What starting XI do you think Fergie should out against Liverpool? Assuming Smalling, Vidic, Evra, and Young are fit I would use the same formation that has brought us success so far this season. We've beat Man City, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Chelsea using the 442 and I see no reason to change it now. I predict: De Gea Smalling Jones Vidic Evra Nani Anderson Fletcher Young Rooney Welbeck Subs: Lindegaard, Carrick, Hernandez, Giggs, Valencia, Park, Ferdinand. Not to sure about the bench, but I imagine we'll see something similar to that.
I would prefer he played, but I'm sure he's not back to full fitness yet, and throwing him back into the team at Anfield may be a bit of a risk.
This but it all depends on Fergie and if he is willing to risk playing Cleverly but think it would be risky because this a very high profile game and if he is not back to 100% match fitness then he could risk getting injured again.
If we're going to play 5 in the midfield I'd like to go 4231 with Ando playing behind Rooney, and 2 of Carrick, Fletcher, cleverly in the midfield. With our defense being leaky, i would be a but weary of inviting Liverpool to attack us, we need to come out on the front foot and control the game. The only game we've done that this year and not grabbed all 3 points was against Basle. That was more down to complacency than our formation.
De Gea Jones Smalling Vidic Evra Nani Carrick Park/Giggs Ando Young Rooney I'd for for Park/Giggs over Fletcher just because if we do play 4-5-1, one of the things I hate is the fact that we sacrifice width from one side because that player who'd normally be on the left has to play centrally to be closer to the striker. With Park/Giggs, they can play centrally and out wide thus allowing us to have 4-4-2 if we assume that Young would push on to play behind Rooney. I'm also conscious to the fact that Liverpool are likely to play 5 in midfield and I think they'll get the better of us if we go in with just 2 in midfield. One of the reasons we haven't been great to Anfield in the last 2 or 3 seasons is because I think we allowed their midfield to dominate us in terms of possession and not picking up runners from midfield properly so hopefully Carrick in the shield role, Ando in the ball carrying role and Giggs/Park in the link between the forwards and midfield on paper should give us the right balance. But as the old adage goes, football isn't played on paper...
I gave up trying to predict the lineup years ago, im always wrong these days. Time is long gone when you could pick what 11 will be out match after match.
Smalling has been out injured and Jones has done an excellent job the last few games. I would like to see Smalling get more games at CB though, he was superb for us last year. Also would like to see Jones in the midfield in a cup game in the future.
Cleverley is out Gutted about that. Doubts about Vidic as well. http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...sir-alex-ferguson-on-liverpool-team-news.aspx The team I think Ferguson will put out is this: De Gea Smalling Jones Ferdinand Evra Nani Fletcher Carrick Anderson Young Rooney The team I want Ferguson to put out is this: De Gea Smalling Ferdinand Vidic Evra Nani Fletcher Jones Anderson Young Rooney Presuming Vidic is fit of course. I would love to see Jones play in the DM role where he played a bit for Blackburn last season. His energy and his no nonsense attitude is just what we need in this game. Imagine him clattering into a not 100% fit Gerrard early in the game. It would make Gerrard think twice going into a tackle with him again. If Vidic isn't playing put Jones in at centre back and then probably Carrick would play in the middle. Though to be honest if I see Carrick in the starting XI tomorrow I may conceed the game there and then.
I think he has a future there too, I just don't think tomorrow's game is the time to be trying it our for the first time. The team you said you think he'll pick is the one I also suggested, I've got this horrible feeling he might send out Park instead of Nani or Young though. Wouldn't put it past Fergie to trust the milkfloat for this game.
That'll be a ****ter if Cleverley and Vidic are both out. With Liverpool injury free and us missing three of our starting players (inc Rafael), the match is gonna be even more difficult than it already was.
90% of the time our squad players pull through for us when called upon, and when someone pivotal to our team is out (i.e. Rooney) there's almost always someone there to step up and deliver. (i.e. Nani). Not too worried about the injuries, more about if we actually show up this year.
