflects attention from his players to himself. Despite his side’s patched up injury situation, nothing can be ruled out of today’s fixture. But on this one occasion, I am convinced I have cause to feel optimistic.

Before we move on, some reading material to while away your time, if you can’t wait for the game to start.

1. Paolo Bandini does his part in warning of Inter’s threat away from home. I’d disagree, but only because of our defensive form.

2. Both managers have put on their optimism hats, and why shouldn’t they. Fergie talked about Inter playing for penalties. Jose played up his ‘specialness’.

3. John Collins and James Richardson kick off the is Jose suitable for the United job debate — not too dissimilar from the one we had on our comment threads.

4. And Kevin McCarra thinks patience will be key against Inter.

5. One other interesting nugget is, the players will be wearing a kit bearing a Club World Cup winners badge. So if we do win tonight, I can think of a chant to rub it into Mourinho.

Right, on to the game. My expected back four will have Evra, Rio, Vidic and O’Shea. Of course, EVDS would be donning the gloves. In midfield, Michael Carrick will surely start alongside A. N. Other. I suspect it would be either one of Anderson or Giggs. On the right we’ll have Ronaldo, but on the left, it will be interesting because Park has been spitting his lungs out for the last couple of games. But knowing Sir Alex’s preference for these European games, he will most likely play the Korean. Berbatov and Rooney would start, but I wonder if he may consider playing Tevez instead of the Bulgarian to just run at Inter’s patched up defence and just terrorize them. We shall see soon.

I’ve got to get back to work, and I’ve remembered to watch this on repeat – although it won’t come close to the live one. So let me sign off with my prediction: 2-0 to United.