Manchester United are now up to third place in the table, and that really says a whole lot about what a great job interim manager Michael Carrick has done. Honestly, it now seems like he’s earned the right to have the gig beyond the end of this season. United were once buried deep on the second page of the standings, but here they are- now squarely in the top four. The next match comes on Wednesday night, and it’s a trip to Newcastle United. Carrick has two new selection doubts in defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.
Both of these English internationals had to be subbed off in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace yesterday, as they were feeling unwell.
Man United at Newcastle United FYIs
Kick: Wed. March 4, 8:15pm, St. James Park, Newcastle, UK
Team News for Both Sides: Man United Newcastle United
Google Result Probability: Man United 37% Draw 26% Newcastle United 37%
PL Form: Man United WWDWW Newcastle United LLWLL
PL Standing: Man United 3rd, 51 pts Newcastle United 13th 36 pts
Man United Team News
They (Shaw and Maguire) just weren’t feeling too well, so hopefully they will be feeling better soon,” Carrick set in postgame, before adding this on Shaw:
“Maybe he will be going home and wrapping himself up and getting back as quickly as possible. So, hopefully not too bad.”
Luke Shaw came off in the 24th minute, with Maguire lasting until the 88th. This season has seen Shaw stay healthy and fit much more than usual.
Obviously, his career has been notoriously injury prone, and he’s been very open publicly about that.
Meanwhile Mason Mount, Patrick Dorgu and Matthijs de Ligt remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.