We are soon going to learn which players Erik ten Hag has the most confidence in during a week that might have a significant impact on Manchester United's performance this season. Their own shortcomings were made clear in a goalless draw with Newcastle at the weekend, even if much of the post-match narrative was directed at the referee, rather than admitting their own role in the dropped points.
Ten Hag's side were outplayed in the first half and were lucky to go in level after clear Newcastle dominance. There was a marked improvement after the break, but even on the rare occasions when they did create something, they were extremely wasteful in front of goal.
In a late effort to try and change the outcome of the match, Marcus Rashford was brought on to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, and in fairness to him, he made an immediate impact, though he missed the two key chances that fell his way.
