Scout Notes

The injury latest on Pogba and Martial after United’s winning run comes to an end

Manchester United’s 100% record under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was brought to a halt on Tuesday evening but the result could have been much worse for the Red Devils, who fought back from 2-0 down to rescue a point against Burnley.

Paul Pogba continued his rich vein of form with a goal from the spot but there were suggestions after full-time that the Frenchman may have picked up an injury, despite him completing 90 minutes at Old Trafford.

We round up the injury latest as well as the main Fantasy talking points and salient manager quotes from United’s last-gasp draw.

Manchester United 2-2 Burnley

  • Goals: Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelöf | Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood
  • Assists: Jesse Lingard, Alexis Sanchez | Jack Cork, Ashley Westwood

Paul Pogba (£8.7m) registered his 11th FPL goal involvement in seven Gameweeks but owners of the game’s second-most-popular midfielder (the Frenchman sits in over 41% of Fantasy squads) face a nervous wait to see if there is any substance in the media reports that suggest he had picked up a groin injury in the 2-2 draw with Burnley last night.

Simon Peach and Jamie Jackson were among the journalists to write that Pogba had limped through the mixed zone after the match, with other reports claiming that the former Juventus midfielder was seen “holding his groin” as he walked down the tunnel at full-time.

The Metro also report that Pogba is set for a scan today.

It should be said that the speculation is purely based on quotes from reporters present at the match, however, with nothing official coming from the club or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as yet.

The interim United boss did offer an explanation as to why Anthony Martial (£7.3m) had missed the visit of the Clarets, however:

He got a slight injury in training, hopefully he will be back for next weekend but no chance today.

Injury aside, Pogba once again racked up some impressive underlying stats despite a much-changed United side not fully hitting their stride.

The France international registered more penalty box touches, attempts on goal, shots in the box and efforts on target than any other player on show at Old Trafford, scoring from the spot after substitute Jesse Lingard (£6.7m) had been felled and then being denied a second goal by a fine Tom Heaton (£4.8m) save late on.

Solskjaer hasn’t been afraid to make changes to a winning United team since his appointment (not keeping the same starting XI for two matches in a row, albeit after having his hand forced in Gameweek 23) but this turned out to be one fixture too far, with his widespread tinkering resulting in a somewhat disjointed display.

Five alterations to the team were made in total, with Andreas Pereira (£4.5m) and Juan Mata (£6.2m) delivering sub-par displays in central midfield and on the right wing respectively.

Romelu Lukaku (£10.7m), so impressive when used on the flank against Arsenal in the FA Cup, was a cumbersome presence in a more central role and his deployment as an out-and-out striker meant that Marcus Rashford (£7.7m) was farmed out to the left – the England striker unsurprisingly delivering his least effective performance since Solskjaer took charge.

Rashford’s purple patch of FPL form thus came to a (hopefully) temporary end, with the United striker poking one glorious chance wide early on and later taking too long to finish after an excellent Pogba pass over the top.

Solskjaer defended his decision to play Lukaku as a central striker after the match:

Rom has done really well against Burnley before. He has scored and he is a handful. With Anthony injured, we thought that was the best option with Rashy out there. Of course, he got a couple of chances but today wasn’t his day.

The feeling that United missed the dynamism and link-up play of Lingard was evidenced after his game-changing introduction on 63 minutes, while the importance of the bustling Ander Herrera (£5.0m) in the central midfield three was underscored by Pereira’s disappointing display in his stead.

Pereira, indeed, was culpable for Burnley’s opening goal: the youngster being dispossessed by Jack Cork (£4.6m), who fed Ashley Barnes (£5.6m) to hammer the Clarets into a 1-0 lead.

Unsurprisingly, Solskjaer defended Pereira’s inclusion too:

No, it was the right decision to make. We had a couple of niggles and unfortunately he [Pereira] was involved in the first goal but that’s the whole team.

We played our way into trouble there instead of starting off with the forward pass we ended up back to the keeper and it’s just another thing we have to learn from.

Andreas will be better off for having this experience, no problem about that.

The hope for those who own Fantasy assets of Manchester United is that Solskjaer has perhaps learned a lesson about making widespread changes to his starting XI, particularly when a few of those concerned – i.e. Lingard and Herrera; Rashford in a central role – made the team tick in the first place.

United’s defence wasn’t overly tested by a Burnley side who mustered only six shots on goal but they were suspect whenever the Clarets did break, with Chris Wood (£6.2m) finding himself unmarked to nod home Ashley Westwood‘s (£4.5m) cross on 81 minutes.

Victor Lindelof (£4.9m), who bundled home the stoppage-time equaliser, was again the stand-out member of the United backline, with Phil Jones (£5.1m) continuing to look shaky alongside him.

While Burnley were indebted to some fine saves from Heaton, which included a superb re-adjustment from a Lukaku flick, they fully merited their point at Old Trafford.

We had highlighted last week how Sean Dyche’s side had look much-improved after their early-season struggles and that encouraging progress continued here, with Wood and Barnes posing plenty of problems in what has become a regular strike partnership in Dyche’s now-familiar 4-4-2.

This was Barnes’ tenth straight Premier League start and he has been joined by Wood in the starting XI in eight of them.

Continuity has been key in Burnley’s resurgence and Dyche named the same team that lined up in Gameweek 23, with the fit-again Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.5m) being held back on the bench.

Ben Mee (£4.6m) and James Tarkowski (£4.7m) are something approaching back to their best after a dip in form at the start of the campaign, which perhaps bodes well for clean sheets ahead given that the Clarets sit second in our Season Ticker for defence over the next five Gameweeks.

Dyche rhapsodised afterwards:

In the first half, particularly, a lot of our forward play was very good and the two centre-forwards were excellent, particularly in the first 60 minutes.

Behind them, I can’t really fault anyone. Some people question Jeff (Hendrick), but he plays all over the place and gets on with it every single time, without question. He accepts the role, drives on and delivers.

Dwight (McNeil) was good again and Westy and Corky are beginning to get that connection again.

The back four were resolute and strong and Tom, behind that, showed assuredness.

We have been building back towards what we can be. I think everyone can see that.

Suddenly, we are five unbeaten and very close to being five wins, not just three wins and two draws. A couple of decisions and who knows?

Manchester United XI (4-3-3): De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Jones, Shaw; Matic, Pereira (Lingard 62′) Pogba; Mata, Lukaku (Sanchez 67′), Rashford.

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil (Gudmundsson 76′); Barnes, Wood.

985 Comments Post a Comment
  1. fachada
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Do we know the issue with Camarasa?

    1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      mentally not prepared to play due to the incidents it seems

      1. Shteve
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        He was injured...

        1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          oh

  2. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Denis Suarez to Arsenal on loan.

    1. Srv210
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Who do you think he replaces??

      1. Srv210
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Also hearing news of reignited interest in carrasco

      2. Alan The Llama
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Iwobi, he plays down the left

        1. Zilla
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          He plays on both sides, can also play in mid.

      3. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Maitland-Niles, maybe

  3. simong1
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Any recommended changes here folks? Thanks

    1FT, 3.5 ITB.

    Fabianski - Button
    Robertson - TAA - Digne - Doherty - AWB
    Salah – Hazard – Richarlison – Pogba – Masuaku
    Jimenez – Wilson – Rashford

  4. CarrollsPonytail
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Assuming that Pogba is ok to play against Leicester these are the moves I am planning on making ahead of DGW25:

    Digne & Aubameyang >>> Doherty & Aguero.

    I have 2 FT so it won't cost me anything and I plan to use my FT next week to swap Aguero back out for Aubameyang.

    1. CarrollsPonytail
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Would leave me with 3 DGW players (Rich, Sane & Aguero) and 4 BGW27 players (Luiz).

    2. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      yes.If rest of the team is fine hokey-cokey could work out

  5. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    has peltier replaced someone due to injury or is he a nailed fodder option(played last 2) or better just save 0.1 and get 3.8 non-player?
    Need a under 4.0 defender and have bednarek

    1. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      he's playing because Morrison is out

    2. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Morrison out with injury means Manga CB, not sure how long Morrison is out for.

    3. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      cheers looks like morrison had some careerthreatening illness

  6. The Enlightener
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I don't know what to make of Martial anymore. Everything seems to always be up in the air with him.

  7. Shineonme
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fab/ Ryan/
    Digne/ Awb/ Vvd/ bennett/ Holebas/
    Pogba/ Fenedrson/ Salah/ Hazard/ Rich/
    Kamama/ Rashford/ Aub/
    0.1itb 2ft
    thinking about making these two moves, are they sensible moves or do something else. ? much Appreciated.
    Fenderson/Hazard out for Sane/Son

  8. SpaceCadet
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Points predictions?

    A. Mane
    B. Son
    C. Salah

    1. The Enlightener
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A. 2
      B. 7
      C. 18

    2. Krafty Werks
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      3
      7
      12

  9. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hazard/MartialAuba to Sterling/Sane/Aguero worth -4?

  10. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    A)guero (ARS, eve)

    OR

    F)irmino (whu) + 4 points?

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      F) not sure Aguero will cover Firmino plus 4 points as he may not play both games

    2. Earn your Spurs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Probably Aguero - would you captain him?

      1. Keep Calm and Play On
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        If you are captaining them both, my comment stands but if you would only captain Aguero this point is very valid.

  11. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Current Team:
    Fab-Button
    Robo-Luiz-Doherty-WanB-3.9
    Salah-Pogba-FAnderson-Sane-4.4
    Aub-Rash-Jimmy

    2FT and 1.6 ITB

    Am I overthinking Aub > Aguero and FAnderson > Rich this week and next week Aguero > Aub?? I feel like even if Aub doesn't blank Aguero should cover him with 2 games assuming he plays at least 90min and then I can get Aub back for Huddersfield for the Man City and Everton blank GW with money to go Sane > Hazard for a -4 depending on his performance this week with Higuain.

    Thoughts???

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Correction I wouldn't do Sane > Haz for a -4, but I'd have money to get him in for GW 28

  12. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Chances haz will haul today?

    1. Krafty Werks
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Extremely high as i rage transferred him out for the 1pt Sterling.

    2. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I don't have him but as a Chelsea fan I hope he is plays well but doesnt go crazy and hurt me so it makes my decision easier to get him for GW 28 see above..

  13. jia you
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    12 the number of my home address and also the number of FPL points I have thus far this game-week including captaincy fail!
    It's lolable isn't it 🙂

  14. Earn your Spurs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you prefer for the rest of the season :-

    a> Lindelof
    b> Trippier

  15. A.T
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who is Dennis Suarez, what position does he play, is he any good and should we be considering him to join our great set of lads?