RECORD signing Dimitar Berbatov is hopeful of being fit for United in their Manchester derby duel with City at Eastlands on Sunday.
The £30.75million Bulgarian has missed the Reds’ last two games with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty but has returned to training this week, leaving Sir Alex Ferguson to decide whether to put him straight back into his starting line-up.
Paul Scholes (knee) is still out but Gary Neville (groin) could be available after missing the last fortnight.
Ferguson puts United’s below-par results away from Old Trafford this season down to the difficulty of their fixtures rather than any underlying problem for the Barclays Premier League champions.
United would normally have expected to register more than just two wins on their travels at this stage of the season.
Yet they head to Manchester City for Sunday’s derby showdown boasting only a couple of successes, at Portsmouth and Blackburn.
However, as Ferguson pointed out, the Red Devils have also taken on the remainder of their big-four rivals, plus fourth-placed Aston Villa in an arduous programme that does not get easier until after Christmas given they must also visit in-form Tottenham immediately before the Club World Cup in Japan.
“We have had a lot of hard games,” reflected Ferguson.
“Chelsea, Arsenal and now Man City away from home, straight after a European (match) is not easy.
“Hopefully the second half will promise much better for us because at the moment, we are playing catch-up.”
Manchester City striker Robinho looks set to return to the City side.
Robinho sat out the 2-0 victory against Schalke in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night because of a slight ankle problem.
Pablo Zabaleta (thigh) and Gelson Fernandes (hamstring) will also come into contention after injury as will Elano.
Javier Garrido, however, is doubtful after picking up a knock in Germany. He was replaced in the second half by Michael Ball.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Ball, Wright-Phillips, Elano, Ireland, Kompany, Robinho, Vassell, Hamann, Benjani Mwaruwari, Sturridge, Fernandes, Ben Haim, Schmeichel, Onuoha, Evans.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Nani, Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov.
City league form: LLLDW
United league form: WWLWD
Key opponent: Robinho - The Brazilian has been in sparkling form, especially at Eastlands
Prediction: City 1 United 1 - On paper it's closer than usual, but with City playing so well at home United's extra quality might only be enough for a draw
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 7/1 on United winning 2-1 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
here.
Preview: City v United
November 28, 2008
Comments
Login or Register to comment
this will be berbys test to see if he realy has got what it takes to be a top united striker personly i dont think he has we have another veron/paborsky on our hands i dont think hes earnt a penny of his money yet at ot i dont think hes even an average game player let alone big game player i hope he can prove his doubters wrong
my fortune teller says... Giggs will feature, Rooney will be the difference and utd will win!! AFC and CFC will be a draw! let's hope he's right!! liverpool... apparently we can forget them...
will the reds turn up for once? will fergie get our lads up for it?
for some reason our lads dont think they should have to play flat out for more than 20 minutes a game and want to play in 2nd gear. if the attitude is not right and it has'nt been now for the last few derbies then even a team as modest as city have a chance.
for gods sake fergie get the hairdyer out and ensure that this team are in the right frame of mind for this match.
I don't agree with you squirebrown, and I don't think it's a coincidence that in the last 2 games without Berb we've scored exactly 0 goals. The way he pulls defences open with his movement and his deft touch mark him out as an important player for United. How many of you lot criticise him just because he doesn't run around like Rooney and Tevez? Neither did Van Nistleroy, nor did Eric Cantona and they both took time to settle in too.
Can't see us losing this one. Would select VdS, JOS, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov in a 4-3-3.
3-1 United. Bring it on!
bobbydazzler, I suspect SAF wont have to do much for this one - there is a lot of pent up frustration and they will click sooner rather than later.
Expect Nani to kick up a gear too as it dawns on him that a glorious Man U future is not a given.
You are possibly right about the line-up Alias but I feel very badly for Tevez not being given a crack in the starting line-up these days. I get the impression it's all gone south a little for Tevez this season and I'm not sure why. Apart from a purple patch a few weeks ago, it's not as if Rooney is setting the world alight with his recent performances. Obviously have to put Berbatov in there because (a) he is a superb target man (neither Rooney or Tevez are) and (b) apart from a few promising moments last season, the Tevez/Rooney partnership hasn't worked. Anybody have any ideas why Tevez looked to come on against Villarreal and then got sat down??.......that can't be good for morale and hints at him not being picked up.......at least not for the asking fee.
Jimmy, when a similar thing happened to Carrick last season, some fans latched on to it as being a public humilliation to teach him a lesson - I never thought there was any credence in that story.
As for Tevez's form, there have been rumours of off-field personal problems and if true they will probably be a factor.
Nothing in that line up makes me think we will do anything different to the last two games. Oshea or Neville will be asked to mark Robinho and he will tear them apart. Giggs will probably start in midfield, get overun and play the full 90mins. To me our only hope is Barby comes thru and shows that he is worth his salt and lay on two for Ronnie and one for Rooney. If we win I see 3-2. The biggest threat from City, after Robinho, will be Ireland.
alias want players who pass the ball to red shirts constructivley so would play rafael.
It'll be a good result for you if we only win by 3 on Sunday. We will CRUSH you.
Fergie doesn't have a clue????...I expect like Giggs. Scholes, and Nevill he is past it...I mean the team has gone a few months now without winning a trophy...and have...gasp! actually lost a game or two this year even though its Man Utd's god given right to win every game 4-0 while playing stylish football.
berbatov? i know who i would like to sign, robinho or berbatov...spurs ripped the reds off!
Jimmy the red;we have already paid for Rooney.We have not paid for Tevez and the longer he goes without scoring and the more he shakes his head about being substituted the less likely we are to buy him.On form Tevez is a useful player but he's not convincing anyone that he's worth keeping.If SAF drops a player he expects him to fight for his place and Tevez's body language is looking defeatist.Tevez can turn it around but he must be more of a goal threat.The team is full of players who can run and tackle but he's a striker.He has to start to look like a marksman.
Roll on Sunday!
soooooooooooooooooo nervous now watching football focus
We shall only thik of a win if O'sea and Garry do not show up in the starting 11 and Giggs not used in the middle.SAF's gumbling a rotation of trial and error that killed us in 2004/05
I think the line up will be 4-5-1.
VDS
Raphael, Rio, Vidic and Evra
Ronny, Fletch, Carrick Anderson and Giggs
Rooney
Berbie and Tevez will come on at some point.
Robinho may start on the left and Ireland needs some special Vidic contact.
wayneold, manc: "Roll on Sunday!
soooooooooooooooooo nervous now watching football focus"
Sorry mate, just had to post as you made me chuckle! You're one of the 'few' that I welcome on the City side as you always show respect and so I always try to do likewise.
I have to be honest - City must be favourites for the win but what is it that made you so nervous?