Manchester United
Optimistic United eye top spot
“We could make an important step to finish first in our group in the Champions League and we could climb to the top of the Premier League,” declares Juan Mata in his weekly blog.
That’s right, it’s a big week for Reds fans around the world. The boys from Old Trafford can confirm a place in the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League and reclaim the top spot on the Barclays Premier League table.
And they know it. “It could be a fantastic week,” writes Mata.
“It could be a fantastic week.”
Juan Mata
Bring on PSV
First up are PSV Eindhoven at home tomorrow. The reigning Eredivisie champions are flying high both domestically and in Europe, so the match will not be a walk in the park. Coach Phillip Cocu’s men beat United in September, and the team is quietly confident ahead of their first match at Old Trafford in over 15 years.
Lousi van Gaal is predicting a tough night.
“It is very important to win, but it is not easy because every game you have to play you cannot say we will beat them,” the manager said. “PSV also beat Wolfsburg and I think that they are a very good team. They also beat Manchester United of course.”
Mata agrees: “Obviously it's going to be tough, and we will need to be at our highest level to beat PSV.”
Table-top face off
After match day 4 on November 3, you had to take a second look at the scoreboards to make sure you weren’t seeing things. United beat CSKA Moscow 1-0 and PSV Eindhoven beat Wolfsburg 2-0 — the exact reverse of those two clubs’ previous meetings in October.
The wins put the teams in first and second place in Group B, with United on top at 7 points.
United's victory over Moscow was secured by Wayne Rooney’s 79th-minute header in front of an ecstatic crowd at Old Trafford. The goal was greeted with a huge roar from the stands — it put him alongside Denis Law the club’s second-highest scorer with 237 goals!
“We want to live another special European night in the Theatre of Dreams.”
Juan Mata
Leicester City
After their European clash, the Reds will need to quickly regroup for their top-of-the-table battle at Leicester City. Coming off three straight wins, the team certainly has every reason to be optimistic, though their injury woes continue.
Again United understands who they’re up against.
“Claudio Ranieri's team is having a remarkable season and the proof is that they are top of the league,” writes Mata. “In particular, Vardy and Mahrez are outstanding, playing at an exceptional level – we will have to be very careful with them.”
Vardy has scored 13 goals in 13 games, with 12 coming his last ten appearances.
We certainly can’t wait for this fantastic week to get underway and hopefully – as Mata writes – “live another special European night in the Theatre of Dreams.”
Good luck boys!
Group B Fixtures & Results:
15 September: PSV Eindhoven 2 United 1, Wolfsburg 1 CSKA Moscow 0
30 September: United 2 Wolfsburg 1, CSKA Moscow 3 PSV Eindhoven 2
21 October: CSKA Moscow 1 United 1, Wolfsburg 2 PSV Eindhoven 0
3 November: United 1 CSKA Moscow 0, PSV Eindhoven 2 Wolfsburg 0
25 November: United v PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow v Wolfsburg
8 December: Wolfsburg v United, PSV Eindhoven v CSKA Moscow
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