How Man Utd could line-up against Watford

10:44am on Friday 8th January 2021
By Team FC

Dean Henderson is set to keep his place between the sticks on Saturday evening, as Manchester United welcome Watford to Old Trafford in the FA Cup third round.

The shot-stopper, who was on loan at Sheffield United last season, will be hoping he can prevent his boyhood club from exiting both domestic cup competitions in the same week.

A 2-0 loss to local rivals Manchester City on Wednesday saw them crash out of the League Cup, losing their fourth semi-final in a row.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are currently sitting second in the Premier League table, and are likely to rest several star names for the visit of a side plying their trade in the second tier of English football.

The means Axel Tuanzebe could take up an unfamiliar role at right-back once again after the youngster impressed there at Goodison Park. He is likely to be joined by Ivory Coast international Eric Bailly in the back four after Victor Lindelof started in midweek.

Club captain Harry Maguire is an almost permanent fixture at the heart of defence and should keep his place for this one. Summer signing Alex Telles is expected to complete the defensive unit having been kept out of the starting XI in recent weeks by an impressive Luke Shaw.

Nemanja Matic, Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata could be set for a return from the first whistle in a new-look midfield. Bruno Fernandes is in desperate need of a break and, Solskjaer may deem this as the perfect opportunity to rest his key man.

Former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani is serving the last of his three-match suspension, so Dan James, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial should form the attacking trident.