MK Dons v Man United: First clean sheet to elude again

Man United's three-man defence remains a work in progress

Michael Lintorn thinks both teams to score is the fastest route to Capital One Cup profit at stadiummk...

MK Dons v Man United
Tuesday, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: MK Dons 9.417/2, Man United 1.384/11, The Draw 5.79/2

Louis van Gaal has a solid cup record, winning Dutch, Spanish and German knockout silverware while at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, while you may also just about recall him steering Netherlands to an unexpected third-place finish at World Cup 2014.

However, there wasn't enough evidence in his first Man United two games to make a firm case for backing them at 1.384/11 to beat anyone, let alone a team three matches deeper into 2014/15 and far more adjusted to what is required of them tactically in boss Karl Robinson's fourth season in charge.

MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman has called this "the biggest game in the club's history", but they usually thrive when forced to confront higher-division opposition.

They held FA Cup holders Wigan twice in the competition last term, conquered Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday and QPR in 2012/13, thrashed Norwich 4-0 at Carrow Road in 2011/12 and overcame Blackpool in 2010/11. The latter trio were in the Premier League at the time of humbling.

Man United are clearly several notches superior to all of those sides and, even if fielding reserves, can introduce Shinji Kagawa, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck, so should triumph, yet this writer isn't confident enough to back them at their current price.

Both teams to score

Anyone sentencing Man United to another year of misery and irrelevance after their underwhelming start risks being made to regret it - as discussed here - but van Gaal admits that it usually takes a few months for his methods to properly take effect.

The learning process is trickier for the Red Devils due to the extensive injury crisis depriving them of Michael Carrick and summer signings Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera among many others, and because they are adapting to a new shape (3-4-1-2) as well as approach.

The defensive transformation has been particularly challenging due to both fitness problems and slow transfer progress. For instance, Jonny Evans should return for his first start at MK Dons, but Chris Smalling is now sidelined and Marcos Rojo still isn't cleared to play.

Both Man United and their opponents netted in their first two Premier League fixtures, while six of their League One hosts' previous seven Capital One Cup clashes rewarded punters who backed both teams to score.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.865/6