The sacking of Erik ten Hag means Ruud van Nistelrooy, the new interim manager, will take charge of the Manchester United team when they host Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Van Nistelrooy was in the summer appointed as Ten Hag’s assistant but now steps into the top job while the club’s hierarchy work to appoint a new permanent head coach.
It will be intriguing to see how the former United player and PSV Eindhoven manager sets United up for the Carabao Cup visit of Leicester.
Here Standard Sport takes a look at three possible changes to Wednesday’s first game…
Casemiro dropped
(4-2-3-1): Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Eriksen, Ugarte; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
While Casemiro did get on the scoresheet in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham, it had felt as though he would have been dropped long ago under any other manager for his slowing pace and deteriorating performances.
Ten Hag stuck with him throughout his tenure, but it has become a common sight to see the Brazilian struggling to track back and often being played around.
Van Nistelrooy could therefore opt to leave the 32-year-old out in favour of a player who cost in excess of £50million this summer.
Ten Hag has been coy when asked why Ugarte hasn’t started more. He arrived from Paris Saint-Germain with a somewhat bruised reputation, but could come into the team to kickstart his United career.
Chance up front for Zirkzee
(4-2-3-1): Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Eriksen, Casemiro; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
Rasmus Hojlund has just two goals in all competitions so far this season and missed a very decent chance at the London Stadium in the defeat which spelt the end for Ten Hag.
Van Nistelrooy could use Hojlund’s stuttering start and the fact it is a cup game to therefore opt for a change, instead placing faith in Joshua Zirkzee.
The Dutch international has not scored since netting the only goal of the game in United’s season-opener against Fulham but was lively off the bench against West Ham and assisted Casemiro’s goal. The caretaker manager may feel he deserves a chance from the start.
Change of shape
(3-5-2): Onana; De Ligt, Evans, Martinez; Dalot, Fernandes, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mazraoui; Hojlund, Rashford
Another option, though more radical, is to switch to a back three. United would have had hardly any time to put it into practice on the training pitch, but United’s defence have been criticised a lot this season and the addition of a third centre-back in the form of the experienced Jonny Evans could help to shore up the defence.
This formation would also enable Van Nistelrooy to get the best of full-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot going forward but inverting them into wing-backs.
While a 3-4-3 could also work, as 3-5-2 would allow for three midfielders instead of two, and Hojlund could then have a more dynamic strike partner, perhaps Marcus Rashford or summer signing Joshua Zirkzee.
