After a dismal start to the season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came as a beacon of hope for Manchester United. But following a brilliant start and securing the permanent job at Old Trafford, things have not gone so well for United and Solskjaer. Last weekend's humiliating 4-0 defeat against Everton in the Premier League was not an aberration. The Red Devils have now lost six of their last eight matches in all competitions as they prepare to face Manchester City tonight.
United are three points off top four and a loss in the Manchester derby can end their chances of qualifying to the Champions League next season. Getting a positive result against a team of Manchester City's calibre is never easy, so Solskjaer must get his playing XI right to stand any chance against Pep Guardiola's men.
Marcus Rashford has been one of the first names on the sheet under Solskjaer. The English forward started brilliantly under the Norwegian, scoring goals for fun. However, the 21-year-old has lost form as he has struggled to influence games like he was doing earlier in the season. This dip in form has not gone unnoticed as Manchester United legend Gary Neville also pointed it out.
The former right-back said that the talented youngster looked off the mark in both legs against Barcelona. He further said that he seems to be carrying an injury as he is not looking right. He said:
"I went to both Barcelona games. Marcus looks off it at the moment.
"Whether he’s carrying an injury. something’s not right, or the season has caught up with him."
A player like Jesse Lingard can be a better option than Rashford. The industrious forward will provide more balance to the team as he can play on the right wing. Lingard is a disciplined player as he is more than ready to help out his defenders when the team doesn't have the ball. This extra shied will be very useful against an attacking unit like Manchester City, who have scored 65 goals in the Premier League this season, the highest in the division.