"Should have played the kids", "Got to be kidding me" - Manchester United fans furious as XI to face Chelsea comes to light

Fans have reacted to Manchester United's starting XI for their Premier League game at Chelsea on Friday (May 16). The Red Devils are on a seven-game winless run in the league.

Ruben Amorim's side are coming off a 17th league defeat of the season - a 2-0 home loss to West Ham United last weekend. Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scored either side of the break as the Red Devils sunk to a defeat at Old Trafford.

Interestingly, the defeat came just a few days after Amorim's side had seen off Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at home in the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg to book a final date with Tottenham Hotspur.

With little left to achieve in the league, United's biggest game of the season is against Spurs later this month. The winner will be assured of a place in next season's UEFA Champions League, while the loser will be bereft of European football next season, considering both sides' lowly positions in the league.

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Hence, fans are surprised to see a near full-strength XI named to face the Blues at Stamford Bridge, with one tweeting:

"Should have played the kids. Hopefully, no injuries."

Another chimed in:

"Erm, you're supposed to be resting players and handing us the game??"

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There were similar reactions from other fans, with one tweeting:

"Amorim going full strength. You got to be kidding me."

Another wrote:

"Why go strong on a meaningless match???"

One fan posted:

"Why are we playing our strongest 11???"

Another wrote:

"I am taking a 2-0 loss right now if it means the whole squad will be injury-free by Full Time"

While United are 16th in the standings after 36 games, the Blues are fifth, chasing a Champions League spot.

What happened the last time Manchester United faced Chelsea in the league?

Manchester United drew 1-1 against Chelsea at home in the Premier League in November. The Red Devils were under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who's now in charge of Leicester City.

Coming to the Old Trafford game, following a goalless first period, United went ahead through a Bruno Fernandes penalty following a foul on striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Moises Caicedo, though, hauled Chelsea back on level terms just four minutes later. With neither side managing a winner despite some late chances, a share of the spoils ensued.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav