Sports Blog 21/09/2016: EFL Cup – Northampton vs Manchester United, Wednesday 21st September 2016

Can Jose Mourinho right the good ship United when the Manchester club travel to Northampton for their EFL Cup 3rd round tie at 7.45pm on Sky Sports 1?

It’s all gone a bit squiffy for Mourinho in the last fortnight or so. A 2-1 defeat against Manchester City seemed to spark the decline, a symbolic moment that spoiled the Special One’s flawless start to the season. Yet while there is no shame, regardless of how much it would have stung, in losing to the unbeaten, table-topping, Guardiola-managed City side, it is another thing entirely to fail against Feyenoord and Watford.

Despite 8 changes from the City game the side that faced Feyenoord in the Europe League still contained Mata, Pogba, Martial and Rashford, and saw Ibrahimovic come on for the final 30 minutes, meaning there were no excuses for their lacklustre 1-0 loss. A near enough full strength 11 was then fielded against Watford, with Pogba especially ineffectual during the Hornets surprising 3-1 victory.



Wednesday night, then, provides United with a chance for cathartic release when they take on Northampton. Michael Carrick is likely to make his first appearance of the season, with Henrikh Mkhitarayn, at a Super Mega PGM of 25-30, potentially set to see his 2nd start at the club. Rashford, meanwhile, should benefit from the likely absence of Ibrahimovic and the much-maligned Wayne Rooney, the youngster heading into Wednesday evening at a Super Mega PGM of 71-83.

Northampton, for what it’s worth, will be looking to capitalise on United’s current slump. Their chances of doing so, however, are slim. The Cobblers have been pushed to extra time in both of their EFL Cup matches so far, first against Barnsley, where John-Joe O’Toole nabbed a 114th minute winner, and then against West Brom, which saw the game go all the way to penalties. Alex Revell, who signed from Milton Keynes Dons on a free transfer and scored the late equaliser against the Baggies, is their best hope up front, and has a Super Mega PGM of 13-17.

In a way it’s unimaginable for United to lose on Wednesday evening. In another way it’s such a tempting result, given the karmic comeuppance it would provide for Mourinho AND the delicious cup tale it would tell, that it would be a shame if it didn’t happen. Alas the visitors likely won’t have too many problems, with our Spreadex traders offering a Manchester United/Northampton (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 1.85-2.05 alongside a Total Goals spread of 3.15-3.35.