Premier League Preview: Manchester United - Blackburn Rovers
Home tie against struggling Rovers is ideal tonic for the champions…
Oct 30, 2009 5:34:57 PM
EPL: Michael Owen, Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers (Getty Images)
Related Links
Teams
Saturday, October 31, Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Old Trafford, Manchester
Old Trafford, Manchester
No disrespect to Blackburn Rovers, but United could hardly ask for a more attractive fixture as they look to bounce back from the defeat at Anfield.
Blackburn's recent away form in the league is appalling – they have lost their last ten matches on the road, a run that goes back to March 2009. And with 11 goals conceded in their last two away games, albeit against London powerhouses Chelsea and Arsenal, Rovers' travel sickness could also be just the tonic for United.
Speaking of sickness, Rovers have been affected by the swine flu virus this week, with striker Jason Roberts the latest reported victim. Manager Sam Allardyce also displayed symptoms and so avoided contact with his players.
If that wasn't enough, Rovers' record at Old Trafford is very poor – just one win in the history of the Premier League, recorded in 2005.
If none of the statistics bodes well for the visitors, Sam Allardyce's side can at least take some comfort in the fact that United's defence looks surprisingly fragile right now. Away teams found it very difficult to beat Edwin van der Sar in the 2008-09 campaign, but this time around United have kept only one clean sheet in five home matches. And with first-choice centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand both struggling to recover from calf injuries, Blackburn will at least hope to make a game of it.
FORM GUIDE
Man Utd
Oct 27: Barnsley 0-2 Man Utd (League Cup)
Oct 25: Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 21: CSKA Moscow 0-1 Man Utd (Champions League)
Oct 17: Man Utd 2-1 Bolton (Premier League)
Oct 3: Man Utd 2-2 Sunderland (Premier League)
Blackburn
Oct 27: Blackburn 5-2 Peterborough (League Cup)
Oct 24: Chelsea 5-0 Blackburn (Premier League)
Oct 18: Blackburn 3-2 Burnley (Premier League)
Oct 4: Arsenal 6-2 Blackburn (Premier League)
Sep 26: Blackburn 2-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
TEAM NEWS
Man Utd
First-choice centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are both struggling to recover from calf injuries, while Gary Neville is suspended.
Danny Welbeck and Park Ji-Sung are both sidelined with knee injuries.
Last starting XI in Premier League (v Liverpool): Van der Sar, O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Rooney, Berbatov.
Blackburn
The club has been hit by the swine flu virus – striker Jason Roberts is unwell and won't feature at Old Trafford, but key defender Chris Samba is over the illness and should play.
Pascal Chimbonda has recovered from a calf strain.
Last starting XI in Premier League (v Chelsea): Robinson, Jacobsen, Givet, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Andrews, Roberts, Diouf.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Man Utd - Jonny Evans
With Vidic and Ferdinand both injury doubts, it's likely that Evans will get another chance to make his case to be one of United's first-choice centre-backs. Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that it's getting increasingly difficult to leave out the impressive Northern Ireland international, and a good performance on Saturday would put even more pressure on the under-fire Ferdinand.
Blackburn - David Dunn
Dunn was knocked sideways by the H1N1 virus earlier in the week, but he has recovered well and even made a cameo appearance in Rovers' 5-2 win over Peterborough in the League Cup on Tuesday. The English playmaker is having his best season in years and has the ability to give United's makeshift defence problems.
PREDICTION
Manchester United 3-1 Blackburn
Ollie Irish, Goal.com UK
Advertisement
Thank you for your comment!
Please enter your name
Please enter your location
Please share your comment!
England
- Republic Of Ireland's Shay Given Left Feeling Cheated By Thierry Henry
- Liverpool Special: Cutting Edge The Key As Chelsea Show Up Reds' Weaknesses
- Liverpool Special: Cutting Edge The Key As Chelsea Show Up Reds' Weaknesses
- No Samuel Eto'o For South African Fans
- Real Madrid Consider Bid For Arsenal Ace Cesc Fabregas - Report
- Yakubu Promises To Be Fit And Firing For Everton Soon
- Report: Michael Owen Agrees Personal Terms With Manchester United
- We Knew We Would Lose Eventually - Xabi Alonso
- Gianfranco Zola: Chelsea Will Break Manchester United’s Hegemony Under Ancelotti
- Robin Van Persie Set For Arsenal Contract Talks
Advertisement
Most Read
- France 1-1 Ireland AET: 'Hand Of Henry' Gifts Les Bleus World Cup Place
- Top 10 Most Controversial World Cup Games
- Egypt Issue FIFA Complaint Against Algeria, Threaten International Withdrawl
- Henry's Law - Time To Introduce Tennis Challenge System In Football?
- Fabio Cannavaro: Thierry Henry Should Have Had The Decency Not To Celebrate
Advertisement
Most Discussed
- Henry's Law - Time To Introduce Tennis Challenge System In Football?
335 - Thierry Henry: A Replay Would Be Fair For Ireland And France
253 - Top 10 Most Controversial World Cup Games
252 - World Cup Draw Seeding Pots: The Possible Setup
170 - Calcio Debate: Should Sebastian Giovinco And Davide Santon Leave Juventus And Inter Respectively In January?
144
Advertisement
