Match Details EUROPA LEAGUE - LAST 32 Venue: Old Trafford Date: Thursday, 23 February Kick-off: 20:05 GMT Coverage: Channel 5 Match Preview Manchester United will seek to finish the job against Ajax and secure their place in the Europa League last 16 at Old Trafford on Thursday.Goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez gave the Red Devils a 2-0 win in the first leg in Amsterdam and put Sir Alex Ferguson's men firmly in the driving seat against the Dutch champions. United are aiming to join Ajax on the exclusive list of clubs to have tasted European Cup/Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League and Cup Winners' Cup success.And it will take a monumental effort if the visitors are to stand in their way. This is not a classic Ajax vintage - Frank de Boer's team find themselves languishing in sixth place in the Dutch league. As a result, United will be confident of getting the positive result they need, having enjoyed a free weekend to prepare due to their early elimination from this season's FA Cup.The victors at Old Trafford will face the winners of the tie between Athletic Bilbao and Lokomotiv Moscow in Spain, with the Russian club holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg. Line Ups Manchester United: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Smalling, Fabio, Nani, Cleverley, Park, Young, Hernandez, Berbatov. Subs: Amos, Evra, Evans, Carrick, Giggs, Scholes, Welbeck. Ajax: Vermeer, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Anita, Sulejmani, Eriksen, De Jong, Lodeiro, Ozbiliz, van Rhijn, Koppers. Subs: Cillessen, Ebecilio, Ooijer, Blind, Serero, Aissati, Klaassen.
Phil jones is captain, superb news, it is his destiny. If we get beat by city in the league then I would just give him permanent captaincy for the rest of the season, start him young
Manchester United: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Smalling, Fabio, Nani, Cleverley, Park, Young, Hernandez, Berbatov. Subs: Amos, Evra, Evans, Carrick, Giggs, Scholes, Welbeck. Ajax: Vermeer, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Anita, Sulejmani, Eriksen, De Jong, Lodeiro, Ozbiliz, van Rhijn, Koppers. Subs: Cillessen, Ebecilio, Ooijer, Blind, Serero, Aissati, Klaassen. Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
I dont rate Pogba, I have watched him for a while now all be it in non competitive games, but he is too heavy footed
Be interesting to see how our back 5 does. In theory that could be our back 5 for the next 10 years. Little bit worried about the midfield. Park and Cleverly Disappointed there's no Pogba on the bench.
Hernandez did well to stand on the goal line and let the ball hit him there. I wonder what Kamran made of that goal
Who gives a ****? Good to see Vidic back in the crowd, sitting pretty comfortably so looks like the recovery is well under way
Do you? Why? I think Paul Pogba is turning into a myth of his and his agents own making and some are just buying into it. Has it occured to anyone that the reason he isn't getting first team games is simply that he is not good enough? Or that he is not ready? There seems to be some wierd indignation that he in some way deserves to be playing and that he's been wronged in not getting a game. I've got another suggestion, how about he shuts his ****ing mouth and knuckles down to proving to everyone he is as good as he cracks on he is? Othwerwise, he can **** right off with my blessing like Mr Morrison did. He needs to remember where he was, how old he is and where he now is. He's like some cocky/spotty kid who dropped out of school at 16 but had a real talent for mathematics but was wasting it by flipping burgers at McDonalds. Someone spotted his talent so gave him a job with a blue chip banking firm and two years later he repays them by moaning he's not been made ****ing managing director and wants to go and work for Lloyds bank on a pay rise!
This is reminiscent of the start of the season - we look threatening going forward but we're allowing them a lot of time in the middle of the park. It's good to see an expansive open game but a lot of teams would sit on a 2-0 lead and let the opposition bang their heads against a brick wall. I hope we don't regret this more entertaining approach.
