With last weeks’ 5-3 hammering at the hands of a newly promoted Leicester City, things do not look any better for Louis Van Gaal and his Manchester United side with a new bunch of players being unavailable for selection, as the team prepares to take on West Ham United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
TEAM NEWS:
MANCHESTER UNITED:
The Red Devils’ misery does not seem to have an end, with injuries and suspension rocking the side yet again. And to make matters worse, it is in the already weak defence that has been hit by injuries. With Phil Jones ruled out last week with a hamstring injury, United were given an early setback when Johnny Evans suffered a foot injury early in the game against Leicester. Later in the match, youngster Taylor Blackett was shown the red card and remains suspended for the match. And like the final nail in the coffin, Chris Smalling suffered a thigh injury in training and has been ruled out as well; which leaves Van Gaal with almost 10 first team players out injured.
With such scarcity in the defensive options, Luke Shaw is set to get his debut for United at left-back, to move Marcus Rojo to the centre-back position. In spite of having a forgettable match against Leicester City, Rafael is set to continue at right-back. In the remaining centre-back spot, Van Gaal is likely to give one of the two youth team players- Patrick Mcnair or Tom Thorpe- a first-team debut. He also has the alternative of playing Daley Blind alongside Rojo, but is unlikely given United’s fragility in central midfield as well. David De Gea will keep his place but needs to up his game after having an awful day against Leicester last week with all of Leicester’s 5 shots on target finding the net.
Daley Blind, Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera looks nailed for the three central roles in the 4-3-1-2 Van Gaal is likely to play. Van Gaal’s decision to drop Juan Mata to the bench for the last match was surprising, given that Mata has scored 8 goals and assisted 5 goals in 20 appearances for United. With both Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao still to hit full form and fitness, Van Gaal must bring back Mata to the side in the advanced midfielder role, pushing Wayne Rooney upfront and dropping either Van Persie or Falcao to the bench. But from Van Gaal’s press conferences, the hint seems to be that he will continue with Rooney in the hole and Van Persie and Falcao upfront, which does not seem good for Mata.
WEST HAM UNITED:
Sam Allardyce’s West Ham side has been dealt a blow by the absence of the impressive Cheick Kouyate, after he was ruled out for several weeks with a groin injury. Having played a 4-4-2 diamond in the 3-1 win against Liverpool last weekend, Kouyate’s absence would force Allardyce to hand a Premier League debut for the young Diego Poyet alongside Alex Song and Mark Noble or to revert to a 4-3-3. If Allardyce does stick to the 4-4-2 diamond, Stewart Downing would continue in the advanced midfielder role behind summer signings Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho.
A move to the 4-2-3-1 though would give Mauro Zarate a return to the starting line-up, with Downing and Sakho pushed to the right and left of Valencia respectively, and Zarate will tuck in behind Valencia in the hole.
At the back, Adrian set to continue below the bar while Winston Reid, James Tomkins and Aaron Cresswell look set to retain their starting berth at the heart of the defence and left-back respectively. At right back though, Guy Demel and Carl Jenkinson are set to go head-to-head for a start.
STYLE OF PLAY EXPECTED:
Although a full strength and confident Manchester United side would have been a tough challenge for West Ham, the current depleted side would give West Ham an edge in tomorrow’s encounter. The extreme difference in moods in the two camps following last week’s results is likely to reflect in the game, with West Ham’s physically imposing strikers likely to take advantage of United’s weakened defence.
With their title hopes fading away, pressure mounting and their main area of weakness exposed even further, United would be in a state of dilemma-whether to sit back, protect the fragile backline and hit on the counter or to risk the defence and play to their strength by going all-out on attack. The match would be a test of Van Gaal’s nerves and the match would give a significant idea on how he would fare as the United manager in the season.
Manchester United Vs West Ham United PREDICTED LINE-UPS:
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-1-2): DE GEA; RAFAEL- THORPE- ROJO- SHAW; BLIND- HERRERA- DI MARIA; ROONEY; FALCAO- VAN PERSIE.
WEST HAM (4-3-3): ADRIAN; DEMEL- TOMKINS- REID- CRESSWELL; SONG- NOBLE- ZARATE; DOWNING- VALENCIA- SAKHO.
Manchester United Vs West Ham United MATCH FACTS:
- Manchester United’s total of five points from five games is their worst haul at this stage since 1989-90.
- The Hammers have scored nine goals in 18 Premier League games at Old Trafford and never more than one in a single game.
- Manchester United have taken 31 points from their last 11 Barclays Premier League games against West Ham.
- West Ham have netted a league-high four goals from outside the box this season.
- Eight goals conceded after five games is Man Utd’s highest total since leaking 10 in their opening five in 2001-02.
- Wayne Rooney has two goals and two assists in five Premier League games this season.
- Man Utd have lost 10 of their last 25 Premier League home games. The previous 10 defeats came across a period of 148 games.
- West Ham have scored five goals in their last two Premier League away games, more than they managed in the previous six on the road (4).
Stats compiled from uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
KEY PLAYERS:
WAYNE ROONEY (MANCHESTER UNITED):
Rooney’s ability to captain the team was criticized after the previous match, when he himself could not keep the composure in tense situations. Whether deployed in the hole or as a striker, Rooney need to raise his game to his highest level in order to motivate his team as a whole. With world class players around him, Rooney has the talent to score and assist goals with ease. But he needs to keep the composure and start delivering.
STEWART DOWNING (WEST HAM UNITED):
The former Liverpool winger is in some incredible form right now. He has impressed in all games for West Ham so far, even sealing the game against Liverpool last week with a fabulous assist. With the Manchester United side under a lot of pressure, it would be upto Downing to use his experience to get his side through the opposition and get the full 3 points, and Downing is likely to test the United defence several times with his menacing crosses from the right.
Manchester United Vs West Ham United SCORE PREDICTIONS:
MANCHESTER UNITED 2-2 WEST HAM UNITED