Shanghai Shenhua v Manchester United: Preview

By Sean McGuire

Manchester United’s third game of their 2012 pre-season tour sees the Reds take on Shanghai Shenhua at the Shanghai Stadium in the Chevrolet China Cup. United received a warm welcome from thousands of passionate fans in China when they arrived yesterday ahead of Wednesday’s game; and they will also experience a hot reception in Shanghai’s Stadium from a sell-out 65,000 crowd.

Prior to the match we will see the Manchester United Premier Cup final take place for the world’s best Under-15s.

Shenhua have become one of China’s more ambitious teams with Didier Drogba now joining ex-Chelsea team mate Nicolas Anelka in Shanghai. However the Chinese league team have struggled so far this season winning just four of their eighteen matches and currently lie 12th in the Chinese Super League.

Although match-fitness is the priority, United will still feel a little disappointed with their two pre-season games in South Africa where they won 1-0 against AmaZulu and drew 1-1 with Ajax thanks to a last gasp equaliser from Bebe.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s team will look to make amends against Shanghai Shenhua, which could be the last chance for some of United’s youngsters as more of the senior players are set to join the Reds later in the summer.

Team News

Sir Alex Ferguson has stated that he will field the strongest team possible in China, which could see the Reds naming a similar team to the one that started against Ajax Cape Town on Saturday. United are still without World Cup players Rooney, Young, Welbeck, Jones, Evra and Nani and Olympians Giggs, Cleverley, Rafael and De Gea.

With Ben Amos starting his loan spell at Hull City, the boss may give England under-19 goalkeeper Ben Johnstone a chance between the sticks. The back four should see Rio Ferdinand and Scott Wootton resume in the centre-back positions, with Blackett or Brady at left-back and Veseli or Vermijl on the right. Smalling, Evans and Vidic are still unavailable.

Shini Kagawa, who is now Asia’s most expensive player after his transfer from Dortmund to United, should start for the Reds on his home continent. He may play in the middle alongside either Carrick or Scholes or on the left wing, with Valencia on the right. Anderson, Lingard, Powell, Bebe, Tunnicliffe and Petrucci could all feature at some point in the game. Fletcher is still out through illness.

Hernandez should resume upfront, with Berbatov and Macheda available as a second striker. Shinji Kagawa could also play just behind the front-man in a 4-5-1 formation.

Match Facts

• Shanghai Shenhua were formed in 1951 under the name East China Team
• In the Treble-winning year of 1999, the Reds won 2-0 against Shanghai Shenhua. The goalscoring heroes from the Nou Camp were on target again as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer netted after an hour and then set up Teddy Sheringham for the clincher.
• Former Argentina manager Sergio Batista is the new head coach of Shanghai Shenuah after replacing Anelka, who had stepped in as player-coach following Jean Tigana’s sacking
• The Reds last game in the Far East was a ten goal thriller against Greentown Hangzhou. Ryan Giggs scored a Hat trick in an 8-2 win for United.

• Shanghai Shenhua means ‘Flower of Shangha’ in Chinese.
• Shenuah strikers Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba played against United in the 2008 Champions League final. Drogba was sent-off in extra-time and Anelka saw his penalty saved by Edwin Van Der Sar in the shoot-out, which handed Manchester United the trophy.
• There is an estimated 108million Manchester United fans in China.

Teams

Shanghai Shenhua: (from) Wang Dalei, Xiong Fei, Moisés, Wang Lin, Dai Lin, Yu Tao, Feng Renliang, Song Boxuan, Jiang Kun, Didier Drogba, Bai Jiajun, Cheng Liang, Fei Yu, Wang Fei, Fan Lingjiang, Zheng Kaimu, Wu Xi, Wang Guanyi, Qiu Shengjiong, Qiu Tianyi, Wang Yang, Zhang Jiawei, Liu Junnan, Cao Yunding, Joel Griffiths, Tao Jin, You Yuanwen, Gu Bin, Yan Song, Dong Guangxiang, Wang Shouting, Giovanni Moreno, Wang Hongliang, Nicolas Anelka

Manager: Sergio Batista

Manchester United: (from) Lindegaard, Johnstone, Ferdinand, Veseli, Vermijl, Wootton, Blackett; Valencia, Anderson, Carrick, Scholes, Powell, Kagawa, Bebe, Tunnicliffe, Lingard, Brady, Petrucci, Berbatov, Chicharito, Macheda.

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson