Life under Jose Mourinho is looking up for the Manchester United fans in the Transfer Tavern, despite a relatively rocky start to his Old Trafford tenure. Our United-mad punters believe the Portuguese is building something special at the Theatre of Dreams, though qualification for the Champions League is obviously crucial to that.
With that in mind, their trip to the King Power Stadium on Sunday to face Premier League champions Leicester City (that still sounds weird) is of huge importance to the Portuguese. As the Foxes continue to battle relegation, Mourinho can inflict more damage on the club that got him sacked by Chelsea in December 2015.
Having smashed Claudio Ranieri’s men 4-1 earlier this season, United look even stronger this time round and the drinkers here in the bar are supremely confident Sunday’s game in the east Midlands will deliver much the same.
So, with all that said, here’s the 4-2-3-1 side Mourinho should field to batter Leicester City on Sunday.
GK: David De Gea
The Spaniard is one of the finest goalkeepers in the world and will be looking to finally keep Leicester City at bay, having conceded in the last three meetings with them.
RB: Antonio Valencia
Amazingly somehow still United’s first choice at right-back, the powerful Ecuadorian will have to be careful he’s not caught on the break by the likes of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.
CB: Phil Jones
It looks as if Mourinho is FINALLY the man to bring the best out of Phil Jones, who has struggled to wholly convince during the last few years of his United career. Must be playing his way into England recognition.
CB: Chris Smalling
Having enjoyed such a good season last time out, the England international has struggled somewhat, though has recently returned to the side. Will need to prove he’s still a force to be reckoned with.
LB: Marcos Rojo
Like Jones, Rojo has seen a marked improvement in his form of late and is holding Luke Shaw off at left-back, looking more and more like the attacking threat we saw in the 2014 World Cup.
CM: Michael Carrick/h1>
United’s metronome, the 35-year-old keeps the ball ticking over, allowing the likes of Pogba and company to truly push forward. A thoroughly crucial member of the XI.
CM: Ander Herrera
Where the aforementioned Carrick keeps United going steady, Ander Herrera sets the pace as they look to hit sides on the front foot. A tireless presence in the middle of the park, the Spaniard has so far been the best signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
CM: Paul Pogba
Struggles at times to justify such a ridiculously inflated price tag, though outside of a few players in the world, anyone would. Probably has put in better performances than he’s given credit for, the Frenchman will surely get licence to roam, as he did in the reverse fixture.
RM: Juan Mata
Operating as the inverted right-winger, Juan Mata is proving to be an absolute crucial member to Mourinho’s plans, chipping in with goals and assists in equal measure as he floats into areas oh so hard to mark.
ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
United’s talisman, the super Swede has taken to life in the Premier League ludicrously well and will surely relish playing against a backline as bereft of confidence as Leicester’s.
LW: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Hard to believe the Armenian found it so hard to break into the first-team for so long, emerging as one of the most pulsating attackers in the Premier League. With the Foxes lacking any sort of solidity in defence right now, it could be a chance to further stake his claim.
