HT. Rovers have had good chances to be ahead but the pace of the United forwards looks too much for our defenders.

All the possible options for the first team are not in the u-23s squad today.

1-1 McBride Penalty

Awful keeper clearance and 16 year old Hugill puts Mancs ahead after 1 minute. Completely bamboozled Joe Grayson.

9 changes for Rovers. Mancs have an extremely young side.

This time last season, an opposition manager setting up his team to play Rovers had to cut-off the supply to Dack and crowd Dack out if he received the ball in or around the 18 yard box. On Saturday, if Neil Harris is thinking in terms of nullifying Rovers, Neil Harris has to: - stop Holtby pulling the strings - make sure Johnson cannot get into a shooting position anywhere within 30 yards of goal - prevent Rothwell getting a run on his defenders - deal with Brereton's close control and stop his runs with the ball - double up on Dolan to stop his tricks - have players ready to get out to over lapping full backs (without leaving gaps behind) because of driven accurate diagonals - deal with Kaminsky playing extra central defender and the accuracy of his distribution - not forget about Armstrong And also be aware that Cardiff having 55 or 60% ball possession isn't in itself enough to stop Rovers having 20+ attempts on goal.

In short it is a damned good deal. Fans are not going inside stadiums in the 20/21 season. People are going to have to get their heads around this.

We are not going to sign a £10m left back on a permanent. But we get one on a loan. I would prefer a loan deal over a permanent signing. Preferably with an option to buy if promoted...

Rothwell is doing serious damage to the opposition from the position he plays in now. Really hope he stays fit and keeps this going.

£166

14.00 (BST) kick off tomorrow. On MUTV behind a £7 pay wall.

It means the creditors have agreed to the buyers' plans and haven't been totally stiffed. If you get the agreement of the people the club owes money to, there is nothing for the EFL to punish you for.

It is a bit difficult to sell something that doesn't exist.

Creditors' Voluntary Arrangement

All I know is I am going to be seriously nervous as kick-off approaches. Rovers are masters at giving us two week downers across international breaks.

Quoting Mowbray, the left back addition will be a loan signing. Leeds' Douglas is expressly ruled out. Quick scan of left backs at the Academies of Europe's top leagues needed pronto. I cannot think of any Prem League side defending so brilliantly a seasoned excellent Left Back cannot make the 18 or 25.

National League been given a Government grant so their season can start https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54352735

I'd be injury prone if I were a pro footballer. I think this is completely over doing it. I always look for a squad to have five central defenders- Ayala, Lenihan and Williams are seasoned pros at this level and one will be a bench warmer while Carter and Wharton have shown they can do a job. As you rightly say we have cover through flexibility at right back and the under 23 right back is impressing. I would focus 100% on quality over quantity. Get a promotion-capable left back. We are short of left footers as well so that would also add to flexibility in the squad. The "couple more at least" are going to come through the development squad. Buckley and Chapman were easily the class acts on the park on Tuesday night.

Good to see they got a win at the weekend.

Sorry to pick on a random post but I simply do not buy this argument our squad is wafer thin. We have just beaten one of the ante-post favourites 4-0 away and we had these players unavailable: Ayala Travis Evans Dack Gallagher Butterworth Vale and had JRC go off injured ...all of whom ordinarily would be in contention for the match day 18. And three days later the under-23s beat Leicester 4-0 and even got stronger when the subs came on. And the Under 23s are 4th in Division 1 of Premier League 2 with a game in hand on the three clubs above them. This most certainly is not what a thin squad looks like. It is though, a squad that needs strengthening in two very specific areas if we are to turn a promising start into a promising first ten games, then a promising first half to the season and ultimately a successful promotion campaign - a first choice senior left back and a back-up Keeper, both of whom are outstanding and not merely time proven Championship journeymen

I really hope so.

Agreed about that Jim Smith team. I was too young to see Rovers before 1966 so the Jim Smith team is the bar. I will also happily take their 5th place now!

They are playing hugely high risk stakes. It is worth remembering the richest family in the world, the Waltons, couldn't make a go of Asda. The only way the Issas make a success is by creating local monopolies between Asda and their forecourt shops and that means ripping off British consumers

Surprised by two things. Nobody suggesting Holtby for player of the season and relieved that nobody is suggesting we will finish 2nd...

Interesting replies. What I liked about him against a tiring Leicester defence was - intelligent runs staying onside and creating space for the passes from Chapman - total cool when getting his goal scoring chances - he had a hattrick chance well saved yet when he got another one he weighed up the situation and played in Brennan for an unmissable 4th goal.