Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to have a healthy list of options when Manchester United travel to Arsenal on Saturday.
United are looking to bounce back from their shock home defeat to Sheffield United on Wednesday, a 1-0 loss which prevented them from returning to the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal will be confident of inflicting another defeat on Solskjaer’s side having won six of their past seven league matches, while the Gunners are also aiming to do the double over United for the first time since 2006-07.
The biggest boost for Solskjaer is that duo Anthony Martial and Eric Bailly are expected to make the trip to London.
“They’re okay,” Solskjaer told MUTV. “They should both be travelling down. We’re still a good group all working together. Once in a while, we just hit a low like we did on Wednesday, but we’re good to go again.”
Martial fell heavily on his shoulder against Sheffield United, but still played the entire 90 minutes, while Bailly sat out the match after picking up a knock in training.
Bailly’s return would likely mean he partners Harry Maguire in defence while Axel Tuanzebe returns to the bench along with Victor Lindelof.
Martial or Cavani?
Solskjaer must decide whether Martial is fit to start on Saturday, and if not he could turn to Edinson Cavani in the centre-forward role.
Martial and Cavani have both started in recent wins over Burnley and Fulham, with the former pushed out wide, but with Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Daniel James also available there are plenty of options for Solskjaer.
A front three of Martial, Rashford and Greenwood is arguably the most likely, with Cavani the go-to substitute – a role he has played nine times in the league already this season, compared to just four starts.
Midfield options aplenty
There are no fitness concerns for Solskjaer in midfield, and while Bruno Fernandes will be expected to start, so too Paul Pogba – who has started their last six league games – it could mean Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic are fighting it out for the final midfield spot.
Fred was rested against Sheffield United, and could come back into the side as Matic joins McTominay, Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata on the bench.
Meanwhile, at full-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka will likely resume of the right, while United’s website states Luke Shaw is expected to start at left-back ahead of Alex Telles.
Telles started ahead of Shaw against Sheffield United, but given the latter’s form he looks set to return to the starting XI.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/39shnEw
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