United are likely to crash out of the Champions League group stages for just the fourth time in history if their patched-up team fails to win in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
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Another worry will be the lack of goals in the team this term, with LvG’s men having found the net just five times in five European games and seven times in their last 10 outings in all competitions.
Carlo Ancelotti believes Manchester City and his former club Paris Saint-Germain are the two teams best placed to challenge Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid’s dominance in the Champions League.
Louis van Gaal has handed defender Guillermo Varela his full Manchester United debut for Tuesday night’s crunch Champions League clash against Wolfsburg.
United fans have occasionally shown their displeasure by booing the team’s dour performances and even more worrying for van Gaal, it has been reported that several players are unhappy with his tiresome style. Van Gaal says relying on the result in Eindhoven is not an option.
Wayne Rooney, Paddy McNair and Morgan Schneiderlin are all in doubt, while Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia will all miss the midweek fixture.
Will it be Wolfsburg or Manchester United that cement their place in the last 16 of the Champions League?
I would like to come back in a club with a good project, but, of course, one that is competitive.
Luiz Gustavo scored one of Wolfsburg’s three goals in the German Cup final win over Dortmund back in May.
“I didn’t expect it either”. I have to explain that. “You never know for sure, but I have the experience as a manager that the goals will come, because when you are creating chances in the end you will finish them”.
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The players were booed off the pitch by the Old Trafford crowd following Saturday’s goalless draw against West Ham, letting the manager know that the pressure is now on. “And that’s why it is very important to beat the opponent tomorrow”, he told journalists in Wolfsburg on 7 December. “It’s a matter of time and I hope we can prove it”.
