It’s been a funny old season at Manchester United.
They currently sit 14th after three wins, one draw and three defeats from their opening seven matches. Impressive wins at Newcastle and Everton have been the highlights, but they’ve also suffered home losses to Crystal Palace, Arsenal as well as a 6-1 hammering against Tottenham.
It’s a similar story in the Champions League. Fine victories against Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig were following up by a terrible defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir.
Inconsistency is the word.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has struggled to fit new £40 million summer signing Donny van de Beek into his starting XI, while Paul Pogba has also had to make do with a bit-part role.
Solskjaer has been criticised for not always picking the right XI each week by United fans. But who would they pick if they were in charge?
Well, Manchester Evening News gave supporters the opportunity to rate the performances of every player in United’s squad and, using those ratings, have formed an XI based on the fans’ vote.
There are a few surprises…
GK: David de Gea
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
CB: Victor Lindelof
CB: Axel Tuanzebe
LB: Luke Shaw
DM: Scott McTominay
CM: Fred
CM: Bruno Fernandes
AM: Donny van de Beek
ST: Marcus Rashford
ST: Edinson Cavani
So, we have no Harry Maguire, no Paul Pogba and no Anthony Martial.
Despite being club captain, Maguire was rated a 5.7 by fans, below Lindelof (6.4) and Tuanzebe (6).
Unsurprisingly, Fernandes was the highest-rated player coming in at 8.4. He formed a midfield diamond with McTominay (6.3), Fred (7.2) and Van de Beek (6.2). Pogba scored just 4/10.
In attack is Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani, whose ranking of 5.8 beat Mason Greenwood (5.7) and Martial (5.6)
The fans have spoken, Ole.