Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer is set to ring in the changes as Manchester United lock horns with Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.
Manchester United will be looking to overtake Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League table when they travel to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday. Heading into this fixture, however, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is tipped to make wholesale changes to his squad, following a strenuous FA Cup tie against Norwich City.
The Norwegian made eight changes last time out, with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes being the only players to retain their places in the team. But, Solskjaer has stressed on the potential after-effects of that clash in his online press conference, suggesting that he could, in fact, revert those changes against Brighton.
Apart from, of course, the after-effects of the physical work-out and coming back late, they had a recovery day yesterday and today will be an easy day and we’re just preparing for tomorrow,
the Manchester United manager said.
After making eight changes on Saturday, the boss has given a fresh assessment of his squad's fitness levels ?#MUFC #BHAMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 29, 2020
Changes could take place right from the start, with David de Gea set to replace Sergio Romero between the sticks. And while both Maguire and Shaw could retain their respective places in the backline, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are expected to return, at the expense of Eric Bailly and Diogo Dalot.
Maguire has been in marvellous form, of late. His leadership, anticipation and aggression are key elements in Manchester United’s defensive play. Hence, Lindelof’s job could revolve around the idea of offering adequate support to the English international.
In midfield, Solskjaer has a wealth of options and could face a potential selection dilemma. But, Nemanja Matic is a no-brainer, having been one of the best performers for Manchester United this year. The Serb, therefore, should replace Scott McTominay in the number six slot.
While Matic will mostly be in charge of taking care of loose balls and making important tackles in the holding midfield role, the onus will be on Paul Pogba and Fernandes to provide the creative essence going forward.
In attack, the guaranteed return of Anthony Martial is an exciting prospect for all Manchester United fans right now. The Frenchman is in an incredible run of form and has scored six goals in his last six league matches, with three of them coming in the victory over Sheffield United. Martial is, thus, set to replace Odion Ighalo in the number nine slot.
On the flip side, Marcus Rashford will be hoping for a positive outcome following a few underwhelming performances. Rashford’s form is definitely a worrying sign for Manchester United and it remains to be seen how he copes on the left flank, where he will replace Jesse Lingard.
Same cannot be said for Mason Greenwood, who has often been consistent with his displays. His work ethic and eagerness to make something happen makes him likely to get the nod ahead of Daniel James on the right wing.
Manchester United Predicted XI: de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Fernandes, Matic, Pogba; Greenwood, Martial, Rashford
