Manchester United have been left with little time to dwell on Saturday’s grim defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, with Erik ten Hag’s men turning their attention toward tonight’s mouthwatering Champions League tussle with Bayern Munich.
Preparations for that crunch clash at the Allianz Arena have hardly been ideal following a dismal run of three defeats from their opening five Premier League games, while the Red Devils have also been plunged into a deepening crisis amid the growing list of absentees.
What is the team news for Man United vs Bayern?
Thomas Tuchel – and £100m man Harry Kane – will likely be licking their lips after seeing the 21-man squad that Ten Hag has at his disposal for the group stage opener later today, with the Dutchman down to the bare bones all across the pitch.
In the forward ranks, both Antony and Jadon Sancho are still not deemed available for selection, while the midfield department also appears rather depleted with recent arrivals Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount still not fit to feature.
It is in the backline where the Old Trafford outfit look especially light, however, with the former Ajax boss only able to select five defenders for the trip to Germany – including veteran asset Jonny Evans – with Harry Maguire proving the latest injury blow for the struggling side.
With four goalkeepers making up a rather weak travelling party, getting a result from tonight’s encounter with the Bundesliga giants is already looking like something of an impossible task.
Who will start for Man United vs Bayern?
With the backline likely to pick itself, with Evans set to be the man in reserve, it is in the centre of the park where changes may lie in store, with it yet to be seen whether Ten Hag will persist with the midfield diamond that was utilised at the weekend.
As journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted, that tactical change failed to pay dividends as Brighton were able to “exploit” the narrow nature of United’s midfield, with the likes of Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay having simply been “bypassed”.
It could be argued that despite the lack of alternatives, Ten Hag should consider ruthlessly ditching both of those men tonight, with McTominay, in particular, having ‘offered little box-to-box threat from midfield or any protection’ last time out, as per 90min’s Jude Summerfield.
The Scotland international continues to perform for his country – with six goals from his last six appearances – although the 26-year-old could not translate that form back at club level, as he recorded just 22 touches against Roberto De Zerbi’s men.
Previously branded “useless” by former Manchester Evening News writer Hesham Bilal-Hefiz, the United academy graduate did look rather lost on the right of the midfield, with it having been “inexplicable” that a specialised right-winger like Facundo Pellistri was not selected instead, according to Luckhurst.
There could be an argument for Ten Hag to make that change this time around, while as for Eriksen, the 31-year-old could be replaced by the youthful exuberance of Hannibal Mejbri, following the 20-year-old’s stunning first goal for the club just a few days ago.
Aside from that consolation strike, the Tunisian starlet made his presence felt after winning four of his seven ground duels and completing 100% of his attempted passes after arriving off the bench, with Eriksen, by contrast, having ‘struggled to have any influence on the game’, as per Luckhurst.
It would be a bold call to make for Ten Hag to go for youth over experience against such elite opposition, although clearly, something has to give if the Red Devils are to get back to winning ways.
