MANCHESTER UNITED are set to ring the changes for the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Granada with a TRIO of starters suspended.
Captain Harry Maguire, left-back Luke Shaw and influential midfielder Scott McTominay are all out of Thursday’s game at Old Trafford after picking up yellow cards in the 2-0 win in last week’s first leg.
And Axel Tuanzebe could be the beneficiary with the 23-year-old in line for a rare start.
Youngster Will Fish, 18, has also been promoted to the senior squad for the game with Eric Bailly still unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19.
Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Tuanzebe can slot into the back four seamlessly despite having seen just 554 minutes of action in all competitions this season.
The Norwegian said: “Axel has always been a very positive boy and hardworking.
“Victor and Harry have played, they’ve formed a very good partnership.
“Eric’s come in and played really well when he’s played so his [Axel’s] chances have been limited, but he’s been training well and he’s ready for this opportunity.”
Fish is the only other recognised centre-back available and although he is still eligible for the Under-18 side has captained Neil Wood’s Under-23s on several occasions this term.
He joins fellow unknown quantity Anthony Elanga in the squad after the wideman got the call-up ahead of the first leg.
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Paul Pogba is set to continue on the left with Marcus Rashford carrying a knock.
Dan James is set to return after missing the comeback win over Spurs with a blow from the first game against Granada, although he may not be risked from the start.
Mason Greenwood is set to start on the right after excelling off the bench at the weekend, providing a goal and an assist in a late cameo.
With Anthony Martial KO’d for the season, Edinson Cavani will continue through the middle.
Either the experienced Serb Nemanja Matic or Dutchman Donny van de Beek will be given the chance to impress in the absence of Scot McTominay.
Alex Telles will take Luke Shaw’s spot with Lindelof and Tuanzebe set to form a new partnership with Aaron Wan-Bissaka continuing at right-back.
David De Gea is likely to get the nod in the Europa League again after starting last week but Solskajer could choose to go with in-form Dean Henderson after he was praised for his performance against Spurs.
Solskjaer added: “It’s never a positive thing to not have every player available.
“But we’ve got players ready to deputise and come into the team.
“Of course, the [bookings] amnesty is after this quarter-final so we hoped to get them through but there are some easy easy yellow cards there that the referee handed out. But we’re ready to deal with that.
“We have to make sure that we get through. I always pick a team to win a game. There will be a few changes – some of them are forced and some of them are maybe rotation.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
