REDFEARN READY FOR BOURNEMOUTH TEST

REDFEARN READY FOR BOURNEMOUTH TEST

Head coach looks ahead to Elland Road meeting with the Cherries...

Neil Redfearn maintains that Bournemouth are the "best footballing side" in the Championship but is hoping that United can pull off a repeat of September’s Dean Court victory.

The Cherries lead the Championship table by a point and have suffered just two league defeats since Redfearn’s side were 3-1 winners on the South Coast back on September 16.

"I said from day one that they’re the best footballing side in the division and they are," said Redfearn.

"They showed last season that they can move the ball about, they’ve got good width, players with pace and players who can score goals.

"They commit bodies forward and they’re playing with confidence. They’ve had that group together now for a couple of seasons and it shows.

"For any side that’s trying to get promotion or trying to get up there, it’s about having that where they’ve had a couple of seasons together.

"They know one another’s games and they’re balanced. They look exactly that. As do Derby County, they’re up there and it’s not a coincidence."

Redfearn expects Eddie Howe’s men to be seeking revenge when they arrive at Elland Road after goals from Souleymane Doukara, Giuseppe Bellusci and Mirco Antenucci saw United come from behind and put the Cherries to the sword.

"It was a great performance," said Redfearn. "The first half hour was like the Alamo but Marco Silvestri kept us in the game at that point

"He made some outstanding saves and we changed it around, we hung on in there at 1-0 down.

"We changed it at half-time and got at them. They struggled, there were weaknesses there that we saw and that we’re aware of now.

"If we can utilise that and get into them and get at them in those areas, then we can cause them a problem.

"They’ll be a little bit sore about it I would imagine, nobody likes getting beat at home. It wasn’t just the scoreline, it was the manor.

"I think they’ll come and play with confidence, they’ll play an expansive game like they have done all season.

"They’ll try and get it wide, they’ve got good wide players. I think they’ll try and bring the game to us, they’ll come and try to play.

"We’ve proved that we can create chances and one day three or four of them have got to go in.

"We’ll try and keep it tight, we’ll make it difficult for them. But we want to play, we want to go and pass it and we want to give a good account of ourselves because we’re capable."

Redfearn also praised the United fans for the part they played in Saturday’s draw with Birmingham and has urged them to show more of the same for Bournemouth’s visit.

"They’ve just got to be their selves," he said. "They’ve been great for us this season and they get behind us.

"They’re good because they show their emotion. They want to win and we want to win.

"The way they got behind us on Saturday, particularly in the second half when we got the goal back and they lifted the lid off the stadium, is great.

"If we can recreate that, it’s an intimidating place and it’ll make it difficult for Bournemouth."

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