With Manchester United not in action until a week on Saturday it's time to take stock ahead of the final few weeks of the season.
Having been knocked out of the FA Cup to Wolves last weekend their only chance of silverware is to win the Champions League but a tough test against Barcelona is next for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
The Norwegian has been interim manager at the club for three months now and there's plenty of speculation about when and if he will be the man that is announced as permanent manager to replace Jose Mourinho after his sacking in December.
We asked fans on Facebook and Twitter to submit the questions they wanted answering and with the summer transfer window around the corner plenty are wondering who United are going to sign.
Scroll down as MEN football writer Charlotte Duncker answered the best of the bunch.
Marcos Rojo
This question has come from ‘Team Marcos Rojo’ asking if Rojo should get a chance alongside Lindelof:
Personally think he’s not shown enough as to why he should be alongside Lindelof at the back as the other options in the squad are better. With United in the market for a centre back as well it’s unlikely he’ll get his chance there next season to establish himself as first choice.
On Champions League
Zac on Facebook asks if United can win the Champions League:
After what happened in Paris, especially given United were without 10 first team players, anything is a possibility. But, having watched Barcelona recently and the form Messi is in it really is going to take something special from Solskjaer’s side to progress to the next round and then there’s the likelihood of a semi final against Liverpool and the possibility of a Manchester derby in the final. They shouldn’t be written off after Paris but it’s looking very unlikely they’ll be lifting the trophy this year.
On youngsters
Conor M asks on Twitter:
What happened to all of our once promising youngsters like Borthwick-Jackson, Axel, and TFM? Did LvG simply think too highly of them? Do they still have a future in the squad?
In reality the future for them at United looks pretty bleak given who is currently at the club and the fact a defender is a priority to sign in the summer. Things haven’t worked out for Fosu-Mensah at Fulham so he’s yet to prove he has what it takes at Premier League level while Tuanzebe was impressing for Villa before fracturing his foot at the start of December.
With new defenders expecting to be joining they would have more chance of first team football elsewhere, Tuanzebe and Fosu-Mensah’s contracts are both up next summer (2020) so it will be interesting to see what career decisions they make this summer. If they want regular first team football they’ll have to look elsewhere.
Latest on De Gea contract
Plenty of questions on Twitter and Facebook asking what the latest is on De Gea’s contract.
United are still keen to tie De Gea down to a long term deal at the club but the delay at the moment is over agents fees. The club remain hopeful of reaching an agreement but agent demands mean nothing has been signed off yet.
Here’s a reminder of the last thing Solskjaer had to say on the issue at the start of the month: “No updates from me on that one.. Of course, the club and David are in dialogue, so hopefully they’ll agree. It’s out of my hands anyway, but I’m sure we’ll do what we can.”
On Mata
Doug Adams asks on Twitter:
I think Mata’s given United a lot and is a great club ambassador but do you see a future for him given that United just don’t play a no. 10 anymore - and if they did it would be Pogba? He’s just not a winger.
Mata is in the same position as Herrera in that his contract expires in the summer and the club are still in negotiations over a new deal. The Spaniard has a future at the club if he’s happy to be a squad player rather than a regular starter. He currently wouldn’t get in United’s best starting XI and that’s before United signing anyone else in the summer.
Ander Herrera
Leon Daly on Twitter asks:
How true are the rumours about Herrera going to PSG on a free? United need to give him a new contact quick.
MEN Sport understands reports he’s off to PSG aren’t true. The midfielder’s contract expires in the summer and the club have been in negotiations with him over a new deal since last year. It’s understood he wants to stay at Old Trafford but a new deal has yet to be agreed.
Challenging for the title
Question from Joe Jepson on Twitter:
Giving how well Ole has done since taking interim charge, with a good transfer window in the summer and buying the right players (CB, RW, CM) can United challenge for the league next season under Ole?
A lot is going to depend on the transfer window and also United’s rivals. Solskjaer has done well sin ce he arrived but United are still realistically a long way off their rivals in terms of challenging for the title. Liverpool, Spurs and City will all look to strengthen their squads in the summer so it’s going to be a big ask for United to win the league next season.
With a few additions they should be strong enough to challenge but a lot will depend on City and Liverpool and whether they can maintain the high levels of consistency this season, if they can it’s going to be difficult.
On Pogba
Amine Alaoui M’hamdi on Facebook asks:
Do you still think Pogba is captain material after his declarations about Real Madrid? And should United do whatever it takes to keep him at the club?
Pogba’s ‘dropping hints’ about his future is becoming the norm every time he goes away on international duty. It’s no secret that his agent, Mino Raiola, tried to get him a move away from United last year, however, things have improved for the World Cup winner since then.
In his comments he didn’t say he was looking to leave the club now and it would be more of a surprise if he saw his whole career out at United than didn’t. The days of players staying at one club for the vast majority of their career have gone and his open flirting with Real Madrid shouldn’t really come as a surprise.
He’s shown he has the right leadership qualities at the World Cup to lead a team so I’m not sure his comments this week change his ability to do that.
Live Manchester United Q&A
Right, let’s get this question and answer session underway.
We’ve had quite a few sent over on Facebook so I’ll start off by answering them but feel free to tweet any over in the meantime.
