Manchester United put their Champions League run on hold this weekend as they head to Wembley Stadium to play Chelsea in the semifinals of the FA Cup.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to win his first silverware as manager of United, and have the Europa League as well as the FA Cup to aim for. United remain locked in a fierce battle for a top-four finish with Sunday’s opponents Chelsea, and Leicester in the Premier League.
Solskjaer faces a crucial eight-day period on the domestic front, so fitness and injury knocks need to be perfectly balanced to prevent things going awry.
United have beaten Chelsea three times this year already, but as expected, United will deploy their traditional FA Cup lineup to give the “regulars” a much-needed rest.
Expect cup keeper Sergio Romero coming in for David de Gea. Romero has been incredible when he gets the starting jersey.
Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial, and Bruno Fernandes could all be given a rest for this one to keep them fresh for the final two games of the league season.
Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba could get the start because this is still the FA Cup and United want to win it.
Odion Ighalo will hope to continue the form that has seen him score in all four of his previous starts for the club, netting five times in that run, while Daniel James is also pushing for a start.
Nemanja Matic and Fred could also come back into the side, while Diogo Dalot will be hopeful of a rare appearance, having been looked over in midweek as Solskjaer went for Timothy Fosu-Mensah at left-back against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is also expected to rotate players to keep key men fresh, but he will still be without injured midfielders N’Golo Kante and Billy Gilmour.
The likes of Russ Barkley, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount will all be pushing for starts too, while Fikayo Tomori is available again after injury.
Back-up goalkeepers Willy Caballero will more than likely be coming in as well.
Man Utd possible starting lineup:
Romero; Dalot, Bailly, Maguire, Williams; Matic, Fred; James, Pogba, Rashford; Ighalo
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Caballero; James, Tomori, Christensen, Emerson; Barkley, Jorginho, Mount; Loftus-Cheek, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi
Be the first to comment