MANCHESTER UNITED- EVERTON PREVIEW

                                     



The 4-4 draw at Old Trafford last season was a dampener and eventually cost Manchester United the Premier League title. A repeat of that might be disastrous for the players as the Fergie hair dryer treatment will come down on them like Hiroshima. Manchester City's crumbling at St Mary's yesterday means that the red devils can go a massive 12 points clear if they get the better of the slippery Evertonians later today.

One eye will be on the trip to the Bernabeu on Wednesday. Real Madrid warmed up for the duel in spectacular style, destroying Sevilla 4-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 20th Real Madrid hat-trick and 17th in La Liga. Something mere mortals can only imagine achieving. The former Manchester United employee is now the 6th highest goal scorer of all time in the Blancos history with 182 great goals in just 179 appearances over 3 and a half seasons. Bionic. Sir Alex Ferguson will be expected to tinker the squad selection ahead of the Spain trip. RVP and Rooney should start this one, but it is in defence that he will hope to rest one of Vidic or Ferdinand who are not as fit as they used to be with age and niggling injuries playing a huge part. The toffees are always a potential banana pill for the Old Trafford outfit and inflicted the first defeat on the EPL Leaders in August. A Marouane Fellaini headed goal split the sides at Goodison.

in-form WAZZA can fire his team past his beloved Everton

Manchester United are on a 13 game unbeaten streak in the Premier League. Since the Carrow Road loss, it has been 11 wins, 2 draws, 0 defeat(s). It has seen them stretch their lead at the top to 9 points and have a very good chance of making that 12 v a team that has given them problems in recent times. Sir Alex will take heart from the fact that Wayne Rooney is in red hot form at the moment. He has scored 5 goals in 4 games since his return and bagged the 1st v Brazil and created the winner for Lampard in the same match. Robin Van Persie hasn't scored in 3 games now (2 for club). However, there is no cause for alarm as his 18 goals have been massively helpful in swinging the advantage in Man Utd's favour.

Tough customer

Everton are draw specialists this season, Despite losing only 3 games all season long, they have drawn (12) more than they have won (10) and this has seen them drop to sixth in the Premiership table. They can't afford to drop points anymore as Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs all registered wins yesterday and the latter are 6 points clear albeit haven played a game more. David Moyes is battling to get Fellaini fit for the encounter.. The Belgian doesn't like seeing Manchester United. He was the catalyst behind the toffees revival last season and has scored big goals against today's opponents.

Sir Alex and his coaching staff are aware of the threat Everton pose. From Baines to Fellani to Pienaar to Mirallas to Anichebe, the North West club are armed to the teeth and in reserve too. Nikica Jelavic has been on a bad run of late. This is contrary to his lightening start to life in Merseyside. He shouldn't be underestimated as great players come to life anytime. Everton haven't won at the Theatre in 21 years. They'll be looking to emulate Spurs who stunned the red army 3-2 four months ago to notch their 1st win at OT in 23 years.

Manchester United have scored the most goals (60) and the most headed goals (13) in the PL. Everton have conceded the most goals from headers (12). The blues of Merseyside have also hit the woodwork 16 times this season-more than any other team in the Division.

PROBABLE LINEUPS:
MANCHESTER UNITED:
DDG, Rafa, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Young/Kagawa, Rooney, RVP/Welbeck

Phil Jones is reportedly out with shingles.

EVERTON:
Howard, Jagielka, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Gibson, Osman, Peinaar, Mirallas, Fellaini, Anichebe

Old boys, Tim Howard, Darron Gibson and Phil Neville are set to feature in the match. The latter most likely not from the start.Tony Hibbert and Seamus Coleman are still injured.

Eagles aim to soar above the Stallions...the Battle of Jo'Burg

SK...History chaser.

SUPERMEN

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have against all expectations qualified for the FINAL of the 2013 African Cup of Nations. It has been an astronomical rise for the Giants of Africa as they were once known. The young team put together by former Eagles captain, Stephen Keshi has proved all the doubters wrong by sending the Ivory Coast out of South Africa and dismantling Mali in the semis to earn a shot at a title which has eluded them for the past 19 years. Coach Stephen Keshi who is affectionately called the 'BOSS' is aiming to become only the 2nd man to win the Nations Cup as a player and manager after Egypt's Mahmoud Al Gohari. The former eagles captain won the trophy in 1994 when Tunisia hosted it. The Nigerian Coaching crew have been sweating on the fitness of key players-Emma Emenike and Victor Moses who picked up injuries in the 4-1 humbling of the Aigles of Mali in the previous match. Other players are available and hungry to come back home with the trophy.

PUT et Jo.

The Burkinabe were almost robbed by the Calamitous Slim Jdidi in the semi final showdown with  Ghana. A series of astoundingly bizarre decisions went the way of the Ghanaians in the match including a soft penalty which should never have been and worse still, the RED CARD awarded to Star Stallion, Jonathan 'Beninwende' Pitroipa- a decision which has since been reversed. Belgian tactician, Paul Put will be hoping to 'put' the name of Burkina Faso among Nations that have won the AFCON later today when proceedings end.

Both teams know a bit of each other. They were in the same group (C) and the game contested between them ended in a 1-all draw made possible by a last minute Alain Traore equaliser. The Lorient front man whose 3 goals ensured that the great Stallions qualified for the knockout stages.

The unlikely finalists will slug it out this evening at the beautiful soccer city stadium in Johannesburg with all eyes on the men on the sidelines who have somewhat contrasting fortunes. Paul Put the Belgian manager has been ostracised in his home country over allegations of match-fixing and bribery (The YE ZHEYUN SCANDAL) and cannot manage in his country unless a fresh license is given to him by the FA of Belgium. He has found a new home in Ouagadougou and has surprisingly reshaped the football philosophy in Burkina. The former Gambia coach (2007-2011) affirmed that he gave his boys clips of Greece's 2004 Triumph, Chelsea's UCL win last season and Zambia's road to success last time out, to show them that underdogs can come from nowhere and upstage the so-called cup favourites. The videos have made the desired impact to his delight and he will be hoping to add his name to the Di Matteos, Renards, and Rehhagels of this World in a few hours. Stephen Okechukwu Keshi the 50 year former Super Eagles skipper is a man well respected and revered in Africa. After guiding Togo to the 2006 World Cup against all odds and managing the Malian National team with considerable success, he has etched his name in the History books and expects to add a Nations Cup trophy to his burgeoning resume after today's battle. It will even be more remarkable because of the number of so-called big boys he left out of his final squad list. The likes of Osaze Odemwingie, Taiye Taiwo, Obafemi Martins, Yak Aiyegbeni, Obinna Nsofor, etc were overlooked for Kenneth Omeruo, Obaobana, Brown Ideye, Sunday Mba and co. Even Captain Joseph Yobo has been warming the bench for the past 4 games. It has reaped the desired results as the EAGLES have swept aside all before them in their quest for Continental glory. One more hurdle to scale.

PROBABLE LINEUPS:
NIGERIA:
Enyeama, Ambrose, Obaobana, Omeruo, Echejile, Mba, Mikel, Onazi, Ideye, Moses, Emenike

BURKINA FASO:
Diakite, Koffi, B.Kone, Koulibaly, Panandetiguiri, D. Kone, Rouamba, Pitroipa, Nacoulma, BANCE.


Aristide Bance is deputising for the injured Alain Traore who sadly, can play no further part in this tournament. Burkina Faso have been boosted by the decision of CAF to rescind the RED CARD awarded to Pitroipa and the suspension of Slim Jdidi who should not be handed a whistle again for 2 years. Bance scored the leveller v the Black Stars and took his penalty well in the shoot-out.

Captain Joseph Yobo will watch from the bench once again as his guys try to win the AFCON  for the 3rd time ever. The team leader is in his 1st ever final, alongside all his other teammates. Vincent Enyeama will lead the Eagles out, but it remains to be seen who will lift the trophy should the Nigerians emerge victorious. This is Nigeria's 7th final-only Ghana and Egypt have appeared in more.

Old Stallion, Moumouni Dagano has appeared in 6 ANC (African Nations Cup) Tournaments, but has registered just 1 goal. An appalling stat.

Ohireime P Eboreime
ff me on Twitter @ohiskaka1990

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