Angel Di Maria should be starting for Manchester United, Liverpool need to drop Alberto Moreno – EPL talking points

United’s run-in in the league's final stretch is tough with tight affairs, and Di Maria’s class and unpredictability will be important if United are to finish above Manchester City or Arsenal in the top four.

The midfielder Angel Di Maria can be the big-match player Manchester United will need heading into games against many top teams in the final stretch. Peter Powell / EPA

Manchester United, with an eight-point lead over fifth-place Liverpool, are in a strong position to take a top-four spot and qualify for the Uefa Champions League next season.

Their next focus should be finishing at least third, which would mean they avoid a tricky Champions League play-off at the start of next season.

Manager Louis van Gaal has stumbled about all season trying to find a formation that works and, due in part to injuries and suspensions, he finally has a settled team. The side that started the last three games – wins over Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Aston Villa – is pretty much set.

The back five pick themselves, Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini in midfield are sure starters. Wayne Rooney will play up front on his own.

That just leaves the wide men. Ashley Young and Juan Mata have been in brilliant form, and you can see why Van Gaal kept an unchanged team for three games, leaving Angel Di Maria on the bench, following the Tottenham win.

However, United’s run-in is tough. Starting with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday, they then travel to Chelsea and Everton. They also host Arsenal in their penultimate league game.

These will be tighter affairs, and Di Maria’s class and unpredictability will be important if United are to finish above Manchester City or Arsenal in the top four.

Young has been brilliant, but he is functional in comparison to Di Maria, while Mata lacks the same pace and directness. Expect Van Gaal to bring his Argentine star back into the starting XI.

Moreno needs a break

When Liverpool spent £12 million (Dh66m) to buy Alberto Moreno from Sevilla in the summer, it seemed a bit of a risk.

The left-back, 22, had played fewer than 50 league games in Spain, and his inexperience showed during an awful debut away at Manchester City, where he was at fault for two goals in a 3-1 defeat.

He has played pretty well since, especially in an attacking sense, but in the past two games his defensive weaknesses have hurt Liverpool.

Moreno was all over the place with his distribution and positioning against Manchester United two weeks ago. Both of Mata’s goals came when he went walkabout, and he looked nervous in such a big game. On Saturday, the first goal came down his flank, and the combination of he, Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure on the left of Liverpool’s defence helped Arsenal win comfortably.

Moreno shows the folly of picking a full-back who is far better going forward than defending, and manager Brendan Rodgers hardly lacks for options. Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique could both play in that spot, while academy product Jon Flanagan – superb last season – is back from injury. It is time to give Moreno a rest.

Expect the unexpected

Each of the bottom four earned a result, with Leicester City, QPR and Sunderland winning and Burnley holding Tottenham to a point. It is a sign of things to come – seven games to go and only half the teams in the league have something to play for. It means the form book will be turned on its head several times before the end of May.

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