Manchester United vs Olympiacos
UEFA Champions League, Round 0f 16, 2nd Leg
Wednesday 19 March, 2014
19:45 KO (BST)
Old Trafford, Manchester
“We’ll try.” – David Moyes.
“It’s not nice when we know we are capable of being up there challenging and we haven’t been doing that this season. It is really difficult to see City doing well – and particularly Liverpool, who have kicked on. It means we have to step up and get back up there, because the feeling we have had this season when we’re not doing so well is not a nice feeling at all to have.” – Patrice Evra.
Starting XI from: David de Gea, Anders Lindegaard; Rafael da Silva, Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones, Rio Ferdinand, Alex Buttner, Patrice Evra; Antonio Valencia, Adnan Januzaj, Ashley Young, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa; Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie
Doubts: Nani (hamstring), Javier Hernandez (knee)
Unavailable: Chris Smalling (hamstring), Jonny Evans (calf), Juan Mata (ineligible)
Top scorers: Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia (2)
Most assists: Wayne Rooney (3)
UCL form: D W D W W L
Home record vs Olympicos: P2 W2 D0 L0 F7 A0
“My players aren’t scared of anything… I don’t like seeing any manager suffer and David Moyes, at the moment, is suffering… We would like the game to go the same way as it did in the first leg but we know this will be a different Manchester United. There will definitely be more determination and urgency from them. All we want is a good performance. We definitely need one goal. We cannot just sit back and protect our two-goal lead.” – Michel.
Starting XI from: Roberto, Balazs Megyeri; Kostas Manolas, Avraam Papadopoulos, Gaetan Bong, Jose Holebas, Leandro Salino, Ivan Marcano; Giannis Maniatis, Andreas Samaris, Delvin Ndinga, Paulo Machado, David Fuster, Alejandro Dominguez, Joel Campbell, Hernan Perez; Nikos Vergos, Javier Saviola, Nelson Valdez
Doubts: n/a
Unavailable: Michael Olaitan (virus), Dimitris Siovas (ankle)
Top scorer: Alejandro Dominguez (3)
Most assists: Giannis Maniatis, David Fuster (2)
UCL form: W D W L W W
Previous meetings
Olympiacos 2-0 United (25-02-14)
Olympiacos 2-3 United (23-10-02)
United 4-0 Olympiacos (01-10-02)
United 3-0 Olympiacos (23-10-01)
Olympiacos 0-2 United (10-10-01)
Officials
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers.
The 40-year-old official has taken charge of 2 UEFA Champions League matches this season, brandishing 6 yellow cards and 1 red card. While it will be the Dutchman’s first visit to Old Trafford, he did oversee United’s 2-1 defeat in Basle in December, 2011.
Assistants: Angelo Boonman, Erwin Zeinstra.
Fourth Official: Charles Schaap.
Notes
United have won all 4 previous Uefa Champions League home matches against Greek sides (F15 A1)
Olympiacos have lost on their previous 11 visits to English opposition.
United have won 13 of the last 15 UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures at Old Trafford.
In their previous 7 UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures, Olympiacos have lost by more than one goal only once – 2008 vs Chelsea.
United have scored in every UEFA Champions League knockout match at Old Trafford since February, 2005.
Should Olympiacos progress, it will be their first appearance at the quarter-final stage since 1999.
United 1/2 Draw 12/5 Olympiacos 5/1
RedMancunian predictions
Jack (@jackkholt): United 2-1 Olympiacos
Craig (@CraigNorwood): United 5-0 Olympiacos
Jay (@RFFH): United 1-1 Olympiacos
Mark (@mdhzk3): United 3-1 Olympiacos
Nick (@ManUnitedYouth): United 3-1 Olympiacos
Iwan (@IwanLehnert): United 2-1 Olympiacos
3 replies on “MATCH PREVIEW: Manchester United vs Olympiacos”
Suggestion to Moyes for future games. Play
4-3-3 false 9.
Here’s my core players. Moyes can rotate players to insure they remain fresh for games.
Center backs – Jones, Smalling, Evans
Diamond midfield variations composed of 4 players – Carrick, Fellaini, Kagawa, Mata, Rooney, Cleverly
Example:
Diamond midfield 1
Carrick-Kagawa-Mata-Rooney
Diamond midfield 2
Fellaini-Kagawa-Mata-Rooney
Diamond midfield 3
Fellaini-Carrick-Mata-Kagawa
Diamond midfield 4
Fellaini-Cleverly-Mata-Kagawa
and so on…
Not actually wingers but playing out wide and may or may not cut inside.
Wingers – Januzaj, Rooney, Young, Welbeck, Valencia(right side only), Nani
Nice article.
Honestly cant see a way bak 4 united after a 2 nil away loss in the 1st leg ,,i see the visitors scoring an away goal n that will just smash any hope 4 a utd win n goin to the quarter finals ,,,personally tho it saves united fans a lot ov misery gettin say munich barca psg etc n gettin smashed 6 nil in 2 legs so better to go out on a draw i say coz thats wat i see it bein a 1 1 draw n then chelsea gettin them in the last 8 that wud be funny tho if that did happen coz as we all know,,chelsea wud win that tie easily over 2 legs ,,even a dare say it,,,either dortmund or ath madrid wud be a good draw 4 chelsea ,,a see only bayern or barca bein the teams no 1 wants to draw,,chelsea hav a good chance ov gettin to the semis ,,barca cud draw munich real cud get psg,,the other 4 left can beat each other on the nite even psg n r madrid can be beat by chelsea