PICTURES: Manucho In Training - Set To Play Tonight?

With Dimitar Berbatov unable to play against Villarreal tonight, there’s every possibility that we’ll get to see our first sighting of new signing Manucho, who joined the club last season.

As United trained at Carrington yesterday ahead of tonight’s match, all eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo. However, I’m far more interested to see what our Angolan striker is all about.

We signed him in December of last year, following a three week trial with the club, after Carlos Queiroz had been tipped off about the agile striker months previously.

Could he get a game tonight?

Whilst Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez are likely to start, it’s not out of the question to expect Manucho to get an appearance from the bench.

Having scored 4 goals in 7 games during his loan period with Panathinaikos, as well as being named in last season’s ACON Team of the Tournament, we’re right to have high expectations of the 25-year-old.

When on loan, he scored a goal on his debut and has shown he’s confident from the penalty spot.

There is of course always going to be the fear that he’ll end up like Dong, as he has come from an unproven league withouth much pedigree. However, any player who Queiroz has shown interest in is going to get time from me.

I think it’s best to throw him in at the deep end and see what he can do. Give him some time on the pitch, in front of the home fans, and get him settled in to the team.

Do you want to see Manucho playing a part in tonight’s game?