Jose Mourinho will look to get his campaign going again after he raised concerns over how the International break can disrupt the rhythm of his players in the Premier League. It is important for United to sustain their momentum as they face a huge task against Liverpool at the Anfield this weekend.
Mourinho prepares his boys for the first big clash in the league this season, as United will be desperate to clinch all the three points against their archrivals. The Portuguese tactician will be making plans to deliver a blow to an already derailed Liverpool team and take advantage of their couple of injury issues.
United also have to face Benfica in the midweek and Mourinho will make sure that he gets his team right as he faces a mini-injury crisis in the midfield.
Team News:
Marouane Fellaini aggravated his knee problem in the international break while representing Belgium.
Paul Pogba returned to some light training yesterday but it is highly unlikely that the Frenchman will make a return against Liverpool. Carrick, too, is out, though the details of his injury are not revealed yet. Players such as Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic remain long-term absentees and are not expected to return before December.
This season’s stars Phil Jones and Romelu Lukaku are undergoing precautionary measures to determine the extent of their injury scares. However, they will most likely feature in the important clash.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence:
David de Gea will undoubtedly man the posts at Anfield. The Spaniard has had many memorable performances against the Reds and will be looking forward to replicating some of his earlier performances.
Antonio Valencia has been handed a huge boost ahead of the game as he would not have to face Sadio Mance on the flanks due to the latter’s injury. United will be reliant on him to make some good runs and crosses into the box.
The centre-back pairing of Phil Jones and Eric Bailly look extremely reliable and hence there is no point in changing the duo. Daley Blind might get the nod ahead of Ashley Young in this match mainly because of the defensive discipline that the Dutch defender maintains.
Midfield:
United’s midfield woes have been clearly stated before. However, Nemanja Matic remains a clear constant in the team and the Serbian will have an important part to play in the match.
This Liverpool team tends to press high up on the pitch to regain possession and hence can be really threatening in front of the goal. Matic will have a huge task on his hands as he will have to deny the Reds any kind of clear opportunity in front of the goal.
Meanwhile, Ander Herrera will most likely collaborate with him in the midfield. The Spaniard will be expected to do the majority of running and act as a link between defence and attack. He will cherish this opportunity to start an important game in a season where he has found playing time hard to come by.
Attack:
First of all, Anthony Martial should start the game ahead of Marcus Rashford this time. The Frenchman deserves to play the majority of the game this time and looks capable and in-form enough to trouble an already unsettled Liverpool backline.
Henrik Mkhitaryan will occupy the number 10 position behind the striker and will look to unleash his creativity. Juan Mata will play in the inward right-winger position he has been playing regularly this season.
Romelu Lukaku will lead the line and one can expect him to score a goal or two up against Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren.
