Opposition profile: Huddersfield Town

United travel to David Wagner's newly promoted Huddersfield Town team on Saturday for the first competitive meeting between the sides in more than 40 years. 

You have to go back to the 1971/72 season for the last time we played the west Yorkshire side.
The Reds won 3-0 at their Leeds Road ground before a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the return five months later.

That victory proved the last time that the "United Trinity" of Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law all got on the scoresheet in the same game. 

Huddersfield and United have more in common than you might think.

There's the mutual loathing of the club's west Yorkshire neighbours Leeds, with the Elland Road side Huddersfield's derby game and fiercest rivals.
Arguably our greatest ever striker, Denis Law, began his career at Huddersfield and, like us, they've achieved the rare feat of three top division titles in a row.

Under the legendary Herbert Chapman, Huddersfield won the championship for three successive seasons - 1924/25, 1925/26 and 1926/27.
Arsenal and Liverpool have also got that unique record to their name, but United of course are the only team to do so twice (1998/99, 1999/2000 and 2000/01, and again in 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09). 

Huddersfield also won the FA Cup for the first and only time in their history in 1922, in an unprecedented period of success for the club. 

Nicknamed the Terriers, the club now ply their trade at the 24,169-capacity John Smith's Stadium, which they share with rugby league side Huddersfield Giants.
The Yorkshire dog breed was introduced to their badge shortly after "The Terriers" became their official nickname and mascot of the club. 

The club were relegated from the top flight in that 1971-72 campaign, and spent the next four decades in a nomadic existence in the bottom three divisions.

45 years on, and the Terriers are back for a first ever Premier League season after a fairytale rise under Jurgen Klopp protege Wagner.

Huddersfield began their 2016-17 campaign as one of the favourites to be relegated to League One.
Instead, and against all the odds, they defied the doubters and sealed a return to the elite with victory over hotly-tipped Reading on penalties in the play-off final.

The new boys began their Premier League adventure in superb style with impressive wins over Palace and Newcastle in their opening two games.
They've not won in the six games since, but with only one defeat at home in the league so far they shouldn't be underestimated. 

Match preview: Huddersfield Town v United

United make the short trip to west Yorkshire to face newly promoted Huddersfield with the chance to create history. 

If the team can shut out David Wagner's Terriers, it will be United's eighth clean sheet in the first nine league fixtures - a feat no other side has ever achieved in the top flight. 

Having all but sealed qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League in midweek, United return to domestic duty in the third of four successive away games. 

The Reds make the 27-mile trip across the Pennines for our first ever visit to the John Smith's Stadium - our first competitive meeting with Huddersfield for 45 years.

Marcus Rashford limped off with a knee injury against Benfica but has been passed fit and is available for selection. 
Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Marouane Fellaini are all sidelined so Jose looks set to name an unchanged side from the 1-0 win in Portugal. 

Striker Steve Mounie is expected to feature for Huddersfield, but Philip Billing (ankle) and Collin Quaner (calf) are both ruled out. 

The Terriers began their first ever Premier League campaign in fine form with a 3-0 thumping of Palace, which they followed up with a 1-0 win over Newcastle.
Life at the top level has been harder for them since then, though, having failed to win any of their last six league games.
They go into this match on the back of two successive defeats to Tottenham and Swansea and sit twelfth in the table. 

Despite the hosts indifferent form, Jose said that neither he nor the team will underestimate Wagner's men. 
He said: "The place will be buzzing, the people will be happy to have a big club, a famous club, in their city, and it will be a big motivation for them.
"We know that but I think we are going to be ready.
"Everybody knows the Premier League and what it means for the new teams, every team in the Premier League is good, every team in the league thinks and believes that they can win against every opponent.
It is another match away from home and nobody else is coming back. 
"We have the same players we had for the Benfica match."

Form guide: Huddersfield Town L D L D L L United W W W W D W
Match odds: Huddersfield Town 33/1 Draw 4/1 United 11/2
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Match report: Benfica 0-1 United

United moved to the brink of qualification for the knockout stages after Marcus Rashford's free-kick winner and goalkeeper Mile Svilar's blunder.

The 18-year-old debutant, the competition's youngest-ever keeper, carried Rashford's set-piece over the line having previously impressed throughout with a string of superb saves.

The win saw the Reds lead the way at the top of Group A, with three wins out of three, whilst Rui Vitoria's side remain without a point in the standings.

A draw or a victory in the return leg at Old Trafford in a fortnight's time would seal the Reds safe passage to the knockout stage.

Benfica carved out the game's first opening in the 15th minute when Alex Grimaldo picked out Eduardo Salvio, who fired narrowly wide.

Rashford headed over the bar and Svilar saved well from Nemanja Matic, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan pulled a shot wide in a flurry of chances for the visitors.

United were much improved from Saturday's dire draw at Anfield, and took the lead shortly after the hour mark in bizarre fashion.

Rashford had gone close twice with two earlier efforts from corners, and it was from another superb set-piece from the teenager that the Reds made the breakthrough. 

Svilar held the inswinging 35 free-kick, but he was unable to deal with the power and accuracy and inadvertently dropped over the line with the ball.

Having alerted the VAR goal-line technology system, German referee Felix Zwayer awarded the goal.

That proved to be Rashford's last contribution as he limped off ten minutes later with a knee injury to add to United's injury worries. 

Anthony Martial came on in his place and the substitute almost doubled United's lead when he burst into the box and saw his angled strike well saved by Svilar.

Ruben Dias had Benfica's one clear cut opening on 77 minutes, when he fired over from a Silvio corner when unmarked. 

The hosts ended the game with ten men when veteran centre-back Luisao was sent off late on for a second booking, ruling him out of the return fixture.

The result condemned Benfica to a third straight Champions League loss, whilst United sit top of the table with a 100% record. 

Basel won 2-0 in Moscow against CSKA in the other game to move up to second in the group.

Overall team performance: 7.5/10
United Faithful Man of the Match: Nemanja Matic

Match preview: Benfica v United

Jose Mourinho took his first steps into management at the Lisbon club and will look to guide United to the brink of the knockout stages on his return.

The boss managed Benfica - Portuguese champions and top Group A seeds - in the 2000/01 campaign in a short-lived tenure at the Estadio da Luz.

Having acted as assistant manager at Porto and Barcelona to Sir Bobby Robson and then a certain Louis van Gaal, Mourinho filled the same role at the Portuguese giants until he replaced the sacked Jupp Heynckes.

Jose's reign was only to last eleven games, though, and he quit after two months in charge after a raft of changes at boardroom level. 

Reds midfield man Nemanja Matic played 73 times for Benfica across three seasons, and Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof also makes his return to the club he signed for United from in the summer.

United are unbeaten both domestically and in Europe, and sit impressively in pole position in the group with two wins from two - and an extension of that record would see us all but seal a place in the knockout stages.

Benfica, by contrast, have lost both of their opening matches despite their status as, on paper at least, the strongest team in the group.

They sit third in the Portuguese SuperLig table after eight games, behind arch rivals Sporting and Porto, five points off the pace after five wins, two draws and a defeat so far. 

A surprise 2-1 reverse to CSKA Moscow was followed up last time out by even more a shock as they were thrashed 5-0 at Basel.

The boss admitted that he's short of options for the trip with Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all out.

Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw, however, have travelled with the squad but this match is expected to come too soon for both.

Benfica full-back Andrea Almeida will miss out through suspension but Rui Vitoria has an otherwise full squad of players to pick from.

Jose said: "Our goal of course is to qualify, I think that one point away against the strongest of the three teams is a good result.

"Our sole objective is to qualify within that context, but it is a match that we also want to try and win.

"I believe it is hard for Benfica to qualify, but they need to make a point without question and I'm sure that Rui has done many different things in the Champions League - I have studied and analysed Benfica as best I can,  that Rui has done many different things in the Champions League."

Form guide: Benfica D D W L D W United W W W W W D

Match odds: Benfica 7/2 Draw 13/5 United 5/6

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany) 

Lukaku criticism unjustified after rare off day for Belgian striker

It seems unfair for Romelu Lukaku to be criticised after his red-hot start to life at United. 

The Belgian provided - and squandered - the Reds only shot on target in the 0-0 draw at Anfield, when he fired straight at compatriot Simon Mignolet when well placed.

There was just that one opening late in the first half, when his shot had the power but not the placement and it proved a straightforward save for the Liverpool keeper.

United failed to trouble him again, and there is sense of a missed opportunity to take all three points. 

This single moment has already been used by some to continue the narrative that the 24-year-old does not deliver in the high-profile matches.

Yet it's nonsense and, in time, Rom will dispel the myth in the coming months with the trip to Chelsea and visit of Spurs on the horizon.

It should not be used to argue that he is a flat-track bully, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed an equally presentable header in the corresponding fixture last season. 

Nobody would ever accuse the mercurial Swede of not being the man for the big occasion, as he has proved countless times in his glittering and decorated career. 

It's difficult to understand why Lukaku's goal against Real Madrid in the Super Cup - the twice-defending European champions and best side on the planet - is conveniently excluded from this argument.

Lukaku wasted no time in settling in at the club, and has racked up eye-catching stats from the off.

This was only the second match of the campaign in which he's failed to score, including internationals for Belgium, he is now on eleven goals in as many games.

If that ratio continues, Lukaku is surely a shoo-in for the Premier League's Golden Boot. 

Ploughing a lone furrow in attack, he often cut an isolated figure and had to deal with the close attentions of Liverpool centre-backs Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip throughout.

It's fair to say that he was not afforded too many opportunities to show the free-scoring form that has wreaked havoc on opponents so far this season.

His record is simply incredible and his start to life at United can only be applauded. 

He'll be there at the sharp end again against Benfica in Lisbon and will be out to get back on the goal trail.

After all, those who felt that he would not impress in the Champions League have gone quiet after three goals in his first two European matches.

In time, there won't be any debate over his ability to find the net in the biggest of games.

He's at a club where he'll get the chance to do so and have ample opportunity to prove the doubters wrong once and for all. 

United miss chance for statement win but remain unbeaten

Jose Mourinho will be slaughtered for this but he will not care after his tactical plan worked to perfection to frustrate the life out of Liverpool (again). 
It's almost a year to the day since the Reds of Manchester and Merseyside played out a drab goalless stalemate at Anfield, with the hosts snuffed out by a classic Mourinho masterclass in defensive resilience and organisation. 

12 months on, and you could be forgiven for thinking that this was merely the DVD of that meeting, so turgid and tepid was it.
Then, United were indebted to David de Gea after two fine second half saves to deny Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho.
The Spaniard was at his brilliant best again here, and this time he kept out Joel Matip with a magnificent save with his foot from six yards. 

City won at Chelsea before the international break and followed that up with a devastating showing in their 7-2 victory over Mark Hughes Stoke City side.
This was a chance for United to deliver a statement of their own in our first fixture against one of last season's top six, but we saw again the same pragmatic blueprint as in the corresponding meeting 12 months ago.

Away to Liverpool and with injuries having hit the squad hard, Jose's game plan should come as little surprise. 

David de Gea's world-class save aside, Emre Can's one-on-one miss after the break was as much as Jurgen Klopp's side offered. 

Had Romelu Lukaku taken United's one clear cut chance before half-time, this would have been the ultimate of smash and grab wins. 
That one moment aside, this was largely an outing to forget for the £75m former Everton striker, who was starved of service in an almost anonymous showing.

Mourinho is a bigger picture manager and set the team up to avoid defeat.

We did just that, and the hard-earned point garnered at Anfield could prove crucial in the final reckoning.
The injury-hit Reds remain unbeaten and a return of 20 points from eight games played is the title-winning form of potential champions.
That's exactly how Jose will justify as dour a performance as we'll see this season. 

Liverpool were allowed to dominate possession, paint pretty pictures and play on the front foot but they were ultimately frustrated and came up short. 

This was a match that will be instantly forgettable as the much-hyped fixture again failed to live up to expectation, perhaps in part due to the lunchtime KO straight after the international break.

Match report: Liverpool 0-0 United

Liverpool and United were forced to settle for a share of the spoils again after the much-hyped fixture ended in another disappointing stalemate.

In a game of few chances, the Reds were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea, who kept out Joel Matip with a world-class reflex save in the first half to preserve United's unbeaten league record.

United will be much the happier with a hard-earned point and could even have completed the ultimate smash-and-grab.
Romelu Lukaku, isolated and on the periphery throughout, fired straight at Simon Mignolet when well-placed.

Georginio Wijnaldum went close from distance early on, and Nemanja Matic - impressive again - then did likewise at the other end with a 30-yarder.

Clear cut chances proved hard to come by, but Liverpool should have taken the lead ten minutes shy of the interval.

Roberto Firmino's cut-back found Matip, but his snapshot from six yards out was brilliantly turned away by de Gea's outstretched foot when the centre-back seemed certain to score. Liv
After Phil Jones had partially cleared, Salah then should have done better with the rebound but pulled his angled effort narrowly wide.

At the other end, Lukaku spurned a glorious opening in front of the Kop.
Neat one-touch play on the edge of the area between Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial released the Belgian, but his shot lacked power and compatriot Mignolet parried away the effort.

Liverpool almost caught United napping soon after the interval, with de Gea to the rescue once again.
Philippe Coutinho picked out Firmino, Jones blocked the initial shot before the Spanish stopper blocked bravely at the feet of the forward as the hosts ratcheted up the pressure.

Emre Can volleyed over from ten yards when one-on-one, and Firmino was then flagged offside having burst clear. 
Jurgen Klopp's side continued to press, but United held firm and then introduced Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford - who was carrying a knock - in an attempt to snatch an unlikely win.

For once, Jose's substitutions did not have the desired effect, however, and the breakthrough remained elusive as United held out.

City won 7-2 against Stoke later on Saturday to move two clear, but this was a point gained as attentions turn to the midweek Champions League trip to Portugal. 

Overall team performance: 6/10
United Faithful Man of the Match: David de Gea