[ad_1]
Everything you need to know before Saturday’s game:
(1) Manchester United turned their attention to the FA Cup fresh from another disappointment in the semi-finals. Manchester City scored two second-half goals to win 2-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, advancing to the EFL Cup final for the fourth consecutive season.
4 – Manchester United have been eliminated from the four semi-finals they have played with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (League Cup x2, FA Cup and Europa League). Obstacle. pic.twitter.com/JqSD8kjscp
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 6, 2021
(2) On Wednesday both Manchester clubs played with much more rhythm and aggression than in last month’s derby. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer named his strongest side to the EFL Cup semifinal, adding Paul Pogba on the left side of midfield, opening the door for a huge rotation this weekend.
(3) Rotation is always a gamble, but there will be no better chances for Solskjaer to rest the players than Saturday’s game. Guys like Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, et al. they have played a lot of minutes during the festive period and need a break before some big Premier League matches. Why not give some young players like Axel Tuanzebe, Brandon Williams, Donny van de Beek, Facundo Pellistri and some of the young players from the academy who deserve it a few minutes? Or go really crazy and give Odion Ighalo a rare start against his old club instead of the sanctioned Edinson Cavani.
(4) Overworked Bruno Fernandes was not at his best against Manchester City and Solskjaer was asked if he would rest this weekend:
There will be some changes, of course there will be, as it is a season that we have to do it. We have shown quality when we have had to [rotate] before and we will make some changes. I’ll see [on Thursday] who is fit and who is not and who is ready to go. He wants to play all the games, Bruno. Of course, it is a long season. Let’s see what team we’re coming with on Saturday, so I’ll have a chat with him about how he’s feeling.
(5) Solskjaer on the semi-final defeat and looking forward to other competitions:
We wanted to go to a final. We wanted to wait for the final and that would have given us an extra boost. But it’s not happening and then you have to dust it off and take advantage of the night to get rid of the disappointment because, on Saturday, the FA Cup and then we have Major League games against Burnley and Liverpool and, within a month, suddenly the Europa League is here again. There are many things to play for.
(6) Soccer is never boring with the Pozzo family around. The Watford owners surprised everyone by firing Vladimir Ivic last month, meaning the Pozzos have now gone through eight coaches in five years. Ivic had only joined the club in August and had his Hornets up to fifth place in the championship table at the time of his dismissal. Apparently not good enough. Reports suggest the board grew weary of Ivic’s defensive approach, with star Troy Deeney’s bench as the last straw.
(7) Little-known Xisco Muñoz replaced Ivic shortly before Christmas. The last 40-year-old coach was at Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia and promises to build a more offensive side. Through two games, he has Watford pressing high and looking to get the ball into a front line that includes Deeney, Andre Gray and Ismaila Sarr.
(8) Muñoz’s task was made more difficult when Etienne Capoue left for Villarreal in Spain once the January transfer window opened. The 32-year-old Frenchman played 181 games for Watford and leaves a huge void in the Hornets’ midfield.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ll see a more complete player than Capoue play for Watford in my life. His passing, his energy, his ball skills, his tackles, his interceptions. Seriously, he had it all and to such a high standard. The closest we’ve ever had to world class
– Aaron (@ aaron_bennis10) December 30, 2020
(9) With Capoue gone, all eyes turn to Ismaila Sarr and Troy Deeney. Needless to say, Watford’s promotion hopes hinge on holding onto these two. Sarr, in particular, continues to attract the interest of the best clubs in the Premier League, with Liverpool leading the pack. The 22-year-old has four goals and five assists this season in the Championship and provides incredible speed from his place on the right wing.
(10) Interestingly, the club just signed Bodo Glimt’s Philip Zinckernagel in Norway, who also plays well. He turned down the interest of Celtic, Schalke and Fenerbahce after his contract with the Norwegian champions expired.
37 – Philip Zinckernagel was involved in 37 goals for Bodø / Glimt in the Norwegian Eliteserien last season (19 goals, 18 assists), more than any other player in the competition. Hornet. #WatfordFC https://t.co/mSb4gURGQo
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2021
(eleven) James Garner, who is on loan at Watford this season, cannot play his parent club. Nonetheless, there is still a strong connection to Manchester United on this Hornets team – former Reds Tom Cleverley, Craig Cathcart and Ben Foster. Cathcart has been out for the past month with a hamstring injury, but Cleverley and Foster should be in Watford’s lineup this weekend.
[ad_2]
