Squad decisions for Manchester United ahead of Villa clash
Heading into the match against Aston Villa, Louis van Gaal faces several decisions for whom to select for his starting eleven for Manchester United following the international break.
With United having played exceptionally well in the past two matches against Tottenham and Liverpool, supporters will hope to see the same side come out in the next match. But with some former absentees now back in the mix, here are three positional battles to follow en route to Saturday’s match.
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Left Back:
Daley Blind performed well in the last two matches, as we’ve come to expect given his consistent displays this season regardless of position. Against Liverpool, other than a couple early miscues while dealing with Raheem Sterling, Blind looked solid in the left-back role and confident moving forward in possession. He eventually won the penalty that would have made it 3-1 for United had Rooney converted.
The versatile Dutchman made the start at left back due to the absence of Luke Shaw, who was again missing due to injury. Shaw was forced to miss the international matches for England as a result, which could mean he recovers in time to face Villa. Should the young left back be available, Louis van Gaal will need to decide between the composed Blind or the pacey Shaw.
With Gabriel Agbonlahor likely starting on the right hand side for Villa, there may not be all that much defensive pressure for Blind or Shaw. As such the decision will probably come down to who van Gaal thinks can contribute more offensively and given Blind’s involvement in the past two games, I’d expect to see him out there. Also, with Carrick playing so well in the holding midfield role, left back is the most likely way for van Gaal to include Blind.
Center Back(s):
Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have paired up to only allow one goal against potent attacking lines from Spurs and Liverpool. Against Harry Kane, the two virtually shut down the young star despite his sensational form. Then against Sturridge and Sterling at Anfield, Jones and Smalling again held the line for most of the game. The resurgence from the two England internationals is surprising with both having performed below expectations for some time now, though Smalling has improved this season.
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What remains to be seen is if van Gaal will bring Marcos Rojo back into the starting line-up after missing the match against Spurs and coming on in the 90th minute against Liverpool. Rojo has been United’s most consistent defensive option this season and has developed his own partnership with Smalling. The two didn’t allow a goal against Sunderland or Newcastle in the two previous matches, though neither boast particularly great front lines.
I expect to see Rojo back on this field barring any setbacks to his fitness, as he’s been solid at the back for United. Still, if Jones stays in the starting eleven, it will say a lot about his future with United. If not it means van Gaal will have opted with Chris Smalling despite the England man’s early withdrawal in midweek.
Right winger:
The right side of the attacking midfield has largely been dominated by Angel Di Maria this season but Juan Mata has staked his claim for the spot. When Di Maria was suspended, Mata stepped up against Tottenham with a good display and in the follwing match against Liverpool, he continued that form by scoring United’s only two goals, one being the fantastic scissor kick you’ve no doubt heard about by now.
Di Maria failed to impress for Argentina against El Salvador in the first international match, being largely ineffective in linking up with Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero. The game against a lower level opponent should have served as a chance for the midfielder to prove his worth to van Gaal, but he didn’t capitalize on it but he did grab an assist later in the week against Antonio Valencia’s Ecuador.
With Mata playing so well, it’s unlikely that we’ll see Di Maria this game. It would be more of a possibility for the Argentine to step in at left midfield in place of Ashley Young, who’s fallen off a bit in the last couple matches after his best run of form in a Manchester United shirt.