Chelsea vs Manchester United: With Carrick, Blind, Jones and Rojo missing, how should Louis van Gaal set his side up at Stamford Bridge?

Dutch coach now has a big decision to make over his team selection

Louis van Gaal will have been hit hard by the news that four players have been ruled out of the match against Chelsea on Saturday.

Manchester United are currently enjoying their best run of the season, winning their last six Premier League matches, including impressive victories against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City.

During the last four matches, the team has picked itself with Van Gaal making just two changes in the period - replacing Chris Smalling with Marcos Rojo against Aston Villa, after the England man got a knock on international duty, and swapping them back again when Smalling returned to fitness.

The team - De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Mata, Herrera, Carrick, Young, Fellaini, Rooney - was playing some excellent football and Van Gaal had finally found some balance after months of searching.

But with Michael Carrick, Phil Jones, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo all ruled out for the game, Louis van Gaal is now facing a defensive crisis and may even have to change back to the 3-5-2 formation that brought mixed results at the start of his reign.

Michael Carrick will miss the trip to Chelsea through injury (GETTY IMAGES)

The major problem is that Van Gaal now has just one fit senior centre-back, Smalling, as Jonny Evans is still suspended for spitting at Newcastle's Papiss Cisse.

Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett saw game time earlier in the season but McNair's last performance was when he was hauled off at half-time during the 2-1 defeat at Swansea on 21 February, whilst Blackett has only played 26 Premier League minutes since Christmas.

Van Gaal has to decide whether to go with a back three of McNair, Smalling and Blackett or keep a back four of Antonio Valencia, McNair/Blackett, Smalling and Luke Shaw at left-back.

Chris Smalling is the only centre-back fit to play at Stamford Bridge (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaw has struggled this season with form and fitness and his last Premier League start also came in that Swansea defeat.

Further forward the decision to go with a back three or four will affect the personnel Van Gaal uses.

Juan Mata has been giving somewhat of a free role in recent weeks starting from the right, with Ashley Young on the left and Marouane Fellaini playing just off Wayne Rooney; adopting a 3-5-2 would leave little room for Mata.

The absence of Carrick and Blind leaves Van Gaal with a huge whole in central midfield. It could mean that Fellaini has to drop back into there, or even Wayne Rooney who played there earlier this season. Rooney has proved with his recent goalscoring form that he is better as the main striker. Angel Di Maria played there to great effect as part of a midfield three at Real Madrid last season, but a pairing with Ander Herrera seems too weak on paper.

Van Gaal has suggested that he may return Wayne Rooney to a central midfield role (Getty Images)

Van Gaal could use Di Maria in a central role off Rooney - although he failed to perform there earlier this season - or go with Radamel Falcao as a central striker and drop Rooney into a deeper role.

POTENTIAL LINE-UPS:

4-4-2: De Gea; Valencia, McNair/Blackett, Smalling, Shaw; Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, Young; Di Maria, Rooney.

(Lineupbuilder.com)

4-4-2: De Gea; Valencia, McNair/Blackett, Smalling, Shaw; Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, Young; Rooney, Falcao.

(Lineupbuilder.com)

3-5-2: De Gea; McNair, Smalling, Blackett; Valencia, Herrera, Fellaini, Mata/Di Maria, Young; Rooney, Falcao.

(Lineupbuilder.com)

4-3-3: De Gea; Valencia, McNair/Blackett, Smalling, Shaw; Herrera, Fellaini, Di Maria; Mata, Young, Rooney.

(Lineupbuilder.com)

4-5-1: De Gea; Valencia, McNair/Blackett, Smalling, Shaw; Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, Rooney, Young; Falcao.

(Lineupbuilder.com)

Graphics via lineupbuilder.com