Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Manchester United could line up for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad.
Manchester United will be without 11 players for Thursday’s Europa League last-16 second-leg clash with Real Sociedad at Old Trafford.
Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Amad Diallo (ankle) are both ruled out for the rest of the season, while Kobbie Mainoo (calf), Luke Shaw (hamstring), Jonny Evans (muscle), Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton (both unspecified) and Chido Obi-Martin (ineligible) are also unavailable for selection.
Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire are also ruled out, the latter is nursing a knock while the former was taken off at half time in Man United’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Arsenal with a foot injury.
Mason Mount has returned to team training this week after a lengthy spell out with a hamstring injury, but Thursday’s game will come too soon for the midfielder. However, Manuel Ugarte will be included in Amorim’s matchday squad after missing the last two games with a knock, while Patrick Dorgu is serving a domestic ban but is available for Europa League duty.
Dorgu will likely start at left wing-back as Diogo Dalot operates on the opposite flank, while the absence of Yoro and Maguire could result in Noussair Mazraoui starting in central defence – as he did in last week’s 1-1 first-leg draw with Real Sociedad – next to Matthijs de Ligt and Victor Lindelof.
If Ugarte is not fit to start, then Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro should continue in centre-midfield, while Amorim will weigh up whether to recall out-of-form striker Rasmus Hojlund or stick with Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho in behind Joshua Zirkzee, who scored in the first leg.
Manchester United possible starting lineup: Onana; De Ligt, Lindelof, Mazraoui; Dalot, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu; Garnacho, Hojlund, Zirkzee
> Click here to see how Real Sociedad could line up for this contest
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