Selection crisis forces United to play Memphis up front against Watford

Manchester United picked Memphis Depay up front as an emergency striker for their Premier League match against Watford.

 

With Wayne Rooney laid low by illness and Anthony Martial and emergency back-up Marouane Fellaini both injured, United were short of options for Saturday’s early kick-off.

Youngster James Wilson didn’t even make the bench as Louis van Gaal chose to use Memphis in the central attacker’s role. 

The Netherlands international started the season as a No. 10 and has also been used wide on the left by Van Gaal – but this is the first time in competitive matches that he has been utilised as a centre-forward.

[FOLLOW LIVE: Watford v Manchester United, 12.45pm kick-off] 

 

Watford team: Gomes, Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Anya, Capoue, Watson, Abdi, Jurado, Deeney, Ighalo. Subs: Arlauskis, Oulare, Paredes, Ake, Guedioura, Ibarbo, Diamanti. 

Man Utd team: De Gea, Young, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Herrera, Lingard, Memphis. Subs: Romero, Rojo, McNair, Darmian, Goss, Pereira, Rashford. 

Van Gaal named 18-year-old striker Marcus Rashford on the bench as he made four changes from the team which beat West Brom 2-0, with Phil Jones, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera and Memphis coming in for Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Martial and Rooney.

 

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