Manchester United vs Sheffield United: Predicted XI: Romero to replace De Gea?

Manchester United will welcome Sheffield United on a late Wednesday night fixture.

The Red Devils are coming home. Since the pandemic-enforced halt to the footballing actions, it would the first time that Manchester United will host an official Premier League game at “The Theater of Dreams”.

Tough, there will be no fans inside the stadium to see their favourites running down the green turf of the illustrious venue. With only eight games remaining in the current 2019-20 campaign, both Sheffield United and Man United are believed to approach the game as a season-decider.

After securing a long-awaited promotion to the Premier League last year, Chris Wilder and his men have already displayed fabulous form in the English top tier this season, having garnered 44 points with 11 wins and 11 draws from 30 games.

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Moreover, they have the best defensive records, having conceded 28 goals so far, in the league behind Liverpool, who have allowed their opponents to score only 21 times this term. Hence, it would not be an easy task for Solskjaer’s men to break their tight defence and sail the ball past their goalkeeper.

However, the facts that Dean Henderson, an on-loan goalkeeper from Manchester United, would miss the match against his parent club and one of their main defenders in John Egan will serve his ban following the red card he received in the weekend’s 3-0 league defeat to Newcastle United are assumed to make Sheffield’s defence somewhat vulnerable.

After United’s 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, critics raised their fingers on David de Gea as they pointed out his lapse in concentration had costed them the goal of Steven Bergwijn at the 27th-minute of the game.

Some fans have also registered their concern over De Gea’s future at the club and have claimed that he should be replaced by Sergio Romero on Wednesday. However, speaking on his pre-match press conference, Ole Gunnar Solskaer hinted at the point that he would put De Gea under the bars for this midweek fixture, adding:

"“David is the best goalkeeper in the world. He’s conceded two goals in the last seven games he’s played for us. There’s two games against City, Chelsea, of course Tottenham, Everton. Two goals in seven games, we’ve gone on a run not conceding goals.“The Everton one is a freak one, maybe. This one, he cannot save it.“He makes great saves, he wins games for us and I still think he’s the best goalkeeper in the world.“David’s working really hard. He’s not making errors that you see time and time again. He’s been consistently working hard in training and I’m very pleased with his work.”"

Hence, here is how Solskjaer could line up his team this Wednesday: (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: David de Gea

Right Back: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Centre Back: Harry Maguire

Centre Back: Victor Lindelof

Left Back: Luke Shaw

Central Midfielder: Nemanja Matic

Central Midfielder: Paul Pogba

Attacking Midfielder: Bruno Fernandes

Right Winger: Mason Greenwood

Forward: Anthony Martial

Left Winger: Marcus Rashford

Manchester United boss has not given any significant updates on the injuries of Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe. As a result, it is understood that the defensive duo would be at the sideline in the midweek action.

United are still very much in the top-four race. What they need at the moment is a kick up the backside. And a win on Wednesday night would be significant in chasing down their UCL dreams.

Don’t you think De Gea deserves more chances to establish his faded dignity?