Erik ten Hag ready to select strongest Manchester United team as stars return

LONDON – Manager Erik ten Hag believes he is set to finally pick his strongest Manchester United team against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Feb 1 as a host of stars return from injury.

The Red Devils are back to English Premier League action at Molineux buoyed by Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw featuring in the 4-2 FA Cup fourth-round win at minnows Newport County on Jan 28.

Hampered by injuries, it was the first time the trio – who will provide defensive stability – had started together since the second game of the season at Tottenham Hotspur in August.

Centre-back Harry Maguire also made a late cameo from the bench in the victory for his first appearance since Dec 12 following a groin problem.

Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana could be available against Wolves as well, after returning from international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Asked if the game could be the first time he played his strongest team, ten Hag said: “It could be, potentially yeah. Maybe for the first time as long as I was manager that we can pick a team from a squad that is probably the strongest.”

But whether Marcus Rashford will feature

after missing the Newport tie remains to be seen.

The England forward said he was ill on Jan 26 after reportedly spending the previous evening at a Belfast nightclub, with ten Hag declaring the issue an “internal matter” that he would deal with.

The 26-year-old could face a fine of up to £650,000 (S$1.1 million), while there are reports that his teammates are growing tired of his antics as well.

United are languishing in mid-table in the league and were dumped out of the Champions League in the group stage.

The FA Cup – in which they will face either Bristol City or Nottingham Forest in the fifth round – is probably the only silverware they can win this season, while also fighting for a Premier League top-four spot.

On the importance of the return of his key players, the under-fire ten Hag added: “I believe it is very important. Now they have to step up to match fitness 100 per cent.

“The (Newport) game definitely helped, but we know also when we go into the Premier League, the intensity is higher and they are forced to high levels.

“They had minutes in the week against Burnley (in a closed-door friendly). Now they have more minutes. This game was very helpful to make the next step and to be ready for Thursday.”

After a difficult season marred by poor form and off-the-field issues, United winger Antony set up Bruno Fernandes for the opener in Newport, before ending his 31-game scoreless streak stretching back to last April.

Ten Hag hopes the 23-year-old Brazil international – whom he knows very well from their time at Ajax Amsterdam – can use his performance as a springboard for a successful run in the second half of the season.

“Antony had the assist on the first goal for Bruno and a goal. So (there is) end product, that is what we demand from him,” the United boss said.

“The rest of his job should also be proper and that was the case.”

The return of key players is a positive, and United will be hoping to improve on their form – they have won just once in their previous six league matches.

The Red Devils played Wolves in their opening Premier League match of the season and secured a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, but pundit Chris Sutton believes that the home side can spring a surprise this time.

“This is a tough game for United and Wolves will still feel hard done by after creating so many chances at Old Trafford in August, when they were the better team and still lost the game,” the former Chelsea and Blackburn Rovers striker wrote in his BBC column. AFP