Manchester United are scheduled to host Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Europa League last 32 on Thursday night.
The Red Devils secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Sociedad in the first leg at the Anoeta Stadium last week and are in pole position to reach the round of 16.
With the significant advantage, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is bound to make changes to the starting line-up particularly with a tricky league outing at Chelsea on Sunday.
Solskjaer is still likely to pick up a team with experienced faces and recently said that young duo Amad Diallo and Shole Shoretire may only feature on the bench.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Line-up:
Dean Henderson is clearly United’s cup goalkeeper and he is expected to start between the sticks ahead of Premier League regular David de Gea.
The backline should see a complete overhaul. Brandon Williams and Alex Telles look set to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw in the full-back positions.
Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire are the regular picks for Solskjaer in the central defence. Both are likely to be rested.
Eric Bailly started ahead of Lindelof in last week’s European outing in the Basque Country and he could be accompanied by Axel Tuanzebe.
In midfield, United have their options limited by the fact that Paul Pogba is out injured while Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek have been deemed unfit to play.
Fred and Nemanja Matic are pretty much automatic choices in the central midfield.
Further forward, Juan Mata may get a rare start for the club from the number 10 role ahead of Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes has missed just two games this season and he should be given a much-needed break ahead of the Blues clash this weekend.
Elsewhere, Anthony Martial and Daniel James could feature either side of the Spaniard.
James has scored in back-to-back games for United from right wing. There is no point resting him, given he has hardly played prior to the sequence of matches.
Martial has been going through a lean patch with an evident lack of confidence in front of goal. He is likely to feature ahead of Marcus Rashford on the left wing.
The Englishman has played every game for United this term and Solskjaer has an ideal chance to rest him with the level of comfort in the tie.
In the absence of Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood is set to lead the line for the second straight European game.
The 19-year-old has not been in the best of form for the Red Devils with only one goal from the last 19 games and needs to step up.
Predicted Manchester United line-up (4-2-3-1): Henderson; Williams, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Telles; Fred, Matic; James, Mata, Martial; Greenwood.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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