Say what you will about Manchester United’s summer transfer window, but you got to credit them for this- they addressed their biggest needs. While there is plenty of room for criticism, especially so regarding the Cristiano Ronaldo and Frenkie de Jong situations, United needed and achieved upgrades at defensive midfielder, center back, left back and wing.
As it’s deadline day eve, we don’t know if they’ll get that needed upgrade at right back over the line in time, but we can do is look at the team they have constructed thus far/are in process with.
Manchester United at Leicester City FYIs
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PL Table Position: United 11th, 6pts Leicester 20th 4pts
Form Guide: United WWLL Southampton LLLD
Google Result Probability: United 46% Leicester City 29% Draw 25%
By the time tomorrow night’s Premier League fixture at Leicester City ends, we’ll literally be in the 11th hour of the summer transfer window. At that point, the optimized, fully fit squad will look like what this Twitter user composed into the graphic below.
And this is a pretty solid team, you got to admit.
— ??nc??? (@SuaveeBall) August 29, 2022
He’s only missing Anthony Elanga and Scott McTominay on the bench, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo is still here. Otherwise, this is your team of the future. And when you have Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Fred relegated to the bench, that’ not bad at all.
While this is the team of the future, it is not the team of tomorrow night. Here’s what we think is:
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction at Leicester City
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; Fred, Casemiro; Rashford, Bruno, Sancho; Ronaldo
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.