Saturday sees Manchester United gingerly welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford, still trying to alleviate the painful embarrassment of throwing away a two goal advantage last time out following a Jamie Vardy rampage.
With the back line ostensibly improved, van Gaal will be expecting a comfortable victory in a bid to make amends for the meltdown at the King Power Stadium in September but, more importantly, to tighten the gap at the top with second placed Manchester City heading to leaders Chelsea in the late kick-off on Saturday.
Nigel Pearson will be hoping new record signing Andrej Kramaric is the answer to the Foxes’ goal scoring problems who have managed to net just five times in their last seven league matches after Leonardo Ulloa’s purple patch quickly dried up. However, after a gutsy display in the FA Cup Fourth Round this weekend to routinely come from behind – and a less than impressive visit to Cambridge United for the Red Devils – Pearson’s men have every right to be in a buoyant mood as they travel to Manchester.
Neither side are facing major injury problems with Chris Wood and Dean Hammond looking to pass late fitness tests to make the bench, leaving Kasper Schmeichel, Liam Moore and Matthew Upson on the physio’s table to nurse minor injuries. For United, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans could both make the match day squad after both missed the FA Cup tie against Cambridge with slight injuries although the beleaguered duo are likely to be given a rest with van Gaal not happy with their performances to date.
With the clock ticking, United are unlikely to have the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Nathaniel Clyne and Juan Cuadrado (should deals be agreed) in their side to face Leicester and with no new faces to have entered this January, it will be interesting to see how an unchanged squad bounces back from the humiliating defeat at the King Power Stadium earlier on this season.
Comments.
Loading comments…