We take a day off from the gloom of the Premier League tonight when we face the team from Hillsbrough who I’m confident will be backed by a large and loud following from South Yorkshire. With fixtures up and coming against Chelsea (h), Man City (a) and the Mackems (a) this is a game which we just have to win if any kind of morale and hope for the season is to be kept alive.
Before the season started we had a lot of promises about attempting to win a trophy but tonight will see the proof in the
pudding because it would not be overly surprising were the powers that be at United, alarmed at our poor PL results decide to revert to type and lean on the manager with the team selection.
Not that I’m suggesting McClaren has anything like the wealth of riches to choose from for this game. A reported “knock” (ahem) to Colback means Haidara absent through an injury himself means we’ll have no recognised left-back in the team tonight. Obviously this is a challenge but it’s one that doesn’t really come as a surprise as it’s something we’ve been expecting since Santon was sold and no replacement has come as a left-sided defender.
I read with interest McClaren defending both Cisse and Tiote from claims they are “bad eggs” (in particular Tiote) but neither will play tonight. Cisse has been beyond poor this season and who knows when Tiote last had a decent game for United. Or just started a game to be honest.
Also unavailable tonight is Steven Taylor who is injured. Again.
Our man Wallace Wilson has Wednesday lining up with a 4-4-2 formation against us but as McClaren has admitted his 
team doesn’t yet have an identity (does he?) it’s almost an impossible task to predict our formation for this game. What we have to do however is to play with much greater pace, intensity, possession and we have to attack.
Personally, I’d give the following a go:
Krul
Mbemba Coloccini Lascelles
Wijnaldum
Thauvin Sissoko Aarons Janmaat
De Jong
Perez
But I don’t think McClaren will.
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MICHAEL MARTIN – Follow on @tfeditor1892
sort of – 3 at the back – Thauvin getting up and down the flank as per Janmaat but in a more advanced role.
If McClaren played Janmaat as a left winger as I think your suggesting he’d be absolutely hammered for it.
apologies – Janmaat on the right hand side pushed on – 3 at the back – Janmaat up and down the line giving width.