Dortmund carry injury woes to Zenit
Having set very high standards, Manchester United are enduring a comparatively torrid season under new coach David Moyes. Trailing in sixth place in the Premier League (11 points adrift of the top four), the three-time winners are facing the prospect of finishing out of the top four and missing the next season’s Champions League. United won Olympiakos
2001/02 first group stage Olympiakos 0 2 Man United
2001/02 first group stage
Man United 3 0 Olympiakos
2002/03 first group stage
Man United 4 0 Olympiakos
2002/03 first group stage Olympiakos 2 3 Man United
Manchester United
Robin van Persie (13 goals) Olympiakos
Konstantinos Mitroglou (17 goals) Javier Saviola (13)
Wayne Rooney doubled United’s lead to mark his 300th league appearance for the club with a goal and celebrate his new five-and-a-half-year contract.
It was a rare straightforward afternoon for United manager Moyes, who was able to start a game with Rooney, Van Persie, Adnan Januzaj and record signing Juan Mata in his team for the first time.
United are unbeaten against Greek teams and Olympiakos have not reached the Champions League quarter-finals since 1999, although they have won at home to Arsenal twice in the last two seasons.
Saturday’s 4-0 win at OFI Crete came at a cost, however, To keep their place in Europe’s premier competition and the resultant riches it offers, Moyes’ side needs either to finish among the top four or win the Champions League for the fourth time in Lisbon in May. With the fourth place looking highly unlikely, Lisbon route is the only viable option now. Manchester United Sixth in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of top placed Chelsea United topped Group A ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Moyes’ boys are in prime position to salvage their season. Their team is getting a settled look. Robin van Persie is returning to form after an injury break, Wayne Rooney has not only got a hefty rise but has also been given the confidence that he is still a vital cog in
Moyes’ plans. Both Van Persie and
Rooney scored in the 2-0 win over
Crystal Palace that took United to sixth place in EPL standings. Olympiakos: Top of the Greek Super League, 23 points clear of PAOK having dropped just four points all season
with experienced Argentine striker Javier Saviola forced off with a left thigh injury that has ruled him out of the game against United.
Olympiakos coach Michel, the former Real Madrid midfielder, believes that his side’s performance against OFI proves that they are ready for the challenge of tackling United.
“I’d love to see my team have the same concentration, the same passion and enthusiasm that we had (against OFI) in the match against Manchester United,” he said. “We treat every match with the same seriousness and I believe we will also have a good performance on Tuesday in the Champions League.” SAINT PETERSBURG: Borussia Dortmund head to Zenit Saint Petersburg for Tuesday’s Champions League last-16, firstleg clash on the back of a shock Bundesliga defeat and injury worries.
Last year’s Champions League finalists Dortmund slumped to a shock 3-0 defeat at relegationthreatened Hamburg on Saturday and lost defensive midfielder Sven Bender for the next 10 weeks with an inflamed pelvis.
Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp “EVERYBODY WANTS to win it and we’ll try to do it. I never said we would or we can but we’ll be in there. I hope we can play well enough to get through this round and see what happens next.”
DAVID MOYES, Manchester United manager has promised improvements in Saint Petersburg.
“Things will be very different there,” said Klopp before Monday’s flight to Russia.
Zenit certainly have the squad to trouble Dortmund with the likes of Brazilian striker Hulk and ex-Arsenal attacking midfielder Andrei Arshavin. “Our team is fit and we are fully focused, a big plus for us is our great fighting spirit,” said Zenit’s ex-Bayern midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
Zenit’s director of sport Dietmar Beiersdorf was at Hamburg’s Imtech Arena to witness Dortmund’s debacle.
There is a danger the Russians will be rusty.
Zenit have not played since December 6, but won their final warm-up match on Saturday with a 2-0 friendly victory over Estonia’s Narva Trans with Venezuelan new-signing Jose Salomon Rondon scoring both goals. Zenit v Dortmund, live at 10.30pm on Ten HD.
Olympiacos v Man United, live at 1.15am (Wednesday) on Ten HD.