Man Utd vs AS Roma - Plotting Revenge
October 2nd, 2007 at 6:00 pm , filed under Match Preview.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes his new Wayne Rooney-Carlos Tevez strike partnership is starting to click despite five out of United’s last seven games have ended in 1-0 wins, and Ferguson insists there is no problem with Manchester United’s attack.
Manchester United won 7-1 against Roma in last season quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford, almost scoring all the shot they attempt. While a repeat of last meeting remarkable scoreline is highly unlikely neither is the prospect of watching a high scoring match.
United have scored 11 fewer goals than at the same stage last season despite having the most potent attacking talents in paper, this may all down to Tevez missing pre-season, Saha injured knee and Rooney broken metatarsal foot in August.
Rooney himself expressed his happiness at playing alongside Tevez and his new found role as United’s main striker with the former dropping deep to link with midfield players. He is desperate to open his goal account against Roma tonight. United looked good bet to conquer Europe after their 7-1 demolition of Roma, only to be comprehensively outplayed by eventual winner AC Milan in the second-leg of the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Vidic and Brown are certain to miss tonight match, John O’Shea and Gerard Pique will step in as right-back and centre back respectively. Owen Hargreaves may be bring back early to made his Champions League debut to provide more protective shield to young lad Gerard Pique in the centre back.
AS Roma players are all motivated for this fixture with an eye for revenge for last season humiliating result. Totti’s the name everybody talks about, but Roma are a very solid, organized team. Daniele de Rossi is very competent and holds the team together. Their wide full backs are very good too and are capable of going up and down the wing all night.
Mancini of Roma says his side aim to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages as Group F winners, and will be coming to Old Trafford to win. “We have a great opportunity, the season has just started and so far we have been doing well and we are never underdogs”, said Mancini.
He also said having learned a harsh lesson in last April, his side will not sit back at Old Trafford and insist to play more attacking football rather than defensive game.
Here are some fact about the two teams:
* Manchester United’s remarkable 7-1 victory over Roma last April was one of just five occasions in which a team has scored seven or more goals in a Champions League game.
* United have won six of their last eight home games against Italian clubs and lost just one - a 1-0 defeat by AC Milan in the knockout round three seasons ago.
* Roma have won only one of their 12 away games against English clubs, a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the UEFA Cup in the 2000-01 season. They have scored only there goals in total on their last eight visits.
* Roma have lost six of their last eight Champions League away games.
United probable line up: Tomasz Kuszczak (G), John O’Shea (D), Gerard Pique (D), Rio Ferdinand (D), Patrice Evra (D), Michael Carrick (M) Paul Scholes (M), Cristiano Ronaldo (M), Ryan Giggs (M), Carlos Tevez (S), Wayne Rooney (S)
Venue: Old Trafford, 19:45 UK
Predict Score: Manchester United 2-1 AS Roma