Manchester United faces a tough match against Arsenal at Old Trafford tonight in their quarter-final FA Cup tie knowing a trip to Wembley is on offer for the winners while also being able to inflict a heavy physiological scar on the losers as both teams fight for that all-important top-four finish and Champions League football next season.
Missing from Louis van Gaal’s team will be Robin van Persie, who is still out with an ankle injury while Jonny Evans starts the first of his six-match ban for allegedly spitting at Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse in midweek.
Here is what we think the fans would like to see for tonight’s match, although having seen the way LVG swaps and changes players anything is possible.
A big change would be to see Spanish international Juan Mata back in the team after not having started a match since the fourth-round replay over Cambridge United last month, even though we have a feeling the Dutchman will stick with Marouane Fellaini in the team remembering how important the big Belgium was in scoring the opening goal back at the Emirates in November.
We again expect Angel Di Maria to start out on the right wing while wondering how long the Dutchman will leave him on the pitch before bringing on Adnan Januzaj who was impressive against both Sunderland and Newcastle after coming on for the Argentinian winger.
There will be a big surprise at Old Trafford if LVG does not start Ashley Young for the match after becoming one of the Red Devils more consistent players at either left-back or wing-back with LVG hoping that he can prove a handful for Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin.
Up-front United fans would like to see Wayne Rooney play as a central striker rather than behind van Persie or in tonight’s case Falcao.
The big change however will be one that Arsenal will be looking to exploit and that is Luke Shaw on for the suspended Evans.
United can however take solace in that when the last time the two teams met United were victorious winning 1-2 at the Emirates having not been beaten by Arsenal since 2011 and since 2006 at Old Trafford.
Please remember our starting line-up is the one we think the fans would like to see and not the one the unpredictable Dutchman will put out.
