Manchester United’s hopes of Champions League qualification aren’t yet hanging by a thread … but the rope looks a bit frayed and might not hold for too much longer. And so, with fourth-placed Arsenal and fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur yet to play this weekend, sixth-placed United could do with a win tonight to put some scoreboard pressure on their rivals for that precious top-four slot.
Whether or not Leicester are the best opponents for them to be facing is moot. On the one hand, the Foxes have been a disappointing mid-table irrelevance for most of the season. On the other, much of that can be put down to a wretched injury list, and as some of their big misses return, form and confidence is slowly being rebuilt. Also, United’s recent performances have ranged between patchy and poor, Cristiano Ronaldo’s one-man resistance against Tottenham Hotspur a rare highlight during a run in which Ralf Rangnick’s men have only won three of their last ten.
Leicester also have the beating of United right now. They won 3-1 en route to their first FA Cup last year, and have since won 2-1 at Old Trafford and 4-2 this season at the King Power. Four in a row would be unprecedented behaviour. Can they do a number on United yet again? Or will the unpredictable hosts bounce back from Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid and set about salvaging their season?
Manchester United XI: de Gea, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, McTominay, Elanga, Pogba, Sancho, Fernandes.
Subs: Lindelof, Jones, Mata, Rashford, Lingard, Henderson, Telles, Wan-Bissaka, Matic.
Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Justin, Evans, Fofana, Castagne, Tielemans, Mendy, Maddison, Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes, Iheanacho.
Subs: Soyuncu, Albrighton, Perez, Amartey, Choudhury, Pereira, Daka, Jakupovic, Lookman.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
Ralf Rangnick speaks to Sky prior to kickoff. “Unfortunately Cristiano Ronaldo had some flu-like symptoms. He’s not been able to play. We play our normal formation with Bruno as a striker and sometimes maybe as a midfielder.” As for Harry Maguire, booed by England fans earlier this week, but today given a warm reception when getting off the bus by the United faithful?
“He’s the team captain and has been doing well for this club and for the national team, and I’m pretty sure exactly that would happen after what happened at Wembley.”
