Five Cantonas

Marseille aren’t a team most fans know too much about, but they have become regulars on the European scene lately.

We haven’t played them ourselves for 12 years, and they haven’t been in the Champions League knockout stage since their bribery-tainted victory in 1993. That said, they have impressed at times in their recent Champions League campaigns, which have included a victory over Liverpool at Anfield, and their squad is flecked with quality.

This season they look like they mean business. They won away at Spartak Moscow (3-0) and MSK Zilina (whatever…) and beat Chelsea at home, albeit after the rentboy’s form plunged off a cliff. They also made it through the group with only three goals conceeded. Only Manchester United and Real Madrid conceeded less.

Their main goal threat, Andre-Pierre Gignac, will miss the game, as previously mentioned, although Mathieu Valbuena has returned to training this week. Valbuena was a goalscoring part of the impressive France team which tore England a new one a few months back, and has been linked with a move to everyone good, including ourselves. Despite being short of match practice he should start.

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Marseille are not short of experience, either, with the influential Lucho Gonzalez well into his second season at the club, and sixth in the Champions League. He is of course familiar to us from his time with Porto, who we seem to play remarkably often.

Their team also contains a certain Gabriel Heinze. I’m not sure where to begin with this dickhead, other to say that it will be an absolute pleasure to welcome the wannabe dipper back to Old Trafford, and thank him for his service. I thought we would miss him when he left, but I was not counting on Patrice being so, so good.

The tie offers United a chance to return to the Stade Velodrome, famous for it’s intimidating atmosphere. In 1999, we lost 1-0 to them, with a young William Gallas grabbing the only goal. A year prior, it was the scene of Dennis Bergkamp’s winner against Argentina, one of the great World Cup goals. England played Tunisia there in the group stages of that tournament. Amusingly, their record attendance was for the 2004 visit of Newcastle United.

Although Gignac is out and Valbuena short of games, we have injury problems ourselves, with the usual suspects out, along with Anderson, who picked up a knock against Crawley, and Ferdinand, who still hasn’t shaken off whatever minor niggle has got to him this time.

If he were still at United, and you’d asked me ten days ago, Heinze would probably have started at center back tonight, because we’re missing Rio Ferdinand again. I would have been reluctant to suggest Chris Smalling as an alternative due to his lack of experience, but he was so colossal against City that it would be ludicrous to leave him out. Composed, confident, dominant in the air, this kid is the real deal.

He will partner Vidic, with Evra and Rafael at full-back (although John O’Shea has come back into favour lately). Then it gets interesting. If Marseille go 4-3-3, I expect us to do the same, meaning Berba could, again, be the one to miss out. It’s a difficult one. Berba doesn’t really fit the system, although that’s more the fault of those around him than his own. We tend to be more effective overall with Rooney up top.

Nani is the first name on the teamsheet this season, and I expect Giggs to start on the other wing to provide experience. With Anderson out injured, a midfield of Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher pretty much picks itself once Giggs is wide, with Gibson looking woefully short of form.

Park’s absence is a blow, because I think he would have started this game, but I still think we’re strong enough to win this tie. Our away form is a concern, however, so I think we can expect a draw here.

Five Cantonas Prediction

1-1. Rooney to continue his renaissance, but they will grab one in the second half when they come at us. We will be happy with this result.

Edit:

Shows what I know. No sooner do I post this, the news breaks that Giggs has not been named in the squad to travel, along with Rio, Owen and Anderson. Has he picked up a knock? Does this mean Rooney will play on the left with Berba up top?