[jackofalltrades]

We should have plenty of energy for a good win tonight. All the players have had more or less 10 days without a game, a break which will come in handy when the CL game against Sevilla comes up as they may well have 9 games this month. New manager for Stoke but hopefully he will not have had time to get that "new manager inspiration" feeling going.

A brace of thronkers from Lingard in the first half will set things up nicely for a couple more in the second

 

[SirAnderson]

Been a really looong wait for this game. Fortunately the Sanchez saga has helped pass the time, but now I just want to see us in action. Really hope we play good football and put a few passed this Stoke side.
I hate when we wait ages for a match and the performance and result is negative. Guess that's how everyone feels, but yeah. Bring on the game.
Fortunately I have a meeting later that will make the time pass faster, will get home just before it starts, so I don't have to be bored out of my mind 2 hours before kick off.

 

[el3mel]

Confirmed United squad members

David de Gea

Joel Pereira

Kieran O'Hara

Antonio Valencia

Matteo Darmian

Phil Jones

Marcos Rojo

Victor Lindelof

Axel Tuanzebe

Chris Smalling

Luke Shaw

Ander Herrera

Marouane Fellaini

Nemanja Matic

Scott McTominay

Paul Pogba

Michael Carrick

Juan Mata

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Anthony Martial

Romelu Lukaku

 

[littlepeasoup]

Rash?

 

[Shark]

Actually really looking forward to this.

 

[iHicksy]

De Gea

Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez

Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez

Sanchez Sanchez Sanchez

 

[Oldham]

?
No Lingard nor Rashford?

 

[breakout67]

Messi Lingard will definitely play; he's going for the Balon'dor!

 

[khoazany]

Romero?

 

[Bestietom]

Martial picked up an injury, will be checked out today.

 

[Bestietom]

3-1 Lingard, Lukaku and Rashford.

 

[daveoliver91]

Where is Rashford, Romero and Lingard on that list? Hopefully they will be fit!

 

[AltiUn]

We've had a nice long break so I'll assume we'll play our strongest possible selection.

DDG

Valencia
Jones
Smalling
Shaw

Pogba
Matic

Mata
Lingard
Martial

Lukaku

That's my prediction. They're genuinely a dreadful team, we should want to owe them one for earlier in the season, I hope we go at them from kick off, their new manager won't have had a chance to train them or instil any ideas so hopefully no new manager syndrome. Optimistic, I predict 4-0, I expect a good game from Matic, this break was his first real one of the season.

 

[Irish Jet]

Forfeit the game. All focus must be on Sanchez and we can't afford such distractions.

 

[Damien]

Bit strange. There are 21 names there which is the number you'd expect for the hotel pre-match. Hardly any attacking options there so if Lingard really isn't in the squad then I guess the team would be something like:

De Gea

Valencia Jones Rojo Shaw
Matic Herrera
Mata Pogba Martial
Lukaku

Bench: Pereira, Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof, McTominay, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan
​

Not really much off the bench there. Still expect we'll see Lingard and Rashford at Old Trafford.

 

[AltiUn]

Bit strange. There are 21 names there which is the number you'd expect for the hotel pre-match. Hardly any attacking options there so if Lingard really isn't in the squad then I guess the team would be something like:

De Gea

Valencia Jones Rojo Shaw
Matic Herrera
Mata Pogba Martial
Lukaku

Bench: Pereira, Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof, McTominay, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan
​

Not really much off the bench there. Still expect we'll see Lingard and Rashford at Old Trafford.

We did play a 4-3-3 against them last time if I'm not mistaken so not out of the equation to see Pogba, Matic and Herrera in midfield.

 

[Cee90]

Forfeit the game. All focus must be on Sanchez and we can't afford such distractions.

Haha, well it may be announced after the game...

Less distraction that way for the players, plus it gives our marketing department time to put some funky unveiling announcements together.

 

[breakout67]

If there is an announcement today, then the players already know about Sanchez coming. Players generally know in advance of these things.

 

[whatwha]

Confirmed United squad members

David de Gea

Joel Pereira

Kieran O'Hara

Antonio Valencia

Matteo Darmian

Phil Jones

Marcos Rojo

Victor Lindelof

Axel Tuanzebe

Chris Smalling

Luke Shaw

Ander Herrera

Marouane Fellaini

Nemanja Matic

Scott McTominay

Paul Pogba

Michael Carrick

Juan Mata

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Anthony Martial

Romelu Lukaku

Strange list. No Lingard or Rashford? Martial on it despite being injured?

 

[Damien]

Strange list. No Lingard or Rashford? Martial on it despite being injured?

It just said he would be a doubt. Not that he had his leg in a cast or anything.

Was probably just a little knock.

 

[Kapardin]

Need to win this so that we can celebrate properly when Sanchez signs.

 

[whatwha]

It just said he would be a doubt. Not that he had his leg in a cast or anything.

Was probably just a little knock.

Fair enough but you'd expect Messe and Rash to be involved unless they're also carrying knocks.

 

[el3mel]

Lingard and Rashford could have joined the hotel earlier. It's just the list of the players seen by MEN photographers.

 

[Havak]

I think this is the best line-up we can field assuming everyone is fit (bar Bailly and Ibrahimovic who definitely won't be):

de Gea
Valencia Smalling Jones Shaw
Matic Pogba
Mata Lingard Martial
Lukaku​

It seems possible that Lingard and Rashford are also out along with Bailly & Zlatan, which would really limit our attacking options. If it's the case, then I think Herrera would start as part of a midfield three and Mkhitaryan on the bench. It would also explain Carrick being in the squad if we're playing 433. Another option would be three at the back in this case and rely more on the width from Valencia and Shaw, with Lukaku and Martial both central.

Maybe whoever was listing the players just didn't see Lingard and Rashford, but they will be there. Either way, worst case is probably:

de Gea
Valencia Smalling Jones Shaw
Herrera Matic Pogba
Mata Lukaku Martial
---
J.Pereira; Lindelof, Rojo, Tuanzebe; Carrick, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan
​

This game has to be the banker, though. We go to Burnley, Yeovil (FA Cup), and Tottenham (all away games) this month where it'll be incredibly difficult to get the wins if we're not right at it. Finishing in the top three has become quite the challenge when I think we should really have looked like being nailed on for 2nd by now... The FA Cup has also become far more important if we want to win a trophy this season.

 

[Damien]

Lingard and Rashford could have joined the hotel earlier. It's just the list of the players seen by MEN photographers.

How often is it that we've taken 23 players to the hotel? Usually it is around 20/21 and a couple don't make the final squad. Then again I guess it isn't often we have nearly our whole squad fit.

 

[AltiUn]

How often is it that we've taken 23 players to the hotel? Usually it is around 20/21 and a couple don't make the final squad. Then again I guess it isn't often we have nearly our whole squad fit.

Who are we missing, is it just Bailly, Carrick and Ibrahimovic now?

 

[el3mel]

How often is it that we've taken 23 players to the hotel? Usually it is around 20/21 and a couple don't make the final squad. Then again I guess it isn't often we have nearly our whole squad fit.

If they're injured, Mourinho would have said that in the presser, unless they got injured out of sudden yesterday.

 

[IAmAWinner]

De Gea
Valencia - Jones - Lindelöf - Shaw
Matic - Pogba
Mata - Lingard - Rashford
Lukaku
3-0 to us. Lukaku X2 and Mkhi to come off the bench to snatch his last goal for us and hour later the swap of Mkhi-Alexis is official.

 

[Irish Jet]

Martial would be a big miss.

 

[whatwha]

Martial would be a big miss.

Indeed. There's a significant gap between him and Rash lately.

 

[PepsiCola]

Disappointed with the news of Martial being injured.

 

[Giggs86]

What if Martial is not injured but actually being part of the deal for Sanchez and that's why he was left out?

 

[pauldyson1uk]

What if Martial is not injured but actually being part of the deal for Sanchez and that's why he was left out?

I would be saying when is Sanchez's first match but he is not going to sell him.

 

[IAmAWinner]

What if Martial is not injured but actually being part of the deal for Sanchez and that's why he was left out?

There would be riots among United fans that's for sure.
But still, Jose isn't dumb, he would never sell Martial.

 

[whatwha]

What if Martial is not injured but actually being part of the deal for Sanchez and that's why he was left out?

There's no way we'd exchange a potentially world class young player for a 29 y.o. with months left on his contract. Jose isn't that stupid. I hope.

 

[Samid]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[The No.10!]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

won't put it past him to be Ibra's replacement for the rest of the season.

 

[Havak]

Who are we missing, is it just Bailly, Carrick and Ibrahimovic now?

Carrick is in the squad. Bailly and Zlatan are the long-term absentees, but Lingard, Rashford, and Romero haven't been 'sighted' yet. They could be there still, however.

 

[roseguy64]

Where as these extra Mourinho quotes coming from? I wonder what is wrong with Martial.

From the official Man Utd twitter account which was posted above you

 

[TimScoreboard]

Missing the game tonight and I think that this might be the one where we hand out a proper hiding. Seeing yesterdays result will surely drive us on to perform tonight: I fancy 5 tonight