How Manchester United Will Line Up Against Stoke City
Following their 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in the Champions League on Wednesday, Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday October 26 with a home encounter against Mark Hughes' Stoke City.
While the visitors haven't faltered against their preseason expectations anywhere near as drastically as their hosts, Stoke find themselves in desperate need of points with the drop zone looming below.
Having been hired to take the club forward, improve its football and move the team on from becoming survivors every year, Hughes will be keen to claim the reigning champions as a scalp. This would prove that his methods are working, even if the league table currently suggests otherwise.
Stoke may however offer some degree of respite for United considering how David Moyes' team has come unstuck against small and technical teams of late.
While Hughes' squad contains a number of underrated footballers like Saido Berahino and Morgan Amalfitano, they aren't of the calibre to shred through United's lines with ease.
So, Moyes will be hoping to make the most of the Potters' visit.
A big win would be an excellent bonus for the former Everton manager's profile and standing at Old Trafford as he looks to make amends for a very bad start to the season.
Click on the button below or use the arrows above for a slide-by-slide preview of how United could line up against Stoke in Week 9 of the Premier League.
Team News
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Tom Cleverley remains out with a shoulder injury. Nemanja Vidic and Robin Van Persie's availability are currently in doubt, although both are expected to pass a late fitness test to be ready to face Stoke.
Van Persie missed his team's 1-0 Champions League win over Real Sociedad during the week due to niggling injuries to his toe and groin after a long stretch of football for both club and country.
Having been rested for the clash with La Real, Moyes will be hoping the edge has been taken off such knocks, allowing him to play some part in the fixture.
For the Potters, Ryan Shawcross may be out of the contest. This deals a huge blow to Hughes' team who will need as much to go their way as possible in order to spring a surprise against their hosts, regardless of how erratic United have been so far this season.
What Threats Will Stoke City Pose?
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As a manager, Hughes enjoyed a famous win at Old Trafford with Blackburn Rovers back in 2005, and the former United striker will be looking to repeat his past success on his visit in charge of Stoke.
His pregame comments, as reported by BBC Sport, suggest that the former Fulham, QPR and Manchester City boss fancies his chances again considering the hosts' recent run of form:
"There are only a certain amount of games you can lose. They've lost three and maybe they are a little bit vulnerable at the moment. You can't go to Old Trafford and be apprehensive. You have to be positive and have a go. If we do that, let's see what happens, but the expectation from ourselves and our fans is high.
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Since his arrival, the Welshman has set about tweaking the team's tactics, even if it has so far only really shown through the stats sheet.
So far this season, Stoke have produced more short passes on average per game than last season, with 377 up from 274, with an 80.2% pass completion rate compared to just 70.3% under Pulis in his last year, according to Squawka.
However, the Potters remain a largely physical force, and regardless of the shifting numbers, their strengths and main goal threats remain the same; power, height and set pieces.
United must ensure fouls around or near their box are kept to a minimum. Moyes' most confident and able players must be ready to toughen up and weather whatever storm Hughes' team try to muster in the air or from out wide.
In Marko Arnautovic and Oussama Assaidi, Stoke can also boast some quality when it comes to running with the ball in possession, as both the Austrian and Moroccan are decent dribblers.
Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington are also accomplished crossers who will seek to stretch the play before firing in a dangerous delivery for Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones.
Keeping such threats at bay will largely fall on the shoulders of United's full-backs and wingers, who must be prepared to track back and harass Stoke's wide men. This is especially true when looking at the roster of midfielders inherited by Hughes as it's still dominated by destroyers rather than creators, Stephen Ireland apart.
Goalkeeper
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GK: David De Gea
This would have once been the sort of fixture to set the tongues of the back pages wagging with horror stories of how a meek and mild De Gea would be crushed under the mighty cut and thrust of the most base practitioners of the English game.
Yet the Spaniard is no longer a figure of tabloid derision having proven himself as one of the league's very best goalkeepers over the last two or so years.
De Gea will start in goal.
Defence
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CB: Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic
While Jonny Evans and Phil Jones performed well together against Real Sociedad, coming back from a rather less assured game against Southampton, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to see Moyes plump for experience when facing Stoke.
Vidic is the obvious candidate to go toe-to-toe with whoever Hughes will unleash upon United's defence as the Potters' line leading forward. While Ferdinand would add extra aerial protection as well as his excellent reading and screening abilities, cutting out threats and starting attacks from deep.
This is assuming the Serbian makes the game, with his current injury status unknown.
FB: Patrice Evra and Chris Smalling
With no real competition for his position, Evra should start. The Frenchman's attacking proficiency on the overlap will be an important weapon against the visitor's ranks of powerful, yet relatively ponderous, juggernauts.
The left wing-back will be able to offer in-roads into the space behind Geoff Cameron and company, dribbling into space between their lines to wrong-foot Hughes' defenders or drilling in a sharp delivery to the near post.
Meanwhile, Smalling may be preferred to Rafael due to his height as Moyes may well be feeling cautious about deploying two short full-backs against a team with so much height.
While the Englishman may very much be a defender rather than a wing-back or attacking full-back, his extra inches and greater physical presence should help to shore up the bac -line and ward off any would-be bullies from trying to overwhelm the right-back slot through strength alone.
Midfield
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CM: Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick
Although Fellaini and Carrick may lack mobility and pace, the failings of the pair should not be too much of an issue against Stoke, with the Belgian's power in the air highly relevant to the game at hand.
With Vidic and Smalling taking care of deflecting any potential bombarding of the box it will be up to Fellaini to act as the midfield's anti-air specialist, grappling with opponents and mid-flight deliveries with equal aplomb.
The Belgian will also be required to break up play and strong arm the likes of Charlie Adam and Stephen Ireland into anonymity should they decide to find their form against United.
Partnering him in United's midfield will be Carrick, whose tidy passing and eye for an interception will be key to managing and relieving any potential pressure applied by Hughes' team.
In fact, ensuring that the ball is won and kept safe will be vital in allowing United to overcome their foe through greater technique and football—something which Carrick excels at.
Wings: Shinji Kagawa and Nani
The presence of Vidic, Smalling and Fellaini would give United a certain degree of security and forcefulness, with some imposing, tall figures spread throughout the spine of the team to take on any aerial threats airborne loose balls.
Should such air superiority be achieved, then players will be needed that can make the most of the ball once it's on the deck, and with Evra running high and wide on the overlap from the left, it would make sense for Kagawa to play in a narrow role in front of him.
Tucked in and able to cut further inside, the Japanese would be able to play into and off Evra as well as firing forward through balls or dribbling in on goal himself.
Playing him immediately after his promising performance against Sociedad would also give the player a much needed morale boost to encourage him to keep on working to meet his new manager's demands.
On the right, with Smalling's abilities going forward somewhat limited, Nani would be ideal for making the most of possession once it has been won. The Portuguese's productivity as a chance-creating crosser and dribbler of late suggests he could be a lethal weapon against an unbalanced Potters' defence.
Attack
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ST: Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie
Like Vidic, the true extent of Van Persie's fitness issues cannot be certified. But if he is fit, the Dutchman will play, with United needing to get back into winning ways as soon as possible in the league.
A handsome victory over troublesome Stoke could be the perfect tonic to lift the team and reignite their attacking play and fluency.
Rooney is likely to start with or without Van Perise, considering his industrious display against Sociedad during the week which played its part in causing Inigo Martinez to score an own goal at the start of the game.
With Kagawa cutting inside, Evra bombing on, Nani crossing or dribbling in and the midfield two of Carrick and Fellaini doing their best to catapult balls forward, Rooney and Van Persie should be well catered for up front.
How Will Untied Line Up Against Stoke?
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Here is the potential United line-up to play Stoke at home in the Premier League:
4-2-3-1
GK: De Gea
DF: Smalling, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
MF: Carrick, Fellaini
AM: Nani, Rooney, Kagawa
ST: Van Persie
This starting XI has been selected to nullify Stoke's strengths and convert the resulting possession into slick, fast and well-combined attacking football. Vidic, Smalling and Fellaini will attempt to cut out any high balls while Carrick and Ferdinand ensure knockdowns are delivered up to Nani, Rooney and Kagawa.
Match Prediction
Buoyed by their 1-0 win against Sociedad, and the focus on technical players rather than attritional tactics, United should rise to see off Stoke at home.
Since the Potters' return to the Premier League in 2008, they haven't won a single game in the league at Old Trafford, losing heavily 5-0, 4-0 and 4-2 on three respective occasions, a record that bodes well for Moyes and his team.
Yet Hughes' team aren't likely to go down without a fight, and even if they are unable to find the net, it should be a tight contest.
United 1-0 Stoke
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