A return for Memphis or Mata up front? How Man Utd could line up without Martial & Rooney?

There were hearts in mouths all across Manchester United's fanbase on Tuesday when the sight of Anthony Martial leaving Wembley on crutches was broadcast across the globe.

The striker left the field in the 67th minute of France's international friendly against England, shortly after picking up a knock to his foot which left him limping around for a few moments before his withdrawal. Although he appeared to have shaken off the injury by the time he was withdrawn for Antoine Griezmann, Martial appeared unable to put any weight on his left foot as he exited the stadium with his team-mates.

And while there were some questions as to who would fill the void left by the teenager, it was widely assumed that Wayne Rooney would return to the central striking role in which he has struggled for much of the campaign.

But with the England captain now ruled out of Saturday's trip to Watford through illness and Marouane Fellaini also missing due to injury, United are left with just one recognised forward in their squad - James Wilson. But will Louis van Gaal show faith in the academy graduate? And what are his other options?

Wilson failed to impress in his last outing against Middlesbrough in the League Cup and Louis van Gaal has even admitted that the England Under-21s international will be unable to fulfil 90 minutes at Vicarage Road.

But without Fellaini to help cover the absence of Rooney and Martial, the youngster is the only natural attacking spearhead available to Van Gaal unless he looks to deploy one of his other attacking players in an unfamiliar role.

Elsewhere, Ander Herrera is likely to slot into the No.10 role vacated by Rooney while Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger are set to be partnered in midfield, with Michael Carrick ruled out with an ankle injury picked up on international duty.

Another option waiting in the wings in the shape of Memphis Depay. The £22.3 million man has struggled for game time in recent weeks after enduring a tough start to the season, with performances for both club and country leading to serious question marks over his ability to succeed at the very top level. However, Van Gaal is unlikely to wash his hands of the explosive winger so easily and any absence of both Martial and Rooney would open a potential window for Memphis to come back into the reckoning at Old Trafford.

The former PSV man could play either on the left, allowing Juan Mata to play behind Wilson with Jesse Lingard on the right, or as a central striker in what - if it pays off - could be a move that ignites his Old Trafford career. He finished as the top goalscorer in Eredivisie last term and has shown in the Champions League he has an eye for goal, with his pace in central areas a real option given how difficult Quique Sanchez Flores's side have been to break down this term.

A final option available to Van Gaal may be to do away with an out-and-out striker altogether and instead utilise Mata as a false nine ahead of an attacking trio of Lingard, Herrera and Memphis.

The Spain international has enjoyed success in forward areas at every club for whom he has played and has shown a key eye for goal since arriving at Old Trafford from Chelsea in January 2014. Quite how United supporters would react to such a move given their frustrations at the lack of attacking fluency on show from the Red Devils this season remains to be seen but playing a wealth of creative players is certainly an avenue that the veteran Dutch coach could explore.