[size=30pt]STOKE CITY VS MANCHESTER UNITED[/size][img]http://4.bp..com/_6qWVjoU1D3E/TMN9PL-aOkI/AAAAAAAAA4o/uJ50y5Ti9Ak/s1600/stokes+city+vs+manchester+united.jpg[/img]

Thu 1 Jan 2015,
Britannia Stadium
Referee: Michael Oliver
#STKMUN

Match Preview

Louis van Gaal has warned Manchester United to heed lessons from their last encounter with Stoke City when the sides meet on New Year’s Day.

United are halfway through Van Gaal's debut season as manager and a nine-match unbeaten run has helped them rise to third in the Barclays Premier League table.

One of United's recent victories came against Stoke at Old Trafford at the beginning of December, Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata scoring either side of Steven N'Zonzi's equaliser.

However, Van Gaal's men had to withstand late pressure from Mark Hughes' side on that occasion, with goalkeeper David de Gea pulling off a string of impressive saves.

Van Gaal is confident that United can continue to adapt to his methods as the Barclays Premier League welcomes in 2015, but is wary of the challenge Stoke will pose at the Britannia Stadium.

"I remember that match when we played Stoke at home and we were very weak at the end," he said.

"Maybe you remember what I said at the time that I have to look in the balance of my team and the balance of my team was not as good as it is now.

"Everyone can see that we are improving every week in spite of a lot of injuries, and that's because of the philosophy, but we can improve more when we have all the players available.

"When I say every week we are improving, then we have to show that against Stoke City.

" United have welcomed back the defensive trio of Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling and Rafael Da Silva back from injury over the Christmas period.
Van Gaal's options have been further boosted by the return to training of Ander Herrera and Adnan Januzaj from an ankle injury and illness respectively, but they appear unlikely to feature this week.

Angel di Maria (pelvis) and Fellaini (rib) are also expected to miss out once more, while Marcos Rojo (thigh) and Daley Blind (knee) remain absent.

Stoke may have lost to United this month, but they can take confidence from a 2-1 win in last season's corresponding fixture in February, their only Barclays Premier League win over United.

Hughes, who enjoyed two spells as a player at Old Trafford, has also seen his team beat Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur this term and is sure Stoke can be a threat on New Year's Day.

"We know that we can go up against the top teams and give them a game," he said. "We beat Chelsea last year, ran United close at their place and beat them here last season, we've beaten Arsenal too. "We're looking up. We're just out of the top 10 but we're in shouting distance.

" Stoke, whose 2-0 win over West Brom on Sunday secured back-to-back league wins for the first time this season, could be without in-form forward Bojan Krkic, who has gone for a scan on a hamstring injury, but Jonathan Walters is fit to play despite a recent illness.

Hughes is also likely to be without the trio of Steve Sidwell (knee), Phil Bardsley (ankle) and Stephen Ireland (knee).

..........

3 points in the bag for United, God willing. A happy new year gift to we the fans.

Full time scores:
Stoke 2:2 Man United

United XI: De Gea, Young,
Jones, Smalling, Evans, Shaw,
Carrick, Mata, Rooney, van
Persie, Falcao

United subs: Lindegaard,
Blackett, Rafael, Fletcher,
Herrera, Januzaj, Wilson

GGMU..,...
Happy new year people

First win of the year for Man U

Not a man u fan.

Reporting for duty........2015 style

May your 2015 never be as backward as Moyes stint as a coach in Manchester United.

Haters,you can come in now.

Let's Do it Again United #WeAreUnited #WeAreWinning

Am hear to see the downfall of .........m.n uni.ed.

Not a man u fan. Just want to view the thread.

Man Utd will play 4-man defence

SBA leader

aieromon:
Reporting for duty........2015 style

May your 2015 never be as backward as Moyes stint as a coach in Manchester United.

Haters,you can come in now.

darling
am here to hold ya hand

M4gunners:
Am hear to see the downfall of .........m.n uni.ed.

i pity ur a$$, Man U on d way to 2nd position.

First win in the BPL IN 2015.......up United

aieromon:
Reporting for duty........2015 style

May your 2015 never be as backward as Moyes stint as a coach in Manchester United.

Haters,you can come in now.

Re Moyes....his stint was just as good as Sir Alex's first season in charge in 1986...he even had a slightly better record. The reason why Fergie still had a job at the end of season 1 while Moyesy got sacked had to do with

1.Fergie winning two domestic trophies and one European cup with Scottish club Aberdeen before coming to united. Moyes....won nothing.

2.In 1986....England was banned from European competition following the Heysel disaster....so even if you won the league, nothing for you Europe wise then (the ban was lifted in 1989).

3.The league ,and the FA cup were not the money spinners back then that they are now. So fergie did not win anything in 86? Big deal. Moyes? You've lost us a lot of money.

4.Let's face it....Fergie left behind a weak team....and Moyes was not wise in spending at all.

Up united

mukina2:

darling
am here to hold ya hand

I'm a grown @ss man. Don't need your help. Save your strength for Soton.

?

ok

GAME ON!

Make them win

Kick off....

Its only one united


It’s a choice.  To be positive and free, or to be imprisoned by your own negativity.  To live in the past, or to be hopeful about the present.

Losing for MANU else

man u 6 vs stoke 0......

stoke corner

Its only one united





It’s a choice.  To be positive and free, or to be imprisoned by your own negativity.  To live in the past, or to be hopeful about the present.