Manchester United face a long wait between Premier League fixtures, with their next domestic assignment the small matter of a Manchester derby.
The trip to the Etihad on Sunday, October 2 will be their first league game in four weeks. That hiatus is down to the fact that two matches, against Crystal Palace and Leeds, were pushed back following the death of the Queen as well as an international break pencilled in for later this month.
When the game does eventually come around United will at least have had the chance to maintain their match sharpness with Europa League games and plenty of players featuring in internationals. Those meetings with Real Sociedad and Sheriff Tiraspol, though, are unlikely to be anywhere near the levels of intensity for a game against Pep Guardiola's men.
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Derbies always have an element of feistiness about them and if that is the case once again, one United star in particular will have to watch himself.
Scott McTominay has already been a regular name in the books of Premier League referees this season. The Scotland international has picked up four cautions in just six outings so far. Premier League rules dictate that any player who receives five yellow cards before the 19th game of the season will incur a one-match ban. It means McTominay has 12 games to try and avoid being carded again if he wants to avoid having to sit out United's following league game. He received nine yellows in the whole of last season.
Other United stars looking over their shoulders with an eye on that matchweek 19 reset are Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot. Both defenders are on three cautions so far.
Rules also state that a player who has accumulated 10 yellow cards by matchweek 32 they will be handed a two-match ban. A total of 15 yellow cards in the duration of the season results in a three-match ban.
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