Team selection is so often a thankless task.
Somebody somewhere is going to find an issue with the XI you pick for any given game and there was no exception to that rule on Wednesday when Jose Mourinho named a rather strong starting line-up for Manchester United’s Europa League Round of 32 second leg tie at Saint-Etienne.
United are 3-0 up from the home leg, when a Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick put one of United’s feet in the Round of 16 draw.
And with the Red Devils having the Capital One Cup final against Southampton to look forward to on Sunday, more than a handful of supporters were questioning the decision to play some first-team regulars.
Here's how #MUFC will line up tonight… #UEL pic.twitter.com/zPSZ17yaV3
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 22, 2017
Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata and last week’s hat-trick hero are just some names who you’d expect to see taking to the Wembley pitch this weekend yet all start tonight in France, prompting supporters to complain because, well, that’s what supporters do.
@ManUtd why are we playing a team as strong as that we have a final on Sunday ffs
— Joe (@YanitedJoe) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd Tony resting for the final, should do the same with Paul and Henrikh as well
— Ryan (@RyanO199) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd IBRA shld have had some rest, he is key…all the same its a pretty good team capable of winning
— 5TH August (@optimisticguy05) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd why play Ibra…he will be 1st choice on sunday. They have to go for it so why not play rash or martial to hit them on the break.
— phil murphy (@philmurphy10) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd we should be playing our fringe players. so why do we have arguably 6 or 7 players we need to start this weekend starting today?
— Ashley Hatfield ? (@mDvGamerHD) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd Why Start Ibrahimović when we’ve got a cup final on Sunday??? Huhhhhhh
— Celery-7 (@RiskyRojo) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd why so strong ffs
— R ? (@PogbaMadness) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd could have given ibra a rest again what’s the point 3-0 up….
— Jonny Rutter (@jonny_rutter) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd we’re up 3-0 lads play the reserves for banter
— ️ (@Fellaini_Fro) February 22, 2017
@ManUtd IBRA shld have had some rest, he is key…all the same its a pretty good team capable of winning
— 5TH August (@optimisticguy05) February 22, 2017
