Potential Manchester United XI vs PSV Eindhoven
Manchester United make their long awaited return to the Champions League proper on Tuesday night when they take on PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadium.
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Louis van Gaal’s side will look to continue the momentum from their win over Liverpool at the weekend and with captain Wayne Rooney still missing, van Gaal may not have many decisions to make about the starting line-up.
In goal, David De Gea will certainly retain his place in the side. The Spaniard made his return to the first-team picture on Saturday afternoon after signing a new four-year contract on the Friday, ending speculation about his immediate future at the club. He had a quiet game on his comeback but just his presence in goal meant it felt a lot safer when the opponents were attacking.
The back four will undoubtedly remain unchanged too. Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw have proved to be one of the best full-back pairings in the Premier League so far this season and their pace and positioning have helped the side both defensively and when pushing forward on the overlap.
Chris Smalling has become a leader in defence under Louis van Gaal, as shown when he took the armband from vice-captain Michael Carrick when the latter was withdrawn against Liverpool at the weekend. Alongside him, Daley Blind has put in some assured performances in an unnatural position but the two compliment eachother fantastically and have been key to the success of United’s defensive organisation so far.
Central midfield is one position that could see change though. Louis van Gaal revealed during the pre-game presser that he would play his strongest team but it’s possible that Morgan Schneiderlin could return. The Frenchman sat out the game against Liverpool as the manager opted for the experienced pairing of Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
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The German bossed the midfield in midweek and while Carrick was passed fit to play, van Gaal recently admitted that it’s unlikely the 34 year-old would be able to play three games in a week anymore. That implies that Carrick may start against PSV but not Southampton, or vice versa.
Schneiderlin’s energy will be useful in an away tie in European competition, where the tempo can be faster. His introduction alongside Schneiderlin would likely be a more suited pairing for tomorrow’s fixture.
The front four is also up for debate. Juan Mata has looked much better since the re-introduction of Ander Herrera to the starting line-up and both men deserve to continue in their roles. That leaves returning hero Memphis’ position up in the air.
The Dutch winger has started every game so far this season but his only bright moment came during the play-off tie against Club Brugge when he scored twice. Ashley Young replaced him at half-time during Saturday’s win and was fantastic, changing the game and the momentum immediately.
His pace and direct running at the defender created lots of space for Herrera centrally and it showed as the game went on. Young is probably more deserving of a start than Memphis at the moment but there’s no chance that van Gaal doesn’t start Memphis on his homecoming.
The extra space he’ll get in the game as it’s a European tie could be crucial to him stepping up his game once more and it’s without a doubt fair to give him another shot from the start.
Up front, van Gaal went with Marouane Fellaini against Liverpool after Wayne Rooney was ruled out. The skipper hasn’t travelled this time around but van Gaal has admitted he’s considering starting Anthony Martial. James Wilson has also travelled but it’s more likely he’ll be a substitute and will act solely as cover while Rooney is unavailable.
I think van Gaal will eventually go with the Frenchman for this game. Martial impressed in his short cameo, showing pace, strength, directness and of course excellent finishing ability. Should he struggle to make an impact, van Gaal would be able to throw on Fellaini to push the defence deeper and contest physical battles against tired bodies.
