Manchester United haven’t lost a Premier League match since Jan. 27, their shocking upset at the hands of bottom dwellers Sheffield United. That’s their only league loss dating back to Nov. 1, when they fell to midtablers Arsenal.
With a run like that, you may ask yourself, well, how come they have no chance of winning the league then? Well, 11 points adrift of table toppers Manchester City, they also had eight draws during the previously mentioned span. Now comes a home match against a very surprising and extremely formidable West Ham United squad.
Manchester United vs West Ham United FYIs
Team News: United West Ham
Starting XI Predictions: United West Ham
Kickoff: 8:15pm GMT Sun March 14
TV: NBCSN, Stream: NBCSports.com
Odds: -121 United win +250 draw +325 West Ham win
United Team News
The Red Devils look set to be missing seven players in this clash. Paul Pogba remains out since Feb 6 with a thigh injury while Marcus Rashford (ankle issue) is “a doubt for the weekend,” according to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Seldom used squad players Juan Mata, Phil Jones and Donny van de Beek are all out injured while the status of David De Gea remains up in the air.
De Gea has returned from Spain, where he missed the past three games for the birth of his first child, but OGS is still awaiting word on covid-19 related travel and quarantine protocols.
Anthony Martial is a major question mark too, after subbing out at halftime on Thursday, due to a hip injury.
“No, I don’t think any of those will be available,” Solskjaer said of Pogba, Van de Beek and Mata (who’s injury is unspecified).
“We hope before the international break but I am not sure. It has taken a little longer than we expected. So three games now and then the international break, then they will be available with us.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.