2017-18 fan season preview: Manchester United
By Ian Farrow.
What are your feelings ahead of the new season?
It’s sneaked up on me to be honest so I’ve not got the buzz for it yet, but to use an old cliché, this could be one of the most exciting seasons yet for the neutral. In terms of United, this must be the year that we properly move on from our mourning for Fergie and emerge as a side that will at least look like challenging for the title. I’m expecting much more from players like Pogba, Mkhitaryan and Martial, and I’m obviously excited to see us back in the Champions League - although I think the English clubs are a million miles away from getting anywhere near winning that this year!
How pleased have you been with your transfer business to date?
Despite the money spent, there’s been no ‘superstar’ signings for us, which I think might have disappointed quite a few fans. But personally I think every signing we’ve made will do nothing but strengthen our squad. In Lukaku we’ve bought a 24-year-old striker who will guarantee us upwards of 20 league goals and is only going to get better. He has great awareness, strength and hold-up play and I’m looking forward to seeing how he links up with the pace of Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Martial buzzing around him. He’s also a player your fans can hate twice as much now!
Matic has already won the league twice so he knows what it takes to be a champion and is very much a Mourinho player. I think with him in the holding role, doing the same sort of job that Carrick has always done for us, we’ll see a lot more of Pogba in attacking positions, which hopefully means more goals, something we badly needed last year. Lindelof, I have to admit I don’t know too much about, but from what I have seen, he seems like a talented and versatile defender but only time will tell if he and Bailly can form that rock-solid partnership we’ve needed at the back since Ferdinand and Vidic.
How is your team likely to line up?
4-3-3. De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw, Herrera, Matic, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lukaku.
Who will be your most important player?
Tough to say. Goals win games, though, so Lukaku needs to lead the attack fearlessly to give us a chance of any silverware.
Who is the unsung hero in your squad?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Ander Herrera and for a while I feel like he was massively under-valued. But last year he won our fans’ Player of the Year award and his songs are definitely being sung now! He’s such an intelligent player and makes all the right decisions (including hacking down an opposition player on a counter-attack). He’s the type of player you love if he’s at your club but I can imagine the fans of other clubs can’t stand him - which makes me love him even more!
What do you expect from Liverpool this season?
I’ve not made much of your transfer business so far this summer, to be honest. But having said that, Klopp’s strength is galvanising the players he already has while improving them as well. There were times last year when Liverpool looked scarily good and absolutely dismantled top teams and then there were times where you fell apart against ‘lesser’ opposition. It’s whether you can maintain the impressive performances for a whole season. That’ll decide how well you do, I think.
If you could have one Liverpool player in your team, who would it be?
It’s Coutinho or Mane, but I’m going to pick Mane. He’s got everything you want in a winger and would slot in nicely at Old Trafford!
Top four (in order)?
I think this has the potential to be one of the most open title races in years and expect the top four to go right down to the wire, but I think Spurs will struggle at Wembley so I’m going to go with:
Chelsea
United
City
Liverpool
Relegated?
Huddersfield, Brighton and Watford
Surprise package?
I think it’s time Newcastle had a good year in the Premier League and with Benitez in charge they might do alright.
What is your biggest wish for the season?
To win the lot, obviously.