Manchester Utd v Cardiff City
Old Trafford; Kick-off: 7.45pm
David Moyes has warned his failing Manchester United players he has run out of patience and will move them out of the club if they continue to underachieve between now and the end of the season.
In his strongest warning yet that he is not going to tolerate any more underperforming, Moyes said: “I am not going to accept it. I am disappointed we are not in a much stronger position. I am disappointed with how we have played. I, ultimately, take the rap for that. But what I will do is make it right. I am going to get better players in. Unfortunately I don’t think there will be more in January. But it will change.”
Moyes has agreed to loan Wilfried Zaha to Cardiff City after repeatedly clashing with the former Crystal Palace player. Fabio da Silva is also joining Cardiff, United’s opponents tonight for Juan Mata’s debut, and there will be an overhaul of the squad at the end of the season.
Moyes added: “I have given every player the opportunity to play and show what they can do. We have had a pretty good chance to have a look at it. The players have to perform. If they want to be here and making sure they have a jersey, they have to show it in the games. Undoubtedly this club wants to be at the top. We want to be challenging. At this moment in time we have failed to do that. We want to do something about it.”
Rebuilding
He also warned that the "rebuilding process" is still only in its early stages despite Mata's arrival from Chelsea.
“The message this sends, as I said in the summer, is that we’re going for all the best players in the world. Juan is one of those players. He’s a top Spanish player, a top Premier League player, and I think if you asked any supporter, no matter what club they support, they would be an admirer.
“There will be more players like Juan in the future, no doubt about that. He plays for Spain, he’s played in big games already for club and country. I do see him fitting in and, hopefully, it doesn’t take him much time. But I also still think coming to Manchester United is a big change, for any player or any manager. It’s a big thing and he can’t solve everything.
“I’ve got a big job to do here and a couple of new signings isn’t all that is needed. I think there’s a bigger job to be done but you have to start somewhere. If you asked me what I needed most, I would have said a central midfielder. I could do with a left-back, too, but sometimes you don’t always get the pieces of the jigsaw at the time. It’s all part of a rebuilding process.”
Full training
Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have resumed full training after their recent injury issues and that means United will potentially have a new- look attack on the night when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to Old Trafford as a manager.
“Juan has come to play three positions – off the right, off the left and behind the striker,” Moyes said. “He gives me a lot of flexibility. I have been without Wayne for about a month, Robin for two months, and I think if I’d had Juan in that period, I’d more than likely have had better results.”
United are six points behind the top four and Champions League qualification but now have a run of games, against Cardiff, Stoke City and Fulham, that presents the opportunity to make up some lost ground before they take on the leaders, Arsenal, at the Emirates on February 12th.
"Yes, we've definitely got an opportunity," Moyes said. "But I've been saying that since October . . . I don't know [if we can make top four]. It sounds like the stock answer but I'm probably going to have to win all our remaining games.
Guardian Service
