Manchester United are finally ready to hand new striker Rasmus Hojlund his debut at Arsenal today, but he must wait a little longer.
United agreed a £64million deal plus add-ons to bring the 20-year-old to Old Trafford from Atalanta earlier in the summer, but a back injury prevented his involved in the club’s opening three games of the season. He is match fit and starts on the bench, with Anthony Martial leading the line.
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The club have lacked a presence in the No.9 position and manager Erik ten Hag believes Hojlund can slot straight in when he gets on the pitch.
“So he had a good training week,” Ten Hag said. “So tomorrow we have final training but he’s doing well, he’s responded well. So he will be available for Sunday’s game. I think he can start.
“I think for every player there’s a big spotlight. At United, you have to perform. Every position and every player.”
Ten Hag also confirmed Sergio Reguilon had trained and would be available after his loan move to United from Tottenham was sealed, but is not thrown straight into the deep end as Diogo Dalot continues to deputise on the left.
Fellow deadline day new boy Altay Bayindir, who signed from Fenerbahce for £4.3m, makes the bench after being registered in time, with the goalkeeper acquired to provide back-up for Andre Onana. Sofyan Amrabat will not be available after missing the registration deadline.
Raphael Varane joins fellow defenders Shaw and Tyrell Malacia on the treatment table, with Mason Mount also sidelined due to injury. Victor Lindelof should replace Varane at centre-back, while Anthony Martial is preferred to Hojlund up front.
Confirmed team news
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
Subs: Gabriel Jesus, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Raya, Nelson
Manchester United XI: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial
Subs: Hojlund, Reguilon, Bayindir, Maguire, Evans, Pellistri, Gore, Mejbri, Garnacho
Injured: Varane, Shaw, Malacia, Mount, Amad
Unregistered: Amrabat
Time and date: 4.30pm BST, Sunday, September 3, 2023
Venue: Emirates Stadium
