Pre Match Report.

Leicester City v Manchester United. Saturday Novemebr 6th.(away)

Will the mighty be fallen?

Peter Gilbert 31.10.99.

I suppose if you ever want to calculate how good a Premiership team is then put them on a football pitch with Manchester Utd for 90 mins. and afterwards you'll have a pretty good idea. Man Utd are what all teams aspire to be and that includes the 'pretenders' to their crown like Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds.
What makes them so good and something to be admired is ..........well they're the most famous and most supported team in the world , they have a fantastic stadium, great players and a firm basis which they have built on steadily over the years.
They get hyped up out of all proportion however and their 'fans' come from far and wide.  If you go to a Man Utd game and sit in the 'good seats' you'll see all sorts of people there for their first time and conversations go like : 'Which one is Posh Spice?' 'Stam doesn't look like he's Japanese.' down to 'Who's that?'  'What is offside?' .   Man Utd fans themselves complain about this element claiming that the ground has been infiltrated by such 'Glory Hunters' and as a result the once feverish fanatic support is dwindling away into corporate entertainment afternoons.
It is constantly expected that Man Utd should/will win every game and there is an element who clearly state that they have the right to win every game especially against such teams as Leicester City.
But the great thing about football - the truly wonderful thing that can shatter 'the theatre of dreams' is that sometimes they don't win and a team like Leicester City could turn up and turn them over. It has certainly been done before and by us......and then it's the most wonderful feeling rather like Ashby Statutes eclipsing Disneyland or David felling Goliath.

Last season when they came to Filbert Street we were truly outplayed and outclassed by Dwight York in particular who took it upon himself to turn our defence inside out.
However they're not at their best at the moment and we are certainly playing well so don't be surprised to see us at the very least give a good account of ourselves.   If I was a Leicester City player I would relish the idea of playing at Old Trafford and if we are not overawed by the occasion and situation then ............well who knows.
These days we do not lie down and die at such venues.

Personally I think Man Utd are to be applauded for the young players who have come through their ranks over the last few years, and apparently there are more on the way.

Match Forecast: Score Draw

Did You Know? (Or Care)

1.Man Utd started life in 1878 as Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Cricket and Football Club. It was a bit of a mouthful to chant; go on try it!!!!!
2. Newton Heath went bankrupt in 1902 and Man Utd were formed.
3. I'm not going to list the trophies they've won or we'll be here all night. Shall we just say: They've won all of them ........several times.
4.The Red Devils hold the record for the lowest ever attendance at an FA Cup Semi Final. Only 17,987 fans watched the 1995 replay with Crystal Palace at Villa Park.
5. Current manager Sir Alex Ferguson is the longest serving manager in the Premiership having been with the club since November 1986.
6. Ex United 'keeper Peter Schmeichel played as an outfield player for Danish League team Hvidovre in 1985 scoring 6 goals.