Striker needs to kick on after Javier Hernandez’s ankle injury.
Danny Welbeck has been hailed as the next breakthrough striker for both Manchester United and England.
He had a bright start to the season, scoring against Tottenham and Arsenal before getting injured.
On his return he scored twice past Basel and then against Norwich, before getting injured on international duty.
Welbeck is a superb prospect, and has walked into being viewed as one of the top four forwards in the England set up.
Is he benefiting from playing at a big club? Sure he is, but now he has to prove he belongs in the category of an elite forward, otherwise his stratospheric rise will begin to be viewed as hype.
Manchester United have a crucial game against Basel this Wednesday, which they cannot afford to lose.
His return to first team action could not have come at a better time.
Javier Hernandez has scored regularly over the past month, but could be out until the New Year with the injury sustained a Villa Park, while Berbatov is also nursing a strain picked up against Crystal Palace.
With Michael Owen too injured and Wayne Rooney’s scoring touch deserting him, the stage is well and truly set for Danny Welbeck to show why he is so highly regarded.
He came off the bench against Aston Villa on Saturday and looked sharp, and will be keen to net in Wednesday’s big game in the Swiss capital.
Before his injury he played against both Liverpool and Manchester City and failed to threaten, but this was more down to incohesive showings from the United team as a whole on each occasion than individual lacklustre.
The reds are struggling to impress at the moment. In fact the last time United scored more than once in a Premier League game was October 1, the 2-0 win against Norwich when Welbeck last netted.
United have a good fixture list upcoming, facing Wolves, QPR, Fulham, Blackburn, and Wigan over the next month.
Welbeck will be aiming to stay fit and go on a goalscoring run, because if there is ever a time United need him to demonstrate his outstanding potential and give the team a lift; this is it.
– Can Danny Welbeck get the goals United need against Basel?
image: © vagueonthehow
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
