Which Manchester United forward will Jose Mourinho drop in favour of new boy Alexis Sanchez?

Alexis Sanchez’s arrival at Manchester United has sent shock waves through football in recent days and as the dust settles on one of the most lucrative transfer deals in Premier League history, United boss Jose Mourinho now has some big decision to make.

United’s new No.7 has to be a first pick in his team, so who will make way in a line-up that has struggled to find its spark in the final third at times this season?

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ANTHONY MARTIAL

The Frenchman has been in sparkling form in recent weeks and that may be because he was aware of the imminent arrival of Sanchez, who can play on the left side of an attacking United and may be a threat to Martial’s place in the team.

Mourinho took time to warm to Martial’s talents following his arrival as Red Devils boss in the summer of 2016, with United legend Ryan Giggs suggesting the Frenchman has take his game to a new level this season.

“Sanchez coming in is massive for United and you’re seeing the contribution already with Anthony Martial upping his performances,” stated new Wales manager Giggs in an interview with Sky Sports. “That can happen when top players come in, those around them lift their levels, and there will be some difficult selection decisions for Jose Mourinho.”

Verdict: Martial is in fine form and cannot be dropped at the moment, but there remains a suspicion that Mourinho has not warmed to his laid-back attitude. For now, he will not be the fall guy for Sanchez.

JESSE LINGARD

The United winger tweeted a somewhat cringe-worthy message welcoming Sanchez’s to Manchester on Monday, but he may wonder whether his arrival will affect his own future at the club.

Lingard has turned in some sparkling performances and scored some great goals for United this season, yet Sanchez would be favoured to start on the right side of midfield ahead of the homegrown star who has scored 11 goals in all competitions so far this season.

“I think he is improving with the progressive style of the team,” states Mourinho of Lingard. “We saw his improvement from pre-season and he has taken that on. I feel he understands how the team works now and we can see the results.”

Verdict: United have a proud tradition of having stars that have come through their academy set-up in their first team, but Lingard may face a battle to hang on to his place in the team if Mourinho opts to use Sanchez on the right side of his attacking quartet. However, he has done enough this season to confirm he can still play a role in United’s ambitions moving forward.

MARCUS RASHFORD

One of the brightest young talents in world football has been struggling to force his way into the team in recent weeks as he has struggled to add goals to his potential, with Sanchez’s arrival unlikely to help his cause.

Rashford has been deployed in wide positions by Mourinho over the last couple of seasons and it is hard to see him getting into the side ahead of an in-form Martial, star man Martial and Lingard on current form.

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However, time is on Rashford’s side at the age of 20 and he should benefit from working alongside Sanchez on a daily basis, with the goals he craves only likely to come if he files down the rough edges to his game.

Nine goals over the last season and a half are not enough to convince Mourinho to play Rashford in the central striking role he wants to excel in, but he should play plenty of games between now and the end of this season if United enjoy an extended run in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Verdict: Patience may not be a quality Rashford wants to display ahead of England’s World Cup adventure in Russia next summer, but his time will come at United, even if he is not a certain starter over the next couple of seasons.

ROMELU LUKAKU

United’s big summer signing has faltered after a sparkling start to his United career and Sanchez’s arrival could have an impact on his role in Mourinho’s team.

The United boss has traditionally liked to work with a powerhouse forward leading his line, but Sanchez offers him enticing options as he can play as a lead forward or release Anthony Martial to play in that role.

With doubts over the future of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at United amid rumours of a possible move to America or China in the coming weeks, Lukaku is likely to remain as United’s lead marksman for now…but Sanchez’s presence at the club means he needs to lift his game to ensure he is not sidelined.

Verdict: Mourinho needs Lukaku to prove he can shine in decisive games over the final months of the season and that means delivering key goals in the Champions League and Premier League. Sanchez’s invention should ensure the Belgian marksman gets the chances to do just that.

JUAN MATA

This Spanish international has struggled to make his mark in the United side at times this season and has scored just three goals over the course of the campaign, with Mourinho often leaving him out of key matches against top six rivals.

Sanchez could be used in an attacking role behind the lead striker alongside Paul Pogba and if that formation was implemented, there would be no room for Mata in United’s long-term plans.

There are already suggestions that the midfielder signed from Chelsea for £37.1m in January 2014 could be heading back to his former club Valencia next summer and it may be that the 29-year-old is most likely to miss out following Sanchez’s arrival.

Verdict: Mourinho has often to use Mata in games when United will dominate possession, but he will pick Sanchez ahead of him from now on against all opponents. Mata now looks like the odd man out in the United jigsaw…so expect him to leave the club next summer.