For the fourth time in five years United are travelling to the United States on their pre-season tour before returning to Europe, this year for a game against Bayern Munich in Germany. Jose Mourinho is starting his third season as United manager, an achievement no other post-Sir Alex manager can match. However, and despite United’s highest League finish since Sir Alex retirement it feels as if the pressure is on this year; pressure to mount a serious challenge for the title. It’s disappointing then, if unavoidable that the pre-season starts with many of United’s first team squad still on holid ..read more

United have announced their third signing of the summer with the arrival of 35-year-old goalkeeper Lee Grant from Stoke City. Something of a surprise; the conventional thinking is that the player has been signed as a third choice back up with a view to allowing Joel Pereira, a promising 19-year-old to get some experience via a loan period at another club. Not to be disrespectful but the term “journey-man” could have been invented for Grant. He started his career as a youth player at Watford before enjoying a career in the lower leagues at Derby County with loan spells at Burnley and Oldham Ath ..read more

United have announced that they have signed Portuguese teenager Jose Diogo Dalot Teixera, commonly known as Diogo Dalot from FC Porto having triggered the players release clause.  He is the second player to join in a matter of days after the announcement of the agreement to sign Fred on the 5th of July. Dalot has just turned 19 years of age and has only played a handful of first team games deputising for the injured Alex Telles at left back. Diogo is a fullback but he’s really a right back rather than a player for the left. Given his youth and relative inexperience the player must be seen ..read more

United have announced they have agreed the transfer of Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos, commonly referred to as Fred from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. A midfield player, Fred has featured for Shakhtar since his transfer from Brazilian side SC Internacional in 2014. He arrived there as a replacement for fellow Brazilian Fernandinho who had recently left for Manchester City. There have been strong rumours that Fred would follow Fernandinho to City after an impressive performance against them in this year’s Champions League but the player moves to United after a potential January move sta ..read more

MANCHESTER UNITED vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 28.10.2017 After taking 1 point from 6 in their previous two league games United would be looking to get back to winning ways with this first home game in a month. Conventional wisdom in the press however was that United would lose this game against the excellent confident Spurs side who had drawn level on points with them in the last few weeks with Mourinho’s over-caution being trumped by Pochettino’s tactical flexibility. Both sides went into this game on 20 points. PERSONNEL In: De Gea, Bailly, Jones, Young, Matic, Mkhitaryan and Lukaku. Out: Romero, D ..read more

BENFICA vs MANCHESTER UNITED 18.10.2017 United travelled to Lisbon for this game with six points from six at the top of the group, Benfica sat bottom of the group with no points. After the stalemate at Anfield and much criticism of United’s lack of ambition would they be more expansive in this game playing from a position of strength? Personnel In: Blind, Lindelof, Mata and Rashford. Out: Darmian, Jones, Young and Martial. Opening Twenty Whilst Jose Mourinho made four changes from the side he selected for the game at Anfield the basic strategy was the same. Blind replaced Darmian and Lindelof ..read more

United’s third opponent in Group A of the Champions’ League are Portuguese title winners Benfica. Perhaps surprisingly Benfica sit at the bottom of the group having lost both of their games to date, at home to CSKA in their opening game and in Switzerland against Basle. We say surprisingly because the club has won the last four Portuguese titles and last year did the domestic double. Have they come to the end of a cycle or have they just sold too many of their better players? Benfica of course are one of the big three in Portugal alongside Porto and Sporting. Of the three they have traditional ..read more

LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED 14.10.2017 United returned to action after the international break with a trip to Merseyside to play Liverpool at Anfield. With Fellaini injured on international duty and Pogba not ready to return from his injury layoff United’s midfield looked a little threadbare going into this game. Personnel In: Darmian, Herrera and Martial. Out: Fellaini, Mata and Rashford. Formation and General Approach Jose Mourinho set up his side in a 4-2-3-1 shape for this game with Herrera and Matic as the two midfield pivots. Ahead of them Mkhitaryan occupied the number 10 position wi ..read more

MANCHESTER UNITED vs CRYSTAL PALACE 30.09.2017 After a resounding victory in Moscow United returned to league action with a home game against bottom placed Crystal Palace. This was United’s last home game for almost a month so it was an opportunity United couldn’t afford to pass up. Personnel In: Jones, Valencia, Fellaini, Mata and Rashford. Out: Lindelof, Bailly, Blind, Herrera and Martial. Formations After having utilised a 3-5-2 in Moscow United reverted to a 4-2-3-1 shape with Rashford and Mata in the wide attacking areas and Matic and Fellaini as the pivots. United changed to a 4-3-3 only ..read more

CSKA MOSCOW vs MANCHESTER UNITED 27.09.2017 After an opening win in their Champions’ League group United now travelled to Moscow to face CSKA. The Russians have won their opening group game at Benfica so nobody expected this to be an easy game. Personnel In: Smalling, Lindelof, Blind, Herrera and Martial. Out: Valencia, Jones, Fellaini, Mata and Rashford. Strategic Approach Against a side that usually utilises a 3 man defence with wingbacks Jose Mourinho chose to start this game with a three man defence and wingbacks. This should come as no surprise as this is a move employed by Jose Mourinho ..read more