Sunderland v Manchester United

Thank feck for a kickoff time that is half decent I was getting tired of that noontime nonsense

Yep, especially since we had to get up at 4:30 in the morning for two weeks in a row to watch the games.
 
VDS

Neville Rio Vidic Evra

Valencia Fletcher Scholes Nani

Giggs

Berbatov

Experience is the order of the day. Goals.
 
Chelseas result is key...if they win we're gonig to be pretty flat I reckon.
 
I have money on us lining up in a 4-4-1-3.

-----Nani-----Rooney----Campbell--
-------------Berbatov--------------
Richardson-Carrick-Fletcher-Valencia
--Evra----Vidic----Evans----Rafael--

While the extra two will be playing in Sunderland kits per rules of the game, It will be hard to mistake which way they are running with the ball.

Also, Richardson probably counts as -1 player, which means higher math may be required to calculate his impact depending on who has possession.

:lol:
 
Well if Chelsea win it's unlikely to matter anyway.

Why not? If we both win we'll still take it to the last day of the season. Never know with Wigan. Stranger shits happened before. I'm counting on the Scouse to get a draw on Saturday.
 
It's bad for us to play after Chelsea, pressure on us rather than them
 
It's bad for us to play after Chelsea, pressure on us rather than them

It really has all come down to the Scousers....if they don't get anything of Chelsea our season is pretty much over
 
It really has all come down to the Scousers....if they don't get anything of Chelsea our season is pretty much over

I've said the same. I can't see Wigan going to SB on the last day and getting anything from that match so it all comes down to the match against Liverpool.

If Liverpool get something from the match with Chelsea, then it's in our hands (win our two matches and we win the league). But, if Liverpool get feck all from it then Chelsea will win the league.
 
....and the time between now and this match is getting slower....and sloowwwerrrr..............annndddddddd.......ssssssllllllllllooooooowwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr..............
 
Rooney definitely out ?

According to the beeb him and Rio are back in training

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United welcomed back forward Wayne Rooney and defender Rio Ferdinand to training on Friday with both hopeful of returning to the starting XI.

Gary Neville, who has signed a new one-year contract at Old Trafford, is touch and go with a calf problem.
 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney to make Sunday's clash at Sunderland.

Both will train this morning ahead of a likely return against Steve Bruce's men, who have only lost twice on home soil this season.

"We expect Wayne to join us in training and possibly Rio Ferdinand as well," said Ferguson.

"We will see how they do but we have a couple of days.

"Wayne missed last week's game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle.

"We don't have any issues with that now. Hopefully he is okay."


Ferguson does not have any long-term worries for either player, with Rooney's presence potentially offering a number of different attacking opportunities on Wearside.

The manager added: "Groin injuries can be a problem at this time of year when the grounds start to get firm but hopefully if he comes through today it gives us something to think about on Sunday."
 
"Wayne missed last week's game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle."

I thought it was the groin problem that kept him out?
 
"Wayne missed last week's game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle."

I thought it was the groin problem that kept him out?

Yeah, that's weird.

Yeah, he missed the Spurs game primarily because he injured in groin in training on the Thursday. That said, the ankle may not have been 100% right. I saw his press conference this morning and it sounded like SAF was saying that the break thanks to the groin injury has given the ankle time to fully heal. Now it is just the groin that needs nursing.
 
From the moment I heard about the groin injury, I thought it was just a cover to allow him time to recover from being brought back too early. Twice.

Or is that incredibly cynical of me?
 
From the moment I heard about the groin injury, I thought it was just a cover to allow him time to recover from being brought back too early. Twice.

Or is that incredibly cynical of me?

Probably.

Although it makes me equally cynical because I thought the exact same thing.
 
Anything can happen last game of the season, even if Chelsea beat Liverpool i'd still fancy a dramatic last day of the season. All it takes is 1 bad decision by the ref.
 
after getting a deserved point at OT early this season, Sunderland lost 7-2 to Chelsea, i hate these teams.
 
"Wayne missed last week's game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle.

"We don't have any issues with that now. Hopefully he is okay."

"Groin injuries can be a problem at this time of year when the grounds start to get firm but hopefully if he comes through today it gives us something to think about on Sunday."

That is most confusing.
 
after getting a deserved point at OT early this season, Sunderland lost 7-2 to Chelsea, i hate these teams.

Shit - I forgot about that game - they completely outplayed us :nervous: So much for relying on Bruce to help us out
 
So, to sum this up:
He missed the game v Spurs, treating a groin problem, to allow the ankle to settle.
 
So, to sum this up:
He missed the game v Spurs, treating a groin problem, to allow the ankle to settle.

He's had 2 problems. The ankle problem has had a chance to heal some more being forced to sit out due to the groin problem. So that one has taken care of itself. The groin will be assessed if/when he trained today/tomorrow.

SAF after mentioning the ankle went on to talk about how groin problems occur at this time of year as surfaces harden.

Edit: I hope Rio doesn't start. Evans/Vida have been sharp and a half fit Rio is too much of a risk against Kenweyne/Bent.
 
I hope we don't go and play cagily. If we put out a strong side and go for the jugular, we're going to beat them because we're just better. Let's not feck around.
 
fully expect chelsea to win at anfield by the time we kick-off our match, going to be some disappointment for our players.
 
rooney will only be risked in the final game at home if we have a chance to lift the title. so to me that means liverpool have to take something off chelsea.