18 Manchester United players got on the bus to London. Memphis was not one of them.
After 58 consecutive appearances in United match-day squads, Louis van Gaal looks to have axed the mercurial midfielder.
Memphis has scored five goals in 43 appearances [25 starts] this season but his best outings have been against lesser opposition in Europe and in cup competitions.
Van Gaal was left with the decision of cutting Memphis or Morgan Schneiderlin from his squad after Marouane Fellaini’s three-game suspension expired. The defensive midfielder from France made the cut while Memphis will be forced to watch the match, against Crystal Palace, in his team suit.
The 22-year-old promised much with early performances but has long fallen afoul of United supporters.
That means Daley Blind, who is included, is the only player to make all of van Gaal’s match-day squads in 2015/16.
There is no place in the squad for young, versatile defender Cameron Borthwick Jackson. Hopefully the teenager’s mum is around to see if he needs a lift down to Wembley Way.
Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero are two extremely lucky players to make a squad that includes usual suspects Michael Carrick, David De Gea, Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney.
The younger guard – Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard – all make the cut too.
