Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dropped Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku from his starting XI to face Arsenal on Wednesday.
The pair were part of the United side to draw 2-2 with Southampton on the weekend, with Mourinho reportedly calling Pogba a virus in the aftermath.
What is the big team news for both sides? Five key things to know…
- Prior to the team news being announced, Arsenal boss Unai Emery had doubts Mesut Ozil would be fit having suffered with a back injury.
- And the German has not returned to full fitness in time, missing out for the third game in a row.
- Aaron Ramsey captains the Gunners, fresh from his two assists in Sunday’s win over Tottenham.
- Meanwhile, United start without their two record signings Pogba and Lukaku who have been dropped to the bench.
- There is, however, a first league start for Diogo Dalot and returns in defence for Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly.
Pogba and Lukaku are two of seven changes from the side which drew with Southampton, with only David de Gea, Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford keeping their spots.
United continue with a back five for the visit of Arsenal, but have been able to name a trio of centre-backs with Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo all returning.
Man Utd XI vs. Arsenal: De Gea; Darmian, Bailly, Smalling, Rojo, Dalot; Matic, Herrera, Lingard; Martial, Rashford.
Arsenal XI vs. Man Utd: Leno, Bellerin, Sokratis, Holding, Mustafi, Kolasinac; Guendouzi, Torreira; Ramsey, Iwobi, Aubameyang.
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) December 5, 2018
Arsenal, meanwhile, have made two changes from the team which started the win over Tottenham on Sunday.
The Gunners are without midfielder Granit Xhaka who is suspended having received his fifth yellow card of the season in the 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
His absence has brought to an end Xhaka’s impressive streak of featuring in the past 65 league games for Arsenal, with the last game the Swiss midfielder missed coming in a 2-0 win over Hull City in February 2017.
Granit Xhaka will not feature in a Premier League game for Arsenal for the first time since February 2017.
A 65-game streak of consecutive Premier League appearances comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/iDiatKnMsT
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 5, 2018
Xhaka is replaced in Emery’s starting XI by Matteo Guendouzi, while Aaron Ramsey comes in for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
United will be looking to close the gap on Arsenal in fourth place to seven points with a win, while Arsenal could potentially leapfrog Chelsea into third if the Blues slip up away at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
United fans react to Pogba and Lukaku missing out
Despite the poor performances in the draw with Southampton, United fans were not happy to see Pogba and Lukaku dropped to the bench.
When you see Eric Bailly and Anthony Martial starting but then you see Paul Pogba on the bench. pic.twitter.com/44WVUtRBQz
— Ryan.
(@Vintage_Utd) December 5, 2018
Pogba and Lukaku on the bench, are you kidding me? £164m worth 🤮
Who’s the virus??
— Josh (@ManUnitedMedia) December 5, 2018
— Ryan (@RW98___) December 5, 2018
5 at the back and Matic in front pic.twitter.com/It71xnHQlB
— Steve Langton (@langton301) December 5, 2018
Get this man out of my club
— FergieTime™️ (@SSIIIIUUUU) December 5, 2018
Mourinho sacked in the morning pic.twitter.com/6AWcoDI5Ih
— Toto (@TMartial11) December 5, 2018
Good joke lads, where’s the real team?
— Aidan Walsh
(@AidanWalshMUFC) December 5, 2018
— Shibani (@shibani_mufc) December 5, 2018
Is this some kind of sick joke ….
— Slick Rick (@slickz666) December 5, 2018
The post Man Utd vs. Arsenal team news: Pogba and Lukaku dropped by Mourinho as Emery starts Ramsey appeared first on Squawka News.
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