The FA Community Shield 2013: Manchester United preview

Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United waves to the crowd with his children before the Rio Ferdinand Testimonial Match between Manchester United and Sevilla at Old Trafford on August 9, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

After a whole lot of globe-trotting, Manchester United’s new era in English football begins today as they take on Wigan Athletic in the Community Shield. A new era it truly is. For the first time in more than a quarter of a century, it will not be Sir Alex Ferguson who will be sitting in the United dug-out for the showpiece occasion at Wembley.

Pre-season results have been far from flattering, leading to questions about David Moyes’s fitness for the job. The pre-season, it must be said, was a very stop-and-start affair for United. Some players one would have expected to be in the starting line-up in the games that matter, did not travel on the tour. Some joined late and looked out of shape. Others were given the pre-season off due to other exertions with their national sides.

In the midst of all this, there has been a whole lot of transfer talk. And it has been just that. Apart from a young left back, United have failed to sign anyone but yet, there has been a whole lot of talk surrounding United. There is talk of Wayne Rooney leaving. Whether he will, we shall see, but as of now, he is a United player. He, however, will most certainly not take part in tonight’s game.

Other big name signings have been linked with United, most notably, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas. However, at the moment, all this appears to be mere talk. Nothing concrete seems to have materialized. In sum, United start the new season with pretty much the same squad that won the championship last time out.

The biggest addition to the squad seems to be young English winger Wilfred Zaha, who had a short stint with his teammates in pre-season and did impress the few times that he was on the pitch. The other player to impress immensely was Belgian teen Adnan Januzaj. He was perhaps the most consistent of all United players on the tour, and looks to be firmly in Moyes’s plans for the new season. United also look set to use two youngsters – Jesse Lingard (United’s top scorer on the pre-season tour) and Angelo Henriques.

Perhaps the most positive thing that can be said about the United squad at the moment is that almost everyone is fit. The not-quite-fit category includes Wayne Rooney – who is not expected to be involved at Wembley – and the almost-there category including Nani, who showed glimpses of his undeniable talent against Sevilla, and captain Nemanja Vidic.

Moyes looks to have a 4-2-3-1 in mind, and that is probably the way he will go today against Wigan Athletic. Undoubtedly, van Persie will be up top, with Nani, Valencia and Kagawa in support. Behind them will be Carrick and Anderson, who looks to be finally getting his act together and determined to win a regular starting berth.

After an appearance in his testimonial a couple of days ago, Rio looks set to sit this game out, which will probably mean that it will be Phil Jones and Chris Smalling at the centre of defence, with Evra and Rafael on either side of them. Moyes has been rotating his ‘keepers quite a bit in pre-season and looks set to continue with that. Expect Lindegaard to start.

Well, that is my take on what United’s starting XI will look like today. What do you think? Who will start?