Manchester United are finally back in action this week, more than one month since club football was paused to accommodate this winter’s World Cup.
37 days have passed since Alejandro Garnacho scored the winner at Fulham with virtually the last kick of the game and Erik ten Hag is likely to name a very different starting line-up for this week’s Carabao Cup tie against Burnley.
Vincent Kompany’s men make the trip to Old Trafford in fantastic form, sitting at the top of the Championship and having lost just two games all season. United are also in good form but Ten Hag will be without many of his key players for this game.
Diogo Dalot, who started both of Portugal’s knockout games at the World Cup, sustained an injury in Qatar and has not resumed training at Carrington.
Another two quarters of United’s first-choice backline will not feature in the game. Raphael Varane has been given one week off following his involvement in the World Cup final and Lisandro Martinez is currently in Argentina celebrating the triumph.
Anthony Martial, Scott McTominay and Anthony Elanga are among the players highly likely to start the game after they were all involved in mid-season friendlies against Cadiz and Real Betis.
David de Gea could also start but it remains to be seen whether on-loan recruit Martin Dubravka is installed as Ten Hag’s cup goalkeeper.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has not featured much under Ten Hag but Dalot’s injury could mean a first start of the season, whilst Tyrell Malacia could also start in Dalot’s place, as he did against Fulham.
Predicted Manchester United line-up (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Eriksen; Elanga, Van de Beek, Garnacho; Martial
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