Another Predicted Manchester United XI vs Chelsea

With the news that Manchester United would be without four regular first-team starters for the top of the table clash against Chelsea on Saturday, I thought it only right to take another look at how the side could line-up this weekend.

More from Red Devil Armada

Earlier in the week I predicted minute changes to the side that destroyed Manchester City last weekend. With Michael Carrick expected to miss out, I said Marcos Rojo would come in at left-back with Daley Blind moving into midfield. It’s now been confirmed however that all three of those players will miss the game, along with Phil Jones, meaning that the manager has a big puzzle to fill.

The goalkeeper will, as ever, remain unchanged. David De Gea will keep his place between the stick and will look to celebrate his nomination for both PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards with a clean sheet and 3 points at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Valencia and Chris Smalling will once again lead the defence on the right hand side but it’s the left side that will now cause problems for Louis van Gaal. With Jones and Rojo out injured and Jonny Evans still serving a suspension for spitting, van Gaal must decide between the two academy prospects Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett to start in the left centre-back role. Neither have played in recent months and both will face a huge test but McNair is likely to get the nod having been the more impressive of the two this season.

Luke Shaw is fit and available to play the game but after missing almost six weeks through injury, van Gaal is being forced to play him. He’ll slot into the left-back position and hope to impress as he looks to push on and cement a place to become the long-term first choice option in that position.

Holding midfield is now a huge issue too. With Carrick and Blind both ruled out, van Gaal hinted that he may have to play Wayne Rooney in that position once again. Rooney is United’s top scorer this season and has been immense since returning to the front-line but needs must. With no other option other than to adjust a winning formation and system, it looks likely that Wayne Rooney will drop into a holding role in midfield.

Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini will almost certainly pair up alongside Rooney and may well be slightly more restricted when it comes to bombing forward in order to protect the captain in his unnatural position.