It is that time of year again, the time for the magic to return. The big teams are now involved in the FA Cup as we are about to enter the 3rd round of the most famous
Every year the FA Cup fails to disappoint.
The tie on Sunday between Yeovil Town and Manchester United is one which can catch the imagination of the country. The most successful club in English history and the most successful FA Cup side of all time who currently reside in 3rd place in the Premier League, travels down south to face a side who are currently bottom of league one in Yeovil Town.
Manchester Untied come into this tie knowing full well they are going to have too cope well with a vocal crowd, with it expected to be a sell-out. The League One side play their games at Huish Park with a capacity of 9,565. It is going to be noisy as it always is when a big name club visits a lower league side, especially those below the Championship. What will give the lowly League One side some hope despite the odds being very firmly stacked against them is the fact that away from home, Manchester United have only won two game so far this season in all competitions and drawing the previous three away fixtures to Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City respectively.
What happened the last time Manchester United travelled to a League One side? They were smashed 4-0, by MK Dons.
Further adding to some problems for the visiting side is that regular left wing-back Ashley Young is ruled out of the fixture and is considered to be out for many weeks, according to Louis Van Gaal after the Stoke fixture. However British record signing Angel Di Maria could be in for a potential return, most likely from the bench if at all after supposedly easing off his pelvic injury. Marcos Rojo and Marouane Fellaini remain possible but unlikely to feature and Antonio Valencia plus Dayley Blind both appear to be out of the running to play on Sunday. But despite these few injury niggles that the United side just can’t seem to shake off this year, this is the chance to rest players that Louis Van Gaal and Wayne Rooney have been begging for. But it is never a safe option to really rest your entire team during any FA Cup side because whoever you are facing, will be raring to go more than most fixtures. But expect players such as Januzaj who returned against Stoke, James Wilson the young striker prodigy and young centre backs Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett to start.
Yeovil themselves have been having a season to forget. They are bottom of the table after 23 games, 5 points away from safety and have got a minus 17 goal difference so this season. Their last win was three games ago against League Two side Accrington Stanley, to secure their place in the FA Cup 3rd round against Manchester United. But like their Premier League opposition Yeovil have been saddled with some injury problems of their own. They are without midfielder Kevin Dawson, striker Kieffer Moore and utility player Joel Grant who often plays on the wing or upfront. All three players going to be game day decisions as to whether they feature or not with Kieffer Moore as it stands with two days to go looking like the only one who may feature over the weekend.
All in all this is certain to be an intriguing fixture full of small plots for fans across the country to keep and eye on, especially for a potential upset. With Manchester United’s last cup fixture being the 4-0 mauling by MK Dons don’t expect an entirely rested side for this game. In a game where you can guarantee that the home fans will be noisy it is very likely going to be talent and skill of the Premier League side and hard work and passion for the League One side to decide who will win this game.
