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With a home game against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday and a trip to Manchester City looming large next week, nothing less than three points will do as Manchester United entertain newly promoted Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday. After an international break which saw most of United’s players travel half way around the world, Moyes will be keen on keeping his players fit ahead of what is likely to be gruelling week ahead.
After their loss to Liverpool just before the international break, Moyes will be hoping to get his first home win as United manager against the Eagles. To aid him with that, he would have been hoping for a flurry of new signings, but unfortunately his miserable transfer window continued, and could only land his former player, Marouane Fellaini on deadline day. With just one win from his first three games in charge, Moyes will be hoping that the Belgian will be the catalyst that brings about a change in fortunes of his largely lacklustre side.
Whilst Moyes has had a silent summer in charge of the Red Devils, his opposite number Ian Holloway had one of the busiest windows amongst the Premier League clubs, as he made no less than 16 signings during the summer. And Holloway’s side come into this fixture on the back of their first win of the season, against Sunderland at home. After two straight losses to start the season, the Eagles 3-1 win over Sunderland certainly eased some pressure off Ian Holloway and the fans will be buoyed by the fact that they have managed to bolster their thin squad, by bringing in the likes of midfielder Barry Bannan and striker Cameron from Aston Villa and Stoke City respectively. Both of them are expected to be in the starting line-up this week.
For United on the other hand, Wayne Rooney is still out with a head injury and Phil Jones still hasn’t fully recovered from the knock he took at Anfield, which will probably mean that Chris Smalling will deputise in defence, whilst in attack, the United faithful will be hoping that Shinji Kagawa finally starts in place of the injured Englishman.
The last time Crystal Palace came to Old Trafford in the Premier League, they were thrashed 5-2 during the 2004/05 season courtesy of a Paul Scholes brace. But, you have to go back to the 1987/88 season to find the last time they won at Old Trafford in the league. Whilst that is true, the Eagles will no doubt look to take heart from the fact that they did beat United at Old Trafford in the League Cup a couple of seasons ago and will be hoping to become the first newly promoted side to beat United at home since Middlesbrough achieved that feat way back in 1998/99.
Whist everybody expects United to win, Crystal Palace will be looking to pick up the scraps and would be delighted if they return back to Selhurst Park with even a point. And after drawing blanks in back-to-back league games for the first time in six years, the pressure is on Moyes and his side, to not just win, but win big.
Possible starting line-up
Manchester United: De Gea; Smalling, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Fellaini; Zaha, Young; Welbeck, Van Persie
Crystal Palace: Speroni; Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey; Puncheon, Jedinak, Bannan, Campana; Jerome, Chamakh
