After being handed just his second Premier League start of the season against Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, Donny van de Beek, in the minutes leading up to kick-off, must have been licking his lips.
Manchester United went into the clash with the Cherries on a five-game winning run, brimming with confidence and in the knowledge that they were going up against a side that had lost six of their previous seven league matches. Manager Erik ten Hag, though he would never admit it, seemingly felt that his side, whoever he included in his starting line-up, would have more than enough to get the better of the relegation-threatened outfit.
The Dutchman made four changes for the visit of Gary O'Neil's side, three of which were surprising to say the least, with Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Van de Beek all awarded rare starts. Marcus Rashford was the other player to come into the team after he stepped off the bench to score the winner at Wolves and put himself back in the manager's good books.
