Alejandro Garnacho will return, but Antony and Casemiro will be unavailable for Manchester United for the game against Leeds United.
Manchester United will be eager to continue the fine form when they welcome Leeds United to Old Trafford on Wednesday night. And Erik ten Hag has new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Casemiro is the most notable absentee as he serves the first of a three-match ban after seeing red against Crystal Palace. In addition, Antony and Anthony Martial have sustained injuries and will be unavailable on Wednesday. The trio has joined Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay, and Donny van de Beek on the sidelines.
Manchester United produced an official statement to confirm they will not lodge an appeal against Casemiro’s suspension. Meanwhile, ten Hag spoke about the missing players during his pre-match press conference.
The Dutch manager said, “They [Martial and McTominay] are not involved tomorrow. And the same with Antony dos Santos. He is also not available for tomorrow so we have to sort that out.”
“I’m the manager. I always have to play with the players who are available. We have a squad, we have many good players available in that squad, who are not always in the starting XI. So, others [will] get the chance and I have to do it.”
“After the game, I can’t say Casemiro is not there, Anthony Martial is not there. No, we have to win. This squad, all players in [it], are Man United capable, so they have to perform tomorrow and we have to win the games, no matter who is coming on the pitch.”
Marcel Sabitzer will make his first start for Manchester United in the absence of Casemiro. The on-loan midfielder will join Fred in the double pivot in the middle of the park. Kobbie Mainoo will likely be the backup midfield option for ten Hag.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez should form the central defensive partnership. And Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka will likely continue as the full-backs. Meanwhile, David de Gea picks himself between the sticks.
In Antony’s absence, Alejandro Garnacho will return to the starting lineup. The teenage prodigy will join Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Wout Weghorst in the final third. So Jadon Sancho will find himself as a backup option on the bench again.
Predicted Manchester United XI: de Gea; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Sabitzer, Fred; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
