Is Moyes the Man for United? Live on TV

They always said it would take a brave man to follow Alex Ferguson into the Manchester United dug-out. Or was it foolish? I cannot remember.

While there is no denying David Moyes has courage — and let us be frank, he is nobody’s fool — the more pertinent question should be: Is the former Everton boss actually up to the job?

Five months into the role, and we are none the wiser.

A paltry six wins from their first 14 Premier League matches is a disastrous return for the champions. Three of those victories came against sides in the bottom three, and very few, if any, were earned in United’s trademark swashbuckling style.

Excluding the brilliance of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, plus flickers of real promise from teenager Adnan Januzaj, the team have served up precious little to get excited about in the opening third of the season.

Moyes says he is enjoying the role, but I find that hard to believe.

On the back of a humiliating 1-0 defeat to his former employers on Thursday morning, the Manchester United manager needs a lucky break at home to Newcastle United tonight. The pressure is on, and he and his players know it.

The Scot must cope without his three best players too — Michael Carrick and Van Persie remain injured, while Rooney sits this one out through suspension having amassed five yellow cards.

Bizarrely, it is Carrick they will miss the most. The languid midfielder is the glue that holds the side together and without his calming presence, expert positioning, and thoughtful ball retention, they are never the same side.

In his absence, Marouane Fellaini and Ryan Giggs were run ragged by Everton in the centre of midfield on Thursday.

At 40, Welsh legend Giggs continues to defy nature with his springy play and genial quality, but pitted against the youth of Ross Barkley and James McCarthy, he laboured and struggled to keep up.

His Belgian partner, 14 years younger, had no such excuse to fall back on. Ever since making his £27 million (S$55 million) switch, Fellaini has done little more than lope around the pitch ineffectually, switching off in defensive situations and providing slow motion support to the forwards. Even the excitement of getting one over his former club failed to kick-start his spluttering engine.

Tom Cleverley — neat and tidy but little more — may return tonight, as might emergency midfielder Phil Jones, but even so Newcastle’s settled trio of Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote and Mohamed Sissoko looks built to overpower them.

Alan Pardew’s on-song Magpies did not turn up at Swansea City in midweek, losing 3-0, but you fancy they will smell blood and return to form at the home of the Red Devils. Scoring six goals against United in their last three Premier League meetings guarantees there will be no fear factor, and in the last clash on Boxing Day last year, they even led 3-2 with 20 minutes left only to lose 4-3.

Another goal-fest is a distinct possibility. Newcastle’s front five has been functioning well, while United’s Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck are good enough to trouble Pardew’s notoriously creaky back four.

With the “Moyes Out” brigade gathering force and general dismay blowing around the wintry Old Trafford stands, Manchester United’s manager will need all the bravery he can muster to ensure a potential revolt is headed off at the pass.

No matter who is missing, it is time for his players to make a statement. They need a big performance.

Another defeat; and the whispers that suggest the manager is not good enough will grow ever louder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TODAY’s EPL analyst Adrian Clarke is a former Arsenal midfielder who has played at every level of English football. Now an experienced sports journalist, he writes for many publications around the world. Follow him on Twitter @adrianjclarke

Tonight

Man Utd v Newcastle (mio TV Ch 102, StarHub Ch 227, 8.45pm), Liverpool v West Ham (Ch 103 and Ch 228, 11pm), Stoke v Chelsea (Ch 104 and Ch 229, 11pm), West Brom v Norwich (Ch 105 and Ch 230, 11pm), Crystal Palace v Cardiff (Ch 106 and Ch 231, 11pm), Southampton v Man City (Ch 102 and Ch 227, 11pm)

Tomorrow

Sunderland v Tottenham (Ch 102 and Ch 227, 1.30am), Fulham v Aston Villa (Ch 102 and Ch 227, 9.30pm)