Barnsley V Man Utd: Match Preview

Barnsley Team News:

Barnsley manager Mark Robins will be forced to ring the changes to the squad that lost to Bristol City on Saturday.

He is without loan signings Ryan Shotton, Nathan Doyle and Carl Dickinson who are all cup tied, as is striker Andy Gray.

Robins is boosted however, by the return of Player of the Season Bobby Hassell, who has fully recovered from his ankle injury and should regain his place at right back. Jon Macken is also expected to return to the starting line up to face his old club after being rested on Saturday.

Daniel Bogdanovic is pushing for a starting place after coming off the bench to score on Saturday. He is the Reds` joint top scorer on four goals this season, with three in the Carling Cup.

Player to watch: Adam Hammill

Adam has already scored four goals this season and could be lethal cutting in from the wing to have a strike at goal.


Manchester United Team News:

Sir Alex Ferguson will also be shuffling his pack ahead of the clash at Oakwell. Manchester United suffered their second Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday away at Liverpool and several of those players can expect to be rested ahead of their home match with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Darren Fletcher could start in midfield after missing out through a groin injury on Sunday. Michael Owen is also in contention for a rare start at the expense of Wayne Rooney or Dimitar Berbatov. Rio Ferdinand will also probably be rested, paving the way for Wes Brown to step in at centre back.

Player to watch: Michael Owen

As if you could pick any one player from the Man Utd team that might cause a threat to Barnsley, I've gone for Michael Owen who will be desperate to earn himself a starting place in the League by scoring tonight.


Previous Meetings:

The last meeting between these teams yielded a 2-0 win for Manchester United at Oakwell in the Premier League season 97/98. It was during Barnsley`s solitary season in English football`s top division, with the return fixture at Old Trafford providing them with a sound beating and a lesson in attacking, United plundering seven goals to Barnsley`s nil.

The teams met four times that season however, with an F.A. Cup Fifth Round tie at Old Trafford ending in a 1-1 draw, when Mike Riley denied what Sky`s Andy Gray and Alex Ferguson admitted was a 'penalty to Barnsley'. Justice was served the following week at Oakwell however, with the Tykes running out 3-2 winners in the replay thanks to goals from John Hendrie and a double from young defender Scott Jones.

The two sides have never met in the League Cup before but Man Utd`s record in the competition speaks for itself. They have won the trophy three times, whereas Barnsley have only ever reached the quarter finals.


Ref Watch:

Chris Foy

Barnsley fans will remember Chris Foy from their clash with Huddersfield Town in the League 1 Play-Off Semi Final. He awarded the penalty for the foul on Paul Hayes at the Galpharm Stadium, which the felled striker duly converted.


Match Prediction:

Barnsley could sneak this, with United fielding a relatively young side, however I should imagine that if we were 1-0 up with 20 minutes or so to go, Fergie would call upon a couple of quality players with experience to come off the bench and turn it around. That said, I can`t see us breaking their defence at all other than if we get lucky from a set piece. I`m going for a 2-0 defeat. I'm also getting the feeling that there could be a sending off for Luke Steele for bringing down Michael Owen, as we all remember what happened the last time he came to Oakwell don`t we.

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