United need to start revival at Crystal Palace
LONDON: Manchester United will look to end a three-match winless run and get their spluttering top-four challenge back on track when they travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
United made the most of a blank weekend caused by their early exit from the FA Cup by heading to Dubai for warm weather training after last week’s goalless draw at Arsenal.
But even there United manager David Moyes couldn’t relax as he continues to reshape a squad which is in need of a major overhaul following a dispiriting start to the post-Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford.
United are closing on a new contract for Wayne Rooney, while Inter Milan claim they are on the verge of a deal for Nemanja Vidic, who announced earlier this month that he will leave Old Trafford when his contract expires in the close-season.
Moyes has insisted Vidic, 32, will remain in his side for the remainder of the season and United now enter a key period of the season.
After the visit to Selhurst Park to face Palace, they re-start their Champions League campaign with a last 16 first leg tie at Olympiakos next week and with an 11-point gap to fourth-placed Liverpool, they may have to win the competition to get a place for next season.
With 12 league matches remaining they know they can not afford any more slips like the 2-1 loss at Stoke, which again halted the champions’ progress, at the start of the month.
Following that they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Fulham before drawing at Arsenal.
Moyes will be hoping that the time away will have aided Juan Mata’s integration into the team and the Spaniard is once again likely to start alongside Robin van Persie and Rooney.
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini was on the bench at the Emirates after two months out with a wrist injury, but winger Nani is expected to miss out once again with a hamstring problem.
Palace have endured an unexpected two week break since their last outing, the 3-1 home victory over fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion that has left them two points clear of the bottom three. S BUSQUETS, Barca midfielder DANI CARVAJAL, Real defender Elche earlier on Saturday.
Los Blancos have had a rare midweek off as they don’t return to Champions League action until Wednesday when they travel to Schalke.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side will again be without the services of the suspended Cristiano
Ronaldo as he completes his three-game ban, so the in-form Jese Rodriguez and Karim Benzema will continue to partner Gareth Bale in attack.
Like Barcelona, Real are still in the running for a potential treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League.
And with his side unbeaten in their last 25 games in all competitions, defender Dani Carvajal acknowledged that the treble is a realistic target for Madrid.
“I would give everything to win the treble, but it is not easy to win three titles. We will fight for it and give our all until the end to achieve it,” he told the club’s website.