Manuel Ugarte premier League debut”, Predicted Man United XI vs Liverpool – as Ten Hag promise to disgrace the Arne slot men at Old Trafford
Manchester United will hope to have Manuel Ugarte available for their Premier League showdown against Liverpool this weekend.
Erik ten Hag’s side have agreed a deal worth an initial £42million to sign the Uruguay international from Paris Saint-Germain with the midfielder undergoing a medical with his new club on Wednesday.
Providing there are no hold-ups, United should be course to have their latest signing registered in time to be available for selection for the visit of Arne Slot’s side on Sunday afternoon.
However, it remains to be seen whether Erik ten Hag will risk throwing Ugarte in at the deep end with little or no time to train with his new teammates.
The Dutchman may have to make changes elsewhere, however. Mason Mount has started United’s first two Premier League matches of the season but was forced off at half-time against Brighton.
The former Chelsea star saw his first season at the club derailed by injury with ten Hag explaining on Saturday he did not want to take any risks over his fitness.
‘It was forced,’ ten Hag said after the defeat at the AMEX. ‘He mentioned an issue and I don’t want to take the risk with him. I don’t know how much of a worry it is, I can’t say at this moment.’ The United boss is expected to provide a further update on Mount when he speaks at his pre-match press conference later this week.
United remain without Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro with Luke Shaw also still unavailable. United are not expecting Hojlund or Shaw to return until after September’s international break at the earliest
Noussair Mazraoui is expected to continue at right-back with Diogo Dalot deployed at left-back in the opening games of the season. Matthijs de Ligt meanwhile is still waiting for his first start having come off the bench against Fulham and Liverpool.
Ten Hag also has a big decision to make in wide positions with Alejandro Garnacho pushing for a start.
Scott McTominay meanwhile may have already played his last game for the club as he edges closer to a move to Napoli
Arne Slot has quickly settled on his preferred starting XI with Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota taking up key roles in midfield and attack.
Ibrahima Konate coming in for Jarell Quansah was the only change made to the side for Sunday’s 2-0 win over Brentford. The Liverpool youngster was hooked at half-time on the opening weekend of the season against Ipswich but his omission last week was due to an injury suffered in training midweek
Liverpool are closing in on their first signing of the summer in Federico Chiesa who is set to leave Juventus in a £10.7m deal
Predicted Man Utd XI to face Liverpool
Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Zirkzee
Predicted Liverpool XI to face Man Utd
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Jota
