26-10-2010 21:00 Manchester United - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Search for silverware

It will never take pride of place in the United trophy room, but the League Cup has been kind to the club.

Ferguson's men have lifted the trophy in the previous two seasons, with Tottenham and Aston Villa beaten in the finals. The victory against the Midlanders prevented a potless campaign, with the latest defence kicking off in free scoring fashion against Scunthorpe United.

Wolves began in the competition by making hard work of League One outfit Notts County. A late Nenad Milijas penalty saved defeat before they ran rampant in extra time to claim a 4-2 win.

History repeating?

Wolves and United met in the third round 12 months ago, with a repeat result for the hosts on Ferguson's mind.

The match winner that day, Danny Welbeck, is now plying his trade on loan at Sunderland so a different second choice centre forward must come to the fore. After he netted a brace against Scunthorpe, Owen could be that man.

Wolves haven't tasted victory in the fixture since Kenny Miller stunned United with a famous goal in a 1-0 league victory in January 2004. The Theatre of Dreams has been even less charitable, with no win recorded in nearly 30 years.
TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

In a sign of the times for Michael Owen, the ex-England striker can expect to be involved from the start while the rest of Manchester United's star names stay at home.

Javier Hernandez's stellar beginning and Federico Macheda's rise has forced the 30-year-old to regularly miss the cut for the 18-man Premier League match day squads. If manager Sir Alex Ferguson goes for an adventurous selection, Owen can expect to partner the Italian up top.

With injuries aplenty out wide, Gabriel Obertan should follow his substitute appearance against Stoke City with a role from kick-off. On the opposite flank, Bebe could be handed his first start for the club since his surprise summer transfer.

The highlight of the evening for the United faithful could be the long-awaited return of Owen Hargreaves. The midfielder's second - and rumoured final - comeback after a two-year injury nightmare could begin in earnest.

Probable starting XI: Kuszczak; Rafael, Smalling, Brown, Fabio; Bebe, Gibson, Anderson, Obertan; Owen, Macheda.

Wolves

Coach Mick McCarthy was slammed for selecting a top flight second string at Old Trafford last term but will cope no flack for the same trick in the League Cup.

The players who performed so admirably in defeat to Chelsea will be told to put up their feet. McCarthy's refusal to sanction a loan exit for Wayne Hennessey will see him replace veteran goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Injury hit summer signing Steven Mouyokolo could also be handed a rare start after he made the substitute's bench at Stamford Bridge. Perennial reserve George Elokobi could also fit in at the back.

Stephen Hunt may be given more minutes under his belt after the fellow new boy came off the treatment table to feature at the weekend, while United youth product Sylvan Ebanks-Blake will be given a run out on his old stomping ground.

Probable starting XI: Hennessey; Stearman, Mancienne, Mouyokolo, Elokobi; Foley, Jones, Milijas, Hunt; Ebanks-Blake, Bent.

Prediction

Man Utd. 3-1 Wolves

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26-10-2010 20:45 Saint Etienne - Girondins Bordeaux

Content

There have been signs in recent weeks that the tremendous start made by Saint-Etienne to the Ligue 1 season is starting to fade. While Christophe Galtier will not view Tuesday’s encounter as essential, he will certainly see it as a game that could get the wheels turning in the right direction at the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard once more.

Saturday brought with it moderate disappointment at home against Caen. Galtier had recognised before the match that it would pose his side problems, though the manner in which his men played the first half was disappointing, and they thoroughly deserved to trail 1-0 at the interval. They replied in a rousing manner after the break, creating chances before Emmanuel Riviere equalised, though Dimitri Payet missed a golden opportunity to win the game by cracking a penalty high.

“We do have some regrets, because we had the chance to win it at the death,” the coach confessed to the media come full-time. “In truth, on the balance of play did we really deserve to win? We wanted to be on 20 points after 10 games; that would have been exceptional. We’ve got 18 and that’s not bad is it?”

Sainte have slipped to third in the standings, but after two years battling against the drop this represents a massive improvement. Success in either of the cup competitions would have to be considered a happy bonus for the Loire side.

Ups And Downs

Girondins de Bordeaux have a rich history in the Coupe de la Ligue, and as Jean Tigana attempts to win over fans at the Stade Chaban-Delmas over the course of the next season, he may well see the competition as something of a staging post at which his sides can impress.

Tigana’s predecessor, Laurent Blanc, won his first senior title in this very competition by overseeing a comfortable success over Vannes at the Stade de France back in 2009. If he could replicate such an achievement, it would be quite a feat given the staff changes on and off the field that les Girondins have had to cope with.

There have been signs that Bordeaux could get back towards their best. Fine performances have arrived against Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain – the headline teams in France – but against less glamorous opposition, the Aquitaine club has struggled.

At the weekend they were defeated at home by an upstart Stade Brestois side making waves in Ligue 1. Les Marine et Blanc spent much of the match pressing but were twice caught unawares as SB29 struck once in each half.

“Even if I’m not angry, I’m not going to sleep well tonight,” Tigana fumed on Saturday evening. “We were awful in the first half and were fortunate to go in at the break just 1-0 down. In the second half we were better.”

A reaction is expected from Bordeaux on Tuesday at a venue at which their hosts are unbeaten this term.

TEAM NEWS

Saint-Etienne

Dimitri Payet and Christophe Landrin are suspended for the hosts, who will also be without Loic Perrin once again. Long-term injuries keep Josuha Guilavogui, Boubacar Sanogo and Yohan Andreu sidelined.

Bordeaux

Henrique is les Girondins’ only injury concern as Benoit Tremoulinas will to return to the squad. On the other hand, Alou Diarra is still missing following his controversial red card against Auxerre.

Prediction

Much depends on the strength of squad the respective coach’s elect to deploy. Saint-Etienne have decent depth to their panel, but absent players will make their lives tough. However, the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard rarely presents itself as an easy venue for teams to visit, so this match may well need additional time to decide it.

AS Saint-Etienne 1-1 Bordeaux

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26-10-2010 20:30 Bayern Munchen - Werder

Onwards And Upwards In Munich
 
Bayern Munich may have had grave doubts cast upon their ability to retain their league title but as one of Europe's giants, they are well versed in the battle on multiple fronts. With the green shoots of recovery starting to peer out from underneath the gloom that had engulfed the Allianz Arena, the DFB-Pokal provides another chance not only for Bayern to continue on an upward curve but to flex their muscles once more. However, Werder will present a stiffer challenge than fifth tier Windeck, whom Bayern cast aside 4-0 in the opening round.

"We must not lose," was the message from coach Louis van Gaal, who is still holding out hope of the club succeeding where it so narrowly failed last year - winning a treble.

"If we get through this period and remain in all three competitions - the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal, we can still win everything. We have been doing well. And if we win tomorrow, that would be great," the master tactician elaborated.

Van Gaal has had two draws in both his home encounters against Werder and is looking for his first win against Thomas Schaaf's men but he admitted that it would be difficult.

Captain Mark van Bommel, who is currently out with injury, issued a rallying cry and extolled the advantages of playing in front of what will be a packed crowd in Munich.

"Our goal is this season also to reach the final again in Berlin. We will take on any opponent who we meet. It is certainly no disadvantage that we are playing against Bremen in front of our home crowd."


Looking To Banish Bad Memories
 
164 days after their utterly comprehensive 4-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern in the DFB-Pokal final, Thomas Schaaf's side have the earliest possible opportunity for revenge. Bremen are a side who have punched well below their weight at both home and abroad this season and the knockout format represents a chance for relief from their day to day troubles.

In the first round, die Gruen-Weissen cruised to a comfortable victory over underdog hosts Rot-Weiss Ahlen. Claudio Pizarro scored in the 28th minute but Ahlen remained in the game until after the hour mark. Thereafter the visitors' advantage in class took effect, and Hugo Almeida, Tim Borowski, and Marko Marin all netted to secure an eventually comfortable win. The cup holders will of course be a completely different kettle of fish.

"That is of course the most difficult opponent we could have been drawn against. However, we want to continue our strong cup tradition in Munich and we can also against a team like Bayern," captain Torsten Frings stated with more than a hint of optimism.

The spotlight will be on the man between the sticks for Bremen, third-choice keeper Sebastian Mielitz, who after a shaky start this season against Twente, when he entered the field as an unexpected replacement once Tim Wiese was forced off with a knee problem, impressed no end against Borussia Moenchengladbach. The young goalie pulled off a string of outstanding stops to deny the Gladbach attacking juggernaut and showed a coolness of temperament, not expected for a player of his tender years.

"I believe that Miele is really looking forward to playing in such a stadium against such a backdrop. I think he is feeling good inside that he will get another chance but he is a quiet boy who understands the situation," Thomas Schaaf said.


TEAM NEWS
 
Bayern Munich
 
Bayern have a number of well-known injury absentees including the likes of captain Mark van Bommel and Belgian centre-half Daniel van Buyten. Martin Demichelis is out of favour and hence the starting line up, with Anatoliy Tymoschuk receiving another chance to impress in defence, despite his stated reluctance for such a role. Miroslav Klose has caught the cold and so Louis van Gaal will name an unchanged side from that, which drew 0-0 in Hamburg on Friday.

Probable Starting XI: Butt - Lahm, Tymoschuk, Badstuber, Pranjic - Schweinsteiger, Ottl - Altintop, Mueller, Kroos - Gomez

Werder Bremen
 
As Tim Wiese is still recovering from his knee problem, Sebastian Mielitz continues in goal after his excellent display against Gladbach. Tim Borowski is not able to make it against his old club and Schaaf may opt for the more defensive Philipp Bargfrede in midfield instead of Aaron Hunt. Marko Arnautovic is fighting it out to play upfront alongside Claudio Pizarro, another ex-Bayern man.

Probable Starting XI: Mielitz - Fritz, Mertesacker, Proedl, Pasanen - Frings -Bargfrede, Wesley - Marin - Arnautovic, Pizarro

Prediction

Bremen were very impressive as an attacking force against an admittedly generous Gladbach defence and will give it their all in the Allianz Arena as they look to banish the memories of their painful cup final defeat last season. However, home advantage may just tip the balance in Bayern's favour and history is on der Rekordmeister's side as well.

Bayern Munich 3-2 Werder Bremen

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Tiket 26-10-2010

Murcia - Real Madrid (- 2 AH) : Pick Real Madrid @ 2.00

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