Amorim Faces Make-or-Break Moment as Man Utd Clash with Chelsea Looms
Manchester United are looking to bounce back and claim their second victory of the campaign when they welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford in Premier League action this Saturday.
The Red Devils sank deeper into turmoil last weekend following a comprehensive defeat to local rivals Manchester City. Apart from occasional promising moments at the Etihad Stadium, Ruben Amorim's squad provided little encouragement for their away fans.
United desperately need a strong response against Chelsea as they seek to climb from their current 14th position in the Premier League table going into the weekend. A convincing display and positive result would relieve some pressure on Amorim amid growing criticism of his leadership.
Here's how the Portuguese manager might set up his team at Old Trafford.
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea (3-4-2-1)
GK: Altay Bayındır—Though the Turkish goalkeeper wasn't at fault for United's conceded goals at the Etihad, he looked unconvincing in possession and appeared hesitant when dealing with crosses into the box.
CB: Leny Yoro—The young defender had difficulties coping with Jérémy Doku's pace and creativity in the previous match and may face similar challenges against Chelsea's attacking options. Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto and former colleague Alejandro Garancho could all target his flank.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt—The Dutch center-back will need to contain João Pedro, who contributed an assist to his strong Premier League record last weekend. De Ligt has been consistently reliable on an individual basis this season.
CB: Luke Shaw—Shaw delivered a particularly poor showing against Man City, appearing worryingly sluggish without the ball and lacking defensive urgency. Rapid improvement is essential against the Blues.
RWB: Noussair Mazraoui—Mazraoui will need to provide substantial support to Yoro against Chelsea's talented forward line, as United chase their first clean sheet of the season. He also found Doku's speed problematic in the Manchester derby.
CM: Casemiro—Casemiro's veteran presence was notably absent at the Etihad, with the Brazilian only featuring in the final 10 minutes. He should take Manuel Ugarte's place in Saturday's starting eleven.
CM: Bruno Fernandes—United's captain still recorded the highest number of touches, successful passes and forward passes of any player last weekend, with the Portuguese consistently impactful regardless of results.
LWB: Patrick Dorgu—Mazraoui faces a challenging encounter at Old Trafford and Dorgu will encounter an equally demanding test, probably against Brazilian talent Estêvão.
RF: Bryan Mbeumo—Mbeumo nearly extended his scoring streak to three consecutive matches but was thwarted by an exceptional Gianluigi Donnarumma save at the Etihad. The summer signing has shown promise despite the team's struggles.
ST: Benjamin Šeško—The £74 million ($100.4 million) forward was invisible during his Premier League debut and must deliver more against Chelsea's defense. The 22-year-old needs to demonstrate his capabilities soon.
LF: Amad Diallo—Amad emerged from the Etihad with credit after a promising display against the Citizens. Matheus Cunha has recovered fitness but may not be immediately restored to the starting lineup, allowing the Ivorian winger to continue.
