Next Saturday, 16th August 2014, Manchester United will return to Old Trafford to measure forces with Swansea for what will be the opening match of the 2014-15 edition of the English Premier League.

After a nightmarish campaign last season, Manchester United seem to have officially changed the tune under the helm of the team’s new boss Louis Van Gaal. The Dutch head coach has been conducting a “controlled revolution” at the Red Devils ever since his arrival and the team has responded well to his ideas by winning all their pre-season matches. The tactical disaster United were drowned in last season seems to have disappeared during this Summer, especially as the players are showing a quick adaption to Van Gaal’s bold tactical style, with just three men back in defence and two wing backs ahead of them playing between lines.

Winning the first season match will be of paramount importance for United, especially because they are playing at home and since it will help the players to restore the confidence lost during last term’s uninspired campaign.

Louis Van Gaal is reportedly still on the market looking for new players to strengthen his team and it is very likely that he will bring in more two or three players until the end of the Summer transfer window.

For the match against the Swans next Saturday, Van Gaal will not be able to count on the contribution of Van Persie, who is currently injured, and Danny Welbeck will certainly take his place up in the front, alongside with Rooney.

As for Swansea, playing at Old Trafford against this somewhat renewed Manchester United is probably not the best way to kick off the new campaign; nevertheless, the Swans will certainly try to replicate their FA Cup performance from last season, during which they defeated the Red Devils in front of their fans and carved yet another very sharp nail on David Moyes’ already heavily perforated coffin.

Garry Monk’s boys put up some interesting performances during the pre-season matches, despite of being heavily defeated by Villarreal last Saturday at home.

The Swans signed in three quality players this Summer, Fabianski, Sigurdsson, Gomis and Jefferson Montero, to somehow compensate for the departures of Michu, who joined Napoli on loan, and Michel Vorm and Ben Davies, who signed for the Spurs.

The last time both sides went head-to-head was back in January and United won 2-0. Although things are different now, the Red Devils have everything in their favour to win the match and they will certainly not let this opportunity to get off to a flying start pass.

Manchester United

Stats: W-5 L-0 D-0

Recent Form - WWWWW

Swansea

Stats: W-3 L-2 D-0

Recent Form - LWLWW

Possible Line-ups

Manchester United (3-5-2) – De Gea - Smalling - Jones - Evans - Young - Shaw - Fletcher - Herrera - Mata - Rooney - Welbeck

Swansea (4-4-2) – Fabianski - Neil Taylor - Kyle Bartley - Ashley Williams - Rangel - Ki Sung - Jonjo Shelvey - Jefferson Montero - Gylfi Sigurdsson - Gomis - Wilfried Bony

Prediction

Manchester United 3 Swansea 0