Arguably Manchester United’s biggest game of the season, the Red Devils come into this crunch match against Leicester City in poor form.
Draws to West Ham United and Southampton in recent weeks has derailed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men somewhat in their pursuit of a top four position.
The Foxes, likewise, have been through their own slump of form, relinquishing their third position and now, as things stand heading into the final game, lying in fifth. Brendan Rodgers has lost out on several key members of the squad through injuries, and will still be without James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Caglar Soyuncu.
In order for Manchester United to step up to the plate, they will need their two-man midfield duo Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba to control the balance of the game. In the matches in which they have struggled in most recently, a lack of influence from the middle of the park was the key factor.
With an all-dominating midfield, it allows the Red Devils’ front four to operate in a free-flowing fashion. Bruno Fernandes, with an extra day’s rest, should be able provide the platform for Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to exploit the vulnerabilities of Leicester.
The Foxes have conceded seven goals in their last three Premier League matches, which included their self-combustion against AFC Bournemouth. It is fair to say that their record since the restart has been woefully poor for a team chasing Europe’s top-tier competition, having only won two games from a possible nine.
Manchester United know the task at hand is not the easiest to overcome, but with what they have shown since the lockdown ended and football resumed, they have the tools and, most importantly, the qualities to best Leicester and claim qualification for the Champions League next season.
I am an NCTJ-qualified sports writer that is dissecting some of the biggest talking points around Europe, so make sure you keep up to date with my articles!