Manchester United International Preview: March 26

The second set of fixtures for the March international break begins early this week. For the fourteen Manchester United players on duty with their national teams, all of their fixtures occur on Tuesday. Here is a preview for those players:

* Shinji Kagawa (Japan) | KO: 2:00pm GMT, 10:00am EST) -- The United attacking midfielder could help lead Japan to being the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with a victory in Jordan. He is anticipated to start at Amman Stadium. In a friendly against Canada on Friday in Qatar, Kagawa went the full 90 minutes.

* Robin van Persie (Holland) | KO: 7:30pm GMT, 3:30pm EST) -- The 29-year-old striker is probable to start in the World Cup qualifier against Romania in Amsterdam. With Holland five-points clear, though, in their group against their nearest competitors, perhaps van Persie could be rested. He went the full 90 minutes in a qualifier against Estonia while bagging a goal.

* Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland | KO: 7:45pm GMT, 3:45pm EST) -- Evans is expected to start in the qualifier against Israel in Belfast. This match is a 'must-win' if Northern Ireland want to hold onto their slim hopes of qualifying for Brazil. Their match against Russia was canceled twice in the past few days -- on Friday and then on Saturday again for the re-scheduled match -- because of heavy snow. Similar weather is in the forecast for Tuesday evening.

* Wayne Rooney (England | KO: 8:00pm GMT, 4:00pm EST) -- Rooney is certain to start in the attack -- either as a lone striker or as part of a tandem -- for the qualifier in Montenegro. England trail their Tuesday night hosts by two points in their group so this is a massive tie. The United attacker started and scored a goal on Friday in the 8-0 rout of micro-state San Marino. He featured for 56 minutes.

* Tom Cleverley (England) -- The 23-year-old midfielder has started 8 successive matches for Roy Hodgson's England and he's anticipated to do so again -- alongside captain Steven Gerrard -- in the match with Montenegro. He was substituted off after 56 minutes against San Marino.

* Michael Carrick (England) -- If Hodgson deploys his side in a 4-3-3, then Carrick is in contention to partner Cleverley and Gerrard in midfield. The United maestro would likely be in a holding-role and liberate his two midfield partners so that they can get forward and join the attack. He did not feature in the San Marino tie.

* Chris Smalling (England) -- Smalling started alongside Manchester City's Joleon Lescott in central-defense at San Marino and the same duo is anticipated in Montenegro. The 23-year-old went the full 90 minutes on Friday night.

* Ashley Young (England) -- With Rooney certain to start up front, and with James Milner expected on one wing, that leaves either Young or Danny Welbeck in contention to start on the opposite flank. Young got the nod in San Marino and he scored a goal while featuring for the full 90 minutes.

* Danny Welbeck (England) -- As just mentioned, Welbeck is likely competing with Young on the flank for a role in a possible 4-3-3 or he could be considered as a strike partner for Rooney if Hodgson elects to use a 4-4-2 instead. In the possible latter role, he'd be competing with Jermain Defoe. Welbeck was not used in San Marino.

* David de Gea (Spain | KO: 8:00pm GMT, 4:00pm EST) -- The 22-year-old goalkeeper is expected to be third-choice goalkeeper behind Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina in Spain's hugely important qualifier against France in Paris. de Gea was not in the 18 during his side's shocking 1-1 draw with Finland on Friday.

* Patrice Evra (France | KO: 8:00pm GMT, 4:00pm EST) -- The United vice-captain will be competing with Manchester City's Gael Clichy for the left-back spot against Spain. The latter started and went the full 90 minutes in France's 3-1 defeat of Georgia on Friday. France currently hold a two-point advantage in their group over the defending world and European champions.

* Antonio Valencia (Ecuador | KO: 9:00pm GMT, 5:00pm EST) -- The right-winger is expected to start in the qualifier against Paraguay in Quito. In Thursday's 5-0 friendly defeat of El Salvador, Valencia provided three assists in his 66 minutes of action.

* Angelo Henriquez (Chile | KO: 11:30pm GMT, 7:30pm EST) -- The 18-year-old striker -- who is currently on loan to Wigan Athletic -- is not anticipated to start in the qualifier against Uruguay in Santiago. He was an unused substitute in Friday's 0-1 defeat by Peru.

* Javier Hernandez (Mexico | KO: 2:30am GMT [Wednesday morning], 10:30pm EST) -- The Mexican talisman is expected to start against arch-rival United States, despite having to be substituted off Friday in the 65th minute during the qualifier against Honduras because of cramps. In that match, he bagged a brace and his 30th goal for Mexico in 45 appearances.