Top spot secured, no injuries, valuable game time for squad players and confidence boosting performances from Cedric Itten and Ianis Hagi all point to a successful Thursday night’s work against Lech Poznan but attention is now turned to Dundee United at Tannadice.
Ryan Jack and perhaps more tellingly, Filip Helander, sat out the trip to Poland with Steven Gerrard confirming that both players were being saved for the weekend, however, this doesn’t mean that both players will start.
The gaffer rested/rotated a host of regular starters and as such, the starting line-up will be as near to full strength as possible come kick-off time, with United still missing several players due to the Covid-19 outbreak at the club.
This is my predicted XI that Gerrard will go with as we look to continue our impressive start to the season and pile further pressure on those across the city.
Leon Balogun has played the last few games so he should be rested for the returning Helander, at least the big Swede was isolating rather than actually being injured and should be dying to get back into the thick of the action.
In midfield, I reckon Jack will come off the bench, rather than start, with one eye on the league cup game with St Mirren in mid-week, Bongani Zungu impressed but it may be a case of managing his minutes just now until he gets up to speed – the extra substitutes that are allowed has been a huge benefit when it comes to the engine room, being able to make earlier changes has kept them fresh whilst also posing problems for the opposition.
In rugby there is a common game plan of having “starters” and “finishers”, in this case the attacking midfield duo of Scott Arfield and Joe Aribo are deployed to suffocate their opposite numbers higher up the park and assist the attack before Glen Kamara and co come on to see the game out.
The “first choice” front three were all rested against Poznan with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos coming off the bench for the last ten minutes, Kemar Roofe not making the trip at all, no doubt they will be looking to take it out on Dundee United when they are unleashed – the opportunity to take a 16 point lead is all the motivation they need.