2
Manchester United tackle Chelsea at Previous Trafford this afternoon in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s second recreation in cost as interim supervisor.
The Crimson Devils are mendacity in thirteenth place within the league however a win might see them climb to the highest half of the desk and, extremely, to inside simply 4 factors of a high 4 spot.
A win for the Blues might see them climb as much as third as their revival beneath Enzo Maresca continues.
How will Van Nistelrooy method the sport?
How Van Nistelrooy will line up and method the sport will likely be of nice curiosity to the United devoted. Within the Carabao Cup in opposition to a much-rotated Leicester within the week, he performed with a daring 4-4-2 formation, however will he be so attack-minded in an important Premier League recreation in opposition to such in type opposition?
It’s definitely what most followers wish to see after over a 12 months of “chaos ball” beneath Erik ten Hag, the place the crew focussed on transitions reasonably than possession and freedom of expression.
If as anticipated the boss sticks with a midfield pivot of Ugarte and Casemiro, there ought to be loads of cowl for the defence, permitting United’s ahead gamers rather more freedom than they loved beneath Ten Hag.
Nevertheless, as could possibly be seen in opposition to the Foxes in midweek, United stay defensively susceptible, so it stays to be seen how a lot encouragement will likely be given for the complete backs to hitch the assault and the way a lot self-discipline the wingers are anticipated to train in serving to out defensively.
Hojlund or Zirkzee?
Van Nistelrooy selected to begin with Josh Zirkzee up entrance alongside Bruno Fernandes on Wednesday and United scored 5. The experiment definitely labored for Fernandes, who scored two of these and seemed again to his imperious finest, however Zirkzee seemed like a fish out of water. He managed two pictures – one on course and one off – however his link-up play was poor, managing solely 70% move accuracy, misplaced 100% of his duels and made no crosses or lengthy balls (stats from sofascore.com).
However 5 targets – if it aint broke, don’t repair it? Proper? Or, if Hojlund replaces him, it is going to be very attention-grabbing to see how this impacts the construct up play. As a standard centre ahead, he was starved of service beneath Ten Hag’s system but when Van Nistelrooy can discover a repair for that situation, we might lastly begin to see what the younger Dane is able to.
Getting the most effective out of Rashford and Amad
Two gamers who clearly weren’t having fun with life beneath Ten Hag had been wingers Marcus Rashford and Amad. At the beginning of the season, the previous supervisor was rotating each with Alejandro Garnacho and Amad appeared to be thriving, successful the player of the month award for August. However then after maybe one mediocre, however not dreadful recreation from the Ivorian, Ten Hag appeared to lose religion and caught religiously with Rashford and Garnacho, condemning Amad to a bench function. At one level simply earlier than his dismissal, the Dutchman even appeared to advertise Antony forward of Amad within the pecking order.
Rashford performed on the fitting wing on Wednesday, which is clearly not his favoured facet, and seemed unimpressed when subbed for Amad within the second half. The Ivorian, against this, seemed to impress and was very energetic in his half-hour.
We’ve got heard rather a lot about Van Nistelrooy’s work with Rashford to get him again to his finest so all eyes will likely be on whether or not he tweaks the system from Wednesday – maybe along with Hojlund’s reinstatement as talked about above – or whether or not he provides Amad an opportunity to point out the England man the way it’s carried out.
Kick off at Previous Trafford this afternoon is at 4.30pm GMT.
Featured picture Michael Regan by way of Getty Photos
