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Southampton – Bertrand
Dušan
Tadić. Charlie Austin. The men who stunned Manchester United fans into silence
in January 2015 and January 2016. Both raced to the one corner of Old Trafford
where pandemonium ensued as Saints fans revelled in their joy in the red half
of Manchester. This had not previously been a happy hunting ground for Saints,
and it was necessary to eke out every last drop of euphoria. The home fans
quickly recovered to release their angst, as fire and brimstone rained down
upon Louis van Gaal.
We have not
had to wait a calendar year for another trip to Old Trafford, as Southampton
travel up to Manchester on Friday night with Sky trying to jab their fingers
into as many pies as possible. It will be two different men in the dugout this
time out with José Mourinho battling it out with Claude Puel. The Portuguese's
return to Old Trafford hands United the opportunity to scramble together their
credibility and their qualifications to be a "big club" once again.
Ed Woodward
has certainly splurged enough money from his Mayfair office for that to be the
case. Four players signed from Europe's other top leagues will be expected to
heave United back into the race for the title. Eric Bailly, Henrik Mkhitaryan,
Zlatan Ibrahimović and Paul Pogba certainly pack a punch on paper, but if the
right balance was struck with United's young attacking talent then Mourinho
could challenge Pep Guardiola for the Premier League crown.
It is not
Claude Puel's first visit to Old Trafford. His Lille side went down to a 2-0
aggregate defeat to United in a tie which is largely remembered for Puel
yanking players off the pitch after Ryan Giggs took a quick free kick to score.
In his first couple of months as manager, the Frenchman has been regarded as a
calm, collective figure, but anyone who stands toe to toe with the supposedly omnipotent
Sir Alex Ferguson clearly has a bit of bite about them.
Puel is
certainly bold with his unique diamond/False 9 formation. In last weekend's
match with Watford, it lacked the required oomph to unsettle the Hornets in the
first half. Neither James Ward-Prowse nor Steven Davis could pierce through the
visitors' dogged defensive midfield, while it was only Shane Long who
adequately challenged Watford's three centre-backs when he took up Tadić's role,
but pushed up to mould his side into a 4-3-3. In the second half, matters
improved immeasurably as the two strikers came together, allowing the
full-backs to bomb into the space beyond. The introduction of Pierre-Emile
Højbjerg was also crucial as he drove forward to aid the attacking onslaught in
the closing moments, however Saints could not quite secure that winning goal.
How Puel lines his side up at Old Trafford will be intriguing. Will he stick with the diamond formation in an attempt to drill the system in or will he be more cautious to counter United's attacking prowess? One thing is for sure – Højbjerg must start. The Dane is a complete box-to-box midfielder and will become a crucial vertebra in Southampton's spine this campaign. United's defence remains fragile, and that driving force from midfield will be unsettling. Jérémy Pied also put in a solid performance at right-back during his debut last weekend, and could provide an interesting option for Puel on Friday night.
It
will be an odd evening for José Fonte who is supposedly gagging for a move to
the hosts (if you trust the Manchester Evening News). I have no qualms if the
Portuguese wishes to depart for a bigger club – he has earned that opportunity.
However, he must clearly stake his claim either way now – even if that means he
is left to train with academy players until his departure if he opts to leave.
Fonte has easily been one of Saints’ most important characters during the rise
to the upper echelons of the Premier League, but he should not forget that the
club has provided him with an extraordinary platform to excel at the highest
level. Lingering in footballing purgatory helps no one José…
Key Battles
Rooney v Romeu: How Oriol Romeu has deserved his chance
in that anchor role in the Saints midfield… After watching Victor Wanyama's
inconsistent displays from the bench last season and deputising admirably, his
chance has arrived to nail down a starting slot. Yet last Saturday, he was
frequently undone by Etienne Capoue's forays forward into Saints' defensive
third. Skill wasn't necessary – he merely burst past the Spaniard. Friday night
will prove a tougher test as he faces Wayne Rooney. The England captain has
been poor in the last few years as he lacks the sheer tenacity he once
possessed, but given the chance he will connect play in the final third to open
the door for his teammates.
Ibrahimović v Van Dijk: Zlatan Ibrahimović will make his long awaited home bow in a United shirt on Friday night, and he will be desperate to stamp his mark. It will be a hard task to stop the colossal Swede but it provides Virgil van Dijk with the chance to highlight his position as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. Physicality and concentration will be key for the Dutchman as Saints look to secure a third consecutive victory at Old Trafford.
Possible Line-ups
Manchester United: De Gea – Valencia, Bailly, Smalling,
Shaw – Pogba, Herrera – Mata, Rooney (C), Martial – Ibrahimović
Romero,
Rojo, Depay, Carrick, Mkhitaryan, Fellaini, Schneiderlin
Southampton: Forster – Pied, Fonte (C), Van Dijk,
Targett – Romeu, S. Davis, Højbjerg, Tadić – Long, Redmond
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