Manchester United have nothing to play for tomorrow night, when they host a Young Boys side in the UCL group stage finale for both sides. United have already clinched their status as group winners, and interim boss Ralf Rangnick has already made it clear that he’ll do some squad rotation here.
“It is possible,” he said. “I don’t know if we play a completely new 10 players because I don’t know if we have enough players on the list but it’s definitely possible we could play with some new players.”
Manchester United vs Young Boys (UCL) FYIs
Kick: 8pm Wed Dec 8, Old Trafford
United Team News: go here
UCL Standing: Manchester United 10pts, 1st Young Boys 4th, 4 pts
UCL Form Guide: Manchester United WDWWL Young Boys DLLLW
Google Result Probability: Manchester United 69% Draw 18% Young Boys 13%
Rangnick has already confirmed first team assignments for both Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek. And with Nemanja Matic being granted the captain’s armband for this one, it’s safe to say that he’ll be in the starting XI too.
So that’s three of the 11 right there that we already know, with Jesse Lingard probably having been a lock here, but he’s out injured. Expect the following players to be rested: Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction vs Young Boys
Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Telles; Matic, Van de Beek; Mata, Elanga; Greenwood, Rashford.
Prediction: United 1, Young Boys 0
The Red Devils, as a team, have nothing to play for here, but they have individual players, who don’t often get playing time that are very motivated for their own reasons.
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 co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.