Marcus Rashford is fit to start while Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani should also feature when Manchester United face AS Roma in the UEFA Europa League semi-final.
Manchester United will be aiming to take a major stride towards sealing a place in the finals of the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League when they clash with AS Roma at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Heading into the game, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not have any fresh injuries to contend with. The Norwegian confirmed that both Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly are fit and available for selection amid concerns over the duo’s physical condition, meaning Anthony Martial and Phil Jones remain the only two players sidelined.
“Both of them are available. That’s good. We have managed Marcus and we have had to do it for quite a while. I feel he’s gone through the worst now. He’s available for selection tomorrow, he’s happy with the progress. They’re all fit and available, we didn’t lose anyone from the last game, which was good,” Solskjaer said in his pre-match presser.
Manchester United vs AS Roma Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats
The manager will have a major call to make with regard to his goalkeeping options on Thursday night. With Dean Henderson seemingly installed as the first-choice at Manchester United, David de Gea has been utilised in Europa League and cup games recently and that trend could continue against AS Roma as well.
The backline pretty much picks itself as Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof should form the centre-back pairing, with Bailly an option from the bench while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw are the obvious choices in the full-back slots on the right and left sides, respectively.
For the big games, Solskjaer always tends to go with the midfield double pivot of Fred and Scott McTominay to provide that added bit of security in the defensive half. That is unlikely to change when Roma come visiting to Old Trafford this week, while Bruno Fernandes, who has gone off the boil recently, reprising the No. 10 role yet again.
Paul Pogba should start out on the left wing after having been omitted out of the starting XI against Leeds United at the weekend. Rashford ought to be stationed on the right, although the duo is likely to exchange positions every now and then. Mason Greenwood has been in fine touch of late, but is likely to make way for the more experienced Edinson Cavani for the Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.
Manchester United Predicted XI: de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Rashford, Fernandes, Pogba; Cavani
I like that line up.
I hope it will help us.