A flying start to the season has seen Manchester United race away to the top of the table only to be pegged back by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Mourinho’s men have been perfect in Europe, winning all three matches and in the domestic cups as well. In the league, they have drawn just games winning the others and have just conceded two goals in the league so far.
On the attacking front, Romelu Lukaku has been on fire scoring goals for fun with Henrikh Mkhitaryan looking more and more like a bargain buy as the former Borussia Dortmund man just can’t stop creating goals for his teammates. Together with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata and Paul Pogba, Manchester United have looked deadly up top and the results were there for everyone to see when they showered in goals in the league.
With the arrival of Nemanja Matic, there has been some definite balance to the United line-up. The Serbian has had a calming influence in the middle of the park and more importantly given Pogba license to roam about the advanced areas with more freedom than he had last season.
The team is however pegged by several injuries at the moment. The likes of Pogba, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo are all likely to miss the weekend clash due to injuries with Zlatan Ibrahimovic being a long-term absentee as well.
Mourinho will have to shuffle around his team from the mid-week clash against Benfica otherwise will be risking a burnout to his team who is playing their third match in seven days’ time.
Here is how they will look to line up:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence:
The ever dependable David De Gea is expected to man the goal for the Red Devils with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling expected as the two centre-backs. Captain Antonio Valencia will play as right back and Ashley Young as the left back.
Midfield:
The two-man axis in the middle of the park is likely to be Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera again with Mourinho getting very little chance to rotate his two midfield men.
Attack:
Anthony Martial will return to the starting eleven on the left flank with Juan Mata at the centre alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the right flank. Romelu Lukaku will look to continue his impressive start to the season and add more goals when he starts up front.
Here is how they might line up:
