MANCHESTER UNITED will be hoping to avoid an EFL Cup giantkilling when they host League Two side Colchester tonight.
The game will give United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the chance to give some of the fringe players and youngsters a run out.
Mason Greenwood will fancy his chances of scoring yet more goal when he comes up against ColchesterCredit: AP:Associated Press
But with that comes the risk of being on the end of a fairytale shock in the cup competition.
Solskjaer is set to rest his star keeper David De Gea to give Sergio Romero a run out.
Phil Jones is likely to partner Axel Tuanzebe at centre-half, with Ashley Young playing right-back and exciting youngster Brandon Williams on the left.
James Garner should get the chance to enhance his growing promise with a start in central midfield.
Old-timer Nemanja Matic will be alongside him to provide the experience.
GREENWOOD HUNGRY FOR MORE
Jesse Lingard will be hoping to continue his decent recent form on the right flank, with Andreas Pereira on the opposite side.
Juan Mata will be looking to supply the killer balls into lethal finisher Mason Greenwood up front.
SunSport has recently reported that the gaffer has admitted the 18-year-old is becoming impossible to leave out.
And that could spell bad news for misfiring French forward Anthony Martial.
Greenwood, 18, climbed off the bench to score an equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Everton on Sunday.
MARTIAL BETTER STEP UP
That came after he bagged a double in the 4-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League just three days earlier.
And ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Colchester, boss Solskjaer was reminded of the words of his mentor Alex Ferguson.
Solskjaer said: “Mason is making it hard for me to leave him out.
“It’s very, very difficult now to put a team out there without having Mason in my mind, yes.”
Martial has scored six this season including a vital one in the Manchester derby victory at the Etihad this month.
But he is the man most at risk from Greenwood, who is expected to get the nod against League Two giantkillers.
Solskjaer says winning this trophy would be huge for his young team.
The Norwegian added: “It’s massive for a player, the first trophy he wins, no matter which one it is.”
Man United striker, Mason Greenwood’s family have been offered ‘life changing’ sums of money to quit Old Trafford
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
