No Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the matchday squad! Is the Armenian on his way out of Old Trafford?
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba (Photo: AFP)
Second-placed Manchester United host a beleaguered Stoke City side in a Premier League clash at Old Trafford on Monday night and both sides’ lineups have been revealed
Antonio Valencia returns to the starting lineup on the right side of a back-four for United, with Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Luke Shaw featuring in the Red Devils’ defence.
David de Gea, unsurprisingly starts in goal as do the central midfield duo of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic.
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The in-form Jesse Lingard starts behind striker Romelu Lukaku alongside Anthony Martial and Juan Mata to complete Jose Mourinho’s starting XI.
There’s no space for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the matchday squad, with reports swirling that the Armenian is on his way out of Old Trafford and his omission on Monday will only boost the rumours surrounding his future.
Eddie Niedzwiecki is the caretaker-manager for the Potters, who have announced Paul Lambert will be taking over the reigns after today’s game, and the visitors are trotting out in a formation that mirrors United’s 4-2-3-1.
Jack Butland features behind a back-four of Josh Tymon, Bruno Martins Indi, Kurt Zouma and Moritz Bauer.
Joe Allen and Darren Fletcher start in the midfield pivot, behind Stephen Ireland, Erich Chuopo Moting and Xherdhan Shaqiri while Peter Crouch starts as the lone forward.
After Manchester City’s loss at the hands of Liverpool on Sunday night, it is imperative for United to eke out a win at Old Trafford and they will be backing themselves to pick up three points, especially after recharging their batteries with a warm weather training camp in Dubai last week.
Stoke, who are in the relegation zone, a win would see them climb to 15th place, but even a draw would do at this stage and they will be up against it from the off.
Manchester United: De Gea, Shaw, Smalling, Jones, Valencia (c), Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Martial and Lukaku.
Stoke City: Butland, Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Tymon, Fletcher (c), Allen, Shaqiri, Ireland, Chuopo Moting and Crouch.
Match starts at 2000 GMT/01.30 IST.
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