David de Gea, Manchester United (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Manchester United fans will be excited to see them back in action.
Finally, the Premier League action resumes next week. Everything seems moving back to normal, or is it? Whatever the ongoing crisis depicts, the return of English football is sure to heighten the spirits of fans across the globe.
After a pause of more than two months, anticipating aesthetic buildup and passing moves would be inane from the fans, with players recuperating fitness and rhythm to last 90 minutes on the pitch.
Manchester United, on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run, will look to finish their season on a high, with a top-four spot, FA Cup, and Europa League at stake. The return of Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba from long-term injuries will provide much-needed firepower to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad, which relied heavily on Bruno Fernandes to provide the creative spark.
Without further ado, let’s jump straight into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s best starting lineup when Manchester United resume their league campaign against Tottenham Hotspur.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
With Dean Henderson set to extend his stay at Sheffield United, David de Gea remains the prime candidate to feature between the sticks for Man United. Despite a few questionable performances throughout the season, the Spain international has the backing of Solskjaer and other coaching staff.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka</a> has put a string of assured performances at the right side of the defence. Nicknamed Spider, the 22-year-old has used his long legs to tackle opposing wingers efficiently.</p>
<p>Despite room for improvement in his attacking side, Wan-Bissaka is sure to start ahead of <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d9565625/Diogo-Dalot?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Diogo Dalot</a>, who looks set to play the supporting role.</p>
<h2>Right Center-Back: Victor Lindelof</h2>
<p><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/f5deef4c/Victor-Lindelof?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Victor Lindelof</a> has often struggled to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League. But the presence of a commanding partner in <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d8931174/Harry-Maguire?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Harry Maguire</a> has enhanced his performances for Man United this season.</p>
<p>In spite of Lindelof struggling to create an understanding with Maguire earlier, the pairing started to blossom as they featured more alongside each other. Their ball-playing ability has given an extra edge to Solskjaer’s men during their buildup play.</p>
<p><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/a1232f4e/Eric-Bailly?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Eric Bailly</a> is expected to compete for a spot adjacent to Red Devils skipper Harry Maguire.</p>
<h2>Left Center-Back: Harry Maguire</h2>
<p>After an array of appalling defensive performances last season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it a priority to restructure his back-four for the 2019/20 campaign. He did so by recruiting England’s best centre-half in Harry Maguire.</p>
<p>The 27-year-old imparted a feeling of calm and composure into United’s team, helping them in maintaining their shape and building out attacks from the back. Being the most expensive defender in the world, Maguire has brought visible improvements to United’s defensive game.</p>
<h2>Left-Back: Luke Shaw</h2>
<p>Struggling for form and fitness during the first half of the season, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/9c94165b/Luke-Shaw?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Luke Shaw</a> found himself behind the academy graduate, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/5e74d6c8/Brandon-Williams?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brandon Williams</a>, in the left-back pecking order. However, the former Southampton man took it as a challenge and regained his first-team spot.</p>
<p>Excelling in a third centre-back role, Luke Shaw has put a decent shift down the left side of Man United. With the creativity of Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, the full-backs would be expected to follow a strict defensive positioning, which clears the path for Shaw to feature ahead of Williams, considered to be more attacking.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Midfield </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>Right Central Midfield: Paul Pogba</h2>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-481998 size-full" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2020%2F06%2F1158658103.jpeg" alt="Manchester United" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1158658103.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2020/06/1158658103-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Paul Pogba, Manchester United (Photo by David Lidstrom/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>The France international is the player who has been missed the most by Manchester United due to his recurring ankle injury. Despite numerous links of a move away from Old Trafford last summer, Paul Pogba stayed focussed to Solskjaer’s project and dictated the play from midfield.</p>
<p>However, tragedy struck when Pogba fractured his ankle, sending Manchester United’s season on a topsy-turvy ride until Bruno Fernandes arrived late in January. Since then, Red Devils faithful have been licking their lips at the prospect of Pogba and Fernandes featuring together.</p>
<p>To accommodate Pogba and Fernandes together, the former is set to operate in a double pivot, the midfield role in which Pogba excels for France national team.</p>
<h2>Left Central Midfield: Nemanja Matic</h2>
<p>After finding himself on the fringes of midfield hierarchy due to lack of sharpness and United management’s youth-only policy, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/eb7822d7/Nemanja-Matic?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Nemanja Matic</a> looked set to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season.</p>
<p>But, a dearth of players at the center of the park amid injuries to <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d93c2511/Scott-McTominay?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Scott McTominay</a> and Paul Pogba coupled with the Matic’s hard work to regain match fitness meant that Solskjaer placed his trust on the Serbian to anchor United midfield.</p>
<p>With his experience, former Chelsea man has guided the youngsters around him, with the team looking solid due to his effective shielding of the back-four.</p>
<p>In a bid to maintain midfield shape with two attack-minded midfielders in Pogba and Fernandes, Matic’s ability to drop the anchor will be crucial to stabilise the eleven.</p>
<p>However, depending on the type of game Solskjaer seeks from his number six, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, and Fred could share the responsibilities among themselves.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Attack </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>Right Wing: Daniel James</h2>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-478488 size-full" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1197935324.jpeg" alt="Manchester United" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197935324.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197935324-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Daniel James, Manchester United (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)</p>
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<p><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/c931d9f9/Daniel-James?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Daniel James</a>, with his pace and directness, has given a different dimension to Manchester United’s attack. Expected to play a utility role, the Welsh winger has surprised the entire Red Devils fraternity with his work rate and diligence.</p>
<p>After scoring three goals in first four league matches, James hit a barren spell, which is expected of a player in his debut campaign at a club where stakes are very high. However, former Swansea attacker has made up for lack of attacking output with his umpteen lung-bursting runs in the wide channels.</p>
<p>With Rashford back fit and roaring, James is expected to occupy the other flank until Sancho(or any other attacker) arrives in the forthcoming transfer market.</p>
<h2>Central Attacking Midfield: Bruno Fernandes</h2>
<p>With Manchester United season in dire straits, it was Bruno Fernandes whose arrival caused an upheaval which saw the Reds string together an 11-match unbeaten streak. In his five league games, the Portugal international has managed two goals and three assists.</p>
<p>Such is the impact of Bruno that there are faint shouts for him to capture the Player of the Season plaudit, despite arriving at the club in late January. The 25-year-old has displayed some exquisite playmaking skills and vociferous leadership- which seems to have raised the performances of every squad member.</p>
<p>There are sure some exciting moments ahead for the supporters if Pogba and Fernandes match the same wavelength on the pitch.</p>
<h2>Left Wing: Marcus Rashford</h2>
<p>Establishing himself as one of Europe’s most exciting forwards, Marcus Rashford has taken his game one step closer to the world-class ceiling. Thus far, the 22-year-old has racked up 19 goals and six assists across competitions this season.</p>
<p>With a stress-fracture threatening to cut Rashford’s season short, the COVID-19 lockdown pause ensured that England international can cross the 20-goal mark once the season resumes against Tottenham Hotspur.</p>
<h2>Striker: Anthony Martial</h2>
<p>Leading the attack for the first time in his Man United career, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/8b788c01/Anthony-Martial?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Anthony Martial</a> has had a decent output-with 16 goals- this season, despite a visible inconsistency in his scoring numbers.</p>
<p>After letting go <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/5eae500a/Romelu-Lukaku?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Romelu Lukaku</a> and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://fbref.com/en/players/2c0f8e9e/Alexis-Sanchez?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Alexis Sanchez</a>, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put the goalscoring onus on the young and inexperienced shoulders of Martial and Rashford.</p>
<p>Despite being together in the squad for multiple campaigns, the duo was not operated together such that a striking relationship could be formed. However, the current coaching staff entrusted the pair to bear the brunt of goalscoring.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="How Solskjaer could lineup next season" data-url="https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/10/manchester-united-solskjaer-lineup-next/" data-call-to-action="Also"> <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/16/manchester-united-lineup-league-resumes/"https://playingfor90.com/2020/06/10/manchester-united-solskjaer-lineup-next/"> <span class="call_to_action">Also:</span> How Solskjaer could lineup next season </a> </div>
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<p>The pair showed a lot of promise when they played together, however untimely injuries hampered their progress this season. With Martial and Rashford being fit again, fans would be hoping to see some exciting attacking patterns once the football resumes for Man Utd on Friday.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
