Man Utd squad revealed for Rochdale clash: 4 teenagers included as key man returns

Paul Pogba is back in the Manchester United squad ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup third round clash with Rochdale at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to make a number of changes to his starting eleven as he looks to give some of his key players a well-earned rest ahead of Monday night’s huge Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

However, the Man Utd boss has actually selected a stronger than expected squad for the League Cup game as David de Gea, Harry Maguire, Ashley Young and Nemanja Matic are the only fit senior players to be given the night off.

Marcus Rashford misses out after suffering a groin injury during the defeat at West Ham on Sunday while Anthony Martial is also still on the sidelines nursing a thigh problem that’s kept him out in recent weeks.

Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly are other injury absentees for United, however, Pogba is back in contention after recovering from an ankle injury that’s kept him out of the last three matches since the international break earlier this month.

Solskjaer has already suggested that Pogba would feature against Rochdale in order to build-up his fitness ahead of Monday’s clash with Arsenal but I don’t expect the Frenchman to play 90 minutes tonight.

Mason Greenwood is also set to return to the starting eleven after recovering from a bout of tonsillitis that kept him out of the defeat to West Ham while fellow teenager Brandon Williams has been included in the 18-man squad, according to the Manchester Evening News.

The local news outlet watched as the Man Utd squad arrived at the Lowry Hotel this afternoon and they have revealed that Williams could make his debut for the first team this evening after impressing at full-back for the U23s this season.

James Garner and Tahith Chong are also in the squad to face Rochdale while the M.E.N says Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Daniel James and Andreas Perreira have also been selected so there will be a strong youthful element in the 18-man squad.

However, Man Utd will have plenty of experience too as Sergio Romero, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Scott McTominay, Fred, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard have joined Pogba in the squad for this evening’s match.

Diogo Dalot was expected to feature tonight but the Portuguese defender hasn’t been included in the squad and reported to United’s Carrington training base this morning while Angel Gomes is also a notable absentee from tonight’s squad.

Here is the 18-man squad as revealed by the M.E.N:

Romero, Grant, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Jones, Tuanzebe, Rojo, Williams, McTominay, Andreas, Pogba, Fred, Garner, Mata, Lingard, Greenwood, James, Chong