Tonight, Manchester United will commence their defense of the Carabao Cup title as they face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
After suffering three consecutive defeats, the Red Devils bounced back with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Burnley over the weekend. Manager Erik ten Hag will be aiming for back-to-back wins but is expected to make several changes for this third-round encounter.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Line-up:
– Goalkeeper: Altay Bayindir is poised to make his United debut in goal. Despite patiently waiting on the bench since his arrival from Fenerbahce, the Turkey international is expected to take the reins ahead of Andre Onana.
– Central Defense: Lisandro Martinez might not feature due to an injury sustained last week. While Harry Maguire participated in team training, he could be limited to a bench role. Therefore, we anticipate Jonny Evans partnering with Raphael Varane in central defense.
– Right-Back: Victor Lindelof could shift to right-back for the third-round tie if Sergio Reguilon is still recovering from illness. This would open the door for Diogo Dalot to start at left-back, considering Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia’s absence due to injuries.
– Midfield: Casemiro might be given a rest for this fixture. Sofyan Amrabat, who made his debut as a left-back at Turf Moor, is expected to play in his preferred number-six role. He could be joined by Christian Eriksen, who was an unused substitute against Burnley.
– Bench: Players such as Scott McTominay, Hannibal Mejbri, Marcus Rashford, and Rasmus Hojlund, who started in the previous game, could find themselves on the bench. Mason Mount, recently back from a hamstring injury, may also feature among the substitutes.
– Attack: The attacking lineup is likely to undergo changes. Facundo Pellistri and Alejandro Garnacho are expected to take the right and left-wing positions, respectively. Anthony Martial is anticipated to lead the line, with club captain Bruno Fernandes returning to his number 10 role. Fernandes, who scored a spectacular volley on Saturday, was a consistent presence for the Red Devils last season, playing in every game when not suspended.