It’s almost time. Manchester United’s Europa League final against Villarreal will kick off this evening.
After three weeks of waiting since the semi-finals were concluded, one game lies between United and lifting silverware.
It is a momentous occasion for the journey of this Manchester United squad, who have close under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but not quite reached a final before. Now having reached one, the team are determined to win it.
Before kick-off, Solskjaer has to make a number of key selection decisions.
The United boss knows he can’t please everybody, and has experience of being left on the bench for a European final himself to draw from, and the way he came on to score a winner in ’99 is inspirational to everybody who ends up being left out.
Who will start for Manchester United?
There are a number of big decision facing Solskjaer. And in this regard we don’t envy him.
Let’s begin in goal. We expect this conundrum of a dilemma to lead to David de Gea starting.
De Gea played in goal for the quarter-final and semi-finals, and was particularly excellent in the second leg in Rome. He was also rested at the weekend ahead of this game.
It also looks like Harry Maguire will not be passed fit after sitting out Tuesday’s training session. This presents a dilemma at centre-back, one United have prepared for over the past fortnight with mixed results.
Axel Tuanzebe has marginally outshone Eric Bailly during this stretch, and he is most likely to get the nod to start. This one really could go either way, but it feels like there is a little momentum in Tuanzebe’s corner.
While very tempting to drop Paul Pogba back into central midfield, Solskjaer will likely stick with his big game duo of Fred and Scott McTominay.
This means Pogba, who is certain to start, will be deployed in a wide area.
It is a position which seems to get the best out of the Frenchman, but it does mean one of Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood will miss out.
Rashford is more likely to start, as the more senior player, with Greenwood coming off the bench as he did against Roma.
It is a very tough selection decision for Solskjaer to make, with Cavani and Fernandes also viewed as undroppable for the final.
United can name a squad of 23, meaning Solskjaer can name nearly all of his squad even if Harry Maguire is injured. Nathan Bishop and Shola Shoretire could be the other two names to miss out on a place on the bench.
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