Adrian Durham calls for Manchester United game to be rescheduled

Manchester United’s injury crisis should have lead to their midweek clash against Crystal Palace being postponed, according to talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham.

United are set to play their fixture tonight at Crystal Palace without up to 10 first team players, including Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford and had made all three substitutions against Liverpool by half-time on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team come into the game one point shy of Arsenal in fourth as they look to get back into the top four and have won all seven away games under the Norwegian since he took over.

Despite their multitude of injuries, United will still likely have the likes of David De Gea, Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku in their starting XI, boasting a squad depth most would dream of.

Still, Durham feels the game should not take place and should be rearranged to a time where United have a full squad of players to select from.

On the fixture, Durham told talkSPORT: “The game vs Crystal Palace tomorrow should have been postponed. Manchester United have 10 players out.

“Even if you discount Mason Greenwood, a very talented youngster who isn’t a first-team regular, their injury list is crazy.

“[Jesse] Lingard, [Juan] Mata, [Marcus] Rashford, [Ander] Herrera, [Phil] Jones, [Nemanja] Matic, {Matteo] Darmian, [Antonio] Valencia, [Anthony] Martial.

“United have been robbed of all these players.

“It’s an unusual set of circumstances. We don’t have many midweek fixtures in the Premier League throughout the season.

“I love them, but what I don’t love is watching United’s second string playing. If this was a cup tie they’d be accused of playing a weakened side!

“The Premier League is supposed to be the elite at the end of the day.

“People pay a lot of money for tickets and television subscriptions to watch games and catch up on the highlights.

“Yet in this instance we’re saying United have got to play this game, with most of their best players out injured. It baffles me.”

Whilst it is tough on United to play a game without the majority of their first team stars, there is absolutely no scenario where a team should be forced to reschedule their fixture due to a growing injury list.

This is the Premier League, not non-league football where games can be rescheduled with far less logistics involved.

Every team will suffer with injuries throughout the season and there is no way that one of the top-six sides in the Premier League should receive any additional privileges, something which many argue would not be considered for those outside the ‘elite’.

When one door closes another one opens and that is certainly the case for the trio of youth players that have since been called-up to travel with the first team squad tonight. Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong and James Garner will all be involved at Selhurst Park tonight, potentially then having the opportunity to make their mark.

It is how Marcus Rashford was first offered his chance to feature in the first team when Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial were both ruled out of a Europa League tie against Midityland.

In the days where it is harder than ever for young players to break into the first team at Premier League clubs that are filled with millions of pounds worth of talent, chances are few and far between for academy players.

Tonight should be a rare opportunity for Gomes, Chong and Garner to gain some invaluable experience in a matchday Premier League squad and is something which should be embraced, not dismissed for another day.