Match Preview :- FC United Of Manchester - Saturday November 12th, 2016 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic host FC United of Manchester for the league clash (kick off 3pm). This match will be segregated, with away fans using the far end turn stiles. There will be a match centre for this game.

FC United are currently four places above Celtic in seventeenth with seventeen points, eight more than Celtic. They have had four wins this season, and five draws, two of those wins and two of those draws have come away from home, with five losses away also. They have a very similar home and away record. Their last away win was an impressive 2-0 defeat of Kidderminster Harriers, though in their last five away games, they have also lost to Harrogate, Telford and Halifax and drawn with Tamworth.

They have scored 26 goals this season (11 away) at a rate of 1.4 per game (1.2 away), whilst conceding 32 goals in total (15 away) at a rate of 1.8 per game (1.7 away). Their top scorer is George Thomson with 7 goals. They have failed to score five times in total (three away), and kept four clean sheets, with only one of these being on the road (their 2-0 win over Kidderminster). Away from home they have only been winning once at half time, and went onto win that game. When drawing at half time (five times), they won one and lost one. They have been losing at half time in three away games, going onto lose two.

We've met competitively five times, but only twice in the league, last season, when Celtic won both games. We also beat them in the Manchester Premier Cup. Our last meeting at Bowe Fold was in September 2015, when we won 1-0. FC United's last win here was in the FA Cup in October 2009, when they won 1-0 after holding us to a 3-3 draw a couple of days before.

FC United have former Celtic goalkeeper, Dave Carnell, in their starting squad. FC United have lost their last three matches, most recently losing 3-2 at home to Bradford Park Avenue. In that match, they lined up as:
1. Dave Carnell
2. Dale Tonge
3. Chris Chantler
4. Scott Kay
5. Tom Eckersley
6. Luke Ashworth
7. Matthew Wolfenden
8. Harry Winter
9. Jason Gilchrist
10. Jerome Wright
11. George Thomson

Celtic lost their last match 5-0 away from home at table topping AFC Fylde. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Grant Shenton
2. Danny Morton
3. Adam Mather
4. Matty Hughes
5. Danny Wisdom
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Brian Summerskill
8. Gary Gee
9. Liam Dickinson
10. Josh Hine
11. Aidan Chippendale

A win for Celtic on Saturday could lift us a place (if Bradford lose at home to Alfreton), but more importantly, put us closer to safety. We are currently five points away from Curzon and six from Nuneaton. A loss could allow Altrincham to overtake us (if they beat Salford at home), putting us bottom again.

Other matches on Saturday:
Altrincham (7pts 22nd) v Salford City (27pts 9th)
Boston United (20pts 12th) v Brackley Town (27pts 10th)
Bradford Park Avenue (10pts 20th) v Alfreton Town (17pts 16th)
Darlington (36pts 2nd) v AFC Fylde (40pts 1st)
FC Halifax Town (30pts 5th) v Kidderminster Harriers (31pts 4th)
Gainsborough Trinity (19pts 14th) v Chorley (34pts 3rd)
Gloucester City (27pts 8th) v Curzon Ashton (14pts 19th)
Harrogate Town (28pts 7th) v Tamworth (29pts 6th)
Nuneaton Town (15pts 18th) v Stockport County (24pts 11th)
Worcester City (19pts 13th) v AFC Telford (18pts 15th)

Match Sponsor
Dukinfield Golf Club
Ball Sponsor
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0161 338 2828
Man of the Match Sponsor
Little Deer Hill Catering Company
Programme Sponsor
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