Lambs To The Slaughter Or Lions Off To Battle The Foe?

Martin Tyler and all the other Manchester United disciples will be salivating at the chance to eulogise about Saint Moan-in-you and his 'economically' assembled squad as they take on their favourite serial losers and perennial punch bags West Ham United at Old Trafford 'live on Sky'. Romelu Lukaku will be expecting to score at least one goal, as he has scored in seven of his last eight games against West Ham and Manchester United have won 17 of their 21 Premier League home matches against West Ham, only drawing 2 and losing 2! Consequently on paper things don't look too promising for Slaven Billic and his team, but as we all know the game is not played on grass or a composite thereof rather than paper.

Lack of numbers and the usual Andy Carroll injury meant that Slaven Billic was forced to think outside the box at the beginning of his most successful season as Hammer's manager, and it looks as if he is going to have to use a bit more 'left' field thinking if his team is going to get anything out of a match which will be beamed around the World with particular interest from North and South America due to Chicharito's involvement.

Devoid of the services of Michail Antonio, Manuel Lanzini, Cheikhou Kouyate, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, Billic is going to have to be positive, there is no point in going to Old Trafford and lying down to accept a beating, just as equally there is no point in being 'gung ho' and getting a severe 'tonking', but look at how Burnley ignored the stats and embarrassed premier league champions Chelsea yesterday!

It was thought that Diafra Sakho might just have made the match day squad, it was hoped that newly arrived teenage sensation Sead Haksabanovic might feature as part of a surprise package to bamboozle Manchester United, however as both featured for the U-23's recently that is not going to happen, which is a pity because ALL teams are a bit 'out of sorts' for their opening game and players who have previously not been on their radar can, in the right circumstances, have a massive effect in the short term.

Sunday's is the first of FOUR away matches, courtesy of the athletic's games hosted at The London Stadium, if you include the cup tie against Cheltenham. The first home tie will be against unknown Premier League starters Huddersfield Town on September 11th.

Most people have written this match off as a Manchester United banker, but do you remember what happened to the banks not that long ago? - Ed