I want to see a more settled XI from now on. Shaw needs to come back in and when there is no Carrick, Mata must start.
I know, it's a conundrum!
We need the consistency of playing the same team regularly but be must be wary of what games lie ahead.
DDG, Valencia, Carrick, Pog, Ander, Zlatan & Mihki I think are still the only shoe-ins for Stoke.
Probably Rojo too but I think Jose might give Jones a rest & use Smalling against the height of Stoke.
LB will probably be Darmian, he's looking more assured these days but I sure would like to see Shaw at least on the bench!
Then the last spot is a toss-up between all the rest i.e. Martial, Mata, Rashford & Lingard
Start Mata & bring on speed as needed after 50 or 60 minutes? Or start with pace (Any of the other three) and have Mata come on and ensure the result?
Hull away in the League Cup follows this game 5 days later where we have a 2 goal advantage against a decimated City team so at least some of the "fringe" players will get a chance to close it out. I don't anticipate too much resistance from Hull but we can't afford to be too casual.
This is followed by a home game only 3 days after that but also at home this time against Wigan in the FA cup; Another opportunity for the other fringe players to shine hopefully but again what should be a relatively easy game.
Unfortunately we have Hull again 3 days after that this time in the EPL. Assuming the first teamer's get rested along the way we should see the best 11 again in this game to ensure the 3 points.
That's four games in 11 days followed by Leicester 4 days later making it 5 in 16 days if my maths are correct?
A tough schedule in terms of the number of games in a short period of time but thankfully hardly any travel to speak of. It could've been a lot feckin' worse had it been the Boro & the "Red barcodes" away
instead of Hull & Stoke