Fixtures: United open against Chelsea

June 24, 2004

IF Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United are serious about regaining their Premiership crown they must show their intent from the very first fixture.

United lost nine games in the league last season and must avoid defeat on the first day of the new campaign if they are to attack the season with confidence - but they have been given the toughest of tasks - away to Chelsea.

United lost the corresponding fixture last season when they were undone by a Frank Lampard penalty at Stamford Bridge and they were also held 1-1 at Old Trafford.

Ferguson will relish welcoming new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to the Premiership, particularly after his Porto side knocked United out of the Champions League last season in a bad-tempered encounter.

He will be eager to show Mourinho that it is far harder to dominate English football than it is to do so in Portugal.

The same will apply when the Scot locks horns with new Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez for the first time.

Liverpool visit Old Trafford on September 18 - the sixth match of the season - before Ferguson's men head to Anfield on January 15. Both teams won on the opposition grounds last season.

But it will be the meetings with champions Arsenal which will get United fans' blood racing.

The pair first clash on October 23 at Old Trafford - the scene of an unsightly brawl last season following a last-gasp penalty miss from United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The second meeting is more towards the business end of the season - on February 1 - when the importance of the result is likely to be that bit more crucial to both sides, particularly with both teams likely to be in the midst of Champions League campaigns.

The first Manchester derby of the season is at home on November 6 with the return on February 12 at the City of Manchester Stadium.

United's last two games of the season are a home game against newly-promoted West Brom before a trip to the south coast and a meeting with Southampton.

Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (25) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

The Boy H, Kent (24/06/2004 at 10:29)

Terrific! We will beat Arsenal in the Charity Shield & Chelsea at their place; thereby shouting from the rooftops that UNITED are still the best club around.

ande, berlin (24/06/2004 at 10:30)

well that's an easy start to the season three points away win thanks very much.

Big Bird, Salford (24/06/2004 at 11:01)

Nice one. It`ll be great to open the season with a win and a win it`ll be. This is one fixture when the whole team will be fired up and ready to take all our frustrations out on a hapless chelsea. They`ll be the ones dreading this opener not us. So a good three point opener to start the premeier after we`ve destroyed the france second team in the community shield.
PS.....fergie this is your last chance dear chap get your finger out now,no more of your excuses will be accepted.

John Barnes, Liverpool (24/06/2004 at 11:02)

It,s time for revenge we were robbed last season!

Declan, Dublin (24/06/2004 at 11:03)

Theres a serious rumour doing the rounds here at d mo. Duff & Parker +20million for Gerard. Anyone else hear this ??????????????????

Manc Abroad, OT (24/06/2004 at 11:34)

Declan Dublin. Rumour is all it is. Duff, Parker and 20 million for Gerrard. If there is any truth in the matter, I think we should offer cash for Duff, because I think Liverpool would prefer cash to players. I do not think Chelsea or ManU will put a bid in for any player involved in Euro2004, until they are back in the UK. The first game against Chelski should be a pointer to how we will compete next season. Could be that SAF will want to try and rest certain players, Scholes, Ronaldo, G. Neville, van the man, Silvestre, because they were involved in Euro2004, (not all at once I hope). Should be an interesting game, with the new players in each squad. 3 points would show that we are back to our best.

willy wonker, the chocolate factory (24/06/2004 at 11:42)

Superb. We can now shove Robbens comments straight back down his throat. Hopefully giving him a real taster of the EPL, right from the get go!

Kevin, Tralee, Eire (24/06/2004 at 11:44)

Brilliant!! get 3 points from chelski on the first day & it sets up a great season. to Declan can't see Duffer stepping down to the murkey depths of mid table obscurity with the pool

dave clare, Cambridge (24/06/2004 at 11:47)

No the rumour is Forlan and Fortune for Lampard but Chelsea will not agree to giving us cash as well.

lipkeng, Manchester (24/06/2004 at 11:58)

three points in the bag..safely..thanks for the fixture...couldn't ask for an easier fixture...

SAL the KID, Oldham (24/06/2004 at 12:03)

Declan, heard it aswell. Stop worrying pal its out of our hands and theres nothing we can do. Excellent way to exorcise last seasons ghosts with an assured victory against the chelsea allstar globetrotter exhibition team.

colin, canada (24/06/2004 at 12:30)

If I were Duff or Parker and I heard I was now reduced to a "throw in" I'd be screaming. Duff for sure would take a hard look at United and I'm not sure that either of these guys would want to go to a club that is cash strapped and not in the CL. I can't buy this rumour for one second.

Declan, DUblin (24/06/2004 at 12:44)

I know im probably wearing my green tinted glasses but if we got Duff I really feel we'd have more quality on the wings than I can ever remember. Maybe because Duff has had an injury plagued season and is out of the spotlight completely people are forgetting how devastatingly effective
he can be, Either on the left/right or playing through the middle. As a person him and Paul Scholes are almost identical. He's not a lover of the big cities and that lifestyle. A nice mock Tudor house on the outskirts of Manchester would suit him down to the ground!! Watching Figo and Ronaldo switching wings so effectively really made me think what having Duff would do for our team as a whole, our attacking options and service to Ruud and Louis would improve dramatically. I first saw Duff playing about 7 years ago and from that moment I've always felt he IS a Man Utd player. Hopefully I'm not the only one who feels this way.

red mist...., Sandbach (24/06/2004 at 13:20)

Oh dear. Start the season with a resounding defeat and be bottom on GD after one game. The slide continues....

San Miguel, Latin quarter Manchester (24/06/2004 at 13:48)

See we have the usual gang of numbskulls spouting their rubbish on here!!.The Chelsea game has already been won before a ball has been kicked!!just ask yourselves this,if it's that easy,then how come we finnished 5 points behind Chelsea and 15! behind Arsenal last season,Am I the only United fan that thinks it's going to be anything BUT a cake walk? next season.The dream factory is in full swing once again!!.Come on let's have some reality on here!!.

paul, sale (24/06/2004 at 15:01)

Declan, I'd have paid the 17 mill last season. After watchiing him at the World Cup, and how he terrified defences ther, I was convinced he would be perfect for United

Tommy Cooper, Newton Heath (24/06/2004 at 16:47)

Damien Duff the genuine Irish sick note!

red manc, Republic of Mancunia (25/06/2004 at 08:11)

Whilst I share everyones hope that we win, this is a very tricky opener and nothing must be read into the outcome and this includes a loss. Be calm boys!!!!

The Boy H, Kent (25/06/2004 at 09:12)

San Miguel, we finished third because; Rio was banned, Wes wasn't ready to replace him, certain new players took time to settle, Scholes was injured, we didn't have enough options up front, Ole was injured & didn't ever get back to full fitness and the RoG & Rio issues were a huge distraction. Oh, and Arsenal had a once-in-a-lifetime unbeaten season & virtually no injuries. All United's problems of last season are solved, hence the optimism, numbskull.

Kennedy Omondi, Nairobi, Kenya (25/06/2004 at 10:18)

At the start of last season, Fergie said that we could not afford to lose more than five games (15 points).
If injuries, suspensions, and some distractions off the field hadn't struck Manutd, we would have kept this target and then we would be champions now regardless of Arsenal's unbeaten thing!.
Let's show Chelsea on 14.08.04 and go on prove the doubting thomases wrong!.

Gunny Tuff, Oslo (25/06/2004 at 11:09)

I agree that we cant expect to beat Chelski in London. What we should expect though is that we play more attacking, positive football, with two real wingers (no Fletcher on the wing) and two strikers. We should also expect United to try and kill off teams. The last couple of seasons SAF has made defensive substitutions, and we've lost the initiative after gaining the lead, just like England has been doing in Euro 04. I hate this tactic. I want us to try beating teams by three or four goals like we used to. With new attacking players like Smith and Miller it looks positive. I would like another winger though. Its a shame we didnt get Robben or Duff. Pedersen is not good enough. We need someone with more speed. Maybe Richardson or Eagles are ready? Which of the young players do you think will make the first team this season?

San Miguel, latin quarter ,manchester (25/06/2004 at 14:32)

The BOY H,from Kent.you forgot to mention the weather as well!!excuses,excuses.

Craig, Manchester (25/06/2004 at 15:12)

A tricky opening fixture for sure and then we go on to face every other team at home and away - effectively playing them all, twice!

The Boy H, Kent (25/06/2004 at 15:43)

OK, San Miguel, you're right - none of those "excuses" had a negative impact on United last season, and we will be no better next season - there is no cause for optimism. Peabrain.

Thomas, Tromsoe, Norway (30/06/2004 at 11:04)

"Gunny Tuff". You have a very negative approach. United played great football last year, but were unlucky. With Roon and Gamst Pedersen, who's a wonderful footballer, ManU will again rule! I've watched Gamst Pedersen in all our home games this year, and he makes the difference. I think he's better than Robben and Duff.

()

Report

Manchester United