Multiple times this season, media attention has been focused on the outstanding depth of talent available to big spending Manchester City.
Manager Roberto Mancini has a wealth of talent at this disposal, and the common belief is that City’s reserve team could achieve a top half finish this season.
This week the red half of Manchester must show that they have equal ability to cope without starting players and still achieve results.
Manchester United are currently tied on points with City at the top of the Premier League, and this week will be looking for their first win in UEFA Champions League group play.
After their Champions League home opener against Swiss club FC Basel. United play host to Norwich City, and then travel to face rivals Liverpool in a high profile Premier League battle.
If they are to come through this period unscathed, United must prove that they have many backup options of their own in both defense and attack.
Going into the game, United are without their frontline strike pair Wayne Rooney and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez. Rooney has been in inspirational form this season, netting a nine-goal haul that includes two Premier League hat-trick’s. The speed and movement of Hernandez has netted him two goals and is another threat United must do without.
Danny Welbeck has also scored twice in Premier League play for United, and he remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen are two players who could be key in helping United pick up points during this upcoming stretch of games. In addition, Federico Macheda and Mame Diouf could he handed a chance in the first team.
Despite the lack of faith showed in him by most fans, Berbatov has an outstanding goal tally in the Premier League last season and ended up sharing the Golden Boot with Carlos Tevez.
Michael Owen served notice of his value with two Carling Cup goals at Leeds United last week, while few fans have forgotten Macheda’s contribution to the 2008/2009 title winning campaign.
Diouf is an unproven commodity but is in fine scoring form for the reserves at Old Trafford, having scored four goals in his last two games.
United have similar problems along the defensive line, with Jonny Evans, Namanja Vidic and Chris Smalling all currently ruled out with injury. The fitness of Rio Ferdinand can always be described as fragile of late, putting a lot of weight on the shoulders of young defender Phil Jones.
It is fair to say that United are hit very hard with injury problems right now, and if the depth of their squad allows them to keep up their winning ways Sir Alex Ferguson will be pleased.
Indeed if the Red Devils keep winning, maybe we should all pay attention to the talent and depth of both squads in Manchester.
This week the red half of Manchester must show that they have equal ability to cope without starting players and still achieve results.
Manchester United are currently tied on points with City at the top of the Premier League, and this week will be looking for their first win in UEFA Champions League group play.
After their Champions League home opener against Swiss club FC Basel. United play host to Norwich City, and then travel to face rivals Liverpool in a high profile Premier League battle.
If they are to come through this period unscathed, United must prove that they have many backup options of their own in both defense and attack.
Going into the game, United are without their frontline strike pair Wayne Rooney and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez. Rooney has been in inspirational form this season, netting a nine-goal haul that includes two Premier League hat-trick’s. The speed and movement of Hernandez has netted him two goals and is another threat United must do without.
Danny Welbeck has also scored twice in Premier League play for United, and he remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen are two players who could be key in helping United pick up points during this upcoming stretch of games. In addition, Federico Macheda and Mame Diouf could he handed a chance in the first team.
Despite the lack of faith showed in him by most fans, Berbatov has an outstanding goal tally in the Premier League last season and ended up sharing the Golden Boot with Carlos Tevez.
Michael Owen served notice of his value with two Carling Cup goals at Leeds United last week, while few fans have forgotten Macheda’s contribution to the 2008/2009 title winning campaign.
Diouf is an unproven commodity but is in fine scoring form for the reserves at Old Trafford, having scored four goals in his last two games.
United have similar problems along the defensive line, with Jonny Evans, Namanja Vidic and Chris Smalling all currently ruled out with injury. The fitness of Rio Ferdinand can always be described as fragile of late, putting a lot of weight on the shoulders of young defender Phil Jones.
It is fair to say that United are hit very hard with injury problems right now, and if the depth of their squad allows them to keep up their winning ways Sir Alex Ferguson will be pleased.
Indeed if the Red Devils keep winning, maybe we should all pay attention to the talent and depth of both squads in Manchester.
