Lakshay Khurana
Manchester United’s world-record signing Paul Pogba is suspended for Sunday’s game against Bournemouth. Pogba picking up two bookings in last season’s Coppa Italia while at Juventus earned him the ban.
Chris Smalling is also banned, but the new signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly are available and are most likely start their opening game.
Pogba has been shown only one red card in his entire club career, when he was sent off for spitting during a 1-0 win for Juventus over Palermo in May 2013, the French midfielder picked up two yellow cards in last season’s Coppa Italia – an offence that results in a one-match ban. The 23-year-old was warned in both the semi-final victory over Inter Milan and the final against AC Milan, which the Serie A champions won 3-0 on penalties.
The new United manager José Mourinho only learned two days ago that he would be without his main summer signing for his new club’s opening fixture. The news sure has disappointed the fans as well, as the hype around Pogba has been over the clouds recently, and the news of him being banned is a massive let down.
But that isn’t really a problem. Jose now has to decide the player who will play instead of the new signing. And he has a very clear choice – Juan Mata.
It is very safe to assume that Mata wasn’t probably going to start against Bournemouth originally. But he seems to be the player who is the next best option to play at the midfield. Mata can absolutely do the job that was anyway offered to the Frenchman.
Mourinho can start the team with the formation of 4-1-3-2 on Sunday and put the Spaniard right behind the two strikers (Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney, most probably).
The former Chelsea player along with Anthony Martial and the new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan can be a lethal weapon. In fact, it will be a delight to see Mata and Mkhitaryan link up together with their well-known interplay skills, and that too in a non-friendly match finally. One thing will be for sure, and that is; Ibrahimovic wouldn’t complain later on regarding less chances created.
AFC Bournemouth has a good record against Manchester United despite the fact that they finished 16th last season. But the United squad looks very different from last time, and much more stronger.
Even without Pogba, United are obviously the favourites to win their opening game. They still have Zlatan up front and the rest of the formidable line-up behind him to make sure they grab three points.
