Manchester United are currently fighting for a top-four finish in the Premier League so that they can get back into the European circuit once again next season. They are facing fierce competition from Arsenal, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspurs for that spot. The team, after spending a long time in the third position has now gone to the fourth spot. In 2015, they have played six matches so far. They have won three, lost two and drew one. This inconsistent performance could prove to be dangerous considering the amount of competition in this league. They are slowly losing their ground, and if this performance continues they might go out of the top four-zone.
A major reason for their poor show is due to the bad performance of their strike force. On paper, Manchester United has one of the best strikers in their ranks, with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao. Louis van Gaal initially did not field the English captain in his natural position and trusted van Persie and Falcao. But unfortunately, both the Dutch and the Colombian have failed miserably. Most recently, Louis van Gaal has been forced to deploy Rooney into his natural position.
| Players | Matches | Goals |
| Wayne Rooney | 22 | 8 |
| Robin van Persie | 24 | 10 |
| Radamel Falcao | 16 | 4 |
The stats above show how the Manchester United strikers have performed in the ongoing Premier League season. The combined goals tally of the three superstar strikers is just 22 goals, out of which Robin van Persie has scored the maximum, 10. We have to keep in mind that Wayne Rooney has played in the midfield for the majority of the season so far.
Going by this statistics, the Manchester United strikers have done a terrible job. This has obviously affected the team’s performance by a great way. The strikers are inconsistent and they miss plenty of opportunities during crucial games. They lack pace and determination too.
Everybody should accept the fact that, Robin van Persie is way past his prime and his just a shadow of what he was 3 or 4 years back. Radamel Falcao too has lost his fierce form after his grueling injury last year. He has lost his touch and is very unlikely to regain it. The average age of Manchester United’s strike force is near about 30. They need a massive change in their squad in the next season so that the team can revamp in the next season.
For the present season, Louis van Gaal must stick with the strategy of deploying Rooney as the team’s main striker. Either of Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao can partner him. In the number 10 position, Juan Mata should play. Mata adds creativity to the team and possesses the ability to forward crucial passes.
Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera are doing a fair job in the midfield along with Daley Blind in the defensive midfield area.
Strongest XI for Manchester United in the current circumstances should be:
Goalkeeper- David De Gea
Defense- Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw
Midfield- Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Angel Di Maria, Juan Mata
Strikers- Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie/Radamel Falcao
Formation- 4-1-2-1-2
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