SQUAD DEPARTS FOR MACEDONIA
The Manchester United squad departed for Macedonia earlier today to face Real Madrid tomorrow in the UEFA Super Cup. All the new boys were part of the team travelling to face the European Champions. United also included players like Eric Bailly (suspended) and Marcos Rojo (injured) to Eastern Europe.
Ronaldo was part of the Madrid squad heading to Macedonia.
FEELING THE HEAT
UEFA has authorized the match referee to give short water breaks during the match if the temperature hits 32C at kickoff. Short breaks will be given at the 30 and 60 minute mark in the match. Temperatures are expected to hit 40C during the day and will potentially hover at around 35C during the match. United will definitely be facing the heat in the Cup.
YOUNGSTER DEPARTS
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson completed a season long loan move to Leeds United earlier today. The 20-year-old was heavily linked with the Championship Cup earlier on and has now completed the move. He will be hoping for regular game time after struggling for it during his stay at Wolves last season.
MEDICAL IMMINENT
Manchester United’s Timothy Fosu-Mensah is expected to undergo a medical ahead of completing a season long loan-move to Crystal Palace. The move has gathered steam in the past few hours and an announcement is expected in the coming hours. He will link up with Frank De Boer at Selhurst Park.
FABINHO INBOUND?
Manchester United are looking at Fabinho to replace the Palace-bound Fosu-Mensah. Fabinho was earlier courted by United this summer but a move failed to get off the rails. The Brazilian who can play in either midfield or right-back is expected to provide cover in the former position after the arrival of Nemanja Matic.
CHELSEA 04-05
Former Chelsea manager Glen Hoodle compared the current United side to the one Mourinho helmed at Chelsea during the dominating 2004-05 campaign. Hoodle compared the two sides in his column for the Daily Mail and wrote: “Nemanja Matic is 6ft 4in, Romelu Lukaku is 6ft 3in, and Victor Lindelof is 6ft 1 in. It may not be what Manchester United fans have been traditionally used to, it may be a step away from the panache and flair on which they have been brought up, but Jose Mourinho is building something. It looks almost like a machine, a team of strong, physical, battle-hardened players to get him through the winter. And that may be enough to get United back in the game to challenge for the title. What Mourinho is constructing …something more like his first Chelsea team of 2004-05. Then he had Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Didier Drogba down the spine of his team.”