Manchester United face their toughest test of the season so far before the international break as Liverpool visit Old Trafford on matchday three of the Premier League.
With Erik ten Hag already under pressure after scraping past Fulham and losing to Brighton & Hove Albion, here is a look at how the Red Devils could line-up when they face Liverpool this afternoon:
GOALKEEPER: Andre Onana conceded twice against Brighton but there was not much that he could have done. Moreover, with no worthy competition for his role, the Cameroonian will be assured of a start when Liverpool visit Old Trafford.
DEFENDERS: Manchester United’s worries at left-back have not gotten any better as Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia remain unavailable. Thus, Diogo Dalot will start in that position while Noussair Mazraoui will feature as the right-back.
Harry Maguire could have done better in the build-up to Danny Welbeck’s goal and he could be sacrificed with Matthijs de Ligt making his first Premier League start after coming off the bench in the last two matches. Lisandro Martinez will complete a four-man backline which will including three players with a past at Ajax Amsterdam.
Bruno back in midfield as Zirkzee starts
MIDFIELDERS: Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo have been decent in the double pivot and will continue next to each other in a deeper role against Liverpool. New signing Manuel Ugarte wasn’t registered in time, so his debut will need to wait until after the international break.
With Mason Mount likely to miss as many as seven matches due to an injury, Bruno Fernandes will drop into a number 10’s position. The experiment to use him as a striker has failed in all fairness. The Portuguese will be flanked by Amad Diallo on the right and Marcus Rashford on the left wings.
FORWARD: Mason Mount’s injury will push Bruno Fernandes into the attacking midfielder’s role and open the door for a first Premier League start for Joshua Zirkzee. He has scored the winner versus Fulham in week one but was responsible for Alejandro Garnacho’s ruled out strike in the Brighton defeat.
This is how United would look on paper:
CHECK OUT OUR PREDICTED LIVERPOOL XI HERE
