Preview: Reading v Manchester United
Reading v Manchester United (Madejski Stadium, Saturday 19th January 2008 15:00 GMT)
Reading away. Last season United played at Reading and ended with a 1-1 draw. Kevin Doyle scored from the penalty spot after Gary Neville handled in the area before United equalized fairly late on with another great Christiano Ronaldo solo run and goal, turning the Reading full-back Murty inside out.
United are better than when the played Reading last season, and Reading are not quite as good. Their defence seems to be leaking more goals and they have lost key central defender Sonko to the African Cup of Nations. Backup defender Bikey has also gone to Africa and an injury to Michael Duberry leaves then very short in this position. Up front Doyle seems to have be going through a lean spell and Kitson, the top scoring English player in the premiership is doubtful with a knee injury. Their key player to watch, is Stephen Hunt, infamous from the Petr Cech incident but a very good winger, both skillful and not afraid to get stuck in.
United are flying again, top of the league after putting six past Newcastle last week. Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez are all on top form. Hargreaves is fit again, Anderson and Carrick did well against King Kev’s new/old team and Scholes is closer to returning to the team, so there is real competition for central midfield places. The defence picks itself at the moment which says it all.
We shouldn’t be too complacent as Liverpool came to Reading and lost this season and we have only won one of the three league games against Reading. When you virtually need to win every game going, a draw is like a defeat, so we shouldn’t be overconfident. Reading are 13th in the table, but only two points from the relegation zone, so will fight for all the points they can get.
Popularity: 27% [?]