Football returns to Old Trafford tonight as Manchester United welcome Sheffield United.
There will be no supporters at the Theatre of Dreams but the Stretford end will carry the banner in the picture above.
Despite the lack of atmosphere this going to be a crucial game in the chase for a Champions League spot. United got a credible draw at Spurs last week but they need to turn that into positive momentum against the Blades tonight.
On TalkOfTheDevils this week Paul Parker and John O’Kane gave their thoughts about who should take the field tonight.
Parker said on the TalkingDevils podcast that he felt Anthony Martial might be at risk. “To be honest, I’m looking at Anthony Martial and I’m not seeing anything different,” Parker said. “I’m still seeing the same old story with him. “I was looking to him to make a point against Tottenham but I would think Ole now has a decision to make on Wednesday against a team with three centre-halves. You need a centre-forward who is going to hold the ball up and allow Pogba, Fernandes and Rashford to play off him.
“Those defenders need to worry about the movement of the striker in-between them. Ighalo is good at that. He can hold it for players and release it at the right time, or he brings the foul. I don’t think you can go with Martial on Wednesday. Yes, it’s harsh, but you have Ighalo – use him. He’s desperate to impress. He can’t believe he’s still at Manchester United. Give him that chance to deliver. Don’t let him be a bit-part. Go for it.”
O’Kane, meanwhile, feels another forward is susceptible to being dropped – or, more pertinently, that one has played his way into the first team.
“In Mason, we have a player who I believe has the ability to match or even surpass any other United player,” John says. “He’s that good. Yes, he is young too, but the boy knows where the goal is. The threat improves the second he is on the pitch.”
We feel that Greenwood will indeed be rewarded with a start; and that Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes will also be fielded from the start.
In a heated midfield battle for that other spot, Scott McTominay is almost guaranteed to start after signing his new contract yesterday. Could Ole throw a curve ball by playing four players in the middle, and therefore having Greenwood from the bench again? Possibly, but we believe he will aim to attack a Sheffield United side who may be low on confidence after their drubbing at Newcastle.
