The best way to get over an inexplicable and inexcusable loss is to get ready for the next one. Manchester United are at least fortunate in the fact that the next match to focus on will be here very soon- a trip to the Vitality Stadium Wednesday night. United will look to wash the ugly taste out of their mouth by trying to take three points at Bournemouth.
Juan Mata says he feels the pain of United supporters, but the United midfielder also articulated just how much they have left to play for this season.
“It’s the FA Cup. We all know how important it is,” Mata said. “Then [we want] to get second in the league, which is not the ideal position, but it’s the position we want to finish now.”
United face Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semifinals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Spurs temporary home for the season. They are also one point ahead of arch-rival Liverpool in second place with five games remaining and a game in hand on the Reds.
The quest to finish in second continues Wednesday, so let’s take a look at who Mourinho might select versus the Cherries.
Alexis Sanchez Romelu Lukaku Jesse Lingard
Paul Pogba Nemanja Matic Juan Mata
Ashley Young Eric Bailly Chris Smalling Antonio Valencia
David de Gea
United should be able to win this one, provided they just get back to basics, or at least that was sort of the explanation that United manager Jose Mourinho gave for Sunday’s inexplicable and inexcusable loss to West Brom.
Injury Report: go to this link
Odds: United 3/4 Bournemouth 41/13 Draw 22/5
Prediction: Man United 1, Bournemouth 0
As always, feel free to post to your own Bournemouth and/or United starting XI predictions, as well as your score predictions, in the comments section below.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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