Roland Cutinho
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag admits the Bayern Munich clash is too close for injured players to return
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has provided an update on the potential return of a few stars ahead of the crunch UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
The Reds suffered a shambolic 1-3 defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Seagulls also ended the home side’s 31-game unbeaten run in the process.
The manager will be carefully monitoring his players’ performances, as they can’t afford to play loosely against a strong Bayern side.
Thomas Tuchel’s team is in second place in the German league table, level in points with first-placed Bayer Leverkusen. They have won four out of five possible games with their most recent match being a 2-2 draw against the table-toppers on Saturday.
Ten Hag will be expected to field a solid starting XI on Wednesday, but he still misses a number of key first-team players.
Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Sofyan Amrabat, Amad Diallo, and Kobbie Mainoo are yet to be back from their respective injuries. Meanwhile, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are still dealing with long-term injuries.
The press threw questions on the Dutch boss after the Brighton game, asking him about the status of his injured players and the likelihood of their return in their upcoming matches. As stated by the club’s official website (h/t the Manchester Evening News), he said:
“Maybe, maybe one player, but I think Munich is a little bit too short. But I think, when we go to Burnley in the week after, I think players will return, yes.”
Ten Hag looked less optimistic while mentioning the return of the majority of these players against the Bavarian giants. The tight schedule between these games hasn’t helped the squad either.
The Red Devils will need to be tactically on point if they want to evade another disappointing result.
Thomas Tuchel’s side has been gifted with goals from the in-form Harry Kane, who has already netted four goals in five games for the German giants.
Alphonso Davies has been another lethal player who has already contributed three assists this season. Man United could go with the same back-line that faced the Seagulls, with Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka more likely to take the full-back positions.
Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof might continue to lead the back line since Varane’s return to full fitness is still uncertain at this point.
Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes will be favourites to book the midfield slots. However, it remains to be seen what would be their other preferred options in the centre of the field since Mount or Amrabat could return.
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The fans will be expecting Rasmus Hojlund to start after his positive display against Brighton. Marcus Rashford will continue to support the striker.
Other options in attack would come as a surprise due to the limited number of experienced players at their disposal.
