Jose Mourinho just couldn’t ignore a certain Frenchman anymore!
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku (Photo: AFP)
Anthony Martial’s goalscoring form was too good to be ignored and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has included the Frenchman in his starting XI for the Red Devils’ home against Leicester City on Saturday night.
The #MUFC team news is in for #MUNLEI! pic.twitter.com/06gtrjQD5T
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 26, 2017
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The Frenchman is the sole change for United as they trot out in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Summer signing Romelu Lukaku will play at the tip the attack, flanked by Martial and Juan Mata with Henrikh Mkhitaryan employed in a central role.
Martial’s inclusion comes at the cost of Marcus Rashford, who could feature from the bench in the second-half.
In centre midfield, the tall duo of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic continue their partnership while United have retained their back-four of Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Daley Blind.
David de Gea starts in goal and will hope for a third consecutive clean-sheet and win at Old Trafford!
https://twitter.com/rioferdy5/status/901464121937408000
Today’s starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy. #MunLei pic.twitter.com/OUGlJ4Gred
— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 26, 2017
Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Iheanacho, Slimani. #MunLei
— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 26, 2017
United’s opponents on the night are playing in their customary 4-4-2 formation with Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy leading the line for the 2015-16 Premier League champions.
Riyad Mahrez will be a threat from the wings but it its Danny Drinkwater’s absence from the match-day squad that is interesting for it would seem the hard-working midfielder is on the verge of sealing a move to Chelsea.
In his absence, Matty James, Marc Albrighton and Wilfred Ndidi will have to pick up the slack in midfield while their new recruit Harry Maguire, buzzing from the news of his England call-up, will look to shore up their defence.
Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia (c), Bailly, Jones, Blind, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial and Lukaku.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Magniniire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki and Vardy.
Match starts at 1630 GMT/2200 IST.
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