[Strelok]

Bruno plays every game.

This imo is exactly why we should rest him.

 

[mu4c_20le]

This imo is exactly why we should rest him.

That word is not in his dictionary.

 

[Andre Kagawa]

My Bruno shall always play?

 

[James35]

De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Malacia, Casemiro, Sabitzer, Bruno, Sancho, Weghorst, Garnacho

Have Rashford, Antony come on from the bench.

2-1

 

[Dazzmondo]

I think we'll see some rotation but many of our most important players will retain their places imo:

De Gea
Dalot Lindelof Martinez Malacia
Casemiro Sabitzer
Antony Bruno Sancho
Weghorst
​

If we aren't winning by half time I expect we'll see Rashford come on. Would be ideal to rest him if possible to protect him due to his recent niggles (that being said if ETH thinks he's totally fine then wouldn't be at all surprised if he starts). I could see Fred keeping his place but it feels like a good time to see how Sabitzer does next to Cas. I think Sancho or Garnacho is a bit of a toss up. Weghorst has to start because we have no other options. Not expecting an easy game but expect we should have enough to win. Interesting to see who steps ups with the goals if Rashford isn't playing.

 

[roseguy64]

He did once, in the first EL game at home to Real Sociedad. And we all remember how that went.

Learns from his mistakes, Erik does.

He's played weakened teams multiple times.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I think EtH will play the strongest XI available. We get up a couple goals, then make 5 substitutions and rest Shaw, Varane, Bruno, et Al. If the Carabao was important, the FA Cup is even more so.

 

[PoTMS]

I’m really torn on this. On paper this was easily the game in the run from Leeds to Liverpool that id rest players and prioritise the least, but it is a trophy we can win… if we end up 8-10 points away from both the top and 5th (which is possible) going into the semi/final stages of the cups, but aren’t still in them, it’ll be a fairly anticlimactic end to the season from where we are now.

I’d say play a middlebrow team, with a really strong bench.

Yep, agreed. The league is maybe a step too far for this team and realistically we're not dropping so many points as to drop out of the top 4. We're definitely better placed to win the two remaining cups.

 

[Offside]

Every single midweek game people start posting ridiculously weakened teams in the matchday thread that obviously won't happen. There's such a big thing made nowadays about players having to play every 3/4 days for just 9 months of the year despite the fact they're incredibly fit young men with the best access to Sports Science and 5/10 outfield players don't even play the full 90.

Footballers used to play Christmas Day, fill up on booze and fags Christmas Night then play again on Boxing Day. Stop making out they're all about to keel over nowadays.

Strongest team possible every single game please.

 

[Samid]

Footballers used to play Christmas Day, fill up on booze and fags Christmas Night then play again on Boxing Day. Stop making out they're all about to keel over.

Pipe down Souness.

 

[Offside]

Pipe down Souness.

Was thinking I sounded just like him when I wrote that The good old days when players didn't care playing every day as they were all pissed up wanting a scrap in the mud.

 

[Ayoba]

Is this live on any UK channels?

 

[top1whoisman]

Is this live on any UK channels?

ITV1

 

[tenpoless]

Westham has another game in 3 days (Brighton), we have Liverpool in 4 days. Seems like both teams will have some core players rested.

 

[always_hoping]

Confirmed squad.

De Gea, Butland, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Lindelof, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro, Bruno, Weghorst, Garnacho, Pellistri, Elanaga, Rashford, Antony.

 

[The United]

West Ham used to be one of those teams that was hard to play against for us. It may be an interesting game, hopefully not too hard for us this time.

 

[SalfordRed18]

Hope butland gets a game or Heaton. Good lads.

 

[Telsim]

I’d be lying if I said I care about this game. A lot more important things to do on Sunday. Hopefully, a day off for some players, like Casemiro, Varane, and Rashford.

 

[top1whoisman]

Confirmed squad.

De Gea, Butland, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Lindelof, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro, Bruno, Weghorst, Garnacho, Pellistri, Elanaga, Rashford, Antony.

So Sancho & Shaw are out.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I think there'll be wholesale rotation, ETH knows how important the weekend game is and I'm not sure we can handle the fixture back log of 2 cups and the league.

 

[freddie the red]

I don't have hate for anyone within me but I hope Erik grinds Moyse into the dust tonight.

 

[Ayoba]

ITV1

Thanks!

 

[NoPace]

Confirmed squad.

De Gea, Butland, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Lindelof, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro, Bruno, Weghorst, Garnacho, Pellistri, Elanaga, Rashford, Antony.

My guess:

Sancho-Weghorst-Antony
-----------------Bruno--------------
-------Sabitzer--Casemiro----
Malacia-Licha-Maguire-WanBissaka
-----------------De Gea-----------------------------

-No replay, so Rashford comes on after an hour for Weghorst unless we've put the game away. Fred for Sabitzer at some point and Garnacho for Sancho too.

-Varane gets a rest. Maguire surprise start over Lindelof to deal with Antonio, but Lindelof could start instead.

-Rest of team is first XI basically. Bad game for no Martial, as it would make a semi-rest for Rashford easier to stomach.

 

[JustinC00]

My guess:

Sancho-Weghorst-Antony
-----------------Bruno--------------
-------Sabitzer--Casemiro----
Malacia-Licha-Maguire-WanBissaka
-----------------De Gea-----------------------------

-No replay, so Rashford comes on after an hour for Weghorst unless we've put the game away. Fred for Sabitzer at some point and Garnacho for Sancho too.

-Varane gets a rest. Maguire surprise start over Lindelof to deal with Antonio, but Lindelof could start instead.

-Rest of team is first XI basically. Bad game for no Martial, as it would make a semi-rest for Rashford easier to stomach.

Sancho is not in the squad

 

[always_hoping]

De Gea, Butland, Heaton,

Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Lindelof, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro, Bruno, Weghorst, Garnacho, Pellistri, Elanaga, Rashford, Antony.

My guess:

Sancho-Weghorst-Antony
-----------------Bruno--------------
-------Sabitzer--Casemiro----
Malacia-Licha-Maguire-WanBissaka
-----------------De Gea-----------------------------

-No replay, so Rashford comes on after an hour for Weghorst unless we've put the game away. Fred for Sabitzer at some point and Garnacho for Sancho too.

-Varane gets a rest. Maguire surprise start over Lindelof to deal with Antonio, but Lindelof could start instead.

-Rest of team is first XI basically. Bad game for no Martial, as it would make a semi-rest for Rashford easier to stomach.

No Sancho in the squad.

 

[tenpoless]

Having Sancho is important for rotation. Hopefully he is not injured

 

[Mibabalou]

Hope we rest a few for this but agree with others we probably won't.

I would play.

Wout
Elenga - Garanaco - Pellistiri
Sabitizer - McT
Malacia - Lindelof - Maguire - Dalot
Butland


See if that is good enough and if not bring on Bruno and rashford and Anthony.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

So Sancho & Shaw are out.

Think he said in press conference for this that Shaw was a doubt.

 

[top1whoisman]

Think he said in press conference for this that Shaw was a doubt.

Yeah, Fred with a knock too. Nothing about Sancho though

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

Confirmed squad.

De Gea, Butland, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Lindelof, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro, Bruno, Weghorst, Garnacho, Pellistri, Elanaga, Rashford, Antony.

I hope Sancho ain’t injured and both he & Shaw are going to be available for the Liverpool game at the weekend.

 

[RedIan]

Makes sense to play maguire but i cant stand the way he slows down out build ups from the back.. He kills our momentum

 

[Tincanalley]

I think we'll see some rotation but many of our most important players will retain their places imo:

De Gea
Dalot Lindelof Martinez Malacia
Casemiro Sabitzer
Antony Bruno Sancho
Weghorst
​

If we aren't winning by half time I expect we'll see Rashford come on. Would be ideal to rest him if possible to protect him due to his recent niggles (that being said if ETH thinks he's totally fine then wouldn't be at all surprised if he starts). I could see Fred keeping his place but it feels like a good time to see how Sabitzer does next to Cas. I think Sancho or Garnacho is a bit of a toss up. Weghorst has to start because we have no other options. Not expecting an easy game but expect we should have enough to win. Interesting to see who steps ups with the goals if Rashford isn't playing.

I have a hunch Weghorst scores

 

[calodo2003]

Hope we rest a few for this but agree with others we probably won't.

I would play.

Wout
Elenga - Garanaco - Pellistiri
Sabitizer - McT
Malacia - Lindelof - Maguire - Dalot
Butland


See if that is good enough and if not bring on Bruno and rashford and Anthony.

Garnacho as a 10 wouldn’t work at all.

 

[Withnail]

Footballers used to play Christmas Day, fill up on booze and fags Christmas Night then play again on Boxing Day. Stop making out they're all about to keel over nowadays.

And that meant there was some very weird results on the 26th. The game was also much slower. It proves feck all about modern players' fitness or conditioning.

 

[Withnail]

Garnacho as a 10 wouldn’t work at all.

True, but I hear Garanaco isn't too bad there.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

True, but I hear Garanaco isn't too bad there.

From who?

 

[calodo2003]

True, but I hear Garanaco isn't too bad there.

What’d you just call me?

 

[Mibabalou]

One of them can figure it out - if not just sub the worst of the three out and bring in Bruno at HT.

 

[top1whoisman]

Makes sense to play maguire but i cant stand the way he slows down out build ups from the back.. He kills our momentum

He sure does. We should only play him when Casemiro and/or Eriksen plays as they come deep and almost make it a back three when we're building up from the back. Fred, McTominay & Sabitzer (small sample size) rarely do it and that with Maguire & Lindelöf tends to mean slow as feck build-up.

 

[Withnail]

One of them can figure it out - if not just sub the worst of the three out and bring in Bruno at HT.

With that lineup he'd probably have Weghorst at 10 over any of Elanga, Pellistri or Garnacho.