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Manchester United ate humble pie at the hands of Arsenal last weekend and on Friday realised that they have a double date with the Lionel Messi-led Barcelona in the Champions League. However, it is about the here and now. They first have a daunting task of going past a formidable Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter-final.
The route up to this point was far from easy. They had to get past Chelsea and Arsenal in succession. To make matters worse, it was in hostile territory on both occasions. Wolves meanwhile present a totally different proposition. They have an impressive record against 'top six sides' as shown in the stubborn performance against Chelsea where Eden Hazard had to salvage a point in the dying minutes.
The good news for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is that he has has a few players who have returned from injury and are ready to be unleashed in this match. It will be a game of balancing for the Norwegian as he faces a potentially difficult spell in the next two months. Wolves have several Portuguese internationals in their ranks. They have that natural creativity and counterattack capability that can cause defensive problems.
United face Wolves in two of their next three matches. It is no guarantee that the Red Devils will collect wins in either or both those ties. The tie seems like one of those moments when fine margins would be the deciding factor.
Goalkeeper: Sergio Romero
Solskjaer has trusted the Argentinian international to take care of business in the Arsenal and Chelsea games. Romero is likely to retain his place in the FA Cup. He has shown to be solid and some quarters regard him to be the best back up goalkeeper in Europe's major leagues. Romero is a brilliant shot stopper who inspires confidence with his takedowns. His 6 ft 4 frame is an added advantage when it comes to taking charge of aerial duels.
Defenders
Central defenders: Chris Smalling/ Victor Lindelof
The pairing of Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof has proven to be the most effective for United. Central defence is an area of weakness for United. Eric Bailly has shown some naivety this season and is sometimes a bit rash in his judgement. As it stands, Smalling and Lindelof are set to continue as the starting centre backs. It is the manager's hope that the two will continue to gel heading to very critical games.
Full backs: Luke Shaw/Diogo Dalot
Pace will be crucial for Manchester United if they are to tame Wolves in their own backyard. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot offer exactly that as attacking full backs. Dalot has come alive in the last few games and even shown promise an auxiliary right winger. His defensive capabilities may be questioned but is no doubt a top talent who could develop even further with more game time. Their role would be to push Wolves higher up the pitch because they are capable of causing real problems.
Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Scott McTominay
Paul Pogba is probably the first name on the team sheet. He has cooled off in the last few games but is without a shroud of doubt one of the best midfielders in his position. Solskjaer has shown that he is not afraid to play Pogba in a more attacking role. It is where he flourishes and that is why the Frenchman is the top scorer.
Herrera is fit to play again and has been deeply been missed in that defensive midfield position. He is versatile and can protect the back four. His experience will be critical in stopping counter attacks and picking out the willing runners in front of him. This is an ideal game for the manager to ease him into the starting line up.
McTominay is likely to start ahead of Nemanja Matic because he is equally strong but more mobile. Matic proved against Arsenal that he needs more time to get into full match fitness. The Scot, on the other hand, is fresh and can do the dirty work in midfield.
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford
This combination is ideally United's best attacking threat if form and individual talent is anything to go by. Lukaku has scored some goals in the last few matches and that should be enough to earn a starting berth. He could also be used on the right wing which he has shown to be also effective.
Rashford is United's main man who can start either on the right wing or down the middle. His pace will be a threat if he finds the space. Martial on the other hand just recently returned to the fold after some time out with an injury. The Frenchman prefers to play in the left wing where he can attack freely and run at defenders.
He should be fit enough this time around after coming on as a late substitute this time around. If United's front three play as a unit, then they should be able to get the goals that they need to succeed in this type of match.
