Manchester United’s ascent up the table was extremely short-lived as Liverpool’s win over Tottenham Hotspur saw them drop back to the familiar 6th spot again. Although they are outside the Top 4, the performances and the chemistry of the team in the last few months has allowed supporters to be optimistic again. But the race for the Top 4 spots will be one of the most keenly contested in recent years and as such, there is no room for any more slip-ups for the Red Devils.
With Europa League to contend in and the League Cup final to be played along with the fight for the Top 4, the most important part of the season is coming up for.
Let us take a look at 3 players whose contribution will be vital over the remainder of the season.
WAYNE ROONEY
The captain has fallen down the pecking order and has lost his place in the team. Along with injury and a poor run of form, it is perhaps not Rooney’s best phase in a United shirt. But his commitment to the club’s cause has been unwavering and with the fixtures coming thick and fast over the remainder of the season, Jose will need players. And someone like Rooney as a back-up or someone to turn to in case of an injury is a huge positive for any side. He has shown this season that he can be as impactful and decisive from the bench and from now until the end of the season, he will have an important role to play and he needs to step up.
PAUL POGBA
He has been good in flashes and in blink and miss moments has been brilliant as well. But one expects the brilliant moments to be more frequent from a £89m player. He is capable of much, much more and with a large chunk of the season gone, he must have settled in by now.
His link-up with Ibrahimovic has been good but now the Frenchman needs to step it up in the final third a bit. Ibrahimovic has been their saviour far too often and they need goals from midfield as well and who better than the former Juventus star to do it.
LUKE SHAW
The English international was touted for great things and still is. But his double leg break last season threw a spanner into the works and under Mourinho, he hasn’t perhaps had the best opportunity to re-establish himself. He can still be a force to reckon with and needs the confidence of the manager and a run of games which will solve United’s issues down the left-side and kick-start Shaw’s career once again.
