Olympiakos vs. Manchester United:

Manchester United's league season has been a struggle, but they can take the first step towards the Champions League quarterfinal with a victory in Greece on Tuesday.

David Moyes' tumultuous first season in charge of Manchester United could use an extended run in the Champions League knockout stages to help distract fans from the team's poor league form. They'll attempt to begin that run with a trip to Greece to face Olympiakos.

   

Moyes has most of his first choice players available though his defense continues to be disrupted by injuries with both Phil Jones and Jonny Evans out. Rafael and Danny Welbeck are both fit and available for selection after missing several games, which should provide a boost. United went undefeated in group stage play, winning Group A by four points over Bayer Leverkusen.

Olympiakos squeezed past Benfica in Group C to make the Round of 16 and now Michel and his team will look to make the most of their opportunity. With leading scorer Konstantinos Mitroglou sold to Fulham in January and Javier Saviola injured, the task of leading the attack will fall Marko Šćepović who came on for the injured Saviola against OFI Crete on Saturday and scored his first professional hat trick.

Olympiakos injuries and suspensions

Out: Javier Saviola (thigh). In doubt: Nelson Valdez (ankle).

Manchester United injuries and suspensions

Out: Juan Mata (ineligible), Phil Jones (calf), Jonny Evans (concussion).

United will be without the cup tied Juan Mata as well as Phil Jones and Jonny Evans, both of whom did not make the trip to Greece. Javier Saviola will miss out for Olympiakos after injuring his thigh over the weekend.

Projected lineups

Olympiakos: Roberto, Anastasios Papazoglou, Avaraam Papadopoulos, Iván Marcano, Gaëtan Bong, Delvin N'Dinga, Giannis Maniatis, Michael Olaitan, Alejandro Domínguez, Hernán Pérez, Marko Šćepović

Manchester United: David de Gea, Chris Smalling, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidić, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney, XX, Robin Van Persie

Match Date/Time: 9:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki, Piraeus, Greece

TV: FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes (U.S.), ITV 1 (U.K.), Sportsnet (Canada)

Online: FOX Soccer 2Go (U.S.)

Champions League or bust for Moyes and Manchester United

There is no Premier League title to fight for. There is no FA Cup nor even the Capital One Cup any more. Manchester United is down to its last chance for a trophy in the Champions League.

David Moyes now needs to be more than a presence on the sidelines who tells observers what is going wrong and makes promises to fix it. His tenure will not be defined by these two fixtures but United's season will be.

OLYMPIAKOS - MAN UTD

PREVIEW: Will Moyes' men leave Greece with a healthy first-leg advantage?

ROONEY WANTS SECOND CL TITLE

The Manchester United striker is desperate to ensure his 2008 triumph is not his last

 "All they have left is to give their all against us in the Champions League," Olympiakos midfielder David Fuster said earlier this month. "This game is their only chance to save the season. They have failed in the league. They are located outside the Champions League places. And so they will give it all."

We know the mitigating circumstances. We know that the money the Glazers have taken out of the club means similar amounts cannot be put back in to reinforce the playing ranks.

We know that Ed Woodward's background is not in closing deals for footballers. We know that United's team is aging and has been struggling with form and injuries. We know, too, that some senior players are trapped in a responsibility vacuum. All of that, though, must all be forgotten now. It's Moyes's team against Michel's. Nothing more.

It has been a season of tempering expectations for Moyes and his players. Defeats have been plentiful, hefty and damaging. To this point United's most memorable results of the campaign have been the league loss to Manchester City, the FA Cup defeat to Swansea City and the Capital One Cup elimination to Sunderland. Running through the season, though, has been the positivity of the Champions League campaign.

"Everybody wants to win it and we’ll try to do it," Moyes told the club's official website. "I never said we would or we can but we’ll be in there. Teams don’t want to play Manchester United. They know what it stands for as they have been successful. I hope we can play well enough to get through this round and see what happens next."

Champions League or bust for Moyes and Manchester United

Drogba: The Stamford Bridge Legend

Drogba will lead the line for Galatasaray when it takes on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Wednesday, and admits returning to his former club will be emotional.

"It’s nice to play against your old team, but when you are emotional, like me, it’s going to be difficult," he told reporters. "I have to be professional and respect the shirt I am wearing."

Click Here to read more.

Return Didier Drogba

Weekend Update Fixtures: FA CUP

The FA Cup sponsored by Budweiser

  SATURDAY FA CUP FIXTURES

Stadium of Light 15th February 2014 - Kick off 12:45

Sunderland    Vs   Southampton

Cardiff City Stadium 15th February 2014 - Kick off 15:00

Cardiff  Vs  Wigan

Hillsborough 15th February 2014 - Kick off 15:00

Sheff Wed   Vs Charlton

Etihad Stadium 15th February 2014 - Kick off 17:15

Man City  Vs  Chelsea

SUNDAY FA CUP FIXTURES

 

Goodison Park 16th February 2014 - Kick off 13:30

Everton  Vs  Swansea

 

Bramall Lane 16th February 2014 - Kick off 15:00

Sheff Utd Vs  Nottingham Forest

Emirates Stadium 16th February 2014 - Kick off 16:00

Arsenal Vs Liverpool

Read More Here

MIKEL UP FOR THE CUP: John Mikel Obi says the squad retains its hunger for FA Cup....

John Mikel Obi says the squad retains its hunger for FA Cup success despite lifting it four times in the last seven years.

The Nigerian has each of those winner's medals at home but is eager to add to them in 2014, with Saturday's trip to Manchester City standing between us and a quarter-final place.

'The FA Cup is still very important. It's always been important to Chelsea, and it doesn't matter how many times you've won it,' Mikel said. 'I've won it four times, so there's a good tradition, and having missed out in the League Cup already, we want to get back to Wembley this year. If we can get past Manchester City we are only one game away from another semi-final.

'This is a different game from last week when we won in the Premier League. It's a different competition and we need a different mentality. I am sure Manchester City will be thinking the same.

'We lost to City in last season's semi-final at Wembley, it was a difficult day. We didn't start well, we let them get right on top of us, so on Saturday we have to make sure we don't let it happen again.'

Meanwhile, David Luiz has praised the work of two of Mikel's midfield team-mates after their performances caught the eye.

Serbian Matic was man of the match in last week's 1-0 win at the Etihad, and has impressed since returning to Chelsea last month following a two-and-a-half-year stay with Benfica, while Willian's performances have seen him cement a place in Jose Mourinho's favoured starting 11.

'Willian is my friend from childhood, from the age of eight, and it's a great gift from God to be able to play together now,' said David Luiz. 'I'm so happy for him because, with every day, he is improving and showing everybody the talent he has.

'He's a player who works hard every day and wants to improve. He's one of the key players in the team right now. He's a great guy, I know his family and I know the atmosphere in which he likes to live, he has a fantastic heart.

'I've also been very impressed with Nemanja and I know how he likes to play because he learned from the same philosophy as I did at Benfica. He's a fantastic player - that's why he came back to the club.
'He gives us different qualities in the middle of the pitch; he's strong, he fights for the ball and he has a fantastic left foot. He's another great player in our team and that makes me happy, I don't mind if I play by his side, behind him or even in front of him.'

Matic has himself explained how much he is feeling at home back in the surrounds of SW6.

'I'm very happy and I think I can improve a lot here,' he said. 'Every game is difficult and in every game you have to be fully concentrated. It's a good opportunity for me to show my quality.'

Another man in form is Eden Hazard, whose hat-trick saw off the Magpies at the weekend, taking his goal tally for the season to 14. The Belgian believes experience is the key to his recent success.
'I work every day. I feel good on the pitch and have experience now,' the 23-year-old explained. 'Last season was my first, this is my second and I try every game to make the difference for the team.'
Goalkeeper Petr Cech reckons the sky is the limit for his diminutive team-mate.

'If Eden keep working and keeps his consistency, he can win the [Ballon d'Or]. I've said it already, I don't think it's a crazy statement with the quality he's got. It's up to him how well he is going to use his qualities week in, week out. I believe one day he can be there.'

Another vintage display against City this weekend is certain to keep everybody happy. The game kicks off at 5.15pmUK time as we look for a third victory of the season over Manuel Pellegrini's side.

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