September 9th 2024.
This weekend, Manchester United is facing a crucial match against Southampton, and there is a lot of pressure on them to come out with a positive result. The team has had a rocky start to the new Premier League season, with back-to-back losses to Brighton and Liverpool. Even their narrow victory against Fulham on the opening day was saved by Joshua Zirkzee coming off the bench.
Fans are hoping to see Manuel Ugarte make his debut for United after not being registered in time for the game against Liverpool before the international break. The 23-year-old is expected to come into the side after Casemiro's tough performance against their arch-rivals in their last game. However, manager Erik ten Hag has stated that Ugarte needs to work on his fitness since he had very little pre-season training. This is similar to how he introduced Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt gradually by giving them roles off the bench in the first two games of the season.
Ugarte did get some game time with Uruguay on Saturday, playing for 79 minutes, and is expected to feature in their game against Venezuela on Tuesday night. However, due to the long trip back to Manchester, it's possible he may only make an appearance from the bench.
Injuries have also been a problem for ten Hag, with Rasmus Hojlund, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro yet to play this season. Hojlund, who suffered a hamstring injury during a pre-season game against Arsenal, is close to returning to training with the team at Carrington. On the other hand, Yoro is not expected to be back until November. Shaw, who has been sidelined with a calf injury, is set to return after this month's international break, according to a club statement released in August. The manager is expected to provide an update on their status during his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Looking ahead to the weekend's game, Victor Lindelof will also be available for selection after training during the international break. However, Tyrell Malacia, who was registered in United's Europa League squad last week, is still working his way back to full fitness after not playing for the club since May 2023. Mason Mount, who has been plagued with injuries, suffered another setback a week ago and is not expected to be available for the trip to the south coast this weekend.
As for the predicted lineup, fans can expect to see Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, and Zirkzee on the field. For those wondering where to watch the game, it will kick off at 12:30 pm on Saturday, September 14th, and will be broadcasted live on TNT Sports 1 and the Discovery+ app.
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