Hello and welcome to Old Trafford where we have Manchester United kicking off their European campaign against German heavyweights Bayer Leverkusen in the group stage.
The pressure doesn't let up for new United boss David Moyes who now has to prove himself in Europe, territory where he has very little experience.
Bayer Leverkusen, along with German football on the whole, are in-form right now and could easily see themselves leaving Manchester with some points with former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia at the helm.
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LIVE COMMENTARY... Manchester United 4 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
93 Min: It's all over here at Old Trafford and United get the win!
91 Min:Three minutes time added on.
90 Min: Back down the other end and an Persie misses from about two yards! Plenty of late drama in this one!
89 Min: Oh late goal from Leverkusen! Can with the goal! United didn't clear at the corner and it was forced in!
85 Min: Wayne Rooney's brilliant night comes to an end as Javier Hernandez comes on.
80 Min: Counter-attack from Manchester United, Ashley Young with the ball, Ashley Young tears down the left, passes in-field to Rooney who busts a gut through the middle to make it. Rooney lays off beautifully for Valencia! Valencia is in here! Smashes it home GOOAAALLL!!!
78 Min: Sidney Sam comes off for Australian Robbie Kruse.
76 Min: Van Persie with another foul and now Leverkusen have a free-kick in a good spot...Sam hits it but it hasn't got enough power and De Gea gets across to save.
74 Min: Pretty difficult for Leverkusen to get back in the game at this stage but they can definitely take some positives away from tonight.
70 Min: Well straight down the other end Rooney is away! One-on-one with the keeper! Picks his spot and scores! GOAL!!
69 Min: Bender has come on the field and his first action is to have a crack from distance, no he dummies the shot passes to Kiessling who holds up the ball in the box, nearly gets past Vidic who pokes the ball out to Bender who shoots! Great save De Gea!
67 Min: Space opens up for Rooney in the middle of the park and he spits it out wide to Valencia who also has space. Valencia runs at his man and shoots! Deflected for a corner which is cleared by the first man.
66 Min: Manchester United get a free-kick on the edge of the box right in front of the goal. Rooney picks it up and is fancying it but I doubt RVP will give it up that easily...Well that was a disappointment as Rooney's shot hit the wall.
59 Min: Valencia makes some space down the right wing, puts the cross in for Van Persie who finishes with a fantastic volley! GOAL! United back in front!
58 Min: Corner for United, headed back to Rooney who delivers another cross which is headed away again.
55 Min: It's all on at Old Trafford! This game's certainly got a few more goals in it and Kiessling is given the ball in space down the right, plays it across the top of the box to Sam who turns and shoots but it's wide and high.
54 Min: Play has opened up for Leverkusen down the other end and Sam has retreived the ball in the box, lays it back to Rolfes who smashes it and it's hit the back of the net!! GOOOOALLL!! United with the chance to go 2-0 up find themselves at 1-1!! Cracker of a goal!
52 Min: Mistake at the back as Toprak is dispossessed by Rooney! Rooney one-one-one with the keeper! He's beats him! Van Persie in support! Rooney misses both the goal and Van Persie! What a let-off for Bayer Leverkusen!! Rooney looked in between passing to Van Persie and shooting.
51 Min: Leverkusen with some good passing, Rolfes looks to chip the ball into the box from the edge of it, Rio Ferdinand with a woeful header away falls to Sam who does brilliantly to turn and shoot! De Gea saves! Bit of a warning to United that they can't relax.
49 Min: Van Persie gives away a free-kick after clattering into Rolfes and he's toeing a very thin line seeing as he's already on a yellow.
48 Min: Manchester United doing a good job of boxing in Leverkusen whenever they lose the ball up front...And they do it win it back and Valencia has the ball on the right wing. Skips inside one defender and hits a thunderous ball across the box but it hits Van Persie in the back and goes out.
47 Min: Evra intercepts a pass and sets up the counter-attack. Passes to Rooney who tries to find RVP in the box but the ball goes straight to the keeper.
46 Min: So the teams are back out on the park! Manchester United kick-off and we're back into it.
Halftime entertainment? In keeping with RVP's fiery reaction to the referee here's a look back at some of football's more heated moments.
45 Min: Valencia goes on a mazy run and is nearly brought down in the box, he puts in a low cross but it's cleared and that's HALFTIME!
44 Min: Fellaini gives away a pass in midfield, Can picks it up and surges forwards but Fellaini shows his strength and wins the ball back and then sends a cross-field ball to Valencia who delivers anice cross to the back post, Kagawa chests it down, shoots! Deflected and behind for a corner.
42 Min: United looking good for a second on the stroke of halftime as they ball is pumped forwards, Van Persie holds it up and gets clattered by two defenders and earns a free-kick in a very good position. Rooney is over it and he strikes it up over the wall! Just wide!
41 Min: Nice pass from Fellaini out to Smalling and Leverkusen look bare at the back. Smalling with a pass across the floor to the penalty spot but Rooney can't get ahead of Rolfes and the ball is cleared.
40 Min: Van Persie gets fouled down in the corner. Nope he's been fouled despite some aggressive sheparding and Van Persie blows up he gets right in the face of the ref it looks like he's going to hit him! Van Persie is given a yellow card for dissent. Chill out mate...
39 Min: United string a couple of passes together, Kagawa with the killer ball through to Van Persie in the box! Pulls it back to the six yard line but no one's there! Chance goes begging.
37 Min: Reinartz skips away from a tackle in the middle of the park...Now Donati down the right delivers an early cross but the veteran Rio Ferdinand sees it out safely.
35 Min: Kagawa intercepts a pass and United are on the counter, Kagawa gives it out to Evra who's disappointing cross can't get past the first man.
34 Min: An attack with pace from Leverkusen, they spread the ball nicely from side-to-side and now Boenisch has it again down the left...He tries to put in a cross with his right foot but he overcooked it and it goes out.
31 Min: Lovely ball from Can to Boenisch down the left, he tries to cross it but Smalling comes across and puts it behind for another Leverkusen corner...floated into the middle, United don't do well with clearing it, ball falls to Donati who hits it! But it's not pretty and he was fortunate a United defender stuck his toe out to put it behind. Buuut that corner also comes to nothing.
29 Min: Promising passage of play for Leverkusen. Heung-Min turns Evra down the right and dinks in a great cross for Kiessling who is waiting! Smalling gets up to it and heads behind for a corner. Leverkusen really showing they can turn it on at any moment.
27 Min: So it looks like Moyes caved to Kagawa and gave him a run in the side but so far the Japan midfielder hasn't really done anything to show Moyes why he should be a regular.
26 Min: Rooney amongst everything at the moment, he drops deep, recovers the ball, turns runs it ups, lays it off Valencia who is shrugged off the ball all too easily by Spahic.
25 Min: Rooney playing like a man possessed (Maybe it's that headband? He's down in the right corner, nutmegs a defender and then bursts around him but Leverkusen man gets a touch on it and United now have a corner...which comes to nothing.
21 Min: It's all United at the moment as Van Persie shows off some skills in the left corner. He cuts inside his defender about 17 times (Not even kidding) but does eventually pass it through for Evra who looks offside, ref waves play on Evra delivers to Rooney who volleys! Bang into the ground and into the net! GOAL!
20 Min: Free-kick in a good spot for United and Leverkusen have an unbelievably deep line they're sitting on the six yard box...RVP delivers to back post but Fellaini can't head it down and goalwards and the ball lands on top of the goal net.
19 Min: Reinartz throws a leg and catches Michael Carrick pretty badly. Reinartz picks uop a yellow card.
18 Min: Long ball hiffed up front and it bounces of a Leverkusen defender straight into the path of Rooney who could have pulled the trigger but decides to pass it on. United lose their momentum a little before the ball is played out to Smalling who delivers a cross but it's too deep and Leverkusen keeper Leno comes out to claim it
17 Min: Some really nice interplay between Rooney and Van Persie is let down by a Valencia cross to no one.
16 Min: Really good, open, attacking football from these two sides at the moment. It's clear they both want to win.
14 Min: Some good stuff from Leverkusen, Boenisch plays it square for Reinartz who has a crack from outside the box! Hits Vidic and goes out for a corner which is cleared and now Rooney with a break away! Fouled by Heung-Min after getting around him and the Leverkusen midfielder picks up the first yellow card of the match.
12 Min: Leverkusen earn a corner...Whipped into the front post but Ferdinand clears. Delivered again by Can but Fellaini clears.
9 Min: Lovely ball from Fellaini from deep in Leverkusen's half, just picks out Van Persie in the pocket , RVP unleashes! A pretty tame and wide shot.
8 Min: Kagawa sets up a lovely chance for Rooney after laying a ball to him at the top of the box, Rooney dummies and then tries to place it with his right foot but it's blocked by Toprak.
7 Min: Valencia and Boenisch is looking like a good battle down the right wing.
6 Min: Rooney nice turn on the ball down the left but can't fully shake his marker. Sends a cross-field ball to Valencia who lays it back to Carrick who's ball into the bo doesn't get past the first man.
5 Min: Smalling gives away the first fre-kick of the night and is pretty lucky to not pick up a yellow card.
4 Min: Fellaini seems to be playing a deeper role then he did with Everton where he basically became a second striker. The big Belgian breaks up a Leverkusen attack and then sends a long ball up for Valencia but it's cut out.
3 Min: Leverkusen looking the more spritely of the two sides early on...
1 Min: Leverkusen kick-off and we're underway!!
Nice tie between managers tonight as Leverkusen's Sami Hyypia came up against David Moyes' Everton many times whilst playing for Liverpool. Bayer Leverkusen team tonight is: Leno, Donati, Toprak, Heung-Min, Spahic, Can Rolfes, Sam, Reinartz, Kiessling, Boenisch.
That Champions League music really does make the spine tingle doesn't it? Teams shake hands and we're all ready to go!
Teams are in the tunnel and things are looking tense. Get yourselves strapped in because we are all ready to kick-off the Champions League group stages right here!
Leverkusen have done well to get a strong showing of fans over to Manchester. Let's see if their team can make it worth their while...
Leverkusen's record isn't great in England. They've played eight times on English soil, drawn two and lost six.
March 1985 was the last time Manchester United played in Europe not under the watch of Sir Alex Ferguson. That really puts things into perspective...
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Fellaini, Kagawa, Rooney, Van Persie.
Well, well, well not far until David Moyes' first real test in Europe. He's named his side to take on Leverkusen.
Kick-off isn't far away but in the meantime you can watch David Moyes' pre-match press conference.
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Predicted teams:
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fellaini, Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney, Van Persie
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno, Donati, Toprak, Heung-Min, Spahic, Can Rolfes, Sam, Reinartz, Kiessling, Boenisch
Pregame banter:
David Moyes' experience in the Champions League amounts to two qualifying matches back in 2005, when he was manager of Everton.
He lost both games.
Moyes' pedigree in Europe is therefore under scrutiny as he makes his return to the competition eight years later at the helm of Manchester United. And he is unlikely to be given an easy ride in the group stage after United was pitted with Bayer Leverkusen, Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Sociedad.
Moyes called predecessor Alex Ferguson after last month's draw and was handed a grim assessment by a man who won Europe's top prize twice - in 1999 and 2008 - in his near-27 years at Old Trafford.
"He said he thinks it's one of the hardest draws United have ever had in the Champions League," Moyes said. "If that's coming from him, it must be tough."
United opens its Group A campaign at home to in-form Leverkusen, when Shakhtar - eliminated in the last 16 last season - travels to Sociedad.
"I think all groups are tough," Moyes said. "You could always pick the winner out of it in the past, but it's become more difficult and more unpredictable now. I see it as a pretty tough, open group. Everyone wants to do well in it. This is a competition that the players are used to and enjoy playing in."
The English champions are favoured to top the group, but their start to Moyes' first season in charge has been underwhelming.
After picking up four points from its opening three games for the team's worst start to a Premier League campaign in five years, United toiled to a 2-0 win over promoted Crystal Palace, which played with more than half of the game with 10 men.
However, Moyes did see both Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney get on the scoresheet against Palace. And with Rooney back in action after a head injury and getting closer to full fitness, opponents should be fearful of United's front two.
"The hope is that we get a partnership where folk are saying, `My goodness, we are having to play against Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney,"' Moyes said. "Everybody is looking to see if those two form a partnership that can score lots of goals."
The match against Palace was marred by controversy after Ashley Young was booked for diving, sparking a debate with calls from the London club chairman Steve Parish for players who dive to be shown straight red cards.
"You can never be sure it won't happen again but I have had a word with (Young) privately," said Moyes. "I said after the game and I have said for many years diving is something we should have retrospective video for. That would help referees no end. It is really difficult at times. Moving from Everton to Manchester United doesn't change my views on that."
Leverkusen has never won in England in eight attempts but has started the German league season with four wins from five matches, and has a coach in Sami Hyypia who knows United well.
Hyypia spent 10 years in the Premier League with Liverpool, winning the Champions League with the club in 2005.
"We shouldn't go out with too much respect," the former Finland defender said. "I hope my players don't just look around at a stadium rich in history and get autographs from Rooney.
"They do have a new coach, but they play the same football. Man United are a great team. They won everything in the last 10 years. But to give up already before the game, I won't do that. Otherwise we could send out our second team."
Leverkusen beat United in the Champions League semifinals in 2002 on the away-goals rule, then lost to Real Madrid in the final.
Socieded has had a mixed start to the season, with only one win in the Spanish league through four rounds. It did do well to dispatch French side Lyon in the Champions League playoffs, however, to earn the club only its second appearance in the competition's group stage.
Shakhtar has lost three of its best players from last season's run to the knockout stage, with Fernandinho (Manchester City), Willian (Chelsea, via Anzhi Makhachkala) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Borussia Dortmund) all moving on. The team is fourth after nine games in the defence of its Ukrainian title.
AP
source: newshub archive
