De Gea poised for timely return
LONDON: With impeccable timing, David de Gea could return to the Manchester United team for tomorrow’s Premier League clash against arch-rivals Liverpool having been the scourge of the Merseysiders at Old Trafford last season.
The Spaniard was left on the sidelines as a lengthy transfer wrangle with Real Madrid ran its course before being abandoned at the last minute.
De Gea is now set to remain at Old Trafford for at least the next four months and the ball is in manager Louis van Gaal’s court as to whether De Gea features in traditionally their most fiercely-contested fixture of the season.
He was the Man of the Match when the sides met last year, making a string of superb saves as United won 3-0, the first part of a league double over Liverpool.
With the season still in its infancy, the teams have enjoyed similarly inconsistent starts, with both on seven points from four games and looking to rebound after defeats before the international break.
Liverpool come into the match seeking to heal the wounds of a 3-0 home defeat by West Ham United and will be without playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who was sent off in that dismal Anfield reverse.
United lost 2-1 at Swansea City but have since spent £36million on young French forward Anthony Martial in a bid to add attacking impetus to a side that has looked defensively solid but lacking in attacking threat.
So United captain Wayne Rooney is keen to end his league drought and carry his goal-scoring form for England back to the Premier League.
Rooney became England’s record scorer on 50 goals when he smashed home a penalty in their 2-0 win over Switzerland on Tuesday, but has not found the net for his club in his last 10 league games, a barren run that stretches back to April 12.
“I am very happy and grateful, but I go back to Manchester, get back into training and start focusing on Liverpool. Hopefully getting two goals in the last two games will mean I continue scoring,” Rooney said.
“There’s no better game to go into than Liverpool at home after losing our last game (2-1 at Swansea City). It is a game we have to win and it’s something I’m looking forward to.
“To achieve what I have (by becoming England’s top scorer), I would be lying if I said it didn’t put a spring in my step and make you want to carry on scoring.”
Meanwhile, Ander Herrera has said United’s midfield needs to start chipping in with goals to take some of the pressure off both Rooney and new signing Martial. “Most of the time he will score but when he doesn’t, he is helping the team and he is always fighting for the team,” Herrera said.
Manchester City will take their 100 percent record to Crystal Palace while champions Chelsea travel to Everton having lost two games and amassed only four points from their first four matches.
Chelsea’s defence, which was watertight last season, has been frequently exposed and in tomorrow’s early kickoff they will come face to face with John Stones, Everton’s centre back who Jose Mourinho tried in vain to sign.
City have looked imperious in their four straight wins, scoring 10 goals and conceding none, but they face an in-form Palace who have won three of their first four.
Arsenal, whose fans have vented their frustrations since the close of the transfer window after boss Arsene Wenger made no outfield signings, host Stoke City who have claimed just two points from their first four games. – Reuters