Four candidates to succeed Tony as Man Utd captain

With the news that long-serving club captain Antonio Valencia is set to leave Old Trafford in the summer, Man Utd will be looking for a new leader of the pack. Here are four possible contenders that we think could succeed the armband-wearing Ecuadorian.
In Valencia's absence, it has been his right-back cohort Ashley Young that has donned the captaincy, but if Valencia was never a good fit as skipper then Young is also not suitable. With respect, despite his status as a senior player, 33-year-old Young should not be starting every week but is not the man to lead United into the future.

Ander Herrera
The favourite for many, Herrera has long been regarded as Man Utd skipper in waiting. A passionate, driven leader both on the pitch and off it, the Basque possesses a love of the club so rare for a foreign export. Herrera often fronts up when others shirk away and his tenacious, all-action style at the heart of the engine room makes him the ideal candidate. His penchant to wind up opponents whilst driving the team on bears an uncanny similarity with a certain Mr Keane. A United captain in all but name, he has been majestic under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having been a virtual ever present under the Norwegian. Crucially, he speaks English - which certainly helps!

David de Gea
De Gea's current deal expires at the end of next season, but a sticking point over wage demands appears to be holding up talks of an extension.The next logical step then would be to make De Gea the next United club captain.
Not only would it be reward for committing his future to the club, he ticks all the boxes, and seems perfect for the role as current skipper Valencia nears the end of his United career - it could even happen sooner if the Ecuadorian is no longer considered an automatic starter. It would also give the club's hierarchy the perfect excuse to deservedly make him our highest earner.

Victor Lindelof
Lindelof has captained Sweden at Under 18, Under 21 and Under 23 level, and has long been touted as a skipper-in-waiting of Janne Andersson's senior side. The Iceman has been a calm, composed, mature and totemic figure at the back for United this season, going from strength to strength as he comes of age. Lindelof has shown leadership qualities and held the back four together in difficult circumstances at Selhurst Park. There is a romantic notion that the captain of your team should be either the snapping, snarling midfield warrior or the rock-hard immovable object in the heart of the defence. I never would have said this a year or even six months ago, but Lindelof has shown he could fit the bill as captain

Paul Pogba
Stripped of any future captaincy role during his long-running feud with Jose Mourinho, but Pogba is a man reborn in a new lease of life under Ole. Hugo Lloris may have officially been the France captain during his side's World Cup triumph last summer, but Pogba was credited as the motivational speaker in the dressing room during Les Bleus victorious campaign. That's all well and good, but is he disciplined enough? Also, let's not forget that here was a man who many still accuse of getting Mourinho the sack with his antics off the field and performances (or lack of) on it. It appears that Pogba has emerged as the early front runner for the armband. Watch this space...
Who will be the man to lead Ole's Manchester United into a bright new future?

United's latest Academy starlet makes first team bow

With Man Utd 3-1 ahead and comfortable against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Man Utd turned to youth. With a host of injuries and a threadbare squad, Reds youngster James Garner came on in the closing stages to make his senior United debut. It was only a brief cameo for the 17-year-old but nothing can take away the fact that the lad from Birkenhead has got a first team debut under his belt. It is surely the first appearance of many.

There was a lot of talk ahead of the game that the likes of Garner, Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood may get some game time, but in the end Garner was the only youngster to be subbed on by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

 He enjoyed a marvellous first full year at Under-18 level, making 24 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and emerging as an outstanding contributor. So much so, he was shortlisted for the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Garner's leadership qualities and outstanding work in the middle of the park helped the young Reds win the 2017/18 Premier League North title but he missed the national final against Chelsea due to his international commitments, skippering his country in the European Championship. Following a breakthrough season for the Reds, Garner put pen-to-paper on a first professional contract in the boardroom at Old Trafford and hopes are high he will push on further.


Garner was one of four youngsters to travel down south with the squad in the midst of an injury criris.  Chong joined the midfielder on the bench while  Greenwood and Gomes had to settle for a place in the stands.
Garner, who has been on the bench against Valencia in the Champions League and Reading in the FA Cup this season, became the 230th Academy graduate to be given his Manchester United first team bow and took to Instagram after the game to express his pride.

"Proud moment for me and my family making my Manchester United debut! Dream come true," Garner wrote.

Garrner has drawn comparisons with his first team coach Michael Carrick, Garner is a technically gifted central midfielder, who can play just in front of the back four, slightly further forward or even in central defence.
 The 17-year-old's technical attributes are incredibly strong for someone of his age, showcasing his superb talent.
 Solskjaer was full of praise for the teenager and believes he has a bright future ahead of him.

 He said: "I believe he's got the chance to have a great future.
"He knows we believe in him, we've got great faith in him as the next Michael Carrick. I know he's young and I know it's not fair on kids to compare to great players like Michael was, but he's the same mould, he plays simple passes, plays through the lines. Scott McTominay did really well today, some of the passes through the lines into Paul were excellent.
"You're at Man United, so Michael had the pressure of coming in after Roy Keane, that's just the way it is at Man United. I am sure he will be fine, with Nemanja (Matic) and Ander (Herrera) out, Garner will get plenty more chances. We might even think about him for Southampton on Saturday."

Match report: Crystal Palace 1-3 Man Utd

Man Utd made light of our crippling injury crisis to move to within five points of third-placed Tottenham in the congested battle for the Champions League.
Despite a makeshift line-up and missing ten senior players, United ground out an eighth successive win away from home - the first time in the club's history we have achieved such a feat. Romelu Lukaku scored twice either side of half-time to move into double figures for the season and, although Joel Ward pulled a goal back, Ashley Young's late third sealed another win.

United are fifth, one point behind place above Arsenal and five off faltering Tottenham, with ten games left to play in what looks set to be a frantic fight to the finish.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to make three changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Liverpool on Sunday. Fred, Diogo Dalot and Alexis Sanchez came in for injured trio Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford, though the latter recovered enough for a place on the bench.
Lukaku was lively throughout and the first chance of the match fell his way inside ten minutes when he volleyed over the bar having drifted away from his marker.
Andros Townsend flashed a shot wide and James McArthur tried his luck from distance before the Reds took the lead shortly after the half hour.

Luke Shaw was again the provider, as he skipped past a back-pedalling Townsend and into the box. The left-back laid the ball off to Lukaku, who took a touch and then rifled a curler beyond the helpless dive of Palace stopper Vicente Guaita.
The pace and trickery of Townsend - who has a penchant for the spectacular - proved Palace's biggest asset and he went close again as he fired narrowly wide from distance after Jeffrey Schlupp had cut the ball back.

Paul Pogba headed over from a Diogo Dalot delivery, but it wasn't long before the Reds, and Lukaku, had our second. Palace failed to clear their lines from a corner, with Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof getting to the ball ahead of their opposite numbers. Lindelof's header dropped to Lukaku, who spun and fired in a finish over Guaita.

 As the hosts found to their cost last year, 2-0 can be a dangerous scoreline and, this time, it was United who were made to sweat. Ward’s diving header at the back post from Schlupp’s dangerous cross gave Roy Hodgson’s side hope on 65 minutes and it was Palace who looked the more likely to score again in the following ten minutes.

 De Gea saved well from Max Meyer and Luka Milivojevic fired into the side-netting from a set piece.

 However, Young made sure of the three points in the 83rd minute. Lovely interplay between Pogba and Lukaku on the edge of the area allowed Pogba time to slot a ball through to Young, and the captain drilled a low effort across goal, with Ward unable to keep it out on the line.

James Garner came on as a late substitute to make his senior debut and this will be a special night for the 17-year-old midfielder, and the travelling fans who - as ever - made themselves heard throughout in the capital.

Overall team performance: 7/10
United Faithful Man of the Match: Romelu Lukaku

A special mention once again to United's travelling Red Army. They never stopped singing throughout, helped the boys home and are, quite simply, the best away fans in the country.

Preview: Crystal Palace v Man Utd - Carrick to make a comeback?

Man Utd interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joked that Reds coach Michael Carrick will need to dust off his boots in the midst of a crippling injury crisis.
The Reds are without ten players for the tricky-looking trip to in-form Crystal Palace and, when asked if he will play in the match, Ole quipped:
 “I don’t think age is the problem, the problem is my fitness, but maybe we could ask Michael (Carrick, coach) if he can dust his boots off.
“We’ve not had a session yet, so I don’t think there are a lot of positives, no. I don’t know the list [of players] that’s supposed to be injured, Matteo [Darmian] trained the other day, I don’t think he’ll be ready, [Marcos] Rojo will be involved, Rashy we’re still waiting to see how his ankle is responding to the treatment, muscle injuries are too early to think about. That’s it. Luckily at centre back there are quite a few fit ones, Victor (Lindelof), Chris (Smalling) and Eric (Bailly), the three of them are ready,” Solskjaer added.

Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic are all ruled out, while Marcus Rashford (ankle) is a doubt. Martial is nearing full fitness and could make his comeback against Southampton at the weekend.
Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia remain absent, but defender Marcos Rojo is set for his first involvement of the season.
This all opens the door for the next generation of Old Trafford talent, with teenage trio James Garner, Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes to travel to London but prolific 17-year-old striker Mason Greenwood is sidelined. Garner, Chong and Gomes were left out of the Under 23 match with Reading yesterday, strongly hinting at their senior call-ups.
 For Palace, centre back Mamadou Sakho will miss Wednesday’s game because of the knee injury that forced him off against Leicester. Fellow defenders Martin Kelly and Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be assessed. Palace are unbeaten in six and come into this one on the back of a 4-1 win at Leicester last time out.

After looking dead certs for relegation in the opening weeks of the last campaign, Roy Hodgson helped the Eagles soar clear of danger with an eleventh-place finish. This season, the Premier League’s oldest manager, at 71-years of age, has helped his side to reach another mid-table perch as things stand - thirteenth, going into the latest round of fixtures.

So far this term, Palace have punched above their weight on occasions with the standout performances being an Emirates FA Cup third-round victory over Tottenham and a staggering 3-2 win at Manchester City in the Premier League which featured a Goal of the Season contender from Andros Townsend.

The same could be said for his opposite number Solskjaer, having transformed a season that was going nowhere into one of real promise. That promise will be tested to the full, here, though, with an injury list as long as both of your arms.

 United would normally be strong favourites to overcome Crystal Palace, but our raft of injuries makes this harder to call than you might think. The Selhurst Park side have never beaten the Reds in the Premier League era, but will never get a better opportunity to do so here.

 Form guide: Crystal Palace W D W D W W Man Utd D W W L W D
 Match odds: Crystal Palace 11/5 Draw 9/4 Man Utd 5/2
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)

How to solve a problem like Romelu Lukaku

It may have been difficult to judge a player during the torrid and tumultous final months of the Jose Mourinho era, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought a new hope and new era to Old Trafford.
Under the Midas touch of Ole's revolution, there has been a clearly noticeable upward trajectory of everyone in Red. Everyone that is, it seems, except Romelu Lukaku.
 
Ah, big Rom. In the absence of the recently departed Marouane Fellaini, Lukaku becomes this United side's great enigma. One of the Premier League's most consistently prolific strikers at Everton, Lukaku was often mentioned in the same breath as Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane when on form and on top of his game. Swapping the blue of Merseyside for the Red of Manchester, Lukaku became the focal point of Mourinho's United identikit. The archetypal wrecking ball target man -  a £75m one at that - on paper his debut season at Old Trafford didn't appear too shabby.

The amount of money in Premier League football seems so high as to be almost meaningless, forcing us to develop different standards for what to expect from a player based on their transfer fee.
But can a player with a £75million price-tag ever be considered anything between success and flop? Well, Lukaku has certainly tested that theory at Old Trafford. Indeed, when we’ve seen some moments of real class from him, they’ve been tempered by circumstance. A player of his build and gait doesn’t look like he’d be the type to act with subtlety cutting in from the wing, or produce nutmegs against Brazil, but that kind of quality seems more impressive when juxtaposed with the moments that barely feel like something any footballer should be doing, let alone one with Lukaku’s CV.

 A former super-sub himself, Solskjaer warned his players when he took over from Mourinho that some would have to take the opportunities given to them from the bench, and Belgium striker Lukaku has been one of the few losers from the switch in tactics and positive vibes that have arrived under the Norwegian interim boss.

 There was a moment during  United’s draw with Liverpool when Lukaku send the ball out of play with one of those “what was he doing?” touches, but few if any other players produced as many moments of real, genuine quality.
There was his delightful through-ball to Jesse Lingard, for example, giving the England midfielder his one big chance before he was forced off through injury, and then we had the cross which very nearly brought a late winner for Chris Smalling. The good and the bad of Lukaku all mashed together in a curious elixir of a performance.

28 goals, which would have been the legendary 30 if not for injury last season, represented a creditable return in a side built on defensive solidity and containment. But the doubts about Lukaku were not dispelled.
Often accused of being too lazy, cumbersome and a flat-track bully with a first touch that was often a tackle, Lukaku represents something of an anomaly. He is the only player not to have stepped up during the transition from Mourinho to Solskjaer. Lukaku confuses me and the Belgian often resembles a lottery winner with the prize of a game up front as a Manchester United striker.

 Lukaku just can not find his place in the post José Mourinho era and is looking like an analog player in a digital world. Played on the wing and in the middle of the Reds forward line, Lukaku has struggled to look comfortable in the more mobile offensive unit.

 I've never seen a centre forward with such poor control of a football and he still looks double the size he should be. Against Liverpool, Lukaku was stationed wide on the right with Marcus Rashford's lack of mobility through injury. He did well in a similar position in the fourth round against Arsenal but against Liverpool he was picked there again and was almost anonymous. He has only scored two goals under Solskjaer versus Newcastle and Reading to take his tally to a paltry nine for the season. It's nearly March and Lukaku hasn't made it into double figures.


If he is the answer, then what on earth is the question?

Ole's United facing injury crisis

Just about everything that could've gone wrong in the first half against Liverpool did go wrong. For all the brilliant work Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done to revive a season going nowhere, fate has dealt its fickle hand in the two biggest games of his tenure so far.

The complexion of the tie against Paris Saint Germain changed completely when Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial had to go off by half-time. United had been competing well until then, but the double injury blow allowed the French giants to seize a controlling tiller that they never relinquished.
Then, as Jurgen Klopp's table topping Scousers arrived in M16, things only unravelled further with Solskjaer forced into three substitutions inside 20 first half minutes. Ander Herrera was first to limp off with a suspected hamstring injury, replaced by rhyming colleague Andreas Pereira.

Moments later, Juan Mata went down clutching his thigh and was also forced off, to be replaced by the returning Jesse Lingard.
Lingard, on his return from injury, lasted less than 20 minutes - suffering a recurrence of that hamstring problem which forced him off in the Champions League 12 days ago - and was replaced by Alexis Sanchez.
To add insult to injury - quite literally - United were already without Nemanja Matic and finished the half with Paul Pogba the only recognised midfield regular.
Marcus Rashford was also limping throughout the game after a challenge from Jordan Henderson in the opening exchanges. With the Reds having already made their three changes, Rashford had to play on one leg and effectively reduced United to ten men.

Liverpool also suffered an early injury blow, with Roberto Firmino, who pulled up after rolling his ankle while passing the ball, being replaced by Daniel Sturridge after the half-hour mark. It was the first time in Premier League history that there had been four substitutions in the first half of a game, I simply have never seen anything like it.
The chaos leaves United with six injured first team men, with a difficult trip to in-form Crystal Palace to come on Wednesday. We'll be down to the bare bones and don't have the depth or quality to compensate. 

Rashford is unlikely to be fit for the visit to Selhurst Park, but it is hoped that Anthony Martial will return from a groin problem. Lingard, Herrera and Mata will all undergo tests on their respective hamstring injuries, with Matic expected to be out for up to three weeks.

Solskjaer is facing up to the prospect of being without his entire first-choice midfield and two thirds of his attack as United attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit in their Champions League round of 16 tie with PSG next week.

Solskjaer said: "I've never seen the like of this before, three hamstrings in the first-half.
“Rashy obviously was kicked, he did his ankle straight away, we should have taken him off as well.
  “But we’ve got some good kids coming through, so we’ll have 11 players on the pitch on Wednesday night. And luckily we’ve got two days’ recovery.”

Match report: Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool

The biggest game in English football once again failed to live up to the hype as a brave but injury hit United stifled league leaders Liverpool at Old Trafford.
It was a captivating if cautious contest that saw four substitutions before half-time, a Premier League record. Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard - who had come on for Mata - all went off injured, and Marcus Rashford was forced to play 70 minutes on one leg, effectively reducing United to ten men.
Rashford was hurt in a challenge with Jordan Henderson after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had already used his three options off the bench. Nemanja Matic is expected to be out for a couple of weeks having picked up an injury in training on Friday.
For their part, Liverpool lost Roberto Firmino after half an hour and without him his side struggled to pose any sort of threat in front of goal in what was was a typically intense encounter. It was a match with plenty of perspiration but little inspiration.

The constant disruptions made for a disjointed first half and neither side could truly find their rhythm after the break - although the lack of quality did not affect the raucous atmosphere throughout.
Jurgen Klopp's side failed to truly test United keeper David de Gea, with a shot from distance by Firmino's replacement Daniel Sturridge their only shot on target in the 90 minutes.
United had the best chance of the game, but Alisson brilliantly denied Lingard after he ran on to Romelu Lukaku's pass and attempted to go around the Reds keeper. Lingard's return from injury was a brief one as he only lasted 17 minutes before being hurt in a collision with the visiting custodian.

 Matic's replacement, Scott McTominay, was making his first league start since Solskjaer took charge in December and ended up being one of the outstanding players of United's makeshift midfield.

First Herrera was forced off, to be replaced by Andreas Pereira after 21 minutes, with Mata limping off four minutes later after he was hurt in a crucial challenge with Mohamed Salah.

 Both sides were searching for that killer pass that would break the deadlock and after 40 minutes it looked for all the world that Romelu Lukaku had produced the key to unlock Liverpool’s defence.

The hosts had broken away and Old Trafford was on its feet as the Belgian steadied himself and then slipped a beauty of a ball through to meet Lingard’s run. Liverpool’s Brazilian keeper Alisson, however, had read the danger and came out quickly to smother the England attacker's attempt to glide past him. Lingard appeared to tweak a hamstring as he stumbled beyond Alisson and was himself replaced by Sanchez before half-time.

Understandably, those changes left United lacking spark in attack - especially because Marcus Rashford played on despite also appearing to pick up an injury early on.
At the other end, however, United yielded nothing, and Solskjaer deserves nothing but credit for the way he reorganised his side. We worked hard, kept our shape superbly and - just as Ashley Young did in last year's fixture - forced Salah to the fringes as he was magnificently shackled by man of the match Luke Shaw.

Lukaku forced another smart stop from Alisson, and Paul Pogba also went close with a header from a free-kick shortly after the restart. Twice, United thought we had nicked victory when, first, Joel Matip turned into his own net from a Young free-kick, but replay showed that Chris Smalling was fractionally offside.  United soaked up Liverpool efforts to smash down the door and, at  the other end, almost snatched a victory at the death. Just as the electronic board went up to signal two minutes of added-on time, Lukaku fired over a low cross that just evaded both Alexis and Smalling as they raced towards goal looking for the winner.

Overall team performance: 7/10

United Faithful Man of the Match: Luke Shaw.