Wayne Rooney scored on the last occasion Manchester United played at the narcissistically named Madejski Stadium; Sir Alex Ferguson’s side running out 2-0 winners in 2008. The stat provides neither guide, nor omen, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Reading, although United’s record over the Berkshire side shows just one defeat since these teams first met in February 1912.
And with Reading lying just above the Premier League’s gutter, few expect a turnaround in historical fortunes this weekend. Rooney may fancy adding to a season’s tally that boasts just three goals in 14 appearances.
Injuries aside, Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to select a strong side at the Madejski, with a dead rubber against CFR Cluj in midweek providing air cover should the Scot choose to rest his leading lights before next weekend’s derby. While the 9 December clash with Manchester City is coming over the horizon fast, any thoughts of a comfortable victory this weekend are countered with memories of United labouring to victory over relegation fodder Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers in recent weeks.
Last weekend’s attritional victory over QPR was followed in quick order this week by another under-par performance against West Ham United at Old Trafford. It has become a pattern in a season that is yet to truly come to life.
Yet, there is much evidence that the onset of winter provides the historical point at which Ferguson’s side truly comes to life – losing just six of more than 50 December fixtures in the past decade. Still, if United is to continue that record, Ferguson’s side must do it without wide men Antonio Valenica and Nani on Saturday.
“Nani and Valencia are still out,” confirmed Sir Alex.
“Nani will be out for four or five weeks. It’s a hamstring injury and you have to take your time with it. Antonio should be fit for next week. He’s got a hip injury, which is painful, but getting better. Nick Powell has had a virus but should be okay for tomorrow and Giggs had a slight hamstring strain but should also be okay.”
“Nemanja Vidić ;has started training, which is good news,” added Ferguson
“For the last year and a half, I think he’s only played around 10 or 12 games. The best way forward for us is to listen to Vida himself. He has the experience to know what’s best for him and know when the time is right to come back into the team.
“He started training in the week and he did okay. He hasn’t been involved in the real competitive part but at least he’s back training with the first team. It would be nice to play him on Wednesday. I wouldn’t be adverse to playing him on Wednesday. I think he’s done all his work but he needs matches. Good defenders win you the league.”
Meanwhile, under-pressure Reading manager Brian McDermott is without Jimmy Kebe, Alex McCarthy and Jem Karacan through injury, although Danny Guthrie could be available after suffering a thigh problem.
Injuries do little to help McDermott’s prospects. Reading has picked up just nine Premier League points to date, with more than a third of the season completed. Just won win at home, complimented by four draws, and just nine goals tells the story of the campaign. Pavel Pogrebnyak’s brace in the Premier League, complimented by just three from Adam Le Fondre underpins the essential weakness in Reading’s make-up.
Still, with McDermott’s men fighting for survival, and United seemingly keen to ship cheap goals, no matter how profligate the rival, Reds’ will count no points until Saturday draws to a close.
“I’ve never had any doubts. I know how close we are,” McDermott bluffed this week. “We do the right things every day and if we keep doing that, the right results will come our way, I’m absolutely convinced of that. But I’m not stupid, we need results.”
History says the result is unlikely to go his way, yet with three defeats in the Premier League already this season Ferguson’s men hold no guarantees ahead of the trip south.
Match Details
Reading v Manchester United – Premier League, Madejski Stadium – Saturday 1 December 2012, 5.30pm
Possible teams
United (4-2-3-1): Lindegaard; Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Carrick, Scholes; Young, Rooney, Giggs; van Persie. Subs from: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Anderson, Powell, Wootton, Buttner, Fletcher, Cleverley, Hernandez, Welbeck, Henríquez.
Reading (4-4-2): Federici; Gunter, Gorkass, Morrison, Shorey; McAnuff, Leigertwood, Tabb, Robson-Kanu; Le Fondre, Roberts. Subs from: Taylor, Pearce, Harte, Guthrie, Mariappa, Gunnarsson, Pogrebnyak, Cummings, Hunt, McCleary
Officials
Referee: M Halsey
Assistants: D Bryan, L Betts
Fourth official: A Marriner
Form
Reading: LDDWLL
United: WWLLWW
Head to Head
Last 10: Reading 0, United 6, Draw 4
Overall: Reading 1, United 8, Draw 7
Stats
- Reading missed out on a point at Aston Villa on Tuesday, conceding a late header to lose 1-0 in the Midlands;
- Defender Kaspar Gorkss has racked up 84 interceptions and successfully completed 63 per cent of tackles this season, but has managed zero shots on target from nine attempts;
- Jobi McAnuff has dribbled more often that any of his team-mates with 13 and providing 33 crosses to boot;
- Adrian Mariappa has racked up 12 blocks according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index;
- Midfielder Mikele Leigertwood continues to underline his importance in the Reading engine room having successfully completed more tackles that any other Royals’ player with 34;
- Meanwhile, Robin van Persie struck after just thirty seconds to secure three points for United last weekend, although the Dutchman now trails Liverpool’s Luis Suarez in the golden boot standings – van persie hasn’t scored a brace in 11 games for United, with the Uruguayan achieving the feat twice in the same period;
- Anders Lindegaard got the nod ahead of David de Gea to start in goal for United in midweek, with little to choose between the pair statistically – Lindegaard has saved 79.4 per cent of the 34 shots on target he’s faced, while De Gea has saved 76.2 per cent of 42 shots on target;
- Michael Carrick set up United’s early strike last week, and was also the side’s second hardest worker for the third consecutive match, covering 6.32 miles against West Ham;
- Rafael da Silva has continued to develop this season and is United’s most successful tackler this season, winning 24 of his challenges;
- United has kept just one clean sheet in seven away games this season.
Prediction
0-1
DG
Raf – Rio – Evans – Evra
Welbeck – Carrick – Scholes – Young
Roo – RVP
Don’t like it much, but I suspect we’ll see something like that.
Wouldnt mind seeing Anderson-son-son getting a start….the guy has absolutely everything unfortunately including a taste for Maccas.
Think Anderson will start. He was pretty good vs West Ham. The problem is seeing how the assists will come without wingers….
Despite that i Think we’ll win 2-0
The City game has me concerned, but think game plan there is to keep it tight and play for a draw…
First season I can remember since about 91/92 I’m a bag of nerves before every kick off. The stakes are high, and I’ve not a great deal of confidence in this side (or the forever changing system). Reading could well score, if Van Persie, Rooney turn up then we may be OK, otherwise I feel it’s going to be another enervating grind! 2-1 United (I hope).
If Fergie picks a similar midfield to the ones he picked v Norwich and QPR, we could be embarrassed.
Hope your team is wrong Ed
Odd comments from Ferguson about the goalkeepers and rotation – “am I not happy to rotate all the time – I don’t think it creates consistency”. Correct, but evidence suggests to the contrary of that statement.
If he wants to piss about with the formation and team, play the OAP’s and those struggling for form against Cluj.
scholes will start, i hope he gets sent off so he misses city, giggs young and lindegaard too
Lindegaard, Rafael, Evra, Evans, Ferdinand; Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Young; Rooney, Van Persie
De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Giggs, Hernandez, Welbeck, Cleverley.
Doesn’t matter Giggs has got a hamstring strain, still gets on the bench. Ferguson keeping Scholes to be made a pet of by Yaya Toure.
mish mash formationless side again
If we win this by more than 2 goals we’ll still be on top regardless what happens at eastlands on the 9th!!
Come on lads!!!!
How do figure that?
And so if we lose 6-1 we will be thrilled to still be top! What nonsense: after last season’s punishment from City a loss will not be good for morale. And a by loss will be devastating. A big win at the Etihad, on the other hand, and we coud use it as a springboard to take the league at a canter. But please AF: no God tells you in a dream to play Scholes and Giggs v Toure et al DON’T DO IT!
Really need Rooney and RVP to be on fire tonight!
City level points with us with 2 goal difference better after Everton draw. If we win 3 points puts us above them. If we get better than 2 goals we’ll have better goal difference, so even if we’re beat at city we’ll still be on top (depends on how many goals we get beat by of course!) shouldve said if e win by 4 goals to be safe
Fucking hell Young…
Well Young has started well…
I know! Shocking!
We will get massacred at City…
It’s not even a surprise anymore. Take note United’s shite selection of wingers that is how you cross.
Evans assist? He’s fucking gash!
Can’t wait for Vida to come back!
What the fuck was Evans thinking….head it the fuck out…
FFS I can’t be arsed this time, another fucking comback
And they play music when they score
I know what you mean, it’s so depressing seeing this current United side.
1-0 down? Of course.
Ando is starting to impress me!!
Anderson!!!!!!
Beautiful Anderson, beautiful.
Andoooooooo!!! The burger King is in DA HOUSE!
ANDESRON. He’s had a great start
Keeper should have saved that but sod it.
Good strike by Ando, they are shit remember
Evans make amends, rooney needed that goal.
Clear pen that, the dozy cunt
Great first touch from Evans
This is fun.
Playing better since falling behind.
Now let’s smash them.
ive given up on taggarts use of rooney, least hes got a goal
ha we’ve even scored a penalty. stupid penalty to give away though
I want absolute fucking anihilation of Reading now. Anything less is completely unacceptable.
The comeback is complete after 15 mins
Now what
enter faffage
Think you’ve jinxed it mate….
Shit
He’s fucking 5ft how is he scoring that without any cunt marking him.
you had to ask
Brilliant defending
Let them get back into it then stage another comeback, good plan
Free header. You expect to win the league like this Fergie?
Evans at fault for both goals I think…
Evans lost his man, he wouldn’t get a fucking sniff if Vida was fit.
How are we top of the table?
Getting bummed by Reading ffs
Evans is absolutely SHOCKING. seriously needs to be subbed NOW!!!
Utter shambles
FFS. We’ll concede more and more. Get FUCKING Evans OFF!
He’s fucking horrific.
FERGIE GET THE FUCK UP AND GET THIS SHIT SORTED OUT YOU CUNT.
This is insane. Get Evans off now. Put fucking giggs on do something, just get Evans off this pitch. He’s responsible for everyone of the goals.
And the comeback is on
We are fucking shit at the back. 3 goals in 23 minutes
Did Ed predict a 1-0?
this is new levels of faff
Evans at fault for 3 goals. GET HIM THE FUCK OFF>
i bet taggarts thinking i know who’ll make us defend better on set pieces, giggs
Fletcher is awful as well.
Our Goalkeeper is woeful.
Keeper is all over the place. Fletcher need to come off.
Haha this is going to be Lindegaard’s last game for a while. Evra is being made Hal Robson Kanu’s bitch.
Should Lindegaard be coming to catch or punch these balls or what
I literally hope Fergie beats the fuck out of Evans at half time.
lindegaards putting an end to any more keeper rotation
NOW DEFEND YOU FUCKING CUNTS.
Good goal. Now lets fucking SKIN them….
It’s so fucking simple, we can pass it around them no problems. There is a reason they only have 9 points.
This is the most ridiculous game of football I’ve ever seen
HAHAHA!!!
subbed already??!!
Yet Evans still on?!
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits…..
Here’s the second comeback
Another two comebacks in the second half and we’ll win this
Oh Ferguson what are you doing, I know he is on a yellow but serious Evans is getting fucked.
fucking disgraceful from taggart
humiliating rafa for no reason
Take half the bloody team off.
Rafael is almost crying.
Is it because he’s on a yellow
Goal difference.
thats shouldve been his bastard son coming off, ffs hes leaving trails of diarrehea all over the pitch, retire jock twat
It might also be because we need more height in the defence because they’re murdering us on crosses
Lol jesus
Class goal that, Rooney is back, scoring and with an assist
Bloody defense is a disaster. We cant fucking clear balls…
City are going to batter us.
We’re going to need another 7 to win this.
Rafael substitution seems right; Smalling gives us some height and with the booking Raf was treading a fine line.
He could do with a rest.
That was a fucking goal
thisll ends 6-4 to us
Jesus fucking christ, that was well over
Haha bringing Jones on now. Admission the Defence is absolutely fucked.
Anderson injured.
Fucks sake. A clear goal, Anderson injured and Jones coming on
bastard son/carrick/jones midfield
ffs
I can’t get a decent stream at all, very fucking annoying.
Oh no, Jones in midfield
We’re gonna need another comeback
cleverley should know where he stands with taggart now
I suppose they’ve gone with Jones because of his height
But still, Clev
Boring.
Fergie will kill them at half time.
Not that his hairdryers have made any difference to the quality of our performances.
young has done some alright stuff against this championship side
but hes a bellend
You’d expect us to come out and win the second half comfortably, but the way this season is going and with that mickey mouse of a midfield we’ve got there now, who knows.
Jones is the new O’Shea, Cleverly is the new Gibson.
You just wonder why in gods name he won’t sign a couple of tough tackling midfielders.
We don’t need to be this shit. It is so frustrating.
now rafaels been subbed off early motd will do a 5 minute piece about how shit he is even though this is evans lindegaard and bastard sons fault
Can’t believe we are top of the league with this crap defense and SAFs player selection. What does this say about the EPL?
Yeah I don’t think Fergie took Raf off because he thought it was all his fault, but what do I know. In any case, it was nice to see Raf so angry to be subbed, the lad’s got heart.
Worryingly that is probably our strongest team of all players who are fit and available.
Before anyone mentions Cleverley, he’s not exactly pulling up trees this season.
bastard son never has and never will be part of our best side
Seriously..was that evans again?.
Haha what do you think?
Even shit Fletcher at least scored last week
Evans fails to head the ball clear, Carrick robbed in midfield because he can’t dribble past Reading. We desperately need new signings in this club.
If we’re a proper sensible team then we shouldn’t concede this half
But what are the chances
we’ll concede, itll be 4-4 and then we’ll win 6-4
Not really though, we’re top, and we’ll finish in the top two
With the state of the opposition this season this is enough
Europe is a different matter
I don’t actually think he’s that bad, he’s just having a horrible, horrible game. It doesn’t help that him and Ferdinand are too similar, they both need a nutter who will win every ball and they can drop off and mop up. Smalling is far better in the air in that regard.
Another foul by Tabb yet no yellow. Go figure.
Fergie will have to take Lindgaard off, he’s fucking hopeless.
What did DDG do to get dropped anyways? Lindegaard is rubbish
fucking hell this lindgraden cunt
Fuck off Waitrose, he clearly wins the ball
Do we not have another keeper on the bench?
What a joke.
I hope Anderson’s injury is very minor.
Since Ando’s injury we’ve served up utter shite in midfield
What was Fletcher thinking?
Nce work by Evra there, we should have done a lot more with that.
jones is basically playing rooneys position, this is taggartry at its worst
Fuck me
For fuuuuuccccckkkksssss sake
Robin was stretching tbf
RVP’s Torres moment
Van Persie could have killed them off then
pogrebnack will get on the end of a cross 4-4
Fletch keeps giving possession away. Jones might be the best of the midfielders at the moment.
Goodness me this is getting embarrassing
De gea is on the bench ffs.
I love Jones, I root for Jones. think he’s gonna be a star. But he has done fuck all…
As young has faded away so has our midfield….
Second time Young has tried to hit the corner flag. Good skils.
Evans, Lindgaard, and Fletch have all been absolute abject. Young and Carrick have been shit in a more commonplace manner. RVP off? Wtf
Van Persie off
That’s for the miss
Fergie stamping his authority on this team
He subbed Rooney last week for being shit n all
There’s definitely complacency in the squad, probably some arrogance
After today several players will have new arseholes
All I can say is thank the lord for no Giggs.
Except Jones is broken now…
Not sure of this. Tought fergie gave him a pat in the back as he came off? Or maybe thats not Fergie?
At this point I’m just desperate that we’ll hold out for the 3 points, which is pathetic really.
I’m not hopeful. We have been playing shit all season.
Ashley Young… Oh my
He does that with most players. He’ll be pleased he’s scored like, but if he was in Fergie’s good books he’d still be on the pitch.
If Reading get something from this game he’ll blame it on his miss in the post macth interview
He’s kicking arse, bruising egos, tearing new arseholes ahead of City
we need more experience
I don’t care if we’re top of the league. This is the worst United side I can remember and without RVP, where would we be right now?
horrendous
Abject abjct abject dfensive display against the worst team in the league…,
The only feasible option for the derby is to park the bus…keep it tight, play for a draw.
If we try to come out it’ll be another 6-1
We saw the second half out like a proper sensible team
‘Next week the Manchester Derby.’ Jesus, next week another 6-1 hiding.
The dressing room will feel like a loss because that was fucking shite
There’ll be a few bruised egos in there, and good, the cunts needed a kicking before City
Hopefully there will be a reaction
And we are supposedly the top team in the country at this moment in time.
We will get walloped, no question.
degea smalling rio evans evra carrick scholes fletcher, giggs rooney persie
taggarts side for city
I assume none of Vidic, Valencia, Kagawa, and Nani will be playing so looks bad for us. We better hope Mancini plays defensive and cautious or well get destroyed in the middle of the park.
Jones will play in midfield next week. Rooney on his own up front.
Thought Ando was terrific today; would love to see him against City but doubt he’ll have recovered in time
I am officially praying for a miracle next weekend. A 0-0 would be a great result based on current form…
Anderson has picked up a hamstring injury and misses the derby.
As far as I can make out the summer signings were made to stop us losing the league on goal difference again. Perhaps somebody should point out to Fergie that goal difference is made up two elements, goals for and goals against. Logic would dictate,therefore, that although scoring goals is important,not conceding is equally so.Why then no DCM or no decent CH signed? How long before Fergie realises that Evans is second rate-he is not going to get any better.
Goal difference is a moot point however, after throwing away an 8 point lead in April.Thats the worrying thing, not goal difference.
Dear Sir Alex
Like you, we are tired of the noise coming from our noisy neighbours revving up their Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Luckily, they still have a lotto learn about driving.
On the score of vehicles: posters here are already calling 4 u to park the bs at the Etihad next weekend. My suggestion: a bus may not be enough: so many windows to protect: park maybe a Challenger tank, or even the Titanic, or the iceberg that sank it. Then we can get the glorious 0-0 draw that doesn’t give them the league just yet.
Man City ain’t all that. Fuck em!
Let’s just out score the cunts! 2-3 United!
Why even bother with a defence?
Let’s just play a team of 11 attackers & make it like those schoolyard games. First team to get 10 goals wins.
LOL…
Wow… spent the day at Drayton Manor… sounds like I missed a thriller though.
Come on… we won the game, 3 more points, top of the table, and all the signs are we can play better… and City have not been tearing up any trees.
We’ll win.
We got West Ham away in FA Cup Draw. I’m so happy we’re not at home. Expensive enough as it is watching United. Wenger will be seething. One less cup for Arsenal to win lol.
Full draw:
Crystal Palace v Stoke
Brighton v Newcastle
Tottenham v Coventry City
Wigan v Bournemouth
Fulham v Blackpool
Aston Villa v Ipswich
Charlton v Huddersfield
Barrow or Macclesfield v Cardiff
Barnsley v Burnley
Manchester City v Watford
Swansea v Arsenal
Leicester v Burton
Millwall v Preston
Cheltenham or Hereford v Everton
Derby v Tranmere
Crawley v Reading
Aldershot v Rotherham or Notts County
Middlesbrough v Harrogate or Hastings
Accrington Stanley or Oxford v Sheffield United
Southampton v Chelsea
QPR v West Brom
Peterborough v Norwich
Lincoln or Mansfield v Liverpool
Bolton v Sunderland
Nottingham Forest v Oldham
West Ham v Manchester United
Hull v Alfreton or Leyton Orient
Blackburn v Bristol City
Leeds v Birmingham
Bury or Southend v Bradford or Brentford
Luton v Wolves
Sheffield Wednesday v MK Dons
West Ham FFS
There is no magic of the FA Cup for United. We never get to play at these proper little grounds where you can stand etc. it’s always Prem teams.
looks like no one at rant is bothered enough to post the draw as a separate thread…:(
west ham away could be a tricky game especially if SAF decides to play the young guns
Fergie will at least pick a decent team.
If we’d had a home draw to some shite team we would have struggled like we always do (e.g. – Crawley Town).
Also, who can forget the horrors of Exeter City and Burton Albion?
Steggo @ 11:07: “Goal difference is a moot point however, after throwing away an 8 point lead in April.Thats the worrying thing, not goal difference.”
What’s odd about the “goal difference” is that last season – in the crunch – TheLads couldn’t score (no goals away against Wigan AND in the capitulation at Shitty) while this season they don’t seem able to defend (three goals against Spurs (@ OT) and yesterday three goals against Reading (Reading, ffs !).
What complicates matters is the midfield conundrum – if SAF goes conservative and plays some version of Carrick/Scholes then those two get over-run and the four attackers are not getting service; with Anderson out, if he goes more aggressive then he has to sacrifice width to have a midfield of Carrick and YoungTom and DarrenFletcherinho.
Against ManShitty width is going to be over-rated since they tend to play the ball through the middle – GreatBigHugeYaYa and Davide Silva are the guys tasked with “creativity”. On the other hand, ManShitty’s full-backs – Kolarov, Maicon, Zabaleta, and Clichy (I guess that Micah Richards is crocked) – do provide very good attacking width but not one is a reliable crosser. Up-front, only Dzeko is a legitimate target-man and he’s a pretty “soft” player. So, I’d imagine that the defensive game-plan will be to force the full-backs wide and make them play the ball backwards when/if they run into a dead end. The wild card is going to be SuperMario – who has great size and strength but is incredibly unpredictable, which is probably a point in his favour if he’s played for 90 minutes. To a lesser extent, Carlitos is another wild card – super-energetic which creates chaos for defenders and, like Aguero, very strong in his lower body.
For a team like UTD – which is having real defensive problems in co-ordination – ManShitty are going to present multiple problems in terms of defensive organization. A half-speed Rio and a rusty-Vidic will only compound those problems – Jonny Evans was frightful yesterday but he has been pretty reliable for most of the season and must start. I’d be astonished if SAF goes with BigManSmalling alongside Evans because he always seeks refuge in “experience”. So, there’s lots of jeopardy in the center of UTD’s defence – SO playing Michael Carrick seems a no -brainer since it’s unlikely that UTD will be set up to go for goal/a win. Rather, I see a battle of attrition in which defensive mistakes create the result.