Premiership preview, table prediction: 1. Manchester United

Manchester United

Manchester United Barclays Premier League position preview 2011/12

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson

Ground: Old Trafford

Nickname: The Red Devils

Capacity: 76212

Squad:

Goalkeepers 1 David De Gea 29 Tomasz Kuszczak 34 Anders Lindegaard 40 Ben Amos ·         Defenders 3 Patrice Evra 4 Phil Jones 5 Rio Ferdinand 12 Chris Smalling 15 Nemanja Vidic 20 Fabio da Silva 21 Rafael da Silva 23 Jonny Evans Reece Brown

Midfielders 8 Anderson 11 Ryan Giggs 13 Ji-Sung Park 16 Michael Carrick 24 Darren Fletcher 28 Darron Gibson 35 Tom Cleverley 42 Paul Pogba 43 Matthew James 47 Oliver Norwood 49 Ravel Morrison Danny Drinkwater Attacking Midfielders 17 Nani 18 Ashley Young 25 Antonio Valencia

Forwards 7 Michael Owen 9 Dimitar Berbatov 10 Wayne Rooney 14 Javier Hernandez 19 Danny Welbeck 32 Mame Biram Diouf 41 Federico Macheda 41 Joshua King

Manchester United won the title last season. Sir Alex Ferguson has proved season after season that he got what it takes to bring United further and further in the right direction. I must say I was unsure about the United team, which have lost a lot of key players from last season, until I saw the community shield against Manchester City. My biggest concern with United was the goalkeeper De Gea and the weak central midfield (compared to the other big clubs) with Carrick, Anderson and Fletcher. I had wrong with the midfield it seems, yes it lacks creative players like they had in Scholes, but they got it on both sides in Nani and Young. One thing I nailed is the goalkeeper tho, De Gea is not ready for a big club like United yet, and yes he was poor in the community shield match. And yes for all you United fans out there, I know De Gea is one out the best talents out there, but his not ready for this level in years. I think Lindegaard might nick the goalkeeper spot some weeks into the season. That being said, United look dangerously good in offense and rock solid in defence. Tom Cleverly had a good season with Wigan last year and looked strong in the community match.

Pre-Season Fixtures/Results

July 13 vs New England Revolution 4-1 – Owen, Macheda (2), Park

July 20 vs Seattle Sounders 7-0 – Owen, Diouf, Rooney (3), Park, Obertan

July 23 vs Chicago Fire 3-1 – Rooney, Rafael, Nani

July 27 vs MLS All-Stars 4-0 Anderson, Park, Berbatov, Welbeck

July 30 vs Barcelona 2-1 Nani, Owen August

5th vs New York Cosmos 6-0- Scholes, Rooney (pen), Anderson, Welbeck, M Diouf (2)

August 7th vs Manchester City (Community Shield) 3-2 Smalling, Nani (2)

Players in

07/11 Tom Cleverley MF Wigan Athletic

07/11 De Gea GK Atlético Madrid

07/11 Mame Diouf FW Blackburn Rovers

07/11 Phil Jones DF Blackburn Rovers

07/11 Federico Macheda FW Sampdoria

07/11 Danny Welbeck FW Sunderland AFC

07/11 Ashley Young MF Aston Villa

Players out

08/11 Gabriel Obertan FW Newcastle United

07/11 Joshua King FW Bor. Mönchengladbach

06/11 Bebé FW Beşiktaş

06/11 Robert Brady MF Hull City

06/11 Wes Brown DF Sunderland AFC

06/11 John O'Shea DF Sunderland AFC

06/11 Ryan Tunnicliffe MF Peterborough United

Injuries:                                              Return date                       situation

Valencia (Luis Antonio)                  20th Aug 2011                   Ankle sprain

Hernández (Javier)                        31st Aug 2011                   Concussion       

Fletcher (Darren)                            20th Aug 2011                   Illness

Most likely starting lineup for Manchester United next weekend:

                                                  1 David De Gea

21 Rafael da Silva    5 Rio Ferdinand   15 Nemanja Vidic   3 Patrice Evra

                                     16 Michael Carrick           8 Anderson

18 Ashley Young                                                                           17 Nani

                                 10 Wayne Rooney          19 Danny Welbeck

With Sir Alex Ferguson still in charge Manchester United is still the team to beat. At the moment they look the strongest and it will be hard to stop them from getting league title number 20. Looking at the first 10 matches they are going up against all the other big clubs, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. Adding to that traveling to West Brom, Everton and Stoke is not the easiest away games in the league. If you ask me United could ether win or lose the title within the first 10 games. No matter United and Sir Alex Ferguson look ready for the task, and I predict them winning the clubs 20^th league title this season.