Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 VALENCIA
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Shaw, Fellaini, Matic, Pogba, Rashford, Lukaku, Sanchez
Valencia XI: Neto, Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya, Coquelin, Kondogbia, Parejo, Guedes, Rodrigo, Batshuayi
- Manchester United delay kick off by five minutes (8.05pm) after late arrival
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Man Utd vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford (Image: REUTERS)
Rally cry
20:00: Nemanja Matic, one of Jose Mourinho’s most trusted players, has issued a rallying cry as Manchester United look to end their latest poor run.
“I don’t think with talking you can resolve something,” Matic said. “The leaders need to be on the pitch. “The leaders are the players who are not scared to play. We will see tomorrow. Tomorrow and in the next games we will see who are the leaders.
“For me, if you talk in the dressing room that doesn’t mean anything. Sometimes it can help but the most important is on the pitch.”
Juan Mata on the bench tonight.
Man Utd vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)
Twitter round-up
Paddy: Manchester United confirm their game against Valencia has been delayed until 20:05, while their chances of winning the Premier League title again has been put back until 2022.
Mark: If it is true that you can walk up and get a ticket to the United game tonight, that’s a first for a VERY long time and very telling! Let’s hope those that stayed away regret not going… Come on lads!
Tony: I’ve being a fan of Manchester United for 25 years and tonight is the first game I can ever recall where I actually hope we lose. Why?!?? Because if we win people will start saying ‘mabye Mourinho can turn things around’. – Noooooooo!!! Get this guy gone… NOWWWW!!
‘Sad’ times at Old Trafford
19:40: Now I know you’re just desperate to hear the thoughts of Brazilian legend and Betfair ambassador Rivaldo…
“For a coach like Jose Mourinho, and a big club as Manchester United, being so far away from title contention is sad, but this is football and sometimes things don’t go as we expect. It’s a tough situation for Mourinho, but there is still plenty of time to recover,” Rivaldo said.
“When things are going wrong, pressure always rises on the manager and the debate starts about him losing his job. I hope that doesn’t happen and that he manages to turn things around.
“United have great heritage in the Champions League, but Valencia are a twice runner-up at the competition and a club with tradition so it will be a tough game. But I believe Manchester United will give a good answer and claim an important win.”
Man Utd vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford (Image: MUFC)
Delay
19:35: How on earth do you arrive late for a home kick off?! Manchester United have postponed the start time by five minutes tonight because of their late arrival.
“Kick-off in tonight’s #UCL match at Old Trafford has been delayed until 20:05 BST due to significant traffic congestion in the Manchester area,” United’s official twitter wrote.
Isn’t it about two miles from training ground to the stadium?
Late arrival…
19:30: Manchester United players have been delayed in arriving at Old Trafford for tonight’s Champions League clash with Valencia.
At 7.15pm – 45 minutes before kick-off – BT Sport host Gary Lineker revealed United players had not arrived at the ground.
It means, unless they turn up soon, the kick-off may have to be put back. No reason was given yet for the players’ delay.
He then said on BT Sport: “The Manchester United players have not arrived yet. We will keep you updated if it’s a delayed kick-off.”
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: GETTY)
Valencia – the danger
19:25: There is no doubt that Valencia have underperformed this season given the talent at their disposal.
Summer signing Kevin Gameiro belatedly opened his account in the weekend win at Real Sociedad, while Rodrigo, once of Bolton, netted in Spain’s win against England last month.
On-loan Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi has the ability to hurt United, while former Arsenal players Gabriel Paulista and Francis Coquelin will be looking to make an impression on their return to England.
Valencia boast exciting talents in the form of Goncalo Guedes, Carlos Soler and Jose Gaya.
Pro deal
19:20: Why not bring you some good news regarding Manchester United, eh? OK, its good-ish news…
Highly-rated teenager Mason Greenwood has been handed his first professional contract by Manchester United.
The young striker, who was part of Jose Mourinho’s squad for the pre-season tour of America, celebrated turning 17 yesterday with a new deal.
Greenwood, an England Under-18 international, was top goalscorer for the academy side last season and has continued his fine form this term.
He netted as Nicky Butt’s Under-19s beat Valencia 4-0 in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday afternoon.
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: TWITTER)
Text…
19:15: So how does everyone feel about the infamous text that Manchester United sent to supporters today?
The story goes that United were struggling to sell out Old Trafford for tonight’s Champions League clash with Valencia – so sent a club text to members about available tickets.
Lot’s of people on twitter think it’s a damning sign that Jose Mourinho’s brand of football and the drama surrounding the club is keeping supporters away.
Not so sure it’s a problem myself, but I’m sure you’ve got an opinion. Let me know what you think at the bottom of the page or using the hashtag ExpressSport on Twitter.
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: REUTERS)
Team news – Manchester United
19:10: Jose Mourinho makes four changes from the Manchester United side embarrassed at West Ham.
Eric Bailly and Antonio Valencia return to the defence, with Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford also brought in for the Group H clash.
Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay, Ashley Young and Anthony Martial drop out of the starting line-up, while David De Gea starts in goal after reports he would not be involved.
Twitter round-up
Aramids: Why wasn’t this the line-up against West Ham on Saturday?! Still have no idea how Andreas Pereira isn’t getting a place in the squad. He’s awesome.
Ally: If you’re one of these so called Manchester United ‘fans’ wanting us to lose you all should be ashamed of yourselves. As the saying goes, always stand by your club no matter what happens.
Pence: I don’t mean this as a dig at Fellaini, but Jose Mourinho must see that Paul Pogba/Fellaini/Nemanja Matic is a snail’s midfield, especially as Pogba is defensively lazy, and Fellaini has no skill!
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: GETTY)
Programme notes
18:55: It’s funny how people only read a manager’s programme notes when things aren’t going too well…
Anyway, Jose Mourinho has told Manchester United’s under-performing players that the badge on the front of their shirts will always be more important than the name on the back.
“All of my life, I have followed certain golden rules,” he wrote in the matchday programme. “One of them is that a team can lose matches – that is just a part of football – but the team must never, ever lose its dignity.
“The team must fight, work, compete, win duels, be humble, and then at the end of the game every player must be exhausted because of the hard work they have given for the club, for the fans and for each other.
“That leads to another pair of golden rules which must be followed: the team is always more important than the individual, and the crest on the chest is more important than the name on the back of the shirt.
“This is me. This is how I work. This is what I ask of my team, my group, my club. Tonight, as we welcome Marcelino, the Valencia players and their supporters to Old Trafford, we have to follow these golden rules.”
Man Utd vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford (Image: MUFC)
Manchester United vs Valencia
18:45: Ah, well that David de Gea rumour was clearly a load of tosh. The Spanish stopper starts between the sticks as usual. Elsewhere Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku & Alexis Sanchez are also in the starting XI.
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Shaw, Fellaini, Matic, Pogba, Rashford, Lukaku, Sanchez.
Subs: Romero, Darmian, Lindelof, Fred, Mata, McTominay, Martial.
Valencia XI: Neto, Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya, Coquelin, Kondogbia, Parejo, Guedes, Rodrigo, Batshuayi.
Subs: Jaume, Ruben Vezo, Carlos Soler, Gameiro, Cheryshev, Diakhaby, Wass.
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: GETTY)
David de Gea…
18:40: So the latest reports doing the rounds are that Jose Mourinho has decided to rest David de Gea for tonight crucial Champions League showdown. Now Sergio Romero’s red card against Derby doesn’t apply in Europe – so I would expect him to start instead.
Surely Lee Grant won’t start, right? Team news and line-ups arriving any moment now. Standby…
Twitter round-up
Kith: Jose Mourinho OUT! He should have left after the Sevilla game last season. We are tired of lame excuses.
Sam: I used to look forward to watching Manchester United play, now it’s just dread to see what other disaster class they can pull off.
Harry: Despite everything that’s currently going on at Old Trafford I expect them to pick up three points this evening. Valencia currently occupy 14th position in Spain and I’d be very surprised if they were to leave Manchester with a result this evening.
Man Utd vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)
Rumours…
18:35: No, I’m not talking about the iconic 1977 album from British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac – I’m talking about those pesky rumours and transfer stories in the newspapers.
Sorry, that was a Flight of the Conchords joke that I’ve butchered.
Anyway, Paul Pogba has reportedly told his team-mates that he will leave Manchester United in January if Jose Mourinho is still manager.
That’s according to The Sun, who suggest the France World Cup winner is fed up of arguing with the Portuguese following a number of run-ins and has told people close to him that he is better off not playing in a Mourinho team.
Evening…
18:30: Hello everyone and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions League.
Let’s not beat around the bush – Manchester United are in desperate need of a shot in the arm against Valencia tonight.
Their Premier League draw against Wolves was compounded by a shock Carabao Cup exit to Frank Lampard’s Derby and chastening loss to West Ham at the London Stadium.
In fact, this the 20-time champions’ worst start to a league campaign since 1989-90.
Add to that Jose Mourinho’s strained relationship with superstar Paul Pogba AND increased talk about former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane replacing him at Old Trafford – a result tonight is crucial.
OK, I think that was just enough doom and gloom to set the scene. I’ll try being more positive now…
Manchester United vs Valencia: Express Sport brings you LIVE Champions League coverage from Old Traf (Image: GETTY)
MANCHESTER UNITED vs VALENCIA
Jose Mourinho will be without four players as Manchester United take on Valencia in the Champions League.
Ashley Young will miss out with an injury picked up in Saturday’s 3-1 loss at West Ham, a match Jesse Lingard missed with an unspecified issue that again keeps him out.
Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo are the other players that are unavailable for Mourinho, who could turn to Alexis Sanchez after omitting him from the matchday squad in east London.
Manchester United provisional squad: De Gea, Romero, Grant, Valencia, Dalot, Darmian, Shaw, Smalling, Jones, Bailly, Lindelof, Pogba, Fellaini, Mata, Matic, Pereira, Fred, McTominay, Lukaku, Martial, Sanchez, Rashford