Moyes concerned over pitch in HK
July 27, 2013, Saturday
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MANCHESTER United manager David Moyes admitted he is concerned about the pitch in China's Hong Kong, where his side landed yesterday on the last leg of its Asia tour.
The English Premier League champion plays local side Kitchee tomorrow at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium, where the playing surface has been badly affected by several days of torrential rain.
Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio on Friday described it as "a killer pitch" while Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas saw key defender Jan Vertonghen taken off on a stretcher last Wednesday after injuring his ankle playing there in the Barclays Asia Trophy.
Moyes, who was at the stadium last evening to watch Spurs thrash local side South China 6-0, with Jermaine Defoe scoring a hat-trick, said earlier: "I do have concerns about the surface but it's mainly due to the weather and that's an act of God, so we can't do anything about that."
In another Barclays Asia Trophy last night, Manchester City beat Sunderland 1-0 to win the trophy, manager Manuel Pellegrini's first honor with City.
More heavy rain fell on Hong Kong shortly after United's arrival and showers were forecast for today and tomorrow. United later said it had cancelled an open training session for fans today because of the poor condition of the pitch.
A stoppage-time goal from new-face Wilfried Zaha saved United from the brink of a humiliating third defeat in its preseason Asian tour on Friday, drawing 2-2 with the Japanese side Cerezo Osaka.
United's stint in Asia has also seen the Red Devils play friendlies in Thailand and Australia.
Once back in Britain, United will starts its Premier League season at Swansea City on August 17.
Moyes revealed that, four weeks into the job, he still did not know what his best side was.
"I'm still getting to know my players," he told the club website. "I have several players back home who I've not met yet because of international duties. I don't have a starting XI for the Swansea game formulated in my head yet. We still have three games in Europe before the season starts. We'll look at it then."
The English Premier League champion plays local side Kitchee tomorrow at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium, where the playing surface has been badly affected by several days of torrential rain.
Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio on Friday described it as "a killer pitch" while Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas saw key defender Jan Vertonghen taken off on a stretcher last Wednesday after injuring his ankle playing there in the Barclays Asia Trophy.
Moyes, who was at the stadium last evening to watch Spurs thrash local side South China 6-0, with Jermaine Defoe scoring a hat-trick, said earlier: "I do have concerns about the surface but it's mainly due to the weather and that's an act of God, so we can't do anything about that."
In another Barclays Asia Trophy last night, Manchester City beat Sunderland 1-0 to win the trophy, manager Manuel Pellegrini's first honor with City.
More heavy rain fell on Hong Kong shortly after United's arrival and showers were forecast for today and tomorrow. United later said it had cancelled an open training session for fans today because of the poor condition of the pitch.
A stoppage-time goal from new-face Wilfried Zaha saved United from the brink of a humiliating third defeat in its preseason Asian tour on Friday, drawing 2-2 with the Japanese side Cerezo Osaka.
United's stint in Asia has also seen the Red Devils play friendlies in Thailand and Australia.
Once back in Britain, United will starts its Premier League season at Swansea City on August 17.
Moyes revealed that, four weeks into the job, he still did not know what his best side was.
"I'm still getting to know my players," he told the club website. "I have several players back home who I've not met yet because of international duties. I don't have a starting XI for the Swansea game formulated in my head yet. We still have three games in Europe before the season starts. We'll look at it then."
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