Key absentees will scupper Man Utd's quick start
Manchester United will welcome rivals Leeds United to Old Trafford for a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, and a highly anticipated game is expected to be played out by the two teams on the opening weekend. Ole Gunnar Solskjær has been heavily backed, both in terms of a new long-term contract, and in the transfer market, most notably by bringing young forward Jadon Sancho back to the city after a highly successful stint at Borussia Dortmund. However, he will more than likely have to settle for a place on the bench after only returning to training on Monday, whereas the fixture will be too early entirely for many of his teammates. Read our preview here:
Under Martial law
With as many as eight first team members ruled out entirely, the first XI in red and white will be shorn of new signings Sancho and pacey centre-back Raphaël Varane, who has still not been officially confirmed at the time of writing (though only formalities are left to complete). Anthony Martial will lead the line in a 4-3-3, with his days possibly coming to a close in Stretford. Nevertheless, Solskjær needs him to conjure up a productive performance on Saturday, even without Edinson Cavani or Marcus Rashford in contention to replace him. He'll be flanked on the left by Welsh winger Dan James, who has impressed only in fits and starts for the giants, and on the right by Mason Greenwood, who at least has had a summer break to refresh his legs for the upcoming season. Most of the attacks will be orchestrated by Bruno Fernandes, who had a Euro 2020 to forget for Portugal, but will still be heavily relied upon creatively without Sancho to help carry that burden.
Dallas is no cowboy
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa's side have been very modest in their transfer dealings to date, but are currently targeting a second new left-back after the arrival of Junior Firpo from debt-ridden Barcelona for a cut price fee. All of the specialists on their books prior to his arrival have left, and it will be intriguing to see how the new man does in his tussle with Greenwood. Kalvin Phillips, a star of England's run to the final this summer, is unlikely to feature after taking a late holiday to recuperate from his exploits, so Robin Koch is set to deputise as the anchor in a five-man midfield. Versatile defender Stuart Dallas could pop up in the middle if Bielsa places his faith in Firpo from the outset; either way, the Scottish stopper cannot afford any complacency against Martial, and the unit will press high up the pitch to starve him and Fernandes of space with which to operate in in tandem with the more defensively minded midfielders.
Baby steps for Babyface
The big outlays greenlit by the Red Devils board mean the onus will be on Solskjær to turn a distant second-place and a trophyless 2020/2021 into something more tangible come next May. Few expect them to regain the domestic crown, but deeper runs in cup competitions, especially the Champions League, will be the minimum requirement. On Saturday, he'll be hamstrung by a depleted roster, and whilst the lack of Phillips in the Leeds lineup will be some consolation, he might have to make do with a share of the spoils in a competitive contest - Parimatch have odds of 4.33 for a draw.
