Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba will return in a heavily-rotated side when Manchester United welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Manchester United will be eager to bounce back to winning ways when they play hosts to Aston Villa at Old Trafford in Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off. And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been handed a major boost on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Edinson Cavani is fit and available after rejoining full training this week. The veteran striker’s return means Marcus Rashford (shoulder) and Amad Diallo (thigh) remain the only absentees for Manchester United ahead of the visit of Aston Villa.
Speaking to the Manchester United media, Solskjaer confirmed Cavani’s return, saying, “Edinson has joined in training fully after that game [on Wednesday] and he’s held his hand up and is ready. Last season as well, he didn’t have a pre-season when he came here. He’s so professional and meticulous and, of course, we’re glad to now have him back training with us and in the squad.”
“We didn’t lose anyone on Wednesday night. It gives me selection headaches [smiles], which is what I’d rather have than the other way around. Sometimes you have to leave players out that you don’t feel deserve to be left out. But that’s the nature of the beast and we’ve got to make sure we are ready for every single game.”
Cavani, despite his return, is not expected to be a part of the starting lineup, with Cristiano Ronaldo set to lead the line for Manchester United. Bruno Fernandes will play off of his compatriot, with Mason Greenwood a certainty on the right flank. On the left wing, Paul Pogba is likely to be preferred, especially with Jadon Sancho struggling to make an impact.
Pogba’s presence in the attacking unit means Solskjaer can field a more pragmatic double pivot of Scott McTominay and Fred, with Nemanja Matic and Donny van de Beek making way for the first-choice central midfield duo.
Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire will, meanwhile, resume their partnership at the heart of the Manchester United defence, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw coming in for Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles as the two full-backs. Finally, in goal, there is no looking past David de Gea, in the wake of his heroics against West Ham United last weekend.
Predicted Manchester United XI: de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Greenwood, Fernandes, Pogba; Ronaldo