Manchester United host La Liga leaders Barcelona to fight for a place in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday. Last Word on Football tries to put together a Manchester United Predicted Lineup as the Red Devils hope to book a ticket into the next round of the Europa League with a win over their old rivals at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Predicted Lineup vs Barcelona
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How Manchester United Have Lined-up Recently
Erik ten Hag has worked his magic at Old Trafford and helped his side achieve the most number of wins (in all competitions) out of any club in Europe’s top five leagues this season. Fortunately for the Dutch coach, the stars are aligning for him and his biggest players are operating at a very high level.
The team that got an impressive 2-2 draw from the Spotify Camp Nou in the previous leg should get another chance to impress, this time on their home turf. With that being said, with the excellent Lisandro Martinez available for this game after sitting out the last one due to a suspension, he is expected to slot right into the team.
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United appear to have developed a strong core as the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, Casemiro and Martinez are playing some of their best football. These players have constantly featured in recent games and are going to be raring to go for this one too. Wout Weghorst might not be scoring many goals, but he provides a lot of hard-working qualities that can make life difficult for Barcelona at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Recent Form and Tactics
The Red Devils have been in really impressive form since the new year kicked in, having won 10 out of their last 14 games and only losing once over that period. But they also face a Blaugrana side that last lost a competitive game in October and shows no signs of slowing down.
With that being said, United almost became the side to end their unbeaten streak at the Spotify Camp Nou. Despite going behind, they managed an impressive comeback before playing out a draw. They’re definitely capable of besting any team in the world right now based on their amazing run of form.
Ten Hag’s tactics are also working a treat. His 4-3-3 system has brought a surge of flexibility and freedom that his players really seem to enjoy. His instructions are clear – to move the ball forward quickly from their own backline to the opposition box. United have also been menacing on counter-attacks under Ten Hag, perfectly goading in opposition players before using the pace of Rashford & co. to torment defenders.
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The Dutchman will definitely urge his players to take the fight to their opposition and not show any signs of hesitation towards them. They’ll probably aim to move the ball quickly through the channels before delivering the pitch-perfect passes to Rashford, Fernandes or even the improving Jadon Sancho.
Barcelona are not a side that makes too many errors, so United have to be really alert to pounce on them whenever they slack off even a little bit. Rashford and Sancho are experts in attracting errors, with their movement and final delivery being lethal at the moment. Weghorst can be a problem with his link-up play and pressing as a no.10, as he and Fred will be tasked with winning the ball back by closing down in and around the Barcelona box.
A lot of creative duties will be placed on Fernandes himself – as well as full-backs Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to deliver quality crosses into the area. Martinez & co. also needs to maintain a strong backline to frustrate the Catalan giants and keep players like Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in check. This game is tipped to be another action-packed, high-octane thriller with plenty of goals. Only the more ruthless side can prevail, and Ten Hag will look to ensure that will be his side.
Manchester United Injuries to Consider
Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer are back after serving out suspensions in Europe. Antony could be involved in this after returning to training, while Anthony Martial probably needs more time. Christian Eriksen is out until May and Donny van de Beek is ruled out for the rest of the season.
Manchester United Predicted Lineup
David de Gea, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Casemiro, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst
