Welbeck whispers offer further evidence of deep Man Utd malaise

Ladbrokes still believe David Moyes will be Manchester United boss at the start of next season at 1/2, with 6/4 saying he gets the chop after just a single term in charge at Old Trafford, but a lifeless Red Devils display when going down 2-0 to Everton has seen the Scot’s tactics called into question again.

Despite being deemed worthy of starts at the Allianz Arena in Man Utd’s last fixture against Bayern Munich – 11 days earlier – both Danny Welbeck and Antonio Valencia were dropped to the bench at Moyes’ old stomping ground, in favour of Juan Mata and Nani.

The Portuguese – who’s made the teamsheet for just 13 Premier League games over the last two campaigns – is without a top-flight goal since 2012 and performed predictably badly at Goodison Park before being hauled off for Valencia after an hour.

His 23-year-old teammate had to wait a further 15 minutes before replacing Shinji Kagawa, amid rumours that Welbeck has become disillusioned with life under Moyes and wants out of the club, with Spurs reportedly mulling over a summer bid for his services.

Welbeck is thought to have had enough of being shunted out to the wing at United, although it’s fair to assume that a regular run of starts could have helped soften the local boy’s cough.

Having made the teamsheet for 11 of his side’s 12 matches between mid-December and late-January, when Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie were both injured, Welbeck has started only four of the Red Devils’ 16 games since.

In seven of those fixtures the 23-year-old found himself amongst the substitutes, despite Van Persie being laid low again since the Champions League last-16 tie with Olympiacos.

The England man – who has a far superior strike-rate for country than club, with eight goals in 21 international outings – showcased the best and worst of his finishing in the first leg against Bayern.

A superb Welbeck volley was crossed out somewhat harshly for a high leg early on, but he went on to fluff his lines embarrassingly when one on one with keeper Manuel Neuer.

Nevertheless, the forward’s consistently impressive link play with Rooney and Daniel Sturridge for the Three Lions sees him at 1/7 to make Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad, which begs the question as to why his club manager struggles to get the same tune out of him.

With exciting teenager Adnan Januzaj also benched for 13 of the soon-to-be-deposed champions’ last 16 fixtures, it’s difficult to see what future Moyes is trying to build at the Theatre of Dreams.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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