1 week Ago By [email protected] (Samuel Luckhurst, George Smith, Steven Railston)
Manchester United play Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals tonight. United brushed aside Real Sociedad at Old Trafford in the second leg of the Round of 16 in the competition, and they are hopeful of securing a positive result against French club Lyon. Ruben Amorim's side drew 0-0 with Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend.
It was a dull Manchester derby, but Amorim would have felt his side just did enough to win the game. Regarding the team news, United are poised to welcome Kobbie Mainoo back into the equation after he was included in the 23-man squad that travelled to France yesterday . However, Matthijs de Ligt will be absent for the second game running because of a suspected ankle issue.
Here is how our writers think United should line up...
Samuel Luckhurst Only a spoilsport would deprive us of Andre Onana and Nemanja Matic shaking hands. The United defence and wingers pick themselves while Bruno Fernandes should drop back into midfield alongside Manuel Ugarte. Casemiro has hoodwinked a few into thinking he is enjoying a revival when he has merely played against a sedate Spanish side and the fading force that is City's overaged midfield.
United have lame duck strikers and it's a toss of a coin between Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund. Neither deserve to start as the number nine but one of them has to. Fernandes in midfield Steven Railston I'd make just two changes from the Manchester derby last weekend, and they would be Shaw and Zirkzee coming into the starting team for Mazraoui and Casemiro respectively.
Mazraoui hasn't done much wrong, but Shaw is a tremendous asset on the left of a back-three and he should be given the opportunity to start if he's deemed fit enough to feature. Fernandes and Ugarte should rekindle their partnership in midfield, which would allow Zirkzee to start on the right. George Smith Despite the injury situation improving, I can't see Amorim making too many changes to the XI that started against City.
Mazraoui, Maguire and Yoro dealt with the Blues comfortably and should start as a defensive trio again. In midfield, Fernandes needs to be restored to a deeper position to get an extra attacker on the pitch. As well as Casemiro has done of late, particularly in the Europa League, United need more thrust and creativity on the pitch.
Mount has made two substitute appearances since returning from injury and now is the right time for him to be unleashed from the start and attempt to show why Amorim has lauded him so much in recent months. Hojlund, despite another questionable performance against City, is a better option than Zirkzee to start as the No.9.
Ruben Amorim might not change much..
