(@Benglorious)

Hopefully we can shake off the last two cup defeats suffered by Liverpool, which ended all their hopes of silverware this season, and stick it right up Wigan. I just get the strange feeling that Liverpool’s current plight may raise the spirits at Old Trafford, even amongst the fans.

m

Prediction: Martial to do that thing he does sometimes and also Pogba to do that thing that he does sometimes. I like the vague ambiguity of this as both of those players have had good moments and bad moments this season so my prediction can’t really be wr

 (@tom_mcghee)

Having suffered back to back cup defeats if we were Liverpool, today’s game has taken on extra significance; if we win this, we win the cup. Of course that’s nonsense but perhaps that isn’t even the real issue here –  with Liverpool’s valiant exit, it begs the question ‘is the FA Cup even worth winning at all after it was devalued by evil Manchester United literally years ago but lets mention it all the same?’ Twitter’s Piers Morgan certainly feels it isn’t but then he is Spam (the meat product not the email) given sentience and a neck-tie so maybe we should just disregard everything he ever says, ever.

Wigan is a town with a pier in the north I think. To read more about the road to Wigan Pier, may I suggest The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell.

There will be no review section this week in a show of solidarity with Liverpool’s brave defiance in the face of cup competition. May God have Mersey (mercy) on their Scouse souls.

Prediction:  Anti-goals is the new goals, expect a deluge of not quite goals – Ibra to miss 4 or 5, Wayne missing spectacularly with an 86th minute chip, anti-goal of the month imho.

 (@bifurcated_utd)

It’s great to see that us great United fans can concentrate on ourselves and not Liverpool losing so hard and rise above the petty nonsense of mentioning Liverpool losing so hard. Unlike the Liverpool fans, off the back of losing so hard, always banging on about us, even when they’re losing so hard. I missed the Liverpool cup games … what were the scores?

Originally formed in 1903, Wigan Pie-eating and Proud Northern Cunts changed their name towards the end of the last century, to represent exercise, after the local council, on an away day to The South, discovered healthy people.

Rooney should play for Wigon, lol cos Wig on. That wasn’t a typo. It was on purpose. For jokes. It’s like air to me. I can’t stop myself. Make me.

Prediction: I’m only joking Wigan. I have lots of family friends from Wigan. All unhealthy and love pies. I forgot my point. 0-0 United.

Ben (Benglorious):

Not really sure if there’s any point writing anything today.  Liverpool are cruising to the title as we speak, and I’m pretty sure that is one of the harbingers of the apocalypse.  Don’t quote me on that; it’s been a while since I read that Bible thing.  I suppose I should fulfil my contractual obligations to this website, before I spend the rest of my Bank Holiday finding a cheap lawyer to get me out of said contract.  Wonder if Paul Stretford does pro bono?  Why would anyone be pro-Bono?  The man’s so smug and self-righteous that I can’t even think of a half-decent analogy.

David Moyes has done pretty well this season, even after losing last season’s top goalscorer.  He’s had his poor moments, let’s be honest, but to still be challenging near the top of the table with the squad he’s got needs commend…

[Phone rings: “Hello?…. The United manager?!…. Since when?….. But what about Fergie?….. END OF LAST SEASON?! Jebus….. Then who…. The Wigan manager?….. Yup…. Yup….. Mmmhmmm….. I know, I know…. They asked ME to write for THEM, it’s not my fault that I know nothing about football, but having Moyes in charge would explain a lot about this season….. ……. ……. ……. …… …… …… I’ve tried, Mum, I don’t think enough people read this to be honest, and most people have laptops nowadays so they wouldn’t need your monitor…. Personally, I’d bin it, but I’m sure Oxfam would love it sitting on their shelf for 6 months before they throw it in the bin…. Sorry, you’ve thrown me a bit with that Fergie stuff….. Yup, I’ll keep trying…. Okay, then.  I’ll see you next Tuesday…..  Sorry!  I didn’t think you’d know what that meant.  Anyway, gotta go.  Love you, mummy.”]

Players to watch out for today would’ve included Fellaini, but apparently he plays for us now.

Prediction:  This is obviously a bigger game for the Toffees than for United, as they’ve got a realistic chance of finishing fourth.  That doesn’t mean that we should just hand them the game, and I fully expect Rooney to score from 117 yards against his old club, before Welbz zup zups his way through the Everton defence to slot a goal of the season contender all whilst De Gea throws himself about at the other end like Dr Octopus fighting Spiderman AND Green Goblin to keep the unlikeliest of clean sheets under immense pressure.  1-0 Everton.

.

Free to a good home:  Rotary washing line, pegs not included.

.

About the author:  I need to stop using Soccer AM for my research.

.

Brett:

When we look back on this season, taking all things into account, we will no doubt look at the job David Moyes has done and realise just how good a manager he really is. He’s done amazingly well to shape the tired squad he was left with by his long serving Scottish predecessor. The way the previous manager had shaped the club tactically and mentally, meant he had his work cut out to put his own unique stamp on things, but he’s managed it seemingly effortlessly. The Fellaini transfer was an absolute masterstroke – never has a team needed a bold statement of intent like that to really push on and introduce a new, more dynamic, dimension to their attacking play.  He’s taken the step up in his stride: he always looked capable of going on to manage at a higher level, and he’s really shown that.

Oh, David Moyes is our manager, isn’t he?! I keep forgetting. Okay, the first paragraph still stands: just substitute David Moyes out for Roberto Martinez. I’d forget my neck if David Moyes hadn’t made me repeatedly smash it against a brick wall for the past 7 months. My head went a little bit before that.

So, will he play the triangle, or won’t he?! Personally, I think if he’s going to play anything at his leaving do, it should be the trombone.

Prediction: Manchester United to put in a complaint to the Premier League, stating that teams have been at an unfair advantage going into games against us knowing beforehand how rubbish we are, and they agree to play the whole season again.

• I love RVP.
• I love Chicha.
• Our defence is best, when the best defence is picked (including De Gea).
• Ashley Young is overdue a real stinker.

MOTM: Rafael.

(Bit of a kop out but I’m copying and pasting the same thoughts for the next few games. If anyone I mention gets injured or suspended I’ll get my just desserts) Christmas takes over for me in these coming weeks – I love the festive fixture chaos, but I won’t be paying as much attention as I perhaps might *Gasp!- release the hounds on me!!* As I’ve said, I think we’ll take our foot off the pedal a touch with our six point advantage and City are starting to look like their 2011 selves, so, I think we’ll be about even again by New Year. Having said that I always expect us to win,so how that will actually manifest itself is anyone’s guess.

Fergie has already suggested he’s going to be hitting the rotation button hard and so I can’t imagine we’ll win any games comfortably over Chrimbo. If we keep to similar elevens to the previous two or three games (we need to) then we should get through these games. Fingers crossed.

I really feel like Danny and Chicha will be vital to this period and really hope they can make the impact required when we need them. Hopefully TV will show a bit more (The revolution will be TV-sized), and who knows maybe Ashley Young will hold off the impending stinker for another week.

I always have a bad feeling Wigan are going to upset us somehow. Let’s hope it’s one of those feelings I have 99% of the time, that amount to nothing.

It’s always nice to give a team a bit of a thumping, especially when you’re still not really out of third (even second) gear.

I really like the look of Nick Powell; even though we have seen little of him. His goal was real quality and I he’s already becoming one of my new favourites as I disperse much of the affection – left by the Berbatov shaped hole – around the squad.

We’re still a work in progress – in terms of this season – as the first half showed. Great to see Lindegaard get a game (I love the battle that’s brewing between him and De Gea for the Number 1 shirt) and keep a clean sheet. Also pleasing to see Evans back playing, especially with the news Phil Jones will be missing for a while. Generally, with a few key attacking players out, we can’t really criticise too much.

Chicha looked sharp in part and Danny just needs a bit of luck in front of goal (hopefully we’re not saying that ad infinitum). Nani was Nani was Nani was Nani. Buttner looks like a left-back cut from the slightly unhinged cloth. It’s nice to think we might just have stumbled upon a capable deputy for the ever decreasing Evra (although way to early to tell).

Man of the Match: I can’t believe it Scholesy … Actually, I can.

Okay, I’m still on Spanish time and a bit out of the loop on the goings on and such like, so don’t feel qualified to predict with any real insight (Oi, who said, “That makes a change!” sarcastically?).

Fletcher is in the squad!!! That’s amazing.

We’ve been lucky to stumble into a fixture like this (i.e one we should be able to get through) when we’re struggling slightly for form and legs.

Normal waffling service will resume next prediction.

Goals: Scholesy, Welbeck.

Hands up who thought we’d be joint top having won the past two games 5-0? Personally, because I never learn, I thought we’d be consigning the first team squad to the glue factory by the new year. I know I always like to be positive and always am…I still must admit to feeling a bit down after the CL exit.

What difference a bit of pressure makes. I genuinely imagined that Aguero was just going to inihalate the Premiership, but even he now looks distinctly normal at times.

SAF is just absolutely king in getting the best out of players. For about the umpteenth time in the past couple of years I’m amazed (Although we have all been banging on about Berba’s merits since pre-CL final, which he didn’t listen to, because of course he follows us all on Twitter).

Wigan were threatening a bit but the unfortunate sending off effectively handed it to us on a plate.

The whole squad is now fighting for first team position and the title like they mean it more than they did last time I said something like this.

Man of the Match: Berbs of course, jeez, who else?!