Here is how Manchester United and Swansea City will line-up for this afternoon’s match at Old Trafford:
Manchester United starting XI: De Gea, Rafael, Vidic, Smalling, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Januzaj, Kagawa, Welbeck
Subs: Lindegaard, Buttner, Cleverley, Giggs, Lingard, Zaha, Hernandez
Swansea City starting XI: Tremmel, Angel, Williams, Davies, Amat, Pozuelo, Britton, Canas, Shelvey, Routledge, Bony
Subs: Cornell, Richards, Chico, Taylor, Lucas, Vazquez, Donnelly
2014 has not exactly started the way Manchester United manager David Moyes would have hoped. All the excitement at an impressive run in December was swiftly extinguished by a hat-trick of defeats in three different competitions, the second of which was a FA Cup embarrassment at the hands of today’s visitors Swansea City.
The Welsh side’s manager Michael Laudrup has warned his men of a United backlash, but he has also said the Swans can upset the odds for the second time in eight days; and that comment speaks volumes about United’s current malaise.
Sides no longer hope they can beat the reigning champions, they know they can.
Moyes is still without Wayne Rooney after the England striker was sent to the USA for warm weather training, and that will be a huge miss as the Scot tries to prevent a fourth straight defeat, and what would be a fifth loss in their last seven matches at Old Trafford.
That said, Swansea are without a win in their last six top flight games, but the history of others appears to count for little at the Theatre of Dreams these days.
What do you think the result will be today?
image: © brostad
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