Will the Red Devils shrug off injuries to keep their winning streak intact on Saturday?
Manchester United may be beating all and sundry in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, but the Red Devils have a crisis in midfield as they host winless Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday.
On paper, the sides are totally mismatched but with Michael Carrick, Paul Pobga and Marouane Fellaini all expected to miss the clash with the Eagles, there is a glimmer of hope for the visiting side.
However, that hope may be too little for a side that are yet to score, forget win in the league this season and hence, the host will be overwhelming favourites to clinch the three points on Saturday.
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Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic started in central midfield as United ran riot against CSKA Moscow in Russia and the duo are set to reprise their role, especially with Fellaini struggling.
Winger Anthony Martial starred against the Russian side but he is a doubt to start as well and in his place Marcus Rashford may get the nod.
Romelu Lukaku is set to lead the line for United and with the burly Belgian already in double digits for the season, Palace have a task on their hands if they are to keep the £75 million man quiet.
At the back, it will be a contest between Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof to start alongside Eric Bailly but United’s vast depth in every department will make them confident of securing their third league win on the trot.
The stakes are higher than usual for arch-rivals Manchester City, who are topping the league via a superior goal difference, travel to Chelsea for a massive clash later on the day.
Talking Corner: Everyone wants to win every competition we are in. We want to go at it on all fronts, whether that be in Europe or domestically-Manchester United defender Ashley Young
Injury concerns: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (knee), Paul Pogba (hamstring), Michael Carrick (unspecified), Marouane Fellaini (unspecified) and Phil Jones (knock)
Suspension Alert: None
Frank de Boer’s sacking after just four games in charge has not brought the turnaround in results fans had hoped.
In fact, one can say the Eagles have gone from bad to worse and are the only team in the league that is yet to score.
Christian Benteke seems to have lost his golden touch and is bereft of all confidence, as are the rest of his teammates. With the Belgian striker injured, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, on loan from Chelsea, will look to wreak some damage but this may be too big a task for the young Englishman.
Former England and Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has taken the reins but seems to have inherited a mess and a daunting trip to Old Trafford is not the ideal fixture, one would have to concede.
So can the man whose last two high-profile appointments ended in disaster manage to script what would be a seismic upset?
Only a brave man would bet on the visitors, such is the sorry state of the club and fans might as well brace for a second battering at the hands of a Manchester club in a row.
Talking Corner: It only takes one or two good results against those sides to turn things around-Crystal Palace legend Nigel Martyn (Croydon Advertiser)
Injury concerns: Conor Wickham (knee), Christian Benteke (knee) and Wilfried Zaha (knee)
Suspension Alert: None
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