Manchester United are back in Premier League action against Leicester City this weekend. They’ll be looking for redemption after crashing out of the Champions League with a 1-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid. With just nine games to go, the Red Devils will be focusing all their energy on getting a top-four finish. However, the chances of that happening are slim to none. United’s defensive frailties, weak mentality and inconsistency have seen them drop points week after week. Here’s some insight into what we can expect to see in this matchup.
Opposition
Leicester have had a significant drop off this season with an injury crisis playing a major role. But they have had a recent upsurge in form with a victory over Brentford. They now see themselves in the top half of the table sitting in the 10th spot with three wins in the last five games.
Brendan Rodger’s side has been particularly vulnerable at defending set-pieces and stopping the opposition’s chance creation. They’ll be looking to attack down the left flank and dominate the midfield battle to open up passing lanes into the attack.
I expect Rodgers to opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation when lining up this Leicester side. Kasper Schmeichel in net with James Justin and Timothy Castagne who scored a screamer in the last game starting at fullback. Wesley Fofana is now available for selection and could partner leading defender Caglar Soyuncu at centre-back. In midfield, Nampalys Mendy would be replacing Wilfred Ndidi who is out for the rest of the season with Youri Tielemans. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is the attacking midfielder who can provide a spark going forward.
The absence of the club’s top goalscorer Jamie Vardy will be a huge blow for the Foxes. But James Maddison is still a key threat in the forward line. He’s more than capable of splitting United’s crippled defence and capitalising on set-piece opportunities. Kelechi Iheanacho could be leading the forward attack with Harvey Barnes occupying the left-wing after being involved in seven goals since the start of this year.
Manchester United
Every week, the club’s decline only becomes more apparent and disheartening. While United were never in the race for a Champions League title, failing to put up a fight against a very beatable Atlético side shows just how far the club is from being an elite team. The international break should reinvigorate a mentally and physically depleted side as every point in this stage of the season is crucial.
I’m not surprised that controversy surrounds the club yet again after Harry Maguire was booed by disgruntled England fans. He was also under fire following the defeat against Atlético. While his shocking form justifies some of the criticism he receives, the negative fan reaction should give him a point to prove if he is selected for the Leicester game.
LINE-UP
I expect Rangnick to return to the classic 4-3-3 formation for the remainder of the season. David de Gea starting is a given despite questions over his distribution. But I believe his saves this season have rescued United on one too many occasions so leaving him out could prove costly. I think Diogo Dalot will get the nod at right-back and Luke Shaw at left-back. They should provide some intensity on the flanks although both have poor defensive awareness. At centre-back, Victor Lindelof and Raphaël Varane would be my go-to pairing. Their pace and composure provide more stability than Maguire who is more of a liability when the team attempts to play out from the back.
I see Matic starting as the holding midfielder and he arguably had the best cameo performance off the bench against Atlético. Fred has found his best form when he plays in the more advanced number eight position and is undoubtedly one of the best performers of Rangnick’s tenure. Alongside him, I would like to see Bruno Fernandes who is coming off two goals for Portugal.
Up top, Jadon Sancho should be one of the first names on the team sheet as he’s finally starting to find his feet. He’s perfectly capable of playing on both wings but has started more games on the left. On the right, Anthony Elanga will provide energy and directness and will be brimming with confidence after earning his senior call-up for Sweden. Leading the line will be Cristiano Ronaldo as he’s really the only option now that Edison Cavani has picked up yet another injury to further extend his absence from the squad.
Score prediction
Despite a mixed bag of results in the league, United can’t afford to slip up now as there is no margin for error. But if United’s current form isn’t alarming enough ahead of this fixture, they’ve failed to beat Leicester in their last four attempts. We need to see Rangnick’s men come back fighting if they want to get anywhere near a top-four finish. With all that in mind, I’m going to a rather hopeful 2-1 win for United.