Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has extended an olive branch to Marcus Rashford ahead of Sunday’s Premier League battle with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
For the second game running, the Englishman was left out of the squad for Thursday’s EFL Cup quarter-final loss to Tottenham Hotspur, and he has publicly admitted that he is pining for a new challenge elsewhere.
However, Amorim stressed at full time in midweek that Rashford can still revive his Man United career, but whether he is involved in Sunday’s game remains to be seen.
One player who should not be participating is Victor Lindelof, who sustained another injury in the first half of Thursday’s 4-3 loss, while Luke Shaw (calf) and Mason Mount (leg) are also out of contention.
Even if Lindelof had come through unscathed, the Swede was always likely to be demoted as Amorim reverts to a first-choice backline, most likely Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez in front of Andre Onana.
Diogo Dalot appears to be a shoo-in on the left, while Noussair Mazraoui was passed fit for the EFL Cup after picking up a knock in the 2-1 derby win over Manchester City, but Amad Diallo may now take up right wing-back duties.
The need for fresh legs could also benefit Kobbie Mainoo’s chances of partnering Manuel Ugarte in the middle, while Alejandro Garnacho was brought back in from the cold as a substitute in midweek.
The Argentine is now a contender to demote Antony to the bench, but Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund should reprise their roles.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
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