Good evening one and all and welcome to tonight’s Champions League liveblog as Manchester United look to end a barren run of form against CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford.
It’s been a stuttering start in Europe for Louis van Gaal’s side and although they sit second in Group B, the hosts need to return to winning ways tonight.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm and we’ll have all the team news and build-up between now and then.
First and foremost, the team news is in.
Here is the XI Louis van Gaal has opted for with Wayne Rooney once again set to spearhead the attack. It appears Anthony Martial will operate on the left with Jesse Lingard handed another chance on the opposite flank.
For those of you wondering, tonight’s game is only available on BT Sport as TV3 have opted to show PSG’s trip to Real Madrid instead.
Here are this evening’s other games:
- Astana 0-0 Atletico Madrid (FT)
- Benfica v Galatasaray
- Monchengladbach v Juventus
- Real Madrid v PSG
- PSV v Wolfsburg
- Shakhtar v Malmo
- Sevilla v Man City
So, despite his side going three consecutive games without scoring, Louis van Gaal has refused to budge and opts for Rooney as his lone striker once again. Calls for Martial to be deployed up-front have fallen on deaf ears and Paul Scholes isn’t impressed on BT Sport.
The former United midfielder says this team are defensively sound but that’s not good enough against sides such as Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and now CSKA Moscow.
Once again, two defensive midfielders will run the hosts’ engine room with Lingard and Martial tasked with running the flanks and injecting pace into the attacks.
Do you think Rooney should have been dropped for tonight?
Poll Results:
Here’s a look at how things stand in Group B before tonight’s games. Man United sit second after a win, loss and draw from their opening fixtures.
Louis van Gaal has just given a bizarre pre-match interview on BT Sport. When asked about Wayne Rooney, the Man United manager all but said he will start up-front on his own.
But he became animated when Des Kelly asked him about the inclusion of Memphis Depay on the bench when reports suggested the Dutch international was to miss out.
“I have heard in the papers that Memphis is too late – a strange story. Unbelievable to write that without asking what is happening.
“Morgan Schneiderlin was in the 18 but was ill this morning – that’s why Memphis is in. I need to look at the reaction and he trained for the first time yesterday with the physio and I have to know his reaction after the training session is done.”
Van Gaal then went on a tangent about Ryan Giggs and a Uefa meeting – and it was at that point we completely lost him.
Here’s how the visitors will line-up at Old Trafford tonight:
CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev; Fernandes, Ignashevich, Aleksei Berezutski, Schennikov; Wernbloom, Natcho; Tosic, Dzagoev, Milanov; Musa.
And a look at the options available to van Gaal on the bench:
The teams emerge from the tunnel at Old Trafford and there’s a crackling atmosphere inside the Theatre of Dreams but there’s also an element of nervous tension – a sense of foreboding.
Going on what we’ve seen here over the past two European campaigns, United will dominate but will be vulnerable on the break. United fans will, of course, be hoping their side take a stranglehold of proceedings and go forward with purpose.
An early goal would settle the nerves.
Kick-off. The visitors get us underway, playing in their luminous yellow kit. United, in their traditional red shirts, are defending the Stretford End in this first period.
It’s a typical November evening in Manchester with several players sporting gloves and the rain continuing to fall right up until kick-off.
There’s already cries of ‘attack, attack’ from sections of Old Trafford in these opening stages. It’s now five hours since United found the net after goalless draws against Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace.
It’s still early days but it actually appears the home side are playing in a 4-4-2 formation with Martial and Rooney leading the line.
Chance! Mata spreads the ball beautifully and Rojo eventually finds the cross. It falls to Rooney on the edge of the area and his snapshot is pulled just wide – but encouraging signs for United already.
Bright start from United. Both full-backs are venturing forward at every opportunity and there’s a good tempo to the opening exchanges.
Akinfeev is forced to dash off his line to avert the danger after an under hit back pass very nearly sets Rooney free.
In Spain, Manchester City lead Sevilla through an early Raheem Sterling strike.
No goals at Old Trafford yet but United have come close twice now. They’re attacking with pace and purpose and Lingard is very nearly played through but the Russian goalkeeper is quickly off his line. It was a lovely ball from Rooney to create the chance.
United are enjoying early success down the left with Rojo virtually operating as an auxiliary winger. Lingard has no shortage of confidence too and has seen plenty of the ball in the opening stages.
Man City, meanwhile, have doubled their lead through Fernandinho.
No reward for their bright start but this is much better from United. On BT Sport, Michael Owen says this is as good as he’s seen them play this season. Lingard and Mata are so far forward, it’s practically a 4-2-4 set-up now for van Gaal’s side.
CSKA Moscow are getting numbers behind the ball and, as expected, are looking to hit United on the break – it was a feature of the reverse fixture between the sides a couple of weeks back.
Chance! Direct route this time as Blind plays the quarter-back role with a diagonal ball in behind for Mata and the Spaniard is inches away from getting significant on it to divert past Akinfeev.
Ashley Young goes marauding down the right and wins a free-kick after being scythed down by Schennikov. That’s a booking for the left-back but the set-piece comes to nothing.
CSKA break quickly after Carrick gives the ball away in a dangerous position but Young scampers back to avert the danger.
69% possession for United in the opening 23 minutes but they’ve yet to find that elusive breakthrough. That said, they’ve looked far more incisive and have caused CSKA problems every time they flow forward.
Louis van Gaal won’t want all the early impetus and energy to be sucked out of the performance and the longer the game stays goalless, the frustration levels will increase inside Old Trafford.
Sevilla have pulled a goal back against City with Tremoulinas on the mark. Still raining and goalless back in Manchester.
Promising position for United as Schweinsteiger is hauled down. Rooney stands over the free and whips it in but Chris Smalling ducks out of the way instead of going for goal and the ball sails wide of the far post.
The United defender scored the winner in the 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg last month.
Rooney and Martial look to link-up again but the return ball from the former is slightly over hit and the move breaks down.
Chance! Lingard should score. Mata and Young combine brilliantly and the latter’s cross finds its way to Lingard at the back post but he snatches at it and his shot is high and wide.
With a bit of a lull in proceedings, here’s Louis van Gaal’s bizarre pre-match interview with BT Sport:
Brilliant cross from Young after patient build-up from the hosts. Rojo finds himself unmarked at the back post and strikes his effort cleanly but it goes the wrong side of the upright.
Wilfried Bony has just restored Manchester City’s two goal advantage in Seville. Meanwhile, United have a corner but it’s cleared at the near post.
United beginning to turn the screw as we near half-time but the groans of frustration are becoming audible.
With just seven minutes until the break, Louis van Gaal will be wondering how is side aren’t ahead. It’s been much better from United but they’re still firing blanks.
Schweinsteiger has really been a bundle of energy in this first-half. He’s been very conservative so far in a red shirt but he’s pulling the strings out there and looking to get forward whenever the opportunity arises.
Cries of ‘attack, attack, attack’ ring around Old Trafford again and despite an improved performance, it’s been the same old story for United in this first period – and there aren’t many options on the bench either.
One feature of United’s play has been their use of both flanks. Carrick is sitting deep and firing it left and right with both Rojo and Young staying forward to support Mata, Rooney and Martial.
For their part, CSKA have weathered the storm and will be delighted to get to the break on level terms.
Half-time! And the whistle goes. Goalless at the break and Louis van Gaal faces the same old problem again.
Right, back underway at Old Trafford.
Really bright start to the half from United again. From a corner, the ball finds its way through to Rojo but he can’t direct his header on target.
United dominating possession and they’ve been camped inside the CKSA half. Carrick looks to play a one-two with Lingard but just fails to gather the return.
It eventually falls back to Rojo and he whips in a cross with his left foot but Martial’s header lacks direction and it’s straight at the goalkeeper.
The game has continued in the same fashion after the break but CSKA Moscow are growing in confidence and the visitors are preparing a change too.
Doumbia replaces Natcho just ten minutes into the second-half. For United, Fellaini is out warming-up.
CSKA Moscow starting to get their foot on the ball and are giving United something to think about. Half an hour to play at Old Trafford and we’re still goalless.
Nothing much to report. United, to be quite honest, don’t look like scoring and Fellaini is stripping off on the touchline.
Boos ring around Old Trafford as Martial is withdrawn for Fellaini. That reaction sums it up. It’s been the story of United’s season so far.
Wayne Rooney goes down under with two players around him but the referee isn’t interested in the penalty appeals. The Stretford End are trying their best to inspire their side but there’s not much happening.
Chance! How did Rooney not score? The decibel levels go up a couple of notches inside Old Trafford but they should be celebrating a goal. Brilliant build-up play from Lingard creates the opening for the United captain but he gets it stuck under his feet with the goal at his mercy.
A let-off for CSKA Moscow and Young then goes down appealing for a penalty but eventually the referee decides against it. Replays show it was a good decision.
Second change for United as Memphis is introduced for Mata. Just 17 minutes remaining.
Chance! Brilliant from de Gea and then Smalling! Doumbia is clean through and is firstly denied by a strong hand from the goalkeeper and then just as it looks like he’s going to fire into the empty net, Smalling slides in to block on the line.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 CSKA Moscow (Rooney)
Finally! United make the breakthrough and it’s a superbly worked goal. Carrick spreads it wide to Lingard. The young winger finds the perfect cross and there’s Rooney to head home from close range.
The celebration says it all. The relief is palpable.
The importance of that goal cannot be understated. Not just for United, but for Rooney. If things stay the same, United would go top of Group B but could that be the moment Rooney needed to kickstart his season?
Moments before that Rooney goal, de Gea and Smalling made crucial interventions to keep CSKA Moscow at bay and United went down the other end and broke the deadlock.
Ander Herrera is poised to come on for the remaining four minutes.
Three minutes of stoppage time at Old Trafford. Squeaky bum time now as CSKA look for an equaliser.
United looking to wind down the clock now. Memphis wins the free-kick on the left hand side.
Full-time! Manchester United 1-0 CSKA Moscow
Thanks for joining us this evening. Stay tuned for plenty more reaction on the site throughout the evening.
