Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, finds himself in the fortunate position of having ample competition for positions as he assembles his starting lineup for the pivotal Champions League clash against FC Copenhagen at Old Trafford.
United currently sit at the bottom of the group with zero points, having suffered defeats to Bayern Munich in Germany and Galatasaray in Manchester in their previous outings. Anything less than a victory against the Danish side would almost certainly lead to their elimination from the group stage.
Andre Onana, following his commendable performance against Sheffield United on Saturday, is expected to continue in goal.
Harry Maguire’s standout performance in the previous game earned him the title of Man of the Match. With Sergio Reguilon likely to return to the left-back position, Ten Hag faces the task of choosing between Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane for the center-back roles.
Jonny Evans may also be a contender, though there are concerns about a hamstring tweak he might have suffered on Saturday, which led to his late substitution with Varane.
Despite Maguire’s improved form, it is anticipated that Ten Hag will rely on Varane and Lindelof, while Diogo Dalot is likely to take up the right-back position.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Lisandro Martinez remain unavailable due to injuries.
In midfield, Casemiro will be serving a one-match ban for his red card against Gala, making him unavailable. Donny van de Beek was not registered to participate in the competition, so he too will not be part of the lineup. Kobbie Mainoo, who has been recovering from an injury, is unlikely to start.
The options for the midfield include Sofyan Amrabat, Scott McTominay, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen, and Bruno Fernandes.
The introduction of Eriksen during the game against Sheffield United improved the team’s balance, making it likely that he will earn a start alongside Amrabat and Fernandes.
In the attacking department, Antony’s performance over the weekend was underwhelming, and Alejandro Garnacho, who appeared lively as a substitute, is poised to start.
Shifting Marcus Rashford to the right flank would open the door for Garnacho to enter the starting lineup, affording the Brazilian some rest. Rasmus Hojlund is expected to lead the front line, with Anthony Martial likely to be a substitute.
Jadon Sancho remains unavailable due to disciplinary reasons. Bearing all these factors in mind, here is our predicted lineup for tomorrow’s game: