Think Jose will go for more steel in midfield, this is too lightweight, Sanchez is the best as close to goal as possible but he's a bt lost in the no10, think he will play form the left where he can drift in run behind and create or up top in 3-5-2
Obviously both Fred and Pereira are little guys but I would stop short of saying they are lightweight/ lacking steel/ soft etc. - infact, early signs point to both being tenacious, industrious and disciplined. Bearing in mind that we are talking about Pogba, Matic, Fellaini and Herrera all missing, I certainly wouldn’t be looking to McTominay to add any presence/ physicality in there, though I maybe do agree that it wouldn’t surprise me too much to see Mourinho doing so. I just think having him in place of Herrera would exacerbate the problem we have with none of our midfielders adequately looking to station themselves in, drift or break into advanced areas in possession or on the break.
On the contrary, I think the no.10 role might just be Sanchez’s best. Starting on the left or right up top, all his best work involves coming into those spaces. It would give him more freedom to occupy the areas he wants to and is more dangerous in, and options all around him. Again though, it is sensible to assume Jose will employ him from the left (or as striker in a 3-5-2, if he springs a surprise) as that has been the case so far.
A Pereira-McTominay-Fred midfield, with Sanchez and Mata (give me strength) wide and Rashford up front is very lacklustre - especially once you include probably Shaw and Darmian as full backs. A fixed midfield, advanced wide men constantly coming towards the ball and deep wide men offering very timid support play - and a real danger of everything being in front of the Leicester defence. Fred may struggle to make an impact if we can’t take advantage of his ability to break lines.
