Moyes faces familiar old love
5 Dec 2013 5:19 AM IST
The Red Devils have slipped to eighth place in the table after consecutive 2-2 draws on the road against Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two matches.
But with fixtures against sides lower down in the league, including Aston Villa, Stoke, Hull and Norwich, to come after their game against Everton, Moyes does not think it will be long before his side will among the title challengers.
‘We are concerned that we are not as close as we would like to be but it is a long season and I do think we have got room to get better and progress. That is without a doubt,’ he said.
‘Hopefully we will be there or thereabouts. There are a lot of games coming up in the next eight weeks and we hope to be in the mix at the end of that period.
‘Tottenham was not an easy place to go to and they had their own pride and they showed that in their performance. ‘Now we have a week that sees us with two home matches. We have had three away on the bounce and won in the Champions League and picked up two draws. It is not ideal but not the worst.’
Moyes also said striker Wayne Rooney, who scored both United’s goals in their draw with Spurs, has deserved the plaudits he has received for his performances recently as he prepares to face his boyhood club again.
An 18-year-old Rooney was sold to United for £26 million ($42.5 million, 31.4 million euros) in 2004 by Moyes when he was in charge of Everton. ‘He deserves the adulation he is getting,’ added Moyes. ‘He is playing well and scoring goals. When the moments come he is taking them.’
United will check on the fitness of Dutch striker Robin van Persie, who has been struggling with toe and groin injuries and missed the trip to Tottenham. Midfielder Michael Carrick is definitely out as he recovers from a calf/shin injury.
Everton fans would have to cast their mind back to August 1992 for their last victory at Old Trafford, when they won 3-0 during Howard Kendall’s second spell in charge.
But Martinez insisted there was no sense of trepidation among his squad ahead of the match.
‘These are games that we are not expected to win but clearly if we want to achieve something special we need to be able to break the mentality of going to the big grounds and get some wins,’ Martinez said. ‘Over the last 10 years we have not beaten Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool at their own grounds and we need to address that.’
Rotation vital for Arsenal’s title bid, says Wenger
LONDON: Rotating the squad will be vital if Arsenal are to maintain the pace at the top of the Premier League as the most hectic part of the season looms, manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday.
A superb start to the season has lifted Arsenal four points clear after 13 matches but they face seven games in 25 days in December, beginning at home to Hull City on Wednesday. Right back Bacary Sagna will miss the game with a hamstring injury, meaning a rare start for Carl Jenkinson, and Wenger knows the depth of his squad will be tested in the coming weeks.
‘I rotate considering the level of fatigue,’ Wenger told a news conference. ‘We have some indications - my eyes, some objective data and as well some positions where it’s more demanding on the physical front than others.
‘We have so many games that in some positions I will have to change; the full back position is one that is very demanding. Central defence is a little bit less demanding on the physical side, it’s more on the concentration side.
But with fixtures against sides lower down in the league, including Aston Villa, Stoke, Hull and Norwich, to come after their game against Everton, Moyes does not think it will be long before his side will among the title challengers.
‘We are concerned that we are not as close as we would like to be but it is a long season and I do think we have got room to get better and progress. That is without a doubt,’ he said.
‘Hopefully we will be there or thereabouts. There are a lot of games coming up in the next eight weeks and we hope to be in the mix at the end of that period.
‘Tottenham was not an easy place to go to and they had their own pride and they showed that in their performance. ‘Now we have a week that sees us with two home matches. We have had three away on the bounce and won in the Champions League and picked up two draws. It is not ideal but not the worst.’
Moyes also said striker Wayne Rooney, who scored both United’s goals in their draw with Spurs, has deserved the plaudits he has received for his performances recently as he prepares to face his boyhood club again.
An 18-year-old Rooney was sold to United for £26 million ($42.5 million, 31.4 million euros) in 2004 by Moyes when he was in charge of Everton. ‘He deserves the adulation he is getting,’ added Moyes. ‘He is playing well and scoring goals. When the moments come he is taking them.’
United will check on the fitness of Dutch striker Robin van Persie, who has been struggling with toe and groin injuries and missed the trip to Tottenham. Midfielder Michael Carrick is definitely out as he recovers from a calf/shin injury.
Everton fans would have to cast their mind back to August 1992 for their last victory at Old Trafford, when they won 3-0 during Howard Kendall’s second spell in charge.
But Martinez insisted there was no sense of trepidation among his squad ahead of the match.
‘These are games that we are not expected to win but clearly if we want to achieve something special we need to be able to break the mentality of going to the big grounds and get some wins,’ Martinez said. ‘Over the last 10 years we have not beaten Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool at their own grounds and we need to address that.’
Rotation vital for Arsenal’s title bid, says Wenger
LONDON: Rotating the squad will be vital if Arsenal are to maintain the pace at the top of the Premier League as the most hectic part of the season looms, manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday.
A superb start to the season has lifted Arsenal four points clear after 13 matches but they face seven games in 25 days in December, beginning at home to Hull City on Wednesday. Right back Bacary Sagna will miss the game with a hamstring injury, meaning a rare start for Carl Jenkinson, and Wenger knows the depth of his squad will be tested in the coming weeks.
‘I rotate considering the level of fatigue,’ Wenger told a news conference. ‘We have some indications - my eyes, some objective data and as well some positions where it’s more demanding on the physical front than others.
‘We have so many games that in some positions I will have to change; the full back position is one that is very demanding. Central defence is a little bit less demanding on the physical side, it’s more on the concentration side.
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