Hull City vs Manchester United: Three key battles

Manchester United’s season will come to a close on Sunday away at the KC Stadium against Hull City, with little left at stake.

Louis van Gaal has accomplished his season long objective of securing a top four finish for Manchester United and Champion’s League play next season, but Steve Bruce and Hull will be under immense pressure to secure a victory. If the Tigers lose or draw, they’ll be relegated to the Championship; van Gaal has declared that he will treat the match the same as any other, with three points a must.

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Given their position at the precipice of relegation, Hull will come out cautious against the Red Devils. Expect to see Manchester United dominate the first half of possession while Steve Bruce’s squad attempts to absorb the pressure. As has been the major concern this season, it will be crucial for the United team to convert possession into genuine chances and, more importantly, goals. With Wayne Rooney returning to the team after recovering from injury, the attack will be even more loaded. Keeping that in mind, here are the three key battles that could potentially decide the match.

Nikica Jelavic vs Manchester United CBs

Hull have struggled to score goals this season, amassing a mere 33 goals in the Premier League. Nikica Jelavic has accounted for eight of those goals, making him the most prolific attacking player in the squad. As mentioned, the Red Devils will be dominant in possession, meaning Hull could get their best chances off of set pieces. Unfortunately, that could spell danger for van Gaal’s defensive pairing.

Neither Phil Jones or Chris Smalling, the two most likely centre defenders for the match, are particularly skilled in aerial battles. Conversely, Jelavic is a threat to score from set pieces, meaning the back line for Manchester United will need to work in harmony to prevent a goal against the run of play. That includes the full-backs, Antonio Valencia specifically, who’ve been caught of place before on set pieces. Either Smalling or Jones will need to take on more of a leadership role to prevent defensive miscues.

Ahmed Elmohamady vs Angel di Maria

Assuming Ashley Young is held out of the match due to the injuries that kept him from the England squad, Angel di Maria will be the likely candidate to take his position at left-wing. That means the Argentine will match up directly with Elmohamady, who’s arguably been Hull’s best player this season. Operating out of the right-wing-back role in the 5-3-2, he leads the Tigers in assists (5), key passes per game (1.7), and is second in crosses per game (1.6), per WhoScored.

Thankfully for di Maria, Hull will generally be pinned in their own half and Elmohamady will be selective in joining the attacks. Defensively, due to his natural ability as a wide midfielder, he’s a weaker player. United’s out of form winger will look to exploit his counterpart and to add to his assists haul, in which he leads the Red Devils despite limited action this calendar year. Di Maria’s pace will also be an added benefit, as Manchester United struggled to break down the Arsenal defense last week due to slow buildup play.

Hull’s Defense vs Wayne Rooney

Given Rooney’s propensity to pop up all over the pitch, I’ve kept it general with regard to who he’ll be facing individually. Hull’s center-back pairing of James Chester and Michael Dawson have performed well this season, though some of the statistics are likely in part a result of the team’s playing style. Coming off injury, the England captain will be an integral part of Manchester United’s success in the match, a fact that became even more evident in his absence against the Gunners.

When Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao have played, the striker involvement in the team has been limited. While Rooney has been far from his best, he’s produced 12 goals this season, good enough to lead the team. He’s also tied for second in assists with five, showing what he can do when in form. With space likely limited against a compact Hull defense, as well as a midfield trio dropping deep, Rooney will need to be creative in opening pockets for shooting chances.

Next: Van Gaal provides de Gea update

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