While the fixture list lies ravaged by FA Cup distraction, our morning stroll is no less urgent and worry-strewn – and it’s all centred on the United camp.
What’s all this talk of a Wayne Rooney knock? What’s going on with Antonio Valencia and Nani? Is Sir Alex really going to contemplating resting Ashley Young at Wolves?
We won’t get all the answers until tomorrow’s kick-off but, for now, we can turn to those most likely to be in the know. Those most likely to have the inside track on Ferguson’s thinking.
Walk with me while I sift through the press boy’s morning lineups…
The Guardian start us off with Wayne Rooney safely snuggled in the lineup but marked as a doubt. Ashley Young is given the left-flank role, with Nani seemingly fit and recalled to the right flank. There’s no place for Phil Jones, as Rafael takes on the right-back role.
The Telegraph also have Rooney up front, playing in a 4-3-3 with both Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez starting. Ashley Young is included, with Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes in the midfield. There’s no place for either Antonio Valencia or Nani here. We’re in agreement with this. We reckon it will be Hernandez and Rooney up front with Welbeck on the right and Young given the left-flank again.
The Times have Rooney up front of course, partnered by Welbeck and, interestingly, they have both Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young on the flanks. There’s no place for Nani here then. The Times are the only paper this morning going with a Valencia start.
The Mail have Rooney and Javier Hernandez paired up front, with Welbeck out of the picture. Nani and Young take up the flank role with Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick in central midfield. They go with Chris Smalling at right-back for United with no place for flu-victim Phil Jones.
The Sun are the only paper to take note of Ferguson’s substitutions and actually consider Ryan Giggs for a start. He gets the left-flank with Ashley Young switched to the right – unlikely in our view. Rooney is up front of course, with Javier Hernandez his partner. Carrick and Scholes are again in the middle and Phil Jones has the right-back spot.
Finally, the Independent have Rooney partnered with Welbeck with Young on the left and Nani operating on the right-flank. There’s no place for Hernandez here then, while Jones recovers to take on the right-back role.
Us Fantasy managers can feel quietly confident about all this. It’s a unanimous vote for a Wayne Rooney will start and all the papers also go with Ashley Young in the United lineup. As for Nani and Valencia – there’s a chance they’ll be involved, but it’s looking unlikely based on talk around the press. That’s our thinking too. Rooney’s knock will surely fail to halt his flourishing goalscoring spell, whilst Young is Ferguson’s chief creator right now – crucial to Rooney’s blossoming form.
Before we leave you with those comforting thoughts, there’s still time to tackle our “Do they know something we don’t†award – a section which came through for us last week when Joleon Lescott missed out for City.
This time around, it’s more bad news for Fantasy managers. If the press are to be believed, Fulham’s Stephen Kelly is set to frustrate us for the second Gameweek running. Having returned early from injury at Villa last week, despite Martin Jol claiming he was unavailable, this time around the press feel that fit-again Aaron Hughes will replace him. Of our papers this morning, only the Telegraph have Kelly in their predicted lineup – Hughes gets the right-back start in The Times, The Mail, The Sun, The Independent and the The Guardian. We’re not so sure – but then, having been caught out by Lescott’s knock, perhaps we have to consider this little lead too.
