Premier League Preview - Manchester United; Wayne Rooney once again the man for the club?
Manchester United is, perhaps, the most valuable club on the planet and hosts the biggest fan base on earth. The 18-time league champions (and joint-record holders with Liverpool) look to make a new record by adding one Premier League trophy in their bid to become the most successful club in England.
So what are the chances of lifting the coveted trophy for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men? Many questions need to be answered, as the Red Devils gear up for the new season to be started on the 14th of August. United play their first match against Newcastle United, and have one of the most talented squads. Their long serving manager has won 11 Premier League titles along with 2 UEFA Champions League titles in his 24 years at the club, and looks to make history by taking the count to 12.
Last season, United sold off two of their top players in the form of the then FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and in form striker Carlos Tevez. United signed Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen last season, looking to hold on the Premier League title. However, United lost the league to archrivals Chelsea, with just one point between the two. United finished second in the league, but still managed to win the Carling Cup. United was one of the two teams who reached into the quarterfinals of the Champions League, where they were defeated by German Champions Bayern Munich 4-4 on away goals. United’s player of the season was undoubtedly Wayne Rooney, who scored 26 times in the league and enjoyed the best defence, which conceded the league’s lowest 28 goals this season. Weaknesses of the season were the unavailability of back-ups for Wayne Rooney, who missed a couple of matches owing to injury during the end of the season. Dimitar Berbatov couldn’t fill the void, leading to draws and losses in the most crucial of situations.
United added Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling to the squad this season, while selling off Ben Foster (to Birmingham City), Zoran Tosic (CSKA Moscow), Tom Heaton (Cardiff City), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96), Mathew James and David Gray (Preston North End), and Cameron Stewart (Yeovil Town).
So what are the questions that can be asked from Manchester United this time around?
Will Wayne Rooney again be the man making the difference?
If Wayne Rooney is fit, he will be lethal in front of goal, hands down. The player had his best season to date and at the age of twenty four, is every goalkeeper’s nightmare. His injury caused him to perform below par, owing to a disappointment in the World Cup but reports suggest that he is now fully fit and can’t wait to start the new season. The player may well not score 34 goals this season (as he did in 2009-2010), but will be the most important player for the squad yet again. Wayne Rooney will be looking to re-establish himself as one of the top players in the world, following the disastrous run in the World Cup, and prove to everyone that he has class and not just form.
Will United be able to cope without Rooney?
United would be without the services of Wayne Rooney for the start of the season, and he would be training hard to make up for the lost time. Dimitar Berbatov, Federico Macheda and Javier Hernandez solve the problem of replacing Wayne Rooney, as all three players were impressive in the pre-season. They all have combined well, with newly signed Hernandez scoring in every match he played for (or against) United.
Will Ferguson employ “impact” substitutes, and will they be that effective?
Many of United’s squad didn’t play in the World Cup, and would benefit from the full rest. World Cup playing players won’t feature in the opening matches and these substitutes would be used instead. They have clicked together during the pre-season and look impressive. So when the league starts, will these substitutes be used effectively, or will the Red Devils find themselves in the middle of the Premier League table by the time the World Cup stars return? Only time will tell.
Manchester United have made their intentions clear: they want their Premier League trophy back at Old Trafford. The question of whether they will be able to lift the coveted trophy is debatable, but Manchester United has a habit of making the impossible possible, and Sir Alex Ferguson would be looking to use his best tactics in the season ahead.
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