When Manchester United travel to Fulham FC on Wednesday night, they’ll have a fully fit squad. This will provide manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a chance to potentially rotate his squad. While that may or may not happen, the Norwegian may decide to give a rest to any or all of team captain Harry Maguire, attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes and first choice left back Luke Shaw.
All three are one booking away from getting suspended, and there are much larger matches ahead than this fixture at a relegation zone side. Maguire was probably the man of the match at Liverpool, so he is certainly deserving of a night off.
Manchester United at Fulham FC FYIs
Kick off: 8:15 pm GMT, Wed. Jan 20
Team news for both sides: go here
Premier League Position: Manchester United 1st, 37 pts Fulham FC 18th, 12 pts
Premier League Form Guide: Manchester United DWWWD Fulham FC LDDDD
As for Fernandes, he’s probably the team’s best and most important overall player, so you can’t afford to lose him. Perhaps OGS’ subbing off of the Portugese at Liverpool late, for Mason Greenwood, is a clue as to what he’ll do with his lineup here.
Solskjaer has not named the same starting lineup in back to back matches all season long.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction at Fulham FC
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Telles; McTominay, Fred; Pogba, Greenwood, Rashford; Cavani
Prediction: Manchester United 2, Fulham FC 0
United haven’t lost away, in the league, since last February. I don’t expect that to change in midweek, and a draw or better means United will tie the club record for an undefeated league away stretch.
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.
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