Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will delve into the depths of his squad for the visit to Arsenal in the Premier League tomorrow, as an injury crisis engulfs Old Trafford.
So often it has been Arsene Wenger cursing his luck after key players have been crocked ahead of big matches, but this time it is United who could be missing up to 12 players, including goalkeeper David de Gea, at the Emirates Stadium in north London.
United are exposed at the back and with four first-team defenders possibly missing, Dutchman Van Gaal might have to call up teenagers Patrick McNair and Tyler Blackett to keep former teammate Danny Welbeck at bay.
Photo: AFP
England striker Welbeck has been in fine form since his £16 million (US$25 million) move to Arsenal in September, scoring 10 goals for club and country.
Arsenal suffered two disappointing results before the international break, letting leads slip to draw 3-3 at home to RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League and going down 2-1 at Swansea City in the league.
“We have two games against Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund at home, and if we get the crowd with us from the start and get the results, then it will be a very different story again,” Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta said.
Photo: AFP
Arsenal are currently sixth in the table with 17 points; United a place behind with one point fewer.
Leaders Chelsea host West Bromwich Albion earlier tomorrow looking to extend their four-point lead on second-placed Southampton, who visit Aston Villa on Monday.
Beleaguered Liverpool, in 11th after taking a paltry 14 points from their opening 11 games, visit struggling Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers’ team will have painful memories of relinquishing a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Selhurst Park in London last season as the title slipped away from them.
That draw proved costly for the eventual runners-up, but a win at the same ground this season would provide a timely boost.
Fifth-placed Swansea City visit stuttering champions Manchester City tomorrow, while fourth-placed West Ham United face a difficult trip to Everton.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was