[tentan]

Seeing as the league is gone we should try and win the cup treble now. So hopefully a strong lineup from Jose.

 

[bosnian_red]

Romero
Darmian Lindelof Rojo Shaw
McTominay Carrick Herrera
Mata Ibrahimovic Martial
​

Something like this?

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

They have a defender who is 197cm tall

Smalling probably needs a rest, but i think Mou will go with him for what could be a scrappy game at times. Hopefully we smash them 3-0 in the first half and then he can be subbed off early.

Surely Mkhi will be off if he doesn't start this game.

I would like to see:

Martial Marcus/Jesse
Miki/Ibra
Blind Pogba Ander Damo
Rojo Chris Victor
Sergio

Width will probably be non-existent from us, but we can't afford to lose Young to an injury.​

 

[Vidyoyo]

No point in putting a strong team out for this. It's the start of a congested fixture period and if we lose, so what? It's the League Cup. I'd rather we just played our second team throughout the competition.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

No point in putting a strong team out for this. It's the start of a congested fixture period and if we lose, so what? It's the League Cup. I'd rather we just played our second team throughout the competition.

You are of course entitled to your opinion. But in the end a trophy is a trophy, and it looks like the title will go to city unless they feck up real bad (please god).

I would personally be pretty pissed off if we don't take this cup serious.

 

[ClosetDevil]

I think Ibrahimovic potentially playing in the position just off the striker in a pseudo playmaker role could be a revelation...

Excellent chance for some of the youngsters to get a first team start.

 

[The Mad Manc]

Nice healthy dose of rotation for this one:

Rashford for Ibra if he's unfit. I would've put Darmian at RB but we might need him for the next league game if Valencia is out. I think Pogba could do with working off any rust too.

Bench: Pereira, Darmian, Jones, Herrera, Mata, Gomes, Wilson

 

[SwansonsTache]

Would love for Gomes to play, especially since there has been some noise about him not featuring, with the links to Dortmund and all.

 

[podurban2]

Would love for Gomes to play, especially since there has been some noise about him not featuring, with the links to Dortmund and all.

He just signed the contract?

 

[SwansonsTache]

He just signed the contract?

Didn't know that.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Please don't start Pogba, Jose. There's no need. Keep him fresh for festive period.

We can win this with Herrera and McTom.

 

[paulscholes18]

Romero
Darmian Lindelof Smalling Shaw
McTominay Tuanzebe Pogba
Mkhitaryan Rashford Martial

 

[Bestietom]

Give Gomes a chance. Would like to see him start for this one.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

They have a defender who is 197cm tall

Same size as Smalling, isn't it?

 

[JB08]

They have a defender who is 197cm tall

Aden Flint? He also has 6 league goals in 17 games so far this season, absurd reading for a centre back.

 

[Robbo*]

They have a defender who is 197cm tall

Smalling probably needs a rest, but i think Mou will go with him for what could be a scrappy game at times. Hopefully we smash them 3-0 in the first half and then he can be subbed off early.

Surely Mkhi will be off if he doesn't start this game.

I would like to see:

Martial Marcus/Jesse
Miki/Ibra
Blind Pogba Ander Damo
Rojo Chris Victor
Sergio

Width will probably be non-existent from us, but we can't afford to lose Young to an injury.​

If we are playing 3-5-2 I would like to see Tuanzebe (who was fantastic against Swansea in the last round) and possibly even Joe Riley (at RWB with Shaw at LWB) feature.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Maybe 15/20 minutes for Gomes?

 

[The Mad Manc]

If we are playing 3-5-2 I would like to see Tuanzebe (who was fantastic against Swansea in the last round) and possibly even Joe Riley (at RWB with Shaw at LWB) feature.

Joe Riley is a good shout

 

[Jacko21]

Looking forward to this. Atmosphere will be good and it's a welcome break from the non-event that is the league.

 

[Jacko21]

Looking forward to this. Atmosphere will be good and it's a welcome break from the non-event that is the league.

And as I write this, I realise I'm out for Christmas drinks with work.

 

[groovyalbert]

Please don't start Pogba, Jose. There's no need. Keep him fresh for festive period.

We can win this with Herrera and McTom.

I'd be happy for him to get 45 mins here or so. Get him back up to speed/kill off the tie.

Realistically, we're looking at this or the FA cup as our main chance for trophies this season, and I want our squad to keep the winning mentality up from last season.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Night off for Lukaku, Pogba to play for match fitness.

 

[Vidyoyo]

You are of course entitled to your opinion. But in the end a trophy is a trophy, and it looks like the title will go to city unless they feck up real bad (please god).

I would personally be pretty pissed off if we don't take this cup serious.

Don't get me wrong, a trophy is a trophy but I'd prefer us to concentrate on literally everything else over the league cup. FA Cup and a Top 3 finish and automatic entry into the Champ's League is of a higher priority than the EFL cup. Of course just my opinion.

 

[jimmyb2000]

Assuming Jose still wants to win this trophy then we'll play pretty much a full strength team with Matic, Valencia and possibly De Gea the only ones missing. Bristol City are 3rd in the championship and on a very good run of form so this is no match for academy, reserve or back up squad players.

 

[Donsangre]

Try to play mkhi..jose

Jose will rather keep the relic (Ibra) on the bench than have a real attacking option to help the game.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Jose will rather keep the relic (Ibra) on the bench than have a real attacking option to help the game.

Thats harsh on ibra.. in fact these are the games he should definitely be playing in.

But yeah, mkhi should at least be playing in that tournament which is last in our list of priorities

 

[Sterling Archer]

They have a defender who is 197cm tall

Smalling probably needs a rest, but i think Mou will go with him for what could be a scrappy game at times. Hopefully we smash them 3-0 in the first half and then he can be subbed off early.

Surely Mkhi will be off if he doesn't start this game.

I would like to see:

Martial Marcus/Jesse
Miki/Ibra
Blind Pogba Ander Damo
Rojo Chris Victor
Sergio

Width will probably be non-existent from us, but we can't afford to lose Young to an injury.​

Christ, you're so formal with some of these guys. Next time maybe just use their middle and mother's maiden names.

 

[sunama]

Please don't start Pogba, Jose. There's no need. Keep him fresh for festive period.

We can win this with Herrera and McTom.

In the last few months Pogba has barely played any games. He needs game time desperately to get him match fit (bear in mind that Pogba does keep himself fit, even without playing matches, but there is no substitute for actual match practise).

IMO Pogba should be playing virtually every game from now until mid-late January and knowing Jose, this probably will be the case.

 

[sunama]

Try to play mkhi..jose

None of us see what Miki does in training, but given his last performance for us in a match (he was dreadful) and assuming Jose thinks he is sucking in training as well, Miki probably won't be playing many games for MUFC. I think he'll be gone in the Summer unless Miki somehow turns it around...which won't be easy).

 

[Utdstar01]

Gomes could be in with an outside chance to be on the bench for this as he's not in the squad for the U23s tonight.

 

[sunama]

So god damn annoying that Pogba's ban ran for 3 league games and he's back for Bristol.

LOL. Yep.
It was also very frustrating that we never got to play a full strength team, vs MCFC, who were also at full strength.
As we saw against Bournemouth - without Pogba, we are probably a mid-table team, at best.

 

[Peanut Butter]

LOL. Yep.
It was also very frustrating that we never got to play a full strength team, vs MCFC, who were also at full strength.
As we saw against Bournemouth - without Pogba, we are probably a mid-table team, at best.

We're better than that.

 

[Gusjaros]

Mourinho fielded a strong team against Burton and Swansea. No reason to believe that he won't do the same against Bristol, which should be the toughest test so far.

My prediction:

Romero​

Lindelöf Smalling Rojo​

Darmian Pogba McTominay Blind

Lingard​

Rashford Martial​

I personally wouldn't mind if Zlatan and Tuanzebe got to play:

Romero​

Lindelöf Smalling Tuanzebe​

Darmian Pogba McTominay Blind

Ibrahimovic
Rashford Martial​

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

It's a funny line-up prediction this. Something like:

--------------Romero--------------
Darmian--Jones--Tuanzebe--Shaw
-------McTom-----Pogba-------
Rashford-----Mata-----Martial
--------------Zlatan--------------

should be fine but I have a feeling he'll play Lukaku to try to get some more non-celebrations out of him

 

[roonster09]

Mourinho fielded a strong team against Burton and Swansea. No reason to believe that he won't do the same against Bristol, which should be the toughest test so far.

There is a good reason. Fixtures in december.

 

[Jacob]

Mikhi will he somebody else's Mo Salah

 

[Android1974]

Ibrahimovic
Rashford Martial​

Ibrahimović as midfield “runner”…

 

[Nickosaur]

Tuanzebe is an immense talent. Would be absurd if we don't give him a chance here.

 

[minoo-utd]

Hope to see Mikhi involved and see his reaction on the pitch, if he will not play then surely he is off IMO.

 

[charlenefan]

LOL. Yep.
It was also very frustrating that we never got to play a full strength team, vs MCFC, who were also at full strength.
As we saw against Bournemouth - without Pogba, we are probably a mid-table team, at best.

What a complete load of shit