Manchester United are finally back at Old Trafford after 41 days since their last fixture at the Theatre of Dreams after the season was paused to accommodate this winter’s World Cup.
Most of the United players taking part in the tournament are now back at Carrington but Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are yet to return after the pair were involved in the final last weekend.
For tonight’s fourth-round clash with Burnley in the Carabao Cup, Erik ten Hag named five United players to feature in Qatar in the starting line-up, with four more players named among the substitutes.
Speaking ahead of kick-off, the Dutchman explained his team selection and delivered his verdict on the 90 minutes ahead.
“It’s difficult but many more managers have to deal with it,” he told the official Manchester United website when quizzed on the issue of calling on players who only recently played in Qatar.
“You make a plan and you have to deal with it as good as possible and I think that’s what we did. I feel the spirit, I feel the energy with the players who came back and also the spirit with the team, the players that left and trained well the last couple of weeks.”
There were two notable absentees in the squad on Wednesday evening, with Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot both not involved. Both players reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup with their nations but the manager has explained why they miss out tonight.
“Dalot had some complaints, he fell out of the last game with Portugal. Harry, unfortunately, he’s ill,” Ten Hag said before confirming that Casemiro would be filling in for Maguire in defence as opposed to Scott McTominay, who will instead play alongside Christian Eriksen in midfield.
