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The MLS All-Star team is set to take on Manchester United in a match-up that should be entertaining, but clearly won't be easy.
New York Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe will be tasked with selecting a lineup capable of keeping up with the English champions, something that will be a bit more difficult after LA Galaxy and U.S. national team star Landon Donovan bowed out of the match with an injury.
There is still plenty of firepower to build a good squad, and certainly enough star power to keep fans interested in this mid-season friendly.
So who will Backe turn to as starters against Manchester United? Here is the squad we can see him trotting out at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday:
No real surprises here. We could certainly see Hans Backe going with Omar Cummings or Omar Bravo up top instead of Wondolowski, but it remains unclear just how healthy Cummings is at the moment.
Think the Joseph-Beckerman tandem is a bit too defensive? Keep in mind that Joseph can definitely get forward if called on to do so.
As for the defense, a Ream-Olave combo works well because Olave's speed can cover for Ream's lack of speed while Ream can play the role of distributor out of the back. Heath Pearce is playing centerback for Chivas USA these days, but Hans Backe is well aware that Pearce can play left back, and would easily be one of the best left backs in MLS if he played there regularly.
We've put Faryd Mondragon in goal, and he's been outstanding, but Backe could be tempted to give Kasey Keller the nod given this is his final season before retirement. Either way, it seems a good bet that Keller gets on the field on Wednesday.
What do you think of this squad? Who would you replace? Who would you start that didn't make our cut?
Share your thoughts below.