Manchester United: Picking a United Starting XI to Beat Stoke City

Stoke City are a Premier League team renowned for their hard-nosed, uncompromising football—a style that perfectly embodies their manager, Tony Pulis.

The Potters visit Old Trafford this Saturday in a game that Manchester United will by no means underestimate.

But Sir Alex Ferguson's side has historically dealt well with Stoke, the visitors not having won at Old Trafford in 28 years.

They come to Manchester off the back of a relatively poor run of games that has seen them claim only a single victory this current campaign.

However, hard-fought matches against Manchester City and Liverpool yielded two draws, whilst Tony Pulis' team were unlucky to leave Stamford Bridge without a point last month.

The game will undoubtedly be won or lost in midfield in a tight, grinding affair and it is unlikely that there will be many goals scored.

Therefore, in picking an ideal starting XI for United, I wouldn't hesitate to suggest the team continues with its highly effective diamond formation—one that so dominated Newcastle in the first half of the last EPL encounter.

The quick passing and movement of Tom Cleverley and Shinji Kagawa will combine beautifully once the two creative midfielders develop a telepathic understanding, and it will be an easy choice to play the pair in front of a deep-lying Michael Carrick.

Carrick played his best football so far this season at Newcastle just in front of the defence—a role that he excels most in.

In terms of an attacking threesome, Wayne Rooney is the central player, who will no doubt drop back at times to fill the trequartista position at the top of the diamond.

This may push striker Robin van Persie out a little wider than is preferable, but the formation doesn't allow him the freedom to play the lone striker.

Danny Welbeck may have played well against San Marino this past weekend, but it is only San Marino after all—hardly the most testing of international opposition.

His finishing this season has just not looked up to par, and if Sir Alex were to deploy two strikers, I believe he would favour Javier Hernandez in the starting lineup.

Paul Scholes is another unfortunate exclusion, but United need to start relying on a team capable of playing together in the long term—rather than the effective stopgap that the Ginger Wizard has proven to be in recent months.

With no word yet on whether or not Antonio Valencia will be back fighting fit on Saturday, I'm inclined to pick him in the XI—but his is a cautious inclusion.

With the winger in a much more advanced role, and with three (four if you count Rooney) central-minded players, it would allow full-backs Patrice Evra and Rafael to push forward a lot more often.

In central defence, Phil Jones and Nemanja Vidic are sure to miss the game due to injuries, but with Chris Smalling nearing a return, things are looking up for the Red Devils back line. Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans keep their places in my team.

In goal, I'm plucking for David de Gea, despite the fact that I strongly believe Sir Alex will instead choose Anders Lindegaard to continue his policy of rotation.

With the giant Peter Crouch threatening the United goal from set-pieces and crosses, whichever keeper does play must be on guard for the obvious dangers that lurk.

So there you have it, my choice for the best Red Devils starting XI to take on Stoke, and hopefully get a valuable three points to keep them close to league leaders Chelsea.

How about you? Who would you pick to take on Stoke in this Saturday's game?

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