PREDICTED STARTING XI: Jose Mourinho confirms one player will start for Manchester United vs Valencia

Manchester United take on Valencia tonight in their final group game of the Champions League this season. And with eyes drifting towards a massive contest on the weekend, who will Jose Mourinho pick in his starting XI?

There is no disputing that tonight’s game is a fixture with two massive football clubs, but, with the fate of both sides already determined, it is actually a bit of an anti-climax.

Manchester United still have the chance of qualifying top though, if the current Group H wooden spoon holders BSC Young Boys can beat Juventus, however, that remains very unlikely.

Despite all of this, is United’s biggest fixture this week not until the weekend when they take on arch-rivals Liverpool? With the season looking as though it will dwindle away and the possibility of reaching the top four this season also slipping out of Mourinho’s grasp, how he could win back some of the fans with a victory over the old enemy on Sunday.

So what does Jose Mourinho do? Some have suggested that he gives a number of the younger players in the travelling squad some minutes in order to rest the main group ahead of the weekend.

Mourinho has confirmed Paul Pogba will start tonight. The Manchester United boss also faces a number of other tough selection choices taking into account the game against Liverpool and the freshness of his players.

Ali Akbar

Since United have already qualified for the last 16 and have a big game against Liverpool on the weekend, I expect Jose Mourinho to start more fringe and even academy players.

Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo will likely start at centre-back to rest Phil Jones and Chris Smalling for the game at Anfield.

Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay may start is midfield to rest Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera as well.

However, the most exciting prospect would be Mason Greenwood replacing Romelu Lukaku up top. Valencia away is not an easy game to make your first team debut, but since there’s not much to play for, it could be the ideal game to test the young forward’s ability.

David De Gea

Matteo Darmian, Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young

Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Paul Pogba

Jesse Lingard, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford

Ollie Slack

As Ali said, United have already qualified so I expect some changes, however, remember who our manager is. The serial winner that is Jose Mourinho, a man who brought on Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku when United were 2-0 up against Swansea in the League Cup!

Now the tricky bit. I’m not convinced Mourinho will chuck the youngsters into the fray if I’m being completely honest. Like I said before, he’s a serial winner and will secretly be desperate to win this game in order to top the group and get a better draw in the Last 16, in hope also that Juventus lose to BSC Young Boys.

With no Nemanja Matic in the squad, away to Valencia may be too tricky a task for either Andreas Pereira or Scott McTominay in the eyes of Mourinho. Therefore, I believe he’ll turn to his old faithful, Marouane Fellaini.

After originally saying in my earlier piece that Mourinho will not pick Lukaku in order to keep him fresh for Sunday, where I believed the striker would play, Jose doesn’t have many more options. Especially after confirming Mason Greenwood will only be used if someone is injured.

And on second thoughts, Mourinho may want to go for the same front against Liverpool as the one that pressed Arsenal so well this time last week. So after all that, Romelu Lukaku will start… I think!

Sergio Romero

Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young

Fred, Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba

Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford