Bayer Leverkusen v Manchester United: Preview 27th November
David Moyes will assess his strikeforce ahead of his Manchester United team flying out on Tuesday for their Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Old Trafford boss has a few injury headaches for the trip to Germany, with Robin van Persie and Nemanja Vidic missing Manchester United’s Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen.
The injured pair missed the 2-2 draw at Cardiff on Sunday and neither flew to Germany on Tuesday, despite Vidic training before the squad departed.
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini misses Wednesday’s match through suspension.
A win for either team will secure their path to the last 16 but a draw will suffice should Shakhtar Donetsk lose to Real Sociedad in Group A’s other game.
“They are both injured,” United boss David Moyes said of striker Van Persie and defender Vidic. “Nemanja Vidic had concussion and Robin has a problem with his groin. “Neither of them are long-term but they are not quite ready yet.”
Despite conceding a last-minute goal to Cardiff in the Premier League on Sunday, David Moyes’s United side go into the match in Germany on the back of a 10-game unbeaten run.
Leverkusen will be without Germany winger Sidney Sam, who tore a thigh muscle after only four minutes of their 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Sami Hyypia’s team are second in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Bayern Munich, and have recorded eight consecutive home victories in the Champions League group stages.
Van Persie missed Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Cardiff City and has been struggling with toe and groin issues for the last fortnight. However, he can be backed at 6/1 to open the scoring against Bayer Leverkusen, who are available at 10/1 to win the clash 2-0.
Of more concern is the continued issues surrounding Welbeck, who was back at the weekend and made a substitute appearance after missing six matches with a knee problem.
It would be nice if we could get it finished over there. It is not going to be easy but we are more than capable.
Rio Ferdinand
The England striker’s knee continues to swell up, although Moyes insists Welbeck, 9/1 to open the scoring against Bayer, does not require surgery at present.
United still require a point to ensure their progression into the next stages of the competition, and defender Rio Ferdinand has urged his team-mates to finish the job now.
Ferdinand insists: “We want to get it done in the Champions League so that we can get back to the Premier League and have nothing else distracting us.
“It would be nice if we could get it finished over there. It is not going to be easy but we are more than capable.”
Manchester United can be backed at 7/1 to win the Premier League title outright and at 20/1 to secure the Champions League.
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