1 September, 2010 – CEO David Gill admits season tickets sales are just 51,800 this season, despite 54,000 season-long seats being available at Old Trafford.

United’s admission that it failed to sell out of season tickets for the first time in memory has exposed as myth both the supposed 17,000 person waiting list and supporters’ enduring ability to soak up ever-increasing prices. After all, aggregate season ticket prices have risen 48 per cent since the Glazer family’s arrival in Manchester five years ago.

Additionally, the UK economy has experienced one of the deepest recessions since the Second World War, with unemployment in Manchester now at 5.4 per cent compared to a national average of 3.6 per cent. Indeed, Gill has claimed pleasure with sales in the UK’s depressed economic environment.

“Last year our target was 54,000 season tickets, we’ve sold 51,800, which is pretty good in the current climate,” Gill claimed.

“We’ve sold more season tickets than the capacity of most Premier League grounds. Our executive seat sales are on track as compared with last year in a different market.

“I think the bare facts are that the club is in good financial shape. The ticket sales have held up.

“We sold out for Newcastle United and West Ham United but we are not complacent and we’ve got to keep working to make sure that we fill the ground for every game and we’ll do that by playing great football, attractive football, exciting football that brings fans in.”

Yet there is something insincere about the Gill’s stance, with the club’s attendances not drastically affected by either the early ’80s or ’90s UK recessions. More to the point, unemployment has not increased at all in the local area over the past year, with the economic climate no worse in summer 2010, when technically the recession has ended, than 2009 when it had not.

Anecdotal evidence points to a large number of supporters heeding the call by the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) and Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) to swap a season ticket for a One United membership, and apply for games on a match-by-match basis.

Duncan Drasdo, chair of MUST, says that the Glazer family has now run out of room to force price increases on supporters in future seasons, with United’s core match-going support eroded over the past five years.

“Up until this season they increased ticket prices aggressively every year and could get away with it because the loyal fans they forced out were replaced by others still prepared to pay the increased price,” said Drasdo.

“The failure to sell out season tickets is very significant as the Glazers depend on an excess of demand over supply to exert control over supporters.”

Just as the Green & Gold protest movement forced the club to freeze ticket price increases for the first time in five years, then the eradication of a waiting list for season tickets will colour the club’s ongoing price strategy.

Not that the shortfall in sales will make a significant financial difference to the family’s plans of course. United’s revenues will suffer little for 2,000 season tickets remaining unsold, unless the corresponding sale of matchday tickets also falls short against the least attractive opposition this season.

Evidence points to the club’s £104 million match revenue holding reasonably steady in the current financial year unless the Sir Alex Ferguson’s side crashes out of the Champions League in the group stage. The Glazers’ business model is essentially predicated on United qualifying for Europe’s premier competition and then making the quarter-finals at least.

Yet, should the failure to invest in the transfer market this summer on established stars impact more heavily than expected, the aggressive marketing campaign to sell season tickets this summer may have to increase a notch more come June 2011.

Reserves coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says that Ferdinand is already ready for a recall to the first team, after completing the first half in the Manchester Senior Cup clash at Bower Fold, Stalybridge.

“Today was about distances and getting tighter to the ball. He is available for selection again,” said Solskjaer.

“Rio is always the same player. It is a while since he has played but he was still calm.

“He has got through an important 45 minutes, straight after two very hard training sessions yesterday and the day before so we are delighted with him.”

“It was always planned that he would play 45 minutes. I am not sure he needs any more games. Rio is a naturally fit lad.”

Sir Alex Ferguson can now select the defender for United’s visit to Everton on 11 September, before his side faces Rangers and Liverpool at Old Trafford. Midfielder Anderson and defender Brown could also be available for the fixtures as United’s injury list shortens.

Defender Brown played 90 minutes as he returns from yet another injury. The 30-year-old also completed a lifelong dream, partnering his brother Reese in defence, with the younger sibling replacing Ferdinand at half time.

Second half goals from Nicky Ajose and Kiko Macheda secured a 2-1 win for United.

After all, the football world values function over form.

Approximately four years ago, this column – on this very website – pressed a ‘Case for the Attack’. It was noted that 4–4–2 was dead, or certainly coming to the end of its days at United. That United must look to the future. That future was 4–3–3.

Over the next three years those advocating the change felt vindicated as United’s brand of attacking, flowing football with the three pronged attack of Judas Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney struck fear into the defences they plundered.

Last season, that changed. Dimitar Berbatov was placed up top with Rooney, and while the former Evertonian excelled in a central role, his strike partner continued to frustrate and confound fans. The season, while successful, petered out without a major trophy.

And that brings us to the first criticism of Dimitar Berbatov.

Previously United’s forward line had movement, flair, pace and an ability to move the ball from defence to attack in seconds. Arguably, with Berbatov in the team, that ability has been severely limited. Too many times the ball goes into Berbatov and comes back towards midfield.

Whether lacking in confidence, or unwilling to turn and attack, Berbatov forces United’s attacks to slow and become more ponderous. Possession football might dominate games, but goals change games.

Important goals change games. Against big clubs and in tight games, a goal at a crucial point in the match can flip a game on its head. Too often Berbatov is responsible for the third of three goals, and very rarely the winning goal.

“But he’s in the mix, in the team, and sets the play” fans counter. Perhaps, but others expect a more concrete return for £30.75 million –  a match winner no less.

Berbatov’s statistics show four match winning goals in 2008 / 9. A cursory glance of 2009 / 10 found even less.

So after all the doom and gloom – what hope is there for him?

Secretly, many supporters are slowly being converted by Berbatov. His displays this season betray a new confidence. Crucially, there is more movement around him that the Bulgarian can find with his subtle touches and deft passes. Teams clearly fear the resurgent form of Paul Scholes and have defended deeper and wider, allowing Berbatov more space through the middle. His movement is excellent and he is always available for a pass.

Nani has retained his form from the end of last season. Berbatov and the Portuguese winger have combined well on a number of occasions this season – not least against West Ham United, who between them the pair tore to ribbons. Berbatov’s flicks and tricks seem at last to be finding as much function as form.

The striker’s volleyed third goal, from Nani’s chipped cross, prompted United’s players to flood around the striker. He clearly brings something to the team that his colleagues value highly. Sir Alex Ferguson continues to support the player despite the media criticism, so it is clear the Scot sees something in him as well.

Perhaps a new hero is slowly and steadily rising at Old Trafford.

Indeed, United will exit the transfer window with just 24 players, including perennially injured Owen Hargreaves, on the Premier and Champions League ‘A’ list, supplemented by a further 10 players on the ‘B’ list. The ‘B’ list can be expanded at any point, with unlimited players under the age of 21 from United’s reserve and youth teams permitted.

This was, according to Sir Alex Ferguson and his immediate boss chief executive David Gill, to be the season of youth, with United’s academy produce supplemented by acquisitions Chris Smalling, Javier Hernández and Bebé at a cost of just under £25 million.

Early season fixtures have clarified the position: this is, in fact, to be the season of enduring experience, with hope that United’s younger acquisitions from abroad will develop at a more rapid pace than, say, Zoran Tošić and Ben Foster, discarded from the squad this summer.

The investment strategy, dictated by the owners’ increasingly strained financial position and the pressing need to pay down debt, essentially leaves the club with the same squad as last season, Hernández being the player closest to regular first team action of the new acquisitions.

United, of course, went close last season, taking Chelsea to within a point of the Premier League title. Yet inconsistency in the team’s performances were exposed in seven domestic league defeats and an early exit from the FA Cup at the hands of arch rivals Leeds United. The Carling Cup was of little consolation.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of United’s campaign – certainly for Ferguson – was the club’s exit at the quarter final stage of the Champions League. The Scot has now, with more than a hint of revisionism, blamed the defeat on bad luck, while ignoring Bayern Munich’s outstanding first leg performance and stirring late Old Trafford comeback.

Ferguson, the realpolitik pragmatist, is hardly likely to say anything else, especially armed with the knowledge that investment will not match United’s spending of previous eras when the Scot broke the British transfer record on five separate occasions.

Thus the Scot dismissed fears of financial hardship, declaring the market to hold no value, while telling fans, with more than a hint of condescension, that they didn’t really want a big name signing anyway.

It’s a claim that both ignores the team’s immediate needs, assuming the goal is to compete on four fronts, and the market dynamics this summer where value is in fact to be found everywhere.

In terms of United’s squad, the most glaring omission is in central midfield where weight of numbers hardly compensates for the fact that Paul Scholes has still not been replaced. The midfielder’s early season form will not mask this reality when the Champions League begins in mid-September and Scholes must rest.

United, as Ferguson has already noted, is short of goals from central midfield and will operate without an attacking midfielder playmaker in either 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1 formations that the Scot is likely to deploy this season.

Ferguson needs Anderson to discover his fitness and best form quickly. It’s almost two years since the Brazilian could claim to own both. The Scot must also draw Michael Carrick out of the year-long slump that has robbed the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder of far too many key assets.

Then there is the Hargreaves question. The player will surely never play for the club again, leaving Darren Fletcher as the club’s only genuine tough-tackling defensive midfielder. Suspension, injury and burnout hold a constant fear.

United has acquired defensive cover in a sensible move by Ferguson, whose side suffered in that department at times last season. Smalling though is no experienced campaigner, leaving United’s manager reliant on Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic’s fitness remaining on a more even keel than at any time in the last 18 months.

Up front Ferguson has an embarrassment of riches, assuming Rooney rediscovers his fitness and form permanently. Hernández’ acqusition will, hopefully, reduce the burden on United’s talisman.

Michael Owen will rightfully be restricted to a bit part role, while Dimitar Berbatov’s early season promises much. But few supporters will now count on the Bulgarian to maintain it throughout the season.

In wide areas Nani and Antonio Valencia – eventually in the Portuguese winger’s case – boasted outstanding seasons last time out. Each will offer an attacking threat from wide that is equal to almost anything on the continent. The replacements, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park and Gabriel Obertan offer adequate cover.

Yet Ferguson enters the season with more questions hanging over his squad than is comfortable. Certainly more than at the height of United’s success.

Hope, they say, is no kind of strategy.

What may save the club’s season, at least domestically, is the failure of United’s rivals to improve key areas. Chelsea essentially replaced like-for-like in swapping Joe Cole for Yossi Benayoun, while Ramires will add much-needed quality at the base of Carlo Ancelotti’s three-man midfield. Perhaps the biggest victory for the Italian is the return of the truly outstanding Michael Essien from injury.

Meanwhile, Arsenal has strengthened in central defence but failed to acquire a goalkeeper, which will surely cost Arsène Wenger points this season.

City, being City, will surely fall short of the Premier League title as £130 million worth of new acquisitions bed in.

In Europe though Barcelona has done outstanding business, replacing the ineffective Zlatan Ibrahimovic with the Spanish goal machine David Villa. Javier Mascherano is surely an upgrade on the hopelessly overrated Yaya Touré.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid has also found real value in recruiting the brilliant playmaker Mesut Özil, along with Sergio Canales and Sami Khedira for little more than €30 million.

The activity during the window points to a tight race domestically, where Chelsea must be considered favourites. A probable knock-out round exit awaits United in Europe.

For the owners that scenario remains economically acceptable. After all, United was the biggest grossing club in the Champions League last season despite the early exit and revenue is the Glazer family’s only concern.

Fans might just think differently come may.

“Tom is a very exciting young player and we are delighted he his coming to us,” said Martinez.

“He can play in a number of positions and will provide us with some good new options, and add great competition to the squad.

“We have been watching him for some time and feel he is the right sort of player to join our squad; young, hungry, desperate to play for the club in the Premier League and to grow with us.”

However, the move comes as something of a surprise following Ferguson’s previous declaration that the midfielder would stay at Old Trafford this season.

“He is an exceptional young player in terms of his ability to play a variety of positions,” Ferguson said in early August.

“He is such a talent, we must keep him. He showed at Watford that he’s a goalscorer from midfield and we need that. He has outstanding qualities.”

However, Cleverley did not make the squad for United’s three Premier League fixtures to date despite performing brightly on the club’s pre-season tour to Canada, USA and Mexico. United also failed to secure another creative midfielder in the transfer window, although Anderson – 13 goals, one for United, in 155 career games – is due to return in late September.

Cleverley will join Wigan’s battle against relegation this season in preference to a move to Bolton Wanderers. While Owen Coyle was keen to bring the England Under-21 international to the Reebok, Wigan’s ability to offer Cleverley football every week appears to have been the deciding factor.

The player scored 11 goals in 33 matches for Watford last season.

Following Manchester United’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, in which Jonathan Spector clearly fouled Giggs for the penalty that enabled Wayne Rooney to break a 13 game goalscoring drought, Collymore made the accusation on his Talksport show.

During the match the Welshman cut inside former United player Spector, who dives in and takes the legs of the 36-year-old winger. Referee Mark Clattenburg had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick.

However Collymore disagreed with the referee, accusing Giggs of simulation.

“It’s [the Spector challenge] brushing somebody, now to brush somebody is one thing. To knock somebody over in mid-flow and therefore cause an infringement is another.

“If there’s a Manchester United fan who can honestly tell me that Ryan Giggs was impeded, and impeded sufficiently to knock him out of his stride…?” asked Collymore on his Saturday evening show.

“It wasn’t a penalty, I’m telling you [the challenge] didn’t [knock Giggs over], it wasn’t a penalty.”

“If we keep giving these soft penalties, players are going to keep doing it [diving], it becomes a snowball effect. It makes it more difficult on referees.

“Until [managers tell] players in the dressing rooms, ‘try and stay on your feet’, which they did in my day or ‘we’re going to punish you if you simulate’ [then] we’re going to keep slaughtering referees.

“For me [Giggs] went down too easily.”

Collymore, who repeatedly said throughout the show that Giggs deliberately fell to win the penalty, then goes on to praise a caller who claimed he always stayed on his feet when challenged.

“Good on you lad,” says Collymore

“I want to see you play for Manchester United, not Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.”

Aside from being patently untrue, Collymore’s accusation that Giggs cheated smacks of the bitterness the 39-year-old still feels over the mooted 1995 transfer from Forest to United. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson rejected the wife-beating sexual pervert in favour of Andy Cole, who went on to score 121 goals in 195 games for United.

The saying ‘those in glass houses…’ comes to mind, with Collymore admitting that he beat his then girlfriend Ulrika Jonnson during the 1998 World Cup in France. Perhaps Stan thought that was just good sport?

Later a tabloid newspaper caught Collymore practising the act of ‘dogging’ – performing sexual intercourse in a public area – which is almost certainly illegal indecent exposure under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Moreover, the label cheat is one that Collymore has trouble avoiding. The striker, for example, was sent off in 1997 for fighting with Andy Todd as Aston Villa met Bolton Wanderers. Hardly within the laws of the game.

The player frequently courted controversy during a career that never fullfilled its early promise. Indeed, ‘Stan the Man’ walked out on Spanish side Oviedo in 2001, let off a fire extinguisher at Leicester’s luxury La Manga hotel in 2000 from which they were thrown out, and started a fight with Paul Gascoigne during a reserve team fixture between Leicester and Everton the same year.

Perhaps Rant should have been more aware. Later, suggesting that Collymore might not be of the same species as the rest of us, Rant found itself at the centre of the Talksport host’s ire.

“I respect your right to suggest anything you like on football,” Collymore warned Rant.

“But I’d be careful who you call sub human pal. Really careful.”

This is not to say Manchester United’s younger first team squad members will not play more frequently as the season wears on. After all, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes cannot compete in the Saturday-Wednesday axis indefinitely. Indeed, last season Giggs started 23 matches in all competitions, Scholes 32, Edwin van der Sar 29, and Gary Neville just 25. None is likely to top that this campaign.

Of Ferguson’s young players – for the sake of argument let’s call first team squad members under the age of 23 ‘young’ – only Fábio da Silva (Community Shield) and Javier Hernández (Fulham) have started for United this season. Neither is expected to be a fixture in the first team just yet.

Jonny Evans, 22, has played in all four matches but with three seasons in the first team its hard to classify the Irishman as a youth.

Of the others Federico Macheda, Chris Smalling, Darron Gibson, Rafael da Silva, Gabriel Obertan, Tom Cleverley and Ben Amos have appeared for a total combined two substitute appearances in the first team this season. Anderson, injured, will not play again until late in September.

Meanwhile Danny Welbeck and Mame Biram Diouf have been shipped out on loan to Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers respectively, while Bebé is not expected to feature this side of Christmas, if at all this season.

The pattern was also prevalent in pre-season, with Giggs and Scholes appearing in a surprisingly large number of fixtures in Canada, USA and Mexico as United raked in more than $2 million per match held on tour.

Indeed, the average starting age of United’s team in the four competitive fixtures to date – including the Community Shield – is 28.6, only marginally younger than Chelsea’s pensioners at 28.9.

It is also perhaps surprising, given United’s relatively sedate fixture calendar this side of the international break, that Ferguson has not blooded more of his younger players of whom he spoke so passionately during the summer.

The intensity of United’s games increases markedly in late September, with the trip to Everton preceding emotionally draining matches against Rangers and Liverpool at Old Trafford in which senior players will surely dominate selection.

The strategy, then, is likely to include some of the squad’s younger players see game time in the autumn and winter months, with Ferguson almost certain to rely on experience as the Premier and Champions League reach their dénouement in the Spring.

However, the strategy with some younger players is also confusing. Cleverley’s mooted loan – all but guaranteed as pre-season begun, then ditched as United failed to secure an additional attacking midfielder in the transfer market – is now back on again.

The midfielder today confirmed a loan move to Wigan Athletic, where he’ll certainly play but faces a season-long relegation battle. However, the transfer leaves United overly reliant on Scholes’ continued brilliance and fitness as the club’s sole central midfield playmaker.

Then there is Rafael, whose relegation to the bench in favour of the experienced but essentially limited John O’Shea, 30, is a source of regret for the more romantic of United’s supporter base. After all, it’s hard to envisage Rafael turning genuine promise into fulfilled talent of the very highest order from the seclusion of United’s reserves.

Finally, Macheda, retained despite loan interest from home and abroad, has failed to make even the bench for United’s three Premier League fixtures to date. In his third season with the first team squad, it will surely be impossible for United to retain the Italian’s services next season if he cannot secure 20 matches this campaign.

This is an observation, rather than a criticism. Ferguson, the most pragmatic of managers, is liable to pick whatever side is likely to benefit the club’s cause in only the short to season-long term.

The question is whether the Scot can fulfil United’s many ambitions this season while – as the Scot puts it – ensuring the club’s younger players do not “stagnate” and evntually leave. The fate of Giuseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique looms large.

As yet, it is not at all clear that the two strategies are not mutually exclusive.

The weight finally lifted and fitness levels creeping towards a sharpness not seen before his injury against Bayern Munich in March, Rooney can now enjoy a new level of freedom from press scrutiny. For the time being at least.

After all, Rooney has traditionally scored in bursts, and with the drought counting now ended, the Scouser is now liberated to fire United towards a strong start to the season.

While United’s talisman opened the Reds account from the spot, Sir Alex Ferguson reserved special praise for Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Scholes, outstanding against Avram Grant’s side, alongside the lively Nani.

“Dimitar and Paul Scholes orchestrated that victory,” added Ferguson, whose side remain unbeaten this season.

“They deserved their standing ovation and Dimitar’s goal was excellent.

“You have to win your home games and we are back on track after dropping those two points at Fulham last week.

“It is too early to say what formation the league is taking at present but the usual suspects are up there.”

Yet the game threatened to fall as flat as the Old Trafford atmosphere in the first half, with United’s possession not converted into goals in front of the Stretford End.

Grant’s side, hardly obdurate in the opening games of the season, demonstrated much of the fight it will need to avoid the drop come May. Rob Green, the much derided now former-England goalkeeper, Matthew Upson and Danny Gabbidon did much to keep United’s attack at bay.

As the half wore on Scholes, the returning Ryan Giggs and Nani on the right wing exerted ever greater influence on the match though. Indeed, shortly after Nani had hit the bar, Scholes found Giggs on the left, with the Welshman far too good for former United player Jonathan Spector, who gave away the spot kick. Rooney duly converted on the half hour.

The Reds doubled the advantage minutes into the second half as Old Trafford finally warmed to the occasion if not the weather. Nani started and finished a smart move, smashing a left foot shot past Green into the top corner. The goal had all the hallmarks of Cristiano Ronaldo; the heir apparent now firmly crowned.

Then the dénouement as Nani beat two West Ham defenders before teeing up Berbatov to score with an acrobatic finish. The Bulgarian, still not without his frustrations, has outshone his strike partner in the early season matches.

“Strikers want to score, but it is Wayne’s performance that we should be talking about,” added Ferguson.

“He was full of life and energy. He worked his socks off. He needs games but the 90 minutes will bring him on.”

“I thought his overall game was much better, he looked a lot stronger and we look forward to him playing for England now and coming back fitter,” added assistant manager Mike Phelan.

West Ham meanwhile remain rooted to the foot of the table having lost its opening three matches. With games against Chelsea, Stoke City away and Tottenham Hotspur coming up there was more than a touch of gallows humour about the travelling support.

They’ll need it.

United, on the other hand, head into the international break with the mood lifted after the recriminations of last week’s draw. Tougher tests lie ahead, of course, not least an away trip to Goodison Park, followed by Rangers and Liverpool at Old Trafford after the break.

Rooney, fit and now scoring goals, will at last relish the upcoming matches.

Match facts

United: van der Sar; O’Shea, Vidic, Evans (Smalling, 74), Evra; Nani, Scholes (Carrick, 74), Fletcher, Giggs; Berbatov (Owen, 74), Rooney.

Man-of-the-match: Dimitar Berbatov
Attendance: 75,061

Possession: United 54% – 46% West Ham
Attempts: 11 – 7
On target: 7 – 2
Corners: 8 – 2
Fouls: 3 – 5

United’s principal selection choice surrounds in-form Paul Scholes who could be rested for the tie. Although with the international break coming up, the ginger midfielder can take a well-earned rest after the Hammers’ visit. Ferguson could draft in Michael Carrick or Ryan Giggs to central midfield alongside Darren Fletcher.

Wayne Rooney, now recovered from the stomach bug that kept the striker out of United’s disappointing draw with Fulham last weekend, will partner Dimitar Berbatov in attack, while Nani should return to the starting line-up in place of Ji-Sung Park.

Ferguson, uncharacteristically critical of his team following last Sunday’s draw with Fulham, is seeking an improvement in both performance and fitness, with several key players close to a return.

“Things are looking up here,” the manager told the press on Friday.

“Rio Ferdinand has trained this week, which was a big surprise to me. He’s made fantastic progress. Anderson is training with the first team and he had a bit of a reserve game of course on Tuesday so that’s really good news.

“We’ve got no injuries from last week’s game. Wayne Rooney has trained all week and he’s back.”

“We’ve always had really good games against West Ham and we expect that again. Obviously we were really disappointed with last Sunday, throwing away two points like that.

“Its uncharacteristic but its early season and I do think some of the players needed the game, the second half of the game dropped. We think they’ll be much better tomorrow.”

However, Ferguson is likely concerned about the form of his central defenders, with Jonny Evans given a particularly hard game by Fulham’s Bobby Zamora. The young Irishman found himself the wrong side for Fulham’s first equaliser and was unable to deal with Zamora’s physical game.

Good news then that Ferdinand is perhaps only two weeks from full fitness having trained with the first team squad this week. Although not able to feature against West Ham, the defender’s progress is speedier than anticipated.

“I must admit he hadn’t done anything football wise when we spoke last week,” added Ferguson.

“Maybe when he read what I said it gave him a bit of a kick. He’s come in and trained all week. He’ll train with the reserves today, and won’t be involved tomorrow [against West Ham] but we’ll try and get him a game in the next two weeks.”

Unsurprisingly Ferdinand’s defensive partner Nemanja Vidic is delighted with the England captain’s imminent return, with the pair having played so few games together over the past year. While Ferdinand has suffered with back, groin and knee problems, Vidic spent much of last season on the sidelines with a mystery nerve complaint.

However, the Serbian has no concerns about adapting to the old partnership when Ferdinand returns after the international break.

“We’ve played alongside each other for over four and a half years so it’s easy to play together, even when you’ve been out for a while,” stand-in captain Vidic told ManUtd.com

“We’ve shown over the years that, as a partnership, we have a good relationship, but we obviously need to reach the right form and you need to play every week to get that. Hopefully we can.”

It’s no concern for today’s game of course, although Evans’ performance will be under ever greater scrutiny.

West Ham travel north having made its worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, with captain Scott Parker admitting he is “dreading” the thought of the trip to Old Trafford. The Hammers play Chelsea, Stoke away and Tottenham Hotspur next, facing the very real prospect of beginning the season with six defeats.

Grant travels without injured quartet Jack Collison, Zavon Hines, Peter Kurucz and Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Opposition
Team – 451 – Green; Reid, Gabbidon, Upson, Ilunga; Faubert, Parker, Noble, Kovac, Dyer; Cole. Subs from – Barrera, Piquionne, Sears, Stech, Tomkins, Boa Morte, McCarthy, Ben Haim, Spector, Da Costa, Stanislas, Daprelà, Obinna, Nouble.

Officials
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Assistant referees: Adam Watts & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Michael Jones

Form
United – WWW
West Ham – LL