Will Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata deliver on their world class reputations…
SEE ALSO: The Best Manchester United players of all time
1) Juan Mata
Manchester United’s record signing impressed under David Moyes last season, and many view his £37.1m capture from Chelsea as one of the few bright sparks of the Scotsman’s reign as Old Trafford boss. However, the Spaniard will be under pressure to flourish under the stewardship of Louis van Gaal – offering adequate midfield support for the likes of Ander Herrera and Michael Carrick while also providing the ammunition for strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. The 26-year-old will also want to prove former manager, Jose Mourinho, wrong – with the Blues boss having criticised the player prior to his Stamford Bridge departure for not being ‘clever enough’ to succeed.
2) Chris Smalling
The 24-year-old defender is no longer the inexperienced youngster that he once was. When Smalling moved to Old Trafford from Fulham in 2010, he had played just 13 Premier League games. Having now played well over 100 matches in all competitions for United, and become a fully-fledged England international, it is time for the player to make good on his overwhelming potential. The same is true, to a lesser extent, of teammate Phil Jones. Both players need to step up following the departures of long term defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and prove that they belong firmly in Louis van Gaal’s plans.
3) Ashley Young
The 29-year-old winger has been a shadow of his former self in recent years, and his decline can arguably be traced back to a missed penalty for England at Euro 2012. Since then, Young has scored three goals in 53 games for United, compared to eight in 33 prior to the tournament. It has been suggested that the former Aston Villa man could be used in a wing-back role next season, as Louis van Gaal pursues his 3-5-2 formation that proved so successful for the Netherlands at this summer’s World Cup. If this is to prove true, Young will need to remodel his game on Van Gaal’s ideals, and prove he deserves another chance at Old Trafford.
4) Shinji Kagawa
For now, it remains unclear as to whether the 25-year-old Japanese star will even remain at Old Trafford for long enough to play a part next season. However, if he does, he will need to offer his team more than he has done in his first two seasons at Old Trafford. After arriving under a weight of expectation from Borussia Dortmund in 2012, he has managed just 31 Premier League starts – scoring six goals – and was often used as a bit-part player by David Moyes last season. He will need to go some to prove he deserves a chance, especially following the arrival of Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao, but he could still provide useful contributions if he can rediscover his top form.
5) Wayne Rooney
For a player with aspirations of being Manchester United’s next club captain, the 28-year-old striker first needs to prove that he belongs in Louis van Gaal’s long-term plans. The forward has drawn criticism from some United fans after last year, when he failed to score 20 goals in successive seasons for the first time since 2006. His partnership with Robin van Persie still needs work and the pair’s understanding and inter-play still needs developing. However, it is likely that Van Gaal will gladly accept the challenge of helping Rooney rediscover his top form – with the Dutchman anxious to have his front-line firing as he attempts to lead the club back towards Champions League football, or even more.