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Manchester United host Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday as they look to consolidate their good start to the 2021-22 Premier League season.
It has not exactly been smooth sailing for Manchester United up until this point. Their win over West Ham United last weekend was bookended by defeats in the UEFA Champions League and the EFL Cup.
The Red Devils' loss to Young Boys in the Champions League was facilitated by an Aaron Wan-Bissaka red card and a Jesse Lingard blunder. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn't seem too keen to send his cavalry out for the League Cup game.
He chose to use his second-choice players and it wasn't too bad a performance as they fell 1-0 to West Ham United. But there are quite a few players who chose not to make much of the opportunity presented to them.
The superstars will be back on Saturday and the Stretford End will be buzzing again. Without further ado, let's take a look at the possible Manchester United XI for the Premier League game against Aston Villa.
Manchester United Possible Starting XI vs Aston Villa
Goalkeeper - David de Gea
David de Gea had come under a lot of criticism over the course of the past couple of seasons. However, in Dean Henderson's absence through injury, De Gea has returned to make a statement of intent.
The Spanish international has been excellent so far this season. He made a brilliant save off a Mark Noble penalty last weekend to rescue all three points for Manchester United. He will undoubtedly keep his place in the starting XI even though Henderson has returned from injury.
Right-back - Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Defensively dependable Aaron Wan-Bissaka has turned in some impressive performances this season. While the defensive side of his game seems to keep getting upgraded, the 23-year-old might want to focus a bit more on his delivery.
Diogo Dalot was whipping in some beauties from the right wing in midweek and Wan-Bissaka ought to follow suit. They don't have Cristiano Ronaldo in the box for nothing.
Centre-back - Raphael Varane
A calm and composed presence at centre-back, Raphael Varane has been crucial to Manchester United getting off to a good start to the season. The Frenchman has impressed with his pace and reading of the game. His tacking and distribution have gone a long way towards transforming the Manchester United defence.
Centre-back - Harry Maguire
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been enterprising with his progressive passing. He has been really competent when it comes aerial duels. Maguire might need a couple more weeks before he feels at home with Varane and the United backline only seems to be getting stronger.
Left-back - Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw has been playing the best football of his career in 2021. His driving runs have often kickstarted successful attacking moves for Manchester United. Solskjaer will be hoping for more of the same from his trusted full-back.
Defensive midfielder - Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay made his return from injury last weekend. The Scot's an active contributor in midfield and loves breaking up play just as much as he likes bombing forward. McTominay played a wonderful through-ball to Ronaldo last weekend which really should have been finished off.
The 24-year-old shows a lot of fight every time he is on the pitch and is a hard-working individual. While he is not Nemanja Matic with his passing ability, Solskjaer will need McTominay to be present against teams with mobile midfields.
Matic is likely to feature more against teams that are content to use a low-block against Manchester United. Otherwise, Solskjaer is likely to stick with his beloved double pivot in midfield.
Defensive midfielder - Fred
Fred is arguably the most criticized Manchester United player since the start of the new season. The Brazilian hasn't exactly helped his case with his sloppy work in possession. But he is there to do a job in midfield and credit where it's due, he has been doing it quite adequately.
Fred is tireless with his pressing and his energy levels never drop over the course of the 90 minutes. The fact of the matter is that his disruption is not entirely quantifiable in that he is often cutting passing lanes and causing midfielders to hit the panic button.
Fred will keep his place in the starting XI and look to give the likes of Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz no moment of respite.
Attacking midfielder - Bruno Fernandes
The talismanic Portuguese might not have got an assist last weekend but it was him who created Manchester United's opener. Bruno Fernandes, with his intelligent movement, quick thinking and swift passing, is a constant livewire in midfield.
With Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo stepping up, it's hard to mark Fernandes out of the game. He is also a tireless worker and already has four goals in five Premier League games this season.
Left-winger - Paul Pogba
After years of debating and arguing over how to unlock Paul Pogba in midfield, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found the key. The answer was to displace him and install him on the left side of the park with the added benefit of the freedom to roam.
With limited defensive responsibilities and world-class talent to feed, Paul Pogba has been having a lot of fun. He has picked up seven assists in five Premier League appearances already this season.
Pogba's presence on the left wing means that Matty Cash will need to be wary every time he steps forward. The Frenchman can't be allowed any kind of time or space on the ball because all he needs is a split-second to play a killer pass.
Right-winger - Mason Greenwood
Mason Greenwood was introduced late in the League Cup game against West Ham United and he almost made an immediate impact. The teenager is blossoming into a well-rounded footballer. Without Rashford on the pitch, Greenwood is arguably the Red Devils' best ball carrier.
He can also find the back of the net from extremely tight angles. The best thing about the 19-year-old is that he is not one to shy away when the going gets tough. Greenwood has, time and again, scored extremely important goals for Manchester United.
Having him on the right wing helps keep the defenders guessing as to which route he is going to take as he is good with both feet. With three goals in five Premier League appearances so far, Greenwood has been one of United's best players in the new season.
Striker - Cristiano Ronaldo
A fair amount of British pundits were of the opinion that at 36-years-old, Cristiano Ronaldo is a mere paper tiger. They said that Ronaldo was going to find it hard to succeed in the Premier League.
With four goals in three appearances across all competitions so far, the Manchester United striker is well on his way to silencing his critics. His movement and activity inside the box has added an edge to the Red Devils' attack.
Ronaldo is a proven goalscorer and Manchester United need him to continue to deliver the goods. He seems to have already struck up a great partnership with Bruno Fernandes and has been linking up well with Paul Pogba as well.
Edinson Cavani is ready to return to the fray but Ronaldo will keep his place in the starting XI for now.
