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Manchester United are set to bring their run of three games in five days to an end with a blockbuster Premier League clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The two English giants were initially scheduled to lock horns ten days ago, but the match had to be postponed due to mass protests held at Old Trafford by the Manchester United faithful. The fixture was then rescheduled for May 13th, just under two weeks before the UEFA Europa League final.
Manchester United and Liverpool have already faced each other twice this season in the Premier League as well as the FA Cup. While their league game at Anfield ended in a goalless stalemate, Liverpool's trip to Old Trafford in the 5th round of the FA Cup ended in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Red Devils.
A win on Thursday would be incredibly consequential for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool as they look to qualify for the 2021/22 edition of the UEFA Champions League. However, they face a tall order as Manchester United have lost only two of their last 29 Premier League fixtures.
Furthermore, Solskjaer gave his whole first XI bar Mason Greenwood a day off against Leicester City on Tuesday, allowing them to be well-rested ahead of their clash against Liverpool.
With the stage perfectly set for a high-profile encounter at Old Trafford, here is a look at how Manchester United could potentially line up against Liverpool on Thursday.
Manchester United Predicted XI
Goalkeeper
Going by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team selections over the course of 2021, Dean Henderson is nearly guaranteed to start the game on Thursday against their fierce rivals. The Englishman has firmly established himself as Manchester United's number one goalkeeper at the expense of club legend David de Gea, who has served the Red Devils for over a decade.
Henderson has also been in superb form, conceding just four goals in his last five Premier League games. The English star has managed four clean sheets in his ten league starts for the club this season and boasts an incredible save percentage of 82.1, which is the highest among players with a minimum of ten games played.
De Gea's 25 league starts have yielded nine clean sheets, and he's saved 66.3% of the shots he's faced (31 goals conceded).
Defence
The biggest change in the side will be at the heart of defence as Manchester United captain Harry Maguire is set to miss the game due to an injury he picked up against Aston Villa. Solskjaer confirmed that the towering Englishman is unlikely to play again in the league this season.
Maguire's injury could pave the way for Eric Bailly to retain his starting berth from the Leicester game. Fresh off his contract extension at the club, the Ivorian has battled injuries and lack of fitness due to COVID-19 in recent months and is finally available for selection. Bailly will most likely partner Victor Lindelof, with Axel Tuanzebe dropping to the bench.
Manchester United's first-choice full-backs Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are likely to return to the first XI. Shaw and Wan-Bissaka were given some much-needed rest in midweek and will be prepared to face the threats of Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane on either flank.
Also read: 5 Players who have created the most chances in Europe this season (2020/21)
Midfield
While Nemanja Matic did a splendid job against Leicester City, the veteran Serb is likely to drop out to accommodate Fred, with Scott McTominay partnering him as opposed to Donny van de Beek. Solskjaer has, more often than not, opted to field his trusted pairing of the Brazilian and the Scot for big games this season, and it is unlikely to be any different on Thursday.
Van de Beek's poor showing on Tuesday didn't offer the Norwegian any food for thought as he failed to stake a claim to start this game. Fred and McTominay are possibly the most well-equipped central midfield players to deal with Liverpool's press at Solskjaer's disposal.
Higher up the pitch, there is no doubt whatsoever regarding Bruno Fernandes' spot in the side. The Portuguese midfielder is arguably the first name on the team sheet for Solskjaer and, after a few days of rest, Fernandes will look to be back in action against Liverpool.
The 26-year-old was on target during their FA Cup tie in January, with his magical free-kick in the second half deciding the result of the five-goal thriller.
Attack
After a quiet start to the campaign, Paul Pogba has re-emerged as one of the team's creative hubs in recent months. Playing off the left-hand side of attack, Pogba drifts infield to wreak havoc in between the lines and has helped Manchester United dominate proceedings in the final third. The Frenchman's role has also allowed Shaw to have a lot of space to exploit down the left flank.
Marcus Rashford can be expected to start the game on the right flank to add some directness to the attack. The English forward was sensational for the Red Devils during their knockout tie in January as he found the back of the net and also set up Mason Greenwood with a defence-splitting pass.
While Greenwood has been in superb form over the last few weeks, the teenager is likely to come on as a substitute as he's started two games and played over 120 minutes of football in the last four days.
Edinson Cavani is the likeliest candidate to lead Manchester United's attacking line against Liverpool. The Uruguayan has found a brilliant vein of form in recent times, scoring four times and setting up a further two goals against AS Roma in the UEL semi-final.
Cavani has managed an impressive nine goals and two assists in his 11 Premier League starts for the club. After sufficient rest over the last week, the 34-year-old will look to help Manchester United register a win against Liverpool on Thursday.
