Injuries begin to mount
Already without Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial, United’s forward stocks were looking paper thin into this game. Memphis showed enough to suggest that he is a more than capable of filling in, but not quite enough to suggest he deserves his starting spot back.
Of more concern will be Ander Herrera’s hamstring injury. The Spaniard playmaker was excellent in the early stages, picking out Memphis with a perfect cross. His energy and creativity was sorely missed and United did not look as good after he left the game. Herrera’s injury forced van Gaal to sub on a third central defender in Rojo, pushing Daley Blind and Ashely Young into wing-back positions.
That decision in itself appeared an indictment of United’s attacking options on the bench. When Juan Mata was subbed for Andreas Perreira late in the second half United finished the game with Lingard, Perreira and Memphis operating as a front three. An exciting mix of young talent for sure, but also an unlikely combination if United are going to seriously challenge for domestic and European honours.
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