Сегодня утром «Манчестер Юнайтед» отправился в Германию на заключительный матч группового этапа Лиги Чемпионов против «Вольфсбурга» в составе 19-ти футболистов, имея в наличии всего двух номинальных защитников Патриса Эвра и Оливера Норвуда. Предположительно, Майкл Каррик вновь займет не слишком привычное для себя место центрального защитника.
Вот в каком составе «Манчестер Юнайтед» вылетел в Германию:
Голкиперы: Фостер, Кушчак;
Защитники: Эвра, Норвуд;
Полузащитники: Обертан, Скоулз, Эйкрем, Гибсон, Валенсия, Гилл, Каррик, Джеймс, Флетчер, Парк, Андерсон, Стюарт, Нани.
Нападающие: Оуэн, Уэлбэк.

On-loan Gillingham striker Febian Brandy has returned to parent club Manchester United for treatment on a thigh injury.

The 20-year-old sustained the problem after coming on as a substitute in last week's 3-1 defeat at Leyton Orient.

Gills boss Mark Stimson said: "He's a very important player and we're hoping he'll be back in two to four weeks.

"He's a Manchester boy who lives around the corner from the training ground so it makes sense he has treatment there."

Gills players were asked to make their own way to the game rather than the squad travelling together on a team coach.

And traffic problems around Brisbane Road meant that Stimson had to start with the first 11 players that arrived.

Stimpson believes Brandy's injury was caused by him not having time to prepare for playing duty properly.

"Much has been made of health and safety issues at the game which must apply to the players as well because Febian didn't have enough time to warm up properly," he added.

United are la dispozitie pentru confruntarea de marti din Champions League o echipa foarte tanara, cu doar doi fundasi importanti si doar unul dintre ei cu experienta anterioara in prima echipa.

Accidentarile i-au lovit  grav echipa lui Sir Alex Ferguson, cu 8 fundasi care sunt indisponibili: Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Rafael, Fabio, John O'Shea si Jonny Evans. Asadar Patrice Evra si fundasul de 19 ani Oliver Gill sunt singurii aparatori care au zburat in Germania.

Se astepata ca Michael Carrick sa coboare in linia de fund dupa prestatia impresionanta de pe Upton Park, in timp ce Darron Gibson a declarat ca se simte comfortabil intr-un rol defensiv.

"Am mai jucat ca fundas central, asa ca totul a fost bine", a declarat el dupa victoria cu West Ham. "Avem jucatori care pot da randament foarte bun pe diferite pozitii."

Probleme de selectie ale managerului pentru confruntarea de marti au fost agravate de stirea ca Ritchie De Laet nu este disponibil pentru aceasta competitie. Avand in vedere situatia in care se afla United, aparatorul belgian ar fi fost cu siguranta titular.

Oliver Gill are doar noua aparitii pentru echipa rezervelor in acest sezon, si cu toate ca nu a debutat inca pentru echipa mare ar putea fi titular in confrutarea de marti din Uefa Champions League. Nu este singurul jucator care nu a debutat pentru diavolii rosii, alti mijlocasi precum Cameron Stewart, Matty James, Magnus Eikrem si Oliver Norwood s-au alaturat lotului care a plecat in Germania.




Alte absente notabile sunt: Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov si Federico Macheda care au ramas in Manchester, probabil menajati pentru confruntarea din weekend cu Aston Villa.

Lotul de 19 jucatori pentru confruntarea cu Wolfsburg este: Tomasz Kuszczak, Ben Foster, Patrice Evra, Oliver Gill, Gabriel Obertan, Magnus Eikrem, Paul Scholes, Darron Gibson, Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Matty James, Darren Fletcher, Ji-sung Park, Anderson, Cameron Stewart, Nani, Oliver Norwood, Michael Owen, Danny Welbeck