Predicted XI | MUFC vs. West Bromwich Albion (7/11/2015)

GOAL | David de Gea

DEFENCE | Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo

After picking up his fifth booking of the season against Crystal Palace Matteo Darmian will sit this one out due to suspension, while Valencia and Phil Jones look to be injured. As per the CSKA game on Tuesday evening I think van Gaal will opt for Young at right-back again with Blind in the centre, partnering Mike Smalling. Rojo is doing a fine job replacing the long-term injured Luke Shaw at left back.

MIDFIELD | Jesse Lingard, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Memphis Depay

Jesse Lingard's recent (and surprising) inclusion has been a breath of fresh air during what has been a strangely unadventurous, dull spell for United – with the manager favouring a defensive, pedestrian style over attacking football in recent games. Just look at the below table (via 90min.com) highlighting our low number of shots vs. Premier League opponents, while we average one of the highest possession per game in the league!

Mata, who has been a regular on the right, was subbed off for Memphis during Tuesday's Champions League win vs. CSKA with the Dutchman playing a central role and Lingard moving out on the wing. 10 minutes later Jesse volleys in a peach of a ball to Wayne Rooney who headed in the only goal of the game. Yes, it was one moment of magic out of 404 minutes of lethargic, negative football, but it certainly lifted the team and atmosphere at Old Trafford - one that has been described as frustrating and surreal. Let's hope he can continue to spark life into this tedious United side.



In my line-up I have also suggested reinstating the services of Herrera, playing behind the forward, and Depay on the left wing, mainly because Young will be forced to play in defence again.

ATTACK | Anthony Martial

Readers of my blog will now exactly where I stand on this one. As much as van Gaal's tactics need to change in order to enable us to compete seriously for the title and veer away from the "boring" tag that is currently haunting us, he needs to start by playing the best players at his disposal in their best positions. A simple statement perhaps...so why does he insist on playing the out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney up front every week while the sharper, better option in Martial is being wasted on the wing?





Prediction | 1-0

West Brom are currently 12th in the league however on current form I don't think anyone expects us to give them a hammering. Tony Pulis usually sets his teams up to be difficult to break down, so given the lack of innovation we're currently displaying I can't see us scoring more than one - while for a team who have scored only three goals out of six away games will struggle against Big Mike and co.