Manchester United visit Vitality Stadium for their Premier League clash against Bournemouth today and the Reds will be looking for back-to-back wins after our 2-1 win over Everton in the previous league outing last week.
The Red Devils arrive at Bournemouth three points and two places lower than the hosts, who surprisingly, have made quite an impressive start to the season.
Three points from the game will take us closer to the top-four and certainly bolster the confidence of our players ahead of the Champions League clash against Juventus and Manchester derby in the Premier League next week. A win for the Cherries will move them six points clear of Manchester United and pushing them much closer to the top-four so early in the season.
As per the news provided by boss Jose Mourinho, Sanchez and Lingard are fully fit for first team action. However, Valencia, Fellaini and Dalot will remain sidelined for the Bournemouth fixture.
Let us have a look at how Manchester United could line-up against the Cherries…
Probable Formation:
United is expected to field a 4-3-3 formation similar to last week against Everton.
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
This position is out of bounce for discussion. The Spaniard has been the hero for the Red Devils for the previous five seasons without any doubt.
Defenders: Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw
After Bailly’s grave performance against Brighton, the Ivorian defender has fallen out of favour. Moreover, the pair of Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof has been performing pretty good and both the players seem to have build a partnership at the back.
With captain Antonio Valencia still sidelined due to injury alongside Diogo Dalot, Ashley Young is expected captain the side against Bournemouth from right-back. And in-form left-back Luke Shaw has earned his place in the starting XI for quite some time now with excellent performances for the team.
Midfielders: Fred, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba
After rendering an admirable performance against Everton, Fred will get the nod in midfield against Bournemouth alongside Pogba and Matic.
Paul Pogba's game by numbers vs. Everton:
most final third passes (25)
most shots (6)
most shots on target (5)
most shots from inside the box (4)
joint most dribbles (3)
second most chances created (2)
1 assist
1 goalA standout performance going forward… 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/7QCdV7883r
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 28, 2018
Pogba has been the creative force in midfield for United this season and on his day, the French midfielder can destroy defenses on his own. Matic, being Mourinho’s most favoured defensive midfield player will play as the wall ahead of the United defense.
Attackers: Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial
Mata has been in good form in the past few matches and will play on the right-wing at the Vitality Stadium.
Martial, Manchester United’s Player Of The Month for October will start on the left flank for the Red Devils. The French winger is the most in-form player at the moment in the squad and no one seems to be good enough to overthrow him from the starting XI.
5️⃣ appearances
4️⃣ goals
2️⃣ Man of the Match awards
1️⃣ Player of the MonthNicely done, @AnthonyMartial! 😎 pic.twitter.com/0z8S7arjtL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 1, 2018
The biggest doubt surrounds regarding the striker – Lukaku or Rashford. With the Belgian looking astray from his finishing touch, even as a substitute against Everton, Rashford is the evident choice as the striker against Bournemouth.
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