United v. Villarreal - European football returns
Guess who's back?
By Chris,
September 17 2008
Manchester United kick-off the defence of their Champions League crown on Wednesday evening with the visit of Villarreal. Cristiano Ronaldo looks set for a place on the bench following an ankle injury and a summer of speculation about his wishes to join Real Madrid. The Spaniards arrive in Manchester on the back of a 1-0 home win over Deportivo La Coruņa.
Ronaldo is set to make his much anticipated comeback as European football returns to Old Trafford.
After a summer of intense speculation surrounding his future, the winger must rekindle his terrific form from last season to win back the United faithful. He's expected to be on the bench after a long spell out with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Michael Carrick is unavailable after it was confirmed that the England man will be missing for up to six weeks with a broken toe.
Sir Alex Ferguson will be desperate for a positive result following a mediocre start to the season. The performance at Anfield was very disappointing and the Reds need a morale boost and a good start to the European campaign.
Villarreal, runners-up in last season's La Liga, will, however, pose a dangerous threat. The Spaniards boast one of the continent's most formidable defensive lines; but former Red Devil Giuseppe Rossi and Turkish striker Nihay Kahveci are both unavailable meaning Villarreal will be lacking a cutting edge in attack.
Prediction: An early goal will settle the OT jitters, but United can expect a tough and physical challenge against Manuel Pellegrini's side. We'll go for a hard-fought, 2-0 win.