Unheralded youngsters Tyler Blackett
and Reece James were among the
players hoping to feature for injury-
ravaged Manchester United in their
Premier League opener at home to
Swansea City on Saturday.
United launch the 2014-15 campaign against the
Welsh side, in what will be Louis van Gaal's first
competitive game as manager and Wayne Rooney's
first competitive game as captain.
The winds of change have swept through Old Trafford
since last season's dismal seventh-place finish, but
hopes of a strong start to the campaign have been
jeopardised by a raft of injuries.
Striker Robin van Persie is still short of fitness after
his exertions under Van Gaal with Holland at the
World Cup, while Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans,
Danny Welbeck and new signing Luke Shaw are all
out.
Neither Blackett nor James, both of whom are 20,
have ever played a competitive game for United, but
despite Shaw's absence, Van Gaal does not believe
that his side will have problems at left-back.
"I don't think so," the Dutchman said when asked if it
was an area of concern.
"We have played in the USA (during pre-season) with
Ashley Young and Reece James in that position, so
that position is very well-covered."
Later on Saturday, last season's FA Cup winners
Arsenal will launch their assault on the Premier
League title at home to Crystal Palace, who parted
company with manager Tony Pulis on Friday.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who saw his side
outclass league champions Manchester City 3-0 in the
Community Shield last week, is expected to hand a
competitive debut to star signing Alexis Sanchez.
However, Arsenal will be without their German
World Cup-winning trio of Per Mertesacker, Mesut
Ozil and Lukas Podolski, and Wenger is worried that
the start of the season has come too soon for his
side.
"We are a bit short in our preparation," said the
Frenchman.
"We had 11 players at the World Cup. Many of them
had longer holidays after that. We could have done
with one week later, with all the competitions."
With Pulis having left Palace after a reported
disagreement with co-chairman Steve Parish,
assistant manager Steve Parish will be in temporary
charge for the trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Championship winners
Leicester City will play their first top-flight game
since 2004 when they host Everton, while fellow
promoted side Queens Park Rangers welcome Hull
City to Loftus Road.
In the day's other games, Alan Irvine begins his
career as West Bromwich Albion manager at home to
Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur visit London rivals
West Ham United, and Stoke City host Aston Villa.
Saturday's games will witness the first usage of
vanishing spray – used by referees to police
distances at free-kicks – in the English top division.
Manchester City begin their title defence at
Newcastle United on Sunday, with manager Manuel
Pellegrini refusing to reveal who will start in goal for
the champions.
New signing Willy Caballero played in the Community
Shield loss to Arsenal and Pellegrini hinted that the
Argentine's superior fitness gave him the edge over
last season's No 1, Joe Hart.
"Willy Caballero played in the Community Shield
because he worked for around 33 days in pre-season
and Joe Hart just seven or eight days," said the
Chilean.
"For me it is exactly the same as all the other
positions of the team. It is very important for the
team to have two good players in every position and
then we see every week which player starts every
game."
Liverpool, who narrowly lost out to City in last
season's title race, begin the season on Sunday at
home to Southampton, who saw Adam Lallana, Rickie
Lambert and Dejan Lovren all leave for Anfield in
the close season.
Lallana will miss the reunion with his former club
due to a knee injury, but Lambert and Lovren are
both in contention to feature in what will be
Liverpool's first competitive game since the sale of
Luis Suarez to Barcelona.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are expected to hand
competitive debuts to new signings Diego Costa and
Cesc Fabregas when they visit the third promoted
team, Burnley, on Monday.
Fixtures
Saturday
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Leicester City v Everton
Manchester United v Swansea City
Queens Park Rangers v Hull City
Stoke City v Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday
Liverpool v Southampton
Newcastle United v Manchester City
Monday
Burnley v Chelsea
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