Confirmed XI: Rashford, Fernandes & Garnacho support Weghorst in attack against Leicester; Sancho & McTominay on the bench

Manchester United welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford in the Premier League this afternoon. United sit five points adrift of both league leaders Manchester City and second-placed Arsenal at this stage of the season and with both teams playing prior to United’s match on Sunday, could either see one or both teams eight points clear or one or both dropping points, either with a six point or still five points clear of United. If the latter happens, United need to capitalise.

United drew 2-2 with Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the UEFA Europa League play off round on Thursday evening, which will mean a feisty affair at the Theatre of Dreams next Thursday to find the victor of this match to reach the round of 16 stage of the competition. United will need to capitalise against Leicester too so they can keep their top four dreams alive in the Premier League this season. United sit five points clear of fourth-placed Newcastle United.

This means that United cannot end up lower that third this weekend so they have a cushion in their favour at this time but Newcastle do have a game in hand over them. They face Liverpool in the late kick off on Saturday evening, so that will be a big test for the team which has five draws in their last six matches. Leicester sit 13th in the league so far this season, six points ahead of the relegation zone but still close enough to be sucked into a relegation battle.

Manchester United

De Gea;

Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Shaw;

Fred, Sabitzer;

Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho;

Weghorst

Substitutes

Heaton; Malacia, Varane, Wan-Bissaka; Pellistri, McTominay, Mainoo; Sancho, Elanga

Leicester City

Ward;

Castagne, Souttar, Faes, Kristiansen;

Mendy, Dewsbury-Hall;

Tete, Maddison, Barnes;

Iheanacho

Substitutes

Iversen; Amartey, Pereira; Tielemans, Ndidi, Praet, Soumare; Vardy, Daka

United and Leicester have met 33 times in the Premier League with United winning 20 matches, drawing nine matches and Leicester winning four. United have scored 67 goals, winning four penalties, scoring three. Leicester have scored 31 goals, winning two penalties, scoring both. Last season, United lost 4-2 at the King Power Stadium but drew 1-1 at Old Trafford. This season, United have already beaten Leicester 1-0 at the King Power Stadium.

United have kept 15 clean sheets with Leicester keeping two. Discipline has been an issue in this fixture with United players shown 46 yellow cards and one red card and Leicester players shown 38 yellow cards and three red cards. United are in good form at this time, still fighting in four competitions with their fate in the Europa League to be found out on Thursday – three days prior to the Carabao Cup final where Erik ten Hag and United will go head to head with Newcastle.

John Curtis, Mark Robins, Danny Drinkwater, Matty James, Ron-Robert Zieler, Colin Gibson, Robbie Savage, Keith Gillespie, Ritchie De Laet, Tom Cleverley, Jonny Evans, Tom Lawrence, Michael Keane, Jesse Lingard, Nick Powell, Danny Simpson and Harry Maguire have played for both clubs. Cleverley, Evans and Lingard seem be the most successful, being that they have won things at United. Maguire is the most expensive though, despite his future being up in the air.

Written by John Walker