Erik ten Hag has explained Luke Shaw starts at centre-back instead of Lisandro Martinez in the Manchester derby due to fitness and tactical reasons. The Dutchman also said he is happy to start Anthony Martial after the forward passed a late fitness test.
Martial has missed 13 weeks of the season through hamstring, Achilles and back injuries and he was a doubt to play Manchester City in the derby on Saturday afternoon, but he trained on Friday and passed a late fitness assessment ahead of the game.
United suffered a heavy 6-3 defeat in the Manchester derby at the beginning of October, but confidence in the dressing room is currently high after a run of eight games, in which Ten Hag's side have impressed by winning every fixture.
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Ten Hag has named a strong side for the match, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka starting in the absence of the injured Diogo Dalot, but it was a surprise to see Shaw start at centre-back alongside Raphael Varane, with Tyrell Malacia at left-back. Martinez started against Charlton in the League Cup earlier in the week but Shaw starts ahead of him for the derby.
Casemiro, Fred and Eriksen have started in the midfield three, while Ten Hag has named Bruno Fernandes, Martial and Marcus Rashford, who has scored 15 goals this season, as the players to lead the attack from the first whistle.
Ten Hag discussed his team selection with MUTV before kick-off and he explained why Martial and Shaw start.
"He's fit [Martial], so he starts. He needs the games to progress even more," Ten Hag said. "Yeah, this is a special game and he's shown in the past he can really contribute in these games with his experience.
"The last couple of games, a lot of clean sheets, they [Varane and Shaw] played really well together. Also, Licha Martinez returned from the World Cup and didn't have a lot of games. He played 90 minutes against Charlton, but we need big games.
"That was four weeks ago, at the World Cup, so I think 90 minutes is a lot, but he can contribute, he's ready to come in, but I also think it's tactical, it fits really well with the physical, with Haaland and De Bruyne, players around covering the full-backs."
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