Confirmed Lineups: Man Utd vs Chelsea

Manchester United have the opportunity to move level on points with Chelsea in fourth with a victory at Old Trafford this afternoon.

This would see us move ahead of Arsenal, who were hammered 3-0 at Leicester City earlier today, and within three points of Tottenham Hotspur, who were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham United on Saturday.

However, we have been in woeful form of late, losing seven of our last nine in all competitions and 4-0 at Everton last Sunday.

Here are the confirmed lineups for today’s game:

Manchester United

David de Gea; Ashley Young, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw; Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba; Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford

Substitutes: Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Andreas Pereira, Scott McTominay, Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial

There’s no place in the starting lineup for Anthony Martial, who scored a brace in our 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. Juan Mata partners Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford in a front three.

Eric Bailly returns to the starting XI for the first time in a while, partnering Victor Lindelof in the middle of our back four as Chris Smalling is absent from today’s matchday squad. Ander Herrera also starts; the Spaniard has man-marked Eden Hazard out of games in the past.

Nemanja Matic and Lukaku are the other two players recalled to the starting line as part of the five changes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made since Wednesday.

Chelsea

Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz, Marcos Alonso; Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic; Willian, Gonzalo Higuain, Eden Hazard

Substitutes: Willy Caballero, Andreas Christensen, Davide Zappacosta, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley, Pedro, Olivier Giroud

Antonio Rudiger returns at the back for Chelsea today who start Willian down the right wing instead of Pedro. Callum Hudson-Odoi is out for the remainder of the season. The latter doesn’t even make the bench. Marcos Alonso is back at left-back having only started one of the last six.

Expect Ross Barkley to replace Mateo Kovacic in centre midfield at some point during the second half…