Erik ten Hag has already shown Manchester United's trip to Spain this week will be no lark.
With most of his first team away in Qatar representing their nations in the World Cup, Ten Hag has taken an unorthodox Manchester United squad to Spain for a spot of warm weather training ahead of domestic football's return in late December. Only 11 players who have made the trip can be considered regular first-teamers and three of those are goalkeepers and one is the newly promoted Alejandro Garnacho.
The rest of the 29-man strong squad is made up of the club's talented prospects, only six of which have any senior minutes to their name. It would be easy for the manager to take it easy during the break, focus on getting his few first-teamers up to the right fitness levels and pay little mind to the youngsters there to make up the numbers.
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Yet, in a video released from the first training session in Cadiz on Sunday, it was clear that there would be no such respite from Ten Hag, who was paying the teenagers just as much attention as he relayed a series of instructions during a passing drill. He may be missing the bulk of his squad but the Dutchman won't be taking anything easy during the week of preparation.
With that being the case, there are some decisions Ten Hag can now begin to consider during the week away which could have an impact on the rest of the campaign. The most important of which being Anthony Martial.
The striker wasn't picked by France so is one of the few first-teamers in Spain as he continues to build up his fitness after a difficult start to the campaign. The striker has suffered three separate injuries so far which have been infuriating because when he has managed to get on the pitch he has looked sharp as a tack.
He has four goals and two assists in just seven games and who knows what his tally would be if he had been fit. But since Cristiano Ronaldo has left the club, United need him more than ever given their serious lack of attacking options up front. During the week away Ten Hag will have to assess if Martial can be relied upon to play a significant chunk of the rest of the campaign or if he will have to convince the club to go against their plans and move for another striker in January. The success of the season could well depend o the call.
A player who has seen even less action than Martial this season is Brandon Williams. The versatile full-back has spent most of the campaign on the sidelines since returning from a loan spell at Norwich City last term. Williams has made the trip and will be hoping to impress the manager in training and two friendlies.
Though he has mostly played left-back, Williams is actually a right-back by trade and that's an area United are light on options. The resurgent Diogo Dalot is the clear first choice but they have little backup as Aaron Wan-Bissaka isn't rated by the manager. It led to Tyrell Malacia filling in there against Fulham with Dalot suspended, which didn't go well.
If Williams can impress this week he could earn himself an unlikely second chance in the United squad as a backup to Dalot and save United from having to make moves in the market, which would be handy if a striker is needed. Ten Hag will have to run the rule over him this week more than most.
Finally, with so much of the squad likely to be in Qatar for some time yet it's unlikely many will be involved when United return to action against Burnley in the Carabao Cup just four days after the World Cup final. That offers a great opportunity for the many academy stars making the trip to Spain.
There will likely be several spots open to them on the bench at the very least, if not starting, and Ten Hag will have to decide which ones have impressed enough to earn the chance. Shola Shoretire, Zidane Iqbal, Kobbie Mainoo, Charlie McNeil and Isak Hansen-Aaroen are the most likely candidates but all of them have the opportunity to make the step up.
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