January 1st 2025.
After serving his suspension, Bruno Fernandes is set to make his return for Manchester United as they kick off the New Year with a challenging match against Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. It's been a rough start for United, who have been struggling in form and have only won two out of their first eight league games under new manager Ruben Amorim. Despite this, the Red Devils will face no easy task this weekend as they go up against Arne Slot's in-form Liverpool side, who ended their 2024 with an impressive 5-0 victory against West Ham and sit comfortably at the top of the table with an eight-point lead.
One positive for United is the return of both Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, who were suspended for their last match against Newcastle. Fernandes is expected to take his place in the front three, possibly replacing Joshua Zirkzee, who was substituted in the first half of the Newcastle game to the dismay of the Old Trafford crowd. Ugarte, on the other hand, will most likely return to the midfield, potentially taking the spot of either Christian Eriksen or Casemiro.
Manuel Ugarte is not the only player making a comeback from suspension, as Kobbie Mainoo, who was on the bench for the Newcastle game, is likely to be back in the starting lineup as well. Amorim is looking for more energy in his central midfield partnership, and Mainoo's return could provide just that. In defense, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are expected to continue in their wing-back roles, but Amorim may make some changes to his three-man central defense after a concerning performance against Newcastle. Youngster Leny Yoro could possibly start in place of Lisandro Martinez, who struggled in the last game and was substituted after just an hour.
When it comes to United's lineup, Matthijs de Ligt is expected to keep his place after returning from an illness that kept him out of the last three games. Harry Maguire will also continue in his role as the central defender. However, Victor Lindelof is unlikely to feature due to an injury he picked up against Tottenham, and Luke Shaw remains a long-term absentee after suffering a setback in his rehabilitation earlier this month. Mason Mount is also out with an injury, and it's unlikely he will return until at least January.
Marcus Rashford, who has been missing from the last four matchday squads, made a return to the bench against Newcastle, but it's clear that he is not yet in Amorim's immediate plans as he was left unused on the night. On the Liverpool side, Dominik Szoboszlai will be back from his suspension, but they will be without Joe Gomez in defense due to a hamstring injury. Jarell Quansah, who came on for Gomez in the last game, is expected to start next weekend, as Ibrahima Konate is still recovering from a knee injury.
The predicted lineup for Manchester United includes Onana, Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire, Mazraoui, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot, Fernandes, Amad, and Hojlund. Fans can watch the highly anticipated match between Liverpool and Manchester United at 4:30 pm on Sunday, January 5, with live coverage on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. The match can also be streamed on the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
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