The Busby Babe - Manchester United vs. Cardiff City: van Persie and Young on scoresheet in 2-0 winWhere it's always squeaky bum timehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51377/tbb-fav.png2014-01-28T22:29:31+00:00http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/rss/stream/51186312014-01-28T22:29:31+00:002014-01-28T22:29:31+00:00United win comfortably as Mata has a quiet debut
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<figcaption>Michael Regan</figcaption>
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<p>Manchester United never really had to get out of second gear to cruise past Cardiff City, with Juan Mata showing some nice touches but generally having a quiet game by his standards.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> gained a fairly comfortable win over Ole Gunnar Solskjar's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/cardiff-city">Cardiff City</a> on the Norwegian's return to Old Trafford, with <span>Juan Mata</span> having a rather quiet debut.</p>
<p>Robin van Persie opened the scoring early on after decent work from Mata allowed <span>Ashley Young</span> to pick out <span>Antonio Valencia</span> at the far post. <span>David Marshall</span> saved well from the Ecuadorian, but Robin van Persie followed up the rebound with a dreadful header right at the Scot. Fortunately the ball bounced kindly and he was able to put the second rebound away to put United into an early lead.</p>
<p>Cardiff were looking outclassed, and United nearly made it 2-0 through Van Persie again, who fired across goal after he and <span>Ryan Giggs</span> got in each others way at the near post following a corner. Yet Cardiff would grow into the game, with Craig Noone's driving runs allowing them to break into the United half and threaten on several occasions.</p>
<p>After the second half, United were no better and Cardiff improved further, with Noone again the danger as nerves began to set in around Old Trafford. But after the visitors had spurned a couple of chances, Juan Mata bagged a very cheap debut assist, rolling the ball to Ashley Young, who darted past two defenders and arrowed a shot into the top corner from outside the area.</p>
<p>That pretty much killed the game off, and the rest was a humdrum affair with both sides knowing the result had been set. Mata was unable to contribute too much more before being withdrawn for Adnan Januzaj, who went the closest to bagging a third by taking Patrice Evra's cutback in his stride but drilling just wide of Marshall's far post.</p>
<p>So, a fairly easy three points, the return of two key players and the addition of potentially our best. Elsewhere, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/">Arsenal</a> drew away to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/">Southampton</a> so United are now 12 points off the top, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a> were hammered by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> and lost <span>Romelu Lukaku</span> to injury, strengthening one rival for the top four and weakening another. Not a bad day's work.</p>
https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/28/5355186/manchester-united-vs-cardiff-city-final-score-juan-mata-debutCallum Hamilton2014-01-28T18:57:47+00:002014-01-28T18:57:47+00:00Mata starts as United face Cardiff: Live thread
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<figcaption>Michael Regan</figcaption>
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<p>Manchester United face Cardiff City as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to Old Trafford, with Juan Mata and Robin van Persie starting.</p> <p>Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to Old Trafford tonight, but the limelight will instead fall on new record signing <span>Juan Mata</span>, who makes his full debut starting the game in the hole.</p>
<p>As for <span>Wayne Rooney</span> and Robin van Persie, the latter starts up front while the former is on the bench.</p>
<p>In midfield, it's a lot less sexy we're afraid - <span>Antonio Valencia</span> and <span>Ashley Young</span> on the flanks, <span>Ryan Giggs</span> and <span>Phil Jones</span> in midfield. Bleurgh.</p>
<p>Still, at least Rafael's in the team. Aas for the oppposition, former Red Fraizer Campbell starts up front, as does the horrible, horrible <span>Craig Bellamy</span>.</p>
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<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> confirmed starting lineup: </b>David De Gea; Rafael, <span>Chris Smalling</span>, <span>Jonny Evans</span>, <span>Patrice Evra</span>; Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Ryan Giggs, Ashley Young; Juan Mata, Robin van Persie.</p>
<p>Subs: <span>Anders Lindegaard</span>, <span>Tom Cleverley</span>, <span>Darren Fletcher</span>, Adnan Januzaj, <span>Shinji Kagawa</span>, <span>Javier Hernandez</span>, Wayne Rooney.</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/cardiff-city">Cardiff City</a> confirmed starting lineup: </b>Marshall, Caulker, Hudson (c), John, Mcnaughton, Medel, Whitts, Noone, Mutch, Bellamy, Campbell.</p>
https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/28/5354586/manchester-united-vs-cardiff-city-live-coverage-mata-rvp-start-forCallum Hamilton2014-01-28T16:43:49+00:002014-01-28T16:43:49+00:00RVP and Rooney back in? Pick your team vs Cardiff
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<figcaption>Clive Mason</figcaption>
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<p>Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have trained ahead of the Cardiff City game, leaving Manchester United with a potential wealth of options in the forward positions. But where will Juan Mata fit in?</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> and <span>David Moyes</span> should welcome back Robin van Persie and <span>Wayne Rooney</span> to the first team tonight, leaving them with a veritable smorgasbord of attacking options in the wake of the <span>Juan Mata</span> signing.</p>
<p>Ordinarily Solskjaer's return to Old Trafford would be the big story here, but with Mata set to make his debut, the Norwegian will very much be second fiddle, perhaps even less given the welcome return of our strikers. With basically everybody fit except Michael Carrick and <span>Marouane Fellaini</span> (who is, reportedly, not far off, and cannot be entirely rejected for consideration in the attacking midfield role), what's your team going to be for tonight?</p>
<p>Let us know full XI's in the comments, and use the poll to decide on what our new front four is going to look like.<a target="_blank" href="http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/23/5338278/introducing-the-busby-babe-sporcle-league"> </a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/23/5338278/introducing-the-busby-babe-sporcle-league"><br></a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/23/5338278/introducing-the-busby-babe-sporcle-league">
<p>Also a further reminder to sign up on Sporcle and add 'thebusbybabe' for The Busby Babe Sporcle League. We're in talks to have a prize or three to give away for those who come top, so it should be lots of fun.</p>
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https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/2014/1/28/5354072/rooney-and-van-persie-could-be-fit-for-cardiff-pick-your-manchesterCallum Hamilton