The Red Devils visit Molineux Stadium for the FA Quarter-final clash of Wolves Vs United on Sunday. Ole’s men enter the Wolves Vs United game riding on the back of a 2-0 loss against the Gunners at Emirates. This was Solskjaer’s first league defeat since joining the Devils in mid-December as the caretaker manager.
The defeat against Arsenal came as a wake up call and as an alarm that United still have chinks in their armor. And out of all people, De Gea was the one who had a bad game. He’s been world class and was getting back to his best form after the shambles of last year’s FIFA World Cup.
But, it seems like the critics have found a new point to critique and have gotten too over excited, over calling that his best days are fast approaching to a finish. Just one bad game doesn’t write the history of the player. And De Gea has been United’s best player for a long long time, only facing real competition this season with the likes of Pogba and Shaw having made real ground and provided some consistent and convincing performances which have particularly swayed the United faithful.
It was very unlike De Gea in which the manner of the first goal was conceded. A change in direction midway through it’s flight, left the Spaniard wrong footed for the shot and the ball quite literally jumped into an open net. The second was what many would consider a soft penalty as Alex Lacazette had dramatized the contact Fred had made with him. Upon which, Aubameyang scored the resulting spot kick.
United have to take some blame for their poor finishing and for squandering chances that were all too simple to miss on retrospection. Fred had hit the woodwork after Lukaku had glanced the ball onto the woodwork which should have been a goal.
Ole took the defeat and went on with it. He accepted the result while disagreeing with the penalty decision. It’s a restart for United as they will be looking to build another good run of consistent performances and positive results.
#MUFC taste defeat in the Premier League for the first time under Ole. #ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/0crUzIR5XD
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 10, 2019
With reports suggesting that Ole is set to be announced as United manager on a permanent basis, with many players publicly backing his appointment, it speaks volumes about his impact as well as the change in the mood, both among the players as well as the club.
Next up for the Devils is the Wolves Vs United fixture. With players coming in from injuries, here’s how United could line-up against Wolverhampton.
United’s Predicted Line-up For The Wolves Vs United Fixture:
Formation: 4-3-3
With key starting XI members of the squad back to full fitness, Ole will revert back to his preferred 4-3-3 formation. This formation provides Pogba will play as the advanced part of the midfield triumvirate.
Goalkeeper: Romero
Sergio Romero has been an able back up to De Gea and has been delivering pretty good in the cup competition. He started the game at the Emirates back in January, when United visited Arsenal for the FA Cup clash, and the Red Devils coming out on top.
It seems likely that Romero will get his continued cup run, as Ole would like him to have adept confidence. This would also allow De Gea to get a little rest before his involvement is renewed as usual when United’s league fixtures return with the visit of Watford to Old Trafford.
Defense: Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw
Young will continue to captain the side in absence of Valencia which also means his selection is a no brainier to the team for the Wolves Vs United clash. Dalot didn’t do enough last week to snap the right back spot from Young, which would have allowed him to retain his place in the starting eleven.
The solid partnership of Smalling and Lindelof will continue to marshall the defense yet again this weekend as United are aiming to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the third time in the past four seasons. They’ll be hoping to add to the troubles of Wolves, after they failed to nab a win away from Chelsea last time out in the league.
There is nothing much left to say about Shaw as his performances continue to speak for him, with him apparently battling it out with Andrew Robertson for the left back spot in the team of the season.
Midfield: Herrera, Matic, Pogba
Nemanja Matic will be looking to better his performances compared to last time out, during the defeat to Arsenal. He is set to start the Wolves Vs United encounter as he will be looking to build momentum ahead of a big month with United to face Chelsea, City, and have their Champions League quarter finals against Barcelona as well in April.
Barcelona it is, then.#MUFC #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/yXXid3ev8D
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 15, 2019
Ander Herrera is back from his injury troubles and will look to partner Paul Pogba to complete the preferred midfield strategy for the Wolves Vs United game. His energy and passion was certainly missed against Arsenal as United succumbed at the hands of the Gunners to give up their unbeaten league start under Solskjaer.
Paul Pogba showed glimpses of his class, but failed to fully implement it over during the game against Arsenal. There were moments of sparkling very vividly visible but the Frenchman couldn’t take over the game and impose himself to dictate the match.
Attack: Rashford, Lukaku, Martial
Marcus Rashford will continue to retain his place in the eleven and will be looking to improve upon his last few league outings, as he hasn’t been influential enough in terms of his domestic outings over the last couple of games.
Romelu Lukaku will be starting the Wolves Vs United match as his form is too good to leave him out of the first eleven. He’s scored six in the last three games prior to the Arsenal fixture, and he was getting into positions of scoring but just couldn’t convert.
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Anthony Martial will be the headline return to the starting eleven, as he’ll be looking to prove to his French national team coach. He is the one to keep a tab on when it comes to the international call ups. He has not hurried back into the team, which is a good sign for both the player and the team, which means his injury won’t be aggravated.
Angel Gomes should be one of the traveling youngsters as he scored United’s only goal in an away defeat to FC Mitjyland in the UEFA youth league match, which brought United’s youth european journey to an end.