4-3-3: New Signing Makes Debut But 11 Miss Out | Expected Man Utd XI vs Leicester

Premier League football returns tonight as Manchester United kick-off the 2018/19 campaign by welcoming Leicester City to Old Trafford.

Here is the line-up I think Jose Mourinho will go with:

Goalkeeper: Sergio Romero is ruled out as he continues to work his way back to full fitness following knee surgery but David De Gea is certain to start between the sticks tonight. United will be hoping to reproduces the same form he showed last season after a disappointing World Cup.

Defence: Mourinho will be without Antonio Valencia due to a calf injury that he picked up in pre-season while summer signing Diogo Dalot is recovering from knee surgery so Matteo Darmian is set to start at right-back despite being strongly linked with a move this summer.

Ashley Young isn’t fit to start just yet after only returning to pre-season training earlier this week so Luke Shaw should get a chance to impress at left-back and he’ll be desperate to take it after a frustrating campaign last season.

Eric Bailly is hoping to recover from a knock to start at the back and with Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones lacking match fitness we could see Victor Lindelof line-up in the middle of defence.

Midfield: Nemanja Matic has been ruled out after undergoing surgery on an abdominal injury that he sustained in Russia while Ander Herrera is also out with a hamstring injury and Marouane Fellaini isn’t match ready yet.

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Paul Pogba will be assessed ahead of the game but like all the late World Cup arrivals he isn’t expected to start so Mourinho has limited options in the middle of the park.

Scott McTominay could be given a start alongside Andreas Pereira in midfield with new signing Fred certain to make his Premier League debut after arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk this summer.

Attack: Mourinho has limited options in attack as Romelu Lukaku isn’t expected to be fit enough to start so Marcus Rashford may have to be rushed back to lead the line up front after minimal playing time in pre-season.

The uncertainty surrounding Anthony Martial doesn’t help Mourinho’s issues up front and the Frenchman won’t be available to start after missing a large part of pre-season training following the birth of his child.

The good news is Alexis Sanchez has enjoyed a full pre-season and is raring to go so the Chilean international is certain to start in attack tonight and he should be joined by Juan Mata with Jesse Lingard lacking match fitness.

Here is how we think United will line-up:

So Mourinho goes in to tonight’s game with 6 players injured and 5 not deemed fit enough to start so he’s expected to be without 11 possible starters for the opening game of the season, which is a nightmare situation.

Fortunately for United they have a large squad and they can still put out a competitive team which is more than capable of getting all three points at Old Trafford against Leicester.