Erik ten Hag drops intriguing line-up hint for United’s season-opening fixtures

Manchester United get their season underway next week in the same manner they rounded off 2023/2024: a trip to Wembley to face arch-rivals Manchester City.

Indeed, the Reds lock horns with their neighbours in the Community Shield Final next Saturday, August 10, before kicking off their Premier League campaign at home to Fulham the following Friday.

Erik ten Hag’s men saw their pre-season tour of the United States culminate with a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the early hours of Sunday morning. Concerningly, the manager is already navigating a depleted squad.

Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro are, of course, sidelined for lengthy periods, while Harry Maguire also missed out overnight through precaution.

In the absence of Hojlund, Jadon Sancho – having just returned from his 10-month exile – has filled the No.9 void against both Real Betis and Liverpool. It’s certainly a bold choice from Ten Hag given the attacker’s lacklustre numbers in recent years, but one that he’s willing to stick with heading into the first fixtures of the term.

Ten Hag’s line-up hint for forthcoming fixtures

“Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t play with him there,” Ten Hag responded (ESPN) when pressed on the prospect of Sancho leading the line next weekend.

“That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus, but of course, Joshua Zirkzee, he is coming in. H he has started training, but also consider that he is not so long in training, so that will take time, and he has to adapt to English football and our way of playing as well.

“There is also, of course, Jadon, as a striker. We know he can play in wide areas, but also as a false striker, he’s an option.”