SO WHO WILL FEATURE FOR THE RED DEVILS AT HUISH PARK ?

With no European football on their agenda for this season, Manchester United will see the FA Cup as an opportunity to win some silverware when they begin their Cup campaign against Yeovil Town.

Manager Louis Van Gaal, who will be embarking on his first tie in the world’s oldest knock-out competition, will no doubt want to avoid a repeat of the Red Devils’ elimination by another League One side, MK Dons, in the Capital One Cup. Therefore, it is highly likely that he will be looking to select a reasonably strong line-up.

In goal, Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea has been in fine form this season – underlining his credentials as the heir apparent to Iker Casillas at international level - but it is possible that Van Gaal may look to rest him for their meeting with the Glovers.

One alternative to the Spaniard is Danish custodian Anders Lindegaard – who has warmed the bench on several occasions in the Premiership this season.

Young defenders Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair may feature in the centre of defence. Both players have progressed through the club’s youth ranks into the Red Devils’ first team this season; Blackett has received international recognition with Gareth Southgate’s England Under-21’s, whilst McNair was called up into the Northern Ireland senior squad for their most recent Euro 2016 qualifier against Romania.

It is possible that Van Gaal could be looking for an experienced figure to play alongside one of them. Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans, who is now the club’s longest serving central defender – following the summer departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic – certainly fits that bill. The same could also be said of England duo Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

Should Van Gaal opt to play a 4-4-2 formation – the Dutchman has spent much of the current campaign deploying the 3-5-2 system he used with Holland at the World Cup in Brazil last summer - Brazilian right-back Rafael could feature on the right hand side of the defence, or Jones may be deployed as a makeshift full-back.

Luke Shaw, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury and is set to return to action on Boxing Day, would be seen as an ideal candidate to fill the left-back role if Van Gaal decides on a four-man defence.

In midfield, Belgian international Adnan Januzaj and Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia could feature on the wings. Januzaj was handed his debut last season by David Moyes, but hasn’t featured as often in the current campaign following the arrival of club record signing Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid.

Vice-captain Michael Carrick and third-captain Darren Fletcher are leading candidates to lead the Red Devils out at Huish Park, should club captain Wayne Rooney not feature. They could be joined in the centre of midfield by Belgian international Marouane Fellaini or academy graduate and England Under-21 international Jesse Lingard. Another option for the Red Devils in midfield is Spanish international Juan Mata who received an FA Cup winners’ medal with Chelsea in 2012.

Van Gaal may see the cup tie as an ideal opportunity to rest his fellow Dutchman Robin Van Persie. If that is the case then Rooney or Colombian loan signing Radamel Falcao are the leading candidates to the lead the Red Devils’ attack.

The tie could also provide the United boss with a chance to give a run out to rookie striker James Wilson. After coming through the club’s youth ranks, Wilson has impressed since he was handed his debut during Ryan Giggs’ spell in charge as caretaker manager, following the dismissal of Moyes, and might feature at Huish Park.

Regardless of the outcome of the tie, it will surely be remembered as another of the great FA Cup matches in Yeovil Town’s history.

Probable line-up: (3-4-1-2) Lindegaard; McNair, Evans, Blackett; Januzaj, Fletcher, Lingard, Shaw; Mata; Rooney, Wilson

An abridged version of this article appeared in the Sunday Independent on December 28th 2014.