Manchester United aren’t going to try to win this game on Wednesday.
They’ll set up to avoid defeat, like they’ve generally been doing, but they don’t have the nugget of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to help them over the line this time.
Jose Mourinho is being lampooned from all directions right now and, when that happens, his defenders come out and they come out aggressively.
United fans want to win – some of them don’t care how they do it and some of them don’t even care if they come sixth if the season reaps two trophies for them.
It's not good enough https://t.co/W8oxFw4U2Q
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 16, 2017
There’s going to be a hell of a sweat on in Stockholm though, especially with the line-up Jose Mourinho looks poised to select.
His subs on Sunday against Crystal Palace gave a little indication of who will be playing in the European decider against Ajax.
- He didn’t risk Ander Herrera, Marcus Rashford or Henrikh Mkhitaryan for the game.
- Paul Pogba was brought off after 45 minutes.
- Jess Lingard was brought off after 45 minutes.
- He did, however, bring Michael Carrick onto the field in Pogba’s place with the game won.
All those things spell two horrible words for Manchester United fans: Lingard and Marouane Fellaini.
Daley Blind could well be centre half with Matteo Darmian coming in at left back in fairness but it is the front six that will mostly frustrate – at least it should frustrate – supporters and those are the front six that are seemingly being rested more than most in the run-up to the Europa League final.
It means that the manager will be omitting the following talents once more:
- Luke Shaw
- Michael Carrick
- Juan Mata
- Anthony Martial
And that will be done for the greater good of Jesse Lingard and Marouane Fellaini.
See ye later, Fellaini pic.twitter.com/BIz0dp0QOu
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 13, 2017
Lingard will be protected behind a sheath of myths though, the worst of which is that he’s a good, young player. At 24.
Rashford, meanwhile, will be stranded all on his own up top as United set up with fear – in the hope that they might nick a goal. This is the new era but the worst of this culture now is that, if you point it out, you’re in for dog’s abuse.
