David Moyes conceded after Sunday's 2-2 home draw with bottom side Fulham that it cannot get much worse for his Manchester United team.
Tomorrow evening his players will come up against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. While the Gunners have title ambitions, their once sparring partner is struggling to hold on to the coattails of Everton in sixth spot.
So, with the criticism of his tactics following the failure to beat Fulham from supporters, the media and pundits still smarting the Scot, what more does he have to lose ahead of the trip to the capital?
With that in mind, Sports Mole has picked out the 11 United players that we feel should take to the pitch in North London.
Arsenal
First of all, there will be no surprises from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. He will continue with the 4-5-1 formation that has largely served him so well this season. Olivier Giroud will lead the attack, with the likes of Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil providing the support from advanced roles. In front of a four-man defence, Mikel Arteta will offer the protection alongside Jack Wilshere - fitness permitting - or Tomas Rosicky.
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Man United
Ever since he took office at Old Trafford, Moyes has been true to United's traditions. He's persisted with the 4-4-2 strategy, despite the destitute performances from wingers Antonio Valencia, Nani and Ashley Young. Such tactics culminated on Sunday in United sending 81 crosses into the Fulham area, with only 19 of them finding their intended target. He has since clarified his comments, but Fulham's former Darlington defender Dan Burn initially branded that style as Conference football.
As Sports Mole wrote following United's recent 2-1 defeat away at Stoke City, perhaps it's time for a change of approach. The majority of teams across Europe play with a 4-3-3 formation that can quickly revert into a 4-5-1. As Chelsea showed at Manchester City recently, such a gameplan can overpower the traditional 4-4-2 outlook. To avoid such circumstances costing him further points tomorrow, there is arguably no better time for Moyes to make the alteration.
Defence
Come the summer, there is a fair chance that Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand will join Nemanja Vidic in leaving the club once their respective contracts expire. So, with United's chances of retaining the title over and fourth spot a mere dot on the horizon right now, it's time to look to the future.
Just a few days after he announced his departure, Vidic was at fault for one if not both of Fulham's goals at the weekend. In a statement the Serb vowed to give his all for the club until the end of the campaign, but as Jamie Redknapp told the Daily Mail yesterday: "Once you know you are leaving a club, it is normal for your level to drop. I've played with people who knew they were leaving a club and it was clear that they had one eye on the future."
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Therefore, starting on Wednesday and continuing until the end of the campaign, Phil Jones should be given the opportunity to prove that he is worthy of the high praise that he received from Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of last term. His versatility has meant that he has been used at right-back and central midfield this season, but a run at centre-back is what he needs.
With Jonny Evans injured, Chris Smalling should be his foil, with Rafael da Silva at right-back. Evra must continue at left-back, despite the fact that he has been a defensive liability for at least the last 18 months. No disrespect to Alexander Buttner, but he has done nothing to show that he has the quality to perform week in and week out in the Premier League.
As for the goalkeeper, David de Gea will keep the gloves.
Midfield
Michael Carrick received many votes last year in the United Player of the Season poll, but this time around his displays have wilted. He's been a yard too slow on occasions, while his often neat passing game has at times eluded him. The fact remains, though, that there is little alternative to the England international.
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But who can partner him? Tom Cleverley has failed to impress, Darren Fletcher still does not look match fit - certainly for a game of this magnitude, while the great Ryan Giggs has been a passenger.
He faces a race against time to be fit, but if ever there was a moment for Marouane Fellaini to demonstrate that he was worth the £27m outlay, it's now. Wrist, hamstring and groin injuries have kept the Belgian sidelined since the beginning of December, but he could be included in the squad.
With a lot of the attention still fixed on club-record signing Juan Mata, Fellaini may be able to integrate himself back into the side quietly. Granted he has struggled to replicate his Everton form during his 11 outings in a red shirt, but he does possess the bite and liking for a tackle that the United midfield desperately requires. Whether he is the long-term solution, time will tell, but he's feasibly the best of an average bunch.
Attack
Mata and Wayne Rooney pick themselves, but somewhat surprisingly Moyes has preferred Young to Adnan Januzaj in his last three starting lineups. While Young scored a good goal against Cardiff City, he's largely been ineffective during those trio of encounters.
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Eighteen-year-old Januzaj may not have been at his sparkling best having come on as a substitute against Fulham with United trailing 1-0, but his mere presence lifted not only the home supporters but also his teammates, who looked to give him the ball whenever possible.
A combination of Mata, Rooney and the young Belgian would be an interchangeable one, all of whom are capable of scoring goals, creating openings and playing centrally or sightly wider. What's more, although attack-minded, Rooney has also always worked hard defensively, while Januzaj has shown that he will not shirk his responsibilities in the United half. As for Mata, he may not have been gritty enough for Jose Mourinho's liking, but he will put pressure on the opposition's defence.
Striker
If United are going to utilise the option of a lone frontman, it can only be one player. Robin van Persie recently spent time on the sidelines with a thigh complaint, but he has returned to score three goals in as many encounters.
The Dutchman possesses the necessary quality of first touch to play up front on his own, while he also has the game-intelligence to make runs that will challenge his former team's rearguard. Having scored in each of his three matches for United against Arsenal, the 30-year-old will no doubt be determined to make it four from four. With Mata, Rooney and Januzaj foraging behind Van Persie, are there many better attacking quartets in English, if not European football? With 12 wins from 25 Premier League matches, what better time for Moyes to find out for himself?
Sports Mole's United XI to face Arsenal: De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Smalling, Evra; Carrick, Fellaini (Flethcer or Cleverley if not fit); Januzaj, Mata, Rooney; Van Persie
Liam Apicella
