Malacia returns, Garnacho back”, Predicted Man United XI vs Man city as Ten Hag set to create another record that no one has ever created before
Manchester United and Manchester City are set to face off in the 2024 FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on August 10th. This annual clash, contested between the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners, is an exciting curtain-raiser for the new football season. This year’s match promises an interesting Manchester derby, a repeat of the FA cup final last season when United surprisingly beat City. The FA cup final also likely saved Eric Ten Hag’s job after a very disappointing season otherwise.
Manchester United has been bolstered by the return of key players like Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, who recently returned to training after their international duties with England at Euro 2024. Shaw and Mainoo’s return provides Erik ten Hag’s side with added depth and quality, although it remains to be seen whether their manager would play them considering their lack of recent game time. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City enters the match as the reigning Premier League champions and will be determined to assert their dominance once again.
Manchester United’s predicted 4-3-3 formation against Manchester City
Erik ten Hag will go for the 4-3-3 formation instead of the familiar 4-2-3-1, primarily due to the absence of Bruno Fernandes. Fernandes, who recently returned to the squad following international duties, is not expected to start, prompting ten Hag to field Mason Mount in the midfield. This shift is aimed at providing United with more solidity in the middle of the park, allowing Mount to operate as a box-to-box midfielder, supporting both defensive and attacking phases of play.
Another notable change in ten Hag’s setup is the inclusion of Jadon Sancho as the central striker who also drops deep like a False 9, a role typically reserved for Rasmus Hojlund. Hojlund’s recent hamstring injury during the U.S. tour has left him sidelined for up to six weeks, forcing ten Hag to adapt his attacking options.
“That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus, but of course, Joshua Zirkzee, he is coming in, 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.”
All the 4 defensive starting positions are up in the air at the moment. Maguire, Lindelof & Evans all have injury troubles where as Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Diego Dalot have just returned to training. Aaron Wan Bissaka is also reportedly deep in negotiations over his transfer to West Ham. So the starting back 4 might look completely different when Ten Hag names is starting lineup.
