Across all competitions, Manchester United have lost three of their last four, and that one win included a pretty dismal first half showing. The optimists say that it’s just the astronomical run of the team since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over coming back down to Earth.
The pessimists say that United’s opponents have figured out Solskjaer’s United, and if the newly minted man doesn’t make some adjustments, United will fall well short of this season’s number one goal- finish in the top four and qualify for Champions League. Whatever the case may be, the next task for Solskjaer and company is massive- try and stop Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest current player, and one of the best of all time.
Messi has scored 13 goals and set up another four in his last 10 games, so all we can say is “good luck with that.” Here is the team that we believe Solsksjaer will first put on the pitch in an attempt to do so.
The Bank Manchester United Starting XI Prediction vs FC Barcelona UCL Quarterfinals (4-3-3)
Attack: Anthony Martial Jesse Lingard Marcus Rashford
Midfielders: Paul Pogba Nemanja Matic Ander Herrera
Defenders: Luke Shaw Chris Smalling Victor Lindelof Ashley Young
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
Manchester United vs FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League Quarter-final FYIs
Kickoff- Wednesday Apr 10, Old Trafford 8pm
Google Result Probability- Manchester United win 26% Draw 27% FC Barcelona win 47%
Injury Report- go to this link
Starting XI Predictions- FC Barcelona Manchester United
Recent form- Manchester United: WLLWL FC Barcelona: WWWDW
Odds- Manchester United win 11/4, Draw 27/10, FC Barcelona 21/20
Press conference video, quotes- coming Tuesday
Prediction- Barcelona 2, United 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.