Potential Manchester United starting XI vs Leeds
Manchester United once again head into the new season with a wave of expectation that they could potentially go all the way. It was in May 2017 that the side won the Europa League, their last piece of silverware. Jose Mourinho, who led his charges in that victory, was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a few months later.
Nicknamed the baby-faced assassin, Solskjaer has a point to prove in the 2021-2022 season. He has faced multiple semi-final defeats in his spell as United boss, to go along with a disappointing loss in last season's Europa League. One may argue that he finally broke the semi-final curse by making it to the final.
However, others may feel that the depth of talent he had at his disposal would have been sufficient enough to deal with the opposition.
One of the key learnings from the final push towards the end of last season was that skipper Harry Maguire is a very crucial player. His absence through injury coincided with the team struggling at the back a bit.
His inspiring comeback for England was timely and the Three Lions managed to reach the final of the European Championship.
On the transfer business front, Manchester United seem to have got it right again with the purchase of World Cup winner Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. He will definitely be an upgrade to their current centre-half defensive options. Another marquee signing is Jadon Sancho, who will slot immediately into the right winger position.
It is an area that Manchester United needed to address with both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford preferring the left side of the attack.
With new additions in attack and defense, Solskjaer may stick to a 4-3-3 formation or opt for a 4-2-1-3 formation with two central midfielders and one attacking midfielder. With that in mind, let's look at the potential Manchester United line-up for their opening match against Leeds United on Saturday:
Goalkeeper: David De Gea
Due to Dean Henderson being in recovery, having suffered a health setback from COVID-19. This makes De Gea the undoubted starter for Manchester United between the sticks. Henderson has also been getting back to full fitness following a hip problem that kept him out of the European Championships.
De Gea is currently heading into his 11th season at Old Trafford. He will be looking to set the tone early as the undisputed first choice.