MATCHWATCH : Manchester United (a) sponsored by down down deeper and down

[Brain Traysers]

Solskjaer confirms Sanchez and Lukaku start. Bliss.

Lukaku got out of Cooper's pocket then.

Tbf his performance for West Brom in our last second 3-2 win was probably one of the most impressive performances seen at the Madejski. A brace, one more off each of the post and bar, and one cleared off the line. He was unplayable

[Hound]

Tbh, since he got out of Coopers pocket, he has scored something like 75 prem goals and played in a WC semi final. Slightly more impressive than Cooper’s career over that same period

[Old Man Andrews]

If anyone wants to wet their appetite then take a look at this https://youtu.be/SSThDu5_zOg

[Ascotexgunner]

If not already mentioned, this will be the first Reading game to use VAR.

That's one saving grace. There'll be no dispute that the final result is the correct one.

Better still leave it switched off and save power doubt they will need it at the end we will be kicking towards.

[Hound]

If anyone wants to wet their appetite then take a look at this https://youtu.be/SSThDu5_zOg

Pitch looks like how my back garden currently does

[The Royal Forester]

Team selection for this match will interesting. Surely anyone playing or on the bench will be in the managers mind to keep for the season. Anyone else is not cup-tied, so may be easier to shift on during the window.

[ayjaydee]

Team selection for this match will interesting. Surely anyone playing or on the bench will be in the managers mind to keep for the season. Anyone else is not cup-tied, so may be easier to shift on during the window.

Not sure the possible destinations for our unwanted garbage will be too worried about an extended cup run.

[LUX]

my bro and Lancs Royal on the tram to OT................"loads of Royals around"

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I hate to say it but what if we won or even got a unlikely draw this could completely change our season stranger things have happened

Yes indeed - the win at Liverpool a few years ago was the catalyst for decent run which took us clear of relegation by the spring

[windermereROYAL]

Jak
Yiadom
Moore.
Ilori.
Richards
Rhino
Kelly
Swift
Mac
Loader
Harriott

No Bod, that teams looks a bit lightweight.

[muirinho]

Jak
Yiadom
Moore.
Ilori.
Richards
Rhino
Kelly
Swift
Mac
Loader
Harriott

No Bod, that teams looks a bit lightweight.

Subs
Walker
Gunter
O Shea
East
Barrow
Aluko
Meite

[Snowflake Royal]

my bro and Lancs Royal on the tram to OT................"loads of Royals around"

Ahh sweet Lancs, I miss the glory days of the chat room and her.


Not a bad XI considering. Swift in the right place... Kelly back in. Best central defence combo bar maybe the untried Moore-Blackett. Whilst giving our young talent a hell of a reward and experience. Great to see East make the bench.

Where's Bod though? And why has Aluko still not been put down?

[Lower West]

Swift and Kelly in the same team. Hasn't worked to date. Let's hope it clicks today.

Nice to see Harriott get a start.

Ryan East what an opportunity.

[muirinho]

Goalkeeper - Jaakkola has had too many poor performances recently, looks like Mannone is off, so I'd give Walker another chance

Defenders - the four that played were shocking against Swansea, feel United would bully Richards with Fellaini and Lukaku peeling off to the back post regularly, therefore I would change all four

Midfielders - they all did OK on Monday, but feel Aluko and Swift are a little too similar so would look to maybe change someone there, would still like to see Meyler given a second chance but that's looking more unlikely by the week

Attack - front three were an absolute disgrace on Tuesday, Barrow and Meite put in zero effort, and Meite walking off the pitch should exclude him from the squad altogether, childish pedantic act. McCleary was no better, he's miles past it, needs to be sold ASAP

Bearing all this in mind, I'd go

Walker
Gunter Moore Osho Blackett
Bacuna Rinomhota
Harriott Aluko Baldock
Bodvarsson

Jaakkola, Richards, O'Shea, Meyler, Swift, McNulty, Loader on the bench

Trying to avoid putting Osho in there because United may be too strong for him and a poor performance may shatter his confidence, so wouldn't be too disappointed to see O'Shea in there

Blackett and Bacuna are suspended aren't they? would put in Yiadom for Blackett, as I didn't think he did too badly (at least, in comparison to the rest of them). Not sure who for Bacuna though. Kelly?

Pretty sure the red cards only follow the competition they were sent off in, they're both on 2 games out of 3 so will be unavailable for Forest. As United is the FA Cup and is therefore a different competition, I think they're both available to play

No, it's all domestic competitions. Tbh, that's better, this game is a write off anyway, they'll be back for Forest

[Ranty McRantface]

my bro and Lancs Royal on the tram to OT................"loads of Royals around"

Ahh sweet Lancs, I miss the glory days of the chat room and her.


Not a bad XI considering. Swift in the right place... Kelly back in. Best central defence combo bar maybe the untried Moore-Blackett. Whilst giving our young talent a hell of a reward and experience. Great to see East make the bench.

Where's Bod though? And why has Aluko still not been put down?

Bod has a back injury

[muirinho]

my bro and Lancs Royal on the tram to OT................"loads of Royals around"

Ahh sweet Lancs, I miss the glory days of the chat room and her.


Not a bad XI considering. Swift in the right place... Kelly back in. Best central defence combo bar maybe the untried Moore-Blackett. Whilst giving our young talent a hell of a reward and experience. Great to see East make the bench.

Where's Bod though? And why has Aluko still not been put down?

Bod is injured (again )

Not in squad, fit AFAIK (and not suspended) -

Baldock, Mannone, Meyler, Edwards, McNulty, Smith, Osho,

Add in McShane to that lot, and the 5 or 6 players to leave will come from there you'd think.
Mannone, Meyler, Edwards, McNulty, McShane?

Probably Smith as well, but I dont' think he would have been included in the numbers Gomes was talking about.

[Emeraldroyal]

A client is treating me to this match in a box, still not looking forward to it, it's going to be painful.

Are you a hooker ?

[biff]

Osho is cup tied from his time at Aldershot

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Wish Gomes had thought to include someone who might score a goal in the match day squad.

My greatest fear is not the media patronising us - they can hardly come out and say we're shit and doomed - but more the nauseating sycophancy the overcomes them when they visit the Theatre of Dreams. I oxford hate oxford u-oxfording-nited.

Keep it to single figures and move on to league survival is the realistic ambition.

A red card for the scum and a late penalty to us after some skin-of-the-teeth defending leading to a 1-0 victory. What's the point of even watching if you don't dare to dream?

[Snowflake Royal]

So we all agree that the best result is a 1-1 draw from a late Loader equaliser and a Ryan East debut, right?

Give us that beautiful money from a televised replay!