Hey guys, on Royals Rendezvous we've been linking up with Sunderland and Liverpool fans of late to do match previews and a league placings game too. I thought you might be interested in a pre-match assessment by 'Wolfy', RR's own resident Liverpool fan ... any comments back (sociable please!) especially welcome - I'd happily hand back to him, if reproducible! Match: Manchester United v Reading Date: 16th March 2013 Time: 17:30 Competition: Premier League Form: Man Utd - WWWWW Reading - LLLLW Last Meeting: Man Utd 2-1 Reading (FA Cup) It's the inevitable champions against the side many tip for bottom place. This game looks like a home win all over but once again, you can never put any team down in this league. Man Utd have won the last 5 league games but the last two results may have hurt them quite a bit. The 2-2 draw at home against Chelsea was just about earned in the end after an incredible comeback from the blues, while Ronaldo scoring the winning goal at Old Trafford for Real Madrid was a kick in the guts. But despite what many say, this Man United team is very talented. Van Persie only has one goal in his last 9 games but can still boast 19 league goals, while Rooney who has been labelled all kinds has 11 goals and 9 assists. The only problem is, after those two, United have no consistent scorers at the moment because the likes of Hernandez don't start. I think this affected them in the last two outings. They will dictate possession in this game so their should be chances for the forwards to get scoring again. I think they have more threat out wide. Many clubs would love to boast Nani, Young and Valencia as wingers so they do have more strength in the squad then even I personally thought at first. The defence is dodgy but the cover from midfield is usually enough in home games against the lower sides and United's on form keeper will be expecting a clean sheet as well as the 3 points. Reading have lost the last 5 including the FA Cup game at Old Trafford so this is the last place they want to visit at the moment, with or without a manager. They seemed to recruit well in January and hit some form but it looks like a bit of a fluke with the last 5 games showing little signs of Reading getting out of trouble. I've said from day one that their squad isn't good enough so McDermott always had a hell of a job on his hands but I don't think sacking him will save them either. At the start of the season, they had Pogrebynak who had swept Fulham fans off their feet, Le Fondre, the best striker in the lower divisions, Noel hunt and impact man Jason Roberts. But with Roberts injured a long while, the other strikers have really failed to impress. Le Fondre was on great form a few weeks back and I thought they had a star on their hands, but just like the points, his goals dried up. Someone needs to come in and make them get more goals because I don't think the middle is very uncreative, they are not premier league quality but can still create chances. They need at least 5 in midfield for this game because I can't see them having the quality to attack at Man Utd, before being ripped apart. Of course fans want to see goals and good play but Reading's only chance is to keep things tight and don't get tempted to be the hero, there will be breaks for them so there will be chances for goals, but will the striker(s) take them? Man Utd have won 5 of the last 7 meetings, drawing the other two and should be too strong here. 3-0. Twitter: @LFCWolfy
Really nervous about this game. Not because I'm worried that we'll lose, I already know we're going to lose. I'm nervous because I genuinely fear we are going to get absolutely hammered. This could be an embarrassment of massive proportions.
Well, it appears my fears were unfounded. I still don't how we came away from OT with just a 1-0 defeat. For us, that has to be a result, even if we didn't get any points!!!!
Watched the game and some lads at work went. I thought we played well but lacked again in the final third.
