Rafael Benitez Maudes

[red g]

I'm 90% sure the manc game has been rescheduled to Saturday 4th April at 12:45pm - they play their CL game on the Tuesday so their game at home to Villa couldnt go ahead on the Sunday.

says its still 4pm sunday on bbc.

[Craig_H]

According to Sky and their merry gang of cretins, we play before them. Mancs on the Sunday live on Sky.

Hmmm...i'd heard it was brought forward to the Saturday lunchtime game.

If it's still on the Sunday, then great - they'll have 2 games in 3 days

says its still 4pm sunday on bbc.

BBC are notoriously slow to update their fixture page.

[Rafael Benítez Maudes]

checked villa site

then the scum site

scum site says :

United's home match against Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League will still take place on Sunday 5 April at 16:00 GMT, despite the Reds being drawn to play on Tuesday 7 April in the Champions League quarter-finals.

It was previously thought, and advertised, that the Villa match would be brought forward to the Saturday if United's Champions League tie fell on Tuesday. However, we can now confirm that the games will be played a little more than 48 hours apart.

[Craig_H]

checked villa site

then the scum site

scum site says :

United's home match against Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League will still take place on Sunday 5 April at 16:00 GMT, despite the Reds being drawn to play on Tuesday 7 April in the Champions League quarter-finals.

It was previously thought, and advertised, that the Villa match would be brought forward to the Saturday if United's Champions League tie fell on Tuesday. However, we can now confirm that the games will be played a little more than 48 hours apart.

Fair play, i thought they'd actually moved it to the saturday but apparently not - excellent.

[ELNINO 9]

that is great news, and good to see sky stand up to old whiskey nose and co. tough 48 hours for them

[Craig_H]

that is great news, and good to see sky stand up to old whiskey nose and co. tough 48 hours for them

To be fair, the CL game IS against Porto. If it wasnt against a portugese pub side, they probably would've moved the Villa game for them.

[BigChief]

To be fair, the CL game IS against Porto. If it wasnt against a portugese pub side, they probably would've moved the Villa game for them.

Porto have some useful pacy strikers. The best thing about having a 'lesser' team is the players mentality. They'll go in thinking Villa is the only important game in those 48 hours.

No games are easy in the CL at this stage if your mindset is not right.

[Craig_H]

Porto have some useful pacy strikers. The best thing about having a 'lesser' team is the players mentality. They'll go in thinking Villa is the only important game in those 48 hours.

No games are easy in the CL at this stage if your mindset is not right.

All true, but back in the cold light of day, the mancs will rip Porto a new one.

[MrMichael]

I have the sneakiest suspicion that Porto will surprise us... and more importantly, them, in that game.

I'd still have utd as favourites to go through of course, but it might be a closer run thing than everybody's suggesting.

[Ben_Itez]

Fulham will be feeling fairly confident after beating the mancs and will try and take the game to us a bit, and why not they've got nothing to lose after reaching the magical '40' points.

This will play right into our hands IMO and we'll beat them by a couple of goals. Taking it for granted that Torres doesnt return hamstrung from International duty again and we dont pick up any other knocks.

It's definitely game on.

[Craig_H]

checked villa site

then the scum site

scum site says :

United's home match against Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League will still take place on Sunday 5 April at 16:00 GMT, despite the Reds being drawn to play on Tuesday 7 April in the Champions League quarter-finals.

It was previously thought, and advertised, that the Villa match would be brought forward to the Saturday if United's Champions League tie fell on Tuesday. However, we can now confirm that the games will be played a little more than 48 hours apart.

Sky Sports' Live Schedule:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12942,00.html

The United v Villa game is listed for April 4th AND April 5th

The plot thickens

[Guest]

All true, but back in the cold light of day, the mancs will rip Porto a new one.

Just like they should have done to Fulham. Squeaky bum time a coming.

[Craig_H]

Just like they should have done to Fulham. Squeaky bum time a coming.

It's different with english sides though, they play United regularly and are aware of the need to get in their faces and make it hard for them. Porto are the best side in Portugal and would very rarely play in that manner, so i cant see them successfully utilising such tactics.

[barnes10]

fulham played that match following rafa's blueprint.

everyone sounded surprised that they went for the jugular from the off and were 'peppering utds goal'

well didnt rafa explain that you have to stay tight and compact, stop them playing between the lines, mark them well and then, target their centre back hard.

exactly what fulham did. villa won't be able to do that but a handful of teams in utds run in are tactically quite sound and if they can follow the same blueprint and repeat fulham's exploits, utd will be challenging for third...

[SB]

fulham played that match following rafa's blueprint.

everyone sounded surprised that they went for the jugular from the off and were 'peppering utds goal'

well didnt rafa explain that you have to stay tight and compact, stop them playing between the lines, mark them well and then, target their centre back hard.

exactly what fulham did. villa won't be able to do that but a handful of teams in utds run in are tactically quite sound and if they can follow the same blueprint and repeat fulham's exploits, utd will be challenging for third...

I long to see that day again