Manchester United v Everton

[blargins]

I would be happy with a narrow victory at Utd and a narrow defeat at Arsenal if offered right now.

[TheRam]

People seem to think it's a forgone conclusion that we're going to win, just because they have Moyes and we have Martinez.

I'm not so sure myself.

[Shogun]

People seem to think it's a forgone conclusion that we're going to win, just because they have Moyes and we have Martinez.

I'm not so sure myself.

It's total overconfidence, they haven't lost in 11 or so games.

[BrotherEstapol]

They've lost more games than we have...

[Shogun]

Name me a premier legaue team who haven't!

[GLewis]

People seem to think it's a forgone conclusion that we're going to win, just because they have Moyes and we have Martinez.

I'm not so sure myself.

Haha I did notice that in the prediction thread we've gone from the Liverpool game where there was widespread pessimism to this game where nearly everyone thinks we're going to win.

Much like when Liverpool are below us everyone likes to go on about how incredibly shite these are. And while they might be a lot worse than in past seasons it's seemingly ignored that they're only 2 points behind us.

If this was Spurs (for example) everyone would be planning for a tough game. Not sure how the table would suggest otherwise.

As it happens I think we've got a chance in both of these games (maybe more in the Utd one as it's the first of the two so we'll be that bit fresher).

But City away showed what can also happen if we don't play well. Hopefully we've learned from what went wrong there and guard against it in these games.

I do think we've got the players to hit these teams on the break now though which is essential if you're going to catch them out at home. We've still been a bit too sloppy in our execution of breaks this season by again, you'd imagine that improving with time and experience as well.

[matty1878]

id take two points from our next two away games. man u and arsenal our record isnt great atall, and they are both playing well more so the latter. but united at old trafford they are a diffrent side to away we need to stand up there more so now moyes is there! to think he wont rally his team against us  is a dangerous thing. its upto martinez to prepare us well for this.

[School of Science]

Be honest I am confident at the moment simply because of the way we are playing. Add the factor that a lot of the players Moyes left yo go Man u, will I think want to prove him wrong. Especially a certain Ross Barkley who I think must start and who will be chomping at the bit to play.
I also think rightly or wrongly this is not one of the great United teams were playing and the only player I really fear now that Van Percey isn't playing is Rooney.

[Sir Stealth]

Be honest I am confident at the moment simply because of the way we are playing. Add the factor that a lot of the players Moyes left yo go Man u, will I think want to prove him wrong. Especially a certain Ross Barkley who I think must start and who will be chomping at the bit to play.
I also think rightly or wrongly this is not one of the great United teams were playing and the only player I really fear now that Van Percey isn't playing is Rooney.

On the flip side Moyes will REALLY want to win this one.  Rooney and Van Persie can still destroy teams on their own.  A draw should still be seen as a good result, but I am more confident that we can beat them at Old Trafford than I've ever been

[Bluedylan]

Rooney's definitely the one to fear. He seems to be playing pretty much a free role, and is dictating the play for them, often giving them another body in midfield, which is where I thought we might dominate them.

I thought they looked more fluid in midfield yesterday and had Spurs pinned back a lot, which Spurs did to us.

Going to be tough, but still winnable.

[blob]

Haha I did notice that in the prediction thread we've gone from the Liverpool game where there was widespread pessimism to this game where nearly everyone thinks we're going to win.

Much like when Liverpool are below us everyone likes to go on about how incredibly shite these are. And while they might be a lot worse than in past seasons it's seemingly ignored that they're only 2 points behind us.

If this was Spurs (for example) everyone would be planning for a tough game. Not sure how the table would suggest otherwise.

As it happens I think we've got a chance in both of these games (maybe more in the Utd one as it's the first of the two so we'll be that bit fresher).

But City away showed what can also happen if we don't play well. Hopefully we've learned from what went wrong there and guard against it in these games.

I do think we've got the players to hit these teams on the break now though which is essential if you're going to catch them out at home. We've still been a bit too sloppy in our execution of breaks this season by again, you'd imagine that improving with time and experience as well.

i don't think we'll win either, but if hull can beat the shite...........

[The Good Citizen]

de Gea=Howard
Smalling/Coleman*
*Evra/Oviedo
Evans=Distin
Vidic=Jagielka    
Cleverley/McCarthy*                
*Valencia/Mirallas             
Fellaini=Barry    
*Rooney/Barkley
Kagawa/Pienaar*
Welbeck/Lukaku*

_____________________________ ______________
 
*Hernández/Jelavic
*Nani/Osman
Young/Deulofeu*

Probably get shot down for this, just looking at the likely starting line ups, (less sure about UTD's but swapped the suspended Jones for Fellaini). Placed a * next to who I'd rate the higher (down the middle if I think there's no clearly better player) also considered current form - Vidic has been below par for instance where as I thought Valencia has looked back to his best in recent week although Mirallas is coming into form also but Valencia still shaves it at present.

Think Utd have a stronger bench as you'd expect but I genuinely think those line ups are quite well matched. Its all on paper of course and I've done this before with Utd and watched us get crushed but hey-ho.

Still don't think we have anythign to fear. Barkley & Rooney will be really interesting to watch, Rooney's just untouchable at the moment though.

[Evertonian in NC]

Looking at the best realistic scenario, it would be better to draw United and beat the Arseholes.  But eating Moyes and drawing or even losing to Arsenal would be immeasurably more satisfying, emotionally.

Classic head v. heart.  Good thing what we want has no bearing on what actually happens.

[GLewis]

i don't think we'll win either, but if hull can beat the shite...........

I'm not ruling anything out by the way.

Even just the optimism of "I haven't seen this approach fail yet" is preferable to not being optimistic at all.

I do genuinely think we can win at these places - but it's not going to be easy.

[GLewis]

Looking at the best realistic scenario, it would be better to draw United and beat the Arseholes.  But eating Moyes and drawing or even losing to Arsenal would be immeasurably more satisfying, emotionally.

Classic head v. heart.  Good thing what we want has no bearing on what actually happens.

I really don't care where we get the points from.