No Bruno or Rashford: Man Utd Starting XI if Conte Replaces Carrick

· GiveMeSport

Antonio Conte is believed to be a top target for Man Utd to replace Michael Carrick, and this is how he would likely line up his side if he took over.

Manchester United have had a nightmare season so far, and that has left manager Michael Carrick under intense pressure for his job.

The Red Devils have won just two games in all competitions so far this season, have been eliminated from the EFL Cup by Brighton, and are currently winless in their last five games after a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek.

There are some big concerns from the fans about whether Carrick is the right man for the job, and while the club continue to back Carrick as their man publicly, there have been some suggestions that they are already beginning to look at alternatives should they feel a change needs to be made.

Reports suggest that Antonio Conte is one of the men at the top of their list, with the two parties 'reaching an agreement' , and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the former Chelsea, Juventus, and Inter Milan boss is open to the job . But what would a Man Utd team under his management look like? GIVEMESPORT has taken an educated guess...

During his previous stint in the Premier League with Chelsea, Conte opted to go with a 3-4-3 system and won the title in his first season with the club. He is well known for his fitness regimens, and with United struggling in that sense so far, it's likely he'd stick with what he knows.

The goalkeeper position is one that is almost certainly not in any danger of being changed any time soon, with the Belgian sure to keep his place in the side ahead of Karl Darlow and Tom Heaton.

Conte has never been afraid to make the big decisions, as he showed by dropping John Terry during his time at Chelsea, because he couldn't keep up with his demands. Harry Maguire would likely find himself in a similar spot, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it would be unlikely that he forces his way into the side.

Yoro is the athletic, young star who he can develop, and can also play the ball out from the back, while Martinez is the warrior he loves, and his ability on the ball would be great too for the way that Conte likes to build up play.

Ayden Heaven, Noussair Mazraoui and Luke Shaw would also likely be options off the bench as the season progressed.

Wing-backs have been a major talking point at Old Trafford in the last 18 months after Ruben Amorim's stint, but there is nobody who can implement it as well as Conte can, and if he were to come in, he could make Dorgu a key part of his plans going forward.

Conte is the man who made Victor Moses a Premier League-winning wing-back through his coaching methods, and Dorgu's ability to cover ground on the wing, plus Luke Shaw's injury history, would make the Denmark international a regular starter.

The Portugal international gets a lot of flack for his performances, and sometimes rightly so, but there's no doubting that he is an athletic specimen who also has great quality on the ball, and his ability to go in both directions constantly will be something the Italian coach is a big fan of.

Central midfield is arguably the most important area of the pitch for Conte's system, and Baleba could well become his new version of N'Golo Kanté at Man Utd. Alongside him, the quality of Kobbie Mainoo would likely shine through for him, just as it did for Cesc Fabregas at Chelsea or Paul Pogba at Juventus under his tutelage.

With Andrey Santos, Mason Mount, and Youri Tielemans also able to offer different options, United's rebuild looks excellent on paper, and Conte could be the perfect manager to get the best out of them.

Conte's forwards in this system generally start out wide but are capable of drifting in field and occupying spaces like a number ten, allowing the wing-backs to provide the width. That makes the spot perfect for someone like Cunha, who loves to carry the ball, can beat a man, and also has a good eye for a pass or finish.

That would mean that Marcus Rashford would likely struggle for game time, although Conte would certainly find a use for him in some games.

Thinking back to Conte's teams, he likes to have at least one workhorse in his attacking lineups to help win the ball back higher up the pitch, and there is nobody better suited to the role at Man Utd than Amad. He has the quality to make a real difference in the final third too, which is a bonus, and makes him the ideal option for the right-sided forward role.

Bruno Fernandes's inability to dribble or move wide could see him pushed out of the side, and with his contract situation at the club , that may not be the worst thing in the world.

If there is one thing that Conte loves in his teams, it's a physical, target man-like striker who can pin opponents, make the ball stick, and bring his teammates into the game. Sesko fits the bill perfectly, and if he can stay fit, he would love to work under Conte as the first-choice striker.

Bryan Mbeumo and Joshua Zirkzee would be other options for the number nine role, but they would have to bide their time on the bench.

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