Manchester United currently sit just 8th in the Premier league table, having taken only 15 points from the first 10 matches of the season. And last night they got dumped out of the League Cup, a tournament that they won last season. Manager Erik ten Hag and midfielder/sometimes team captain Casemiro are two microlevel examples of the macrolevel problems of the club as a whole.
Casemiro is the team’s leading scorer, with four goals across all competitions.
Manchester United Preview Content vs Fulham FC: Team News Starting XI Prediction
However, like Ten Hag, he’s slumping in his second season at the club; after excelling during his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
Casemiro’s job isn’t to score goals (that’s up to Ramus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Antony, Anthony Martial etc. etc. in the forward position group).
No, the Brazilian (who is out injured on Saturday at Fulham FC) has a main task- be the table settler for the overall approach/the sparkplug for the engine.
He’s not doing that, which is indicative of what Ten Hag’s biggest problem is here- no cohesion or identity. United are not playing in the Dutchman’s mold.
They are not really playing in any specific mold actually, and that is why they are where they are.
The Red Devils are far outside the top four, eliminated from one cup competition (League Cup, with the FA Cup not beginning for them until January) and on the verge of being eliminated from a second (UEFA Champions League)
Well, anyway, let’s keep this train wreck moving. Here is my lineup prediction for Saturday.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction at Fulham FC
Andre Onana; Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot; Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrbat; Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford; Rasmus Hojlund.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager 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’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.