Who would’ve thought that on March fifth this year, a simple, inocuous high foot at home to Real Madrid would lead to a twitchy away trip to Stoke City just five weeks later.
Much premature talk of trebles and doubles have ceased in those five weeks as United, the masters of their own downfall, were knocked out of both cup competitions leaving many onlookers pointing once again to midfield defeciencies as their achilles heel.
Despite being made overwhelming favourites at 1.60 by Bwin, United know todays fixture will be anything but straight forward.
A trip to The Britannia is always one that could go either way but one where you know you’re going to get a game because we are who we are. Stoke are the archetypal game raisers, it’s their big day in the sun, it’s their Cup Final.
This year sees an addition to that thanks to a shocking run of form that’s put Stoke precariously close to the relegation battle and in need of a win. What better team to welcome than Man Utd to raise the levels.
On paper United should walk through this match and take the points but, that red card has skewed the minds, made worse by defeats to Chelsea and City while scoring just two goals to beat Sunderland and Reading.
The end of this season, in which United looked like (and hopefully still will) breaking records, was not meant to be this twitchy come April.
The remainder of the season needs to be approached as if we’re all level on points, games and goals – starting today. Lose today and the effect of the red card and the defeats to City and Chelsea will crank up another notch, and with another tricky looking away fixture at Upton Park up next, we need to find some form before twitchiness becomes catastrophic meltdown. (Apologies for the melodrama but if we were to lose today the pressure i creases again, then who knows where it will end)
The form, or should I say the re-finding of the form, of Robin van Persie is key to United arresting the doubts. Let’s start finishing the chances we’re creating and we’ll take the rest of the games as they come. Let’s try a settled team, the strongest team. Let’s tinker less, let’s take less risks with selection, let’s start today Fergie please, this is getting far more twitchy than it ever should’ve been.
Ashley Young misses out with an ankle injury but Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling could all return.
Will Paul Scholes make his long-awaited comeback from injury?
Stoke’s stats are not clever: one league win in 13, one away league win in 25, one clean sheet in 14 league games, seven goals scored in the last 12 league games, one point from six game.
Head-to-head:
Stoke have never beaten Manchester United in the Premier League, losing eight of their nine meetings.
The Potters’ only Premier League point against United came with a 1-1 draw in September 2011. Nani and Peter Crouch scored the goals.
Stoke have only scored two goals against United in four Premier League meetings at the Britannia Stadium.
United’s last league defeat at Stoke was on Boxing Day in 1984, a 2-1 loss in the old Division One.
Stoke City
They have picked up fewer points (five) in 2013 than any other top-flight team.
The Potters have the worst scoring record in the Premier League, scoring 28 goals in 32 games this season.
Stoke have won just one of their last seven league games at the Britannia Stadium (W1, D3, L3).
Overall, the club has won just two of their last 16 Premier League matches.
Manchester United
United’s 18-match unbeaten league run was ended by Manchester City last time out.
They have benefited from more own goals (five) than any other Premier League team this season, and have the most ever in Premier League history (58).
After picking up only one Premier League yellow card in the whole of last season, Wayne Rooney now has seven in this campaign.
United’s Premier League record when both Robin van Persie and Rooney start the game is: P17, W15, D1, L1.
The form, or should I say the re-finding of the form, of Robin van Persie is key to United arresting the doubts. Let’s start finishing the chances we’re creating and we’ll take the rest of the games as they come. Let’s try a settled team, the strongest team. Let’s tinker less, let’s take less risks with selection, let’s start today Fergie please, this is getting far more twitchy than it ever should’ve been.
Get a free bet courtesy of Bwin
