Manchester United will play host to Cardiff in their final Premier League game of the season, heading into the last day of the campaign marooned on 66 points and having waved goodbye to playing in the Champions League next term.
It has been a disappointing campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whose reign at Old Trafford started strongly with six straight league wins. Man Utd’s form has dwindled in the closing stages of the season, however, crashing out of Europe to Barcelona and abandoning their hopes of Champions League football following a stale 1-1 draw against Huddersfield in their penultimate league game.
United are the only top six side not competing for a trophy this season, with City on course to win the Premier League and having won the Carabao Cup, while Tottenham and Liverpool are facing off in the Champions League final and Arsenal and Chelsea as Europa League finalists.
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A spot in next season’s Europa League is confirmed, however, and Solskjaer will be expected to do a major squad rehaul this summer.
| Game | Manchester United vs Cardiff |
| Date | Sunday, May 12 |
| Time | 3pm BST / 10am ET |
| Stream (US Only) | fuboTV (7-day free trial) |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| USA Network | fuboTV (7-day free trial) |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on Sky Sports Football. It can be streamed via SKY GO Extra.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports Football | SKY GO Extra |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Man Utd squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | De Gea, Grant, Romero |
| Defenders | Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo, Young, Dalot, Jones, Shaw, Bailly |
| Midfielders | Pogba, Fred, Matic, McTominay, Pereira, Mata, Lingard, Herrera |
| Forwards | Lukaku, Rashford, Martial, Sanchez |
Jesse Lingard could feature after recovering from a knee problem, while Victor Lindelof is expected to be fit after picking up a knock during the 1-1 draw against Huddersfield.
Man Utd potential starting XI: De Gea; Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw; Herrera, McTominay; Chong, Pogba, Mata; Rashford
| Position | Cardiff squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Etheridge, Smithies, Murphy |
| Defenders | Ecuele Manga, Bamba, Connolly, Cunningham, Bennett, Peltier, Richards, Morrison |
| Midfielders | Arter, Camarasa, Ralls, Paterson, Gunnarsson, Bacuna, O’Keefe, Damour, Harris, Reid |
| Forwards | Murphy, Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Zohore, Ward, Healey, Niasse |
Harry Arter and Victor Camarasa will be absent due to injury.
Cardiff potential starting XI: Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Bennett; Gunnarsson, Bacuna; Mendez-Laing, Reid, Murphy; Ward
Betting & Match Odds
United are at 2/7 to win the match at bet365 . Cardiff can be backed at 10/1 while the draw is 11/2.
Click here to see more offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more.
Match Preview
Man Utd have no chance of playing in the Champions League season, blowing their last hopes last week with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Huddersfield. A spot in the Europa League has been confirmed, though an entry in the group stage will be confirmed with a fifth-placed finish.
Should Solskjaer’s men finish in sixth – which is awarded a Europa League place because Manchester City won the Carabao Cup but will be in the Champions League – their position of entry to Europe will depend on who wins the FA Cup.
And so, with nothing left to play for save for their own supporters, United should finish their league season with a victory over Cardiff to ensure that they start their summer on the right foot.
United are expected to undergo major squad surgery during the transfer window, with Ander Herrera the first to have confirmed his departure after five years at Old Trafford.
“There is red in my heart, I knew it from the first time I played here and in the moment that I started to wear it,” the Spaniard said in a farewell video released by the club.
“A club with thousands of fans that respect and remember all the players who give everything.
“I felt special when I heard my name chanted. I felt proud when the fans decided I was part of this incredible history.”
The final game against the Welsh side is set to be Herrera’s final appearance in the United shirt, while the fates of Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez are also up in the air following inconsistent and lukewarm seasons. Antonio Valencia and Juan Mata are also expected to be shown the door this summer.
Though Solskjaer was announced as the club’s permanent manager after taking over from Jose Mourinho on an interim basis in December, former Tottenham coach Tim Sherwood believes that that hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of Mauricio Pochettino taking the reigns at the north London club.
“Manchester United decided to go down the Solskjaer route but that’s not a guarantee Pochettino won’t be in their dugout in the near future,” he told Bwin.
“If United decide they’ve made a mistake, Tottenham are back to square one sweating over Pochettino’s future.
“That’s the stranglehold that a Manchester United can have on you as one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
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