Predicted Manchester United lineup against Viktoria Plzen: Rashford, Mount to return; Lindelof in contention

Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount will return to the Manchester United starting lineup in a UEFA Europa League tie against Viktoria Plzen at Doosan Arena on Thursday.

Manchester United will aim to return to winning ways and continue the unbeaten start to their 2024/25 UEFA Europa League campaign when they lock horns with Viktoria Plzen at Doosan Arena on Thursday night. And Ruben Amorim has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.

Victor Lindelof is the latest player to return, with Amorim including the Swedish defender in the travelling squad to take on Viktoria Plzen. So, Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw are the only players on the sidelines for the away side.

Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Amorim discussed his first few weeks with his new club. The Portuguese tactician also confirmed a start for Tyrell Malacia. He said, “I already knew it. You guys ask, I respond. I already knew it was a big job and I have a long way to go. It is really important to win away and even in the league, we know that it is really tough to win away in the Premier League.”

The Manchester United manager continued, “We are Manchester United and we have to improve on that but also in winning at home, because we lost the last game. It is really important to go to the next stage to win tomorrow because of all of that. It is really important for us as a club, as a team, in this moment that if you pass to the next stage without play-off you take two games from our schedule and that is massive.”

“For some teams it is nothing but for us it is really important. But we are facing a team that maybe a lot of people in England don’t know the name of but they are unbeaten at home. In Europe they are very strong they run a lot and we cannot play the game one v one in all of the pitch like they want, we have to have possession, we have to control transitions and we have to be very good in second phases, like after crosses, then next cross.”

“We have to improve in these details. We have to be so much better in set-pieces and we have to win it. It is so important that we win but not just win but [also] to play well. Tomorrow is going to be really really tough. Ty is prepared for that and he is going to play so we are really prepared for the game.”

Tyrell Malacia will start as the left wing-back, with Antony on the right flank. Andre Onana will retain his spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him against Astana. The central defensive unit should feature Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez.

As for the midfield unit, Bruno Fernandes will reprise a deeper role, pairing up alongside Casemiro in the middle of the park. Finally, Mason Mount will be the second creative midfielder for the away side, with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee pairing up in a fluid offensive combination.

Predicted Manchester United XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Antony, Casemiro, Fernandes, Malacia; Mount, Rashford, Zirkzee

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