Manchester United went winless for the ninth straight game after a 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea on the road on Saturday.
The Red Devils delivered one of their best first-half performances of the campaign at Stamford Bridge and should have definitely scored.
The second half was a different picture as Morgan Rogers netted for the Blues with a brilliant run.
Lisandro Martinez, who was already on a booking, soon after gifted a penalty with a raised elbow on Wesley Fofana in the box.
The Argentine was subsequently sent off after a second yellow for the incident and will now be suspended for Aston Villa’s trip to Old Trafford next Sunday.
Martinez is still eligible to start for United against Roma in the Champions League at home on Tuesday, but we believe manager Michael Carrick should snub him.
The World Cup winner let the team down at Stamford Bridge, and he should be dropped from the starting line-up against the Giallorossi in midweek.
Another genuine reason is the need to prepare for Villa’s visit.
It does not make sense to play Harry Maguire and Martinez together on Tuesday, only for the latter to be replaced by another centre-back at the weekend.
With this in mind, we feel Carrick must start Matthijs de Ligt alongside Maguire against Roma and should persist with the same combination against the Villans.
The 27-year-old’s only appearance this year came in the 4-1 loss at Como, where he looked short of match sharpness after returning from a long injury lay-off.
The Dutchman has since been an unused substitute for the next two games, and one would expect De Ligt to be much fitter for Tuesday’s European showdown.
The £42.8 million signing was one of United’s best defenders last season before his untimely back injury, which ruled him out of action for almost an entire year.
His aerial presence and strong distribution have been a big miss for United, and Tuesday could represent another opportunity for De Ligt to prove his credentials.
Ayden Heaven is the other option for Carrick, but he has not been the most convincing as a central defender this term. He recently made multiple errors against Bournemouth.
Hence, De Ligt would be our outright choice to accompany Maguire against Roma, where a return to winning ways would provide a big confidence boost for the squad.
The Dutchman would also build some form and momentum to carry into the clash against the Villans, who could provide another stern test before the international break.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com