Alexis Sanchez and Antonio Valencia are in line for a return to the starting lineup when Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.
Manchester United will look to recover from their shock defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last week, when they go head to head against Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Monday.
Having been beaten 3-2 by Chris Hughton’s Seagulls in the previous game, Jose Mourinho and his players find themselves under huge pressure to get back to winning ways. And they have been handed a boost in their bid to do so, with a number of injured stars set to return to action.
Captain Antonio Valencia, seasoned midfielder Nemanja Matic and talismanic forward Alexis Sanchez are all back in training and will be in contention for a starting berth against the North Londoners. New signing Diogo Dalot has also started training, but is unlikely to be involved on Monday.
Speaking about the returning players in his pre-match press conference, Mourinho said, “Decisions to be made on Sunday but yes, they are training with the team. Dalot is also training with the team for the first time this week, so in terms of the medical department, they are almost free.”
However, Manchester United continue to be without the services of Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo.
David De Gea is a certainty between the sticks for the 20-time English champions. The Spaniard had a game to forget against Brighton, much like the rest of the team, and will be keen on bouncing back with a strong display.
With Valencia fit again, he should walk into the starting lineup at right-back against Spurs. However, Luke Shaw is set to miss out for Manchester United after picking up a foot injury during training, meaning Ashley Young will move to the left-back slot on Monday night.
Chris Smalling is in line to make his first start of the season in the centre of the backline. He is likely to replace Eric Bailly, after the Ivorian defender’s horror showing in the previous game. Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof is expected to retain his spot at the back.
Matic is also set for his first appearance of the season, having returned to training after undergoing a surgery post the summer’s World Cup. He will come in for academy graduate Andreas Pereira, with Mourinho likely to go for more experience in the middle against a quality opponent like Tottenham.
New signing Fred is expected to feature from the get-go once again, ahead of the likes of Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini, while top-scorer so far with two goals, Paul Pogba, is also a very much a guaranteed starter in the middle of the park.
A couple of changes are expected in the attacking trident for United on Monday night. The fit-again Alexis Sanchez is set to return on the left side of the Manchester United attack in place of the ineffective Anthony Martial, while Jesse Lingard could be handed his first start of the campaign on the right flank ahead of Juan Mata.
Last season’s top goal-getter Romelu Lukaku is expected to spearhead the attack once again ahead of Marcus Rashford, having scored his first goal of the new season last time out against Brighton.
