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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Dan Brown

Ronaldo and Antony in - Manchester United fans name best starting line-up after transfer window

Manchester United fans believe Cristiano Ronaldo still features in Erik ten Hag's best possible starting line-up, despite the Portuguese international expressing his desire to leave the club this summer.

United have won three games in a row after defeating Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City, with Ten Hag's men impressing in recent weeks after a shocking start to the season.

The Reds signed six players in the summer transfer window, recruiting Antony, Casemiro, Martin Dubravka, Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez. Although the club lost 27 players - some of whom left on loan, while others were sold/released - Ten Hag still has plenty of stars to choose from.

READ MORE: What Erik ten Hag expects from Antony at Man United

Eriksen, Malacia and Martinez have also looked solid in United's last three matches, while Eriksen has consistently demonstrated his quality in the middle of the park since his arrival from Brentford.

Former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is yet to start for Ten Hag's side and recent arrival Antony is poised for his United debut after signing from Ajax late in the transfer window.

Ronaldo has been forced to settle for a place on the bench in recent weeks, but supporters still believe that he should be starting for United. Here is the starting XI that Manchester Evening News readers want to see deployed after the transfer window closed:

Goalkeeper - David de Gea

Unsurprisingly, United's supporters have called for David de Gea to start in between the sticks. Although the club signed Dubravka on loan from Newcastle United, with an option to make the deal permanent in the summer, the Spaniard remains the first-choice goalkeeper at Old Trafford.

It remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will look to sign a new No.1 at the end of the campaign, but for now, he, and United fans, are happy with De Gea.

Defenders - Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Tyrell Malacia

Given that Dalot, Martinez, Varane and Malacia have been so impressive in United's last three matches, it isn't surprising that supporters want them to be the first-choice back four for the remainder of this season.

Club captain Harry Maguire has been dropped to the bench in recent weeks, with Martinez and Varane forming a strong partnership at centre-back. Meanwhile, Dalot and Malacia are the first-choice full-backs after staring in the victories over Southampton and Liverpool.

Midfielders - Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen

Casemiro is yet to start for United after arriving from Los Blancos last month, but he is a certain starter once he settles in at the club - and fans want to see him deployed in the holding midfielder role.

In front of him, supporters are keen for Eriksen and Fernandes to start for Ten Hag's side. With the Portugal midfielder grabbing his first goal of the season against Southampton - and Eriksen being lauded for his ability to dictate play - United's midfield looks stronger than it has done for a number of years.

Forwards - Antony, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho

Make no mistake, United's fans are desperate to see Antony in action. The 22-year-old Brazilian arrives at Old Trafford with a good pedigree, and supporters believe that he can become one of the most exciting right-wingers in the division.

On the other flank, Sancho has been backed to start after his spectacular start to the season - with the Englishman scoring two goals already. The Reds' fans could have picked Marcus Rashford to partner Antony on the wing, but they opted for the former Borussia Dortmund man.

While he has only made one start for Ten Hag's side so far this campaign, United fans still believe that Ronaldo is the club's best option in the striker role. It's understandable, given that he's scored over 800 goals in his career, but the United boss doesn't agree with the United fanbase at the minute.

Starting line-up United fans want to see after the transfer window closed: De Gea; Dalot, Martinez, Varane, Malacia; Casemiro, Fernandes, Eriksen; Antony, Ronaldo, Sancho

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