User Review
( votes)Manchester United travel to Russia to take on CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Wednesday with online football tipsters.
With all four sides level on three points, Champions League match day three for Group B could well decide which teams will progress to the knockout out stages.
Last time out United managed their solitary Champions League win with a 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg. However, their recent form, punctuated by the international break, has been patchy. They managed to rebound from the 3-0 drubbing dished out by Arsenal to beat an emotional and under-performing Everton 3-0 last weekend.
CSKA sitting comfortably
Their hosts are sitting far more comfortably in their domestic competition, with CSKA currently five points clear at the top of the Russian league and boasting an unbeaten home record so far this season.
They enjoyed a 3-2 win over FC Ural in their last match – the same score line with which they beat United conqueror’s PSV Eindhoven in their last Group B game.
United have only faced CSKA in the Champions League twice before – registering a 1-0 win in Moscow and a 3-3 draw in the return fixture during the 2009 campaign.
The Russians though have more recent experience with Manchester having faced City in last season’s CL group stages and followed up a 2-2 draw in Moscow by beating City at the Etihad.
7 in 7 for Doumbia
CSKA winger Zoran Tosic had a short spell with United in 2009, making five appearances from the bench and the Serb will be desperate to show the visitors what they’ve missed out on.
Striker Seydou Doumbia is enjoying a scintillating spell in front of goal with seven strikes in his last seven games having returned from a disappointing loan spell with Roma.
United boss Louis Van Gaal will know all about the Ivory Coast international’s potency and will have briefed his defenders accordingly, as Marouane Fellaini revealed: “The manager and the staff have watched a lot of games on the opponents so we know how to play.”
Fellaini also revealed United’s strategy for the Moscow match, telling MUTV: “For me, European games are more tactical. We play against great teams but it’s a different type of football. In England, it’s more attack, attack, attack. In Europe, it’s more about tactics. Both teams will want to win and it will be different for both teams [to domestic football].”
Van Gaal will be mightily relived he has no new injury concerns to deal with following the last match against Everton and has travelled to Russia with a 20 man squad.
Rooney eyes Ruud’s record
Wayne Rooney is likely to spearhead United’s attack and the England captain is bearing down on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s European goals record for United. Rooney’s hat trick against Club Brugge earlier this season – his first Euro treble since his 2004 United debut against Fenerbahce – moved the skipper to within two of the Dutchman’s record 38 goals.
Online football tipsters may well fancy Rooney to score a double in Moscow to draw level with Ruud given his recent equalling of the England goal scoring record.
By: Joe Cahal