Yes it’s back. The Pre-match Preamble figured as part of the Saturday morning schedule for much of last season but, when other duties called, it got cast aside. Restored in all it’s glory for this week, I’m willing to stretch my schedule and forgo the Saturday morning lie in to reinstate this as a regular – if it’s well received of course.
Veterans of the site will know the drill. We take the cutting team selection issues bothering Fantasy managers going into the gameweek, and filter them through the morning’s press – examining their opinion on the weekend teamsheets.
Will Wayne Rooney shake off his hip problems to face Newcastle?
Alex Ferguson is hopeful that his star turn will be fit to face the Magpies after he sat on the Champions League draw with Benfica in the week. United will likely need Rooney to unlock a stubborn visiting defence. Despite defeat to City last weekend, will arrive at Old Trafford with firm belief that they can take something from the game against a United side still short of their full attacking verve.
Sifting through the press – the good news is that every one of our sources, suggest that Rooney will start today’s game. The Times, The Sun, The Mail, The Independent, The Telegraph and The Guardian squad sheets – all have Rooney safely in their predicted starting lineups.
While there’s little deviation in the case of Rooney, there are some interesting United’s lineups proposed. The Telegraph suggest that Chris Smalling will get the nod at right-back having returned to fitness, with no place in the Alex Ferguson’s side for Phil Jones. The Sun agree that Smalling could start at full-back, but shift Jones alongside Nemanja Vidic in their back four. Intriguingly, the red-top also has Dimitar Berbatov on their teamsheet following his Champions League outing in the week. He starts up front, with no place for Javier Hernandez – a most odd and unsettling prediction.
We can dismiss that suggestion, but the Smalling issue could surface however – four of our sources have him returning at right-back, three of them – The Mail, The Independent and The Telegraph, have no place for Scout Pick Phil Jones in the United lineup as a result.
How will City lineup at Anfield?
We could almost fill this article with speculation on Roberto Mancini’s rotation every week. In fact, if the Preamble becomes a regular once more, City will almost certainly feature each time.
The fact is, Mancini’s lineup for the trip to Liverpool is tough to call. With Sergio Aguero rested in the midweek Champions League tie, he would seem the most likely to start Sunday’s clash up front. Not surprisingly then, every one of our sources, aside from The Telegraph, has the Argentine striker as a starter. Elsewhere in the City side however, there is heavy deviation amongst the press.
The Mail go with Edin Dzeko leading the line, with David Silva and James Milner in the wide roles. The Guardian agree on Dzeko, but have Samir Nasri on the left with Silva on the right and no place for Milner. Other sources go with Mario Balotelli as Mancini’s striker. That includes The Telegraph who opt for the Italian, with Milner and Silva out wide, and The Independent, who have Balotelli starting on the flank with Aguero supported by either Silva or Yaya Toure in a 4-5-1.
Interestingly, The Times is the only one of our six sources who suggest that David Silva won’t start at Anfield. They go with Nasri taking the Spaniard’s starting role. The overwhelming feeling amongst the press then, is that Silva will be on Mancini’s teamsheet despite mumurings of a rest amongst the Fantasy community.
Will Harry Redknapp risk Rafael Van der Vaart at the Hawthorns?
Tottenham’s Dutch maestro has been a headache for Fantasy managers for a fortnight now, as he nurses a twanged hamstring suffered whilst on international duty. Van der Vaart got on the pitch for the 2-0 win over Villa but, according to Redknapp, suffered problems and was withdrawn as a result. A “sore” hamstring in midweek has left his start at West Brom in doubt, with Fantasy managers pondering an obvious switch to the electric Gareth Bale.
Opinion on Van der Vaart’s chances this weekend is definitely split. The Guardian, as usual with these kind of decisions, hedge their bets by picking Van der Vaart in their lineup but indicating he’s a doubt. The Independent are more bold, quite literally, and name the Dutchman alongside Emmanuel Adebayor. The Daily Mail follow suit – Van der Vaart starts.
That’s where the positivity ends however. The Sun, The Telegraph and The Times all omit Van der Vaart from their speculative lineups. Roman Pavlyuchenko gets the nod in all three of those teams.
With a split in opinion then, clearly the Van der Vaart situation is firmly in the balance. His Fantasy owners will likely start him, in hope he’ll figure, but opinion suggests that Redknapp may not take the risk this time around.
