Typically, the start of the new season brings optimism, especially so when your last completed season displayed a significant amount of forward progress. Not so much with Manchester United, as they have had a summer that’s seen lots of off-the-pitch issues, some struggles with COVID-19 and an abysmal transfer window.
“The difference in the way Chelsea have done their business compared to say my team Man United, there is no noise, there’s nothing going on,” said club legend and current pundit Rio Ferdinand said.
Aston Villa have even been making bigger moves and spending more money. It's like when Bart Simpson said "even Martin is scoring jokes off me now"
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) September 16, 2020
“All you’re seeing [from Chelsea] is bang! Deal. Little bit of talk, bang! Deal. Get it done. That is what’s frustrating for me and all the Man United fans.
“(Jadon) Sancho was talked about months ago. Still not done, it’s so frustrating.”
He’s right, all the talk, for months on end was about Jadon Sancho and that’s as far away from getting done as ever has been. United have signed one player, Donny van De Beek, but they have also missed out on Jack Grealish, Dayot Upamecano, Gareth Bale and soon Thiago Alcantara as well.
So who are the next targets? Well, this is what the transfer chatter looks like right now:
The moribund summer transfer window is overshadowing all other storylines as we approach the season kicking off against Crystal Palace at home on Saturday. Let’s run through the team news and FYIs.
Manchester United Season Opener vs Crystal Palace
Kickoff: Sat Sept. 19, 5:30 Old Trafford
MUFC Starting XI Prediction: go here
Odds: Palace win +850, United win -325, draw +440
Paul Pogba is out of quarantine and he’s recovered from his case of COVID-19, but will he be match fit? He only returned to training this Monday. Ditto for Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, Fred, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Eric Bailly.
The only confirmed absentee is Axel Tuanzebe, who continues rehabbing from long term injury.
Mason Greenwood, who has had a dreadful, but self-inflicted offseason, has been training alone since he returned home from England national team duty. Having violated quarantine protocols while in Iceland, he’s had to isolate for a period of time.
For Crystal Palace, they will be without the services of defensive quartet Gary Cahill, Patrick van Aanholt, James Tomkins and Nathan Ferguson. However, Mamadou Sakho, Christian Benteke, and Connor Wickham are all back in training with Jairo Riedewald set to return soon.
Prediction: Manchester United 2, Crystal Palace 0
Despite the long list of potential absentees, United should win this one easily, as they dominate this fixture. Besides, the Eagles of plenty of problems of their own.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.