Source: Telegraph
Obafemi Martins: Manchester United less predictable without Cristiano Ronaldo
Most observers assumed United would struggle without the high-profile pair, who quit Old Trafford for Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively during the summer. But so far, such views have proved unfounded. [LNB]On the back of seven straight victories, United have climbed onto the Premier League summit, while also opening their latest Champions League campaign with a win over Turkish club Besiktas in Istanbul. [LNB] Related ArticlesMichael Owen hits the spotMichael Owen targets England recallAlex Ferguson: Wayne Rooney greatness assuredManchester United v WolfsburgRafael Benítez savages LiverpoolWenger applauds Arsenal's maturityNow Martins hopes to help his new club, Wolfsburg, halt that run at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, but the Nigerian knows it will be not be easy. The former Newcastle star has previously scored at Old Trafford, but he contends that this United side have more options than the ones he has faced before. [LNB]"Even without Ronaldo and Tévez, I would say you face the same problems playing against United. In fact they are playing much better than before. When Ronaldo was on the pitch, everyone looked to him, expecting him to change the game when his team most needed it. [LNB]"But now United have a lot of players who can change a game, like Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov. Even the defenders can score goals, so we must watch out for them all over the pitch." [LNB]Rooney is the man Martins is most wary of. The England forward is set to make his 50th Champions League appearance for United on Wednesday evening, with Sir Alex Ferguson among those who believes the 23-year-old can become one of the greatest players in the world.[LNB]And having witnessed him operate at close quarters, Martins is not going to disagree. "He is playing so well at the moment - he can destroy defenders in an instant," he said. [LNB]"He is scoring goals, maybe more goals than before, and he is helping the team in lots of other ways as well. [LNB]"He is a player we need to be very careful of." [LNB]EmailPrint .at15t_email {display:none !important;}Share|tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6245594/Obafemi-Martins-Manchester-United-less-predictable-without-Cristiano-Ronaldo.html';tweetmeme_style = 'compact';tweetmeme_source = 'TelegraphNews';Email|Printhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6245594/Obafemi-Martins-Manchester-United-less-predictable-without-Cristiano-Ronaldo.htmlTelegraphNews Man Utd
