body-container-line-1

Swansea Manager Garry Monk Expects Manchester United To Be Targeting Revenge

By Daily Guide
Sports News Swansea Manager Garry Monk Expects Manchester United To Be Targeting Revenge
AUG 30, 2015 LISTEN

Swansea manager Garry Monk admits revenge will be high on Manchester United’s agenda at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.

Monk masterminded an amazing double over United last season as Swansea became the only opponents Louis van Gaal lost twice to in the Barclays Premier League during his first campaign at Old Trafford.

And Monk accepts it is only human nature that Dutchman van Gaal, who will be in charge of United for the 50th time in South Wales, will be desperate to avenge those shock defeats.

“I am sure it stung them, as it would be if you lost twice to any side,” Monk said.

“You use it as motivation, I can think of a number of times where I have done that as a player and a manager against a side you may have lost to before.

“You want to put it right and I am sure it will be part of their motivation. We have to be ready for that but we can beat these teams.

“We showed it against Chelsea we can compete against the bigger teams and really show what we can do.

“We are at home, in front of our crowd and we need to make this a fortress, and if we are ready and focused we will give anyone a game here.”

Swansea won both games 2-1 last season, spoiling Van Gaal’s first game at the United helm before repeating the scoreline at the Liberty Stadium in February.

Yet despite those results and United struggling to recapture the glory days they enjoyed for so long under Sir Alex Ferguson, Monk feels the 20-times English champions remain special opposition.

“It is a transition period for them, but Manchester United will never lose their aura,” Monk said.

“Any side that loses someone like Sir Alex Ferguson is going to go through that, whoever came in after him was facing a difficult period.”

United are in third place having taken seven points from their first three games of the season, but largely unimpressive performances have led some pundits to suggest that Swansea are actually favourites to win this game.

But Monk has rejected the favourites’ tag, even though he says last term’s eighth-placed finish and holding champions Chelsea to a 2-2 draw on the opening day of the season has raised expectations among Swansea supporters.

“We have brought the extra expectation on ourselves with what we have done in the past and we are not looking for any excuses,” Monk said.

“It’s important to keep raising the expectation levels, but we have to be realistic as well and manage those expectations in a good way.

“We are the underdogs in this game, make no mistake. This is Manchester United we are talking about.”

South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng is available.

He suffered a hamstring injury in the opening game at Chelsea but came through the Capital One Cup victory over York in midweek unscathed and could get the nod over Jack Cork.

Manager Louis van Gaal expects Manchester United’s superb defensive record to come under threat at Swansea.

United’s defence was expected to be their weak point this season but they have not conceded in their first three Premier League matches.

That may change on Sunday when they visit the Liberty Stadium, however.

Swansea have devastating pace on both flanks, courtesy of Andre Ayew and Jefferson Montero, while Bafetimbi Gomis has bagged three goals in three games up front.

“Swansea are a very good team,” said the United manager. “They play a positional game like we do. They want to build up and have a good attack with speed and creativity.

“They proved they are a good team this season in the draw against Chelsea and against Newcastle, and when I see the individual players I see that they have quality.

“You spoke about Montero but they also have Ayew, Gomis and (Gylfi) Sigurdsson who have creativity. They are a difficult team to beat, especially away.”

After four wins over Real Madrid, Liverpool and Inter Milan, Swansea brought Van Gaal back down to earth by winning at Old Trafford on the opening day of last season.

The Welsh side then completed their first league double over United with a 2-1 victory in Swansea in February.

Van Gaal admits he could not stomach a third defeat to Monk’s side.

“I don’t want to lose again,” Van Gaal told MUTV. “It’s the only club we could not beat or gain one point against [last season].

“It’s a difficult team against us and before my period it was also difficult for United, so I hope we can improve and that we can show that we are better than last year.”

Adnan Januzaj and Phil Jones are out through injury but Marouane Fellaini is available following a three-match domestic suspension.

-espnfc.com

body-container-line