United travel to the capital on Sunday to face a West Ham team who have suffered defeat in their last two previous Premier League outings. The reds should be on a high following Wednesday nights exertions, although the mammoth effort required in order to overhaul that two goal deficit may leave the reds slightly jaded come Saturday evening.
The early team news is that Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans will again miss out through injury, whilst Nemanja Vidic is suspended following his red card against Liverpool. The news also broke earlier that Wednesday night’s hero Robin Van Persie will face a 4-6 week spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. Antonio Valencia, Javier Hernandez and Luis Nani are also doubts for tomorrow’s game. Taking all this into consideration, this is how united could line up at Upton Park tomorrow:
Goalkeeper
Without any question, David De Gea picks himself these days. His world class performance on Wednesday was pivotal in United progressing in Europe with his stand out double say giving United the platform to turn the game around. Hopefully he doesn’t have as much to do tomorrow.
Defence
The manager is short of option in the defensive department due to the injuries to Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans as well as Nemanja Vidic’s suspension. As a result expect Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand to continue at the heart of United’s defence and Rafael to take up his usual position at right back. As for left back, Moyes may be tempted to give Buttner some game time ahead of the Bayern Munich game in which Evra is suspended for, but expect the Frenchman to keep his place in the team tomorrow.
Midfield
There is plenty of option for David Moyes in this department tomorrow, and you would expect him to make a few changes. Juan Mata will undoubtedly return to the side whilst Fellaini will more than likely come into the team in place of Ryan Giggs. The manager will undoubtedly be looking to use Fellaini to help deal with West Ham’s aerial threat. Michael Carrick will more than likely keep his place in the side following his good display on Wednesday and that just leaves us with the the left wing position. I expect Ashley Young to get the nod tomorrow as the manager will favour him ahead of Januzaj to try and install some balance to the team. The Englishman also came off the bench Wednesday suggesting he is still very much in Moyes’s plans.
Attack
United’s forward line near enough picks itself tomorrow. Wayne Rooney is a certain to start in the capital whilst Danny Welbeck should get the nod alongside him following his impressive performance on Wednesday. The manager may possibly toy with giving kagawa a chance in behind Rooney ahead of the Bayern Munich games but expect him to go with the tried and tested tomorrow.
Predicted Starting XI
De Gea;
Rafael, Jones, Ferdinand, Evra;
Mata, Carrick, Fellaini, Young;
Rooney;
Welbeck.
Who do you think with be in United’s starting XI against Wet Ham? Comment in the section below.
16 replies on “West Ham vs Manchester United: United's Starting XI?”
Sorry idiot but we need januzaj to start and Fletch, not garbage like young and flops like fell-whimpy (fellaini).
Its bout time that scum bastard Moyes gave chihcarito some game time as his darlings like trash-beck ain’t good enough.
De tea
Rafa Rio Jones evra
Mata Fletch Carrick januzaj
Rooney chicharito
Now
That’s the way to go from here on out this season, as it be our best squad available.
Switch Jonny with Rio and rvp with chicharito when fit and bang our best squad.
Players like chicharito,kagawa, legends like Riggs should be used from the bench with other options being nani when fit,Valencia and Vida.
the combination of fletcher + carrick has never been any good!
its too slow, weak, and cannot dominate!
young is useless, taking off the half blind valencia and putting on young weakened our attack vs olympiakos. young not good enough!
fletcher is good, but not champions league winning quality good. i am yet to see the hype with carrick. giggs after 8 weeks out was a huge influence with our goals. since when has carrick been an influence in our attacks? practically never! this is not good enough!!!
De gea is frankly the worlds best goalkeeper at this point in time and with him in goal, we have a decent shot at beating the likes of Munich…. Certaintly don’t fall for the hype as everything can happen.
de gea definitely one of the best!! the guy is AMAZING!!!
to beat munich we need to actually attack. we canot beat munich with 2 central holding midfielders, 2 attacking wingers and rooney off a striker.
we may hav beat olympiakos, but it was an equal game!!! and this was supposedly one of our best performances of the season. play like that vs munich and we will be thrashed!!!
ddg
Rafa. Ferdy. Jones. Buttner.
. fellaini. Fletcher
mata. kagawa. januzaj
. Rooney.
welbeck instead of januzaj maybe but keeping that we play city in a matter of few days every and carrick might be rested fletcher looked sharp coming on during the olympiakos game and he might get the nod. Kagawa might be given a run keeping the bayern game in Mind as van persie is out.
De Gea
Rafael-Ferdinand-Jones-Evra
Carrick-Fletch
Januzaj-Mata-Welbeck
Rooney
This should be the team IMO.
Moyes is doing the right thing in resting januzaj too let him know he still has a long way to go. I thought Fellaini has played superb in the last 2 games but he needs time to settle in. I think young is a good decision as he can out-pace west hams slowish RB Lowton. Fletcher is not the player he used to be, he’s good to bring on in the last 15 mins to calm things down, injuries considering, a good starting 11.
not using kagawa..they wont go very far………he needs time with Mata as they play same sort of football……………..they oil the machine now just get right the spare parts
i sooooooo strongly agree!!! hope he starts vs west ham!!! but i want him behind rooney & welbeck! with janujaz & mata out wide! rooney sooooo much better as a striker!
Disagree think Rooney should play straight up front with Mata behind with Januzaj and Welbeck on the wings. Welbeck is a much better winger than Mata who’s best playing just off the striker which he should get the chance to do in RVP’s absense
Who remembers Kagawa Vs West Ham at Upton Park last season 😉
De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Jones, Büttner, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Kagawa, Januzaj, Rooney.
………….De gea
….Rafa rio jones evra
…….kagawa fletcher
Januzaj mata welbeck
…………..rooney
To see Young over Kagawa and Januzaj may seem a little way off. Maybe you think that we have a game in midweek against City,but that does not mean Young should be playing ahead of Kagawa. Kagawa hasn’t played since…..(i dont even remember his last game),give him a chance.
for all the stat loversd out there…. this is why i believe carrick shouldnt play, and fellaini should be our 1 holding midfielder with kagawa behind rooney and welbeck (RVP out) and mata janujaz on wings (or nani & valencia interchanging)
Kagawa Vs Carrick Vs Cleverley Vs Fellaini
Games 10, 21, 20, 14
Pass Accuracy 87.0, 88.0, 89.6, 89.0
DEFENCE
Tackles 14, 44, 44, 43
Tackles won % 78.57, 61.36, 81.82, 76.74
Duels 70, 129, 158, 206
Duels won % 42.86, 60.47, 52.53, 54.37
Aerial duels won % 57.14, 66.67, 30, 72.6
Clearances 5, 43, 15, 41
Blocks 0, 7, 4, 2
Interceptions 12, 68, 33, 27
DISTRIBUTION
Assists 0, 0, 0, 0
Total passes 324. 1507, 1050, 762
Pass accuracy % 87.0, 88.0, 89.6, 89.0
Touches /90 min 68.17, 89.14, 78.31, 92.51
Total crosses open play 12, 4, 11, 6
Cross accuracy open play % 16.67, 25, 9.09, 16.67
ATTACK
Goals 0, 1, 1, 0
Shot accuracy % 66.67, 50, 62.5, 35.29
Successful dribbles 8, 5, 5, 6
based on those stats, kagawa mehhhh at defending lol, but hes not there to defend. carrick makes the most passes, but seriously, that many more passes and still no assists???? i dont feel he really passes very usefully even when i watch him in games! fellaini is by far a better defensive midfielder, practically just as many tackles and just as successful and by only playing 2/3 as many games!!! fellaini as clumsy as he may be, defends a whole lot better than carrick, he gets about MUCH more and presses players! cleverley isnt that bad, i do feel he takes more criticism than he deserves.
but i am shocked at how few passes kagawa seems to make, but i dont feel he is given the ball anywhere near enough!
carrick is an intercepter and a staller of play. which i do not feel benefits us in ANY way! if we want a tackler, fellaini is clearly the best choice, and out of them, i feel kagawa is the best behind a strike pair (rooney & welbeck)
what i would say in kagawas supportm these stats would be for him being played out wide left, where he really isnt strongest.
i accept moyes clearly doesnt have kagawa in his plans, but bearing in mind he has degraded our quality of play so severely, and genuinely believes beating olympiakos can make up for liverpool and the whole season, do you really think he has enough common sense regasrding kagawa? i mean fergie alone shocked me at how he didnt try him centrally, the dortmund fans petitioned against how he was being used!
source for stats, “THE Football App” on my phone
kagawa – out wide terrible!!! when he took initiative and moved central… boy did things improve!!!
rooney – great performance as an out and out striker!!
fellaini – solid performance, fouls a lot, but serious potential!!!
carrick – without him in the midfield, we were so much stronger!!! but i seriously respect his performance as a defender!!! solid game!
fletcher – not the best, he struggles to get about enough!
young – decent performance… but he needs to get his head up!!!
vs city: 4-1-4-1
de gea
rafael jones (smalling/vidic/rio/carrick) buttner
fellaini
valencia mata kagawa janujaz/young
rooney
vs munich
de gea
rafael jones (smalling/vidic/rio/carrick) buttner
fellaini
valencia giggs kagawa janujaz/young
rooney