Manchester United vs. Valencia
It’s been quite a week for Manchester United and their under-fire manager Jose Mourinho.
After losing 3-1 at West Ham, the Red Devils have suffered their worst start to a Premier League season. The United boss has also reportedly fallen out with star players Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.
“The Special One” will be hoping that the distraction of European football can return his team back to their winning ways when they face the Spanish side Valencia tonight in the Champions League group H at Old Trafford.
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Luke Shaw called the defeat at West Ham “horrendous” and Mourinho agreed with the left-back’s verdict. The Portuguese manager even went as far as saying that some players “care more than others”.
Speaking ahead of the Valencia clash, Mourinho told The Guardian: “What Luke Shaw said is something I agree with but not totally because I am part of it too. He said: ‘We players on the pitch have to perform, we have to give more’, and I like that perspective but it’s not the whole story.
“It’s all of us. Everybody in the club has a role to play, from the kit man and the nutritionist to the manager. Everyone has a job to do and when we lose everyone should take responsibility. I think some care more than others.”
Despite failing to win any of their three previous domestic games, United are top of the group after a 3-0 victory at Swiss side Young Boys on matchday one.
In the other group H clash tonight, Juventus take on Young Boys in Turin (5.55pm, live on BT Sport 1).
Juve will be without star striker Cristiano Ronaldo because of a one-match ban, but he is free to face former club United at Old Trafford on 23 October.
Man Utd vs. Valencia team news
Mourinho has confirmed that Ashley Young, Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard will miss the Valencia clash due to injury. United will also be without defender Marcos Rojo.
Diogo Dalot or Antonio Valencia could step in at right-back to replace Young, who picked up an injury against West Ham.
Valencia forward Santi Mina has missed the past two matches with a knee injury and is a doubt for tonight’s clash at Old Trafford.
Sky Sports reports that Jose Gaya is back in training but Ferran Torres joins Mina on the absentee list. Kevin Gameiro could start up front after scoring at the weekend.
Possible starting XIs
How the teams could line up at Old Trafford, according to 90min.com.
- Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, Matic, Fellaini; Mata, Rashford, Lukaku
- Valencia (4-4-2): Neto; Piccini, Garay, Murillo, Gaya; Wass, Soler, Coquelin, Guedes; Gameiro, Rodrigo
Matchday two group fixtures and TV guide
Tuesday 2 October (all times UK)
Group E AEK Athens vs. Benfica (8pm, BT Sport Extra 5) Bayern Munich vs. Ajax (8pm, BT Sport ESPN)
Group F Hoffenheim vs. Manchester City (5.55pm, live on BT Sport 3) Lyon vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (8pm, BT Sport Extra 3)
Group G CSKA Moscow vs. Real Madrid (8pm, BT Sport Extra 2) Roma vs. Viktoria Plzen (8pm, BT Sport Extra 4)
Group H Juventus vs. Young Boys (5.55pm, live on BT Sport 1) Manchester United vs. Valencia (8pm, live on BT Sport 2)
Wednesday 3 October (all times UK)
Group A Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 3) Borussia Dortmund vs. Monaco (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 2)
Group B PSV Eindhoven vs. Inter Milan (8pm, live on BT Sport ESPN) Tottenham Hotspur vs. Barcelona (8pm, live on BT Sport 2)
Group C Paris Saint-Germain vs. Red Star Belgrade (5.55pm, live on BT Sport 1) Napoli vs. Liverpool (8pm, live on BT Sport 3)
Group D Lokomotiv Moscow vs. FC Schalke 04 (5.55pm, live on BT Sport ESPN) FC Porto vs. Galatasaray (8pm, live on BT Sport Extra 4)
