Erik ten Hag could give the former Real Madrid player his Manchester United debut
Manchester United play Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday and here are five things to look out for
The left-back problem
Manchester United are suddenly grappling with an injury crisis, just two games into the season. Mason Mount suffered a hamstring injury against Tottenham last weekend and Luke Shaw will be sent off with a muscle injury.
Tyrell Malacia is also sidelined with a long-term issue meaning Alvaro Fernandez, who is yet to make his first-team debut, is the only natural left-back available for selection against Nottingham Forest this weekend .
Fernandez should have made his debut at the end of the 2021/22 season when Alex Telles came on board. It was disappointing that the youngster didn’t get that chance, but his patience paid off on Saturday afternoon.
United signed Fernandez from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020 and he has shown character as he adjusts to life in a new country during the pandemic. So it came as no surprise that he blossomed on loan at Preston in the Championship last season. Although this loan to Deepdale Stadium was a resounding success for Fernandez, his pre-season options were limited and it suggests he may have to settle for a place on the bench against Forest.
Diogo Dalot is versatile and can play in both full-back positions meaning he’s more likely to start at left-back.
Mount is available and it makes sense to replace him with Christian Eriksen who was exceptional in the first six months of last season. Eriksen has easily transitioned into a deeper role and should help restore balance in midfield.
Mason Greenwood leaves Manchester United
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United signed Fernandez from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020 and he has shown character as he adapts to life in a new country during the pandemic. It’s no surprise, then, that he enjoyed success on loan with Preston in the league last season. THE MOST READ
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Antony (left) and Diogo Dalot could start against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Manchester United have predicted their lineup against Nottingham Forest when Diogo Dalot and Antony will start
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While that loan spell at Deepdale Stadium was a resounding success for Fernandez, chances for him during pre-season were limited, suggesting he may have to settle for a place on the bench against Forest.
Diogo Dalot is versatile and can play in both full-back roles, which means he seems more likely to start at left-back. Fernandez is yet to make his debut.
Mount is available and it makes sense to replace him with Christian Eriksen who was exceptional in the first six months of last season. Eriksen has easily transitioned into a deeper role and should help restore balance in midfield.
The midfield was a problem against Wolves and Tottenham and those performances showed that Mount will need time to come to terms with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, who have also underperformed so far.
The positive side is that Eriksen already has a connection with these two players. They were a brilliant trio for much of last season, despite concerns about the Danish midfielder’s staying power in the latter stages of the season.
His minutes clearly need to be scored, but Eriksen still has plenty to offer and will be hungry to prove a point against Forest.
Rashford’s best location
Marcus Rashford has played exclusively at centre-forward this season as Rasmus Hojlund was unavailable with a minor back injury, but he is playing best on the left wing and should be moved to that side against Forest.
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