A 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has reinstalled some faith in Manchester United’s season.
The Red Devils are still six points off a Champions League spot and 13 behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, but the bitter-fought victory last weekend was evidence of Jose Mourinho’s hard work paying off after a good few weeks of decent performances not quite leading to decent results.
Yet with Christmas fast-approaching, United now face a slightly different challenge as Mourinho attempts to balance out his squad across a series of tricky fixtures that allow little time to rest in between – starting with Crystal Palace this evening.
Indeed, the Old Trafford outfit travel to Selhurst Park for an 8pm kickoff but will be wary of overexerting themselves with an equally tough trip to West Bromwich Albion due on Saturday.
Accordingly, Mourinho may feel compelled to make a few changes against Palace, whilst injuries and suspensions will also affect his selection. We take a look at the United XI the Portuguese must pick to claim all three points at Selhurst Park.
GK – David De Gea
Three-time club Player of the Year winner David De Gea is enjoying another solid campaign between the Old Trafford sticks, picking up the third-most clean sheets of any Premier League goalkeeper and registering 29 saves from 15 outings.
The Spain international is certain to retain his berth for the trip to Selhurst Park, where he’ll look to keep out a side that, despite struggling to provide results this term, have scored the most goals of any team outside of the top four – and seven more than the Red Devils.
RB: Matteo Darmian
With Antonio Valencia out through suspension, logic suggests Matteo Darmian will be moved from the other side of defence to his more natural position of right-back.
Despite being seemingly deemed surplus to requirements during the opening weeks of the campaign, the Italy international has found himself an important figure in United’s squad recently, filling in gaps on both defensive flanks.
The 27-year-old still isn’t the most convincing option compared to some of the other full-backs in the Premier League but Mourinho’s only real alternative is youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah – who has picked up just a minute’s worth of action in the top flight so far this term.
CB – Phil Jones
Not long ago, Phil Jones’ Manchester United career seemed dead in the water, after a raft of injury problems saw him manage just ten Premier League appearances during the 2015/16 campaign.
But in a welcome reverse of fortunes for the England international, injuries to team-mates have given him a route back into the starting XI and he’s certainly impressed, with United conceding just four goals during his five league outings thus far.
The 24-year-old was nothing short of imperious as United claimed a clean sheet against Tottenham last weekend and he has the physicality to keep a leash on Crystal Palace’s star striker Christian Benteke.
CB: Eric Bailly
With two games in the space of four days, the trip to Selhurst Park feels like the right time to bring Eric Bailly back into the fold.
The Ivory Coast international was fantastic during the opening weeks of the season and following an injury absence returned to action against Zorya Luhansk last week.
Mourinho gave the 22-year-old a run out from the bench in the dying embers of the win over Spurs on Sunday, suggesting he is fit enough to start against Palace.
Much like Jones, his power and presence in the air could be vital in stopping a side that – in no small part due to Christian Benteke – have averaged the most aerial duels-per-match and second-most long passes of any Premier League side this season.
LB: Daley Blind
With Darmian reverting to the opposite flank, there’s an opening for Daley Blind at left-back in the United starting line-up.
The Dutchman isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, seemingly Mourinho included, but is solid technically and a really smart footballer who always seems to get the best out of those around him.
That being said, containing Crystal Palace’s resident right winger Wilfried Zaha will be no easy task.
The former United man, who’ll be keen to put on a show against his old club, has been phenomenal this season, notching up three goals and six assists in 14 Premier League appearances.
CDM: Michael Carrick
Even at the age of 35, Michael Carrick is still having a fundamental impact on Manchester United’s results; Jose Mourinho’s boys are yet to lose a fixture in which the midfield veteran has started this season.
Indeed, the former England man may have lost pretty much all of his pace, but he’s still one of the smartest players in the Premier League, one of the best passers in the division and a real force at the base of the engine room.
His sturdy influence has allowed the platform for United’s more offensive-minded midfielders to flourish in recent weeks.
CM: Ander Herrera
From one unsung hero to another, Ander Herrera has been arguably Manchester United’s best performer so far this season, combining a forward-thinking passing game with great mobility and real tenacity off the ball.
Indeed, the Spaniard grabbed the assist for the only goal of the game against Tottenham but also completed four tackles and four interceptions, highlighting how he’s become the perfect balancing act between the aforementioned Carrick and United’s world-record signing Paul Pogba.
But Herrera is yet to get on the scoresheet this season after netting nine times over the last two campaigns and Mourinho will be hoping the 27-year-old can amend that vs. Palace.
CM: Paul Pogba
Who else? After enduring a hounding from the press during the first few months of the season, Paul Pogba is starting to look worth his record price-tag with a spate of promising displays as the most advanced player in United’s midfield.
His last seven appearances across all competitions have brought one goal, two assists and three Man of the Match awards according to Whoscored, and after testing him in a deeper position, Mourinho appears to have finally settled on the right role for the Frenchman as a somewhat roaming No.8.
Having found a balanced formula in the middle of the park, we don’t expect Mourinho to disrupt his midfield for the trip to Selhurst Park.
RW: Juan Mata
Mourinho has avoided using Juan Mata in difficult away fixtures as much as possible but with Henrikh Mkhitaryan injured and Jesse Lingard not exactly taking his opportunities this season, the United gaffer may be left with little choice on Wednesday night.
Despite being unable to guarantee a spot in United’s starting XI, the Spaniard has been one of their best performers this term and is currently second in the Red Devils’ Premier League scoring charts.
A strong performance against a physical Palace side could convince Mourinho the diminutive attacker is deserving of a more permanent role.
LW: Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial will be disappointed with his performance, on the whole, this season but we have seen an uplift in form from the Frenchman in recent weeks, starting with a brace-bagging display against West Ham in the League Cup.
The powerful winger grabbed an assist against Everton in the subsequent fixture and in the absence of Mkhitaryan on Wednesday night, represents United’s best chance of gaining ground on the counter through his strength and speed.
The 21-year-old still has a long way to go before returning to the dizzying heights of last season but he’ll fancy his chances of getting on the scoresheet against a Palace side who’ve conceded the most goals of any team outside the Premier League’s bottom four.
ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
He may be 35 years of age but Jose Mourinho has done little to suggest he’ll actively look to rest Zlatan Ibrahimovic, even playing him for the full ninety minutes against European minnows Zorya earlier this month.
To give credit where it’s due, Zlatan’s hardly showing signs of being unable to cope with the workload, notching up eight goals in 14 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils despite an ever-changing midfield behind him.
The Swede has the natural height and power to hold off Palace’s overtly physical backline and is now amid a run of seven goals in his last seven appearances across all competitions.