Manchester United must bounce back against Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
United have lost six of their 10 games in all competitions this season and Tuesday’s shock 3-2 defeat in the Champions League against Turkish club Galatasaray has increased the stakes on Brentford’s visit to Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag needs three points this weekend because just eight weeks into the campaign, it already looks like securing a top-four finish and building on the success of last season will be an uphill battle.
Regarding the team news, Sergio Reguilon is back in training but this game has come too soon for him to be available.
Samuel Luckhurst
Amrabat cannot play at left-back. He excelled against Crystal Palace when they turned up and he was appalling when they did turn up. Then he was worse against Galatasaray.
Switching Diogo Dalot to left-back was always the logical move. Victor Lindelof has experience of playing at right-back for United and Harry Maguire merits a start irrespective of where Lindelof plays.
Amrabat belongs in midfield and it would be positive to move Mason Mount to the right. Alejandro Garnacho is overdue a league start.
Tyrone Marshall
The absence of Reguilon is a blow for United but the experiment of playing Amrabat at left-back is one that has to come to an end. Dalot is the only other real alternative, so I would play Lindelof at right-back and go with Maguire alongside Varane in the centre of defence.
There’s an argument you need Amrabat in central midfield and that’s definitely the case in big games, but this is Brentford at home and as bad as United have been, they should be going for it. Casemiro, Mount and Fernandes can continue and try and take the game to the opposition.
In attack, Hojlund has to start every week at the moment and Rashford will continue on the left despite his own shaky form. Antony came off the bench in midweek and now he’s back he’s the only real option on the right, but he really needs to step it up a level this season.
Maguire should have started against Galatasaray because of Lindelof’s poor form. He should start alongside Varane here and playing Dalot at left-back and Lindelof on the opposite side seems the most logical approach.
Naming Casemiro on the bench was unthinkable for the majority of last season, but the 31-year-old has looked his age in the last few weeks and it would be fascinating to see if a midfield of Amrabat, Mount and Fernandes works.
Antony has a point to prove, just like Rashford, and the pair need to deliver before the international break.
