|
|
Played
December 5, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
Old Trafford — Manchester
Referee: D. Orsato
Attendance: 71521
December 5, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
Old Trafford — Manchester
Referee: D. Orsato
Attendance: 71521
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Man Utd. | 1.57 | 26.00 | 1.57 | 0.00 | 151.00 | 1.60 | 300.00 | 20.00 | 1.53 |
| Draw | 4.33 | 4.80 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 8.00 | 4.00 | 13.00 | 5.80 | 4.08 |
| CFR Cluj | 5.00 | 1.15 | 6.00 | 0.00 | 1.09 | 5.75 | 1.01 | 1.15 | 6.03 |
Manchester United - CFR Cluj Preview: Hosts seek to maintain unbeaten European home record
Sir Alex Ferguson's side are assured of top spot in the group and face the reigning Romanian champions, who still stand an outside chance of qualification for the knockout stages
By James McManus
مباراة المان يونايتد وريدينج
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
MANCHESTER UNITED
 Lindegaard Rafael, Smalling, Jones, Buttner Cleverley, Giggs, Fletcher, Young Welbeck, Hernandez |
CFR CLUJ
 Felgueiras Pinto, Maftei, Cadu, Sepsi Bastos, Camora, Muresan, Sougou Pedro, Kapetanos |
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will likely use the game as an opportunity to rest several key players having already assured of qualification to the next round and with the Manchester derby against rivals City to look forward to on Sunday.
The 70-year-old Scot also faces something of an injury crisis in midfield, with Anderson (hamstring), Shinji Kagawa (knee), Nani (hamstring), Antonio Valencia (thigh) and centre-back Nemanja Vidic (knee) all certain to miss out.
CFR Cluj boss Paulo Sergio, meanwhile, will be without the injured Bakary Sare (broken leg) and star striker Ronny (ligaments), who are both long-term casualties.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Manchester United have conceded the first goal in 14 of their 22 games this season across all competitions.
- The Red Devils lost their 100 per cent European record in their last outing, a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray.
- In the reverse fixture in Romania, United won 2-1 courtesy of a Robin van Persie double after Pantelis Kapetanos had opened the scoring.
- Ryan Giggs [pictured right] has scored in a record 16 Champions League seasons. He is also the competition's oldest scorer, at 37 years and 289 days.
- CFR Cluj still stand a chance of qualifying if Galatasaray fail to beat Braga in Portugal and they pick up a positive result, with both teams separated only by goal difference.
- The reigning Romanian champions currently sit in 6th place in their domestic league, 15 points off leaders Steaua Bucaresti.
- The visitors are unbeaten away from home in Europe this term over four games, having won three and drawn once.
- Cadu is the sole survivor in the squad from Cluj's only previous trip to England, a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in the 2008-09 group stage on December 9 2008.
- The Romanians have committed 89 fouls in the competition so far this campaign, more than any other side.
- Their manager Paulo Sergio has previously tasted success in Britain having won the Scottish Cup whilst in charge of Hearts.
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets |
|
| Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached! |
|
| Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET! |
|
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Man Utd. 3-0 CFR Cluj
- 17.58 %
-
Man Utd. 3-1 CFR Cluj
- 15.61 %
-
Man Utd. 2-0 CFR Cluj
- 13.4 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Dec 5, 2012 | Man Utd. 0 - CFR Cluj 1 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Oct 2, 2012 | CFR Cluj 1 - Man Utd. 2 |
|
Man Utd.
     |
||
| May 19, 2013 | West Bromwich Albion 5 - Man Utd. 5 | EPL |
| May 12, 2013 | Man Utd. 2 - Swansea 1 | EPL |
| May 5, 2013 | Man Utd. 0 - Chelsea FC 1 | EPL |
| Apr 28, 2013 | Arsenal 1 - Man Utd. 1 | EPL |
| Apr 22, 2013 | Man Utd. 3 - Aston Villa 0 | EPL |
CFR Cluj
 |
||
| Feb 21, 2013 | CFR Cluj 0 - FC Internazionale 3 | EL |
| Feb 14, 2013 | FC Internazionale 2 - CFR Cluj 0 | EL |
| Dec 5, 2012 | Man Utd. 0 - CFR Cluj 1 | UCL |
| Nov 20, 2012 | CFR Cluj 3 - Sporting Braga 1 | UCL |
| Nov 7, 2012 | CFR Cluj 1 - Galatasaray 3 | UCL |
| Returns: | Man Utd. £1510.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 | |
| Returns: | Draw £80.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 | |
| Returns: | CFR Cluj £60.00 |
|
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets |
| 1 | David de Gea | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Phil Jones | Defender |
| 12 | Chris Smalling | Defender |
| 28 | Alexander Büttner | Defender |
| 6 | Scott Wootton | Defender |
| 11 | Ryan Giggs | Midfielder |
| 23 | Tom Cleverley | Midfielder |
| 25 | Nick Powell | Midfielder |
| 10 | Wayne Rooney | Striker |
| 14 | Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez | Striker |
| 19 | Danny Welbeck | Striker |
| 13 | Anders Lindegaard | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Rafael | Defender |
| - | Marnick Vermijl | Defender |
| 18 | Ashley Young | Midfielder |
| 22 | Paul Scholes | Midfielder |
| 24 | Darren Fletcher | Midfielder |
| 27 | Federico Macheda | Striker |
| 1 | Mário Felgueiras | Goalkeeper |
| - | Ivo Pinto | Defender |
| 13 | Felice Piccolo | Defender |
| 20 | Cadu | Defender |
| 24 | Ionut Rada | Defender |
| 6 | Gabriel Muresan | Midfielder |
| 16 | Rafael Bastos | Midfielder |
| - | Luis Alberto | Midfielder |
| - | Camora | Midfielder |
| - | Rui Pedro | Striker |
| 99 | Modou Sougou | Striker |
| 44 | Eduard Stăncioiu | Goalkeeper |
| 8 | Laszlo Sepsi | Defender |
| - | Vasile Maftei | Goalkeeper |
| 13 | M. Aguirregaray | Defender |
| - | Nicolas Godemèche | Midfielder |
| 9 | Pantelis Kapetanos | Striker |
| 32 | Sasa Bjelanovic | Striker |
| Darren Fletcher | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 24 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Still rough around the edges after a long battle with a bowel issue, the Scotland international is still working his way back to full fitness.
He will need to be at his best to help stem the wave of attacks likely to come down the United flanks in his role screening the hosts' back four.
He will need to be at his best to help stem the wave of attacks likely to come down the United flanks in his role screening the hosts' back four.
| Rui Pedro | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 0 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
The club's top goalscorer this season has eight goals in all competitions, and will be desperate to get on the scoresheet at such an illustrious venue.
The Portuguese forward is in excellent form having bagged a hat trick in the last round of games against Braga and a goal against league rivals FC Universitatea Cluj a week later.
The Portuguese forward is in excellent form having bagged a hat trick in the last round of games against Braga and a goal against league rivals FC Universitatea Cluj a week later.
With United keeping an eye on a fixture at the weekend and their qualification already in the bag, the obvious gap in quality between these sides may not come into play as much.
The hosts are currently struggling to keep clean sheets and Cluj have proved dangerous away from home in Europe, therefore expect an exciting encounter full of goals and sloppy defending.
The hosts are currently struggling to keep clean sheets and Cluj have proved dangerous away from home in Europe, therefore expect an exciting encounter full of goals and sloppy defending.
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Real Madrid |
12 | 0 |
|
Robert Lewandowski Striker Dortmund |
10 | 1 |
|
Thomas Müller Striker Bayern |
8 | 1 |
|
Lionel Messi Striker Barcelona |
8 | 0 |
|
Burak Yılmaz Striker Galatasaray |
8 | 0 |
