Stoke vs Manchester United: 3 Key Battles That Will Decide The Outcome Of The Game

Stoke vs Manchester United: 3 Key Battles

The Red Devils travel to Stoke on New Years Day hoping to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games. While Stoke on the other hand, will be looking to add United as another scalp in what has been an oddly confusing season for the Potters. With both squads, depleted by injury, neither manager will have the players to effectively rotate the squad. While that might reduce the quality of the game, the longer the game wears on, given the attacking quality on the pitch, there certainly promises to be a few goals in what is the first game of 2015. Here are the three key battles that will decide the outcome of the game.

1. Ryan Shawcross vs Radamel Falcao

In the absence of the suspended Robin Van Persie, Radamel Falcao looks set to lead the line against arguably the most physical side in the League. The Colombian striker struggled to deal with the physicality in the game against Tottenham and was often beaten in the air by the center backs.  Although fully fit, the 28-year-old is still struggling to get back to the form he showed for Porto and Atletico Madrid.

When it comes to the League’s centre backs, they don’t come much more Physical than Shawcross. The Englishman, who has been linked with a move back to Old Trafford will be keen to show Louis Van Gaal that he is ready to make the step and dominate the Colombian striker, who still only has two goals to his name at United. If he can do that and clear the crosses that come in for Falcao, then the hosts have a good chance of getting something from the game.

2. Battle on the flanks

With both Rafael and Luke Shaw fit again, Van Gaal is likely to revert to a back four with those two as full backs. Although both players are good defensively, it is going forward that they flourish at and it is exactly what they will be asked to do at the Britannia.  With Ashley Young likely to continue his place in front Shaw as a left winger, the home side will have to be on their mark defensively if they are to stop the crosses coming in from both flanks.

For Stoke, width hasn’t been a particularly integral part of their play ever since the arrival of Bojan. But with the Spaniard likely to miss the game through injury, the Potters will have to make good use of the flanks and provide good crosses into the box and trouble what is an ever-changing United defense. Whichever team wins the battle on the flanks, will without a doubt, emerge as the winner in the game as well.

3. Wayne Rooney vs Steven N’Zonzi

Manchester United’s injury crisis has meant that their best striker has been deployed as a central midfielder in the last few games and that looks certain to continue against Stoke. With two strikers occupying the central defenders, the Englishman has excelled at making the late run into the box and scoring goals and will be hoping to inch closer to Andrew Cole, who is in second place on the list of players with most Premier League goals.

The man tasked with the responsibility of stopping him scoring and creating openings for his teammates, will be Steven N’Zonzi. With all eyes on Bojan, the Frenchman has quietly become the heartbeat of the Stoke side, receiving the ball in midfield and then moving forward with great purpose to create an opening in attack. On Thursday, he might have to take on a more defensive role to help his defense negate the threat of Rooney. If he is successful in doing that, Stoke will be able to end United’s unbeaten run and replicate their victory in the corresponding fixture last season.