I'm pretty split on this one.

On one hand I can't help thinking that the pressure will be massively ramped up on them Saturday to comfortably beat us, even more so than it is usually for any Manchester United player, and I'm not sure some of their players are too comfortable at handling that.

It was also encouraging that a lot of the "big guns" that I'm sure the manager would have wanted to rest, had to come on and play, combined with a very late night and a day's less rest/ prep than us.

On the glass half empty side though, their professional pride took a massive hit last night, and I'm sure they'll come flying out of the blocks against us, similar to what Spurs did to try and make a statement.

I think our counter attacking will be vital on Saturday, the ability to use the ball well, and pick the correct pass as they will surely commit a lot of players forward, especially early on.

I think if we can keep them out for the first 20 minutes, we've more than a decent chance of getting a point or even a sneaky win...here's hoping..

Just put in a WhatsApp group, has there ever been a better time to play man United at old Trafford? They might be a bit of a wounded animal but this has surely got to be one of the best time to play them in recent times. We should go there confident we can get a result. As you said keep it tight and hit them on the break. They really struggled with Grimsby’s counter attacking last night, especially that lad on the right hand side who worked incredibly hard and had pace. UTC, NNN

All depends on how the game goes. They have created chances against Arsenal and Fulham. If they take one, pressure is off, and we will find it very difficult to get back into it. But if they aren't ahead at half time then I can see it turning very toxic, similar to that win away at WHU a few years ago

Hopefully it is the perfect time. The only thing the same about Man Utd and when they were good to what they are now is their name.

I have backed at 8/1 to win and 3/1 with a goal start. Those prices are now 13/2 and 2/1.

Bruno is the key for me, he's just a class above and really makes them tick. Hopefully if we can frustrate him, his petulant side comes out and he does something silly.

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 8:41 am

Bruno is the key for me, he's just a class above and really makes them tick. Hopefully if we can frustrate him, his petulant side comes out and he does something silly.

Hannibal - say no more !

Post match Amorin said something along the lines of "we've got one more game then we'll sort this out during the international break".
Does that mean that he's making his excuses for Saturday already to try and take the pressure off?
He suggesting that the players who started the game had sent him a clear message, presumably their lack of desire to play for the club.
If he's lost the dressing room he can say what he wants, if the players want him out there'll be no reaction.
If we can keep things tight there's a good chance of the home fans getting on their backs.

Bowclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 9:00 am

Hannibal - say no more !

There's two fuses clashing there shorter than the bangers I used to buy as a kid on bonfire night!!

Hopefully Hannibal shows them what they could have had, wonder what odds he is to score?

Man U fans are, unsurprisingly, not confident at all

https://www.redcafe.net/matches/manches ... rnley.635/

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 8:41 am

Bruno is the key for me, he's just a class above and really makes them tick. Hopefully if we can frustrate him, his petulant side comes out and he does something silly.

Let Hannibal play with him!

You'd have to think that there will be some sort of reaction after the disaster result for them last night.

Whether that's good or bad for us - we'll find out on Saturday.

Nice to have a match at OT that isn't seen as a "free hit".

I just hope that if we get an early goal, we dont try to shut up shop for 75 mins.

Bad.

The massive reaction in both the written and spoken media this morning has done Amorims job for him really.

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 9:12 am

Let Hannibal play with him!

There’s the obvious banana skin there. Hannibal gets in his own head and off he goes….

Good. Because confidence is lower now. In the predictions league I have gone for 1-0 to us with Edwards getting a late winner.

Why?

Because this sort of weird thing happens in football all the time and I’ve learnt to expect it. Loses his place in the Burnley team then scores a late goal to end the job of the manager under whom he played his best football. Plus, Edwards is a very good player against a tired and fed up defence.

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 8:15 am

their professional pride took a massive hit last night

Only a couple of decent results against teams already 'on the beach' at the end of last season kept them from finishing 17th. I think any thought of professional pride has long since disappeared at Old Trafford.

This is the worst Man United team in the last 50 years irrespective of last night’s result. We need to go into the game remembering that.

Good. I don’t think they have the passion, nor skill, to get out of this rut any time soon.

If we don’t do anything daft against them, we should get at least a draw.

Honestly? They are a huge relegation risk.

Amorin looked a pathetic sight cowering in the dugout during the shootout.

That said I would take a point now.

martin_p wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:25 am

This is the worst Man United team in the last 50 years irrespective of last night’s result. We need to go into the game remembering that.

We've managed to take points at Old Trafford against far better Man United teams so hopefully we will again

Hoping again the manager has lost the dressing room and heads will drop if we keep it tidy and frustrate them

Get the crowd against them

fingers crossed

HahaYeah wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:28 am

Amorin looked a pathetic sight cowering in the dugout during the shootout.

That said I would take a point now.

He looked on the verge of a full mental breakdown. Genuinely felt sorry for him.

Procrastinate B wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:26 am

Good. I don’t think they have the passion, nor skill, to get out of this rut any time soon.

If we don’t do anything daft against them, we should get at least a draw.

Honestly? They are a huge relegation risk.

Ruben Amorin hasn't become a bad manager over night, the players he has should be able to produce much more. I would say that the chance of them being relegated is close to zero because either they resolve the issue or Amorin leaves and someone else will get them playing.

He kept saying "the players have clearly shown what they want" but he wouldn't put it into words what he thinks they want. He said the same in his interviews with ITV and Sky and refused to clarify each time.

Such a contrast to our own situation right now.

Saw one Man U fan asking for Dyche last night

I don't think they've got a reaction to last night in them, and a defeat to us could see him gone. Judging by last nights body language, i don't think anyone would be disappointed with that.

dibraidio wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:36 am

Ruben Amorin hasn't become a bad manager over night, the players he has should be able to produce much more. I would say that the chance of them being relegated is close to zero because either they resolve the issue or Amorin leaves and someone else will get them playing.

He kept saying "the players have clearly shown what they want" but he wouldn't put it into words what he thinks they want. He said the same in his interviews with ITV and Sky and refused to clarify each time.

Such a contrast to our own situation right now.

There’s something rotten there behind the scenes. Manager after manager have failed, been replaced, and the cycle starts again.

I’d say they were all competent. Yes, relegation would be a stretch but not impossible.

Wouldn't be surprised at all to come away with a 0-2 win or a 5-0 defeat, such is this league.

Keep them quiet for 30 mins and just take in the toxicity from that home crowd. The pressure will be massive on them

If Amorin has any verbal motivation Skills Bad for us.
It dosent look on the face of it he has good for us.
I fear for us on Saturday they can't play that bad again can they?
One thing for sure it's going to be a intresting afternoon
GO FOR IT PARKER!

I don't think last night makes a scrap of difference to be honest. They were unlucky really to lose their previous home game against Arsenal and it will be a difficult game for us.

ClaretOfMancunia wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:42 am

Saw one Man U fan asking for Dyche last night

Couldn't do any worse than every manager they have had since Fergie,it's worth a punt i reckon.

Last night won’t make any difference. I just hope we don’t kick start their season.

I definitely think Hannibal has the potential to be Saturday's hero or villain.
I hope that Barnes, Walker and Worrall spend some time with him this week, to try and get him to treat it as just another game. He mustn't feel that he has to be the main man, or do anything differently than against Sunderland. Otherwise I could see him and Fernandes both seeing red.
We can win this game, as the better TEAM. Their weakness at the moment is that they have a team of individuals.
I'm hoping that in just 3 days, they won't be able to turn that around. Even if they do, it is still 'game on'.
.

Amorim was rambling and largely incoherent in his post match interview. However he did say that something needed to change and you can not change 22 players coupled with his remarks about what the players want, it seems they want him out and he wants to go.

We need him to stay in post until Saturday and then we still have a chance. Although you would think that any team with Cunha, Mbueno and Sesko at his disposal they should batter us to pieces.

Man Utd against Fulham and Arsenal have started quick and got forward early, however the key point is if you can keep them out for 20 mins or so they run out of ideas and become frustrated as well as having a frustrated crowd on their back and they cannot deal with that pressure.

If on Saturday the game is 0-0 after 25 mins then the minimum we get is one point at full time, we just need to keep it tight and shut up shop at the start and the game will be ours for the taking.

Stop Bruno, Mbeumo and Cunha from playing and we can get a result. Those three players do not need to be in a functional team to carry a threat. Our team will play for the fans and our manager - we are back to being a proper team again under Parker. Grimsby were high energy and committed, Fulham were clever in their tactics about the spaces provided by the United press. I think Parker can find a way.

Self motivation might be playing a part.
Home to Arsenal, GW1, big game.
Away to Fulham, GW2, not a big game.
Away to Grimsby, Carabao Cup, lesser game than Fulham.
Home to Burnley, GW3, hopefully, lesser game than Fulham, following disparaging comments from Amorim.

Saturday @5pm, we'll know if we've managed to take advantage of the situation.

We need to keep them out early on....

dibraidio wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:36 am

Ruben Amorin hasn't become a bad manager over night, the players he has should be able to produce much more. I would say that the chance of them being relegated is close to zero because either they resolve the issue or Amorin leaves and someone else will get them playing.

He kept saying "the players have clearly shown what they want" but he wouldn't put it into words what he thinks they want. He said the same in his interviews with ITV and Sky and refused to clarify each time.

Such a contrast to our own situation right now.

Struck me he meant they clearly don't give a flying one. I find his level of English very good and I think it's good enough for him to make a coded message. Unless, I'm totally wrong and he felt their fightback from 0-2 down was good.

ClaretOfMancunia wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:42 am

Saw one Man U fan asking for Dyche last night

Would probably be a perfect appointment for them right now, can't think of anyone better, club needs stability, back to basics, and discipline, exactly dyche.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 4:48 pm

We need to keep them out early on....

We need to keep the ball much better than we did against Sunderland.

From The Athletic:

“Grimsby Town owner Jason Stockwood has revealed that Manchester United staff enquired as to where the manager’s dressing room would be at the 9,000-seater Blundell Park ahead of the team’s Carabao Cup game on Wednesday night — with Stockwood joking that his own manager David Artell might be likely to get changed in his car than have a personal changing room.

During an extended conversation with The Athletic FC podcast on Thursday, Stockwood said: “I’ll tell you one funny quick thing. With Manchester United coming to town, they sent us almost a rider for the manager and it was like, where’s the manager’s changing room? And I was like, f***ing hell, the manager’s changing room? For us, it is the back of his car.

“The manager has a changing room at Man United? I thought that was quite amusing. They clearly didn’t know what they were coming into. When the players came off the bus and onto the pitch, I stood around and the United players did not look like they were up for it. It was all the cliches."

MrTechno wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 8:25 am

Just put in a WhatsApp group, has there ever been a better time to play man United at old Trafford? They might be a bit of a wounded animal but this has surely got to be one of the best time to play them in recent times. We should go there confident we can get a result. As you said keep it tight and hit them on the break. They really struggled with Grimsby’s counter attacking last night, especially that lad on the right hand side who worked incredibly hard and had pace. UTC, NNN

Last season the game before the Europa League final would be the ultimate perfect time to play them but this weekend certainly doesn’t seem far off

United will come after us from the start they will want to, need to, beat us soundly and in style.
If we get at them and unsettle them, pressure on them will be inevitable on and off the field.
You never know..

Looks like heavy rain tomorrow for the match, just like at Grimsby. Might be a bit of a leveller.

Then again, they've had some practice at it this week!

martin_p wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 28, 2025 10:25 am

This is the worst Man United team in the last 50 years irrespective of last night’s result. We need to go into the game remembering that.

No last season was the worst.

They have added at least two very good attacking players since then, which will be the problem.