There will be little room for excuses when Manchester United make the short trip to face Man City in the Premier League this weekend. It will have been 17 days since Erik ten Hag's side were last in action and 28 days since their most recent domestic outing.
Matches after an international break can sometimes be slow burners, but that is simply unacceptable when it is a game of such magnitude that will require the highest level of intensity. United's performance against City on Sunday will set the benchmark for a packed month that will see them play nine matches and face the gruelling test of two games a week up until the World Cup.
This is a schedule that is sure to test Ten Hag's squad to the limits, with a pool of periphery players sure to get a chance in the coming weeks across the varying competitions and commitments. For the match at the Etihad, United will need to go with their strongest available selection, and barring any surprise call, it seems like Ten Hag already has an XI in mind based on recent performances.
