Manchester United have kickstarted their new campaign with a defeat against defending Premier League champions Manchester City in the Community Shield match on Saturday at Wembley. The Red Devils lost the game on penalty shootouts with a scoreline of 7-6 after finishing the 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw. The Red Devils are all set to face Fulham at Old Trafford on Saturday in their new Premier League season.
It is a crucial season for United manager Erik ten Hag, as he failed to finish with the club in the top-four position last season, and he was also criticised by United fans and football pundits for the club’s underwhelming performance. But the manager regained his confidence through the FA Cup victory against Pep Guardiola’s side in May.
Ten Hag also surprised their fans with two young signings, Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, in the summer. United have also acquired the signature of Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt and Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich after launching multiple bids. The club has also been linked with multiple players to bolster the squad for the new season.
The defeat against the Manchester rivals was a huge blow for the Red Devils, who are preparing for their new Premier League season. But the Dutch tactician’s side had a decent performance against the defending Premier League champions, and the club also managed to complete the 90 minutes without a proper striker in the Community Shield match.
However, as the new season begins, the fans are hoping for the club to make new memories to cherish. Putting the season’s ambitions aside, here are the three talking points ahead of United’s first league match of the season against Fulham.
1. Defensive injuries
Despite making three additions to the backline in the summer, United will miss some major defenders in the Premier League opening clash against Fulham. The Red Dev
ils have celebrated the signing of the young French defenderLeny Yoro from Lille. The 18-year-old defender has impressed in the Ligue 1 with the French club. But, the young stopper-back picked up a foot injury during the pre-season match against Arsenal in the USA.
The club has confirmed that the French youth international will only re-join the club after three months. United have already lost two centre-backs in the summer, Willy Kambwala and experienced defender Raphael Varane. The experienced French defender was a mainstay in the back line for United in the past years and the club has landed Yoro as the replacement option for Varane. But the youngster’s injury has created uncertainty in the United backline for the upcoming season.
Swedish defender Victor Lindelof also suffered an injury in the pre-season tour, and the experienced star might not be available against the Cottagers on Saturday. Ten Hag managed with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans as the centre-back options, and he assigned Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez to play in the left-back role. United also switched to a three-man defence in the final minutes by replacing Maguire with winger Facundo Pellistri.
The Red Devils will also miss Luke Shaw‘s service for the first few matches as he has suffered from an ankle injury. The English full-back also missed a major part of last season due to a muscle injury, and he is expected to join the club after the first international break. The Dutch manager would continue with Martinez as the left-back for United until Shaw’s return.
The new additions, Mazraoui and De Ligt, have arrived in England, and they might start their training with their teammates on Wednesday. Ten Hag could use
De Ligt in the match against Fulham, as the player has previous experience playing for Ten Hag at Ajax. The Dutch defender has established himself as one of the strongest defenders in Europe with his previous performances, and he can be a mainstay at the club for the upcoming seasons. We can also expect the Moroccan full-back to be in the squad, as he would be considered a backup option for Diago Dalot.2. Party time for Mason Mount?
Mason Mount joined Manchester United last summer following his stint with boyhood club Chelsea. But the English midfielder failed to make an impact in the club under Ten Hag. The 25-year-old has only scored one goal and an assist in 21 games across all competitions for the Red Devils last season. Mount also missed 27 games for United due to various injuries.
The Dutch manager believes that the English midfielder will regain his form in the upcoming season for United and the tactician claimed that he had a good pre-season with the club.
“We know he’s a high-class player and just bringing skills in, Last season, he had a very bad season, a very tough season for him because of all the injuries, and now we are very pleased he had a good pre-season. I’m sure he can do great.”
Ten Hag told before the Community Shield match. (h/t Caught Offside) The manager featured him as the attacking midfielder for the last match against Manchester City, and the English international had a decent performance in the match. He would be considered as one of the key midfielders for United in the upcoming season.
3. Zirkzee to make his debut?
Joshua Zirkzee was the first signing of the Red Devils in the summer. The Dutch striker thrived in the
Serie A for Bologna last year, he has attracted interest from several European clubs with his last season performance for the Italian side.He wasn’t included in United’s pre-season squad as he was on holiday following his international duty with the Netherlands national team in Euro 2024. Despite being included in the squad for the Community Shield match, he didn’t play, as Ten Hag used captain Bruno Fernandes in the striker position against Manchester City last week. The Portuguese midfielder had a decent performance in the new role and provided an assist for Alejandro Garnacho in the regular time.
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Zirkzee is the only natural striker available in the squad after Danish international Rasmus Hojlund picked up an injury during the pre-season match against the Gunners, and he will only return by September last week. The Dutch manager might use him as a backup option for United in the upcoming match as he is inexperienced in playing in the English top-flight league. Marcus Rashford, who can do a good job in the number nine position, would be the primary option for Ten Hag in the opening match, and the English forward should regain his form and score goals for United in the striker position to get a good start for the club in the new season.
