Man Utd predicted lineup vs Chelsea: Carrick given two major selection dilemmas | OneFootball

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick is forced to negotiate a crucial clash against Chelsea with a depleted backline.

The Blues will host the Red Devils at Samford Bridge on Saturday. The contest kicks off at 20:00 UK time. With only six rounds remaining before the end of the season, this fixture could represent a turning point in the battle for Champions League spots.

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Chelsea, who currently lie 6th in the table and four points adrift of the Top 5 zone, find themselves in Last Chance Saloon, while 3rd-place Man Utd have the opportunity to bounce back from Monday’s defeat to Leeds and blow one of their rivals out of the race.

Man Utd in a state of emergency at the back

Sadly for Carrick, his backline has been pared down to the bone. Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are both suspended after seeing red in the previous two rounds, while Matthijs de Ligt has been out of action since November.

Things got from bad to worse for United, as it has been revealed that Leny Yoro has also picked up a knock, leaving Ayden Heaven as the only available centre-back.

At this stage, the four-man defence picks itself, with Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, and Luke Shaw joining Heaven.

Nevertheless, the question remains who will be the second centre-back. Carrick will obviously have to pick between Mazraoui and Shaw, who have both played at CB before, albeit mostly in a three-man backline.

Since Heaven is left-footed, pairing him with the right-footed Mazraoui might be the more natural choice, with Shaw keeping his place at left-back.

Which Man United attacker will be dropped against Chelsea?

On Monday, Mainoo’s creativity and flair were sorely missed in midfield. The young Englishman has made the trip to West London, and as long as he can pass a late athletic test, he will reclaim his starting role alongside Casemiro, dropping Manuel Ugarte to the bench.

In addition to the defensive dilemma, Carrick also has to leave out one of his attacking stars. Bruno Fernandes remains untouchable in the No.10 role, while Matheus Cunha appears to be the ultimate choice on the left wing, leaving Amad Diallo, Benjamin Sesko, and Bryan Mbeumo vying for two roles.

Last time out, the Cameroonian was relegated to the bench, but the outcome was far from encouraging. Therefore, one would expect the former Brentford star to regain his starting berth, but not necessarily in his original right-winger role.

Following the defeat to Leeds, many have argued that Sesko has been more effective as a super-sub rather than a starter, so perhaps Carrick will decide to reserve the Slovenian for the second half, as it was largely the case at the start of his managerial stint.

This would allow Mbeumo to lead the line, with Amad maintaining his starting berth on the right side.

Man Utd Probable XI (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Mazraoui, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.