Amrabat, Mount, Hojlund to start – Man United starting XI vs Crystal Palace: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup, injury latest today

Amrabat, Mount, Hojlund to start – Man United starting XI vs Crystal Palace: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup, injury latest today

After making seven changes for the Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace on Tuesday, it will be interesting to see the XI Erik ten Hag selects for the weekend’s Premier League game against the same opponents.

Saturday’s 15:00 BST kick-off presents an opportunity to record a third successive win in all competitions and build on consecutive clean sheets for Andre Onana and his defenders.

There were numerous positives in the cup victory that has set up a repeat of last year’s final with Newcastle United in round four, including Mason Mount making his third competitive appearance for the club and notching his first assist, for Casemiro’s unstoppable header.

Although withdrawn at half-time, the manager explained that was a planned move and hopefully the England international will be available to start again.

Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire started, to push their claims for a place at the heart of the defence, while Sofyan Amrabat certainly made an excellent first impression on the Old Trafford crowd with his aggression and quallity.

The Morocco international may be needed at left-back again if Sergio Reguilon is still unavailable, but it must be hoped he is over an illness, and the same can be said for midfielders Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen, who were absent from the matchday squad in mdiweek.

Anthony Martial got off the mark for the season with a stunning finish for the third goal but there are now options in attack. Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench and Marcus Rashford, who scored in this fixture last term, was afforded a rest.

Bruno Fernandes netted the opener in that 2-1 win over Palace in February, and the skipper will be chomping at the bit to return after he was also an unused substitute last time out.

Although things do appear to be looking healthier on the injury front, Lisandro Martinez must be a doubt and the Reds could still be without Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad, Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Alejandro Garnacho did his best to keep his place while, in terms of fellow Academy graduates, Dan Gore made his senior debut and Hannibal is another option again after showing his talents in the engine room.

Uruguay international Facundo Pellistri has started as right-winger in two of the past three matches.

Antony is back in training but not expected to play.

Predicted Man United XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Reguilon; Casemiro, Amrabat; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund

Doubts: Eriksen, McTominay, Reguilon

Injuries: Wan-Bissaka, Shaw, Malacia, Amad, Mainoo, Martinez

Unavailable: Sancho

Time and date: 3pm, Saturday 30 September, 2023
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PALACE’S TEAM NEWS

Dean Henderson looks set to miss out after his Eagles debut was cut short on Tuesday. Another former United Academy keeper, Sam Johnstone, has played every Premier League game this term, though, and will surely start, particularly after making a couple of stunning saves, from Victor Lindelof and Garnacho.

Manager Roy Hodgson said at Old Trafford: “[Dean] will need a scan, I am sure, and we will have to wait for the result of the scan. Often, you have to wait a day or two before they can even do the scan. At the minute, we just know he had a very unfortunate end to a game he was really looking forward to.”

Palace will welcome back several key faces, such as England international Marc Guehi, who came on at half-time, and fellow defenders Joel Ward and Joachim Andersen. Eberechi Eze looks certain to start but there are doubts over Odsonne Edouard, Naouirou Ahamada and Jairo Riedewald.

“We don’t have a lot of changes we can possibly make,” said Hodgson. “We are facing a similar scenario, potentially, that we faced tonight [Tuesday]. We don’t have a number of people available that can make such a vast difference to our own team.”

James Tomkins, Nathan Ferguson, Matheus Franca, Jefferson Lerma and Michael Olise are among the potential absentees