Ben Foster is deprived the opportunity of facing the Premiership’s top scorers due to archaic rules governing loan agreements. They don’t have this peculiar exclusion in Serie A, for example. Arsene Wenger was right when he voiced his oppposition to such bans, saying that a professional on loan should not be undermined by any hint of impropriety.
United have a chance to lay a marker for the rest of the Premiership season before we face a hiatus to accomodate international week. Nine points from nine is usually nothing to crow about but given United’s starts in the two previous seasons, maximum points at tihs stage will certainly be welcome. Add to this Chelsea’s surprise (?) defeat at the Riverside on Wednesday and a physically demanding fixture at Ewood Park, United could see themselves with a 6 point lead.
Ryan Giggs, who is enjoying an Indian summer, will captain the side as he starts his 600th game for United. An amazing feat. Congratulations to him. He wrecked havoc on the wing last Saturday and again when playing behind Saha at The Valley. Who could forget that audacious pirouette and lob from the half-way line some years ago? Perhaps he has come to see the end of his career – if not accept it – and these last months are his way of keeping the embers burning. He has nothing to prove to anyone, of course, but perhaps his pride pushes him for that one final hurrah.
Probable teams: van der Saar, Brown, Evra, Silvestre, Ferdinand, Ronaldo, Carrick, O’Shea, Park, Giggs, Saha.
Prediction: Away win, I’m afraid, with Ronaldo running rampant.
