A reinvigorated Manchester United side, who breezed past Everton 3 goals to nil this past weekend, have got a tricky challenge waiting for them in the Champions League in the form of Russian giants CSKA Moscow. As I’ve mentioned earlier that CSKA Moscow aren’t a side worth underestimating. The task won’t at all be easy, that being at Khimki Stadium itself. The atmosphere is known to be hostile to away European sides and much like Galatasaray or Olympiacos’ Karaiskakis Stadium is known to be one of the most loathed away stadiums in Europe. Any side, let alone Manchester United themselves can cripple under the conditions around them condemning to their fate. United may well be undefeated at home until now, but this game provides them an acid test for as to how good they are away from home.
But here are 5 things Louis van Gaal has to do, if his side is to beat Leonid Slutsky’s men.
Bring in experience in the team
This is something that I mentioned in my previous piece that concerned why CSKA Moscow are a force to be reckoned with and this could turn out to be a vital factor in the game. People who have experience, people who have stepped foot inside stadiums as intimidating as the Khimki will help a lot. The younger players, which Manchester United have in number- Chris Smalling, David de Gea, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Martial and Memphis Depay, may struggle to find their feet at first and if not for players such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney- as long as the whole game too perhaps. They can make them aware of the conditions that prevail there such that they have a clear cut objective in mind for as to what they can expect at Moscow. If all’s not going well, the experience campaigners can lift the spirits of the young players and encourage them from gloomy positions.
In terms of playing, they bring immense composure in the play when the youngsters can get harried quickly by a zealous opposition. Younger players tend to get nervous and the opposition threatens to take full advantage of it by pressing high up the pitch. The experienced players can absorb all of this pressure and help the team perform well.
Playing three or at least Carrick and Schweinsteiger in the midfield can provide United an impetus to play better than they’d play in their absence.