Predicted Manchester United Line-up To Face Everton In The Premier League
Sitting pretty atop the table with 10 points from 4 games and with a Champions League victory under their belt, Manchester United will look to continue their strong start when they take on Everton at Old Trafford, on Sunday. The Red Devils will be welcoming former club captain Wayne Rooney back to the stadium for the first time since his summer transfer and it is guaranteed to be an emotional affair of sorts.
Jose Mourinho, however, will be eager to get all 3 points, especially after their frustrating draw at Stoke last weekend. Paul Pogba’s injury will have complicated matters but the Manchester-based club has enough backup options to conjure a win.
Here’s how they might line up against The Toffees:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
De Gea made a couple of excellent saves in the game against Stoke, including a miraculous one from point-blank range. The Spaniard was left relatively untested against FC Basel in the midweek fixture but will have to be on his toes against an Everton side who have an impressive front line which includes the likes of Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Right back: Antonio Valencia
Rested for the previous game, Valencia will be eager to start this one. Ashley Young put in an impressive shift against Basel, so the onus will be on the Ecuadorian to prove himself to the Gaffer after a poor show at the Britannia Stadium.
Centre-backs: Eric Bailly and Phil Jones
Bailly and Jones both missed the Champions League game but the duo will be looking to make a comeback against Everton, especially after their horror outing against Stoke. That should relegate Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof to the bench.
Central Midfield: Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic
In central midfield, Matic is a certain starter but the other position is up for grabs between Maroune Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera, as Paul Pogba is out injured. I suspect Herrera’s industry might see him get the nod ahead of the others but Fellaini would be Plan B in case United trail to an odd goal or something.
Right Wing: Juan Mata
Mata has been in good form for United so far this season, lending a degree of calmness up front. The Spaniard will start on the right ahead of Jesse Lingard, thus giving the likes of Rashford and Mkhitaryan more room to run and cause havoc.
Attacking Midfield: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Despite a great start to the campaign which saw him register 6 assists in 3 games, Mkhitaryan’s performance in the last 2 games have not been at the same level. The Armenian midfielder will be eager to set his record straight and win back the fans by delivering in this must-win home tie.
Left Wing: Marcus Rashford
Rashford came on for a not-so-effective Anthony Martial against Basel and scored one of the 3 goals. He could start ahead of the Frenchman in this one and will be eager to take on a not-so-confident Everton backline.
Striker: Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku has been in red-hot form this season, scoring 10 goals in all games for club and country. Will look to extend his good run of form against his old side.