The Match
Man Utd are a completely different beast to the last time they faced Swansea City. It seems we're always playing United at a fairly pivotal time in their history of late (Ferguson's last game, Moyes' first game), but this time around we need to be on top, top form. Van Gaal has his side performing with a zip and a zeal you couldn't have accused Moyes' United of displaying, and anything other than a top performance for the Swans will undoubtedly be punished. What's more, coming off a good pre-season confidence will be in plentiful supply for the Red Devils.
Swansea didn't have such a good time of it in pre-season. A couple of draws and losses mean we didn't exactly breeze through our pre-season friendlies, though there have been encouraging signs at various points, not least Gylfi Sigurdsson's impressive cameo performances after coming in. Key to the Swans' preparations has been the implementation of various systems designed to make us more unpredictable - how well these come off will be absolutely key in how we fare this weekend, as well as in dictating how we do for the season as a whole.
Prior Form (Most recent at top)
| ICC | Man Utd | 2-1 | Valencia |
| ICC | Liverpool | 1-3 | Man Utd |
| ICC | Man Utd | 3-1 | Real Madrid |
| ICC | Man Utd | 0-0 | Internazionale |
| ICC | Man Utd | 3-2 | Roma |
| Friendly | Swansea | 0-3 | Villarreal |
| Friendly | Reading | 1-3 | Swansea |
| Friendly | Bournemouth | 3-1 | Swansea |
| Friendly | Exeter City | 0-2 | Swansea |
| Friendly | Plymouth Argyle | 0-4 | Swansea |
Team News
Provided by resident fitness guru @BenDinnery - make sure to follow him on Twitter for the latest injury news and views
Swansea City will kick the new Premier League season into action this afternoon at Old Trafford when The Jacks take on Manchester United. Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge are back in contention following their absence last weekend; Dyer missed Swansea’s final preseason game – a home loss to Villarreal – to be at the birth of his child while Routledge needed a pain-killing injection to help manage a foot problem. Summer signing Jefferson Montero is available to help provide some attacking options out wide but Leon Britton, Marvin Emnes and Jay Fulton will all miss out with knee injuries. Rory Donnelly is expected to be out for up to three months after undergoing ankle surgery.
For Manchester United, New Dutch coach Louis van Gaal could be missing up to nine first team members as he makes his bow in the Premiership; international compatriot Robin van Persie has “no chance” following his late return from the World Cup in Brazil while Sam Johnstone, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans and Danny Welbeck have all failed to recover from their various ailments. Anderson (calf) and MichaelCarrick (ankle) remain long-term absentees while Luke Shaw (hamstring) was ruled out for a month midweek; Ashley Young could deputise after he impressed during the close season. Captain Wayne Rooney is expected to lead the attack with Juan Mata flourishing just behind in the ‘Number 10’ role.
For Manchester United, New Dutch coach Louis van Gaal could be missing up to nine first team members as he makes his bow in the Premiership; international compatriot Robin van Persie has “no chance” following his late return from the World Cup in Brazil while Sam Johnstone, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans and Danny Welbeck have all failed to recover from their various ailments. Anderson (calf) and MichaelCarrick (ankle) remain long-term absentees while Luke Shaw (hamstring) was ruled out for a month midweek; Ashley Young could deputise after he impressed during the close season. Captain Wayne Rooney is expected to lead the attack with Juan Mata flourishing just behind in the ‘Number 10’ role.
Completely guessed lineups
Key Players
A new feature in the preview this year, I'll be using statistical radars to show two of the key attacking threats on display
Wilfried Bony
Wayne Rooney
Statistics & Trivia
- Wayne Rooney scored three goals in his four games as captain last season. The England striker has been named the new Manchester United captain for the new season.
- Danny Welbeck has scored three goals in his last two matches against Swansea City.
- These two met in their opening game last season too, with David Moyes’ Manchester United winning 4-1
- Louis van Gaal will be the fifth Dutch coach to take charge of a Premier League game, following Ruud Gullit, Martin Jol, Guus Hiddink and René Meulensteen. Gullit is the only other one to have managed a club outside of London.
- Swansea City failed to beat any of the top nine finishing teams in the Premier League last season.
- Juan Mata was involved in 10 goals in 15 Premier League appearances (6 goals, 4 assists) for Manchester United after joining from Chelsea in January.
- Swansea City have won exactly 11 games in each of their two Premier League seasons.
- Manchester United have taken 16 from a possible 18 points in their previous six Premier League matches versus the Welsh side.
- Manchester United have taken 27 points from a possible 33 in opening game fixtures at Old Trafford, winning eight, drawing three and losing none.
- Wayne Rooney has scored 173 Premier League goals and needs two more to go level with the third-highest scoring player in Premier League history, Thierry Henry.
- Man Utd last kept a clean sheet at home 3 games ago.
- The last 20 Man Utd home matches have produced an average of 2.65 goals per game.
- In their last 20 home matches against teams positioned in the bottom half of the table, Man Utd have scored 2.8 goals per game and conceded 0.8 goals per game on average.
- Swansea last kept a clean sheet away from home 17 games ago.
- The last 20 Swansea away matches have produced an average of 2.60 goals per game.
- In their last 20 away matches against teams positioned in the top half of the table, Swansea have scored 0.7 goals per game and conceded 1.9 goals per game on average.
- Swansea's three previous opening-weekend Premier League matches have produced 14 goals.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Ashley Williams is very much focused on Swansea as opposed to our opponents:
"We couldn't really have got a bigger game, but the spotlight is obviously with them as they've got a new manager and it's on their ground. We won't worry about them. We've been working on a system, how we want to play. We need to concentrate on that really and go into the game positive.
"For us, we're just concentrating on ourselves, whoever the opponent is. We're aware we're going away to Old Trafford, but I think in these type of games we need to worry about ourselves and what we're doing. Let's be honest, everyone will be tuning in to see what the new-look Man United are doing. The only people worrying about Swansea will be Swansea fans."
"I don't think we can judge anything on the Man United teams we played last season because this team will be different with the new manager. Much has been made about the formation they're playing which will be the same as Holland played in the World Cup.
"It will be different and it's funny that we're playing them again like last season, but we're ready. We had a positive pre-season - it's been really good.
"I wanted a good one but it's probably the best I've ever had and I know we've got a strong squad. We've had a high turnover of players, but I feel confident in the players I've got around me."
Garry Monk insists the criticism he's received so far doesn't bother him one bit:
"We've been written off pretty much every year since I've been at the club. It's no difference to us - it's water off a duck's back. No-one will put me under more pressure than myself. I know what I want to do and where I want things to go.
"If things go as planned, then great. If it doesn't, then the obvious is the obvious. But in terms of what's been said, they don't see what we do every day."
https://www.clubcall.com/swansea-city/monk-not-bothered-by-criticism-1736346.html
Analysis
Game bloody on! With all the info out the way all that's left to is ponder how the match will go, and there are certain questions which, to me, are very, very intriguing. Mainly - what formation are the Swans going to set out in?
Monk spoke at this week's fans' forum of the need to pick carefully the matches where we deploy two front men, and that could be taken both ways. Do we attack the teams we previously got little from and go two up top against "bigger" teams? Or do we play safe and stick with 4-5-1, and use two strikers to try and pummel clubs more at our level?
It's certainly an interesting debate, and how we line up will be unclear until, probably, the teams take the field come 12:45 on Saturday. For United, central midfield could be the sticking point with the need for one more central midfielder obvious. Personally I rate Fletcher massively, but he's got fitness problems so it's up in the air how much of a role he's set to play this season.
Swansea need to get in around the back of United's back three, and our wide players need to occupy the space left behind United's advanced wing-backs. We've got the pace and the power up top now - if we can capitalise on a tactical mismatch. especially given the stature of their available central defenders, we can get at United.
It goes without saying they've got the players to hurt us. Whoever starts out of Amat or Bartley will need to have a sterling game to ensure United's forward line don't enjoy a day similar to the beginning of last season. It's hard to say exactly how United's midfield and forward line will line up, but they've a wealth of options in most positions and whoever makes the cut will have the ability to cause us problems.
Whether we'll get anything out of this is doubtful, but as ever I'm an optimist. I should probably be realistic with my prediction though so the best we could probably hope for is a score draw.
It's a good thing I'm not a betting man...