After a vigorous three-week journey of North America, Manchester United returns to action in with a match against Airtricity League XI at the new Aviva Stadium.
As they have done in the past numerous times, the draw of United will be used to open the modern 50,000-seat stadium. Aviva Stadium will serve as the new home for the Republic of Ireland's national team that has replaced the old Dublin Arena.
Unlike the Tour 2010, the trip to the Ireland will be short-lived as the players will be there for less than 12 hours, but its about the 90 minutes some of the players will get that is most important.
Return
Michael Carrick, Ji-sung Park, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic will all return to the United line-up after missing the pre-season tour of America due to their involvement in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Another good sign for United fans is Michael Owen has joined up with the team and could feature in his first match since the Carling Cup final last February.
Antonio Valencia has also recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of the last part of the season and tour enough to take part in this match.
It is imperative for some of these returning players to get minutes on the clock because they are four days away from the FA Community Shield match against Chelsea and only 12 days away from the start of the Barclays Premier league season.
About
Airtricity League, or League of Ireland, is a 22-team, two-tier league, which runs on the same schedule as Major League Soccer - with their season starts in March and finishes in November.
Bohemian Football Club won the 2009 Airtricity League title, but the Shamrock Rovers are the most successful club with 15 league titles.
The fight for this season's title looks to be a three-horse race between the Bohemians, Rovers and St. Patrick's Athletic.
The latter of three is currently atop of the league table on goal differential over the Rovers, but they have played one more game than Bohemians.
Airtricity League XI
G. Rogers (St. Patrick's Athletic), G. Doherty (Derry City), B. Shelley (Bohemians), G. O'Brien (Sporting Fingal), K. Oman (Bohemians), G. Peers (Sligo Rovers), C. Powell (Bohemians), C. Kenna (St. Patrick's Athletic), P. Keegan (Bohemians), S. Williams (Sporting Fingal), A. Kirby (Sporting Fingal), J. Ndo (Sligo Rovers), R. Ryan (Sligo Rovers), S. O'Donnell (Galway United), K. Brennan (Bohemians), P. Madden (Bohemians), K. Sheppard (Galway United), R. Guy (St. Patrick's Athletic)
Squad
T. Kuszczak, B. Amos; Rafael, Fabio, N. Vidic, J. Evans, J. O'Shea, C. Smalling; M. Carrick, D. Fletcher, D. Gibson, Nani, J. S. Park, A. Valencia; D. Berbatov, M. Owen, W. Rooney, J. Hernandez
Prediction
Airtricity League XI 0, Manchester United 4
Contributed by David Hammons / United View From Abroad
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