manchester united narrow focus
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

For Olympiakos trip

Manchester United narrow focus

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Manchester United narrow focus

Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa (C, L)
London - Arab Today

Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa (C, L) London - Arab Today With hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League fading, Manchester United approach Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first-leg match at Greek champions Olympiakos desperate for a positive result. Not only does the competition represent United's last realistic hope of silverware this season, but David Moyes' side may need to win the Champions League just to qualify for next season's tournament. United are currently 11 points below Liverpool, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League place, and with only 11 games of the season remaining, qualification via the league may already be beyond them. United have won only four of their 11 matches since the turn of the year, but the Champions League provided a respite from their domestic woes during the European autumn. The three-time continental champions qualified comfortably as Group A winners, winning four and drawing two of their six matches and enjoying handsome 4-2 and 5-0 victories over last year's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen. Nevertheless, with Arsenal and Manchester City having already lost their own last 16 first-leg matches, to Bayern Munich and Barcelona respectively, the tournament final in Lisbon on May 24 remains a long way off. "Only one team can win it, and it's very hard," United striker Robin van Persie told Champions magazine. "It's a trophy many players don't win; once, if you're very lucky. You have a couple of players who've won it more than once, but it's a very special trophy everyone wants to win every year. "It seems to get harder every year to win it, because the teams are getting better and better. So it's always hard if you want something everyone wants."  - Passion and enthusiasm - United warmed up for Tuesday's game at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus by winning 2-0 at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, with Van Persie opening the scoring from the penalty spot. 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, which is reportedly worth £300,000 ($500,000, 360,000 euros) a week. 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. Mata is cup-tied in the Champions League, but Moyes hopes to have defenders Rafael da Silva, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans available to face Olympiakos after the trio sat out the trip to Palace due to injury. 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. The Greek giants can nonetheless take heart from their breathtaking domestic form, having won 24 and drawn two of their opening 26 league games and reached the semi-finals in the Greek Cup. Saturday's 4-0 win at OFI Crete came at a cost, however, with experienced Argentine striker Javier Saviola forced off with a left thigh injury that has ruled him out of the game against United. Serbian forward Marko Scepovic, Saviola's replacement, scored a hat-trick, but he is ineligible to play against United, having turned out for Partizan Belgrade earlier in the tournament. With top scorer Kostas Mitroglou having left for Fulham last month, Nigerian forward Michael Olaitan is expected to lead the line on Tuesday. 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." Source: AFP

GMT 09:54 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters

GMT 06:19 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Russians challenge doping ban

GMT 07:01 2018 Monday ,22 January

Real Madrid defy crisis talk

GMT 09:42 2018 Sunday ,21 January

One dead as accident mars fourth leg

GMT 04:52 2018 Saturday ,20 January

Confident Nadal demolishes Dzumhur

GMT 07:51 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Fighting Tsonga digs deep to reel

GMT 09:21 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Federer and Djokovic take control

GMT 07:13 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

US racing pioneer Gurney dies
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

manchester united narrow focus manchester united narrow focus

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

manchester united narrow focus manchester united narrow focus

 



GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 10:51 2011 Friday ,18 November

Experts advise on managing climate change aid

GMT 19:57 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Farm-fresh from Kerala to the UAE, in just one day

GMT 03:01 2016 Wednesday ,08 June

Space feat opens 'new window'

GMT 11:53 2017 Saturday ,27 May

Scholars arrive in UAE for Ramadan lectures

GMT 19:32 2017 Friday ,10 February

Partly cloudy, no change in temperatures

GMT 18:25 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Mohamed Amseef happy for joining team

GMT 09:36 2017 Thursday ,07 December

Heidy Karam’s contract to present talk show close

GMT 12:56 2011 Sunday ,18 September

Talal Hamieh appointed new Hezbollah military leader

GMT 05:13 2016 Wednesday ,19 October

YouTube signs up ‘The Rock’ for new channel

GMT 15:34 2011 Friday ,18 November

UN :Climate change key driver of extreme weather

GMT 19:47 2017 Monday ,23 October

Arab Diplomatic Group presents talk on women
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice