Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag expected to make four changes for blockbuster Barcelona encounter
Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, is preparing for a crucial match against Barcelona on Thursday. The team is ready to give their all as they aim to win the Europa League. SportsDias has predicted how the Dutch coach will arrange his team for the exciting game at Old Trafford.
Goalkeeper: De Gea
Although there are doubts about David De Gea’s suitability for Manchester United’s long-term plans, the Spanish goalkeeper, who is currently 32 years old, is still performing well and is expected to start in the upcoming match.
De Gea demonstrated his ability to be the team’s top goalkeeper with an impressive display against Leicester City, where he made two exceptional saves from Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes.
Nevertheless, it is believed that United is still looking for a new goalkeeper in the transfer market this summer.
If David De Gea continues to perform at a high level, he could potentially save Manchester United a significant amount of money in the goalkeeper position. The club may not need to spend a large sum of money on a new goalkeeper if De Gea can maintain his current form and remain a reliable option between the posts.
Defence: Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw
Manchester United had a shaky start to the season, especially in defense, but the partnership between Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez has been successful in recent games.
Both players are expected to start in the match against Barcelona. Varane is likely to replace Victor Lindelof, who played in the last game.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is expected to start instead of Diogo Dalot, as his defensive skills have earned Ten Hag’s trust.
Luke Shaw is likely to keep his place as the left-back due to his excellent form.
Midfield: Casemiro, Fred, Weghorst
Marcel Sabitzer has performed well since joining Manchester United on loan from Bayern Munich, but he is likely to be benched in the upcoming match against Barcelona due to Casemiro’s availability.
The Brazilian player played well against Barcelona in the previous game and is expected to partner with Fred in midfield.
Playing further ahead of the pair is likely to be Wout Weghorst, who is known for his skills as a striker but has also provided the team with a strong pressing presence since joining from Burnley last month.
Forwards: Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho
Bruno Fernandes is in exceptional form and is likely to keep his place in the starting lineup. Although he played on the wing against Leicester, he still managed to create nine significant scoring opportunities with an impressive performance at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford is also performing well and has been used as a striker in recent games despite preferring to play on the left wing. He is expected to continue in this role against Barcelona after performing well in this position in the previous game and against Leicester.
Jadon Sancho is expected to replace Alejandro Garnacho, following his impressive cameo performance against Leicester.
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag expected to make four changes for blockbuster Barcelona encounter
