United v. Leicester City - Match Preview


Foxes Visit
By Chris O'Brien
April 12 2004

Manchester United will again be without striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy, as relegation-threatened Leicester City visit Old Trafford on Tuesday evening. The Red Devils will be desperate to maintain the recent run of improved form, hoping for back-to-back league wins for the first time since February 7th.

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Manchester United will look to pull off back-to-back Premiership wins for the first time since February 7th, as relegation-threatened Leicester City visit Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.

 

The Foxes are starting an immediate return to the First Division in the face, and Leicester City boss Micky Adams will know that defeat against the Premiership Champions will leave his side needing a major miracle to survive the drop.

 

United’s win at St.Andrews on Saturday means there is still second place to be played for in the Premiership, which would mean the Red Devils would automatically qualify for the European Cup group stages. There seems to be a highly confident mood in camp, and although the league title is seemingly out of reach, the team have made it clear that they plan to keep going until the end of the Premiership campaign and will not be put off by May’s F.A Cup final against Millwall.

 

Sir Alex Ferguson will be without star forward Ruud Van Nistelrooy yet again for the visit of Leicester City. The Dutch striker missed United’s F.A Cup semi-final against Arsenal and Saturday’s league victory against Birmingham City, and Van Nistelrooy is still struggling to shake off a niggling knee injury.

 

There is a question over who the United manager will start in midfield, and changes are almost certain to be made from Saturday’s quartet of Ryan Giggs, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Darren Fletcher. Roy Keane will return after recovering from a slight knock, and will take the captains arm-band. Cristiano Ronaldo played the last 35 minutes against Birmingham, and impressed with an excellent performance and the equalising goal, so he will also be in contention for a deserved start.

 

Leicester have suffered a major blow with experienced forward Les Ferdinand a major doubt for the league clash. The veteran is struggling with a knee injury that he picked up at Elland Road during City’s 3-2 league defeat against the Yorkshire outfit. This is Ferdinand’s last season as a professional player after confirming he will retire at the end of the campaign, and this injury comes at the worst possible time for the club. Midfielder Lee Morris is also expected to miss the game for the visitors.

 

Three points for United would complete a fourth successive league double over Leicester City, and would also be a tenth straight league and cup win over the Foxes for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. In the reverse fixture at the Walkers Stadium, Ruud Van Nistelrooy hit a hat-trick as United strolled to a comfortable 4-1 win on their first visit to the new ground. I still have sore memories of Leicester’s only Premiership win against us, with Tony Cottee netting the only goal of the game at Old Trafford during the 1997/1998 season.

 

ManUtdWeb Prediction – Manchester United 2-0 Leicester City
Leicester City are looking demoralised, and with morale back amongst the United players a home win must surely be on the cards. The Red Devils will be anxious to maintain the recent run of form, and with second place still definitely to play for, we should have what it takes for victory.