Sporting Alert

College Football, NCAAB, NBA, NFL

Adnan Januzaj

Januzaj Starts: Man United v Club Brugge Live!

by Leave a Comment

MANCHESTER, Sporting Alert – Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has decided to stick with the same starting XI that defeated Aston Villa in the Premier League last Friday for today’s Champions League play-off against Club Brugge.

Watch Manchester United v Club Brugge Live! : Fox Soccer 2Go USA, Fox Sports GO. Live TV Coverage on Fox Sports 1 USA.

This means that Adnan Januzaj, who scored the only goal in that contest, will keep his place in the starting line-up and will support captain Wayne Rooney in the attack.

Memphis Depay gets another chance to impress his manager on the left flank with Ashley Young staying on the bench.

Michael Carrick and Morgan Schneiderlin, who have been impressive thus far in their central role in midfield in protecting the back four, continue with that role in the centre of the pitch with Chris Smalling and Daley Blind holding things down in the heart of the defense.

Rooney, who struggled to get involved against Aston Villa, will be hoping for a better performance against Club Brugge as he seeks to get off the mark in the campaign.

There is no David de Gea in the match day squad, as Sergio Romero keeps his place between the sticks, with youngster Sam Johnstone named as his backup.

Marouane Fellaini is back on the bench after missing the opening two Premier League games because of suspension. He is still ineligible for league contests but can play in the Champions League because his red card only holds up for domestic competition.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javier Hernandez, Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia are also on the substitutes bench.

Midfield playmaker Victor Vazquez, who has been identified as the dangerman for Club Brugge, starts for the visitors and Van Gaal has warned his team to keep a keen eye on the Spaniard.

Manchester United will be hoping to secure a victory to take into the second leg, which will take place in Belgium next week.

Manchester United: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Carrick, Schneiderlin, Mata, Memphis, Januzaj, Rooney. Subs: Johnstone, Valencia, Schweinsteiger, Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Chicharito Hernandez.

Club Brugge: Bruzzese, Cools, Mechele, Duarte, De Bock, Vormer, Simons, Vazquez, Dierckx, Diaby, Bolingoli. Subs: Bolat, De Fauw, Oulare, Castelletto, Vanaken, Claudemir, De Sutter.

 

Januzaj Fires Man United To Premier League Summit

by Leave a Comment

VILLA PARK, Sporting Alert – Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal as Manchester United beat Aston Villa 1-0 in Friday night’s Premier League game at Villa Park.

Januzaj, a surprise starter in place of Ashley Young on the day, expertly took his chance when he picked up a wonder through ball from Juan Mata and finished past Brad Guzan, who was wrong-footed after a deflection off one of his defenders in the 29th minute.

Mata, who busy in the midfield all game, also delivered another first-class through ball pass late in the second half for Memphis Depay to double the lead.

However, the Dutchman failed to get his shot on target as he dragged his attempt wide of the mark, much to the disappointment of his manager Louis van Gaal, who moved him wide left for the game.

In the end though, Manchester United were able to make that one goal counted as the likes of Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian, Luke Shaw, Michael Carrick and Morgan Schneiderlin all played impressively during the win.

The victory saw Man United going to the top of the English Premier League standings for the first time since the beginning of the David Moyes era at the start of the 2013-14 season.

The Red Devils were also keeping back-to-back clean sheets in the first two games of the season for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.

Despite creating a limited amount of chances Louis van Gaal says he is happy with the way things are shaping up for his team.

“There is still a long way to go,” the Dutchman said. “You cannot expect it with only four weeks preparation.

“You need more matches to come in the form I think we can show.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood said he was disappointed with the result.

“I am disappointed with the result, I thought we nullified them, but it is to be expected, we have a lot of players out there trying to find their feet in English football. We will improve,” he said.

“It is hard to judge us against Manchester United, but it was not what I was looking for. We could be a bit more potent in the final third.”

Manchester United leads the English Premier League standings with six points after two games, but the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Leicester City could all overtake them with quality victories.

Aston Villa v Manchester United, Lineups, Live Channels

by Leave a Comment

VILLA PARK, Sporting Alert – Manchester United make one change for tonight’s Premier League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Watch Live online streaming on NBCSN, NBCU |  Live Radio Streaming on talkSport.com

The lone change sees Adnan Januzaj coming into the starting lineup to replace Ashley Young and he will link up with Juan Mata and Memphis Depay in supporting striker and captain Wayne Rooney in the attack.

Januzaj, who makes his first start since early February, has been positioned on the left, but the Belgian could very well move inside to play in the No. 10 slot behind Rooney, with Depay moving outside on the left to deliver his crosses.

“He showed a lot of good things in training and I will play him in his favourite position in no.10,” United manager Louis van Gaal said.

Meanwhile, with David de Gea still out of the squad after not selected by manager Louis van Gaal, summer signing Sergio Romero, who was impressive in the latter stages of the opener against Tottenham, will continue to start in the goal.

Chris Smalling and Daley Blind are again trusted as the centre-backs, with Morgan Schneiderlin and Michael Carrick leading things in the central part of the midfield.

For Aston Villa, Tim Sherwood will continue with his setup that defeated the newly promoted Bournemouth 1-0 over the weekend, which means striker Rudy Gestede, who scored the winning goal after coming on as a second-half substitute, remains on the bench.

Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Ayew, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Scott Sinclair all start for Sherwood’s side, which will try to go top of the Premier League standings with a win.

New recruit Adama Traore will be in attendance for The Villans, but the Barcelona loanee who just put pen to paper, will not be in action.

It could be a difficult night again for Aston Villa as they face a striker in Rooney, who has scored more goals against them than any other team, while the hosts haven’t beaten Manchester United at home since 1996.

A win tonight for Man United, who defeated Tottenham 1-0 in their opening game of the season, would see them going three points clear of the top of the EPL table standings.

Also on the bench tonight for van Gaal’s side are Javier Hernandez, Ander Herrera, Antonio Valencia and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Aston Villa v Manchester United

Aston Villa: Guzan, Bacuna, Richards, Clark, Amavi, Veretout, Gueye, Westwood, Ayew, Agbonlahor, Sinclair. Subs: Baker, Richardson, Hutton, Sanchez, Kozak, Bunn, Gestede

Man United: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Carrick, Schneiderlin, Mata, Depay, Januzaj, Rooney. Subs: Hernandez, Young, Ander Herrera, Valencia, Schweinsteiger, McNair, Johnstone

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

Impressive Man United beat Barcelona 3-1 friendly

by Leave a Comment

CALIFORNIA, Sporting Alert – Goals from Wayne Rooney, Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj carried Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Barcelona in an International Champions Cup game at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday.

Manchester United were winning its third successive game in pre-season, following a 1-0 victory over Club America and a 3-1 win against the San Jose Earthquakes in earlier fixtures.

Rooney opened the score for the English Premier League side when he headed home a corner kick from Ashley Young in the eighth minute of play.

Barcelona came very close to scoring four times in the first half, but striker Luis Suarez hit the post on two occasions.

The Uruguay international had another chance to get on the score sheet before the halftime break but he scuffed his shot and goalkeeper David de Gea collected easily.

De Gea made a world-class save early in the game on a one-and-one battle with Sergi Roberto to stop his team from going behind.

Manager Louis van Gaal made 11 changes to his Manchester United setup and the Red Devils were quickly rewarded when Lingard finished from inside the box, following a lovely build up that saw Tyler Blackett putting in a cross in the 65th minute.

Barcelona pulled a goal back in the 90th minute when youngster Rafinha beat substitute goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with a stunning volley finish from outside the box.

However, Manchester United’s two-goal lead was restored almost immediately, after Januzaj broke away on a long pass before cutting inside and firing past the Barcelona keeper, one minute into stoppage time.

Both teams were playing without several top players, with Lionel Messi and Neymar skipping this trip for Barca, and the likes of Angel Di Maria, Javier Hernandez and Marcos Rojo sitting for Man United.

Januzaj Tells Van Gaal To Stop Playing Him As A Wing-Back

by Leave a Comment

Adnan Januzaj
Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj

MANCHESTER (Sporting Alert) — Adnan Januzaj has cast doubts about his Manchester United future, after telling his manager Louis van Gaal to stop playing him as a defender.

Januzaj, who revealed that he plays more comfortable as a winger or in the No. 10 role, says he feels out of place playing as a wing-back in the Dutchman’s new System.

“I’m not really a wing-back,” the Belgian said in the Man United Review.

“System can make it more difficult for me but I have to keep working. That is what I am doing in training every day as I want more games.

“I’ve been a No.10 since I was young and I can play there more easily but I know I can also play as a winger.”

The 19-year-old was a regular for David Moyes during last season’s horrific campaign, but has found the going tough this term trying to break into Van Gaal’s setup.

The talented playmaker has been limited to just five English Premier League starts this season, and he has not been effected when playing as a wing-back.

“It’s harder for me to play as a wing-back because there is more defending involved and I’m not really a defender.

“My favourite position is as a No10 or a winger. There are lots of players here and I can play in different roles – it’s just a case of taking my opportunities.”

Januzaj has been linked with moves to several top clubs in Europe, including Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but Manchester United are reluctant to let another one of the club’s talented youngsters leave Old Trafford.

Everton reportedly tried to sign the teenager on loan on Deadline Day, but Van Gaal rejected the offer.

Januzaj played the entire 90 minutes in the 3-1 EPL win over Leicester City last Saturday, but at times he played outside of his comfort zone and was less than effective.

It will be interesting to see Januzaj’s development in the coming months with all eyes firmly set on whether he will remain a Manchester United player this coming summer.

Manchester United To Reject Everton’s Loan Bid For Januzaj

by Leave a Comment

Adnan Januzaj
Adnan Januzaj wanted by Everton: Linked Photo

MANCHESTER (Sporting Alert) — Manchester United is set to reject a loan bid from Everton for midfielder Adnan Januzaj on Monday’s deadline day, this is according to reports.

The Manchester Evening News is reporting that Everton manager Roberto Martinez wants to bring Januzaj to Goodinson Park on a loan deal until the end of the season.

However, it is understood that Man United boss Louis van Gaal has no intentions of letting the 19-year-old winger leave Old Trafford because he still believes the Belgian has a role to play in the squad this season.

Januzaj was a regular last season under David Moyes, but has struggled this term to earn a consistent run in the first team under new manager Van Gaal.

The stylish teenager played the full 90-minutes in Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday with both Van Gaal and his assistant manager Ryan Giggs using the outing to take a better look as his progression.

It is believed that both Giggs and Van Gaal want to see an improvement in Januzaj’s decision-making and concentration on the pitch and will continue to monitor his progress.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s attempt to sign a center-back in the January transfer window looks well set to end in failure, as Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos is ruling out a deadline day move to Old Trafford and Matt Hummels is also determined to stay put at Borussia Dortmund until at least the end of the season.

The Red Devils have also been linked with a move for Valencia center back Nicolas Otamendi, but Van Gaal is refusing to pay his current asking price.

Several reports in Spain are claiming that Otamendi would welcome a move to Old Trafford, but the Argentine defender is in no rush to leave the Spanish side in this window, and would rather consider a better offer in the summer transfer market.

Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj on the bench for Belgium v Luxembourg

by Leave a Comment

(SportingAlert.com) — Manchester United attacker Adnan Januzaj is on the bench for Belgium as they take on Luxembourg in a World Cup 2014 friendly football clash at Cristal Arena Monday night.

Follow Live Coverage of Belgium v Luxembourg

Januzaj, who only recently declared that he wants to play for Belgium is expected to make his debut for Belgium, as head coach Marc Wilmots looks to fine tune his team for the tournament which starts in Brazil next month.

Also starting on the bench as well are Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, also with Tottenham midfielder Nacer Chadli.

Dries Mertens, Daniel Van Buyten, Steven Defour and Nicolas Lombaerts are also on the bench.

Meanwhile, Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku, who was on form on loan this past season with Everton, leads the attack for Belgium, as Wilmots named a strong team that also includes Thomas Vermaelen, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard and Kevin Mirallas.

Belgium v Luxembourg

Belgium: Courtois, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, Fellaini, Eden Hazard, Mirallas, De Bruyne, Lukaku
Subs: Mignolet, Mertens, Van Buyten, Defour, Origi, Lombaerts, Dembele, Januzaj, Vanden Borre, Chadli, Ciman, Bossut

Kevin Pietersen and Jack Wilshere involve in Twitter spat over foreigners

by Leave a Comment

LONDON (Sporting Alert) — Kevin Pietersen and Jack Wilshere were involved in a Twitter bickering on Wednesday, following comments the Arsenal midfielder made about foreign-born sportsmen representing England.

England midfielder Wilshere recently hit out at suggestions that Manchester united wonderkid Adnan Januzaj, who was born in Belgium, could one day be recruited to represent the Three Lions, stating: “The only people who should play for England are English people.

“If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English.”

However, top order batsman Pietersen, who was born in South Africa and has played 99 Tests for England, wasn’t a fan of Wilshere’s comments.

Pietersen wrote on his official Twitter account: “@JackWilshere -interested to know how you define foreigner…? Would that include me, (Andrew) Strauss, (Jonathan) Trott, (Matthew) Prior, Justin Rose, (Chris) Froome, Mo Farah?”

The tweet led Wilshere to defend his own comments: “@KP24 With all due respect Mr Pietersen the question was about Football! Cricket, cycling, Athletics is not my field!”

Pietersen returned with: “@JackWilshere same difference.. It’s about representing your country! IN ANY SPORT!”

Wilshere was again forced to post a response: “@KP24 I agree that’s exactly what i was saying….”

Wilshere said that he wish Januzaj was indeed English, adding ” I’m sure most of you agree with me even if some journalist are trying to make me look bad….again!

Rooney, Januzaj start for Manchester United at Sunderland: Watch Live

by Leave a Comment

(Sporting Alert) — Wayne Rooney starts for Manchester United in tonight’s English Barclays Premier League game with Sunderland at Stadium of Light.

Watch the live stream of Sunderland vs Manchester United on NBCSports also follow live updates @NBCSportsSoccer, Live Radio Coverage on TalkSport

Rooney was force to sit out Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Shakhtar in the Champions League in midweek with a shin problem, but the England forward, as predicted in back in the starting XI.

He will start alongside Robin van Persie in the United attack, with Nani and Adnan Januzaj also earning starting places.

Phil Jones partners Nemanja Vidic in the heart of the defense, with Chris Smalling on the bench no place for the injured Rio Ferdinand.

Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley play in midfield, but there was no place for Marouane Fellaini, who is not even on the bench for the champions.

For Sunderland, who are sitting at the bottom of the standings with one point and without a manager, striker Fabio Borini is on the bench after missing Sunday’s game parent club Liverpool.

Lee Cattermole, Craig Gardner, Emanuele Giaccherini, John O’Shea and Jozy Altidore all start for the home side.

Sunderland v Manchester United

Sunderland: Westwood; Celustka, Colback, O’Shea, Roberge; Cattermole, Ki, Gardner, Johnson, Giaccherini; Altidore.
Subs: Cabral, Larsson, Wickham, Cuellar, Dong-won, Borini, Mannone.

Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Evra, Vidic, Jones; Carrick, Cleverley, Januzaj, Nani; Rooney, van Persie.
Subs: Lindegaard, Smalling, Valencia, Giggs, Kagawa, Hernandez, Welbeck,