It’s been a stange old season for Manchester United, whose supporters currently find themselves worried the team could yet blow their place in the Champions League for next season.
After six straight victories, Louis van Gaal has seen his side fall to three consecutive defeats without scoring a goal – whilst bitter rivals Liverpool have closed the gap on them to four points.
Whilst United are still expected to finish fourth, van Gaal will be concerned by the way in which his team are seeing their season collapse.
We can expect further big business in the summer, but in the event of a transfer window as disastrous as the one overseen by David Moyes in 2013, we have identified the worst possible XI United could field next season.
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Click on Louis van Gaal to reveal the worst Manchester United XI he could field next season
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Victor Valdes
The Spaniard is considered one of the top goalkeepers in Europe, yet Manchester United fans would be gutted to see him start next season as the number one, as it would mean David De Gea had moved on.
De Gea has been United’s outstanding player for the second season running, and United know they must do all they can to keep him from the lure of Real Madrid this summer.
Chris Smalling
The England man has improved as the season has gone on, but still he is not considered the long term answer for United as a centre back – and definitely not a right back.
There are still too many individual errors in his game, whilst his wreckless and stupid red card against Manchester City in the derby defeat in November was a particularly disappointing moment.
Jonny Evans
It has been a season to forget for the Northern Irishman, who has failed to establish himself as the senior centre back at Old Trafford at a time when the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic had departed.
Had it not been for the form of De Gea behind him, Evans may have already found himself shown the exit door.
His poor season was compounded when he was handed a retrospective six game ban by the FA for a spitting incident involving Papiss Cisse.
Paddy McNair
The young defender has been called upon far more often than he would have liked or expected this season, with his Manchester United career opening with a real baptimism of fire.
McNair has not done much wrong, but it is clear he is not ready to be playing so much first team football.
Van Gaal would have liked to have used him for the cup competitions alone, but their failure to land a centre back last summer has seen McNair considered a key first team player this term.
Ashley Young
The England man has rediscovered something approaching his best form during this season, but in his favoured position on the left wing.
Louis van Gaal has been forced to deploy him as a left back in recent weeks, and although Young has put a decent shift in – it is clear that is not where he belongs.
With Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind all capable of playing that position, we do not expect to see Young back there too often next season.
Phil Jones
It says a lot about Phil Jones that having been at Manchester United for almost four seasons, he is still best known for the faces he pulls when attempting to defend, rather than his ability as a footballer.
Again, Jones has not made the progress United fans would have hoped for, and is still far too rash in all he does.
Van Gaal will surely be eyeing at least two new centre backs in the summer, with everyone connected to the club still unconvinced Jones will go on to become this world class centre back everyone predicted he would when he was signed from Blackburn – whilst the experiment of using him as a holding midfielder has simply not worked.
Tom Cleverley
Tom Cleverley has spent the season on loan at Aston Villa, where before last weekend he had failed to register a goal or an assist over the course of the season.
Cleverley doesn’t look set to return to Old Trafford in the summer having failed to impress for the most part at Villa Park, and it would only be if United were to miss out on a host of top midfield targets that we would see him lining up in the red of Manchester United again.
Adnan Januzaj
The young Belgian is another who has endured a disappointing season at Old Trafford, despite plenty predicting he would go on to prove himself as the most exciting young talent in Europe this season.
Januzaj appears to be fighting for his Old Trafford future, after a season in which he has been shown more yellow cards for diving than he has managed to register goals or assists.
Nani
The Portuguese winger is still on Manchester United’s books, having spent the season on loan at Sporting Lisbon.
Again, it would mean United had missed out on a host of targets were we to see him lining up again next season – and even in that event it would seem unlikely.
But with many questioning why Nani did not leave the club several years ago, he has shown in the past he is a difficult man to move on!
Radamel Falcao
Nobody could have predicted quite how poor Radamel Falcao would be since moving to Old Trafford.
The Colombian has registered just four goals all season, and has looked half a yard off the pace in everything he has done.
Monaco are still demanding £40million for his services, so it would come as a major shock and disappointment if he were leading the line at Old Trafford at any point next season.
James Wilson
The 19-year-old is certainly an exciting young talent, but like McNair it is clear he is not quite ready for regular first team football.
Still somewhat raw and rash, Wilson is not yet at the same level as some of the other attacking players United have on the books.
A loan spell next season may well benefit him, with United still holding high hopes for his future at Old Trafford.