International Courant
The English Premier League season kicks off once more on Friday when Manchester United host Fulham at Outdated Trafford.
Who: Manchester United vs Fulham What: Opening match of the English Premier League The place: Outdated Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom When: 8pm native time (7pm GMT) on Friday, August 15 Find out how to watch: Al Jazeera Sport has all of the build-up to the match, plus full textual content commentary
Manchester United kick off the brand new English Premier League season with a go to to Fulham on Friday, however there are nonetheless as many questions surrounding the membership as there have been on the finish of final season.
These doubts had been additional heightened on Thursday when United supervisor Erik ten Hag revealed that his workforce “will not be prepared but, however the competitors is beginning”.
The Dutchman, who noticed his facet lose 3-0 to Liverpool of their final pleasant, added: “We won’t cover from it. We have now to cope with it.”
It won’t have escaped Ten Hag’s consideration that it was the guests from Fulham who offered one of many greatest surprises for the Crimson Devils final season.
The west London membership received 2-1 at Outdated Trafford in February after a disappointing dwelling efficiency, with Fulham taking the lead by Calvin Bassey. Harry Maguire levelled the rating with a minute remaining, giving United hope of an unlikely and undeserved victory, but it surely was the guests who took dwelling all three factors after Alex Iwobi sealed issues 60 seconds after Maguire’s aim.
That outcome marked the beginning of a 17-game shedding streak to finish the season by which United received simply six and misplaced 5.
A kind of victories was Might’s FA Cup closing in opposition to rivals Manchester Metropolis – a sport that will have saved ten Hag’s job. The Dutchman must wait till early July to listen to whether or not the season evaluate, by the membership’s new homeowners of soccer operations INEOS, had resulted in a contract extension. The size of the time period raises questions on how a lot religion Jim Ratcliffe’s group has in ten Hag and a pointy focus will probably be on outcomes in the beginning of the season.
Fulham had received simply two of their final 9 Premier League video games on the finish of final season – and suffered 4 defeats in that run – however completed a greater than respectable thirteenth.
It was their away report that noticed them drop from the tenth place they’d achieved the 12 months earlier than. That 12 months, solely 5 groups guess on Fulham’s seven league wins away, and solely three groups conceded fewer targets than Fulham’s 24 away. However final 12 months, life away was a lot tougher.
Marco Silva’s facet have managed simply 4 away wins, certainly one of which was at Outdated Trafford, and solely 5 groups have conceded extra targets than the 37 they conceded at their opponents’ stadiums.
The departures of key defenders Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea and Tim Ream to Main League Soccer membership Charlotte FC won’t assist Silva’s scenario, however the departure of Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich may very well be the most important gap within the Londoners’ squad.
For United, defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, who arrive from Bayern Munich this week, will ease the concerns on the again. Joshua Zirkzee can be anticipated to carry out effectively after the Dutch striker arrived from Bologna.
Maybe the most important increase ten Hag might have hoped for was the contract extension signed by his captain Bruno Fernandes on the membership. The Portuguese midfielder has been United’s brightest star in lots of a darkish hour lately and no participant has captured the Crimson Devils’ outdated bravado higher than the 29-year-old, whose new three-year deal was introduced on Wednesday.
Manchester United workforce information
Leny Yoro will probably be out for 3 months after a foot damage he sustained within the pre-season in opposition to Arsenal. The 18-year-old defender was a summer time signing from Lille.
United may even be with out striker Rasmus Hojlund and defender Luke Shaw for the match in opposition to Fulham.
Harry Maguire will quickly bear a health check after the centre-back picked up an damage within the Neighborhood Defend, which means new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui might each make their debuts.
Fulham workforce information
Fulham begin the season with a totally match squad to take to Outdated Trafford.
New report signing Emile Smith Rowe, who joined from Arsenal, is predicted to make his aggressive debut for the Cottagers.
One-on-one
This would be the 89th assembly between the golf equipment. The primary match came about in March 1908 in London within the FA Cup. Just like the earlier assembly, this one resulted in a 2-1 victory for Fulham.
United have received 56 conferences, whereas Fulham have received 14. Earlier than final season’s victory, Fulham had not overwhelmed United since a 3-0 win at Craven Cottage in March 2009. A run of 15 wins in 18 video games adopted for United.
Manchester United vs Fulham: English Premier League Match Preview | Soccer Information
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