please log in to view this image v please log in to view this image Venue: Amsterdam Arena. Date: Thursday, 16 February Kick-off: 1800 GMT Manchester United squad to face Ajax: De Gea, Amos; Fabio, Rafael, Evans, Jones, Smalling, Fryers, Ferdinand; Valencia, Nani, Carrick, Young, Park, Scholes, Cleverley, Pogba; Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck. Evra , Giggs and Berbatov have been rested. Giggs will have to wait on that 900th appearance for United till later. Possible lineup: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Fabio, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Rooney, Welbeck. Midfielders Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley have also travelled while young players such Paul Pogba and Zeki Fryers have also been included for the squad for Amsterdam. Key player for United tonight, Wayne Rooney. please log in to view this image Two goals against Liverpool mean Rooney has scored 22 goals in all appearances this season and hopefully will continue that goal scoring in Holland tonight. Wayne Rooney said: 'I'm really enjoying my football and the team really playing well at the minute. We've had some difficult games but come out of it really well.' Meanwhile Ajax's midfield playmaker Christian Eriksen will be the focal point for the Ajax attacks. A highly regarded young player, Eriksen will be hoping to make an impact against a top English side to enhance his growing reputation though the young Dane is happy to say at Ajax for the time being saying: 'Ajax have a tradition of good football and play 4-3-3, which suits me. They also spend lots of money on youth players with the aim of putting them in the first team. Top sides in England have to get into the Champions League every year so they are not going to buy a 17-year-old and put him straight in the first team. They buy players who can play now. You might not get a game until you are 21. So why should you go there?' please log in to view this image
Strangely looking forward to this tonight.Will be at work so might catch it on computer or at the pub accross the road.
Line ups have been released: Ajax: Vermeer, Anita, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Koppers, De Jong, Aissati, Eriksen, Ozbiliz, Bulykin, Sulejmani. Subs: Cillessen, Boilesen, Blind, Lodeiro, Serero, Van Rhijn, Lukoki. Man Utd: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Evans, Fabio Da Silva, Nani, Carrick, Cleverley, Young, Rooney, Hernandez. Subs: Amos, Smalling, Park, Welbeck, Scholes, Valencia, Pogba. Very strong and attacking line up by us.
Nice to see Nani and Cleverly start, where's Rafael though? I'd like to see him get some games at RB, when had a run of games last year, he was looking like becoming one of the best RB's in the PL. Also surprised not to see fryers on the bench. Hope Pogba gets a game in the second half.
Topical lol from the Channel 5 commentator: "Sneijder the last player of real quality to come out of Ajax" Wonder what the Liverpool fans will make of that...
Very slow tempo. And whenever we look to up it, someone miscontrols, or makes a bad pass. Everyones done it, Rooney, Young and Nani the biggest culprits. We looked a bit better when we got Tom on the ball and he was moving upfield. Couple of times we could have played Hernandez in but the final ball was poor. Just lacking a spark to be honest and we are making Ajax look better than I think they really are. If you watched that 45 mins, you'd struggle to differentiate the team that's in the Europa league because they were always one of the "almost rans" in their Champions League group or the team that got knocked out because they played god awful in their group but was just a huge anomaly.
