With six games in the space of just 19 days between last Tuesday's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest and the derby clash with Manchester City on January 14, Erik ten Hag was always going to have to shuffle his pack at some point.
The introduction of an inaugural winter World Cup means that Manchester United, as well as the rest of their Premier League counterparts, particularly those competing in Europe and still alive and kicking in the Carabao Cup, face something of a fixture pile-up following the resumption of the domestic campaign. Tuesday night's 3-0 win over Bournemouth at Old Trafford marked United's fourth game since the restart less than a fortnight ago.
Although United's quest to secure a top-four finish is their bread and butter and ultimate ambition this season, they are still competing in three other competitions. The Reds are scheduled to get their FA Cup campaign under way on Friday evening, hosting Everton at Old Trafford.
