How Manchester United will set vs Arsenal in Premier League opener
Man United play Arsenal in their opening Premier League game on Sunday and that’s how our writers think they should stand up.
Samuel joined the Manchester Evening News 2014 and is Chief Manchester United author. He has broken exclusivity on Jose Mourinho’s appointment, about the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s looting, the club’s interest in Ralf Rangnick and Erik Ten Hag, as well as many other transfers and team news. He has represented the men at the BBC, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Talksport, Radio 5 Live, CNN and various other media all over the world. To get Samuel’s weekly newsletter for exclusive opinion and insight, subscribe to https://insideoldtrafford.substack.com/about
Manchester United’s season starts against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Ruben Amorim has monitored a positive before the season and has encountered the signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Diego Leon for the new campaign.
Sesko was revealed before the last friendship before the season against Fiorentina last weekend. The young striker has been training at Carrington throughout the week and is expected to make his debut against Arsenal.
Arsenal has also been strengthened in the summer transfer window as they prepare to mount another Premier League title challenge.
When it comes to Team News, United will be without Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui, but Andre Onana and Joshua Zirkzee will be available for selection again this weekend.
This is how our writers think that United should set up:
Samuel Luckhurst
United can be a player away from his strongest XI. Sesko must go straight in. He has had plenty of training time and it makes no sense to turn the bush with a new no. 9. There is also not a realistic alternative, given that Rasmus Hojlund can fight to even make the bench today.
Manuel Ugarte must come up. Casemoro can be superfluous this season and beating him against Arsenal asks for problems. So Ugarte, possibly, is, but he was signed last year to offer life span in the midfield and United must try to make it work.
Luke Shaw seems likely to get to the left of the back three but having him start for United at the beginning of his 12th season should not be maintained as a principle point. So the heaven is.
Keeper is simple: Andre Onana is the first choice and better than Altay Bayindir.
Steven Railston
Onana has to be replaced, but he is the best option to start between the sticks after recovering from a hamstring injury. Yoro, Maguire and the Ligt are the strongest back three to Amorim’s disposal.
There is concern for the midfield of the season. Fernandes and Ugarte feel like the best partnership to start the campaign with, but a new face must be secured before the transfer window ends.
Amad has started every match during the season and should start at right-back, while it is a no-brainer to start the new signings, MBEUMO, SESKO and CUNHA, over the attack line.
George Smith
Onana must start between posts and make her first performance since the Europa League final. Yoro is a shoo-in as a right-sided center back after starting four of United’s five friendships, but there is less guarantee for who will start next to him.
As difficult as it is, I would choose the league in the middle and the sky on the left. The latter has not made a foot wrong since he joined the club and will be anxious to put his mark against his old club.
Amad and Dorgu should occupy wing-back positions, and Ugarte should cooperate in the middle. United need a new midfielder before the deadline, but Ugarte currently offers the best level of protection for the midfield.
Amorim should release its new forward line from off, which means that MBEUMO and Cunha should support Sesko.
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