Paul Pogba.

Team news: Pogba and Matic return to face Arsenal

Sunday 10 March 2019 16:01

Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic have returned to the Manchester United side to take on Arsenal in the Premier League this afternoon.

Pogba missed Wednesday’s incredible Champions League win in Paris through suspension but has been selected to start against the Gunners, continuing his impressive record of starting every league game under Solskjaer.

“Of course Paul has been fantastic," Ole told MUTV ahead of the game. "I think Nemanja's experience is important for us," he added.

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"He has been working really hard since his little injury. Now in the last week... he wanted to come to Paris as well but there was no way I was going to take that risk."

The Serbian is back after missing the last four matches with a muscular problem and will accompany Pogba and Fred in a midfield three.

Fred enjoyed perhaps his best performance in a Red shirt during our last outing and means he has been selected at the Emirates ahead of in-form Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay.

“He [Fred] was fantastic over there,” Ole told Sky Sports. “You could see after 30 seconds he gets up to [Marco] Veratti or whoever it was and wins the ball for us, it was never a foul, and he just grew in confidence from then.”

Ahead of them, Diogo Dalot, who was also excellent at the Parc de Princes, has been selected from the off and is expected to line up on the right-hand side of a front three.

Wednesday’s match-winners Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku start in tandem again, with the latter hoping he can add to his recent scoring spree. The Belgian has bagged a brace in his last three outings and will be aiming for a similar outcome in the capital.

At the back, Ole has selected the same defence that finished in Paris, with Ashley Young dropping into his regular position of right-back.

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In the heart of defence Victor Lindelof will partner Chris Smalling, who is making his 200th Premier League appearance for United, while Luke Shaw continues at left-back.

David De Gea has kept a clean sheet in four of his last five away games in the Premier League and will looking to add another this afternoon.

United: De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw; Fred, Matic, Pogba; Dalot, Lukaku, Rashford.
Subs: Romero, Bailly, Rojo, McTominay, Andreas, Martial, Greenwood.

Arsenal: Leno; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
Subs: Cech, Mustafi, Elneny, Guendouzi, Suarez, Iwobi, Nketiah.

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