English Premier League: Moyes prepares to launch Mata revolution

Playmaker to make much-awaited debut against Cardiff on Tuesday.

MANCHESTER:

Manchester United manager David Moyes hopes that his side’s game with Cardiff City on Tuesday represents the first stage of an ‘exciting’ revolution spearheaded by new signing Juan Mata.

Playmaker Mata is in line to make his United debut against Cardiff after completing a club-record move from Chelsea worth £37.1 million at the weekend.

The United manager believes that the Spaniard’s arrival can set the tone for the months ahead.

“I want to build an exciting team,” said Moyes, whose team are currently 14 points behind leaders Arsenal in seventh place.

“I want to win and give the supporters something to shout about because I’ve not done that often enough. This is the first of many more to come in time. I’m looking forward to Juan being the start of it.”

Mata said that he had little hesitation in making the switch to United.

“It’s amazing knowing that a club like Manchester United is interested in you,” he said.

“The squad and the manager are very good and the fans are unbelievable – we have everything to be successful.”

Soton return excites Oxlade-Chamberlain

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is relishing the prospect of continuing his recovery from injury against the Southampton team with whom he forged his career.

The Arsenal winger spent 11 years with Southampton before leaving for the Emirates Stadium in 2011 in a £12 million move.

Oxlade-Chamberlain will return to St Mary’s for the second time on Tuesday and he is looking forward to facing a familiar foe.

“To go back there in any sense is always really nice, especially when we go to play them,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to going back this season. Obviously they’re doing really well, so it’s a tough game for us.”

Moses braced for high-stakes Merseyside derby

Liverpool’s on-loan winger Victor Moses believes that the Merseyside derby at home to Everton on Tuesday could be a crucial moment in his side’s campaign.

Fourth-place Liverpool lead their sixth-place city rivals by a point ahead of the game and while Brendan Rodgers’s side are unbeaten in five games, Roberto Martinez’s Everton have gone six matches without defeat.

Moses believes their encounter at Anfield will be ‘massive’.

“We’re looking forward to it,” he said. “We know how important the game is for us at the moment.

“We just want to keep working hard together as a team and hopefully, if we can get three points against Everton, it will be the key for us.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea have completed the signing of 21-year-old winger Mohamed Salah from Swiss side Basel, announced the Premier League club.

Salah has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Chelsea and will wear the number 15 shirt at Stamford Bridge.

“I’m very happy to sign for Chelsea, such a big club in the world,” he said.

EPL

Tonight’s Fixtures

Man United v     Cardiff

Norwich        v     Newcastle

Soton            v     Arsenal

Swansea       v     Fulham

C Palace       v     Hull City

Liverpool      v     Everton

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2014.

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