Youthful Manchester United XI that can restore some pride against Crystal Palace

Patrick McCarry

David De Gea is getting a game off as he had endured enough.

Even if Manchester United beat Crystal Palace, on Sunday, May 22, they will still finish with their worst points total in Premier League history.

United have cobbled together only 58 points in what has been an abysmal league campaign. The club’s previous Premier League low was 64, but five straight away defeats in a row mean they will fall well short of that meagre tally. They are currently sixth, the highest they could mathematically finish, at this stage, and could slip as low as eighth by season’s end.

Following the club’s latest tanking, this time at the hands of usually goal-shy Brighton, interim United boss Ralf Rangnick said sorry, again, to the club faithful.

“We were second best,” he admitted. “We can only apologise to the supporters. It was a terrible performance and a humiliating defeat.

“We gave them too much time, too much space. We couldn’t get into a position to stop them playing through our lines. The game plan was completely different. We told the players to be as compact as possible and then to release pressure on them. We couldn’t stop them.”

Erik Ten Hag will come in and continue with a large squad overhaul that has already begun. While Nemanja Matic has already announced he is leaving the club, this summer, others like Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, Edinson Cavani and more will be heading on.

Rangnick did not have to afford farewell outings to many of these players, but he looked to do his best to accommodate as many as possible. He was rewarded for given out Old Trafford swan songs with that object Amex Stadium performance, on Saturday. With one game to go, he should jettison the lads that clearly don’t fancy putting in the effort and give youth a chance.

Alvaro Fernandez (L) and Alejandro Garnacho Ferreyra of Manchester United ahead of the Premier League match against Brentford, at Old Trafford. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

A youthful Man United XI

We have taken a run at naming a Manchester United XI that could well offer their suffering supporters a glimpse of the future while still giving Palace a decent game.

David De Gea gets pulled from the line of fire, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Alex Telles are all out, as is Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes. That midfield pair do say they care, and front up for media duties, but neither are close to form.

Charlie Savage, Björn Hardley, Alvaro Fernandez and Alejandro Garnacho Ferreyra are straight into the starting XI, and we would sprinkle more youth – from Shola Shoretire, Charlie McNeill, Hannibal Mjebri, Zidane Iqbal – on the bench.

Further up the pitch, Juan Mata and Cristiano Ronaldo get another chance to link up, and Anthony Elanga – a positive in an otherwise woeful season – starts too.